April 29, 2013 from Sto Nino Meycuauyan

This email thing's being gay, so I'll just write about the week real quick here. Also, I havent gotten my packages yet, but hopefully tomorrow.

Yeah! So I'm already in my third area, so nuts. It's called Sto Nino Meycuauyan. Seems pretty good so far. Just way hot. Ha, especially now that I'm not near the mountains anymore. Our ward is way dope. They pass around a dinner calendar to the members at church to feed the missionaries. Stuff like that never happens in wards here! We have a dinner like every night this week. My new comp is Elder Pablico, second Pinoy comp. He's way freakin dope though. I'm actually way stoked for this transfer. My new area has a bit of everything, lots of huge factories, squaters, little bit of providence, and some city. There's this river in my area that a few weeks ago my comp saw this kid drowning in it, so he jump in and saved him. Although, he came out and was like black from how dirty they water was with all the trash and stuff. He's way dope.

Transfers were good.  It didn't feel like my birthday at all though. But that night there was a wedding reception at our ward, so I got some good food at least. Although freak! One of the elders who just finished his mission a few transfers back, came for the reception and rolled up in a car with a girl in the front. Ha freak! Trunky!

K, just real quick 'cause I'm outta time.Lot's of good stuff lately, been killin it. But here's one dope lesson we had. We went to teach a young couple and we got there and they were fighting cause brother wanted to watch basketball and his wife wouldn't let him. Way gay! But they were way ticked. We went in, shared a good message, and by the end everyone was laughing and talking again. Fact! Gospel does bless families.

 'Sup dad! My new areas pretty good so far. My new ward seems amazing. We already met with our bishop to talk about missionary work! I've only done that like twice so far, my whole mish. But good! My package got there. Sorry, I'd send you one too when Father's Day comes, but I'm done sending packages. It costs like 1500 pisos. (like 35 bucks?) Yeah, my new comp is way dope, so I'm glad. Also, U think we get to skype on the 12th. I'll tell you guys the plan when they tell us. But ya, all's going well. Keep an eye out for that letter. Love ya!

Aight, that's all. Sorry, I'm outta time!

Love ya all!

Happy Birthday Elder Molnar!!!!

4/23/13

K, first off.. for my next package whenever that will be, wanna send me some snowboard magazines? Some transworld mags and snowboarder mags would be great. All i have to hang on my walls are a few ski pics I get from Elder Redder. Thanks! Also have you heard who it was who bombed the Boston Marathon? I've heard a little about it. Also did you hear about a poison letter to Obama? I dunno. I don't hear much out here.

Freak! I'm so old now! It's all good. I heard one of Taylor Swifts new songs the other day while I was out about being 22. So looks like it's still cool to be old. Ha, but I had to celebrate today cause I'm getting transferred to a new area tomorrow on my bday. Haha, perfect timing. Ah well, I'm stoked. But I had a nice lil lunch and got a nice foot massage to celebrate. Freak, I was dying though. I was balling so bad at first. I'm so dang ticklish. Still nice though. yeah!

This week was dope! Sorry, I forgot to write down what happened. Last Thursday was way dope. We found this little trail going into some trees and followed it and found this huge beautiful field. I rode a goat. Then it started pouring and a huge lightening storm hit, so we threw our stuff under a tree and chilled in the rain and just took a moment to realize the beauty of where we're at.

My comp was sick for a few days this week, but we had a good weekend. We had this old investigator I met once my first week here who came to church with his family to bless their baby. He really wanted us to come over and start teaching him again. Way sick! So of course, like everyone else, they aren't married so gotta do that first, but he really wants to get married and baptized.

