3.31.14

Toko War!

So last night's journal entry went a little something like this:

"11:30 PM - War with the Toko finally ends, in an Elders
Victory. Two stabs and one toss of a heavy stone and Patay na
ang Toko. I can finally sleep in peace."

So a Toko is a giant lizard that's body is probably like 8-10 inches
long and then it's tail is like another 6 inches itself. They aren't
the friendliest things in the world. When we got home the last couple
nights it has been on the wall inside our house. The other night we
just got it to move outside but yesterday it moved out and then came
back in. It was right in the center of our roof on a 2-by-4 that holds
up the roof. We knew it was up there but we couldn't actually see it.
We kept spraying it with permethrin to get it to move but it wouldn't
so then we take a piece of wood and taped a ruler on the end of it to
poke at it from the ground to get to move and it still wouldn't move.
Finally it moved far enough away from where we were putting the ruler
to where it's underbelly was exposed just enough for us to see it in a
gap of wood about 2 inches wide. I told Elder Orlanda to take the
stick and tape one of our sharp knives to the other end of it and just
stab the thing from the underside because it won't see it coming. So
that's what we ended up doing! We stabbed it once first in the back of
it's head and had it pinned but then he got free somehow and then we
stabbed him in the stomach this time he couldn't move because the
knife was pinned to the ceiling as well. It was crazy. When then
ended up taking it outside with it stuck to the knife still and we
stabbed it into a tree to try and fully kill it and then Elder dropped
the stick and it was still alive! it ran a few feet and then stopped.
Then I just said grab that giant stone over there and just dropped it
on it. So that's what we did! When he dropped the rock in it it's tail
came out and it's head got smashed. After that even though it was dead
an the tail was detached the tail kept moving and twitching. It was
crazy. But it was finally dead. So we could finally sleep without fear
of being attacked by the Toko. What a crazy night!

This past weekend we had our District Conference in Sipalay. Since
it's a district President Lopez presides and he and his counselors
were the speakers. Along with Elder Ramon C. Nobleza of the Seventy.
It was pretty awesome. I few quotes that I enjoyed were one from
President Santillan, 1st Counselor in the Phils. Bacolod Mission,
"Don't be part of every problem, but be part of every solution." Find
ways to be a blessing unto others and not a burden. It isn't always
easy but if we focus on ways be can bless the lives of others rather than
make them more difficult I know we can and that the Lord will help us!
I also enjoyed a quote from Elder Nobleza, he was referring to the
church buildings here in the Philippines which are the nicest
buildings in every town when he said "If you enjoy it, why not become
a part of it." Meaning if you attend church and enjoy it's beauty and
it's air con and the building, you should pay your tithing to become
part of it. That's one beauty of this Church. We can see where our
tithing goes. It doesn't go to the pocket of any individual person or
leader of the church. It goes directly to the church for the Building
of the Lord's Kingdom! it goes into building the wonderful churches
and temples of the Lord and to helping those who stand in need, not to
the leader of the church to support him for his service. Because if
that's where it goes, his service to his fellow men is no longer
service, it is a career. Life is about love and service to others, too
help each and every child of our Heavenly Father to return to him!

This is now the last week of Elder Orlanda's mission! We are going to
work every day and end his Mission on a good note! I can't wait to see
what is next for me!

I love all of you and hope that you are able to see the many blessings
in your life each and every day that our Heavenly Father has given to
you! May you always be full of thanks to him for his Love and Kindness
towards you!

3.17.14

Sorry, Late ako naman!

Once again I'm late again! My apologies! The internet was super slow this morning when we first showed up so we went to another internet shop and amo man dira, so we just opted to eat and do our grocery shopping first! I'm here now, and you're all sleeping, so enjoy that! ;)

Nothing to crazy happened this week. Well other than the fact that on our way home from Bacolod we had to transfer buses in Kabankalan which is 3 hours away from Bacolod and 3 hours away from Sipalay, and the first bus that left was full so we waited for the last trip of the night which left at 10. Once again it was completely full so I got to stand in the doorway for 45 minutes holding on to a bar outside of the bus. It was pretty awesome. We then got home at like 12:15 so that was a fun night! Our time in Bacolod was well spent though. I enjoyed our Zone Conference and the trainings of our leaders and the time we got to spend with President Lopez. I love that man!

Other than that nothing too crazy happened here. At church we split into YM, YW, RS, and EQ for the first time since the group was started so that's good progress! We were excited because it gives everyone and opportunity to participate rather than us missionaries doing everything! Our attendance yesterday was 40! So that was awesome as well! Hopefully that can continue to improve!

