Well this week we got fed nearly everyday... Sometimes twice a day... Even though the Sisters took all the meals from the ward meal calendar. Man this ward LOVES feeding missionaries! So many awesome families who are so keen to missionary work.
Our week was a little scattered since our third companion was finishing his mission this past week. We were saying goodbye to families till we took him in to the office on Wednesday night. He was pretty cool, and I kind of wish we could've been companion for longer, but now he's off to play professional D league Aussie basketball!
Since Elder Kaipuke went left us, we planned for this upcoming week and we are ready to tackle this next week! Super excited! I got to talk to the Korean guy in our area on the phone and it was AWESOME! Probably spoke as good as the missionaries I was in the MTC with during their first day in Korea, but it was alright and he's pretty excited to meet us and I think he's pretty keen to practice Korean with me!!
Me being Chinese and Filipino and all is back! We were having a meal with a family in the Samoan Elder's ward with the Samoan Elders and everyone was speaking Samoan and I wouldn't be surprised if I was actually in Samoa. I don't know whats going on, people talk look at me, look away, ask what I think is a question and then look at me for an answer, just a whole lot of confusion, but super cool! Anyways, they ask where I'm from and I say the States. Pretty sure that didn't answer what they were really trying to ask, so they ask me another question in Samoan and I just look at them... So fast forward to the feed, after a while they bring out rice. The father, looking super proud and keeps beckoning me that he has rice. Keeps saying rice! Rice! You want? Well I mean I like rice, who doesn't so I said sure. Well fast forward to after the dinner, after the spiritual message was given in Samoan and I just make something up to say to add to the message, we're driving back to the flat. I ask the samoan Elder if the family thought I was Chinese. They said, yeah they kept asking if you were from China. Is that why he kept asking if I wanted rice? Yeah... oh hahaha!
So I'm China man again. The Korean nametag doesnt help either. Nor Escamilla. Just having an identity crisis again. A Navajo with a Mexican last name who looks Chinese called to speak Korean in Australia and serving in basically a Samoan ward in a Vietnamese area... I'll just say that explaining all this to people is NOT EASY, not in the slightest. But hey, getting a new nickname - Elder Eski (which is what they call a cooler in Aussie land)! Anyways have a great week!
Elder Brandon Escamilla
에스카미야 장로
Australia Sydney Mission
호주 스다니 선교부
After going to another ward's baptism, a family invited ALL 8 missionaries to a buffet... Samoans LOVE missionaries!!
Missionaries in our stake, not quite the whole zone but 2 districts
P Day sports
Dinner with the Alikie family! These guys are crack up! Kids are super sweet!