MERRY CHRISTMAS FROM THE PHILIPPINES

     

MALYGAYONG PASCO!

I have been in the field for a little over a week now and I am loving every second, I am in an area called San Jose Del Monte, Sapang Palay ward and it is beautiful here! My comp is American which is great so I can understand his training and helps me alot with tagalog, he's been out for 17 mo. The people are awesome, so nice and loving. So many people, Lahat mga tao, we have to pick and choose who we want to approach and try to share the gospel with. Every person I have felt to approach has been accepting and curio, some more than others which are the awesome ones. OYM open your mouth is my favorite thing to do going up to random people and they have know idea who I am and why i dress so nice. Its funny to catch people off guard like they stare at me hard core and are so shocked when I go up and TRY to speak tagalog to them. Language is tough but I love learning it and wanting to get to know how to communicate with people. If we are talking about the gospel I have a pretty good understanding of whats being said, but regular conversation I am lost most of the time. Christmas is crazy out here, people partying singing karaoke blowing things up having a good ol time. Music is one thing I really missed in the MTC, now being out here people are bumpin music 24/7 and i cant help but jam out for a little. Filipinos love me here, Ive gotten a lot of comparisons to actors, jacob from twilight and shark boy, zac efferon and tom cruise. hahaha i can kinda see jacob but zac and tom is little much.

Teaching is fun, language barrier is there but I try to listen and speak with the Spirit, (Espiritu Santo) and it truly works people understand what point i want to get across with taglish/ broken tagalog. Im always looking for the nod of their head to let me know they got what im saying. I come out of lessons happy as can be and love the work here. I know Im out here doing the right thing and wouldn't want to be anywhere else. I love this church and I know it is the true restored church here on earth through the power of Espiritu Santo. I wish I could explain and show you what its like out here. These people have already made me humble, they barely have houses or lights but they use what they have and are happy with everything. I love the Philippines and everything this church has to offer. I love you all and want you to know im am living the life out here. I have never been so passionate about anything.

I want to thank every back home for all the love and support before I came out here. You motivate me to do my best out here. I love you all, remember to be yourself and be happy. One thing I taught last night for a Christmas lesson is how short our time here on earth is and to love every second, live it up and choose the right. MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

HE'S OFF AND RUNNING!

Isaac left the Missionary Training Center Wednesday 12/16/15.  He has been studding hard for 6 weeks at the MTC learning Tagolog and how to teach as a Missionary.  As they leave the MTC they visit the Missionary Presidents home and find out what area they will be serving in first.  I have not yet received an email from Isaac with those details. However I did receive a few pictures from the Mission President and his wife.

                                                            Group of new missionaries

Isaac w/ Pres. Bertin and his wife Kim Bertin 

                                                        Elder English and Elder Stratton



As well as a special one sent to me by a very sweet fellow missionary momma Tara leaflang Heaton. (her son is serving as the assistant to the mission president).  His mother had told him about meeting me on FB and about Isaac. He was kind enough to make sure to snap a photo of himself w/ Isaac during the meeting. 

I am anxious to see what area he will be in...what his apartment will be like...whom his companion will be...and of course all about his adventures and stories about all the wonderful people of the Philippines he is going be making an impression on.  His next email should be full of wonderful details of what life will be like for him until the next transfer.  I can hardly wait!!

I had a rough Monday this week as news was airing that Typhoon Nona had hit central Philippines  and I was not sure how the area Isaac was in was being affected.  Turns out his area was not in the direct path so rain and a bit of wind was all they had to deal with there at the MTC.  Sorry to my co-workers as Monday I was pretty distracted and a lil irritable until figuring that out.  : )  Turns out the Philippines experiences on average 20-25 "tropical disturbances" each year.  So that ought to be fun...ugh!!!  As Isaac said in his last email  "Things are gettin real" 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Isaac and his companion goofing off in the nurses office

Isaac and the group he is learning Tagolog with (genteman in the middle is the teacher)

View from the plane on the way to the Philippines

Isaac and fellow missionaries he meet while traveling to the Philippines

Isaac being Isaac

 

 

Awe...expressing his AZ Pride!!!!

His personality is infectious....this is why he is where he is. 

