Monday, June 8, 2015

6.4.15

HOMECOMING!!

6.1.15

Ang Katapusan

The day has finally arrived. I can't believe it's come and gone so quickly. I remember sitting and talking with Eric about how fast things go by, and then I remember sitting in the MTC thinking to myself, "What did I get myself in to!?" The work of the Lord is the answer. This work is hard, tiring, and stressful, but yet filled with so much joy. I am so thankful for the opportunity I have been given to serve the Lord here in the Philippines Bacolod Mission. I know that this is where I was supposed to be.

I want to thank each and every one of you for your love and your support and for the help you have rendered me throughout my life. Each of you has played a part in making me who I am today, and because of that you have helped in bringing the gospel to the many people I have had the privilege of meeting here in the Philippines. The glory is not mine, and it's yours, but it's the Lord's. Without his help, and without your help none of us would be in this position today.

The past week has been full of happiness, and sadness. The goodbyes were not fun, and the tears shed by others makes it even harder, but I know that I will see them again, whether it be in this life or the next. The gospel make it all possible.

I love each and every one of you and cannot wait to see your faces, hear your voices, and hug you all! See you soon! Halong! Amping! Ingat!

5.18.15

Last Zone Conference

So this past week was my last Zone Conference. It was actually pretty sweet too. I had the privilege of sharing my testimony as one of the departing missionaries along with Elder Pack and unfortunately Elder Brinton. Sad to see that kid go home early (Honorable, Medical Release), but he'll be alright! Glad I'll be able to hangout with him in Provo! This past week was a bit slow but we had some good progression as well! We have our one baptism for May 30th, and then we have 6 more scheduled for the month of June as of right now! So hopefully Elder Chapple can keep those all going! :) The work never stops!

Well, got a few errands to run this week. Time is slowly slipping away. I'm saddened, but of course excited at the same time to see all of you! I'm just glad that we have a baptism my last weekend! It keeps me going! Also the fact that we have other progressing investigators set for June too! Makes me feel like I've accomplished my task!

Well, I don't know what else to say. I'll just tell you all in person in a couple of weeks. It'll be more exciting that way anyway! :) I LOVE YOU ALL! :D

5.11.15

It was so good to see all of your faces! :) That was the best skype call that I think we've had since I've been gone! It was just the perfect ending to a great 2 years! Thanks for all of your love and support! I hope you all had a wonderful mother's day and that you have another wonderful 3 weeks before I come home!

You guys are the best and I can't imagine what my life would be like without you! Thanks for all the things you've taught me, and for the example that each of you has set! I know that the things I've been able to accomplish have all been because of the Lord, and they're his accomplishments not mine, but I know that you have all played a part in it as well! It all stems from Dad's 1 convert! MOM! :) Happy Mother's Day to you! :D

Wednesday, May 6, 2015

5.4.15

Isang buwan na lang!

I can't believe I've reached the last month. Where has the time gone?! The good thing is that I'm companions with Elder Chapple and he is super hard working and still has the super gung-ho attitude still about everything so we work pretty hard! It keeps me going!

This past week our numbers went down a bit, but we managed to set 3 baptismal dates! Even though the work was a bit rough we got 3 baptisms schedule, one for June 28! It's really weird to me to schedule things knowing that I'm not going to be here! Just makes everything seem weird! It's also really weird to see mission events schedule for after that as well!

But one of the baptisms we have schedule is for Joy Sabordo! She is the younger sister of our recent convert Ching-Ching! At first she didn't want to listen to us when I first got here. We'd enter the house to teach Ching-Ching and then she'd walk out the back. I did my best to try and talk to her and invite her but she just wouldn't stay in the house. Then one day we told her to just listen and that we wouldn't ask her questions or have her do anything and from that point on she just progressed! We re-taught Ching-Ching while teaching Joy and she didn't even realize it! She's now been to church like 6 of the last 7 weeks! And she's scheduled to be baptized my last Saturday here! I'm so excited for her and so are her sisters Ching-Ching and Eden!

We also had a baptism yesterday after church for Sister Bambie! She is a close friend of Sister Mary Jane who is the biggest help to our work. So she also goes to Mary Jane's house for us to teach her! So she was baptized yesterday and then Sister Carmelita who was baptized on May 25th was confirmed yesterday!

It rained a bit this past week to so we've had lots of fun walking around in the rain! Elder Chapple just loves the rain, so it's been good! I really love this kid, he keeps me going strong! So glad I've been given the chance to train!

Well, next week is Mother's Day, so Happy Mother's day to all of you mothers who may be reading this! Can't wait to chat with the family next week! :) Love you all!

4.27.15

Training!

Training is way fun but also very challenging! It's definitely making me want to be better than I have been recently! My new companion is Elder Chapple! He's from Idaho! He's my first American companion since my own trainer, Elder Hawk! So it's been a blast these past few days! We started off with a baptism this past Saturday as well! Sister Carmelita Jagdon was baptized! She however showed up like 5 minutes to late yesterday for her confirmation, but it's all good! She'll just be confirmed next week!

We've hit a few road blocks in our work, but that won't keep us from moving forward! We'll continue to pray and do our best to find more investigators and to bring more sheep unto the fold of Christ! Nothing can stop this work, except the people from within! It all starts with our desire to serve! Once we let pride in that's when things start to fall apart! That's one problem we've seen here in our ward, and we're hoping to find ways to fix it! Hopefully we can be the example! :)

I don't have too many other exciting things to share! Elder Chapple and I are going to have a blast these last 5 weeks though! Hope everyone has a wonderful week! Love you all!

4.20.15

Transfer Week

This week was crazy! That's about all there is to say!

Elder Alfeche went home on Saturday, so that left me with no companion for 2 days until transfer day! So I got to work with good ole Elder PACK! I love and miss that kid! We had a blast. We didn't get too much accomplished this week with either Elder Alfeche or with Elder Pack just because things were crazy. Once I was with Elder Pack we worked for a bit in my area then attended their baptism in the 3rd Ward. They had 4 people being baptized and we had the 3 APs and me baptize them! It was pretty awesome to see all of us in white! Then we went back to work in 2nd ward and then had to back to the office to work on transfer stuff. We didn't leave the office until 12am! It was a long night. Then Elder Pack and I were the speakers at 2nd Ward, and everybody loved our talks. They told us they were the most entertaining talks that they had heard in a while! It was way fun! Then we went and did a baptismal interview in Santa Fe, and then we headed back to the office to make transfer calls! Even though I am not an AP they let me make a few calls, it was kinda fun!

I am no longer a District Leader or a Zone Leader, but I will now be a TRAINER! I'm super excited! I don't know who my companion is and I won't find out until Thursday morning when I meet him! I am super pumped though. 6 more weeks to teach this new Elder all I can! I hope I can be a good leader and example and companion for him! It's so hard to believe that I am now in my last transfer. I have 6 weeks left. I can't believe it. I am super excited to get to work though! We still have people to find, people to teach, and people to baptize! :) The work never ends! :)

We had the baptism of Brother Nestor Planilla this past Saturday! He was baptized by his son Raymond! It was super awesome! Then on Sunday he was confirmed along with Jasper and Joshua Gamboa who were baptized the week before! I continue to enjoy each and every minute here in the Philippines Bacolod Mission, and I'm kinda sad to see it getting closer and closer to an end, but that will not keep me from doing the best I can to help the work of the Lord to continue!

I hope you all have a wonderful week! I love you!