Week 20 Santo Domingo Philippines

This week was pretty lame. We got punted all day on Tuesday and Wednesday, because it's the rice harvest right now, and no one was home... We had a few lessons but, mehhhhh... Then on Thursday after district meeting, Elder Legaspi got a really bad fever, He was super hot, and weak, and his body ached, so he had to stay in the apartment and rest. He was sick Thursday and Friday, so no work.  Also we attended a member baptism Saturday morning, and then had FHE in the evening, so we really didn't have the most productive week, kinda lame.  

I'm excited to get back working this week.  So yah.... I had a lot of time for personal study this week, which on the other hand is kinda nice.  I finished reading about the teachings of Ezra Taft Benson, and read all of Matthew, Mark, and now I'm half way through Luke.  President Benson says we should be studying the Book of Mormon always, and that yes, some scripture is more important than others. So I need to return to the Bom and D&C, but i really really want to read the New Testament, so I'm trying to read it fast.  

Alsooooo, haha, Tumitira kami sa impierno..... haha. (Translate yourselves if you want)  So, a little background; Every since my first day in Santo Domingo, we only have had one working fan We have two, but it is broken. (the standard is one fan per missionary)  . And Elder Tejada used it to sleep every night.  So I have been sweating my self to sleep every night here in Santo. Since this transfer, Me and Elder Legaspi have been switching off every night using the fan to sleep.  But it broke a week and a half ago. We are burning alive. It is soo flippin hot in our apartment. Like literally, we are studying the scriptures and we are drenched in sweat.   We have contacted sister Andrada about the sitch, as well as the office Elders, but they haven't really been of much help to us so far.  So we are probs gonna buy some fans ourselves and then have the office reimburse us later. haha. Also, the mosquitoes are still alive and breeding in the apartment, but as long as you stay moving and sleep under a mosquito net, you only get bit sometimes.  haha.  

Me and Elder Legaspi are laughing and joking and are really getting along well. The Tagalog is still coming as well.   Our area is so big, and are bikes are so crappy, and it's so hot, and we are always so tires, and we have no fans, and no AC. But buhay pa. haha Still a great time. No greater work, no greater need.  

Sorry, not many pics this week. I've been in the apartment sweating bullets most of this week haha. But here is us eating, and here's a selfie.  HANG LOOSE.  

Next week na lang.

-Elder Andersen

Week 19 Santo Domingo Philippines

Cge, I apologize for the no pictures last week. The comp I was using was giving me troubles.

Any way. We had Elder Haynie of the Seventy come to Laoag! It was awesome. We learned about how to involve the ward and help them become missionary oriented. We learned about the keys of the gathering of Israel, we learned about lots of cool stuffff.  We were free to ask inspired questions, so there were lots of questions, and a lot of different topics that were addressed. My favorite thing was we read about Enoch, and his mission call, and his weakness, and then his power. Then we read moses 6:38 I think? 38 And they came forth to hear him, upon the high places, saying unto the tent-keepers: Tarry ye here and keep the tents, while we go yonder to behold the seer, for he prophesieth, and there is a strange thing in the land; a wildman hath come among us.

Haha. Elder Haynie asked us if we knew if the Filipinos were saying these kinds of things about us. Haha. I immediately wrote down in my planner "BE THE WILD MAN"  that's been my motto ever since.

Yeshhh, Work still slow here in good 'ole Santo Domingo.  We really went out and tried to focus on the members and less actives this week, according to the counsel of Elder Haynie and Presdient Andrada. We reached out to some people and we are trying to train them to be missionaries.

Also there was this super cool Australian dude, he was building his house for retirement being one of our less actives house. He was tall, stocky, tan, and just like... a man.  He had sunglasses and a safari hat, and all these catholic necklaces, and this super deep accent and yah, he was way cool. It was really weird because I talked with him in English and it was really hard. We introduced ourselves, and he said " I'm more of a mercenary than a missionary"  But yah, he said he knew everything their was to know about Mormons.  He thought Brigham Young was the founder, so maybe he doesn't know everything haha. I asked him why he hadn't joined yet, he deflected and then He offered me a beer and I obviously said no. he was like," I know your a Mormon, but still, any Yankee likes a good beer." Hahah.  I told him to come to church with us and offered to teach him.  I'm pretty sure he was drunk the whole time we were talking to him haha. I then asked him if he had read the book of Mormon, and he said he had some but never read them. I said " ahh man, that's the key, you have to read the book man!"  He told me to "  go away, return, and we will talk some more later" haha.  Funny guy.

Yeshh, No investigators at church for us on Sunday :( The sister missionaries had some, but they have been at the hospital for a week, Sister Staples has Dengue. :I  One of the La's said he would come today, but wala siya! Ano ba iyon!?

I've really noticed my Tagalog is improving a lot, still have a long way to go, pero basta, umunlad siya!

cge na, sa darating Linggo, Mageemail tayo!

Thank you for your emails and your prayers and your support I love you all!

-Elder Andersen

Elder Haynie of the Seventy and Sister Haynie

Those tagapagbawal, JokeLang, Obedient us! 

