Transfer Week

This cycle has probably been the fastest cycle in my mission.  This Wednesday the sisters that were in the MTC with me are also going home so it's kind of weird seeing them go.  It's also transfer week and I'm not getting transferred and neither is my companion so nothing is really going to change for at least another month and a half.

This week we had a Mission tour and Elder Bowen from the Quorum of the 70 came and visited.  His talk was really good about the covenant of the priesthood and the tribes of Israel.  He told the sisters to ask their future husbands three questions, Where is the oath and covenant of the priesthood found, what it means to them, and how they have used it in their lives?  Good thing I already know the questions so I can be that much more prepared to answer those questions.  I learned a lot from him and got pumped up from all the things he said.  It was a really good conference.

So our investigator brother Roy is going great.  The other day we were a little late getting back from our mission conference so when we got out we weren't sure if brother Roy was going to be home.  When we got to his house and we started talking and talking about prayer when he told us that just 15 minutes ago he was alone in his room and decided to pray to know what to do with his life and his new family and what do you know,  we show up. He said that he believes we were the answer to his prayer and he wants to go to church but he has to wait until his baby can be around a lot of people.

Oh and we also as a zone went to the Ilagan sanctuary earlier.  We hiked up a river to a really cool waterfall.  I did the hike barefoot the whole way so my shoes wouldn't be wet all day.  They also have a lot of animals that are all malnourished. Pics on the way

Well I love you guys!  Merry Christmas!

I feel bad coming into the computer shop never knowing what I should write.  

We're just working hard and doing our best.  We went on splits this week with the zone leaders.  I went with Elder Evitt from Perth Australia.  It was a pretty good split and we had fun trying to get some lessons.  We started one lesson, but right after the opening prayer he told us to come back next time because his pigs were mating.  It was pretty weird.  We walked around the area in circles all day while going back to the appointments we got punted from earlier.  We taught one really good appointment to a family who accepted the invitation to be baptized.  They are really magaling from what I could tell and they'll also be strong members in the church some day.

My area is doing great right now and we're teaching a lot of people but they're all having a hard time coming to church.  We're trying everything possible but it doesn't seem to be working.  We even told the people they could ride their kalabaw to church!

It was just an average week so not too much to write about.

I'm just happy to be here doing the Lords work!  It's true!

Love,

Elder Tribe 

After a fireside in Burgos waiting for a tricy to come pick us up.

Fish ball tricy

Look at what these people have me eating!  BUGS!

Our landlords daughter.  We were sitting out side and she kept bringing us chocolate from her house! haha

Picking up chicks on the mission!

Pasko na!

December na kaya pasko na din! 

Christmas is getting so close!  I feel like it was Christmas last week!

This week was a kind of hard week for me with not feeling the greatest.  We ended up not working on Sunday because of it but I am feeling better now. 

I don't know what to say about this week.

Teaching a district meeting.

Tuesday- We went to District meeting where I taught about effective finding.  The Morgans came who are a senior couple and sat in on my District meeting.  They were really awesome during district meeting and told me I had a good lesson.  They are really nice.  Taught Brother Roy Valdez a new investigator.  He is really cool and is trying to get over his hernia so he can come to church on Sundays.  

Wednesday-  Just worked hard like every other day.  Taught a drunk guy who prayed for the opening prayer and closing prayer.  I asked him to come to church and he said he'll go to church at the Catholic church.  His family came to church but not him.

Thursday-Thanksgiving day but didn't know it till we received a text from Sister Rahlf telling us she's grateful for us.  We tried to get a dinner that night but didn't get one so we just ate cheese filled hot dogs.  I literally starved this week because we didn't get to shop on Monday.  It was pretty rough.  That's why I got sick, I think.  In my last area I made a list of things I wanted to get from one of the members who was coming back to the Philippines from America.  The elders there got my package and sent me all the pictures of them eating it.  Worst day of my life.  The list had 1.Gushers 2. Captain Crunch 3. Fruit by the Foot 4. Honeycomb 5. Tostitos and salsa and cheese dip.  I literally died seeing them eat it!    

Friday- Brother Rodger worked with us today.  We went to Jose Andres and after one week of not visiting him when he saw us he was surprised we hadn't forgot about him.  Got punted a lot today.  Taught Sister A. who said she wants to be baptized but can't because she's not married to her partner but they can't be married due to Filipino law.  There are some things we can do but she'll have to be interviewed by President or one of his counselors.

