Fruit Cocktail, Wawa Dam, a Blessing and Reflections on Personal Growth

How was fast Sunday? I fasted for the fam of course too, for part of it. I've been finishing up the Book of Mormon again and started thinking about the story of the brother of Jared and how he told the Lord exactly what he wanted with the stones and everything. Also, with examples from Nephi, just about how specific prayers get specific answers. I've been working on that better.

I miss the temple. My zone doesn't get to go anymore cause we're too far. Ah, well...

How was the 4th of July? I got so American trunky that day. The only other white kid around is from Australia, so it was kinda hard to celebrate by myself. I just wore red white and blue, sang some songs that I could actually remember about America, and ate a can of fruit cocktail as my big celebration. Haaa!

I've been doing good. I finally got over my cold that I had for a few weeks. It rains like crazy, so I finally gave in and bought an umbrella.

This week's been good. I just got back from Wawa, this dam they have on the other side of our mish. It's nice getting to see clean water for once. Ha!  But it was way fun! So ya know, duh, that made my day!

Fast Sunday was cool yesterday. One of our members bore her testimony about something that happened. The other day, me and my comp were trying to find someone's house and we ran into a member. He said another member actually came by his shop to ask if he had oil to give his little daughter a blessing. The guy said he didn't, but maybe the elders would come by later, and whatta ya know? The lost little elders came wandering around and just happened to run into him. He told us this family needed a blessing, so we went and found their house...and whatta ya know. We gave her a blessing, and the little girl recovered quickly. I definitely still love little stories like this, but it happens so much that's it's kinda just part of the work to know the Lord's guiding you. But it was cool to see how much the story effected the sister as she cried at the pulpit bearing her testimony.

If there's one thing I've learned about the importance of serving, is duh, God loves His children. If I wasn't here, I'm sure the Lord would provide other means for these people to hear the Gospel. Not in a selfish way, but the reason why I'm still out here, is for me personally. You spend all day helping families, seeing what destroys relationships, and all day studying and pondering the scriptures. You get a sense of how life needs to work. There are just things you learn out here that you can't learn anywhere else. Things have definitely changed from back when I started. It was more just 'cause all the bois were serving and I felt I had an alright testimony. That's why I served, but now I've just learned I need my mission to grow up. My future wife and future kids deserve to have a good returned missionary. That's my thinking for what you said. it's true, there's a time, but everyone needs to serve.

Dope! Aight, love ya! 

Photos from the Mish

I can't wait to see it in 393 days!

I can't wait to see it in 393 days!

Anyway, this week was dope! I am way pumped after that broadcast about missionary work though! The Lord's definitely hastening his work. Lots of changes. As far as Facebook goes, not a whole lot of people have computers here so we'll see what happens.

Sorry about your air conditioning, that's rough. If it makes you feel any better, one of our fans broke the other week. Ya, it's usually around 102 every day, but the 100 percent humidity is gracious enough to keep you sweating 24/7 to keep you cool.

I have a few pics. I have one of me showering in the rain, but I'm waiting for a big storm. I heard one’s coming and I'm gonna get one in the city in my area that I heard floods like 5 or 6 feet sometimes. I'll be sure to get some good pics. It's also funny watching all the naked kids swim in the nasty flood water.

Be sure to let me know where Ben goes! How’s Elijah doing with post mish life? I can’t wait to hear from him. But when's his wedding? our area presidency told us we only have 6 weeks to get married after we get home.

Yea, my mission was extended by two weeks after the announcement in October’s General Conference. I go home July 30th. Maybe I can get them to change it a week or two so I have time before school starts. I didn't agree to a 2 year and 2 week mission!! Haha, nah it's chill though.

Happy 4th! I'm trying to figure out how to celebrate here when I have no other Americans around. Ya the Philippines just had theirs. No one does anything.

Our Zone Leaders had a baptism, so since we're in the same ward, we went. It’s always way good. The brother, our investie who I talked about, who has a problem smoking, came to the baptism to watch. Ah, I was so stoked! But he could only stay for an hour and of course, Filipino time so no one was even there and he didn't get to see any of the baptism. But we did take him on a tour of the church. Even though he showed me he still had cigarettes in his pocket, I was still way stoked he made the effort.

But ya! Happy 4th! God bless America!!!

June 24, 2013

As for the week, not a whole lot. We have to spend so much time studying as part of training, so we don't get as much work done, but its been dope. Our little city we work in, gets flooded hardcore everyday.  There are 6000 families that live in that lil neighborhood, so we've been finding people like crazy. We have like no time to see them, but it's dope though. Gave another bap date tomorrow, so should have another coming up in a few weeks. 

 

Oh, had another ingrown toenail!! Number 11 I think? Haha!  But I went and got a pedicure.  It freakin' killed, but should be good now. 

 

We've been going to this school every week and painting it for a service project, so that's been fun. It's nice to change things up a bit and chill with the kids in my zone.

 

We have one of our new investies who's doing way dope. We have had some of the best lessons 'cause we bring his friend to help us teach, and so he can share with him and help invite the Spirit. It's so much better with members. Plus, they can answer questions better. For example, the investie asked why we don't do the sign of the cross when we pray. I tried saying it nicely and then the member said it letter for letter, exactly how I wanted to say it. He basically said, what, so if jesus got shot, would we pretend to load a shotgun before we bow our head and pray. Ha, he said us missionaries were just being nice with my answer. But for reals, we've had some way good lessons and we're gettin this area down.

 

But ya that's all for now!

Love ya!

June 18th - 11 Month Mark

June 17th - 11 month mark tomorrow! ya buddy!

