So when I think of this week I can't really thing of what to write about.  The days are all starting to mesh and it feels like I just wrote you yesterday. 

This week my comp and I went to the dentist for the first time.  It was definitely a new experience.  When we walked in the office, the dentist was sleeping on the couch and we had to wake him up.  That was when I decided I was just going to let my comp get his teeth cleaned.  I talked to him about how my dad was a dentist and he was asking me a bunch of questions and almost second guessing himself and asking me if what he was doing was right like I had a clue because you're a dentist, dad.  He did fill a cavity but I'm not positive if he was just ripping us off or it was really a cavity.  He was using some word play and some discounts to make it sound like we were getting a huge discount if we filled the cavity there.  It was just sketchy.  

Yesterday on Sunday we got to teach the family that lives in the dangerous area.  Our fellowshipper was the bishop who blessed his child.  It was cool to have him there and it really helped our lesson.  His wife is super interested and was crying the whole lesson when we told her about the plan of salvation.  She has always wondered about what church to join and has read the bible and any other thing she can find that is religious.  She is definitely ready for the Gospel.  The Lord really does prepare people for the Gospel.  

The church and sunset

We have also been teaching a guy who keeps telling us crazy stories about his life.  He told us he had a guy live with him for one night who was doing the whole crucifixion thing like Jesus Christ.  He said the guy left the cross in the front yard and then started back up again in the morning.  He has a lot of questions for us and he's hard to teach but you always get a good laugh.

The weeks are going by too fast and the work is getting better and better every week.  The comp right now is amazing and making me work hard.  He's always got a good attitude even when we don't get a single lesson all day.

The lady who feeds us, I guess fed us dog the other day, but thankfully I wasn't there.  I want to try it but never eat more than like a piece but I did hear it was chewy from the other Elders.

Playing ball

 
It's good to hear about the fast for rain was answered and it's even better to hear that we got five feet of snow but to bad I can't ski it.  

P.S. Hey, I totally forgot about the winter Olympics till some of our members told me about it.  Would you please keep me up to date about the skiing slope style?  It's the first year it's been in the Olympics. 

Magic Kids

It's crazy how you come to an area that is really having no progress at all and now investigators are popping out of the wood work and the weather is decent so I can't complain. 

Seriously though this week was way good!  At the beginning of the week we had Zone conference with the president and it was all about opening your mouth and finding new investigators.  After we had the meeting the members started giving us referrals and when we would go contact one referral their neighbors would be there to listen and so it was basically like 4 referrals in one which was amazing.  We haven't taught them all yet but when we went over to their houses they were more than happy to listen to just the little we were saying.  

5 years old and a 100 lbs.

This week I went on splits with Elder Datario in Baluarte.  The splits were way cool and the lessons that we taught were awesome.  We taught only 2 lessons but they were both really good.  They were to both less-actives and you could tell they could feel the spirit during our lessons.  One nanay was tearing up while we were teaching her.  Those lessons are the best when you know they are feeling the spirit but it's the worst when they don't act on what they felt but I know that with just a little more help they'll come back to church. 

We haven't been able to go back to Brother Joseph the one investigator who's son was healed.  The only time he is available to teach is at night and the area where he lives isn't very safe.  We didn't know that so one night we decided to go teach him and while walking there we saw a guy and we said hello to him and he said "baka may hold up kayo"  Which basically means we might get robbed.  We continued anyways and nothing happened but later after talking to his family for a while and walking back the police told us to go home cause it's not safe.  The members there also told us not to go there because there is a murderer who lives in the woods over there and a bunch of loco locos. So basically we might only be able to teach him on his day off which is only once a week.  Hopefully something will work out and we can teach him more.

The investigators who randomly showed up to church last week came again which was awesome.  Their situation is basically the same as Joseph's and can only be taught at night and they live in an even more dangerous area.  Please pray for them that some how we'll be able to teach them.

She feeds us 2x a week!

I almost forgot!  I talked with one of the Elders who is in my old area and he told me that brother Eng and Reymart both less actives are now active and going to church weekly.  They went to church once when I was there but then we got transferred and I had no idea what happened.  It was a way good feeling and you have no idea how much I want to go back to that area and see all the people.  They are basically my family!