Also, a few weeks back we talked to this guy for a minute while we were waiting for a jeepney, and he said he wanted a Book of Mormon. So, we said we'd come to his house later and give him one. We tried but had a wrong address and never found his house. But the other day we were walking and passed this house and this guy yelled out, "Hey where's my book?" We were like huh? Whatever! Just another crazy guy. So we kept walking, then heard him say "Elders". Duh. Turned around and it happened to be that guy we could never find. He said he finished reading the Old and New Testament and needed a new book to read. So, we gave him an Ang Aklat Ni Mormon and set a return appointment. There's definitely no coincidences in missionary work.

Well, that's all for now. I gotta get going to my little birthday dinner tonight! I'll let ya know next week what happens with transfers!

Love ya!

Elder Molnar

9 Month Mark!!!

4/15/13

Aight, so don't have a ton of time but a little update for the week. Aight? Aight!

K, so duh! Of course conference was way sick! So much better as a missionary, but I'll write an actual letter soon and share my thoughts there. I have to go back and reread some talks. I kinda missed like the whole first sesh on Sunday. Some of our investigators came and we sat with them. I tried to draw with the kids and keep them entertained so the mom could pay attention.

Today was way dope! We hit up this dam and it was so sick. It's up in the mountains, and everything here is so green and beautiful. I'll send some pics soon. There were some way dope places to cliff jump and i was dying! Ha, freak!  But no worries I avoided that temptation. But we saw a dead body today! Some guy drowned in the river, and so the people there just took him out and threw a blanket over him. 

The other night we got punted from lessons a lot and were just walking around.  We started talking to these teenagers and stuff. It's always fun to joke around with people when you're two white kids. They have a dance crew, like 20 of them, and so we got them to dougie for us and I did a little backflip for them. I've been a little sick so it was kinda bad, but they liked it. One of the kids is 19, and said he has a few Mormon friends. I asked if we could teach him. He's like, "Yeah! Wanna do it right now?" So we ended up just poppin a squat on the curb and taught a bunch of these kids.  We actually had a legit lesson. We gave them some pamphlets and exchanged numbers, and got some new dope investies. Yeah!

We also got a new golden investigator. He studied religion in school and is a preacher now. He has been praying for guidance. He said that the other day, he felt inspired to go to the street market, then felt inspired to go left, then stop and talk to these people. Ended up seeing our zone leaders there, so we went and talked to them and said he wants to get baptized. He lives in our area, so they referred him to us. We have taught him once so far. He read the Book of Mormon like 18 years ago, but lost it cause it was forbidden with his job. We gave him one and had a way dope lesson. Cool huh? I love finding people like this.

Aight, well that's about all for now! Yeah, get stoked for Mothers Day Skype sesh! I sure am! I've got transfers next week but I'm not sure what's gonna happen, so we'll find out soon. 

Love ya!

4/8/13

Kuwento mo sa pagong!

Ha soooo... Little update? Sure why not? This week was super busy though with Zone Interviews, then my comp had District Trainer training and then Elder Waite and his comp had a wedding/baptism on Saturday, so we weren't able to get a whole lot of appointments in. But it's all good! Still a dope week! The baptism and wedding was way sick. The brother was actually a former member who got excommunicated, but has now come back to church and got married. His new wife was able to get baptized. Such a cool day. The brother's way dope. He made all the clothes for the wedding including the dresses for his wife and their two little girls. Also, the brother is an insane magician and has been showing me some stuff. Hopefully I'll be David Blaine stat, when I get home.

 

 

Umm oh, so my comp and I had a good idea, but haven't been able to do it yet. But the other day we got stopped by like 5 prostitutes. Next time we see them, we're gonna OYM them with a law of chastity pamphlet. Ha! I thought that was pretty clever. Can't wait!

Well, not a whole lot though really. We have this way dope investigator we teach who is 23 and lives with his girlfriend who is a less active and their little girl. So... obviously we've been trying to get them married and get the brother baptized, cause they're way dope. Brother's been taught for like a year now, but never goes to church and lacks motivation to get things done. We had a way sick lesson with him though, and told him our purpose as missionaries and if he really wants all these things like he says he days, we'll obviously help, but it's up to him. Yeah and they finally came to church yesterday! Cool huh?

