Just Checking In

Salutations loved ones. I really don't have too much to say this week, so this e-mail is basically just a confirmation that I am still alive, well, and loving the mish. I am still having adjust to things as compared to my last area, but everything is going great. The language is coming along pretty well I'd say, but this week as we we were teaching tithing to a family, I accidentally said that we need to pay 10% of our tongues, instead of 10% of our earnings. Whoops.

We have also given a lot of blessings lately. It is great being able to exercise the power of the priesthood. Yesterday, I think I counted like 65 people at church, but I am not exactly sure what caused an increase from 40 the previous week. One of our investigators, Sister Agustin, has been to church 3 times in a row. The lessons we teach to her seem to go really well and I think we are planning to set her up with a baptismal date sometime soon.

Well I think that's about it. I am sorry I don't have more to say. As for now, just know...alam ko po na totoo ang simbahan natin at perpekto yung ebaghelyo na ito. Mahal ko lahat kayo talaga. Keep it real back home. Kita kitz mga kaibigan ko.

Transfers - 'A Whole New World'

Greetings to all from me here in the Angadanan area. It is part of the Alicia Zone, which is actually not too far from Santiago, my last area. My new companion is Elder De Guzman and he has been in the mission field for a little over a year. He is really easygoing, energetic, and really enjoys that my mother's maiden name is Hoki. We are always laughing about the dumbest things and got along great right from the get go.

My new companion - Elder De Guzman

There was only like 40 people at church yesterday so it is a pretty small branch, but the members here seem great and the youth here really enjoy fellow shipping-There were 6 of them that accompanied us in our lessons yesterday. Everyone I introduce myself and talk to is surprised that I have only been here 3 months so I guess that is a good sign for my Tagalog. I am hoping this is the cycle I become a pro in the language though, because Elder De Guzman is not that great at English, so I don't even speak it very much to him. We have had a lot of fun already though.

Typical 'Jumping Pic' with our fellowshippers

There are four of us in the apartment and it is pretty nice, so I am 2/2 with good apartments. Hopefully that streak will continue. I kind of like having four of us too. Elder Bangal, our District Leader, and Elder Hall live with us and they are both awesome as well. I miss things in Cabarroguis and Elder Merza, but I already feel settled in at Angadanan. Alicia Zone is awesome too-It is the biggest in our mission and also there are tons of foreigners (There is like 30 in the zone and I think only like 1/3 is Filipinos).

We celebrated my last day in Cabarroguis visiting the members and then the night at the Rueda home, our go-to party place. I will definitely miss the ward and area there and my tatay Elder Merza, because I learned a lot from him. However, I already feel pretty settled in here at Angadanan and am excited for this cycle with Elder De Guzman as we help the hastening of the Lord's work!

Last day in Cabarroguis

Our Baptism & The Legend of Balut

Well, we had a successful baptism this week. I gave a talk on Faith & Repentance, was one of the witnesses, and then confirmed Jessica yesterday at church. It was a little scary giving a blessing in Tagalog in front of the whole congregation but I know that the Spirit directed me and put words into my mouth, because I don't really remember everything I said. It was awesome for me to watch the progression of these kids in the gospel over time. 2 weeks ago, we had to re-schedule Dexter because he wasn't ready, but I have seen his knowledge and testimony grow so much since then.

Dexter and Jessica

 The one unfortunate thing, however, is that we were not able to baptize Angelo. After his interview with the Zone Leaders, they came to the decision that we should wait. Although he has support with the Adawag and Ursua family, they said it was a problem because nobody in his immediate family is a member. It was definitely devastating news for us but Angelo has such a strong testimony and even already has a desire to serve a mission, so I know that if he continues going to church and increasing his faith, he will be baptized soon enough.

We have finished our 12 weeks training and earlier today, I found that I am being transferred on Wednesday. This came as somewhat surprising news to all of us because normally the training missionary is the one who is more likely to be transferred, and honestly I was a little bummed out. In these 2 cycles, I have really come to love the ward and area here in Cabarroguis, and now I will have to re-adjust, but I guess that's how the mission field works. I have learned a lot from Elder Merza and we have developed a great friendship, but it looks like God needs me in a different area with a different companion. "I'll go where you want me to go, dear Lord." It might be a little difficult but I'm excited to see what this next cycle has in store for me.

Lastly, if you don't know much about the Philippines but know a random fact, it is probably about balut. And if you haven't heard of what this is, it is basically fried duck embryo still in the egg. The Philippines is famous for it and I have heard rumors and been asked about it from the time I got my call until I got to the mission field. The most 'exotic' things I have eaten so far is chicken intestine and dugaw (which is like thickened pork blood or something like that) but everyone always questions about the experiences with balut. So this last week I ate it, and you know what, it wasn't too bad. Yeah I know, anti-climatic, but I guess that is where I will end for the week. Wish me luck this upcoming cycle with my new area and comp!

The Homie Aslan

Well my friends, welcome to the year 2014. New Year's Eve was great for us. As I said last week, we were permitted to watch the Narnia series because of its symbolism of the Atonement (first movie) and Restoration (second movie). I never even comprehended how symbolic these movies really were so watching them with these things in mind made it that even much better. Narnia is unreal! New Year's Day  we spent at member homes again and I have also been playing a lot of chess lately. I have gotten pretty solid if I do say so myself.

This week we were able to teach Tatay Amado for the first time in a while. He still asked a lot of irrelevant questions and seemed like he wanted to argue a few times, but at the end of the lesson, I invited him to church and that it could help answer some of the questions he had if he would give it a try. He said he wouldn't give a promise of when, but he said that one day he will go.