Thanks for all the prayers and they are really being answered.  Church is true.

On Splits

Elder Tribe

Working Hard!

Seriously worked freaking hard this week.  So in my area this week we've been having days where we don't have a single lesson and it's been ridiculous so we've been praying for success in the area and what do you know, prayers are really answered. 

We went out to contact a referral we got from a member and it was the best referral ever.  The guy has a sweet story where his child was going to die and the doctor was telling them there was no hope so he called the bishop and asked for a blessing for his child.  The bishop gave the blessing and within seconds after the blessing the baby went from purple to normal skin color like nothing ever happened.  He already has a testimony of the church even though he's not a member and it awesome. The lesson was good and the whole little barangay listened so we got a ton of new investigators.  

Went on splits with Elder Mcausland this week and he only knows a little Tagalog so it was a little scary at first but all the lessons went well and we found a bunch of less actives.  It was a way good day for the area and it was cool to learn where all of these less actives live.

So this week at church it was the first time I've had a investigator at church in over a month and what was even better was we didn't even know who the family was.  They read the visitors welcome and just decided to come!  This week we're gonna go teach them and actually find where they live.  

The work is actually picking up in my area.  Prayers are answered.  Miracles really do happen. Thanks for the prayers I know they're helping!

2 little girls that always run in during the middle of lessons!  But they are freaking cute!

Beggar Kids

Love you guys!

Elder Tribe

Cold Week!

Well, Meredith last week was pretty mad my letter was so short and I didn't send any pictures so I'll try to make up for it this week!

This week was a little crazy with transfers and everything but the craziness was for the better.  I got Elder Rocamada from Pangasinan, Philippines and he is a straight up stud and a hard worker.  He is seriously my hero right now.  He's a convert of only a couple years and is 26 years old.  He is the only member is his family and his family does not write him on P-day and won't talk to him even on Christmas or Mothers day (Pretty messed up).  His mom passed away when he was little and if I were him I probably would have been home by now.  Anyway I look up to him a lot for choosing to go on a mission even though everyone he loves is against it.

Well, Meredith last week told me that with this next comp the first thing you should do is go out and work and that is exactly what I did. Right when he became my comp and we were in our area we went to work.  He didn't even have time to unpack!  Since he is our DL and with the new mission rules and things our area has to be an example area for the other Elders and sisters so we have been working like crazy!  The work has been really frustrating because we get punted from every appointment but we've been having really good OYM's.  The other day we were waiting to go to an appointment and kind of just walking around looking for people to talk to when we passed a nice old lady and just started chatting.  When we started chatting about religion and stuff she started to just cry and she said that she had a daughter die a little while ago from cancer and it was amazing to tell her that we can all return to live with our families again.  It was probably the best OYM I've ever had and it's exactly what we need in this area - some investigators.  

The other day after working and not having a single lesson and being pretty bumbed I was kind of  just sitting there in the apartment and the other Elder said "don't worry man you can't chop down a tree with one swing."  After he said that it kind of made me realize that we're gonna have to give it our best and then some to turn this area into an example area and that nothing comes all at once and the things that take a little more time and patience are always way better than just getting something for free.

I'm excited for the new comp and basically a new area to work in.  I just read Elder Smith's letter home and he mentioned a Wiz Khalifa quote "Work hard play hard."  The most true thing ever and I'm a proud supporter of it also a wise man named Jeff Sorenson told me "Early to bed late to rise" but I'll use that back home!

Anyways love you guys back home!

Market

Tracting and he is the only one home.

I brush and floss every day!

Mahal kita!

Elder Tribe

Transfer Week!

I just got the text from the ZL's telling us who is getting transferred and I guess I'm staying in Ramon and my comp is leaving.  Which means I'm getting a new comp this week!  

For the first time this week I went on splits in my area!  I went on splits with the ZL's and it was a good time.  We got punted from every single lesson I had planned so I came up with a new plan to go to people who had been dropped by the other missionaries.  When we went back to some of the houses it was amazing because you could tell they missed the missionaries.  