 

Splits in San Juan. Super cute, it hurts my eyes! Too much handsome ... 

Don't ask, okay I tell you. This is the former president of the Philippines, who is from Vigan.He is a centaur.  He also slays wild African beasts and skins them, and they are all in the Baluarte zoo.  He also walked the streets of Vigan with a tiger on a chain, while probably accidentally flipping off the camera. I took a pic of it haha.  So macho talaga

Week 18 Santo Domingo Philippines

Starting week 9 in the Philippines. 

Hard week as far as the work goes. We've had to rearrange a lot this week. A lot of investigators have lost interest, a few have said they don't want to be taught, and we ourselves have dropped a lot, simply because they just aren't really showing interest and a desire to change, nor keeping their commitments.  Which is good because now we can find the ones who are interested.  Also a lot of the new investigators that we found last week turned out to not be so interested. So we still have many people to find haha. FIND FIND FIND FIND. 

Elder Legaspi is awesome. Like I said, barely speaks English, but we are getting along really well, and we laugh a lot. It's definitely been helping my Tagalog a lot, as well as my ability to joke around in Tagalog. He is always smiling and laughing and we are having fun, despite the difficulty of the work.  

 I've done a lot of reading this week.  I finished the BOM, and read this D&C story book with lots of cool stories of the early history of the church, mostly about Joseph Smith and Brigham Young. I started reading about the life and teachings of President Ezra Taft Benson, which is awesome. I really like Ezra Taft Benson, he was a BOM trooper as well, which I love.  I read some cool stories about his mission to England, as well as his assignments while being in the quorum of the 12 during after the devastation of WW2 in Europe, and all sorts of cool stuff. I think

 

 I am gonna read the New Testament next.

Ummm. ano pa? I've decided to pursue and especially pray for the Gift of Charity, in which Mormon explains in Moroni 7.  It's not like I don't love the people, but I've decided I need to lose myself completely. It's just the easiest as well as the most intelligent thing to do. Sige more next week. 

 

Love you all. Thank you for your prayers and your emails!

-Elder Andersen

Week 17 Santo Domingo Philippines

Transfer Cycle 2, Week 1 

Week 8 in the field?  Yah. Interesting week. My new Companion is Elder Legaspi from Cavite! He has been out about 7 months.  He knows even less English than my last companion Elder Tejada did! Hahahah but I can understand his Tagalog much easier than Elder Tejada's so it's better.  

First thing Elder Legaspi did was rearrange the entire apartment and deep clean everything.  Sometimes he even cleans rather than study haha. He loves to cook and also to bless the food haha. We have similar ideas and desires on how to improve the work here in Santo Domingo so hopefully we will see some fruits of our labors later this transfer cycle. We decided to focus on finding big time and we found 26 new investigators this week, soooooo yah. 

I've learned more and more about the mission here and I've been very surprised. So much disobedience and carelessness among many missionaries and I won't go into details, but man. Seriously. Crazy stuff going on.  Just another reminder that it comes down to individual commitment and desire to be a good missionary. The Mission won't change you if you don't let it.  So all you kids at home that plan on serving, don't tell yourself you will be righteous later or when it's time to serve. Just like when you die, your thoughts, desires, attitude, and everything else won't change. Same thing on a mission. It's not like you walk into the MTC and you are all of ta sudden a perfect, clean, and pure vessel of the Lord that can do no wrong.  Not true.  

Oh yah, the Baguio (typhoon) came. It just rained a lot for like two days and I got lost in some puddles while biking haha.  But other than that, no damage done really.

It's been an interesting week, and another hard one. I've found my self on my knees many times this week, praying for strength, comfort, peace, confidence, and success in the area.  The Atonement is real and prayer works.  I cried a couple times this week...hehe.  One of them was while reading in 3rd Nephi when Jesus gathered the children around and commanded the people to pray... And he wept, because of his joy, and then he wept again. As soon as I read the words, "And he wept" I began to feel the Saviors love, and his Atonement. I could picture the Savior weeping because of the joy he receives because of us, but also because of our afflictions and our sorrows and sufferings. I got on my knees and covenanted with God that I would recommit myself and do everything in my power to bring these people and to a true knowledge of their Savior.  I had more cool experiences this week as well, but yah. 

Oh, I locked my self in the bathroom somehow in the San Juan Elder's apartment this morning. I had to squeeze through this tiny vent thing to get out, I still don't know how I fit haha.

I love you all and thank you for your prayers.

-Elder Andersen

Week 16 Santo Domingo...Philippines

Heyyyyyy, 

First transfer down here in Santo Domingo. Elder Tejada is going home this week and I will be leading my are in Santo Domingo with my new trainer, Elder Legaspi, whom I will be meeting tomorrow.  

So kinda interesting. We've been under warning since Saturday because of Super Typhoon Lando. It is huge, but I haven't seen it yet hahha. It was supposed to hit yesterday, and then today, but still it's just cloudy and occasional rain.  But yah, kinda scary. So still waiting for the massive typhoon to hit.  

