so my main concern is that Halo 4 is already out and i'm not playing it. when i get home i'm gonna be all on that. other than that, there are a few more days left... 23 to be exact. so i am just feeling the effects. still hard working, just very excited. for instance, i've been having dreams about flying home and arriving home and playing halo 4. stuff like that. real talk.
in the next few weeks i'll probably write some sentimental farewell Philippines talk and write it on my blog but it's not about saying goodbye, it's the time you spent together that counts. other than that, i'm out.
Wednesday, November 14, 2012
November 5, 2012
IT'S THE FINAL COUNTDOWN dododo dododdodododododd oododdodoodododododo dododoodododood odododdoododododododdoodod IT'S THE FINAL COUNTDOWN
well that means it's the final countdown. as in, the time is far spent there is one month remaining. don't worry, you don't need to tell me to sprint to the finish. i'm not lazy and never was. i'm still hard working and the most experienced and prepared that i have been in my mission so it's not hard to work for a few more weeks.
last week i made some buko juice. i will miss coconuts when i got home. i can just climb a tree in the back yard and just grab any one i want. what buko juice is, is; condensed milk, sugar, coconut meat, coconut water. that simple. i will definitely miss it along with mango float. sadface.
30 days left! i can almost feel it.....
October 29, 2012
Happy Halloween. unfortunately i can not participate in the festivities, but am with you all in spirit.and i'll be with you all anyways in a few short weeks.
something i heard from president lopez was that he considered me to be "one of his very best "booster" missionaries!" meaning one whom boosts others up to a higher potential. i guess that's something to be proud of. i hope i did good on my mission. i've been trying to boost this companionship in terms of teaching skills and also sharing some of my knowledge to the zone as well. pretty soon i'll be gone and all the knowledge acquired on my mission will no longer be used for the benefit of the mission.
this week has been difficult in trying to understand the language, mainly because there are a few different languages being discussed. and many word are the same but have different meanings. when asking what a word (ex:dula=lose in illongo) means in illongo, someone can say "what does dula mean" the answer would of course be "lose" but when using a word from another language (ex:dula=play in cebuano) someone can still say "what does dula mean" with the meaning implying that i am asking for a translation from cebuano to illongo or illongo to cebuano or illongo to english or cebuano to english .(dula in illongo = wala in cebuano) (wala in illongo = none/left in english = wa'ay in cebuano) homonyms and synonyms complicate this even more. so when asking for the meaning of a word, it can sometimes get pretty confusing. hopefully that wasn't confusing.
37 days left!
something i heard from president lopez was that he considered me to be "one of his very best "booster" missionaries!" meaning one whom boosts others up to a higher potential. i guess that's something to be proud of. i hope i did good on my mission. i've been trying to boost this companionship in terms of teaching skills and also sharing some of my knowledge to the zone as well. pretty soon i'll be gone and all the knowledge acquired on my mission will no longer be used for the benefit of the mission.
this week has been difficult in trying to understand the language, mainly because there are a few different languages being discussed. and many word are the same but have different meanings. when asking what a word (ex:dula=lose in illongo) means in illongo, someone can say "what does dula mean" the answer would of course be "lose" but when using a word from another language (ex:dula=play in cebuano) someone can still say "what does dula mean" with the meaning implying that i am asking for a translation from cebuano to illongo or illongo to cebuano or illongo to english or cebuano to english .(dula in illongo = wala in cebuano) (wala in illongo = none/left in english = wa'ay in cebuano) homonyms and synonyms complicate this even more. so when asking for the meaning of a word, it can sometimes get pretty confusing. hopefully that wasn't confusing.
37 days left!
Saturday, October 27, 2012
October 22,2012
well this week is better than last week, i just got some good news that makes things easier to deal with.
anywho, i mentioned a few weeks ago that i probably will need to go to the dentist for a filling. well i did. after i finished writing that blog i was so annoyed with the filling that i just kept picking at it with my thumb. well it fell out and i went to the dentist. they fixed it and now i am much happier with it cause that filling had been annoying me for my whole mission, seriously, read my MTC blogs. but anyways, it was actually kinda expensive... change..change....change.......
One thing that i will miss tremendously in Kabankalan is not only the members but the Buko Pilipino. for those unlearned in the Filipino languages, Buko means coconut. it's actually just a little store that sells buko shakes. they taste amazing and i developed an addiction to them. i don't think i'll ever be able to taste another one ever again during my mission. that makes me haz a sad. i will try to replicate the recipe when i get back home. although it would probably be easier to try it here because i can just climb a tree and grab my own coconut instead of buying it from the store. the recipe includes, coconut (secret ingredient), some secret condensed milk, some secret corn syrup, and some secret ice. all blended in a secret blender.
my new area Guihulngan suffered from a very strong earthquake a few months ago, at the time that i was in himamaylan. this earthquake didn't destroy very many buildings, but it did put a lot of big cracks in a lot of buildings and roads. one such building is the church chapel. the cracks are minimal and easily repaired on the upper portion but underneath (in the foundation) the cracks ruined the cement which makes the church unusable. we currently have church services in the parking lot in a portable temporary church. the temporary chapel it is actually better made than most regular churches (of other denominations) here in the Philippines.
a few weeks ago, i was told by president lopez that he had plans a few transfers back to assign me as the new AP around this time but chose not to because i would be going home early and that would force the AP's into a whitewash situation because the two others would be going home the same transfer as me. thinking back on that, it would have been a very different experience to be an AP, being in AC all day and being able to drive... that would be a nice way to end my mission. but it never was.
what's four times four? Fourty Four! 44 days left!
anywho, i mentioned a few weeks ago that i probably will need to go to the dentist for a filling. well i did. after i finished writing that blog i was so annoyed with the filling that i just kept picking at it with my thumb. well it fell out and i went to the dentist. they fixed it and now i am much happier with it cause that filling had been annoying me for my whole mission, seriously, read my MTC blogs. but anyways, it was actually kinda expensive... change..change....change.......
One thing that i will miss tremendously in Kabankalan is not only the members but the Buko Pilipino. for those unlearned in the Filipino languages, Buko means coconut. it's actually just a little store that sells buko shakes. they taste amazing and i developed an addiction to them. i don't think i'll ever be able to taste another one ever again during my mission. that makes me haz a sad. i will try to replicate the recipe when i get back home. although it would probably be easier to try it here because i can just climb a tree and grab my own coconut instead of buying it from the store. the recipe includes, coconut (secret ingredient), some secret condensed milk, some secret corn syrup, and some secret ice. all blended in a secret blender.
my new area Guihulngan suffered from a very strong earthquake a few months ago, at the time that i was in himamaylan. this earthquake didn't destroy very many buildings, but it did put a lot of big cracks in a lot of buildings and roads. one such building is the church chapel. the cracks are minimal and easily repaired on the upper portion but underneath (in the foundation) the cracks ruined the cement which makes the church unusable. we currently have church services in the parking lot in a portable temporary church. the temporary chapel it is actually better made than most regular churches (of other denominations) here in the Philippines.
a few weeks ago, i was told by president lopez that he had plans a few transfers back to assign me as the new AP around this time but chose not to because i would be going home early and that would force the AP's into a whitewash situation because the two others would be going home the same transfer as me. thinking back on that, it would have been a very different experience to be an AP, being in AC all day and being able to drive... that would be a nice way to end my mission. but it never was.
what's four times four? Fourty Four! 44 days left!
October 15, 2012
well some things happen in ways that you wouldn't expect nor like. i've been having a very difficult week this week but hopefully thing will be ok.
i'm now in Guihulngan with elder Pineda. he is a good elder and Guihulngan is a good place. well i guess it really depends on how you look at it. it has the characteristics of a deserted island. it is a very nice view if you like jungles, mountains and beaches. as a matter of fact, the drive here was the most gorgeous drive that i've had the opportunity of riding. if i had had the chance to take pictures i would have most definitely jumped out and done so. the area is also roughly similar in beauty. it is a small city, far away from normal civilization. of course they still have things like internets (that thing Al Gore invented), radios, tvs, cars, trikes and things like that. they are just in a lower abundance. the nearest main city is san carlos which is actually over an hour's drive away. there they have a legitimate shopping center and so forth. i don't think i'll be going there very often though because of the distance. i'm in Negros Oriental, in the farthest away area in the mission. if i were to go any farther, i would be in Cebu mission. as a matter of fact, they speak Cebuano here and i have yet to learn a word of Cebuano. i'll just continue to speak Hiligaynon to them, hopefully they'll understand.
i will miss Kabankalan. my time there was too short, i wish i could have stayed there for my last transfer. 51 days left.
i'm now in Guihulngan with elder Pineda. he is a good elder and Guihulngan is a good place. well i guess it really depends on how you look at it. it has the characteristics of a deserted island. it is a very nice view if you like jungles, mountains and beaches. as a matter of fact, the drive here was the most gorgeous drive that i've had the opportunity of riding. if i had had the chance to take pictures i would have most definitely jumped out and done so. the area is also roughly similar in beauty. it is a small city, far away from normal civilization. of course they still have things like internets (that thing Al Gore invented), radios, tvs, cars, trikes and things like that. they are just in a lower abundance. the nearest main city is san carlos which is actually over an hour's drive away. there they have a legitimate shopping center and so forth. i don't think i'll be going there very often though because of the distance. i'm in Negros Oriental, in the farthest away area in the mission. if i were to go any farther, i would be in Cebu mission. as a matter of fact, they speak Cebuano here and i have yet to learn a word of Cebuano. i'll just continue to speak Hiligaynon to them, hopefully they'll understand.
i will miss Kabankalan. my time there was too short, i wish i could have stayed there for my last transfer. 51 days left.
October 8, 2012
well this week has been ok. tomorrow, my companion elder malit will be going home and i'll be getting a new companion. he hasn't been trunky, he's still been diligent but being with him has kind of gotten me to think about home a lot too. mainly because it isn't very far away. this transfer will be my last full transfer. i don't really know what to say. i guess i'm excited. 58 days left.
i miss home, i miss my mom, i miss my family, i miss my cats, i miss my friends. 2 years is a long time.
this week my tooth has been acting up again. i think i may need to go to the dentist here but i'd rather wait until i get home and then go to a real dentist... also, pretty soon i will be heading home and i will have to pay baggage and luggage fees. those can get pretty expensive... i'm just saying...
