RESTAURANT AND CARS - Field Week 15

 OVERVIEW

Not much has happened in these past couple days, except that it is fiesta the next couple days, so we are getting fed a lot. We also walked up to this restaurant we wanted to try, but it was closed. So we were standing there trying to figure out what to do and a lady came out and asked us what we were there for. We ended up talking to her about when their  hours are, and told her we were going to come back and try it. We found out through talking to her, that she used to work with one of the members in our branch. She then brought us inside, sat us down and fed us, even though the restaurant was closed. And she even paid for the meal.

The branch also found out I like cars. So now they have asked me to do a lot of work on their cars, which is making me so happy. I have missed working on cars.

After writing last week's email title, I started thinking about the myth of Sisyphus. I ended up coming up with some ideas about it, and wrote a paper on it. So I'll put the link. If you read it, please message me and tell me your thoughts.

Sisyphus paper

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1v2X5HXQd8hPB_XPhYuUc1qBzZ1b0s2OO9RLljytlTQ0/edit?usp=drivesdk

Feeling Like Sisyphus, But We Are Vibing - Field Weeks 13-14

AREA

This area is pretty cool. The apartment is small, its two stories, but all it is is a kitchen and bathroom on the bottom floor, and one bedroom up top and that's it. But it's a beach house, so it has a really cool view of the ocean. The area is also really big. To get from area apartment to the farthest part, is a 45 minute drive by car up a mountain. We are going to bike it on the 31st, because I want to say that I've done it. We also have a couple islands that are also in our area, but we are only allowed to go if we have an actual reason to go, and so far, we have no reason.

COMPANION

My companion started out chill, but the more time I spend with him the more I don't like him. I have been on the mission 3 weeks longer than him. He is 23 and he treats me like a child and it makes me so mad. He also will never make a decision for himself. I'm getting tired of telling him that I don't care, and it is up to him. He also keeps pressuring me to memorize these pointless things, and he gives me a new one every day, even when I tell him straight up that I'm not doing it. I think what I have learned from my experience so far, with loving Elder Gamot and Elder Urdaneta, and struggling with Elder Llanos and Elder Niez, is that I work well with people who are confident, work hard, and know the role they play in the work. We get outside to work and there is no having to ask each other what we think we should do. Thinking back to my job back home, I was the same. The coworkers who knew their part and were confident in doing it, were easy to get along with. BUT we get outside every day and work which is so amazing. I have finally got super comfortable finding people and introducing us to them.

PEOPLE

The people in this area are so amazing. The members are the kindest and funniest people ever. And all the people that we find are always so inviting and give us food, and it's so great. We found this one nanay who, when we first walked up, seemed super annoyed that we were there. So I gave my whole spiel and told her who we were. And while my comp was saying his part, I said a prayer that her heart would be open and that she would need our message. She ended up letting us sit down. And after talking with her for a few minutes, she ended up telling us about how she bought some land from this guy, and apparently the guy's kids want the land. But since they can't get it legally, since she bought it, they are spreading rumors about her. We were able to share a message about prayer with her. And one of my favorite things to say in lessons is, "God wants to talk to you and help you through your trials." I was able to share that and let her know that our Father in Heaven is there for her when she needs it. After, she ended up giving us some bananas. I just thought it was so cool to see that she started off so irritated, and all I did was pray, and by the end of it she was feeding us.

KUYA GRANT

Kuya means brother btw, but kuya Grant is just this kid that is 4 years old, born and raised in Bohol with Filipino parents, and he only speaks english. I just think it's crazy. He is also the cutest kid. He kept calling me handsome and saying I was his best friend. And he kept saying that he wants to be a missionary. So, I put my nametag on him. I have pictures in my google photos of him. After the picture, I showed him and he said, "Okay, you got my thumbs up." He also doesn't stop talking. Like, I mean, there isn't a single moment of silence. There are always words coming out of his mouth. It is actually impressive.

ANSWER TO PRAYER - Field Week 12

 MY AREA

Holy cow I never want to leave this place. It is so beautiful here, my google photos are actually good photos now. My apartment is so much better than in Cebu. It's big and clean, and the neighbors are so kind. The people here are so amazing. In Cebu they would always laugh at me when I tried to speak, but here they always tell me to try and tell each other to listen to me. Also in Cebu they all speak English, so everyone would always speak to me in English. But here, no one knows English, so they only speak to me in bisaya and I'm forced to understand and speak it. I am in a branch, and our meeting house is a family’s house. The branch president and members are trying super hard to get a church building built. The branch president is so dedicated to his calling. Everything he does is geared towards building the church, and it just makes me want to work harder to help them.

ELDER URDANETA

My new comp, Elder Urdaneta, is literally the biggest answer to prayer I could have asked for. We get out every day, and sometimes all we eat for lunch is bread. We are constantly working, and it is so great. He also has been helping me a ton with the language. He actually does language study with me. He is also just a super fun and funny person. Just an all around great guy to be around. The only thing that sucks is that President messaged me and said that they are still praying and pondering about transfers. So there is a chance that I will only get to be with him for just this week. I also feel so bad because this is a biking area with FAT hills to climb, and my legs are not used to it yet. They hurt so bad. But I feel bad because I feel like I am holding Elder Urdaneta back because he has to stop and wait for me to catch up sometimes. I push as hard as I can every time, but I'm still so slow right now.