Aight, Mom, so just a little update!

Welp, it's definitely rainy season now! I've been hoping I'd be in an area that floods for this season... welp... got it. There's a part of my area, Bayugo, that has this huge nasty river and even if it doesn't rain (which it usually does er' day), the whole city floods. it could be bright and sunny and the city is still flooded knee high in black smelly water. Ha, guess I got what I wanted!!

We're gettin' the area going. Our ward had a baptism last Friday night. I gotta baptize my old investigator. I always love having baptisms.

The work is getting better. We have this investigator who's way dope. He asked about baptism so we've been talking about the Word of Wisdom to get him ready. We've taught it twice and last time we taught him, we had a dope lesson and committed him to start laying off the cigarettes to eventually stop. We left. Literally two minutes later, he drove by us on his trike, waved at us with a cigarette in his mouth. Ha freak!!! Ah, we just gotta work on his testimony though. That's definitely what I think is lacking.

How's father's day? I just sent dad an email cause I didn't have time to actually write a letter. 

We have this lady we teach and I have a picture of her. She looks exactly like Aunt Nicki. I'll show you next year!

I've been keeping in touch with the bois. Honestly, the mission's a lot different than we all thought, especially for those of us away from America. That's probably the thing I miss the most: just cars, houses with air conditioning, carpet, showers, etc.  When I get home I'll definitely miss the people here.  It's all good though. I'll be sure to keep in touch with the bois. don't worry about me though. I'm stoked for next year to get home, but I'm making sure to stay caught in the moment and love the work. It really is so amazing,

How's Elijah? It's crazy that he's home.  Time freaking flies!!!

Mahal ko kayo!

Oh, and PS. We found this monkey in a cage outside someone's house, so duh, we went and oym'ed them and are gonna go back and teach them. Maybe they'll let me play with it. So far I only got pics. I wish everyone had a pet monkey. It makes oyming so much easier.

What's good dad?!! HAPPY FATHERS DAY!!!! hey sorry I wasn't able to get a letter out to you for it. I have just been super busy lately. There's a bit more work when you gotta be Batman in the mish (senior comp).  Being Robin's such a breeze. 

I hope Father's Day was good. What'd you guys do? Oh wait, I guess it's still Father's Day for you guys right now, huh? Ah well, anyways, I hope it's good. 

Ya, that was my first time actually baptizing. Way dope! I wish I could send pics, but these computers here are really bad. I hit my 11 month mark tomorrow, so you guys will see all my pics soon enough! 

Also, question.  Any advice? We have this one investigator and he's way solid.  We have taught him the Word of Wisdom twice, but he's having a hard time quitting smoking. The biggest thing I think, is that his testimony's lacking, so we're going back to the basics: Book of Mormon, Joseph Smith, etc., but his body can't quit cause cigarettes they are like oxygen to him, and his body needs it. I tried sharing the verse in Moses where it says how God created man and breathed in his nostrils the breath of life and said like, when you need your "oxygen" let God give it to you. If you need a cigarette, just read the scriptures. God breathed in us life, so he can for sure breathe in us the strength we need. But ya, any advice for this guy to stop smoking and actually have a desire to stop?

Thanks pops! love ya. Happy Father's Day!

June 10, 2012

Ya what's good shawty?! 

So lil' update for my homies back home. My trainee is from Cebu. He's a nice young lad. He worked at a call center back home, so he's way freaking good at English. He told me he's not very good at Tagalog, but that's not true.  He is good, so it makes my job easy. Training isn't too bad. The only hard thing is opening the area too.

I felt bad our first day.  I picked him up from the mission home, brought him home, and planned out the day before we left. Haha! Poor kid. I didn't have an area book yet or any phone numbers 'cause we just got a new phone and I wasn't sure where our area was exactly. It's been kinda rough these first few days.  This area has been neglected a little bit, but it's good.  I'm excited to OYM and get lots of new people to teach.

Rainy season's starting. I kinda regret this now, but I kept wanting to go somewhere where it floods.  Welp, I got it! Out in the squaters near this huge, dirty, black smelly river. I'll never understand how it'll be a hot sunny day and it's still flooded like a foot. But I'm still stoked though. I love being out here.

Did I tell you this already? In my last area (same ward that I'm in now), we had this family we taught and freak, they've made sooooooooo much progress. The parents were less active, but have returned now. The brother received the priesthood, baptized his son last week, and blessed the sacrament.  Yesterday, he gave a sick talk in sacrament. On Friday, this 26 year girl that we taught and who lives with them, is getting baptized. For sure we wanted brother to baptize her, but I think he thinks he has work so they asked me too. Dope! 

But ya, all's going good! 

Love ya!

I'm Stoked to Train! - June 4, 2013

Sup Mom! 

Sorry, but I have like 10 minutes to email today. We spent all day moving apartments, and ya transfers are tomorrow. Yes, I'm transferring, kinda. They switched things up and are putting sisters in my area, so i'll be in a new area tomorrow, and I'm buntis (pregnant) now so I pick up my kid tomorrow. Ha poor guy! First day in the mission. He's probably all excited to go work and since we're opening an area, I have no idea what's going on either. Ha! Wish me luck! It's all good though. I'm stoked to train. But I'll write more next week.

Love ya!

Dad,

Sorry, I just have like no time. I've spent my whole pday moving apartments. Ya, the garden looks way sick! 

Yea, I get transferred tomorrow and start training. It'll be chill though. The kid's pinoy. We havent had any Americans come in for a few months now. Too bad, but it's all good. I'm stoked to train!

Love ya!