I read Blake's letter and I know what he is talking about when people get lazy and the work is hard.  We taught Sister Agasid a lot this week and she kept telling us "I promise to come to church." Well when we went to pick her up this week she wasn't there.  It's honestly so frustrating but I know she is just nervous and needs a little bit more of a push.  We're still having a hard time with Arjay but I know for him it's going to take just a little time because his family.

I think with a new comp the work in the area is going to pick up and we'll have lots of success.  

Also I thought it was kinda funny the other day in Elders quorum the teacher asked "What's the newest invention you can think of?"  Everyone started saying electronic dishwashers and Iphone10.  Do Iphone10's exist?  I thought it was kinda funny.

My area right now is a ward and the average attendance is like 120.  The members aren't the best at fellowshipping they always take over the lesson so we tend not to use them anymore.  The people who fit our clothes kind of don't want us to teach them.  We had 2 new inv. this week but they're just the one's you teach once and then never see them again. 

It blows my mind all these people are getting home from their missions.  It really feels like the other day I was at their farewells.  

Mahal kita!

Elder Tribe

NEW YEARS!

I can't believe it's already 2014!

Well this week on New Years we had a blast!  I've decided the best place to be in the world on New Years is in the Philippines.  At midnight I'm almost positive everyone and their dogs was celebrating by blasting music, lighting fireworks, and honking their horns!  It was seriously the craziest thing ever and it felt like a war zone! 

Floating House

The next day the work was just as good.  I found a place here that will fit my clothes for me for really cheap.  So I had them fit a shirt for me and when I came back to pick it up we OYM'd them and taught them right on the spot.  The lesson was amazing and they were crying.  They told us that they don't think it's by accident we found them on the first day of the year and that they know we were sent there to help them change.

 We also made contact with Arjay this week after not being able to contact him for two weeks.  He told us that he isn't sure he wants to get baptized anymore because his family wants him to stay Catholic.  It's the worst feeling in the world to have some one tell you that when you know this is the true church.  Hopefully we'll be able to teach him again and just let him know that this church really is the only true church on earth. 

Today for P-day we went to Magot dam.  It used to be the biggest dam in Asia.  It was pretty sweet and there were floating houses.  We also went to a little park where they had a bridge and a cool little hike.  It's also the first hills that I've been on in 6 months so it was kinda exciting! 

Well transfer week is next week and I have no idea what's going to happen.  I don't think I'm going to get transferred and hopefully I don't because this area is amazing.

 

Mahal kita,

Elder Tribe 

Christmas Week!

It was good talking to everyone this week!  I kinda feel bad I didn't speak any Tagalog and I didn't even bear my testimony but I promise next time to share my testimony at least.  Hopefully next time it won't be as hard to hang up. 

 

Dad just told me that Elder Stucki and Elder Ford are almost home.  I feel like they left yesterday.  It blows my mind how fast two years really go and how much faster they go when you're working.    

Well, this Christmas was really good!  After I called you we spent the rest of the day with members and played games and ate a lot of food.  After I called you I'm not going to lie I was pretty trunky.  I walked out of the Computer shop and just realized that I was still in the Philippines and the next time I see you I'll be out a year but good thing the mission is seriously flying by.  

So this week I went on splits with Elder McCausland from Florida.  I think I've told you but he's only been out one cycle so it's kind of fun to go and teach with him.  We only taught one lesson and I didn't say anything because he said Amen before I could but it's good to know how much my Tagalog has improved since I first got here.  

On Sunday we had a really good day where we taught four lessons and found a bunch of less-active and potential investigators.  

So today we had a community service project at 7 a .m. where we moved a huge pile of dirt.  It was pretty annoying hearing everyone talk about me asking if I needed help and stuff because I'm American.  I don't think they realize I was worked like a slave back home and that this is easy work.  I'm just kidding about the slave labor!  

Hopefully this week we'll get to work and find some new people to teach.  Arjay hasn't responded to any of our texts or calls for a week so please pray that we'll be able to talk to him soon.  Hopefully it's just because of the Holiday season and he's busy.  

I can't wait to talk to you again in 5 short months!

Love,

Elder Tribe