Saturday-  Didn't feel great but still worked.  Drank something to help me feel better given to me by a member.  I think I got more sick from it.  We taught Nay Guzman.  She's having a hard time coming to church.  If she'll get active we can baptize her daughter.

Sunday- Didn't feel good but of course you have to go to church to partake of the sacrament.  After church I went home and slept a lot.  Took some ibuprofen and it helped a little.  I'm better now!

                                                                        Well that's basically my week!  Your vacation looked amazing!  Can't wait to go with you guys again when I get back.

Resting

Next door neighbor

One of the nanays thinking she is a doctor.  

The lady who is getting the blood sucked out of her leg was bit by a dog.  She says that if you poke holes in the skin and put a suction cup on it it will remove the rabies

Quick pic during a lesson.

Tracting

Baptism at an outside font.

Love Cam  

Transfer week!

This week we had a transfer in my companionship. Elder Acosta was transferred to a new area because one of the Elders there is sick and was sent to Manila so now it's just Elder Safita.  We were told he was going to come back but we got a call saying he's going to stay the rest of the cylce in his new area and maybe never come back.  

E. Safita is my first American companion and it's pretty fun right now!  We're always laughing and having fun working!  

This week was basically a blur to E. Safita and me.  Everything is just going so fast!  We had our days mixed up this week because we accidentally wrote them down wrong in our planners so we had everything mixed up.  That made the week go really fast realizing it's Friday instead of Wednesday.

This week Manny Pacquiao had a fight and that means it's basically the super bowl for the Philippines.  We went out to work and every single person was in their house and it was almost like a ghost town. We worked all day and only got one lesson!  Everyone kept telling us to go away basically cause Manny was on TV.  Even though Manny had a fight we had a ton of people come to church which is basically a miracle.  I think they came though to help send some blessing to Manny while he was fighting.

We have an investigator who's been coming to church for over one year but she isn't baptized yet because in the Philippines you can't get divorced.  She's living with her new husband but can't get married so we have to refer all those cases to President Rahlf.  The lady, Sister A.has been giving us referrals lately and helping us in finding investigators.  She's a really cool lady and I love how she loves to help us missionaries even though she isn't a member yet.  It just makes me realize, if a non member can help missionaries, members have a way bigger responsibility cause they actually know what it's like to be a member.

  

Well, can't remember really anything else.  We are still laughing during lessons because of the language barrier.  Some of the Ilicano people we teach have bad eyes so I read their Ilicano BofM for them.  I try to read it to the best of my ability but it just sounds terrible.  The members lately have been complimenting me though on my 

Ilicano and in some members houses, just to help me learn Ilicano they only speak Ilicano even though they understand Tagalog. 

 

The area is great and i'm loving it here! Here are pictures of my new apartment.

Love E.Tribe

We're tearing it up

I would send you guys pictures of the new area and everything, but every computer shop we've been to doesn't allow downloading so you'll just have to wait till I can find a better computer shop.

We are really tearing it up in our area here in Mabini!  We've been getting around five or more lessons every day which is making the days go really fast.  We have a baptismal date set too for December 17 but I'm pretty sure we are going to have to move it back because I don't think she'll be ready because she hasn't been coming to church yet.  I just don't know about her though because her husband is less active so it's kind of scary because we might be just baptizing a less active so I'm going to really see if she wants to to baptized and then we're going to re- activate her husband.  Well we're going to reactivate her husband no matter what.

So in our mission we have a standard of excellence that every missionary is striving to get and I've never reached it once in my whole mission.  The goal is 30 lessons in one week and this week we had 28 lessons!  I can't wait to finally hit it!

The area right now is a little different than any of the other areas I've ever had.  Everyone here speaks a different language, Ilicano!  Most people know how to speak Tagalog, but are pretty rusty so they basically just say a few words in Tagalog and then a whole bunch in ilicano expecting us to understand.  I can understand a little bit and speak a little too but there are sometimes when all I do is say, "wen."  Which just means, yes or yeah in ilicano.  It's makes some lessons pretty interesting and we usually all end up laughing because we have no idea what he is saying and what I am saying.  I am loving this new area though because we get to work all the way up until curfew which is a first for my whole mission.

