2/25/13

Hey lady!

Did you tell Sister Sperry on me? Ha all the missionaries got a mass text from her the other day telling us not to touch the lizards, alligators and monkeys. Way to ruin my fun her in the mish..

Anyways..atta girl mom! way to do work at work, preachin' the gospel. You should invite him over to the house for some baklava and invite the missionaries to come over and teach him too. Start practicing 'cause I'm still praying you and dad will be able to serve a mission in a few years! 

It's only been a few days since I wrote last, so just real quick today. So on Friday, it was that one paralyzed girl's birthday. We helped carry her wheel chair through the rain, across the bamboo bridges, through the rice field and to her house. That's way sick how fast we were able to get her a wheel chair.The church is pretty awesome, eh? 

Lately we've just been getting ready for the musical fireside my comp put together. We had that on Saturday. It was just a fireside about the restoration of the gospel with some speakers and musical numbers. I sang in the choir and sang "A Child's Prayer" with Elder Howie, Elder Waite and his companion. I also spoke about Christ's life and the atonement. It was pretty cool. There weren't a whole ton of people there and only one investigator came, but everyone seemed to really enjoy it. President Sperry's 1st counselor came too, so that was cool. He spoke at the end, which was way cool. He complimented my comp on the program and leading the choir and then complimented me to for being the "pinakapogi missionary" (sexiest missionary), which is good cause my latest celebrity look alike I've been getting is Lady Gaga, so I needed the confidence boost. 

That's really about it. Transfers are coming up on the 14th. We have an extra week to make up for all the changes they're making with all the new kids coming in. Oh, and have you heard anything from Elder Leonard? I'm hoping he'll be coming soon so I'll be able to train him.

Aight, well that's all. 

Love ya!!

2/20/13 - Happy 7 Months to Me!!

What's good? What's good?

Hey!! Soo, that's good to hear all's still going well. I got your packages! Thanks! I hope Valentine's Day was grand. That's so crazy about all the missionaries going out. Be sure to keep me updated on where everyone goes!

Aight, so just a bunch of random-ish stuff from this week. Yesterday a lizard on the ceiling pooped on my food during dinner at a less active's house. Last Saturday we had to go to the church to make a program for a fireside and ended waiting for like an hour for someone to bring us keys. But there was this kid there who's blind in one eye and has terrible eye sight, like 2 inch thick glasses. He had a guitar, so he and I chilled for like an hour playin' and singin' songs. Oh, by the way mom my church is called the Marcela chapel. Ha! I  just can't get away from you can I? 

I had a hot date on Valentine's Day. I went on exchanges with my District Leader, Elder Peter Howie (his mom's name's Marcie too, weird eh?). It was way fun. I miss having a white comp and getting so much attention on the streets and jokin' with people. Some kid said to us in the worst English, hey you play basketball? So we turned around and in Tagalog were just like, WOW! you're so freaking good at English, did you study? Then we gave him a high five and walked off. People love the white kids. 

On Sunday we had dinner at a member's house and she made tacos for us! It was the first time having those in forever! But there was this old nanay there who was brutal. She kept telling me I had to put mayo on my taco, freak! So I would wait till she looked away and try to make on that I had and it eat it real quick, but she always caught me. Then I tried holding up the taco sideways and pretending to pour some in so she thought I had some, but she always caught me! She was brutal. It's my first taco in 5 months! Don't make me ruin it with mayo!!

Yesterday President and Sister Sperry came and worked with Elder Ramos and me for a few appointments. How sick is that? The Sperry's are the best! So much fun working with them. 

Today is our pday cause we had a temple sesh earlier. Way sick as always. We spent most of our time there because we had to get a special wheel chair for this girl in Elder Waite's area. She's 16 and broke her back and has been paralyzed from the waist down ever since. Obviously since people don't have money here, she just lays in bed all day long but we got her a wheel chair from the church, and just in time too 'cause her birthday's on Friday. Cool! Also, on the bus ride home from the temple, this lady came and sat next to Elder Waite and me. She was dressed kinda nappy and had no arms -- just a little stub with like half a finger on one side. We're not supposed to, but Elder Waite and I were like, we should pay for her ticket. So when the bus guy came over, I asked where she was going and we paid for her ticket. She was so happy. She moved seats a second later so there was more room, but she kept smiling at us and saying "thank you"

That's about all for now! I'll write you guys again on Monday! 

