Hello po!
Wow... First of all, it seems weird that Richelle even went to the prom... ^^'' I probably could've gone, I just never bothered to. Hope she had fun. I like the prom dress. :D That's a neat design.
...It also seems weird to me that Richelle's a senior. I know she's been a senior for like a year now, but it's still weird... ;P Like. I look at that prom picture you guys sent, and I'm like, "Back in my day, those guys were all sophomores..." o.O
This week's been a bit tough for us. The Sarmiento family, as I might've mentioned last week, didn't come to the temple tour last Saturday, with no real explanation why. They also didn't show up to church last week, nor this week. And every time we come to their house, they hide from us. We showed up on Wednesday, and as we called at the door, we could see a light on and could hear whispering from inside, "Diyan ka lang!" ("Stay there!"). Then Analyn, a lady that lives with them, came out and told us that they weren't home. >.> I don't appreciate being lied to. The hardest thing about all of it is that I have no idea why they're avoiding us. When we talked to them the week before, they were just fine, but now, all of a sudden, they're pulling this on us. :/ It's stressful.
The members have given us a few more referrals this week, though, which have pretty good potential. Claro Diaz, when we started teaching him yesterday, first called his wife over, and then his son, Paulo, who's 19. They enjoyed our message, and when we set a return appointment, they made sure it was on a day when they would all be there. The only unfortunate thing is that they're only available every Sunday. They said they'd go to church, though, so I'm hoping to see them there.
On Friday, we had zone conference, where we watched a talk that Elder Jeffrey R. Holland gave at the MTC in January. Elder Gillette had actually already heard the talk, because he was THERE when Elder Holland gave the talk (jealous! :P ). It was powerful, telling the story about Peter, after the death and Resurrection of Christ. Peter and the other Apostles didn't know what to do, so they just went home and went back to what they were used to doing before: fishing. Christ then came to them and found them fishing. He asked Peter three times: "Do you love me?" Peter answered him all three times, "Yea, Lord. Thou knowest I love thee." Jesus's reply was, "Feed my sheep." Elder Holland then expounded, "When I told you to leave your nets, it was forever. When I told you to follow me, it was forever. When I called you to be an apostle, I meant forever! When I called you to be a missionary, it meant forever!!" If we truly love Christ, we need to do everything we can to serve Him and follow Him. Even after the mission, we still need to serve Him. It was a powerful talk. Elder Holland's probably my favorite Apostle.
Also at zone conference, I was in for a bit of a surprise. The De Guzman family, my recent converts from Boni 4th, were there. They were the ones assigned to cater for us and provide the food for zone conference. It was like, "Ah! Hello!" :D I love the De Guzman family. They've expanded, too, since I left. Sister De Guzman has apparently been giving all kinds of referrals since I left, many of which have also been baptized. Jonah De Guzman recently got engaged to Bro. Lue, the ward mission leader (or at least, he was the ward mission leader when I was there), and they'll be sealed in the temple in September. That, more than anything else, is probably what brings me the greatest joy in missionary work, even more than baptisms. Baptisms are great and all, but nothing brings me greater joy than seeing recent converts again a few months later and have them still be strong, active members of the Church. The letters I get most excited about, more than letters from friends back at home (not that I ever get any of those.... :P ), are letters from recent converts, telling me that they're still doing great, and that they're still active in the Church.
Elder Lehi Surio, one of the old ward missionaries from Boni 4th, who's currently serving in the Cebu Mission, also writes me occasionally. He's been doing amazingly so far on his mission. He's only had 4 companions so far: His trainer, his follow-up trainer, his follow-up trainee, and his trainee. o.o He's been doing really well, and he's just loving his mission. It's real fun reading his letters.