I'm not feeling very good today so I'll write you guys next week and hopefully send you some pictures!  (I have some pretty good ones!)

Love you guys!

Elder Tribe

First well I've seen in the Philippines.

Getting transferred from Solano.

Having a merienda at the house of Nanay Felly

I wait for jeep while he gets a drink at Franks.  When they find out my middle name they all make fun of me and say lets go eat at "FRANKS!"

Mabini District, Burgos Zone

The night before transfers Elder Saguire and I were with Elder Volpe because his companion went home.  We had a huge farewell/birthday party for me and Elder Volpe.  It was really good and made me sad I was going to get transferred.  The night before transfers the Zone leaders also get to find out who's getting transferred before everyone else and because we were on splits with him we also got to find out early, but before he told me he had a good time torturing me and only dropping little hints.  When he told me it was a huge surprise to me and I didn't expect it at all!  I have two companions so that means I'm in a threesome for the cycle and I'm in Burgos zone.

  

Burgos zone is in the middle of nowhere and nothing is near by.  I think the church is the only real building in the whole zone that is nice.  I came in with a bad attitude thinking it wasn't going to be a bad area and my companions were going to be bad but so far it has turned out pretty good.  I've only been here half a week and we've taught a ton of lessons and have a lot of investigators.  I think we're going to be able to actually reach the standards of excellence that President Rahlf has set for us and I've never done that before so it's going to be awesome!  

The area is really rural and the people are really humble.  The area also used to be a Stake but then went back down to a Branch when everyone started to go inactive.  Everyone here seems to be a member but they are also all inactive basically so that's where we get a lot of our lessons.  

The apartment is really pretty terrible.  It's super dirty and falling apart.  There are roaches everywhere and the drain in the bathroom doesn't drain so it fills up with tons of water that the roaches seem to use as a bathtub.

The branch is really struggling here because it's run by a bunch of crazy old men but it makes going to church an pretty funny experience.  We have to teach Elders Quorum and then teach another class and then set up sacrament and then bless sacrament and then clean the building. 

 

Even though everything is struggling here the work is good and my companions seem to be good so far.  I'm just trying to set an example for them by being obedient.  Pray for me and my companions to have a good cycle!

Love you all soooo much!
Elder Tribe

This week feels like it lasted 10 weeks!

So on Tuesday this week we had splits with the Villaverde Elders, Elders Castacio and Faasavalu.  I went with Elder Castacio and we worked in Lamut while the other Elders went to Salamague.  We got a couple lessons in before it started raining super hard and we didn't have an umbrella.  We waited for a little while for it to stop before we went to our next appointment.  At the appointment we were about to start when I got a call from Elder Saguire telling me that the AP's called him and he needs to go to Cauayan because he is going to train.  So before we even started, we said goodbye and went over to get E. Saguire.  We ran and got everything together and then I dropped him off at the junction and he went to Cauayan.  Then, all three of us (Villaverde and I) slept at the Zone Leaders apartment

.

The next day the Villaverde Elders got up early and left and then Elder Volpe and I went on splits because his companion was in Cauayan with my companion.  We then went to the Valdez families house and had a service project.  Only Elder Volpe and I showed up so we just sharpened our machetes and went to town on their garden.  It was a good CSP especially because I got to see the Valdez family again!

The next day we got our companions and then had another CSP but this time it was cleaning our meeting house.  We sprayed the walls with a house and then squeegeed the floors.  It took half the day but it was worth it because the good lunch the Balubal family fed us.  

On Thursday we had Zone conference.  That's where the AP's and President Rahlf come teach.  This time they taught about being a successful missionary.  I learned a lot but I'm having a hard time remembering it.  I also forgot my notes so that doesn't really help.  They emphasized about being obedient and how obedience is the first law of heaven.

On Sunday, since it was my last Sunday in Lamut I got up and bore my testimony.  Everyone said it sounded like I was going to cry but I wasn't even close but I am going to miss them especially the Quinones family!  I'm not going to miss the area one bit but the members I'm going to miss a lot!

  

Well, my companion is now going to train so I'm getting transferred.  Hopefully I get put with a good companion.  