Love ya! just be dope!

What up dad? Only a few more weeks to go till next transfers. Elder waite's good. He saves me in our house. So I just chill with him when I can. It's all good though, can't complain too much. I've got a dope area and branch and district and all. But at least I'll have some good stories for after the mish. Anyways! 

Yeah, Section 42 is pretty dope, verse 6 is a classic too if I remember correctly. Just about going two and two preaching the gospel. I've been studying in Alma lately about Alma and Amulek teaching the people in Ammonihah. Way sick! Ha, I actually love reading the scriptures now as a missionary. For real. Just like in Alma 13:23, says something like...the scriptures are there. Rest them and it'll be your own destruction.

I'll talk to you again soon. I'm glad to hear you guys can feel the blessings come.  I'm glad to know works going well. I'll keep you guys in my prayers that you'll be able to go on a mission. Don't let me down!

Love ya tatay!

2/11/13

Happy Valentines Day!

Sup Mom!

Freak well I'm upset now. I just plugged my thumb drive into this computer so I could send some way dope pictures I took, aaaannnd.. all my pictures just got deleted. I think I have back ups for everything though, hopefully.

Anyways.. I'm glad to hear you guys had a good week. Oh and a couple things I thought of for my next package. Do they have any super small scriptures like that mini red Book of Mormon I have at home? If you can find a triple like that, you should grab me one. 

This week was pretty dope though. The other day while we were out proselyting, I went my this creek to go (to the bathroom) on some banana trees and then right underneath me this aligator just walks right by. Sketchy eh? But pretty dope.

I saw my first monkey! These guys were just chillin' on a curb with their pet monkey. So sick. I'll have to go back and get a picture. Also I tried some bbq off the street the other day. I got chicken heads and these blood cube things. Yeah, not super good. The other day I got on a jeep and sat down and the kid right across from me was sitting on his mom's lap and yelled, "Ha, look at his face!" Then later was like, "Mom! It's looking at me!" Freak, kids are brutal here.. 

The other day we were at our less actives house and her kid was way sick with a fever so we gave him a blessing. few minutes later he threw up and then we checked his temp again and, no fever. He's been fine ever since. Saturday Elder Waite and his comp had a baptism, so we went to that. Baptisms are always fun. I was one of the speakers too.  How special.

I realized how easy state side missionaries have it. We have this guy in our ward from England and we went to his house to teach his wife's less active kid, but no one was there. So we talked with him and shared a quick message. I just whipped out a lesson. It is so easy teaching in English. We committed him, asked for referrals, everything. But oh well, I'm still stoked I'm learning Tagalog. 

Yesterday we went to this family we're teaching. the guys 22 the girls 25 and they have a 2 year old kid. The sister is inactive and we're trying to get them married so that the brother can get baptized, but he has some word of wisdom struggles.  He shared with us about all his trials right now. We took this family to see the temple last week. It hard seeing how drinking destroys families here.

Well that's all for now! Happy Valentines Day.  I'll put my pictures back on my memory card and send some next week.

Love ya all!

P.S. The alligators here are these tiny little things that only get less than a foot long. Elder Waite and I are gonna catch some soon, although I heard they're poisonous. Oh well! Peace!

2/4/13

NOTE TO THE READER:
ELDER MOLNAR HIT HIS 200 DAY MARK ON SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 2ND!!!

Oh oh hey there:

Aight aight... so for this week, we had another temple tour on Saturday. those are always a blast. since me and Elder Waite and his comp are in the same ward, we rented a jeepney with them and took like 20 of our investigators and less actives. It was way dope. Acouple of the girls we took, one recent convert and one less active, bore their testimonies yesterday in church about how much they enjoyed it. So dope. Oh which by the way, church was way good yesterday. We had a ton of our investigators come to church and so our gospel principles class was packed. One of our investigators who was supposed to get baptized soon has been too shy to come to church, but we taught her the other day and her friends who were over and they all came to church Sunday. So now we're teaching her and her two friends. Yeah. My new branch here is soooo much better. Still nothing compared to the states, but I love having people actually do their jobs and their callings.

