June 30th Sorry I didn't write last week!

Sorry I didn't write last week! I repented for that, haha. I ran out of time, Sorry!

What a month it's been with missionary work! Here is the letter that was sent to us concerning the record that we broke!

I am so proud to say I contributed with 2 baptisms and 10 Less active returns! I got about 8% Of all the Less active returns in my companionship of the whole mission! That is crazzy mom!! My branch attendance since I got here went up an average of 17!!!!! That is  crazzzzy! I had 8 investigators come to church as well! Hopefully more could have came, but there was a category 2 typhoon on Sunday. 

"Elders and Sisters our hearts are full of gratitude this week as the month of June comes to a close. We have a accomplished much this month including 117 baptisms and 145 less active returns throughout the whole mission. Both these numbers are the highest we have ever seen in the Philippines Olongapo mission in a single month! We should be proud of this accomplishment and grateful to be a part of this mission at such a successful time. We thank you elders and sisters for all you have done this month to make it a great and memorable one for all who have been called to this great work. We also congratulate the four zones that were able to achieve the standard of excellence which were Olongapo, Calapacuan, San Antonio, and Iba zones".

                “I’m so thoroughly convinced that if we don’t set goals in our life and learn how to master the techniques of living to reach our goals, we can reach a ripe old age and look back on our life only to see that we reached but a small part of our full potential.” M. Russell Ballard, PMG 146. We need to master the art of setting smart goals that will help us to stretch and grow. As missionaries we must always have a vision of what we would like to achieve and become “where there is no vision, the people perish” (Proverbs 29:18) and once we have caught a righteous vision we must set goals and make plans on how we intend to bring that vision to reality. I know that as we do this we will accelerate our personal growth and of others rapidly and we will become the leaders and the people that the Lord intended for us to be. Elders and sisters our full potential is waiting. I pray that we will reach out and take it through intelligent goal setting, skillful planning, and a resolve to put these things into action". 

Our mission is the number one baptizing mission in the whole Philippines. (According to the ratio of missionaries to baptisms)!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I'm part of the highest baptizing mission in the whole mission! We have 5 baptisms this month as well! 

There were 2 typhoons the past couple of weeks but they were sooo weak!!! It was category 1 and 2 but sooooooo weak! People didn't go to church because of the wind and rain but that's just because their faith is so weak... Anyways, there were 2 storms, the lightning was cool, it wasn't dangerous though like last month! 

I ate all the food in the box...

The couple missionaries Elder and Sister Doyle are from Olympia, (Lacey), and they feed me sooooooo well, they gave us cake and tuna sandwiches, they call elder Doyle a prophet because he preaches like a dragon, he's amazing.

There was a leadership training, it was cool. I'll just send you the news letters from now on.

I have another special assignment. My companion is Elder Tibungcog from Mindanao, the terrorist island.  

I bought new boots, they were expensive.

The other day I went into the hospital because I have a rash and its spreading to the middle of my thighs so they gave me a shot, some pills, and some cream (which was super expensive but I'm getting reimbursed) to use. And 2 nights ago was hell. It was the WORST night of my life. Worse than those nights when I had those migraines growing up. It was HORRIIBBLLEE, I made so many promises to God if he would take away the pain and itch. It was a SEVERE itch to the point of excessive tears and screaming. But i guess I can laugh about it now. I tried EVERYTHING to stop the itching! My rash itched worse than any of you may have experience. It had a flaming burn behind it too, it SUUUUCCKKED. I was in bed till 1 am with the fan on it hahahahaha. I am sooo grateful that I fell asleep haha. It was worse than you can imagine. THE WORST. But it's getting better now I promise! It's not red anymore, I do exactly what the doctors said to do. Apparently I'm allergic to chicken, eggs, shrimp and shell foods? I'm abstaining.

Mom, email the Sapinoros, (your family) They are my first baptisms, apparently they are going less active and haven't gone to church in 2 months now!!! Help them!

 I love you all, I hope you forgive me with this big letter! Love yall!

 

June 30th Video

This is the video that we watched during leadership training that helps me get through all my trials.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xm3HU5f3vzQ

June 16th

Man, all you guys do is vacation over there! Why didn't we go on trips like Hawaii, fishing, and stuff like that all the time when I was home! haha. FYI message to Elder Kapeliela: We did! LOL

Bianca, one day it was raining freakishly hard so we didn't go outside or we would get struck by lightning and we were in the middle of a rice field so one of the members taught me how to dougie so I'll be auditioning for your dance team when I get home... Man, I can dougie finally... haha. 

