Transfer Week

WEEK 18

Pamilya at mga Kaibigan,

     This week was an awesome last week for me and my trainer.  Our mission president emailed us personally and told us that we need to increase our oym's.  An oym (open your mouth) is when you are able to share a gospel truth with someone and extend an invitation to them.  My trainer took the liberty of telling the mission president that we would get 50 this week.  I was a little apprehensive, but we decided we were going to do it for our last week together.  We talked to everyone on jeepneys, tricycles, people sitting outside their houses, and anyone else who would listen.  It's probably the scariest thing that I've ever done.  My Tagalog has definitely improved a lot this week.  So after a crazy week, we counted up the names in the back of our planners and found that we had 101 oym's.  We were freaking out.  It really is the most fulfilling feeling to conquer something that you never would have even thought of doing before.

     We still haven't found out what is happening with transfers.  Only people on the islands are notified on Monday, and the rest of us tomorrow.  My trainer goes home on December 29, and we're almost positive that one of us will be transferred.  He says It's good so that I can get away from him before he gets trunky.  I went on exchanges with our district leader the other day, and I've realized how much I've learned and also how much I still need to learn.

     I've really come to love the area and the members here in Calamba.  Our ward had Its primary program this week and it was a great success.  The theme was "Families are Forever".  We had a lot of investigators their and we know it was a really powerful message for them.  Our investigators are doing well.  It is very difficult for some people here in the Philippines to get to church every week, so we're trying to help them any way that we can.  We really are blessed to know what we need to do in order to have eternal families.  I've always known the Plan of Salvation growing up, so I never though that we would be teaching people who believe that they won't know their family after they die.  Teaching lessons is turning from stressful to fun a little bit more every day, and everything is going great! 

     Thank you also to all the ward members, family members, and friends that are writing me.  I might not be able to respond, but just know that I really do appreciate it.

                                                             

- Elder English

Missing Autumn in Utah

WEEK 17
Family and Friends,

     It has been another great week here in Calamba with lots of successes, failures, and interesting experiences.  We have been a little frustrated with a few things.  We have two investigators who are both ready to be baptized.  The only problem is that they are in less-active families.  We have a very strict rule that we cannot baptize them until we reactivate the parents.  We have been working really hard at it but they just don't seem interested in coming back to church.  It has been really hard for the investigators, but we know that everything will work out.  

     Other than that, things have been great.  We have been finding little ways to get around the traffic problems.  Even if it means leaving an hour of travel time in between some appointments even though they're only about 5 miles away.  Let's just say we've put some wear on our shoes this week.  

     Transfers are next week.  I don't know if I will be transferred or not.  My companion said that the mission president likes the missionaries who have just finished their training to lead the area.  So he thinks that I will stay where I am for right now.  My companion and I have just gotten to the point where we feel like we can teach fluently together, but I know that's how a mission works.  We're going to make our last week together the best one yet.  

     My language is getting better and my trainer is having me lead all the lessons.  It can be really hard when it feels like the lesson is stalling out.  I'm learning to just listen to the Spirit and not to hesitate when I get a prompting.  We really are so blessed to have the Holy Ghost as a guide in our lives and to always know that our Heavenly Father is watching us.  Even though I am really missing the Utah Fall weather.  That's all I have for this week.  I know I will have a lot to write next week for transfers.  Thank you all for all of your support!  

                                                                         

- Elder English

Playing baseball in the rice fields with pieces of bamboo and a volleyball.

This little boy (Gerald) always comes up and talks to us.  I've learned a lot of Tagalog from trying to talk with him.

Great Week!

WEEK 16

Pamilya at mga Kaibigan,

     My companion and I had a great week.  We had the opportunity to be taught personally by Elder Lynn G. Robbins.  He started out by having us make a list on the board of different excuses and ways that we rationalize.  He referred to this as 'the list' for the rest of the time.  He said, "The second that you make an excuse, the very second that you rationalize or go to 'the list', you lose control of your life.  Having 100 percent agency means that you have 100 percent responsibility."  He basically told us to accept the results of our work and make sure we will be proud of those results.  It was a really inspiring message.

     My companion and I had a really great week.  We have six investigators with a baptismal goal date, and every single one of them came to church!  We were ecstatic.  We also had two less active families that we have been teaching come to church yesterday.  We could really tell that they felt the Spirit during the testimony meeting.  We also got to teach two referrals after church that the members had prepared for us.  They both accepted baptismal goal dates.  I'm always nervous about extending a date in the first lesson and I always think that everyone will just say no.  But I've come to realize that if we are bold when we teach, they are more likely to feel the Spirit.