October 1, 2012
Baptisms for this week.
technically, they weren't my baptisms because they live in the sisters part but they were the family that elder parilla and i found and taught for the past few months. they were baptized while i was still assigned here in kabankalan. there are a great family and have really been hungry for the gospel.Gemma mayang NombreEstelita Gasataya MayangMay Gasataya MayangSteny Rose Limen UtanaSamuel Mayang Nombre IIIStephen Roy Limen Utana
there will be more planned this upcoming week hopefully if all is well. they were in the hospital for a week and may still be there.
this week we also celebrated family week by going to hinigaran and participating in a parade. it was ok lang. we then finished it up by having a ward home evening which was actually really fun and a good time.
being a zone leader is busy work. soon it will be over though. for the past few weeks we've been setting things up, having meetings, interviews, trainings, etc. we've also been making the ward records more uniform and organized. also, got a very nice area map now. about 5'x5' big.hopefully this will actually put a good foundation into the missionary work here. when we came here, we both whitewashed in and there was nothing in the area book. so the area will be better for it.
Also, today i received a REVISED itinerary. this is the new itinerary. it can also be found at https://www.checkmytrip.com/cmt/apf/cmtng/pnr_retrieve?SITE=NCMTNCMT&LANGUAGE=US&R=Z6SHPX&N=JOHNSON
the important thing to take from this is that i will be getting home on Thursday DEC 6 at 3:15 PM and at 3:16 i will be hugging my mother and around 3:20 i will be eating a chino bandidos gringo chicken meal with the jade red chicken quesadilla and pork fried rice. probably also a chipotle burrito mixed in there and a chalupa from taco bell and also in n out animal fries. after that, around 4 i will be playing with my cat jack and spot. after that, you could probably find me at my house. or maybe you could even meet me at the airport at terminal 3. you might want to start getting ready, it's only 65 days away!
SERVICE DATE FROM TO DEPART ARRIVE
_____________________ _____ ______________ ______________ _______ ______
DELTA AIR LINES 06DEC MANILA TOKYO 800A 115P
DL 172 THURSDAY NINOY AQUINO I NARITA
L ECONOMY TERMINAL 1 TERMINAL 1
NON SMOKING BREAKFAST NON STOP
RESERVATION CONFIRMED 4:15 DURATION
AIRCRAFT: BOEING 747-400
SEAT 28H NO SMOKING CONFIRMED
DELTA AIR LINES 06DEC TOKYO LOS ANGELES CA 345P 845A
DL 284 THURSDAY NARITA LOS ANGELES IN
L ECONOMY TERMINAL 1 TERMINAL 5
NON SMOKING DINNER NON STOP
RESERVATION CONFIRMED 10:00 DURATION
AIRCRAFT: BOEING 777-200LR
SEAT 37G NO SMOKING CONFIRMED
DELTA AIR LINES 06DEC LOS ANGELES CA PHOENIX AZ 1250P 315P
DL 4789 THURSDAY LOS ANGELES IN SKY HARBOR INT
L ECONOMY TERMINAL 5 TERMINAL 3
NON SMOKING NON STOP
RESERVATION CONFIRMED 1:25 DURATION
FLIGHT OPERATED BY SKYWEST DBA DELTA CONN
AIRCRAFT OWNER: OO SKYWEST AIRLINES
AIRCRAFT: CANADAIR REGIONAL JET 700
Monday, September 24, 2012
September 24, 2012
this week has been alright. we finished up the zone conference so we're done doing errands trying to get things organized for that. it was pretty stressful and we had some difficulties with our companionship. mainly due to our different backgrounds. everything has worked out ok though. nothing too big. other than that, the work is progressing and there are a few baptisms planned for this week! i am very excited. 72 Days left!
September 17, 2012
well last week i forgot to mention that we moved houses and we now live in a much nicer cleaner and smaller house. the work this week has been alright. i've been getting excited for a few upcoming baptisms for people living in ilog. they have been really prepared and even though i'm no longer teaching them they've requested that i baptize them, seeing as how the sisters can't. we'll also coordinate with the ward to see if any members fellow shippers could baptize them as well. other than that there hasn't been much news. we've been very busy as zone leaders preparing the zone, chapel, food, etc. for zone conference and last week we had to do a training so it's been a pretty hectic week this week. well.... 79 days left!
September 10, 2012
Well this week i received a nice fancy e-mail having to do with my departure. so here is the part that i would like to include;
SERVICE DATE FROM TO DEPART ARRIVE
_____________________ _____ ______________ ______________ _______ ______
DELTA AIR LINES 06DEC MANILA TOKYO 800A 115P
DL 172 THURSDAY NINOY AQUINO I NARITA
L ECONOMY TERMINAL 1 TERMINAL 1
NON SMOKING BREAKFAST NON STOP
RESERVATION CONFIRMED 4:15 DURATION
AIRCRAFT: BOEING 747-400
SEAT 28H NO SMOKING CONFIRMED
DELTA AIR LINES 06DEC TOKYO LOS ANGELES CA 355P 855A
DL 284 THURSDAY NARITA LOS ANGELES IN
L ECONOMY TERMINAL 1 TERMINAL 5
NON SMOKING DINNER NON STOP
RESERVATION CONFIRMED 10:00 DURATION
AIRCRAFT: BOEING 777-200LR
SEAT 37G NO SMOKING CONFIRMED
DELTA AIR LINES 06DEC LOS ANGELES CA PHOENIX AZ 1200N 225P
DL 4794 THURSDAY LOS ANGELES IN SKY HARBOR INT
L ECONOMY TERMINAL 5 TERMINAL 3
NON SMOKING NON STOP
RESERVATION CONFIRMED 1:25 DURATION
FLIGHT OPERATED BY SKYWEST DBA DELTA CONN
AIRCRAFT OWNER: OO SKYWEST AIRLINES
AIRCRAFT: CANADAIR REGIONAL JET 700
SEAT 06C NO SMOKING CONFIRMED
yup, so i'm heading on through good ole japan. i am very excited to be going through japan. i wish i could stay there for a few weeks or something but maybe next time. i also received my trunky letter this week so i can be trunky but i won't. i'm not trunky, just counting. 86 days till i leave!
September 3, 2012
well this past week, i transferred from kabakalan B to kabakalan A. for more clarification, i transferred houses and my area is on the other side of my former area. i'm still in the same ward though, just on the other side. sisters moved into my old apartment and my new companion is elder malit. we are both the zone leaders here in kabankalan. the sisters that moved in are sister Cruz and sister Arabe. they moved into my old area and the area that i moved into hasn't been progressing very well and the area book hasn't been updated to well. i know because i did area book checks every week during district meeting when i was district leader and told them to update it. oh well, the work must go on, the area that i moved in last transfer wasn't progressing at first but then started to be great you just gotta lift where you stand. elder yranon went home last week and to celebrate, we went to mag-aso falls with the bishop and a few members. it was a great trip. we got a few good pictures but the pictures don't do the place justice. you'd have to be there to see the whole picture and if i had a few days to take pictures, you coul really see the beauty of that place. the word jungle comes to mind while your there but it's also a resort with apartments to stay in. maybe when i come back i'll stay there for a few nights. it's one of those places that isn't very well know but is still made to look nice which makes it a peaceful get away. in other news, elder loto'ahea stepped up as AP this week. it was really unexpected and kind of confusing but i'm happy for him. he's a great guy and he'll make it a fun time in the office.
we moved into their old house and it is a very deplorable house. i saw a huge rat about a foot long in the middle of the kitchen and i went to chase it with a knife but that crafty little guy was too fast and went up into the attic. i'll get him with some poison this week. also, the house is really cold at night for some reason. it's like i'm living in soviet russia. seriously, my blanket wasn't designed for this sort of temperature. don't worry though, we'll probably be moving houses sometime soon and i don't need any more packages. it'd be best to save the money on shipping and to just put money into my account by giving it to my mom instead. going home is gonna be expensive on the plane. i haven't gotten the itinerary yet but it's coming up soon..... i can almost feel it.....
August 27, 2012
100 days left until i go home! also i'm transferring. i don't know where to, all i know is that i am transferring tommorow. sadface. i'm gonna miss kabankalan.well i don't have much more to write. this transfer was a good transfer and now i only have two left plus one week. again just for a reminder, i am coming home on dec 5.
August 20, 2012
well this week was very good in ways of investigators. because we've been going up to ilog and opening up the area, we've been able to find people that have been thirsting for the gospel.
this past sunday, we were able to have 13 investigators at church. which i think is the most that i've ever had at church. it was a group of people that we've been teaching and they're really great. they are really receptive and are progressing very well.
other than that, nothing else has really happened. i've just been working hard because the time is far spent.... mga tatlo ka bulan na lang
this past sunday, we were able to have 13 investigators at church. which i think is the most that i've ever had at church. it was a group of people that we've been teaching and they're really great. they are really receptive and are progressing very well.
other than that, nothing else has really happened. i've just been working hard because the time is far spent.... mga tatlo ka bulan na lang
Monday, August 13, 2012
August 13, 2012
this week has been ok. not much has happened. we've been opening up ilog city, meaning that we've been going and proselyting there even though it's far away and missionaries have never been in that area. feels cool to be the first. in other news, i received my departure date letter stating when i will be going home. i will leave on December 5th 2012 and arrive in the US possibly the same or next day even though i will be traveling for close to two days. this is due to the cray time zone portal thing with the whole pacific ocean. i'm not sure, i may even go into the future and come back right after the world ends. i think they know what they're doing though, the technology behind it is very confusing and sophisticated. i think it's something like the stargate wormhole but the whole plane goes through it so it may be something more like startrek, although in my personal opinion star wars is much better and lord of the rings tops them all.
well that means 4 months na lang!
