July 18, 2011

silly scripture of the week is 1st Kings 3:24

hopefully we'll have a few baptisms by the end of the month. we have a few people ready for it.

so this week there hasn't been much rain it's back to being really hot again. but i'm kinda getting more used to it. the heat and salty air are hard to get used to though. the air and rain really destroys everything here. everything rusts in like a week because it's so close to the sea. (my area is pretty much what Americans would call the beach.) which destroys buildings really quick. the chapel has been being renovated this entire time that I've been here. i'm not sure if that's normal, but it think if it's not constantly being fixed, it'll break down because of the weather.

this time around though, i'm alright because i've already experienced the heat and gotten used to it and i've lost a lot of weight so it's helped to ease the burden. when i first got here, it was really unbearable and i wanted to leave but it just took some time to adjust. the ward has really helped me to enjoy my stay here. they work really hard to help with missionary efforts. they'll go out working with you for like 5 hours and they'll feed you a lot. i didn't really realize how good of a ward this was until elder woodford told me about his other areas. out in the bukid (jungle mountain areas)

there was an earthquake this week here. it was in the middle of the night and the bed and house were swaying a bit. i didn't wake up to quickly to it because i use earplugs and earmuffs while i sleep but it lasted for like 20 seconds and then we went back to sleep.

Elder Woodford pointed out that all the Arizonans in this mission are big (like at least 6'0") i didn't realize that until recently. that probably somehow factors into why i was sent here. who knows, maybe jake will be sent here as well and i'll be his trainer. (long shot though)

i spoke last week about being "blessed." well there is this one kid who really likes shaking missionary's hands and he's been doing that since i first came into fifth ward. (he's like 2) but now he's also blessing us. it's funny because you normally only do that to the elderly. not only that but at a party, he was crying because of something and me and elder woodford walked up to him and shook his hand and he blessed us while he was crying.

July 11, 2011

silly scripture of the week is Isaiah 34:7

well last week i had LBM for the first time. i guess it was the 7 up two liter that i drank. apparently 7 up is bad right now, they don't recal them if they're bad though. not here at least. so iwas in bed for a few days sitting close to the toilet. surprisingly, it wasn't that bad. it wasn't something that i would wish on anyone though. not even if there was a fire!

so one thing about the philippines is that there are random people welding everywhere. out in the middle of the street. Sister Tobias told me to go to an eye doctor about getting a check up on my eye (which had the retina detach because i got punched in the eye by a gorilla and i had it surgically reattached in high school) and to see if they have eye glasses that block the UVs but aren't sunglasses. i'll do that this week.

something cool that they do to show respect here is they "bless" you during handshakes. really, they just put their forehead to your hand while they are shaking it. i've been blessed a few times already but normally by either girls or kids. i've also done it back to them for fun. there was this one crazy guy (literally crazy) who blessed me, it was interesting.


well that's it for now. i have a few e-mails to write.

July 4, 2011

silly scripture of the week is Genesis 19: 30-38.

well i've had 10 baptisms before my six month mark (11 if you count jureyna's baby). i wish i could include pictures right now but i'm uploading them to photobucket and i also need to get a few other pictures from my old companion.

but the names of those whom i've had the privilege to baptize are

Jeau Budaca Nugpo

Riaphen Sarosa Catalan

Roy Ryan Bernales

Jureyna Andren Villanueva

Hermann Suarez Jison

Charina Apsay Mendoze

Angela Nombre Bonza

Natasha Suarez Roquero

Nico Navarra Amihan

Lourdes Forrosuelo Atim Jumanguin

so far, my stay in fifth ward has been great. if i transfer (which i probably won't because i talked to president) i will be sad to leave all the wonderful members and all of the people whom i have baptized. this ward really has been a blessing. i have been very close to President Tobias, mainly because the mission home is in our boundaries. he's in our ward and his son has gone on splits with us and we even taught brother Hermann at the mission home. i'm hope that i was able to strengthen this ward and make it better.

i've also learned a few things about my island. it the southernmost island that Americans are allowed on because below us is where all the Muslims are and they kidnap Americans. not only that, on my island they have the boundary where it splits. so there are some places in my mission that they won't send me to because it's too dangerous. don't worry, i'm safe here. not only that, i'm too big for them.