Lots of change in the zone because of transfers.  Lots of new faces in Vigan zone so we'll see what happens.  Yesterday at church the Branch council all cried because Elder Tejada is leaving and also because Sister Paca, a sister missionary whom has been in Santo Domingo for 6 months, is getting transferred. They all cried and thanked the missionaries. It just made me want to keep serving and help build the kingdom of God here in Santo Domingo. We still don't have any solid investigators which is hard, but I'm giving everything to this area and I'm praying my guts out for them.  

Not gonna lie its been a hard 6 weeks for me emotionally, mentally, spiritually. Its been very up and down and this is hard, but I wouldn't be anywhere else. I want to thank every single one of you for your support, your words of encouragement, advice, and love. They have all been heaven sent. Thank you for your prayers.  I know the Lord is with us. 

Sige na ingat until next week! Mahal ko Kayong lahat!

-Elder Andersen

Here is the Baptista family. they are all members, but mostly less active. The boy on the right of me, Roger jr. Baptista, is 18 years old and preparing to serve a mission. He fellowships with us most days out of the week. He is the best. 

Week 15 Santo Domingo Philippines

Week 5 here in da Philippines....

Eventful week talaga.  Last Pday after email we went to the Baluarte zoo. They have like 5 tigers and a lion and all sorts of snakes and this huge trophy room with tons of animal skins of like elephants hippos and lions and tons of African animals and just lots of stuff. Pretty barbaric. haha. They were all killed by this same Filipino dude. We went with the Vigan district elders. They all held snakes and took a pictures in the tiger cage cause they are freaking dumb. They tried to get me to take a picture with the tiger but I'd rather not add to the missionary handbook of don't do's. Hahaha. It was pretty much the chillest zoo ever. Like we just walked in for free and you could literally stick your hand through the animal cages and pet them if you wanted, including the Tiger. I got a selfie with Richard Parker!!!!

Yesterday and Saturday we got to watch General Conference in Vigan. So awesome. I really enjoyed it. They talked a lot about the current persecution and how we need to be faithful, and they talked about moms and then dads and old people's wisdom and yah hahah. I really liked Uchtdorf's talk on simplifying the gospel. So true, we make things way to complicated. Just love people and serve people. The gospel is so simple that a child can grasp it.  and I liked Eyring's talk in priesthood session about church callings, and Ballard's talk about staying in the old ship Zion, and Christopherson's about the role of the Church, and all of them were good and yahhhh.  

 

 

Today, just before email, we had Zone activity at the beach in Sinait. So freaking ganda. I put my feet in the water and it was talaga like 70 degrees.  Me and Elder Pena and this Elder from Tahiti, Elder Ellis passed a soccer ball around so that was fun. I wanted to swim so bad...

 

 

As far as the work goes, still pushin along, were still finding people, but were having trouble finding good solid investigators that are willing to come to church. We also haven't had one investigator attend church since I have been here. Santo Domingo hasn't seen a baptism since May, so I'd really like to make a difference here before I get transferred to a new area who knows when. I'd really like to teach whole families, so we are trying to find families to share with, because that makes their progression and commitment keeping so much easier. Also this is Elder Tejada's last full week, he is going home on the 22nd.  So i will be getting a new comp soon. I'll have to lead the are now because the new guy who ever he is has never been to Santo Domingo obviously.  Elder Tejada decided to let me lead the proselyting for the past week and a half, so I know the area and where all the investigators live relatively, so shouldn't be a big deal.  Good stuff. Still chuggin.

 

 

Love you all

-Elder Andersen

Week 14 Santo Domingo Philippines

Hey y'all Mabuhay. Why couldn't the ocean get into Heaven? Tubig asin...hahahahahahaha figure it out. 

I'm giving everything I've got. I received some wise words of counsel from Bishop Wilkins and my uncle Mathis and many others in the previous weeks, and I have to say, y'all angels. You are all inspired in your emails. Thank you. 

I decided to stop whining and pull my weight and Bump it up to full throttle, and leave it all on the rice field. 

I've been much happier and motivated since then.

 We haven't been finding people in the previous weeks, but this week we found 9 new investigators and they have BOMs and pamphlets, and now this week were gonna fire hose them with the Word of God. Hahaha booyahhhh.  We plan on keeping up the finding, Our goal is to find 10 investigators a week. 

We also taught Brother Antonio, whom we found. We have taught him three times and after the first visit, he read the first three chapters of the BOM and he knows it is true.  He has a family to, so we plan to get in and teach his family. More on this guy later, but he is dope and has some potential.

Ummmmmm, yah. Sorry guys I'll try to take more pics of the Philippines and the kids and the families and all that for ya.

I guessed Elder Rasband as one of the new apostles and I was right heh heh IYON. 

We haven't watched GC yet, but next week.

Love you all. Proverbs 3:5-6

-Elder out-

 Also I did exchanges with this Elder from Peru on Thursday. Elder Pena! I lead the area for the first time. He is 27 years old hahaha. He was baptized 2 years ago in NY and has been out here on the mish about a year. So he knows Spanish, English, and now Tagalog. He isss dooopppe.