Last night was the Missionary Musical Fireside (originally meant for Easter, but it got pushed off because of Jubilee). It was pretty fun. I played "All of Me" for it, and, of course, everyone loved it. John Schmidt pieces are so much fun to play, fun to listen to, and fun to watch (the most fun, of course, is the part where you get to bang on the piano with your forearms. :D RAAAAAWR!!!! >:D ) The other musical numbers turned out really cool, too. The missionary choir numbers turned out relatively well, considering it was a choir of 160 missionaries, only 10% of which can sing. Sister Horne, who was in my district in the MTC, played a really cool arrangement of "If You Could Hie to Kolob." It was beautiful.
I saw a number of members from Boni 4th at the fireside, including the De Guzman family, which was pretty fun. I miss that ward a lot. I got word from them that Sis. Vilma and Bro. Sy are still active, still going to church, though Vilma went home to her province. I also talked to the missionaries currently assigned in Molino and heard that they've gotten a hold of the Guda family again. They've moved to Bacoor, though, so hopefully they've been successful referred, and hopefully they're being taught again and coming to church and everything. They were some of the most golden investigators I've ever met, and it would be a shame to see them lost. They also told me, though, that Mexi has been struggling to come to church again.. :/ Sigh... She has great faith, she just needs to use it. Hopefully, things will work out for her.
Anyway, that's about it for this week. I actually finally got those essays written out on paper for the application (DO YOU KNOW HOW BLOODY HARD IT IS TO KEEP THINGS LIKE THAT UNDER 200 WORDS?!), but I unfortunately forgot to bring them with today. Next week I'll get those typed in and finalize the application. Took me long enough, huh? ;P
Love you all! :D Ingat kayo lagi!
Love,
Elder David Jones
P.S. I didn't know that cockroaches bit people either until I got here... I hate the little buggers, especially when they fly. When they're on the ground, they're fine, but when they fly, it's like, "AAAAAH, THERE'S A LARGE INSECT IN THE AIR!!! AAAAAGH!!!!!"
Cockroach bites are nasty things, too. ;P Swelled up like a bugger.
There are some ginormous bees around here, too. I can't imagine it being any fun to get stung by those...
Wow... First of all, it seems weird that Richelle even went to the prom... ^^'' I probably could've gone, I just never bothered to. Hope she had fun. I like the prom dress. :D That's a neat design.
...It also seems weird to me that Richelle's a senior. I know she's been a senior for like a year now, but it's still weird... ;P Like. I look at that prom picture you guys sent, and I'm like, "Back in my day, those guys were all sophomores..." o.O
This week's been a bit tough for us. The Sarmiento family, as I might've mentioned last week, didn't come to the temple tour last Saturday, with no real explanation why. They also didn't show up to church last week, nor this week. And every time we come to their house, they hide from us. We showed up on Wednesday, and as we called at the door, we could see a light on and could hear whispering from inside, "Diyan ka lang!" ("Stay there!"). Then Analyn, a lady that lives with them, came out and told us that they weren't home. >.> I don't appreciate being lied to. The hardest thing about all of it is that I have no idea why they're avoiding us. When we talked to them the week before, they were just fine, but now, all of a sudden, they're pulling this on us. :/ It's stressful.
The members have given us a few more referrals this week, though, which have pretty good potential. Claro Diaz, when we started teaching him yesterday, first called his wife over, and then his son, Paulo, who's 19. They enjoyed our message, and when we set a return appointment, they made sure it was on a day when they would all be there. The only unfortunate thing is that they're only available every Sunday. They said they'd go to church, though, so I'm hoping to see them there.
On Friday, we had zone conference, where we watched a talk that Elder Jeffrey R. Holland gave at the MTC in January. Elder Gillette had actually already heard the talk, because he was THERE when Elder Holland gave the talk (jealous! :P ). It was powerful, telling the story about Peter, after the death and Resurrection of Christ. Peter and the other Apostles didn't know what to do, so they just went home and went back to what they were used to doing before: fishing. Christ then came to them and found them fishing. He asked Peter three times: "Do you love me?" Peter answered him all three times, "Yea, Lord. Thou knowest I love thee." Jesus's reply was, "Feed my sheep." Elder Holland then expounded, "When I told you to leave your nets, it was forever. When I told you to follow me, it was forever. When I called you to be an apostle, I meant forever! When I called you to be a missionary, it meant forever!!" If we truly love Christ, we need to do everything we can to serve Him and follow Him. Even after the mission, we still need to serve Him. It was a powerful talk. Elder Holland's probably my favorite Apostle.