LANGUAGE

I went from last transfer feeling like I was never going to learn the language, to this transfer making a goal to be the most bisdak missionary. Just in this one week I have made insane progress, being able to hold 5-10 minute conversations with people, and being able to finally teach a little and share a solid testimony and prayer. It has felt really good when a couple of times people have asked Elder Urdaneta questions about me, and before he can respond I will respond, and then they will get excited that I understand. I still have a long way to go, but I am so happy with my progress, and am anxious to continue learning. 

LAMAW

There is a family here who are investigators, and when I first met them we made two plans. One was for me to help them harvest or plant rice in their rice fields, and the second was to make lamaw. I haven't worked in the rice fields yet, but we did make lamaw. Lamaw is coconut water, ice, coconut meat, evaporated milk, and crackers. It was really fun to watch him climb the tree and cut them down, and to learn how to make it. It also tasted so good. I will definitely crave it when I go home. Also, this family came to church which was super awesome.

SERVICE PROJECT

We had a service project for a family in the sister’s area. We cut down bamboo, and built them a place to wash their dishes. I was so happy that I got to build something. It has been 4 months since I have been able to build anything. I got in a flow, and it was so fun, even with it pouring rain so hard. I have videos and pictures on my google photos. It also felt super good when the guy there told Elder Urdaneta that I was really good at building stuff, and using the tools. I still got it, haha. Also apparently there is a service project next week building a house. 

So fingers crossed I will still be here.

CLOSING

Please, please, please look at my photos and see how pretty this place is. Overall this has been the biggest answer to prayer. After my last transfer, staying inside all day every day, and wanting to go home, being here on this beautiful island was such a big blessing from Heavenly Father. This experience just shows me how aware he is of all of us. I just hope that it is in his plans for me to stay here. My mission is some people's paradise. This island is so great.

EMERGENCY TRANSFERRED - WEEK 10 - 11

 GOOGLE PHOTOS

https://photos.app.goo.gl/LUV8Q2aNgr3m2k7M8

I started writing this last week, and then got distracted and never finished it, but some crazy, and exciting things have happened since last week. The first part of the email will be from last week, and then everything after the temple will be this week.

EXCHANGES

This week I did exchanges with one of the ZL's Elder Coy. He is from pensylvania. When I first met him I thought he was a robot. I felt like he was just way to positive and couldn't joke around, but actually spending a day with him changed that. He is honestly a super cool dude. Still has a little but of robot to him, but he taught me a lot. I learned more in that one day than I have in the whole transfer. He helped me to be able to help more in lessons and helped me know what to start focusing on. I lined up a great schedule, and we had a super successful day of teachings.

ONE FOR MY MOM

We have this inactive member tatay diego who we always stop by on the way to our investigators house. For weeks he has had his church clothes ready, but every week he doesnt't show, but me and elder coy finally got him to commit, and he came on sunday. My mom has always told me to focus on retention, so it made me super happy to see him in church.

Temple

Holy cow I missed the temple. We had three zones all go to the temple at the same time so it was pretty cool to see a ton of missionaries. The Cebu temple is in the Cebu mission, sobwe had to cross missions. Elder Crider, who was in my district in the mtc, is in the Cebu mission so on the way there I was thinking it would be funny if we saw him. I was sitting down outside the temple talking to my mom, and I look up and see Elder Crider. I jumped up so fast and almost hung up on my mom becuase I was so excited. It was so crazy. Then, we went to the mall, which was so nice, and we ate texas roadhouse, and dairy queen. It was just what I needed. This whole day just felt like a vaction. Also while eating at texas roadhouse I saw Elder Kuri who was my comp in the mtc. It was super cool.

ET

I realized there is really only on thing that happened this week. This week was awful, we only went out and taught one day and it was because some members messaged us and asked to teach with us. Well on saturday, after a day of laying in bed all day and not leaving the house, I was thinking about how I hope that I eventually get a comp that wants to work and how I wanted to get out of the apartment, and then I get a message from President Scott that says, "can you give me a call when you have a moment" I got scared, but I stepped outside and called him. He asked me about how the work went that day, and if we got anyone invited to church to which I may have dodged those questions, and then he tells me the big news. He said that I was going to be transfered early. He said that an Elder is having some medical issues and needs to be closer to a hospital, and I would ve taking his place. He then says the greatest thing I have ever heard. My new area is buenavista BOHOL. He told me that my new comp was an AP last transfer, and again that was some great news because that means he will actually get outside and work. The craziest thing though is that he said I will be leaving monday morning which meant that I had exactly one day to pack everything up and say goodbye to those I wanted to say goodbye to. This whole situation was just a huge answer to prayer and showed me that heavenly father is aware of me. 

TRANSFER DAY

I am so glad I am leaving because the water turned off in our apartment and the apartment was getting dirty again. I got picked up by the AP's and we went to burger king, and I got to get to know them a little bit which was pretty cool. I then loaded up on the ferry which was so hard because the mission gave me two extra bags, so now I have 5 bags of stuff I have to lug around by myself. I also think that was the craziest thing, because I am by myself on a ferry, hoping I am doing this all right, and I have no sim card or wifi so I have no contact with anyone. Pulling up to the island was insane, seeing the palm trees, I just thought, "I can't believe this is my mission" it is so beautiful.

After getting picked up I imediately got thrown into zone activity which was honestly very overwhelming for the moment, but after getting to know some people, and catching up with Sister Anderson from the mtc, things quickly became normal again. There are some really genuine people in this zone, and I am super excited to get to know them. 

EXTRA LITTLE THINGS

- saw a cow (in my google photos)

- a member from my old area messaged me an appreciation message

- we live across from a cemetery

- saw a open casket with a body inside on the side of the main road with candles all around it.