Elder Waite - my MTC companion

Oh I got my first kiss here in the Philippines yesterday! Ha people always kiss each other on the cheek when they say hi in this area, but yeah. So yesterday a ward missionary told this five year old kid to kiss my cheeks. ha... yup.

Nothin' too crazy this week, but Saturday night I woke up like 3 times in the middle of the night (sick), so Sunday morning I just laid in bed and did some personal study. I read this talk and studied my scriptures for like 3 hours straight. Pretty proud considering how much I hate reading. But it's this talk a missionary pres in Chile gave called "Becoming the 4th Missionary" by Lawrence E. Corbridge. ( I highly recommend it if you have time, it's pretty long) but I'll just share a couple things I liked.. 

He talks about 4 types of missionaries. 1st - the ones who get sent home or go home early. 2nd - the ones who are disobedient, but still finish their mission. 3rd - the obedient ones who work hard and labor through it but withdraw their heart. 4th - the ones who give their heart to the Lord, and also the only ones who actually come home changed from their mission. The other 3 don't. 

He talks about how we can choose who we want to become. "your life's greatest work is you... do you think about that?.. have you planned your greatest work?.. we can choose who we want to become. but if we don't plan who we want to be and act on our plans, we'll never be that. 

He then talks a lot about how the 3rd missionary is great and works hard, but the whole time he labors and wishes he was back at home. Trunky stat. That missionary won't go home changed because "the good that you do, will do you no good, unless your heart is right." also "you can't be happy if you don't want to do the things that lead to happiness even if you do those very things." we need to give God everything. "you will create an ordinary man, he will create a God." Kinda like how the army says "be all you can be," the Lord says, "Let me make you all you can be." "It's easier to walk with the Lord than to labor against him." A swimmer once said his key to success is, "kick when you don't wanna kick and stroke when you don't wanna stroke." and then one last thing I liked that is a good reminder to me on days like Saturday when I'm chillin' with Elder Redder and he's showing me all his pictures he taped to his planner of him skiing Park City. Ah haaaa truuunkyyy.. but yeah.. "Don't itemize the total of all you left behind to serve a mission. Don't count the cost." If you think about all the blessings we receive as a missionary, eternal life, etc. it's really not much of a sacrifice at all... well yeah that's of good stuff. dope eh?

Well that's about all for now! write ya guys again next week! see ya in just 17 more fast sundays!

Ay-ayaten ka launay!

Peace!

Oh and then pictures... one's from temple tour. one's of me in a tree, duh. and the other is this nice lil' spider we found the other day. so many in this area.

1/28/13

 Yo!

Aight, so yeah.  Just real quick cause I have like no time today. Promise I'll write better next week. I got transferred to the San Jose Del Monte zone. It's actually way close to my old area. Well duh, since my mission's so small, but yeah it's way dope here. My new comp is Elder Ramos, first Filipino comp. So now I actually have to speak Tagalog a lot more. We have a deal. He has to speak English to me and I speak Tagalog to him, so that we both work on learning the languages. Cool, cool! He was in my last zone and I went on exchanges with him once.

Oh, and Elder Waite (his companion in the MTC) just got transferred with me into the same house. He's way good at cooking so.. yup, getting even fatter now. 

Ha speaking of, got told I look like Mr. Bean again yesterday.. freak!  Haha! Oh and twice yesterday, by two different people, they asked if I've ever measured my nose to see how big it is. Ha, freak! But my new area's pretty sick. It's like half city, half more providence.  Tons of hills and trees, especially banana trees.

We had a way sick baptism on Saturday. Good karma I guess, since I hooked the kids in my last area up with a baptism right away. We baptized this 16 year old girl, Rizalyn. Dope. She's the first in her family and her parents aren't super supportive and didn't even come to the baptism, but hopefully we'll get them soon! Here's a pic of the baptism and the one of me by the little shacks at her house. Way sick. Nice little ghetto bamboo huts on this hill. Yeah boi! 