Also, we've been teaching this new family we found on the street the other day. The sister's a less active and the brother is our new investigator, and hopefully their kids soon too. Brother's way sick. He's a drummer and that's all he does. He's been to Japan like 15 times to play shows up there. Way sick! He keeps telling us he's gonna come to church.  We don't even have to invite him. He hasn't been able to come yet, but it's just cause he has had a ton of gigs lately. 

Here's a good example for all of us. No one should never have an excuse to not go to church. So one of our investigators has been struggling hardcore lately. We've been teaching her so that she and the her less active boyfriend that she lives with, can get married so she can get baptized, just like everyone else, Ha. But brother's been without a job, and lately they couldn't afford to pay their electric bill, so it got cut off. Also, they haven't had money for hardly any food and water for them and their kids. We had a dope lesson about 3rd Nephi 13:33, and so she came to church the next Sunday. Then we went there to share a lesson and right before we started, a guy came to the house and offered brother a job. So obviously he took it and has been gone for a few weeks. She was way excited and recognized the blessing from God. Yesterday she came to church with one of her kids, but had to leave after sacrament. So after church we went to her house, but her house was all torn apart and everything was gone. We found her staying in a neighbors house a few houses down. Apparently she hasn't had money to pay, and has had problems with the neighbors. She still has no money and only has two weeks to find a new home (and keep in mind these houses are like one room tiny little things). We were just like Sister?! All this has been happening and you still came to church? I was so impressed. And she's not even a member. We had a way good teach with her about Joseph Smith's story in Carthridge Jail. Then being representatives of Christ, we were able to promise her some blessings found in Ether 12:6,12. But freak! I kept telling her how impressed I was with her faith. Her husbands away, just got kicked out of her house, still has no money food, water or electricity, yet she came to church. Dope!

Aight, but yeah that's all! Just killin' it out here! Ya know, no biggie :)

Love you all! 

4/1/13

(I'll spare you Elder Molnar's April Fool's joke!)

 

Hi Dad:

 

Easter Sunday was pretty dope. I'll write about Easter or holy week in my letter to mom. No one really knows what Easter is, just holy week. But yeah, we had a pretty good turn out. Last week was hard and only had 3 less actives came to church, and no investies. But I've been praying hard and we've been doing work. We had like 10 less actives come and 6 investies yesterday. My new comp is way dope! We're both pretty new in the mission and so we're not super good at the language and teaching yet, but I love it cause it forces us to do more and learn faster. It's the best having two white kids. We talk to everyone and everyone loves us so we've been finding a ton of new people to teach. So yeah, Taggy's coming along. but yeah thanks dad!

 

Hi Mom:

 

This week was way dope! Holy Week here is insane. So there are churches here that believe to be forgiven of your sins, you have to be crucified like Jesus.. Personally I prefer the Atonement.. But they put on kinda like a play of Christ's death, and so we stopped by to watch one. I saw this guy walking on his knees up this hill with a shirt over his head while whipping himself. His back was so jacked and bloody. I also saw this old guy get crucified, although they decided last minute to just tie him to the cross. I guess getting crucified is bad for your health?? But I guess the night before they had a guy get nailed to a cross. Also, it's a big honor for their families if they die doing it, so often people will hang themselves or do something like that. And the whole time there are sooooo many people, kids and families around taking pictures and stuff. Also, these people brought this girl in who was passed out and said her spirit was on a journey looking for Jesus. They did this weird stuff and started freaking out at people saying that demons can change bodies. After a while two other girls passed out, and we saw these priests try to cast demons out of these girls.. I hope you're all grateful for our church.

Hmm, what else before i change to a happier note? We were riding this jeepney and we hit this like 14 year old boy on a scooter who had a girl riding on the back. We smacked them way hard and the mirror of the jeepney dropped the kids way hard. The jeep driver was ticked cause his mirror broke and the kids were too young to drive. The kids managed to limp out of the street and the jeep driver made the kids pay him for his mirror, and we drove off. Yeah...it's a little different here.