August 6, 2012
silly scripture is 2 kings 18:27
this week was a pretty fun week. there was a big Charter festival in Kabankalan with some of the Philippines stars attending. (i forgot the names but they're on TV all the time) the main reason they came would probably be because Kabankalan is a richer city than most here on Negros and they were probably paid a lot. we didn't attend it though, but just passed by a few times on ways to appointments and got to see some cool stores. they really go all out with the stands. like each entire stand was like a house in the bukid. (meaning it was made out of bamboo or nipa)
this week i also tried Dorian. many people will say that Dorian smells horrible but tastes great but i tell you that it smells bad and tastes bad. just in case you don't know what Dorian is; Dorian is a type of fruit that grows here in the Philippines which emits a terribly bad smell. what everyone here says is that Dorian smells bad but tastes delicious which is partially true. it's easy to get over the smell but the taste is not easy to get over.
we also went on a little mountain hike a few days ago looking for less active members because there aren't very many members in our area. it was a really long ways away but the weather was nice and cool (because a storm recently passed through) and it was a beautiful view. i was going through jungle and when we got to the top things looked gorgeous. i forgot my camera though. oh well, maybe next time. after that, it took like an hour to catch a trike to get back home.
we also got to experience what it's like to be at a funeral here in the Philippines, a member died and we visited the family but like i've stated in former blogs, everyone was just playing card games so we joined but didn't gamble or anything like that. it was a good experience
july 30, 2012
i'm ok with the transfer, i'm starting to feel capable of doing everything that i've been assigned with. it's a hard situation that i've been put into (follow up training, district leader, newly opened area) but i can do hard things.
so last week, i stated that i hate elder reyes. he was a former companion who i had a lot of problems with when i was assigned in himamayalan. a little background information; the first week we had companion studies, the only thing he did was tell me that i suck at the language. he never helped me improve at the language. when i was there, he had a problem with visiting 1 family every night that started a bunch of gossip, the girl had a big crush on him and always was touching him. he always taught old people that couldn't walk or go to church and never progressed in order to get high numbers. he always used the name sungi for a kid with a cleft lip and made me think that it was his name. he coughed (purposefully to get attention) during prayers. he would read letters sent to members that he was supposed to give to them. when members would give him letters to send, he would read them and wouldn't send them. he was always sucking up to his former companion who was the AP at the time even though he always talked bad about him. he would never be serious and was loud and obnoxious. he didn't have any desire to share the gospel, his only desire was to get high numbers so that he would look good. i taught all the lessons, and i correlated with the ward, whenever we would have council, he would just make me do it even though he didn't give me any time to prepare. the members didn't like or trust him, the bishopric hated him. the missionaries that i've talked to about him all hate him. i won't name names but over 20 missionaries don't like him.
all this, i was ok with. i understood that he has faults and weaknesses and that no one is perfect but recently i found out that the missing planner that i had been looking for was thrown outside by elder reyes. i sat out in the open where rain would get on it and destroy it. he KNEW that i was looking for it because i asked him for it. he lied and said that he didn't see it. now my planner is ruined, lost, destroyed or whatever but i can't get it back. there was absolutely no reason that he had to throw it outside. any one of the other elders in the house could have sent it, he could have left it in the house. he purposely threw it out for no reason except that he is a gago nga soplado nga tinalok nga jerk. growing up, he had the privileged filipino life (which is still poorer that the average american life) because his father is a high rank in the military. the truth of the matter is that his family is corrupt. his family has had a lot of publicity here in the Philippines because of attacks and money embezzlement. because of his privileged life, in his mind, he feels that he is better than everyone else. but he's not. many of the rich people here in the Philippines think of themselves as better because they are surrounded by poor people and so automatically assume that they are better than everyone -americans included- even if they are still poor by american standards. he's the worst missionary that i've seen on my mission. i've seen some very bad and disobedient missionaries but at least they don't try to cover it up and lie about their disobedience at least they were still nice and had common courtesy. he on the other hand is a disobedient jerk that pretends to be obedient. he would announce the rules to everyone and then not do it himself. many missionaries hated him too, i'm not the only one. before i met him, i was told about him and i didn't like what i heard and now that i've been with him, i know that everything that i heard was true. well that's all that i have to say about him.
July 23, 2012
well good news, the mission is letting the air con and washer machine stay. bad news is that i don't get to use it because i transferred. the transfer announcements went sorta like this: elder johnson is evolving... B B B B B B B B B!!!!!!! elder johnson evolved into a follow up trainer and district leader. in a recently reopened area. (which is almost like a whitewash) i am now in Kabankalan City with elder Parilla (my FU trainee). Kabankalan is actually right next to Himamaylan (one of my past areas) so i may have the opportunity to visit there this transfer.
the area has 2 companionships assigned here the others are the zone leaders elder loto'ahea and elder yranon. the area is good and i am slowly getting acquainted to training....
i'm surprised that i can actually teach my companion as much as he's learning right now. i'd say though that im not teaching but rather guiding him. he's progressing very well.
we've also had another baptism this week. Reynaldo Sumugat Romero Jr.
on a side note, i hate Elder Reyes
july 16, 2012
well life comes and life goes. sad things happen and good things happen. i guess you just gotta keep on keeping on. when i get home, i'm gonna try keeping in touch with all my good friends and not lose them again. because you never know when they'll be gone for good RIP Randy Johnson.
this week, i'm also an uncle now. my niece's name is haley nicole johnson and she was born july 12 at 9:59 PM. she's adorable. talk to Andrew about it.
this week we had 2 baptisms Earl Garwin Sagal Bugna and Ellyson Sagal Bugna.
well transfers are coming up this week so i'm a bit nervous. if i transfer, i will be transferring away from the air con and washer machine. but if i stay then that will be a long time to be left in this area. i'm also not too fond of my companion, i guess it's just the cultural differences. but things that he should be helping with, he isn't. like updating the area book, washing dishes, cleaning the house, planning, teaching... etc. it's kinda frustrating to do it all on your own and then to have a companion that is critical of everything you do even though he does nothing. if i transfer, i'll be ok with it.
in other news, there seems to be a war brewing between the Philippines and china which will of course involve north korea and america. hopefully that won't happen but if it does, hopefully not until i'm out of this country.
July 9, 2012
well this week has been ok. the office is trying to take out the air con and washer machine so we'll see what happens with that. the new mission president has arrived and president tobias has gone home now. nothing hes really changed yet though. maybe when i meet the new president thing will feel different.
transfers are coming up soon, not next week, but the week after, i might transfer so i could potentially be transferring into my last area. weird to think about. still doesn't feel real though, i don't feel like i'm close to going home. maybe because 5 months actually is a very long time, or maybe because I've been here to long to remember what it'd feel like to be home.
transfers are coming up soon, not next week, but the week after, i might transfer so i could potentially be transferring into my last area. weird to think about. still doesn't feel real though, i don't feel like i'm close to going home. maybe because 5 months actually is a very long time, or maybe because I've been here to long to remember what it'd feel like to be home.
well anyways, the church is true. ambot sa kanding nga may bangs.
Saturday, July 7, 2012
July 2, 2012
silly scripture of the week is 3 Nephi 3:7-8. (try using this one as baptismal invitation)
well this week marks a landmark in my mission. i've finally hit my one year and six months mark. which means that i am now starting my last 6 (maybe 5) months. before i compared a mission to high school, where you have 4 grades. i'm now hitting my senior year of my mission. i guess that means i'm an "experienced" missionary. i don't think there is such a thing. the only difference between a good and bad missionary is diligence. that i would have to say is the most important attribute. with it, all other things follow and fall into place. if your diligently trying to be a preach my gospel missionary, then you will be a good missionary.
i'm also feeling a bit homesick, it's hard to think that i've spent this long away from home and that i've got such a short time until i get back. the time is far spent.
that's all i got for today.
well in other news, things are going pretty good. i am enjoying air conditioning and a washer machine right now. lets see how the electricity bill is though...
June 25, 2012
well this week has been alright. we opened it with the move to the new house which has air con and a washer machine. we've been doing a little fixes around the house too but nothing big. one of the main concerns is that the house is close to a big squatters area and squatters are known to be theives.
no concerns with the companionship, he fells like an elder and working with him feels like working with an elder.
in other news, things are going good and i'm working hard. not trunky yet.
i think i'm getting lazy with my blog though, i've stopped writing so much...
June 18, 2012
well i'd have to say that a lot has happened this past week. it has been a difficult week because a few things happened rather quickly. the zone leaders interviewed me and was honest and open with them. i didn't do anything wrong, but my companion was known to be a little disobedient. that was probably the reason why president made him my companion, for me to keep an eye on him. well i saw that elder gabronino had his own (unapproved) cell phone that he was using to text girls. i talked about it in the interview and the next day the zone leaders showed up and confiscated it. the next day, my companion had an interview with president tobias. after that he decided to leave early. which may have been a forced departure. but still with honor. the past few days have been really hard to work with him because he has not helped at all in the work and has actually made the lessons worse. so i just waited for him to leave. last night, i received my new companion (elder palafox) and he's a good working elder. i'm his senior so that means i stepped up. after that, we moved to our new apartment this morning. complete with air conditioning and a washer machine. it's a nice place in a good spot. this upcoming week is looking to be a lot better than last week.
well that's about all that's happened this week.
June 11, 2012
Well this week hasn't been very good so far. elder esparas transfered and i stayed and i got a new companion. his name is elder gabronino and he's a filipino. i'm not a big fan of him. as a matter of fact, i think i'm going to have to use A LOT of patience in trying to deal with him. i have the guarantee that he will not be my companion next transfer because he is going home this transfer. hence a bit of why i am having a hard time. when elders are trunky, they sort of don't care about the work. there are a few other things about his personality that i really don't like. i will refrain from judging him but lets just say that he doesn't have very proper etiquette i.e. manners. he's pretty unrefined and a little overbearing. we'll see how this transfer goes, i just need patience.... i'm learning a lot of patience right now...
in other news, i am pretty much leading the area right now and am working really hard to try to make sure that i do a good job and that the work continues to progress. making a big map of squatters area which is a HUGE headache because well... it's squatters, you can't really map it too well. it's like trying to make a map of a maze.