We find out later today who gets transferred... I don't think I'll get transferred. I'm in Botolan if you want to look it up on google. There is a ton of rice fields. I like eating the rice from the plant, its pretty good.

Man, My polo is always dirty, I'm always sweating or wet, their is always a kid covered in dirt climbing on my pants but I've never felt so clean. I love the feeling of righteousness. There's nothing like knowing that you could die right then and know that you are worthy to return to your makers presence. We all know how to get that worthy, we know. Sometimes we're just too stupid to look at the big picture. But right now look at it. I don't need to say more.

Our city has 3 branches in it and all 6 of us Elders live in one house haha. This month, every single Saturday has a baptism. So its been pretty fun going to all of them. we had baptisms on June 1st and 8th and the other Elders on the following Saturdays.

I'll tell you about transfers next week! Bye, love ya!

6-9 A Great and Successful Week!

Hi family! I had a great and successful week!

I'll start off with the work! 11 of our investigators went to church yesterday!!!!! 11!!! and we had 6 less actives go to church for the 4th time in a row so we have 6 people return from being inactive! We also had another baptism two days ago! Her name is CJ, she is 15 yrs old and sooo smart! She wants to serve a mission! The sacrament attendance when I got here was an average of 50. But the past 4 weeks have been 70, 67, 71 and yesterday 80!!!!! The work is on FIRE! They're going to put another set of missionaries in my area now and split the zone into 2 because of all this crazy success!!! I'm pumped. It's going to become a stake I swear!

The storms were gnarly the other day. The lightning is just crazy..., But I got over it and I just walk in the rain and get wet, I love It now. I now hope for storms. I love saying the missionary purpose while walking with the lightning, "My purpose is to invite others to come unto Christ by helping them receive the restored gospel of Jesus Christ through faith in Christ and his atonement, repentance, baptism, receiving the gift of the holy ghost and enduring to the end." There is no reason to be scared when your saying that. I could walk through a war, walk through a tornado, walk through a sand storm and nothing could stop me when I'm saying my purpose, when I'm working for the Lord. I really did stop caring about the lightning. One time it struck the transformer next to me, it was louder than ACDC live. But I just kept going and was able to do my purpose.

I love the work! This place is fine. I'm going to miss these storms, I know that. I miss you all! I love y'all! I'm addicted to the song about Hale'iwa! I used to hang out there all the time with my friends watch the surf competition, go to the beach or shop. Man, I miss that place... But luckily the beach is beautiful here to look at! Too bad they don't listen to good Hawaiian music.

6-2

I love you family! How are you all doing?

I got the box! It was fantastic! I cant believe its still there at the house, its a dream box. man, I have all sorts of new friends because of it! hahaha. Its just right. Man, that's a lot of chocolate, I've been craving that. It took a while to get here, but it was worth it! Man, I went crazy when I got it!!! Thanks for the pictures and letters too! I want more pictures!

We had a baptism last week, his names Glennford and he's 18 yrs old! He had a bad word of wisdom problem, but Christ like attributes really fixed the problem! With patience he finally quit it once and for all. We did go to his house everyday though, it wasn't easy. It was a nice baptism. We also had 4 less actives become active again this month! Our zone goal is 35 baptisms and 30 Less actives return. The whole mission is 176 baps and 171 Less actives return. Our zone is the highest by far! We're going to accomplish it!

The lightning here is awesome. During exchanges I rode to the other elders apartment and our bus was SO close to getting hit by lightning! We watched the whole thing and we could see the fire as it hit the ground. It was the loudest most gnarly thing that has ever happened. The lightning is so close! and It's almost everyday! I love it! Welcome to rainy season...

Man... during my lesson yesterday I was teaching repentance and I related sin to a beard. In other words We shave every day so that our beard doesn't get too big, but when we forget to shave (repent) one day, its harder to shave (repent) the next day. The word beard is balbas, but because I wasn't exactly sure what it was I accidentally said bolbos which means pubic hairs. So I said in Tagalog, "so that our pubic hairs aren't overly long, we need to shave everyday." Man they LAUGHEd sooo hard, and so did I, that was sooo funny... 

Sorry that's kind of green but I laughed so hard.

Love you all!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!