5/7/12 Email

This week was a pretty good one. We were able to get what we call our "10 and 2" 4 of the days this week. The 10 and 2 means talking to 10 people per person and teaching 2 investigator lessons each day. That makes it add up to a pretty good and balanced out week as well.

Time goes so ridiculously fast out here. I think I might have figured out another reason for it too. Here we measure time with transfers, but normal people use months. Our periods of time are 50% bigger! I dont know, maybe thats just my mind making random connections, but I think it might be part of the difference. That being said, it is already the last week of another transfer! Its absolutely insane! We are absolutely clueless as to what might happen this transfer, but we did learn something pretty cool. We will be having another Vietnamese missionary come into Houston at the end of October (according to the board outside of President's office). Thats pretty good news, because that is the time that Elder Hoopes goes home. Even though he isnt serving in the branch right now, it will still be good to keep our number above 3. Hopefully we get word of others coming in soon too.

I'll share one experience from the week. On Saturday, we were on exchanges. Elder Robison stayed here in the Viet area with our district leader, and me and Elder Campbell went to the other area with his companion. In the morning before studies, we got a call that someone needed help moving that day. It was going to severely affect our plans,. but after making some more phone calls, we decided we could help. Man, this person had a ton of stuff that probably literally weighed a ton! Out in the heat and humidity, we loaded the truck with all sorts of heavy furniture. One item was an armuar (I have no idea how to spell that...) that took 6 men to barely carry out of the apartment. It was entirely exhausting work. We had to leave in the middle to go to an appointment, we were drenched in sweat of course. It was a good lesson though. We then return to the new apartment to help unload. The new apartment happened to be on the 2nd floor. Great. We worked and worked. The armuar was not going up those steps though. We didnt even attempt it. The member decided she would take it back to the other apartment and sell it. I'm not sure I have ever sweated so much, or been so exhausted in my life. Then we got to bike back to our apartment so that we could eat. Oh man, I thought I was going to die. But we made it. We had a small dinner, with a ton of water. The amazing part was that after that, we were ready to go. We were able to get out to work with our worry of falling asleep on our bikes. In fact, the tiredness didnt return until we had re-exchanged and were getting ready for bed. The Lord blesses us when we make sacrifices to serve.

Well, I look forward to talking to you guys on Sunday. Until then, make it a great week!

Love,
Elder Phong Manhardt