Wednesday, June 20, 2012
June 4, 2012
well i don't really have much to write about this week. nothing has really happened. the work has been going by slower because we've visited almost every member in the ward. (over 600 members) mainly for the less active work (about 500/600). so that means that we've s\used up most of the list here. which is what we have been commissioned to do. what else do we do? i don't know.
other than that, nothing new has happened. there may be some new news this next week because transfers are coming up. we'll see what happens.
May 28, 2012
this week was also ok. nothing much going on.
we found a nicer house that we can maybe live in if i don't get transfered and if president aproves it. it looked like heaven to me. mainly because of 1) Air Conditioning 2) washer machine (american style) 3) Air Conditioning 4) shower 5) toilet seat 6) Air conditioning 7) it's in the center of my area (not a horribly long walk) 8) no rats.
of course, these things seem like basic necessities. but when your a missionary in the Philippines. you learn to get by without.
one thing for anyone preparing to go on a mission. when you get your mission address, don't ever give anyone the salt lake address. it will take forever to fix the error. and in the mean time, people will be sending all the letters to the wrong address. (it's not technically wrong but it's pouch and has strict criteria)
last month for district meeting i've been picking Christmas songs for the hymns. not that i'm getting trunky for Christmas season (because that's when i go home) but because it's already time to start celebrating Christmas season. seriously, they start celebrating months in advance. there are already a few houses with Christmas decorations.
well i don't have very much more to say.
we found a nicer house that we can maybe live in if i don't get transfered and if president aproves it. it looked like heaven to me. mainly because of 1) Air Conditioning 2) washer machine (american style) 3) Air Conditioning 4) shower 5) toilet seat 6) Air conditioning 7) it's in the center of my area (not a horribly long walk) 8) no rats.
of course, these things seem like basic necessities. but when your a missionary in the Philippines. you learn to get by without.
one thing for anyone preparing to go on a mission. when you get your mission address, don't ever give anyone the salt lake address. it will take forever to fix the error. and in the mean time, people will be sending all the letters to the wrong address. (it's not technically wrong but it's pouch and has strict criteria)
last month for district meeting i've been picking Christmas songs for the hymns. not that i'm getting trunky for Christmas season (because that's when i go home) but because it's already time to start celebrating Christmas season. seriously, they start celebrating months in advance. there are already a few houses with Christmas decorations.
well i don't have very much more to say.
May 21, 2012
well this week is ok.
last week i didn't write much because i got to call home for mothers day. so i forgot to write down new baptisms. Russile Isabel Joven and Khames Baylon Joven. so far, i have been able to help 36 people be baptized into the church of Jesus Christ of latter day saints. that may be it for the next few months. the work has been getting harder and time is running out. there is little remaining to publish glad tidings...
but seriously, i'm not trunky. the mission and my district has been getting trunky though. the mission because the last AP finally left the office and went home after a full year as AP and also because president tobias will be going home in a little more than a months time. my district because everyone in the district is either at my point in the mission or farther. when you look at it in terms of transfers then it starts to feel like a short time.
i recently found out that within the mission i am considered really good at the bible. (not the BOM though) i personally wouldn't say that i'm one of the best but to be considered good at the bible by a large group of people who read the bible everyday is pretty cool.
much better than before i came on a mission. i remember not even being able to know basic scriptures and now i can use the bible in almost every teaching circumstance. hard work pays off.
last week i was able to meet a lady who had a strange copycat disorder. whatever you would do, she would copy as long as you did it fast (startled her). i didn't get what was going on until halfway through the FHE and then i tried it. at the time she was spanking her son and just finished hitting him. i made a downward swing and she followed and hit him again. he was ok, it didn't hurt and she was a good sport about it. we weren't making fun of her but it was something weird that i had never seen before. it was a lot funnier in person though.
this could have some relevance to the church in the Philippines.
well that's about it. i'd like to say happy mothers day mom and happy birthday too.
last week i didn't write much because i got to call home for mothers day. so i forgot to write down new baptisms. Russile Isabel Joven and Khames Baylon Joven. so far, i have been able to help 36 people be baptized into the church of Jesus Christ of latter day saints. that may be it for the next few months. the work has been getting harder and time is running out. there is little remaining to publish glad tidings...
but seriously, i'm not trunky. the mission and my district has been getting trunky though. the mission because the last AP finally left the office and went home after a full year as AP and also because president tobias will be going home in a little more than a months time. my district because everyone in the district is either at my point in the mission or farther. when you look at it in terms of transfers then it starts to feel like a short time.
i recently found out that within the mission i am considered really good at the bible. (not the BOM though) i personally wouldn't say that i'm one of the best but to be considered good at the bible by a large group of people who read the bible everyday is pretty cool.
much better than before i came on a mission. i remember not even being able to know basic scriptures and now i can use the bible in almost every teaching circumstance. hard work pays off.
last week i was able to meet a lady who had a strange copycat disorder. whatever you would do, she would copy as long as you did it fast (startled her). i didn't get what was going on until halfway through the FHE and then i tried it. at the time she was spanking her son and just finished hitting him. i made a downward swing and she followed and hit him again. he was ok, it didn't hurt and she was a good sport about it. we weren't making fun of her but it was something weird that i had never seen before. it was a lot funnier in person though.
this could have some relevance to the church in the Philippines.
well that's about it. i'd like to say happy mothers day mom and happy birthday too.
May 14, 2012
this week has been ok. i am currently talking to my family so i don't have much time to write much in my blog. and besides, nothing has really happened this week.
good food is arroz caldo. rice porrage, eggs, ginger, green onions and garlic.
good food is arroz caldo. rice porrage, eggs, ginger, green onions and garlic.
This is a little story about four people named Everybody, Somebody, Anybody, and Nobody. There was an important job to be done and Everybody was sure that Somebody would do it. Anybody could have done it, but Nobody did it. Somebody got angry about that because it was Everybody's job. Everybody thought that Anybody could do it, but Nobody realized that Everybody wouldn't do it. It ended up that Everybody blamed Somebody when Nobody did what Anybody could have done.
Sunday, May 13, 2012
May 7, 2012
i've used up all of my silly scriptures. sadface.
when i return here in the Philippines to visit, i plan on taking pictures of some of the architecture. not of the squatter zones but of the subdivisions where people actually have houses. the house that they build have much more freedom than in america, where people are limited to what the home owners association decide. in america the houses look way too uniform and it gets kinda ugly. but because there are no real laws here (there are laws but no one cares, not even the police) and the building materials that they use are really cheap (cinder block and plaster) anyone can build anything the way they want. it gives me a lot of inspiration for a house.
i'll also look for tagolog/illongo song when i get home because there are a few good songs that i hear when walking by peoples radios sometimes.
one drink that i like is gulaman. it's not fantastic but it's interesting. it's hard to explain what it is, some sort of chinese stuff i think.
this week, I've been getting fed up with the mission which makes up ridiculous rules that make no sense and are impossible to follow. I've also gotten fed up with the ward, again. the church in the Philippines is like a sinking ship with no rudder and no one knows how to work the engine and only 3% of the people are actually rowing and everyone who is rowing is rowing in the wrong direction against each other. i'll be a happy man when my mission is over and i don't have to deal with all these problems.
another inconvenience, is that they don't tell us when or how we can call home for mothers day until it's too late to tell people, for instance right now. i don't know when i can home. if it so happens that i can call next week on monday, well that's all good and dandy, but i can't tell my family to get together or anything on that day because right now i don't know when it'll be. and there won't be another day for me to send a message to inform anyone to get together. what good does it do to call if you call home and the person who you call is driving on the freeway by themselves to an appointment. their needs to be planning ahead of time, but the leaders in the mission don't realize that or understand what actual planning is. i'm surrounded by idiots.
i still miss my # 8 planner. i hope i find it...
April 30, 2012
no silly scripture today. is you want to find one, look for "and the dirt came out"
i'm still in tangub with elder esparas, i was happy for that one. but president gave me some news that made me nervious. he wants me to step up to district leader and a trainer. i know i'm far into my mission and it is my time but i don't know if i'm ready to make that adjustment. i've been avoiding it this long and i don't want to have to lead everything all by myself (because i'll be training) but if it happens it happens. i'll try to keep it from happening though.
other than that, i got nothing. nothing has been going on here, it's actually been kinda slow and boring.
i'm still in tangub with elder esparas, i was happy for that one. but president gave me some news that made me nervious. he wants me to step up to district leader and a trainer. i know i'm far into my mission and it is my time but i don't know if i'm ready to make that adjustment. i've been avoiding it this long and i don't want to have to lead everything all by myself (because i'll be training) but if it happens it happens. i'll try to keep it from happening though.
other than that, i got nothing. nothing has been going on here, it's actually been kinda slow and boring.