We met a new family the other day as we were climbing the mountain. They were washing their clothes by the well and we just stopped to talk to them. We went back to visit them yesterday and will we were teaching there were some guys playing pool outside the window and they must've been listening because as we left one of them asked me if I had an extra pamphlet I could give him. So I gave him one and told him hopefully the next time we can talk to him about it! That was the first time somebody has asked me for one so that was cool!

Other than that nothing too crazy! The work is going in! Elder Orlanda is getting closer and closer to going home and he keeps telling me that he isn't ready and that it feels really weird! So at least i don't have to worry about him tanking it on me these last few weeks!

I love and miss you all! Until next time! :)

3.10.14

Nagapamati ang aton Amay nga Langitnon sa mga pangamuyo naton!
(Our Heavenly Father is listening to our prayers!)

So why did I decide to title this weeks email this? Well let me tell you. I had a pretty awesome thing happen this week during one of our lessons. We were teaching the Savido Family about the Restoration, we were watching the Restoration Video actually when this happened. About halfway through the video the sound got so quite almost to the point where you couldn't hear anything. It was a problem with the TV. So it was kinda rough to watch the video with no sound, but Tatay Savido said "Ok lang na, basta makita pa ko sya" which means "It's ok, as long as I can still see it!" So we kept watching it, but the sound was still super quite. So right before we arrived at the First Vision I closed my eyes and said a silent prayer in my head. "Father, please help them to see this, feel this, and if possible please let them hear it as well!...." At that moment, out of nowhere, THE SOUND CAME BACK! Just in time for them to hear "Ako ay nakakita ng isang haligi ng liwanag.... nga higit pa sa liwanag ng araw...." It was pretty amazing! After the lesson we invited Tatay to say the closing prayer and it was an amazing prayer, and afterwards he wiped away tears from his eyes! He didn't make it to church yesterday, but he told us without us inviting him that "Once his foot gets better he WILL go to our church!" I'm excited for that day to come!

Other than that, this week wasn't super eventful. However this next week we have a Mission Conference at the Mission Home and I'm super excited! I haven't been to the mission home since July 31! Should be exciting! We also get to do shopping in Bacolod since we're never near there! So I'm excited for that as well! Hopefully I receive your mail this week mother! :)


I love you all! :) Hope you have a wonderful week!

3.3.14

Sakit sa Tikod!

First off I would like to apologize for my late arrival to the Internet Shop! We were invited to help a family at their home this morning and it took a little longer than we expected, only by like 4 hours, but that's alright! Basta nagserbisyo kami sa mga tao sa mission namon! ;)

This week I had quite a scary incident! We were trekking our way through the mountains to visit a family of investigators when I stepped down off this rock and rolled my ankle pretty badly. My first reaction was that it was broken because it souded like something popped and then the reaction of my body was the same as when I broke my arm. Thankfully, it is not broken, and Is currently pretty much normal! I had a rough time walking for a day or so, but that was about it! I had a member look at it and massage it, which you would think would feel good, but it actually didn't haha, hurt pretty bad! But that was the first mission injury I have encountered! So We'll count that as a blessing! :)

This past weekend we had the Baptism of Nanay Nenita, Ginalyn, Jovelyn, and Manilyn! Unforunately Tatay Ronald wasn't able to join them in baptism because he picked a trip to Cauayan over baptism. Slightly frustrating since Friday night he told us he was going to continue with baptism. He is the one who has now stopped smoking, drinking and wearing earrings. He has changed so much because of this Gospel! It's amazing to see, but enough of the negativity. The baptism was great! The 4 girls were so excited and everything went smoothly! We had quite the turnout in support of them! We packed two tricycles worth of people from Mina to go to their baptism! It was pretty awesome!

Oh, I wanted to share this for Dad. We were teaching a family this week, Tatay was a bit drunk. It was kinda hilarious because when people here are drunk they try to speak English for some reason. It was pretty funny because at one point he started quiting Edgar Allen Poe. He said something like "It's better to lose 100 women, than 1 drop of wine." I don't quite understand why he said that, but I thought it was worth sharing with you since it was Edgar Allen Poe! haha

Once again, I apologize everyone for my late arrival, but It was probably better that I gave my help and effort to the family who asked for it! :) I love and miss you all! Continue being the best that you can be, and the Lord will bless you!