     Everything else is going well.  I've become addicted to this chocolate drink here called Chuckie.  It's the closest thing they have to chocolate milk that I can afford.  My family knows how much I love chocolate milk.  Any dairy products here are crazy expensive.  Other than being hot all of the time (even though everyone is wearing big coats when it gets dark) everything is going great and we're just excited to get out and teach every day.

- Elder English

The view out of the back of the San Pablo chapel

(city where the mission home is located)...... 

......and a view of part of my area (Calamba).

The first car that I've been in for 3 months..... 

....and a turtle that I saw on the street that I thought Brock and Dad would like.

First Baptism

WEEK 15

Pamilya at mga Kaibigan,

     My companion and I had a kind of rough week.  We didn't really accomplish any of our goals.  We weren't even close on a lot of them.  It's very hard to teach people in this area.  You would think that it would be easier to get around in more of a city area, but it's actually a lot harder.  Everyone wants to be taught on the weekends when they have time, but the traffic through Calamba Friday through Saturday is bumper to bumper the whole day.  We are trying to figure out a way to get around it so that we can teach the people that we need to.

     The highlight of the week was definitely Brother Harry's baptism.  We had the baptism on Thursday because he always has reservations at the resort on the weekends.  It was a great experience for everyone.  We were all scared because just a few minutes before the baptism there was no one there.  My companion walked into the room and said, "Ay, walang tao!"  (I think this means, no one or nobody?)  Then in true Filipino fashion, everyone, including the ward mission leader, the bishop, and the speakers, showed up at the absolute last minute.  We were very relieved.  I had the opportunity to perform the ordinance for Brother Harry and it was an awesome experience.  He was confirmed yesterday in church and he is slowly starting to introduce his family into the church.  He is very careful not to force them.  He wants it to be their decision.

Bro. Harry's baptism

     We keep reminding him that this is only the first step of membership in the church and he still has so much more to accomplish.  He actually went up to the bishop and said, "So when can I get the priesthood so I can use it for my family?"  (in Tagalog of course)  The Bishop was pleasantly surprised and pulled him right into his office for the interview.  It's been amazing to see how the gospel can change someone's life and how many people they can affect.  My companion and I are very excited because we realized that we have quite a few baptisms to follow. 

With Bro. Harry after his confirmation.

     On another note, we haven't had the opportunity to visit the Exporna family again, but we did hear something about a branch president last time we talked with them. So I'm pretty sure it's the same person that everyone is talking about.  It's really cool to find connections that spread so far.  

     Thanks again for all of your support!  We also found out that Elder Lynn G. Robbins of the seventy will be teaching us tomorrow in San Pablo City.  He gave the talk in conference about "Which way do you face?"  We are super excited to hear him.  Even though it means an early morning, two hour jeepney ride.

                                                  
- Elder English

View outside the church.

 Riding in a trike.  We were going really fast and it was raining.

New Discovery

WEEK 14

Pamilya at mga Kaibigan,

     My companion and I had a great week.  We didn't get as much teaching done as we wanted to, but we were able to find a lot of people to teach.  We decided to go to a different area in our neighborhood that we had never been to before.  We were walking through all of the houses and my companion and I realized that we didn't understand anything the people were saying.  We started talking to people and apparently the whole area is Ilocano. (Another group and dialect of the Philippines.)  They were really friendly and we found a lot of new people to teach.  I've discovered that tracting here is probably not the same as it is in the US. (They met someone from Pasuquin, Brgy. 1 with the name of Exporna. Sound familiar to anyone?)

"The trail to the new area."

     We have our first baptism this week and I'm super excited.  Brother Harry is getting baptized and he had his interview last night at his house.  It's been a really cool experience seeing him progress in the Gospel.  I think he knows more about the doctrine and history of the church than most members do.

     The members in our area are great.  We always have young men who are willing to go out and work with us, and members are always preparing referrals for us.  I feel like I got really lucky with my first area.  The weather is starting to cool down, or less hot, and it's cloudy and rainy a lot.  I have been very thankful for that.  I still haven't adjusted to the weather here.   

  

     "We forgot our umbrellas."