April 23, 2012
silly scripture of the week is 1 nephi 2:15
well this transfer has gone by very quickly. nothing has really happened this week as well. we did have another zone conference, the last zone conference with president tobias. it was kinda sad but everyone leaves sometime. i'll eventually leave sometime as well. as a matter of fact, i am now 2/3 the way done with my mission. yay me.
one thing that i've noticed is that there is a difference between a baptism and a convert. a baptism just gets baptized and then slowly leaves. whereas a convert will stay and eventually progress towards the temple. i wonder how many baptisms i have and how many converts... it makes me wonder, especially considering the 85% inactivity rate.
i'd also like to again point out my surprise at how some people were actually baptized and then went inactive but then became very active in a different church, namely building their own church or becoming a pastor or teacher. it makes the inactive work very frustrating.
i also saw a funny poster outside of a church the other day. it said condemn injustice, fight terrorism, suppress poverty. but the bill that they were against was the RH bill which has to do with birth control and abortions. i know that they are against all of that but the statements posted there were complete and utter falsifications openly and shamelessly aimed at a certain bill. i will not openly choose sides on the bill but i will denounce the churches baseless and flagrant lies which not only show that the members in the church are spreading false information but that the church itself condones it and supports it. thereby showing their complete disregard for truth.
on to a different church, i would like to point out that the most evil and annoying church members that i've encountered are not 7th day adventists or Jehovah witnesses or even catholics or baptists. the most abominable church that i've encountered is iglesia ni cristo. they don't even believe in Jesus Christ and yet they persecute all other Christian religions and members of other religions for not being one of them. they base their religion solely on the hate of every other Christian religion. i know because i've read their magazines. i haven't had to bible bash with one of them but i am looking forward to the opportunity.
this week, i lost one of my old planners. i'm not sure but i think i left it in himamaylan. i know it sounds like nothing but to a missionary, your old planners are like the biggest source of remembrance that you can have and to lose one would be a big deal. for any future missionaries, be sure to take good care of your planners when you are on your mission.
some things that i like the taste of are:
black sambo - some sort of cream/cake mixture that has coffee in it (i didn't know)
lecheflan- flan with leche (milk)
and that's about it.
well this transfer has gone by very quickly. nothing has really happened this week as well. we did have another zone conference, the last zone conference with president tobias. it was kinda sad but everyone leaves sometime. i'll eventually leave sometime as well. as a matter of fact, i am now 2/3 the way done with my mission. yay me.
one thing that i've noticed is that there is a difference between a baptism and a convert. a baptism just gets baptized and then slowly leaves. whereas a convert will stay and eventually progress towards the temple. i wonder how many baptisms i have and how many converts... it makes me wonder, especially considering the 85% inactivity rate.
i'd also like to again point out my surprise at how some people were actually baptized and then went inactive but then became very active in a different church, namely building their own church or becoming a pastor or teacher. it makes the inactive work very frustrating.
i also saw a funny poster outside of a church the other day. it said condemn injustice, fight terrorism, suppress poverty. but the bill that they were against was the RH bill which has to do with birth control and abortions. i know that they are against all of that but the statements posted there were complete and utter falsifications openly and shamelessly aimed at a certain bill. i will not openly choose sides on the bill but i will denounce the churches baseless and flagrant lies which not only show that the members in the church are spreading false information but that the church itself condones it and supports it. thereby showing their complete disregard for truth.
on to a different church, i would like to point out that the most evil and annoying church members that i've encountered are not 7th day adventists or Jehovah witnesses or even catholics or baptists. the most abominable church that i've encountered is iglesia ni cristo. they don't even believe in Jesus Christ and yet they persecute all other Christian religions and members of other religions for not being one of them. they base their religion solely on the hate of every other Christian religion. i know because i've read their magazines. i haven't had to bible bash with one of them but i am looking forward to the opportunity.
this week, i lost one of my old planners. i'm not sure but i think i left it in himamaylan. i know it sounds like nothing but to a missionary, your old planners are like the biggest source of remembrance that you can have and to lose one would be a big deal. for any future missionaries, be sure to take good care of your planners when you are on your mission.
some things that i like the taste of are:
black sambo - some sort of cream/cake mixture that has coffee in it (i didn't know)
lecheflan- flan with leche (milk)
and that's about it.
April 16, 2012
silly scripture of the week is 1 Nephi 13:22
well there hasn't been much going on this week to be honest. we've been working on a lot of less actives and a few good investigators. but that's what happens every week.
i don't know where to find one in phoenix but i assume that LBC would be the cheapest place to go to ship a package to the Philippines because that is a Filipino company. if anyone is planning to send one, try checking there. also, send money inside the package.
this week, i've gotten fed up with rude uncooperative people or annoying little kids or broken apartments. people, i can't change, they'll stay the same everywhere i go but i've managed to make fixes for most problems in our apartment out of my own pocket even though the apartment isn't property of the mission but whatever.
this week i saw a really angry cat attack a puppy every chance it got. i guess it was territorial because of it's kittens. it was the funniest thing i saw this week.
food that i like is:
suman - rice flour cooked in coconut milk
ibus - same thing but in a banana leaf
well there hasn't been much going on this week to be honest. we've been working on a lot of less actives and a few good investigators. but that's what happens every week.
i don't know where to find one in phoenix but i assume that LBC would be the cheapest place to go to ship a package to the Philippines because that is a Filipino company. if anyone is planning to send one, try checking there. also, send money inside the package.
this week, i've gotten fed up with rude uncooperative people or annoying little kids or broken apartments. people, i can't change, they'll stay the same everywhere i go but i've managed to make fixes for most problems in our apartment out of my own pocket even though the apartment isn't property of the mission but whatever.
this week i saw a really angry cat attack a puppy every chance it got. i guess it was territorial because of it's kittens. it was the funniest thing i saw this week.
food that i like is:
suman - rice flour cooked in coconut milk
ibus - same thing but in a banana leaf
April 10, 2012
silly scripture of the week is Daniel 5:6
one funny interruption to a lesson this week was a cat fight, literally. the cats came runnning from the roof and fel into the cooking area. this week we had a tiki and a wasp fight each other. they got scared and ran off. no fun. after coming back to the city, i've remembered how it looks like someone just plopped a city in the middle of a jungle here. it's kinda cool looking.
general conference was this week, it was a good conference and had alot of good talks. watching it made me think of home and makes me want to be home right now. afterwards, there was a drunk guy who wanted to fight me and steal my stuff on the jeepney ride home. he was annoying and if anyone knows me when that happens, then they'd know how i reacted. he tried putting his chicken in my lap and said it was a winner, i told him that it was dinner. lol
since it was holy week, the time came around where people start doing the whole crucifixion thing again. well it happened in a distant spot but the story was funny, the guy whipping the jesus impersonator hit him too hard and the impersonator dropped her cross and started chasing the whipper.
things i want to cook back at home:
mani: steamed peanuts
Shomai: eggroll thingy with pork, carrots, potatoes and egg
chop suey: i dont even know.
i never have any money because the mission is really stupid. i'm just going to say that right now, they come up with stupid rules that make no sense and are indifferent to missionaries situations. i'll be happy to go home after having to deal with all this stupid stuff.
one thing that i would like to note for people preparing to go on a mission; when you ask for things from back home, be specific.
i recently received a package of clothes sent from someone back home and first, i would like to say thank you to whoever sent them, the bottoms helped a lot and they were sorely needed, i've been using old torn ones for a while and to have new ones is a blessing and i know that they were a big sacrifice from the person who sent them... with that being said, i need different shirts. (type deleted) one of the main reasons is the crew neck, with the humidity and heat, having a round neck is not a desirable situation, at least for me. it proves sticky, sweaty and itchy and all around uncomfortable and is easably noticeable though my white clothing. also the size makes it too loose to be manageable.
it's not that i'm picky or ungrateful. i'm really glad that i was able to get new underclothing, but my delight is overshadowed by my disappointment that it's the wrong type. that was something i hated having to deal with back when i was at home, to ask someone else to get something for me and anxiously wait for it's arrival only to find out that what i get is something unusable. alot of times, this would happen through internet orders as well. my mom knows how frustrated i get when that happens. that's why i prefer buying things on my own because i know what i want. the only problem is that i can't. i'm not actually able because the package won't come to the Philippines. so i need to have someone else do it for me. the only problem is lack of communication...
if anyone can do it, it is important to inform me within the next week. (which would mean that this blog needs to be updated as soon as possible)
UPDATE!!!
i was able to get different ones ordered by other ways and am currently waiting on them. it would be unnecessary to send me any right now but it would be helpful to follow up with me personally through e-mail if you had plans to send them, because i can't be sure that they will be the right ones. that's the most important step in the process - communication-
one funny interruption to a lesson this week was a cat fight, literally. the cats came runnning from the roof and fel into the cooking area. this week we had a tiki and a wasp fight each other. they got scared and ran off. no fun. after coming back to the city, i've remembered how it looks like someone just plopped a city in the middle of a jungle here. it's kinda cool looking.
general conference was this week, it was a good conference and had alot of good talks. watching it made me think of home and makes me want to be home right now. afterwards, there was a drunk guy who wanted to fight me and steal my stuff on the jeepney ride home. he was annoying and if anyone knows me when that happens, then they'd know how i reacted. he tried putting his chicken in my lap and said it was a winner, i told him that it was dinner. lol
since it was holy week, the time came around where people start doing the whole crucifixion thing again. well it happened in a distant spot but the story was funny, the guy whipping the jesus impersonator hit him too hard and the impersonator dropped her cross and started chasing the whipper.
things i want to cook back at home:
mani: steamed peanuts
Shomai: eggroll thingy with pork, carrots, potatoes and egg
chop suey: i dont even know.
i never have any money because the mission is really stupid. i'm just going to say that right now, they come up with stupid rules that make no sense and are indifferent to missionaries situations. i'll be happy to go home after having to deal with all this stupid stuff.
one thing that i would like to note for people preparing to go on a mission; when you ask for things from back home, be specific.
i recently received a package of clothes sent from someone back home and first, i would like to say thank you to whoever sent them, the bottoms helped a lot and they were sorely needed, i've been using old torn ones for a while and to have new ones is a blessing and i know that they were a big sacrifice from the person who sent them... with that being said, i need different shirts. (type deleted) one of the main reasons is the crew neck, with the humidity and heat, having a round neck is not a desirable situation, at least for me. it proves sticky, sweaty and itchy and all around uncomfortable and is easably noticeable though my white clothing. also the size makes it too loose to be manageable.
it's not that i'm picky or ungrateful. i'm really glad that i was able to get new underclothing, but my delight is overshadowed by my disappointment that it's the wrong type. that was something i hated having to deal with back when i was at home, to ask someone else to get something for me and anxiously wait for it's arrival only to find out that what i get is something unusable. alot of times, this would happen through internet orders as well. my mom knows how frustrated i get when that happens. that's why i prefer buying things on my own because i know what i want. the only problem is that i can't. i'm not actually able because the package won't come to the Philippines. so i need to have someone else do it for me. the only problem is lack of communication...
if anyone can do it, it is important to inform me within the next week. (which would mean that this blog needs to be updated as soon as possible)
UPDATE!!!