This is a group Isaac and his companion went to teach.  They were all staying in "patron housing" Isaac said it's like a hotel for people to stay in that come to go to the Temple.  He says it is the closest Temple for many surronding countries. 

 

"FRIENDS IN HIGH PLACES"

I have to tell you all...about Sue Duvall.  She and her husband are serving at the Philippines Missionary Training Center.  I believe she is a nurse/health aide there.  Isaac being Isaac made friends with her straight away.  He talks very highly of her and she does the same about him.  I feel she has kinda taken Isaac under her wing.  She has been an absolute blessing! 

For starters without her posting pictures of all the new missionaries on to the FB page she runs, I would have not known, as soon as I did that Isaac had arrived safe and sound.  Then 95% of all the pictures that I have posted here on the blog have been from her. Isaac says she seeks him out and takes pictures of him because she knows how much I love it.  To add to her greatness...she personally instant messages me every now and then to give me quick updates on Isaac.  There was a mix up the third week he was there and the day he emailed me changed.  I received his email (very short two small sentences) a day early and I had not yet sent my reply to him from the week before.  Isaac was concerned that I was ok...as I hadn't emailed him.  He ask Sue if I had posted anything on FB. She IM'd me expressing Isaacs concern...I told her what happened and she reassured Isaac everything was fine told him why he hadn't gotten an email from me and told him he had emails waiting for him. 

She IM'd me the following message the other day after witnessing Isaac bare his testimony in sacrament meeting this past Sunday.

"Your son bore his testimony today in Sacrament meeting. What an amazing young man!! He talked about how learning to teach has helped him to recognize the Spirit. Said he no longer looks for weaknesses in people, but looks for their strengths. Then he bore his testimony of the restored gospel in Tagalog and did a GREAT job!! You should be proud of that boy!! The Spirit was very strong as he spoke. Just wanted to share." 

Thank you Mrs Sue Duvall.  You are a gift!!

CURRENT BATCH OF MISSIONARIES AT THE PHILIPPINES MTC

                                                  ALL MISSIONS IN THE PHILIPPINES

"LIFE AT THE MTC IS NICE AND LUXURIOUS"

Hello Familya and Friends,

Life at the MTC is very nice and luxurious. Our district of 8 elders went proselyting yesterday in the quezon city north mission and WOWZAAS. Proselyting is going in the field with missionaries who have been in the area for a while and take us around towns and teach a lesson to an investigator. We taught this OLD man, name was brother Roger, also reffered to as LOLO (grandpa). He takes care of his grandson who is a little boy in a diaper who cant talk but we called him super man and he was so GUAPO. In the Philippines they bless someone to show respect for them if they are older usually, great sign of respect. We blessed lolo and little superman blessed us. It was a really cool experience, Bared my testimony in Tagaolog, Testimony is how the book of Mormon has effected my life. He started talking to me in tagalog after but I caught about 5% of what he said, He was quiet since so old and I'm not to advanced in the tagalog language, so i just smiled and nodded after every time he finished talking. It worked out cuz later my casama in the field told me he agreed with me how reading the book of Mormon strengthens me. He said whenever his body aches/hurts he reads the BofM to feels better. He wants to get baptized but can't attend church being so old. Which stinks cuz he really wants to be baptized. The missionaries there are trying to get something figured out with mission prez. Our district went out for about 2 hours and we were way tired when we got back. All in all great karanasan (experience). Felt like a dream being in the field. Rode a jeepney which was awesome as well as a Trike, motorcycle with a sidecar. fit 2 in sidecar and 2 on back of the bike. I went on the back and that was crazy, the driving here is just insane. I could stick my arm out and easily touch a car going by haha, but surprisingly haven't seen any accidents, so they must be good drivers just loco. Senior batch of missionaries just left the MTC yesterday morning, which was tough and emotional cuz we came so close to them, and off they go. I have become quite emotional out here. We watched "Meet the Mormons" one day and I had a couple tears fall and I looked over at my kasama and he did as well we both laughed as soon as we saw each other. We are both upset at how "soft" we are becoming. We were called as zone leaders, which is cool but we are both a little scared but steppin up to the plate.

Life is great love you and miss you all

LIVE LOVE LIFE

-mahal

Elder English