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!

May 27, 2013

Aight, so lil' update for the week. Our zone and another zone got together the other day and went to this school for a service project. It was way fun painting, cleaning, gardening this little school. I would send pictures, but I still don't trust these computers. I'm still not sure how I'll send pictures, but don't worry, I have a lot!!

We found a little provident region that's in our area, so that's nice to get a break from the city. We started teaching a new less active over there. Also,  these people called out to us while we were over there, so we went and OYM'ed them.  (OYM - Open Your Mouth).  It was a huge family, like 20 of them.  We gave them a few Books of Mormon and we're gonna go back and teach them. We've been killin it tracting and giving Books of Mormon lately and getting new peeps to teach.

Just a little update about a few people: We started teaching this new investie, Beverly. She's way dope. Lots of questions and way solid.

The girl from Alaska and her sister and friend have been doing great. They're coming to church now and want to get baptized. Their neighbors are members, so we all had FHE over there the other night. It was so nice. I love this ward so much. Work is so much better with some support from the ward.

Also, some members of our ward had a wedding Saturday, so we went to the reception. There have been so many weddings lately. But all is going great out here. Transfer day is next week. Crazy! It goes by so fast.

Love you guys!

May 20th

Yeah freak Isn't that weird? Elder Herrmann and Elder Sargent and everyone are hitting their year marks. Me and Elder Moulton are next! It goes by fast. That's dope you and the bois moms keep in touch.

Yeah, I  got my packages and everything! Thanks! The mini triple especially is way sick! My comp is lovin' the Laffy Taffy's. Cool about all the missionaries too (stats in our stake).

Just a little quick update because I gotta leave soon for our zone activity to go duck bowling. I still have no idea what that is, but ya!

So first thing, we got this family we're teaching. Their last name, Goku. Just like Dragonball Z! How sick is that? I get to go over and pray and say, "Heavenly Father, please bless the Goku family. I can't wait to baptize them.  I can say I baptized Goku! Haha!

Also, a less active family who we got going back to church, brother had his interview yesterday and is getting the priesthood and gets to baptize his 8 year old kid. Then after a few weeks their, katulong, or maid I guess, should be getting baptized too. Yeah! Kinda had bad luck so far with getting lots of baptisms. I always get transferred before baptisms and stuff, but it's all good. I don't always have to be the one reaping the rewards.  What is most important is to just plant those seeds. It's not about the numbers, which is good cause our numbers have been bad this week! We can't teach if there's not a guy there 18+, so we got punted a ton. But we're still working hard!

We had a farewell party Saturday for 3 of our ward missionaries leaving on their missions. Two of them are going to Cebu, so I told them to keep an eye out for David Buckley. Cebu is way dope, but I still love my small little mission, haha. 

Also, Skyping was way dope of course! Tryin' not to get too trunky! S'all good though! Did Leonard get his call yet?

Saturday, we had another temple tour, so we took the girl who's visiting from Alaska as well as her sister and friend. We've been teaching them a lot and they're doing way good. She goes home though next week so I'll just refer her family to good ol' Elder Ashton Roney!

All is going well! Just tryin' not to get too trunky. I've been missing the snow and Park Ciity bad lately. aaaa...

Gihigugma taka! (love you, in bisaya, language that David will be speaking. Trying to learn a bit of that too)

10 Month Mark!!!