i was able to get different ones ordered by other ways and am currently waiting on them. it would be unnecessary to send me any right now but it would be helpful to follow up with me personally through e-mail if you had plans to send them, because i can't be sure that they will be the right ones. that's the most important step in the process - communication-
Monday, April 2, 2012
April 2, 2012
silly scripture of the week is 1 corinthians 14:34-35
today (which is yesterday back at home) my brother is either getting married or is married. either way it's also april fools over there. i'll be looking forward to pictures and whatnot from the wedding. happy wishes to the family and be safe.
well last week i got my tooth taken care of by an inept and incompetant dentist who was quite ansy with me and probably did a rather horrible job because she's a jerk. when i get home i'll have my own dentist fix what she ruined but for right now i can deal with it. i'll proabably also need to have my top wisdom teeth taken out once i get home. such is life.
afterwards, i spent some time shopping in robinsons, which is in my old area fifth ward and met sister grace and had lunch at a mexican food place. i forgot how much i missed that ward and the great people there. when i come back, i'll visit fifth ward and tour the city. it really is a nice place if your here on vacation or for a festival.
i forgot to mention before that tangub (my current area) is very close to alijis (my old area). actually, they touch each other and i go to the alijis chapel every week for district meetings. i'm also back in bacolod. most people don't spend this much of their mission in bacolod.
the roaches and rats that i mentioned last week are eaten every night by the chickens living around the house. it's science! it's actually quite interesting. but i think i killed most of them by now. they are slowing becoming less frequent.
i no longer have a washer machine in the apartment and have to do the laundry by hand again.... sadface. also, the toilet doesn't really flush too well. even when it's just water i have to use a plunger for like 30 minutes until it's clean. we received the water and electricity bills and they were really high. normally a water bill -for a two man apartment- should be around 300-500 but the water was 1100. i finally managed to get the previous elder to give his share of the payment (because he didn't leave any) but still, the amount was way too high to be paying for water that is at times black. i hate this apartment.
there's also this crazy lady named arlene that bugs me and elder esparas alot, it's not anything to be worried about, it's just creepy.
we finally got a filter but we have no way of attatching it to the water spout. it's not a faucet, it's a spout. they don't fit so i'll have to get some tools and supplies from the hardware store.
one thing that would be useful for anyone preparing to go on a mission would be to buy a leatherman or any multifunction tool that is at least of good quality. the tools here are all fake made in china stuff. i had a nice strong good quality one and i accidently snapped it in two trying to cut some metal. whoops
also, a lot of the times in packages i'm dissappointed at what is inside compared to the shipping cost. like if someone were to send a box of pens, or something, the shipping alone would buy 10 times more pens than can fit inside the box. sometimes, it's best to think outside the box and send money rather than packages.
i've been thinkabout about when i go home (maybe jan 3, 2013) but the thing is is that in 2012 everything will be crumbling around me when i'm on the plane, because they miscalculated the date, i'll also be going back through that time zone warp thing. like seriously, what's the point in going home if the worlds just gonna end. maybe just finland will be destroyed or something, oh noe not finran.
well i don't know what to do with my hands, but i've got to make like a tree and get out.
March 26, 2012
silly scripture of the week is Samuel 19:24
well this week i'm going to the dentist for a cavity that has been bothering me. the thing is is that the mission doesn't reimburse for dentist visits. so i'm gonna need to pay with this with my own money. problem is, is that i don't have much. well now is the time for me to ask for money. maybe even some change will do. just some change. does anyone have any change? change... change... change...
well for this week, nothing really exciting happened. i've been working hard everyday and i get tired. and then when i get home i go into VATS mode and kill all the radroaches and radrats, i used a permethrine spray but it's hit points are kinda low and it condition is low so it jams so i just use my melee skills. seriously this apartment is disgusting. i killed 25 roaches in one night and every other day i kill a rat or mouse. the water is literally black at times and we have a broken filter which the mission is too lazy to replace (jive turkeys). i'm not Augustus Goop and that wasn't chocolate. chocolate? that's doodoo baby. well this apartmen reminded me of the times when i used plunger to kill rats and the quote comes to mind "that's not a plunger, this is a plunger" because elder woodford is Australian.
this past week i realized hat i am now a shadow of my former self, i have grown weak from not working out and living here. i miss high school and all the people back there and it's sad to think that we all won't ever be together again like it was back then. but on to bigger and better thing. i've been thinking about my plan for after my mission ( i know, really far ahead but not soo far) and i am still not sure of what i'm going to do. weird. i'll get back to you on that one...
in other news, i might need new shoes sometime in the future. the hushpuppies i have are really resilient and have lasted a long time but i've had them for a really long time. other than that, i miss mass effect
well this week i'm going to the dentist for a cavity that has been bothering me. the thing is is that the mission doesn't reimburse for dentist visits. so i'm gonna need to pay with this with my own money. problem is, is that i don't have much. well now is the time for me to ask for money. maybe even some change will do. just some change. does anyone have any change? change... change... change...
well for this week, nothing really exciting happened. i've been working hard everyday and i get tired. and then when i get home i go into VATS mode and kill all the radroaches and radrats, i used a permethrine spray but it's hit points are kinda low and it condition is low so it jams so i just use my melee skills. seriously this apartment is disgusting. i killed 25 roaches in one night and every other day i kill a rat or mouse. the water is literally black at times and we have a broken filter which the mission is too lazy to replace (jive turkeys). i'm not Augustus Goop and that wasn't chocolate. chocolate? that's doodoo baby. well this apartmen reminded me of the times when i used plunger to kill rats and the quote comes to mind "that's not a plunger, this is a plunger" because elder woodford is Australian.
this past week i realized hat i am now a shadow of my former self, i have grown weak from not working out and living here. i miss high school and all the people back there and it's sad to think that we all won't ever be together again like it was back then. but on to bigger and better thing. i've been thinking about my plan for after my mission ( i know, really far ahead but not soo far) and i am still not sure of what i'm going to do. weird. i'll get back to you on that one...
in other news, i might need new shoes sometime in the future. the hushpuppies i have are really resilient and have lasted a long time but i've had them for a really long time. other than that, i miss mass effect
March 19, 2012
silly scripture of the week is Numbers 22:22-35
when i left himamaylan, i tried fixing up a lot of the gossip that happened with elder reyes and things started to improve, but his reputation there is still a bit tarnished. like i said last week, that's what you get when you don't stop things like that. i raised the warning voice so my conscience is clear. a lil bit of info about him is that his family is big in the military but also is known as corrupt.
well this week was ok. I got transfered back to bacolod but not to where i wanted to transfer. i was under the impression that one of the spots in the office (supply) was going to be open and that i would fill it. oh well maybe next transfer. i am close enough to where it may be a possibility. for my whole mission, i've been put in good areas, actually all the areas that the AP's were put into. for instance: 3rd ward - AP's area, 5th ward - President's area with elder stradling (AP), alijis - elder hernandez (AP) and Ili's (AP) areas, Himamaylan - elder esling's (AP) area, tangub - elder hinkley's (AP) area. so in my viewpoint, these areas can't be bad because he put his AP's into those areas before they became his assistants.
i am now currently in tangub ward. it's a good area with a lot of nice members and a nice chapel. it's one of the nicer ones that i've seen. the only one nicer that i saw was kabankalan chapel. the only bad thing is that there are squatters again, and it leaves the chapel a mess with stuff littering the grounds and broken/stolen property all the time. i also don't like the apartment. i remember visiting this house when i was in alijis and thinking to myself "this apartment sucks, i'm glad that i don't live here" and now i live here.
but the area is a nice area none the less. i've been in squatters zones, subdivision and bukid. now that i've experience all of them, i come to an area with all of them in one spot. it's kinda nifty. some areas remind me of sector 7 slums in final fantasy 7. if you haven't played it then you wouldn't understand. i also eat a lot of datiles cherries all the time, because there are a bunch here. sorry i don't know how to explain what they taste like except "good."
now that i'm back in the city, i have to get used to kids chasing after me and grabbing me all the time. that was one thing that i didn't miss in himamaylan. after living like this, i can say that some of those shows or movies or videos of celebrities running from crowds of people have some truth to them, because i've experienced that myself. it sucks.
Here right now, baptisms will probably start slowing down across the whole mission because now we are doing nothing but less active work. the only problem is that the LA people are harder than actual investigators. sometimes when teaching them, i wonder really hard at how they actually got baptized and if the elders actually taught them or anything. some of the answers that they give are ridiculous.
this past week i ate american food. trix, peanut butter, mashed potatoes and PEZ. i feel like i'm back in america because that's just about the kind of food that i ate all the time. candy, cereal, peanut butter and some preprocessed food.
but i do miss america right now. i'm at the point in my mission where i still have a long time to go but i want to be done now. there's a lot of things that i'm missing back at home. i'm even gonna miss my brothers wedding on april fools. or maybe not, it is april fools... i also miss playing video games.
foods that i like are:
lenaga - jackfruit and beef
pochero - potatoish banana and pork
when i left himamaylan, i tried fixing up a lot of the gossip that happened with elder reyes and things started to improve, but his reputation there is still a bit tarnished. like i said last week, that's what you get when you don't stop things like that. i raised the warning voice so my conscience is clear. a lil bit of info about him is that his family is big in the military but also is known as corrupt.
well this week was ok. I got transfered back to bacolod but not to where i wanted to transfer. i was under the impression that one of the spots in the office (supply) was going to be open and that i would fill it. oh well maybe next transfer. i am close enough to where it may be a possibility. for my whole mission, i've been put in good areas, actually all the areas that the AP's were put into. for instance: 3rd ward - AP's area, 5th ward - President's area with elder stradling (AP), alijis - elder hernandez (AP) and Ili's (AP) areas, Himamaylan - elder esling's (AP) area, tangub - elder hinkley's (AP) area. so in my viewpoint, these areas can't be bad because he put his AP's into those areas before they became his assistants.
i am now currently in tangub ward. it's a good area with a lot of nice members and a nice chapel. it's one of the nicer ones that i've seen. the only one nicer that i saw was kabankalan chapel. the only bad thing is that there are squatters again, and it leaves the chapel a mess with stuff littering the grounds and broken/stolen property all the time. i also don't like the apartment. i remember visiting this house when i was in alijis and thinking to myself "this apartment sucks, i'm glad that i don't live here" and now i live here.
but the area is a nice area none the less. i've been in squatters zones, subdivision and bukid. now that i've experience all of them, i come to an area with all of them in one spot. it's kinda nifty. some areas remind me of sector 7 slums in final fantasy 7. if you haven't played it then you wouldn't understand. i also eat a lot of datiles cherries all the time, because there are a bunch here. sorry i don't know how to explain what they taste like except "good."
now that i'm back in the city, i have to get used to kids chasing after me and grabbing me all the time. that was one thing that i didn't miss in himamaylan. after living like this, i can say that some of those shows or movies or videos of celebrities running from crowds of people have some truth to them, because i've experienced that myself. it sucks.