Well I love you guys and thanks for the probably best emailing session my whole mission!  

E.Tribe

This last Tuesday was the last time I'll have to teach district meeting this cycle and it's an amazing feeling!  It relieves a lot of stress not having to worry about what to teach all the time!  After District meeting we got to eat at Mrs. Bakers!  It's the best place to eat in the mission.  I ordered some kebab thing and it was amazing and then had a banana cream pie!  After getting all these letters about pies and stuff it was good to actually get one for myself.

Lunch at Mrs.Bakers

We had a service project this week in my area.  It was in a place that was pretty far away but it was to help some less active members.  When we got their a lady runs in and says in English, "What religion are you?" We told her Mormons and she freaked out, stomped her feet, and then ran away.  The President then just told us it's okay and it's not a big deal.  We painted the inside of the church.  The church we painted wasn't our church it was some other church the less actives in that area made up.  Pretty sure if anyone else knew about that they'd be excommunicated.

Painting the church

We had some good times this week and got some new investigators!  We contacted the referrals we've received and taught them one lesson but it was so loud we didn't get to teach very much.  I'm going to go back this Tuesday when we go on splits with the Villaverde Elders.

Also the other day we had our first appointment around 12 and we hadn't been to his house in a while.  We walked up to his house and saw his bicycle and his hat so we knew he was home so we sat outside his house saying "Tao Po" over and over again so he would come out.  We sat around waiting for him to come out because he has arthritis, but he never did so right before we were about to leave we said "Toa Po" one more time.  MISTAKE!!!  All of a sudden we hear Tatay inside start screaming and swearing he walks outside with a huge knife and as soon as he realized it was us he said "Kayo pa la" or oh it's you guys (in a surprised/shocked sort of way)  right as he saw us he ran back inside and said I"M SICK!!!!!!!  Elder Saguire and I were really surprised and just walked away kind of silent not knowing what to do.  Elder Saguire thinks we should go back but I know it's going to be the weirdest thing ever and I don't know if he'll still be mad.

This is also probably my last week in my area here in Lamut.  Transfer day is this next week on November 5.  I'm gonna miss the area but I'm also excited to get a new one.

Love you guys!

Gwapo ohh

Climbing coconut trees

This dog is so nasty it needs to die!

Pray for me!

Colorful bug getting eaten by ants!

Really good week in Lamut!  We actually had a fellow shipper this week, brother Biondie.  He's hilarious and a really good fellow shipper.  Sometimes fellow shippers like to take over the lessons but Bro. Biondie knows what he's doing and he has been a big help for us!  He came with us to Salamague this week to teach.  We forgot our mga payong and so we got pretty wet.  We had a lot of really good lessons and people were connecting with us more because we had a fellow shipper.  We invited them all to come to church this week but we don't know if they came or not.  We  don't know if they came or not because we went to church in Cordon to get Elder Saguires patriarchal blessing.  I know Sister Mary Rose came and a Less active because they texted asking us where we were.

This week we didn't get to contact the referrals from the sisters but this week sana.  We had some really good lessons this week with some of our less actives but I think that's mainly due to the fact that we had a fellow shipper with us.  It really helps a lot to have someone in the lesson other than missionaries.

We went to Banaue again today.  It wasn't as good this time because the rice has all been harvested but it's still beautiful.  All the other missionaries were buying things for their families but I had no idea what to get so I didn't get anything.  I feel bad sometimes because I don't have any souvenirs yet for you guys but don't worry I'll get some.  

On the way home from Banaue I saw Sister Mary Rose, one of our investigators on the side of the road.  I yelled over to her, "Mary Rose, Nagbasa ka na ba sa aklat ni mormon?"  She only smiled and nodded her head.  It was the best ever because I've been trying so hard for her to read and she finally did it!  Hopefully she'll remember what she read and sana she prayed about it too!  That just made the week for me because I kept saying to myself if she doesn't read we might have to drop her.

Love you guys! 

I can't believe it's already been another conference!  It feels like things are going by way to fast!  

This conference week was really good and one of my favorite talks was probably the very first talk of priesthood session by Quentin L Cook.  It was all about the choices we make and not to waste time with the mundane things of the world.  I like the scripture he really used in Isiah 7:15 "Refuse the evil, and choose the good."  Pretty much self explanatory.