June 27, 2011

silly scripture of the week is 2nd Kings 2:23-24. but instead of saying what they say, they are saying "hey joe"

one more baptism this week. her name is Lourdes Forrosuelo Atim Jumanguin. (the name is probably different now) we had her get married the day before her baptism because it was a live in (there are a lot of live ins in the Philippines) and the bishop who performed the wedding arrived AN HOUR AND A HALF LATE!!!! who does that?!?!? seriously... to a wedding... some people are extremely rude. but she's married now and baptized. which brings the total to 10 baptisms and just before my 6 month mark too.

one thing that they do about the names (which makes a lot of sense) is that they take the wife's maiden name and make it her middle name after marriage and they do the same with the kids. i'm thinking that i might do that when i get married.

so i'm down to 200 lbs. which is more than i was a few weeks ago. so i think that i've kinda leveled out a bit. i might have been a bit dehydrated that one day that i was 190. but i've gotten skinny, it's nice because i still have my muscles for now at least. many people have noticed that i've gotten skinnier but that's probably because i got fat in the

for packages, many people have had a hard time figuring out what to send me. i've recently received a package from my mom that had a few things that really didn't help... so i've made a list of things to ask yourself (mom) before sending.

can he buy it here? if so, then send money instead.

is it useful?

does it take up a lot of space?

is the price i'm paying for it worth the shipping cost?

can include anything else such as pictures or letters?

can i shove more stuff in the package somehow?

can i save room somehow?

does he already have it?

will he be able to use it?

is it good enough quality to work?

will he need something else to use it?

will he have the stuff needed?

he washes all his clothes by hand, will it be ok?

will it be helpful?

will it brighten his day?

will the things i'm sending last?

are the things i'm sending durable?

he will be walking all day, in rain and mud and dead things... is it durable?

are you sure?

be sure not to include top ramen. i don't need that, i'm in asia i have enough noodles. make sure that the things you are sending are durable, like socks. those should be VERY DURABLE. if you have any doubt, feel free to E-mail me about it. or you can also ask a nearby elder or return missionary. and please, write me before sending to see if i have or need it.

June 20, 2011

silly scripture of the week is Ezra 8:3. this is a good scriptures for missionaries to use when they are "dear john-ed"

another baptism this week, his name is Nico Navarra Amihan.

this week, i learned that rooster fights is not only legal but a big sport here. we've been trying to help the Roquero family (we baptized all but the father and son who is 3) and i told elder woodford that the way to his heart would be through his chickens. and it was. he talked to us for an hour and we really had a trust building activity where we would give him the opportunity to hear our message. hopefully that works out, not only that but his wife's family is very active.

i've really been wanting a missionary pal from amazon, i am currently borrowing a member's missionary pal and it's really good to use in lessons. i've been trying to buy one online but it's a lot of time and effort to make the account and to find it and do all that stuff when i only have a limited amount of time on the internet. i was wondering if anyone with an amazon account (todd) or anyone who could find it could message me and possibly buy it for me from amazon (just put my package address as the ship to address) and i'll pay them back.

also, when i write down things that would be good to send, such as pants or other essentials. if you message me, i can specify exactly what i need. for instance, my waste size is 42 inches and my length is 32 inches. also, my shoe size is 13-14. my shirt neck size is 17 1/2. and if anyone who wants to send something in a package needs additional information, don't hesitate to ask. thank you. but the best gift would probably be a donation to my mom so that she can put it into my personal fund. that way i can just buy what i need here instead of wait for something to arrive that would cost the sender a bunch of money from shipping. (like a new umbrella)

also, letters should probably be sent international (with an international stamp) to the address for packages. pouch mail sucks, don't use it. i'll literally never get the letter.

i would just like to state for the record that every one of my companions has stated that i belch the loudest that anyone has ever burped. and that they have all been amazed by this fact.

well, this week has been pretty normal, so i don't know what to do with my hands. i guess i'll just go finish off my P-day at SM (short for super market, it's like a mall)

June 13, 2011

silly scripture of the week is JOB 39:20



i guess this week will be a short update because nothing has really happened recently.




1 baptism this week. her name is Natasha Suarez Roquero, she was really good. also, a correction from before. Anea Nombre Bonza is the name of the last baptism. not angela lornel (father's name) also, i've started to include all baptisms in my count even if my companion baptized them or if their father or friend did it.




ok so shipping is way expensive here and i don't want anyone to spend a lot of money on me. so i have figured that it may be cheapest to buy something online for me and just to put my address into the shipping information so that it just gets mailed straight to me.




ok, so i'm also making up a list of movies and music and games that i'll need to play when i get home: right now, here are a few bands.




Cartel

Secondhand Serenade

Relient K

Paramore

A Day To Remember

Taking Back Sunday

Yellowcard

All Time Low

Never Shout Never

Forever The Sickest Kids

Anarbor

Plain White Tees

All American Rejects

Cute Is What We Aim For

The Format

Jack's Mannequine

Green Day

Blink 182

Alkaline Trio

Hawthorne Heights

Fall Out Boy

The Scene Aesthetic

My Chemical Romance

Scary Kid Scaring Kids

The Starting Line

System Of A Down

FM Static

Hellogoodbye

30 Seconds to Mars

Senses Fail

Papa Roach

My Darkest Hour

Metro Station

Jimmy Eat World

Dashboard Confessional

John Mayer

Death Cab For Cutie

Boys Like Girls

The Click Five

Fergie

Taylor Swift

Killers

3 days Grace

3 Doors Down

Foo Fighters

Something Corporate

303

Gm Class Heros

Sweatshop Union