Also at zone conference, I was in for a bit of a surprise. The De Guzman family, my recent converts from Boni 4th, were there. They were the ones assigned to cater for us and provide the food for zone conference. It was like, "Ah! Hello!" :D I love the De Guzman family. They've expanded, too, since I left. Sister De Guzman has apparently been giving all kinds of referrals since I left, many of which have also been baptized. Jonah De Guzman recently got engaged to Bro. Lue, the ward mission leader (or at least, he was the ward mission leader when I was there), and they'll be sealed in the temple in September. That, more than anything else, is probably what brings me the greatest joy in missionary work, even more than baptisms. Baptisms are great and all, but nothing brings me greater joy than seeing recent converts again a few months later and have them still be strong, active members of the Church. The letters I get most excited about, more than letters from friends back at home (not that I ever get any of those.... :P ), are letters from recent converts, telling me that they're still doing great, and that they're still active in the Church.
Elder Lehi Surio, one of the old ward missionaries from Boni 4th, who's currently serving in the Cebu Mission, also writes me occasionally. He's been doing amazingly so far on his mission. He's only had 4 companions so far: His trainer, his follow-up trainer, his follow-up trainee, and his trainee. o.o He's been doing really well, and he's just loving his mission. It's real fun reading his letters.
Last night was the Missionary Musical Fireside (originally meant for Easter, but it got pushed off because of Jubilee). It was pretty fun. I played "All of Me" for it, and, of course, everyone loved it. John Schmidt pieces are so much fun to play, fun to listen to, and fun to watch (the most fun, of course, is the part where you get to bang on the piano with your forearms. :D RAAAAAWR!!!! >:D ) The other musical numbers turned out really cool, too. The missionary choir numbers turned out relatively well, considering it was a choir of 160 missionaries, only 10% of which can sing. Sister Horne, who was in my district in the MTC, played a really cool arrangement of "If You Could Hie to Kolob." It was beautiful.
I saw a number of members from Boni 4th at the fireside, including the De Guzman family, which was pretty fun. I miss that ward a lot. I got word from them that Sis. Vilma and Bro. Sy are still active, still going to church, though Vilma went home to her province. I also talked to the missionaries currently assigned in Molino and heard that they've gotten a hold of the Guda family again. They've moved to Bacoor, though, so hopefully they've been successful referred, and hopefully they're being taught again and coming to church and everything. They were some of the most golden investigators I've ever met, and it would be a shame to see them lost. They also told me, though, that Mexi has been struggling to come to church again.. :/ Sigh... She has great faith, she just needs to use it. Hopefully, things will work out for her.
Anyway, that's about it for this week. I actually finally got those essays written out on paper for the application (DO YOU KNOW HOW BLOODY HARD IT IS TO KEEP THINGS LIKE THAT UNDER 200 WORDS?!), but I unfortunately forgot to bring them with today. Next week I'll get those typed in and finalize the application. Took me long enough, huh? ;P
Love you all! :D Ingat kayo lagi!
Love,
Elder David Jones
P.S. I didn't know that cockroaches bit people either until I got here... I hate the little buggers, especially when they fly. When they're on the ground, they're fine, but when they fly, it's like, "AAAAAH, THERE'S A LARGE INSECT IN THE AIR!!! AAAAAGH!!!!!"
Cockroach bites are nasty things, too. ;P Swelled up like a bugger.
There are some ginormous bees around here, too. I can't imagine it being any fun to get stung by those...
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