Here right now, baptisms will probably start slowing down across the whole mission because now we are doing nothing but less active work. the only problem is that the LA people are harder than actual investigators. sometimes when teaching them, i wonder really hard at how they actually got baptized and if the elders actually taught them or anything. some of the answers that they give are ridiculous.
this past week i ate american food. trix, peanut butter, mashed potatoes and PEZ. i feel like i'm back in america because that's just about the kind of food that i ate all the time. candy, cereal, peanut butter and some preprocessed food.
but i do miss america right now. i'm at the point in my mission where i still have a long time to go but i want to be done now. there's a lot of things that i'm missing back at home. i'm even gonna miss my brothers wedding on april fools. or maybe not, it is april fools... i also miss playing video games.
foods that i like are:
lenaga - jackfruit and beef
pochero - potatoish banana and pork
March 12, 2012
silly scripture of the week is Deuteronomy 23:1
1 baptism this week: Erika Labiga Pama.
well well well transfer week is coming up this week and i'm really excited for transfers! i'm not gonna say what i think will happen but i'm gonna say that more than likely "good things will happen" if i start next week's blog by "this week was ok" then nothing good happened and i got my hopes up for nothing. but for sure this week i will get a new companion. at this point in my mission, I'm not stressing out over anything or having immense trouble with anything but i am TIRED OUT. the next past year in the philippines has went by quick and the next few months will probably go by just as quick but it feels like an awfully long time when you've been doing this day in and day out for over a year.
i would like to thank all of the people back at home for all of the support that they show me. even though i can't really explain my gratitude to well through my blog, i do thank you for your sacrifices and time. i rtemmeber how busy it was back at home and how i forgot to write or send anything to friends when they left from home and now that i'm on the receiving end, it's really great to have friends and family who will send me packages and letters and even just e-mails of support.
for other nifty foods that i've tried and will hopefully bring back to america and open up a restraunt:
last week i talked about how here in the philippines that gossip spreads like wildfire. especially about missionaries because we're held to a higher standard. sometimes though things get out of hand, like people thinking that i'm stuck up for not talking too much. i'm a quite person, so what. well since i've been here long enough, people have found out that i'm not stuck up, they actually respect me a lot here and one sister (who is easily offended and was offended by the current AP right before i arrived) actually said that i was the only good missionary that she's ever seen. many members were surprised at that because, according to them, it is notoriously HARD to please her. well this is all good for me, i am at least respected for my diligence, attitude, work ethic, obedience, spirituality and respect.
but... at this time, there are rumors circulating about my companion and a recent convert. the thing is is that she has been really close to him and i've been repeatedly telling both if them (especially the sister) to keep their distance. well what happens when neither one of them listens, gossip starts spreading about them and it's not good for the work. now i'm her saying "i told you so" to them. And the mother of the sister doesn't understand when i say that it's not allowed for missionaries to return to marry anyone on their mission. And they wonder why there's gossip!?!?
if anyone can understand what this means then you will know what is playing in the internet cafe right now. it's tagolog though, not hilagaynon- Nagmahal Ako Ng Bakla (Mga Tambay Lang Kami) it's actually pretty funny! and then there is also another song "shower me with your love" ambot sa tagiya, palagpat gid siya daw agi!
1 baptism this week: Erika Labiga Pama.
well well well transfer week is coming up this week and i'm really excited for transfers! i'm not gonna say what i think will happen but i'm gonna say that more than likely "good things will happen" if i start next week's blog by "this week was ok" then nothing good happened and i got my hopes up for nothing. but for sure this week i will get a new companion. at this point in my mission, I'm not stressing out over anything or having immense trouble with anything but i am TIRED OUT. the next past year in the philippines has went by quick and the next few months will probably go by just as quick but it feels like an awfully long time when you've been doing this day in and day out for over a year.
i would like to thank all of the people back at home for all of the support that they show me. even though i can't really explain my gratitude to well through my blog, i do thank you for your sacrifices and time. i rtemmeber how busy it was back at home and how i forgot to write or send anything to friends when they left from home and now that i'm on the receiving end, it's really great to have friends and family who will send me packages and letters and even just e-mails of support.
for other nifty foods that i've tried and will hopefully bring back to america and open up a restraunt:
maja: coconut juice, corn starch, sugar, corn. (it's like a jello cake)
giphang: malangkot/pilit (sticky rice) it's like a rice crispies treat and a Quaker rice cake. but the rice is naturally sticky.
dinakdakan: Liempo (grilled pork with skin), mayonaise, onion, calamansi, chilipork sinigan: pork, papaya, raddish, kamote, chili, chili leaves, ocra, squash, eggplant, onion, garlic.
last week i talked about how here in the philippines that gossip spreads like wildfire. especially about missionaries because we're held to a higher standard. sometimes though things get out of hand, like people thinking that i'm stuck up for not talking too much. i'm a quite person, so what. well since i've been here long enough, people have found out that i'm not stuck up, they actually respect me a lot here and one sister (who is easily offended and was offended by the current AP right before i arrived) actually said that i was the only good missionary that she's ever seen. many members were surprised at that because, according to them, it is notoriously HARD to please her. well this is all good for me, i am at least respected for my diligence, attitude, work ethic, obedience, spirituality and respect.
but... at this time, there are rumors circulating about my companion and a recent convert. the thing is is that she has been really close to him and i've been repeatedly telling both if them (especially the sister) to keep their distance. well what happens when neither one of them listens, gossip starts spreading about them and it's not good for the work. now i'm her saying "i told you so" to them. And the mother of the sister doesn't understand when i say that it's not allowed for missionaries to return to marry anyone on their mission. And they wonder why there's gossip!?!?
if anyone can understand what this means then you will know what is playing in the internet cafe right now. it's tagolog though, not hilagaynon- Nagmahal Ako Ng Bakla (Mga Tambay Lang Kami) it's actually pretty funny! and then there is also another song "shower me with your love" ambot sa tagiya, palagpat gid siya daw agi!
March 5, 2012
Silly Scripture of the week is Leviticus 21:20 and i would also like to include Numbers 15:38 as a scripture for last week.
some of the spelling and font colors and formatting in the blog is a little messed up from what i made, i had it formatted, but through e-mail/idk some of the formatting was lost. but you get the gist of it all.
i would like to make mention of the loss of weekly reports, for any Returned missionary, weekly reports are the only way to stay in touch with your mission president when you are away from the city. well the area presidency ousted those and instead implemented IMOS which is a computer based messaging system used by the church to send in our work numbers and report. we the thing is... is that it NEVER works EVER. a lil frustrating.
pretty soon we will be getting a new mission president. i really like president Tobias and when he leaves, i'll miss him but oh well, all good things must come to an end, and who knows, the next one could be just as good or even better. his name is President Lopez (not 100% sure) and he's from Hawaii. he may be Filipino.
this week, i finally finished reading the bible from front to back (new and old testaments). before, i had never fully read the bible. now, no one can say anything to me about bible reading because i've read it from front to back. now i need to read the book of mormon and doctrine and covenants. from everything i've read, i have learned that the lord hates covenant breakers, idols, and hypocrites.
this week, i also realized that i have around 300 days left of my mission. not a long time when you think about it. i hit my 1 year and 2 months mark already! i still feel brand new out of the MTC, except kinda tired of being on a mission. but time will fly by fast.
also, one thing that i also don't like is that the people here gossip like they are still in the 7th grade. some people never grow up.
also, i would like to answer a few question from letters. i wont include names or speak about anyone's personal life but i can't really reply to letters because:
as a missionary, i don't have very much time, energy or money. i need to focus on the basic necessities to sustain myself and to do the work. to spend time and money on letters while here in the Philippines would be a very burdensome task.
they celebrate valentines and Christmas here. the main differences is that with Christmas, it's still hot and there aren't as many lights. also, they use little firecrackers or noise makes. they also sometimes have jesus impersonators who carry a cross around and crucify themselves. also, no temple light and there is no temple on my island so i can't go until my mission ends. also for deaths, they gamble for 40 days and nights next to the body.
on valentines it is roughly the same as in america but i wouldn't know, i didn't participate. although i did receive a few valentines from some of the young women in the ward. surprising because i didn't flirt with them or anything. i suppose i am their crush because they do try to talk to me a lot.
about animal interruptions in lessons. a dog is tame to the things we see here. i've had two fighting chickens run up into a lesson and fight each other in front of us. (no talons on) we've also been interrupting by other animals such as pigs, dogs, cats, goats, snakes, ducks, and goats. so far there have been no carrabaw or cows interrupting us, but it is still very possible. also, there have been plenty of human interruptions as well, such as naked kids running around or breast feeding or people getting into fights. not that i'm complaining, i think all this is funny and it makes for good stories.
dengue fever sucks. looking back, it wasn't full blown dengue but that may be becausemy immune system is stronger than average or that it was a different strain of the virus. either way it still sucked.
some of the spelling and font colors and formatting in the blog is a little messed up from what i made, i had it formatted, but through e-mail/idk some of the formatting was lost. but you get the gist of it all.
i would like to make mention of the loss of weekly reports, for any Returned missionary, weekly reports are the only way to stay in touch with your mission president when you are away from the city. well the area presidency ousted those and instead implemented IMOS which is a computer based messaging system used by the church to send in our work numbers and report. we the thing is... is that it NEVER works EVER. a lil frustrating.