We found this new crazy guy who lives by us. He talked to us forever about carrots. I can't remember if I said this already. He said how carrots are the only vegetable you can cook that turns into salami. Haha!  The other day we saw him walking in the middle of the highway talking to a block of ice like a phone. We gave him a Book of Mormon and asked him to read it, he said he would...blindfolded. Guess that's easier for him. Haha, but I guess he gave away the book to a cop. Oh well...

So, being two white kids walking around is the best. We talk to everyone and have found so many new people to teach. we just act like 2 stupid Americans who always get lost. Haha, works so well. But one lady we found is a less active. So, we went to teach her the other day and taught her husband who is our new investigator. He's way dope. He's a drummer for a band and wants to come to church soon, but their friend Don was there. I was talking to him and he said this guy in our ward gave him a Book of  Mormon and he has been reading it. So, I talked to the guy at church yesterday cause he mentioned a guy a while back who he wanted to give a Book of Mormon too. So he did, and then while me and my comp were out, we just happened to find this guy and start teaching him. Dope huh? I can't even tell you how many little experiences I've had lately where we just happen to be in the right place at the right time.

Also, just little thought from my personal study: This week, I've been studying the Christlike attribute of knowledge. Obviously we gain knowledge from studying the word of God. In 2 Nephi 32:1-5, I've read this a million times, but something else stood out to me this time, it mentions "why do ye ponder these things in your heart?" It got me thinking. Why do I study for 3 hours everyday? What's my intention? Is it 'cause it's a commandment, or because I don't wanna be a hypocrite when I tell the people I teach to read? Of course verse 3 mentions how the words of Christ will tell you all things what you should do. So I've been researching this since I have no idea what to do now for some stubborn investies and less actives we have. I've also connected this to hope which is basically trusting and expecting God to fulfill his promises. Keyword, "expecting." My branch counselor at the MTC once mentioned, "you will do more good for your family by serving a mission than you would if you were home trying to help them." And in D&C 1:30 I think, it mentions how the God's voice and the voice of his servants is the same. I guess my little thought that I want to get across is that that I've been working on is.. God will fulfill his promises if we do our part. But we need to really study and ponder the scriptures and the Lord will tell us all things that we should do. 

Looooove ya!

3/25/13

(Note from Mom: It's been crazy here the past couple of weeks, but  I didn't realize that I was this far behind in posting email updates.  Sorry!)

Aight so just a lil' update for the week! That chill? Ha, aight then...

Well, I wrote you like a few days ago, but since then.. one of our returning members got to go through the temple and receive her endowments last Saturday. Sadly we didn't get to go. She's way funny. Just an old nanay who lives with some grandkids. She got married when she was 15 to a 39 year old. Ha, way dope though. 

Today was insane. Chlarson and I got haircuts and got our arms waxed today and let's just say, it's crazy here. But I got lots of compliments! Apparently my eye brows are very cute. I love this place. Really do though. It's so freaking funny. 

 

At church yesterday, my homie, this little five year old kid came in (from the bathroom) during sacrament not wearing any pants. Ha! So funny. He needed help, so he came in naked during sacrament to get help. My comp got sick on Saturday, so we just stayed home all day. But me and Elder Waite went on exchanges that night so I could go teach some new investigators we've been working with.Way dope! Kids love us here, so now they all want us to teach them.  Pretty dope, but we're gonna work with them and then hopefully their families too. Parents love the goofy white kids that jump around and play with their kids.

Oh, I butterfly kicked a banana tree over the other day. Pretty manly!

Freak, I have no idea what honestly happened lately. Nothing too crazy. Maybe I'll just leave it at that.

Welp it's holy week here! I hope you're all excited for next week's email to hear how they celebrate easter here ;)

Love you! Bye!