My branch here is way sick. There's like 200 people who go to church and we don't have to teach all the classes. Love it. Elder Waite and his comp Elder Batan go to church with us, as well as a senior couple, the Floyd's. 

Here are some pics from the baptism and Rizalyn at her house, and one of me and just some house we found while we got lost trying to find an investigators house. Oh, and I talked to my first white guy the other day too! Well, other than missionaries... but we have a guy in our ward from England. it was so weird. We went to his house and this white guy walks out, and I was like what in the world?? I asked my comp if I speak English or Tagalog. Anyways, there aren't many white guys around.

  

 

But my apartments cool. The person who shares the other half of our house, is a member so she always cooks for us. She has like 10 dogs.  They're pretty gross and smell bad, but it's almost like I have pets again!

Well that's about all for now. Gotta get going to our FHE.

Bye!! Love you guys!

P.S. I'll write dad  next week, sorry. But I figure he'll read this too. And yea, tell Andrew Leonard to write me! I wanna hear from that kid! I'm glad to hear everything's going well back at home.

1/23/13

Yo lady, what up?

The air quality is bad there? Don't worry.  I promise it's a million times better than it is here! 

Thanks, I'll be looking forward to the packages. As for pictures, I guess just whatever ones you guys take lately and some good ones from my Facebook of me and everyone. Just some pics here and there are nice.

Welp, I'm getting transferred tomorrow! Goin' to my second area. I'm way stoked, although I'm kind of bummed I'm gonna miss one of our family's baptism next week. Oh well. These past couple days have kind of been hard saying goodbye to everyone. Some of these people have become like my family here, but it's all good. I'm stoked to see more of the Philippines. So obviously I've got a lot to do today to get ready for tomorrow, so just a quick update.

I hope you enjoy the pics! One of our less active raises pigs so we got to go over and play with the 9 little 12 hour old piglets. Pretty dope, eh? Also, I finally saw my first cock fight! It wasn't super crazy, just a practice, but still cool. I also saw a cool dog fight the other day. These random dogs on the street were fightin', like 5 of them.  They took sides and were rippin' each other apart.

We did a service project at our High Priest Group Leader's house, because he got offended and went inactive. We moved a bunch of dirt around for a while in their backyard to keep it from flooding during rainy season. We had a Family Home Evening at their house last night with some other people from the ward. It was so fun. My comp and I shared a lesson about being of "one heart and one with Christ". then played some games. Haha!  It was so funny, but I always lost 'cause all the games were in Tagalog.

We also found a new less active and taught him. He talked about how life sucked and he had no money for his family and everything. So, we were kinda bold with him, just like: are you going to church? Nope. Are you reading your scriptures? Nope. Are you praying at all? Nope...well of course your life sucks. You forgot God. Of course life is gonna suck if you try to do it by yourself! We didn't say it quite like that, but hey, he came to church! But for reals, hope all of you guys remember that. Just read a little, pray a little and go to church. Too easy! And God will bless you mightily. It kinda sucks it took me so long to realize this.

Well, that's all for now! I'll let ya know about my new area next week! Oh, and my mailing address will stay the same my whole mission, no worries. My mission is super small so they just send everything to the mission office.

Love ya'll!

P.S. It's official. My ugliness is getting worse. People always tell me I look like someone, a movie star or something. When I got here I always heard, "kamukha mo si David Archuletta, or si Zac Efron." (your look alike is...) But lately, I keep hearing, "kamukha mo si Harry Potter, or si Mr. Bean." WHAT? freak. What's happening to me? Haha! Oh well. I guess sacrificing my good looks to help families live together forever is an even trade.

6 Month Mark

1/18/2013

Elder Molnar has reached his six month mark as a Missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  He is doing well and loves serving the people in the Philippines.  Living conditions are a challenge, but he has a wonderful attitude, countenance, is learning to appreciate what he has back home in the United States and above all, he loves serving the Lord.  We couldn't ask for anything more.  Thank you all for your love and support. 

Elder Molnar's Mom