Writing letters every week is getting pretty hard.  I have less and less to write every week.  

The branch right now is doing great.  We just got a new branch presidency and they are doing great and doing their best to get this branch actually moving forward.  

We've been trying to contact less actives for a while now but not having much success.  I think a lot of them have been dead for a long time or they moved ten years ago.

We went back to Tatay Pillor after not teaching him for a while and told him the church is just up the road.  He said "Expect me to be there this Sunday."  Two hours after the lesson it hit us that it was conference so we ran back but he wasn't there.  We decided to write a little note on his door that said church was in Solano but next week it'll be just up the road.

We've been teaching a new lady, May Anne.  She was an investigator before and part of a part member family.  We're really focusing on her so she'll come to church with her less active husband.

We had a party this week for a missionary who came home.  He is really cool and he's going to work with us this Wednesday.   If he works with us, it'll be my first fellow shipper I've had in this area other than President Quinones and Dulnuan.

We've been getting a lot of referrals from the sister missionaries in Bagabag and we're going to try and contact all five of them this week.

My clothes recently have been super yellow and getting really disgusting even though i'm washing them.  I asked Nanay Bayatan if she had a solution to my problem.  Turns out what she gave me worked and my clothes are white again!

123 jump draw

little, little house

teeter totter

I think that's all that is really going on right now.  

Love you guys!

E.Tribe

So this week we had 300 pesos to last the whole week so we stocked up on sardines and ate them almost every meal!  Before the mission i never would of thought about eating sardines and now it's all the time.  Oh how things have changed! haha

I heard about ebola going around or something.  Keep me informed on that cause I think this might be the zombie apocalypse.  I have to be prepared because once a boy scout always a boy scout.

I told you about me not being able to go outside to give you guys a little scare because sometimes I think you forget about me!  Something really did happen.  I didn't just make it up to scare you guys!

I can't remember anything!  This week was so fast!  Nothing to much has changed.  

Probably the biggest thing that happened this week is our less active nanay Basillo came to church for the 4th time in a row meaning she is not less active anymore and she brought her husband who is also less active!  We are pretty excited about that knowing that when they leave their house it's open for anyone to go inside or out because it doesn't have doors.  

This week we were really working hard on contacting some Less actives that live right by our apartment.  We contacted one but he was drunk so we just said hi and walked by.  We then went to the Dag-Oh family.  It's kind of hard to find because it's behind a bunch of other houses.  When we got there only a lady was there with her kid.  We talked to her and she offered us wine.  I refused of course and we set a time with her to teach her.  We're going to go back next time and start teaching her!  

Can't think of anything else!  Just trying to be my best in everything I do.  

A little taste of heaven in the Philippines!  The members love me!

Don't mess with me!

FHE

Love you all!

E. Tribe

Family Week

So this week we barely got to work again because we split with Elder Volpe again because his companion is going home.  We were on splits from Monday to Thursday basically.  I can't remember much of what we did.  We did get to work in our area on Tuesday and we had a good dinner at Balubal's house again.  On Wednesday we were in Solano all day dealing with transfers and waiting for Elder Volpe's companion who was coming from Tuge, a six hour drive.  On Wednesday night we had FHE with our new branch president, President Bumatay.  The sisters gave a really good lesson about Jesus Christ.  They made us think of a sin and then stab a piece of paper that had something in it.  When we stabbed it around six times they opened it up and it was a picture of Jesus Christ.  It really made you think that that is exactly how Jesus Christ feels every time we sin.  It really made me want to be better.

Waiting for the branch president, so we can go to lunch.

Yesterday at church we could hear a pig screaming really loud and ran over to it.  It was giving birth!  I got one good picture and a good video.  Still not sure how to send videos.  

Recently every person we talks to is to busy to talk to us the second time.  We ask them if it'd be okay if we come back and share a message or just answer some questions they have about the pamphlet we left with them.  Recently, they've all said the same thing, "I'll just ask God" or "i'll just ask the bible."  It's killing me but we're going to go back to the people anyways.  Hopefully one will read it and actually want to know more.

We had something happen to us the other night and so we can't work out at night anymore.  I won't tell you anymore about it until I get home.

Huge Caterpillar

Well that's basically all that's happened this week.!

Late night trikey rides

Love you guys!