     My favorite experience this week was when we got to teach a little 9-year-old boy.  His whole family are members, but are currently inactive.  We used the Gospel Art Book and taught as simply as we could.  It has been amazing to see his family rally around him and help him to read the Book of Mormon.  Through teaching him, we have been able to strengthen the testimonies of the rest of the families.  It has helped me realize that the Gospel really is for everyone and anyone can gain a testimony that it is true.  

"The path to and view from one of our investigator's houses."

     I'm slowly adjusting, my language is getting better, and it is getting a little easier to get out of bed every morning.  I am missing the fall weather though.  Thanks for all of your support.  Things are going great!

- Elder English

"We made a little Christmas scene in our freezer.  We don't use it because any food that we buy, we cook and eat that day."

General Conference

WEEK 13

Family and Friends,

     I finally got to watch Conference after hearing everyone talk about it all week.  I really don't know if I can pick a favorite speaker, but I always love listening to President Eyring speak.  He is so genuine and you can tell that he really cares about what he is saying.  This is a skill that I have been trying to develop in teaching.  I also loved President Uchtdorf's talk on the perspective that the Gospel of Jesus Christ offers.  It is amazing to see the realization in people's eyes when we teach the Plan of Salvation.  When they realize what they can become and what their purpose is on earth, their whole life changes.  I also really liked how speakers gave their talks in their native languages.  After we got back to the apartment, my companion said the prayer for our lunch in his native language of Pangasinan (one of the many dialects of the Philippines).  I was really confused because I wasn't understanding anything and I started to get really scared.  He said he did it because of general conference.  He thought it was pretty funny.

     The work is going great and Brother Harry is getting baptized next week.  I'm so excited for my first baptism.  I'm excited for him of course.  He is so prepared and now he is starting to share the Restoration with his family and his neighbors.  He even referred his boss to us and offered to come teach her with us.  I thought that was amazingly brave of him.  He said now he just wants to share the Gospel with everyone.

     I had the opportunity to eat KFC at the SM this last week.  It was weird to be eating a drumstick of Kentucky Fried Chicken with rice and gravy.  It was nice to eat some mashed potatoes again though.  Everything is going great and I feel like General Conference gave me a little boost to go out and work really hard this week.  Thanks for all of your support. 

Ingat kayo!

Elder English

At Full Strength

WEEK 12

Family and Friends,

     This week has been great.  My companion and I are both at full strength, finally.  It was really nice to start getting in full days of work again.  We got two more investigators with baptismal goal dates and 7 new investigators.  My favorite experience was last night (Sunday).  A few weeks ago we met a man on the street while we were looking for a referral.  He was very interested and we set a return appointment, but a lot of things happened in the last week, so we weren't able to go.  We dropped by last night and he was just home from work and his whole family was there.  They didn't have enough chairs for all of us so we all sat on the dirt/concrete floor and we taught them the Restoration.  The spirit was really strong and they all committed to be baptized if they come to know that the Book of Mormon is true and that Joseph Smith is a true prophet. 

  
     My companion and I have really been trying to get our lessons to take less time.  Especially the first lesson.  We have been practice teaching and we only say a few sentences for each principle.  We have noticed that our teaching is much more powerful when we just teach simple, powerful truths.  Our goal is for all of our lessons to only take about thirty minutes.  We can also get a lot more work done this way.

  
     We actually don't get to watch Conference until next Sunday, so I haven't seen any of it yet.  I have heard a couple of quotes and I'm getting so excited.  I have never been more excited for a general conference in my life.  I have finally realized how amazing it is that we have a living prophet today.  We are so blessed to have someone that can simply tell us what God wants us to do right now in our lives.  We are going to the stake center in Cabuyao to watch it.

     The more we travel around our area, the more I realize how different and beautiful it is.  I am missing the chilly evenings back in Utah though.  If I feel myself thinking about home, all I do is focus on the work, and I completely forget about it.  The Christmas celebration is in full swing in the Philippines.  That part is still really weird for me.

"Just a picture of the mountains and the trail we take to get to some of our investigators."

 
     Our work is going great and we are finally working full days again.  I have realized that when you forget about yourself, the Lord really helps you with whatever you are trying to do.  Even if it is waking up in the mornings.  Thanks for all of your support!  Things are going great.  We are on schedule to have four baptisms this month and we are so excited.

-Elder English

"My companion and I take pictures of each other if we fall asleep."

 (Strategy for staying awake while studying??)