 

I was pretty sick Friday, but don't worry mother, everything is fine now. Dexter, Angelo, and Jessica have their baptism on Saturday so I am excited for that and since Elder Merza is our District Leader, we have 2 companion splits this week so we have a busy week ahead of us. 

 

I am so happy to hear some of my young friends already starting their mission papers and I'm pumped to see where everyone gets called to. I am also hearing of people in my graduating class already starting to get married, which is a little scary for me to think about, but congratulations to them as well. Let us leave behind the hardships of 2013 and start again with this new year. I wish a prosperous 2014 to all!

Dear 2013 - Deuces

Ward Christmas Party: Elder Claus with the Young Women



Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year everyone! I hope everyone is having a wonderful holiday season and had a great Christmas. We just spent ours with the members and it was kind of relieving to just relax a little. Also being able to see my family was really nice too! For New Year's Eve, we have a lockdown due to safety precautions and have to return to our apartments before 6 PM. However, another companionship is sleeping at our apartment and we will be watching the Narnia series because it has been approved by our President. So don't worry, we will still be able to party it up here. New Years Day we will probably just spend at the member homes again.

 

Good riddance, time really flies doesn't it? It is crazy for me to think that it was earlier this year that I was playing rec ball, getting turnt in the Vine and music video industry, got off the bus, kicked through a school window and became a super senior  unlike one the world has ever seen. And now here I am in the Philippines preparing for the year 2014.

Originally we had a baptism scheduled for this last week on the 27th for Dexter and Angelo but we had to postpone them because Dexter was having a hard time understanding and his testimony still needed to be strengthened. However, we have been trying to visit and teach them every day and now he seems ready. We set the date for Dexter, Angelo and also Jessica for January 11th.

 

Dexter, Jessica, and Grace (Jessica's sister)

 

I guess there is no better way to close out the year with...you guessed it. Another story with a drunk man. So the other night we are walking back to the apartment  because we have no more appointments for the day and I stop to buy bread (which by the way I go through like 2 or 3 loaves of bread in a week but anyways, that is beside the point) and as we are about to leave, a guy comes up to us that is so intoxicated he is having a hard time walking in a straight line. Anyways, he asks me some random questions and when I am done answering them, we start walking away. We had gotten about ten yards away from the bread shop when he yelled for us to wait. After he caught up to us, he proceeded to tell us about how many problems we had. So I did what we always do in these situations-I briefly shared our message and then gave him a pamphlet-He then says "Sir....Thank you." And then he hugged me for like ten seconds.

 

Moral of the story--Party this week to celebrate the new year, but don't party too hard or else you might find yourself embracing in your arms an Asian man that you don't know! Have a good week and I will talk to you all in a year or so! (And yes, this corny joke from junior high still goes strong here in the Philippines)

  

 Dinner with Manzano family

 

 FHE with Rueda family before Elder Ursua left

 

 

Cabarroguis Christmas Cards

We have our ward Christmas party that we will be attending this afternoon and I get to talk to my family this week, so since nothing too exciting happened this week, I will keep this e-mail relatively short.

We had our mission Christmas devotional earlier this week, and it brought out the theatrical side in me. Each zone was asked to prepare a skit so Elder Merza and I were the lead characters in the conversion of Brother Claus himself. Also, I and five other elders performed a musical number for 'Silent Night'. I would like to think that I have High School Musical to credit these achievements to.

 

I hope everybody has a wonderful Christmas and at some point during this season of joy and giving, are able to reflect on the true meaning of why we celebrate it and remember the birth, ministry, and resurrection of our Savior Jesus Christ. It will be a little difficult for me having to spend the holiday seasons away from home, but we have our ward family, our mission family and the glorious message and glad tidings of the message behind Christmas and this incredible gospel. 

 

You will all be in my hearts this Christmas season. My dear family, I look forward to being able to Skype call you, and to everyone else, Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night!

 

 

Drunks & Demons

Good afternoon friends. As of late, I have been one busy elf trying to write cards, build toys, and spread Christmas cheer. Hopefully all the letters arrive relatively soon! As I'm sure you have already concluded from the title, some pretty crazy things happened this week so without further ado...

 

To make a long story short, we were at a dinner appointment when we received a rather peculiar text from a sister in our ward. The four of us elders went to her house where the bishop and Relief Society president joined us. I won't go into all the details, but we straight up had to cast out an evil spirit. She would be sobbing miserably and then laugh hysterically, but then after we gave a blessing, said a prayer, and sung both I Am A Child Of God and The Spirit Of God, she just fell asleep and everything was fine the next day.  I don't really like this kind of stuff, but I am just glad that we as missionaries are worthy and able to exercise the power and authority of the priesthood in which we hold. The Lord was able to use us as an instrument in his hands.

 

As for the drunk man, I should mention that even when it is a birthday party for a little kid, it seems like the whole town finds out about it and a bunch of older men show up and get turnt. Well we were eating inside the Estoconing house because it was Hanesa's birthday and then a man enters who is completely hammered out of his mind. He kind of stood in the doorway for a minute looking at me and Elder Kocherhans (the new elder in the Cabarroguis ward. The Filipinos look at his nametag and then just call him Cocoa Crunch) and then he says "Elder, I'm sorry." And then slowly he starts to fall down until he is leaning on me. After apologizing several more times and me assuring him it is alright, he says, "I want to join your church." Which would be great except if we return, he will probably have no clue who we are, but I gave him a pamphlet nonetheless. Definitely a funny experience though. Gotta love the drunk people!

That's all I've got for now. Hope everyone has a good Christmas Break and holiday season!