The weekend after transfers, our two office Elders and AP’s attempted to park their car right below their apartment in a public parking place. Prior to this, an individual had set up a couple of barriers marking it as his own private space, illegally. So the Elders moved the barriers, parked the car and went up to their apartment to retire for the night. About 1:00 in the morning, they were awakened by rocks flying through the screens on their windows and pieces of cement were landing on their beds while they were sleeping. They looked out the window and cold see a man standing below throwing the rocks. They hollered down telling him to quit, but he climbed over their gated entrance and began pounding on their door so hard that he made dents in it. They opened the door to talk to him and he began screaming at them for parking their car in “his spot”. They said they would move the car and he left.
The next morning the Elders saw the damage that had been done and it was far more extensive then they had realized. They decided to file a complaint so they could get the damages fixed because the Landlord would charge them for the repairs.
They went down to the barangay office (which is a neighborhood section with it’s own government counsel). They talked with a lady and filled out the complaint form. After completing the papers, the lady told the Elders they needed to have the assailants name, address, and a photo of him before they could proceed with the case. Elder Davis thought that was the barangay’s job and began to be very agitated. The more he thought about it the more upset he got. It seemed to him that they were not being treated fairly. He wondered how they would ever be able to get the information required. They left and stewed over the instructions for a few days trying to figure out how they could find the man’s identity. A 2nd appointment was scheduled for the Elders to meet with the barangay. Just before the meeting, the woman called Elder Davis as he was working in the Mission Office. She said, “We are going to dismiss this case because you haven’t given us the information we want.” She also said, “because your not coming to the meeting, you don’t sound interested enough to proceed forward.
Elder Davis and Elder Jorgensen felt very annoyed with her and asked if they could postpone the meeting until the next day. She said okay and the following day the meeting was scheduled for 2:00. After discussing the situation in the Mission Office, Elder Ferney asked, “ Would you like me to go with you”? All four Elders agreed it would be a good idea and they all went in another room to offer a prayer then drove over together. They arrived, sat down with the Secretary and ask, “How can we get the name and address”? After a short discussion, the Secretary said, “Well, maybe there is a camera on the corner that will show us what happened that night. So they went to another office in the building where the camera monitors were and the people that watch them (PHOTO ATTACHED). The officers informed Elder Davis that he would need to come and look at some camera footage. Elder Davis thought he was just going to another office in the building when the officer and he got inside a trikey and drove over to the neighborhood where they live. There was a camera on a pole right there on the corner that monitored their street! To see the footage, they had to enter the home of a private citizen. Before they went in the house, the guilty individual that had thrown the rocks, happen to see them. He came over and talked to Elder Davis and the barangay officer and admitted, “I am the one”. He knew there was a camera there and that he would be in trouble. He didn’t want the complaint to go any further because his father is a high government official.
While they were getting the camera footage, the man drove over to the barangay to tell his story. With footage in hand, Elder Davis and the officer went back to the office where the others were all waiting for them. They sat down with the Barangay Captain who is a mediator. They discussed the case and it was decided that the man would be responsible to pay for all the damages, and the case was closed. Afterwards the Captain asked the Elders, “Why did you bring so many people with you? Then the Elders explained the companionships of Missionaries.
On the way home, it was decided they all had learned how to be calm in difficult situations and that Elder Davis needs to be an attorney. Ha! Ha! What a relief! What an answer to a prayer! What a blessing it is to receive daily tender mercies!!
It was 93 degrees today in our chapel! No air conditioning, The ceiling fans saved my life. From what we hear, these temps will stay up for a couple of months. HOLY SIZZLE BATMAN!!!
We made another visit to the Quirino Hospital last week. I am getting used to it now. The good news is, they are adding on to the hospital, almost double the size so hopefully that will make room for more beds.
Today, Elder Ferney helped Sister Lola with the battery in her car. Yep, he used the tool wrench trick! It started right up. Boyet took Sister Lola and I to work and Elder Ferney took her car over to get a new battery. (Her car is just like ours). They tested her battery and said it was fine. So He drove it over to the office. We needed to leave early this afternoon because we had a couple of repair men coming to fix the air conditioner, a leak in the shower, and get the Internet back up. We all jumped in the car and you guessed it. A dead battery! The guard at the Mission Office rounded up a few perspective missionaries that had come over to play basketball. They drove their car up, took out the battery and were able to use the tools to get it started again. After a short time one of the boys said, now I know why we left a little early this afternoon. It was so we could help Elder Ferney get this car started! Yesiree! It happens ALL the time!
Hold tight to that rod!!!
SMOOTCH
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