pretty soon we will be getting a new mission president. i really like president Tobias and when he leaves, i'll miss him but oh well, all good things must come to an end, and who knows, the next one could be just as good or even better. his name is President Lopez (not 100% sure) and he's from Hawaii. he may be Filipino.
this week, i finally finished reading the bible from front to back (new and old testaments). before, i had never fully read the bible. now, no one can say anything to me about bible reading because i've read it from front to back. now i need to read the book of mormon and doctrine and covenants. from everything i've read, i have learned that the lord hates covenant breakers, idols, and hypocrites.
this week, i also realized that i have around 300 days left of my mission. not a long time when you think about it. i hit my 1 year and 2 months mark already! i still feel brand new out of the MTC, except kinda tired of being on a mission. but time will fly by fast.
also, one thing that i also don't like is that the people here gossip like they are still in the 7th grade. some people never grow up.
also, i would like to answer a few question from letters. i wont include names or speak about anyone's personal life but i can't really reply to letters because:
as a missionary, i don't have very much time, energy or money. i need to focus on the basic necessities to sustain myself and to do the work. to spend time and money on letters while here in the Philippines would be a very burdensome task.
it's easier and quicker here.
i'd need to buy paper
i'd need to write it
i'd need to buy an envelope
i'd need to pay shipping
i'd need to make a trip to the post office
the letter probably wouldn't arrive anyways, if it did, it'd be 6 months later.
they celebrate valentines and Christmas here. the main differences is that with Christmas, it's still hot and there aren't as many lights. also, they use little firecrackers or noise makes. they also sometimes have jesus impersonators who carry a cross around and crucify themselves. also, no temple light and there is no temple on my island so i can't go until my mission ends. also for deaths, they gamble for 40 days and nights next to the body.
on valentines it is roughly the same as in america but i wouldn't know, i didn't participate. although i did receive a few valentines from some of the young women in the ward. surprising because i didn't flirt with them or anything. i suppose i am their crush because they do try to talk to me a lot.
about animal interruptions in lessons. a dog is tame to the things we see here. i've had two fighting chickens run up into a lesson and fight each other in front of us. (no talons on) we've also been interrupting by other animals such as pigs, dogs, cats, goats, snakes, ducks, and goats. so far there have been no carrabaw or cows interrupting us, but it is still very possible. also, there have been plenty of human interruptions as well, such as naked kids running around or breast feeding or people getting into fights. not that i'm complaining, i think all this is funny and it makes for good stories.
dengue fever sucks. looking back, it wasn't full blown dengue but that may be becausemy immune system is stronger than average or that it was a different strain of the virus. either way it still sucked.
i played varsity as a freshman as well, i was brought up after the season and didn't get much playing time. i know how it feels to be in that situation. it may be intimidating to be in that position but it's also a chance to showcase your skills and to improve. the coaches though that i was good enough to go up and that definitely meant that i as good. but even so, don't ever get a head bigger than your helmet. or don't get a big ego or get cocky.
Monday, February 27, 2012
February 27, 2012
silly scripture of the week is Deuteronomy 22:11-12
now, here is where i talk about a few of the silly scriptures that i have used. many of these verses are silly because of the depravity of the ancient israelites at the time and hence, the lord had to give them strict laws. some are silly because of translations, as someone who is bilingual, translation are definitely sometimes tricky because languages are very different in more than just the words, but also structure and meaning. many of these scriptures seem unrelated to the gospel (and truly they are) and are sometimes very silly, but they are still scripture none the less. (except for the song of solomon that's not) wearing certain clothing administered by the lord is not something silly or new. many of these commandments are very symbolic and the deeper meaning can be known only through deep study of the scriptures. for jesus himself said (when speaking to his apostles) that "Unto you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God: but unto them that are without, all these things are done in parables" so there are many secrets hidden by the lord so that they can be revealed to us. the world around us is full of symbols you are looking at symbols right now. a few lines put together make a letter, a few letters put together make a word, a few words put together make a thought. it is through these small symbols that we build big thoughts.and by very small means the Lord doth confound the wise and bringeth about the salvation of many souls. as we look at symbols in the bible, we need not suppose that these symbols cannot be used in today's' application. i have also included an excerpt from preparing to enter into the holy temple.
On one occasion one of the brethren was invited to speak to the faculty and staff of the Navy Chaplains Training School in Newport, Rhode Island. The audience included a number of high-ranking naval chaplains from the Catholic, Protestant, and Jewish faiths.
In the question-and-answer period one of the chaplains asked, “Can you tell us something about the special underwear that some Mormon servicemen wear?” The implication was, “Why do you do that? Isn’t it strange? Doesn’t that present a problem?”
To the chaplain who made the inquiry he responded with a question: “Which church do you represent?” In response he named one of the Protestant churches.
He said, “In civilian life and also when conducting the meetings in the military service you wear clerical clothing, do you not?” The chaplain said that he did.
He continued: “I would suppose that that has some importance to you, that in a sense it sets you apart from the rest of your congregation. It is your uniform, as it were, of the ministry. Also, I suppose it may have a much more important place. It reminds you of who you are and what your obligations and covenants are. It is a continual reminder that you are a member of the clergy, that you regard yourself as a servant of the Lord, and that you are responsible to live in such a way as to be worthy of your ordination.”
He then told them: “You should be able to understand at least one of our reasons why Latter-day Saints have a deep spiritual commitment concerning the garment. A major difference between your churches and ours is that we do not have a professional clergy, as you do. The congregations are all presided over by local leaders. They are men called from all walks of life. Yet they are ordained to the priesthood. They hold offices in the priesthood. They are set apart to presiding positions as presidents, counselors, and leaders in various categories. The women, too, share in that responsibility and in those obligations. The man who heads our congregation on Sunday as the bishop may go to work on Monday as a postal clerk, as an office worker, a farmer, a doctor; or he may be an air force pilot or a naval officer. By our standard he is as much an ordained minister as you are by your standard. He is recognized as such by most governments. We draw something of the same benefits from this special clothing as you would draw from your clerical vestments. The difference is that we wear ours under our clothing instead of outside, for we are employed in various occupations in addition to our service in the Church. These sacred things we do not wish to parade before the world.”
He then explained that there are some deeper spiritual meanings as well, connecting the practice of wearing this garment with covenants that are made in the temple. We wouldn’t find it necessary to discuss these—not that they are secret, he repeated, but because they are sacred.
The garment, covering the body, is a visual and tactile reminder of these covenants. For many Church members the garment has formed a barrier of protection when the wearer has been faced with temptation. Among other things it symbolizes our deep respect for the laws of God—among them the moral standard.
i will change subjects now. many people have tried to disprove the book of Mormon by very clever means and a lot of the time, very idiotic means. but for each and every argument, it has withstood the test of time. many of the old arguments that i have heard are now obsolete. people laugh about horses on the american continent because everybody knows that the Spanish brought horses to the Americas. but not everyone knows that before that, there is evidence of horses living and then gradually becoming extinct before the Spanish arrived. some laugh at translation mistakes but no one remembers all the incorrect words in the bible, for instance, i have created a long list of scriptures which show bad translations in my silly scriptures. when i get home, i would invite anyone to try to disprove my religion and then i will tear apart theirs and show how what they believe is little more than smoke and mirrors. and that the catholic church is little more than a false church which has VERY far away from the truth. i could spend more time going into detail about things like this but i must get going.
well for this week, there is no real news. just been working on helping ALOT of less active members return to church. there's talk of me going into the office, i'm not sure what yet though. maybe i'll step up soon. but it's still just talk right now, nothing is finalized.
sometime this week, i found out that most American missionaries have embraced the Filipino culture of bathroom etiquette. meaning that they don't use toilet paper, "oh well when in rome." i propose this question though, if you can buy it every week, why not use it. and why also do you use your hands to eat as well. check and mate. as for me, i will still use toilet paper and kitchen utensils. for people preparing to go on a mission, either prepare yourself in advance, or make a promise to yourself that you will continue to utilize proper hygienic procedures. like i did. all you need to do is plan in advance.
one thing that annoys me is that people are still like children here. it is true that many are children raised by children with very little schooling. but that is no excuse for not having any manners. many people make fun of my accent, obviously i'm an american, i'm not native, so i will speak a little differently. many also grab things out of people's hand without even asking. like a child grabbing a toy from his sibling. even adults do this. a lot of the time the thing that they are grabbing at is a very expensive and very delicate thing like a camera. then they fight over it when it's not even theirs and it ends up breaking. advice to prepare for a mission, get used to things like this.
February 20, 2012
silly scripture of the week is Dueteronomy 22:5
this week, i had the privilege to baptize Jay-Ar Datiles Donato and Claudette Dominique Seva Monton and Elder Reyes baptized Joshua Seva Monton.
so as a little clarification, MT Kanlaon is the active volcano on th eisland if anyone wants to know.
something funny that happened last week. my companion receive a letter from his girlfriend back at home. it was a dear john, the main reason for breaking up was that she "needed space" which brings up the question, how much space does she need? 500 miles and one letter a week is too suffocating for her?!?!? for anyone planning on breaking up with someone on a mission or in the armed services, do not use the stupid "i need space excuse" it's rude and it's an obvious lie and shows just how little respect that person has for the other.
for people planning on going on a mission.
i haven't tried it but prickly heat powder might help for the prickly heat.
also, if i haven't already said this, read "first twelve weeks" it is basically the training for missionaries
for people sending packages. please include a detailed list of things inside the package (and put it inside the package) this will help curb elders from taking stuff out of packages. this is because the supply manager is palagput gid. what this mean is that he doesn't know what he's doing. also, many things are sent in packages, not all of these things are useful. sometimes, when sending a package, it is best not to include things which are made in china and are prone to breaking. it would be best to include strong resilient things which can withstand shipment.
in mission news. it is now forbidden to tract. some people may not understand this so i will explain. i no longer have to talk to everyone i see and ask them if i can share to them. i only can share to members, meaning inactive members. also,zone activities are now no longer allowed. stupid missionaries ruining things for the rest of us. there are a lot of dungle (disobedient) missionaries in my mission which ruin everything for everyone.
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