Worked hard and got a lot done

Hello all!

Well, this last week was pretty good. Worked hard and got a lot done. Sounds like you all had a busy and productive week too.

We have been working hard and received a bunch of referrals. Some that we have started teaching are doing really well. hey are coming to church and reading from the Book of Mormon. One, we invited to be baptized, no specific date yet, but she did say yes. We also have plenty of branch missionaries to work with us, and they are good and helpful to us. I really like the branch here in San Enrique, they work hard and try their best. They like to help the missionaries. Some other units dont care to do anything for the missionaries.

I'm having a hard time thinking of things to say, being a man of few words and all... But I do have to tell how much I love Kenjay and Helbert, even though Helbert is crazy. We were teaching them last night, we just finished teaching the Law of Chastity, the lesson went well. Afterwards we were just chatting, and Helbert says,
"Elder, is it okay to have a crush, even though you are young?"
My response: "Well, yeah, you just need to wait until you are 16 to date."
"But Elder, she isn't a member."
"Well, refer her to us! We'll make her a member!"
My initial thought was "Helbert, you aren't even a member, yet." But I didn't say that. He decided that he was going to talk to some of his classmates about listening to us. We also told them about conference coming up, and they are excited for that! Me too!

Oh, so to celebrate my birthday last week we did some of my favorite things, we did missionary work and taught lessons, got to work with the totally awesome branch missionaries, and then made these deep fried crackers back at the house to finish a good day of work. The next day we did birthday lunch by buying a Chooks to go and soda. Just a small feast. It was fun! Package still hasnt come, but i'll just keep waiting...

Looking forward to this next week of work and the awesomeness that will happen. Hope you all have a good week too!

Elder Phelps

My Hope and Faith Remains Bright

Okay, here is what happened (with no email) last week. I was halfway through writing my email, when there was a power outage! We waited a little while to see if it would come back, but nothing, so we went home. Turns out the power was out for nearly 24 hours and that made things hard at the house. Without power it is hard to cook, and we didn't have water either because the pump didn't have power to get the water to the house. So, the first part of my email is really the email from last week. Enjoy!

Transfer Announcements!!!!

Yeah, already that time of the transfer! This last transfer just flew by! No idea where it went. But just for fun, I'll save the announcements for the end of the email.

This last week went really well. The work is still a little slow, but we have new investigators and have received a bunch of referrals. The new investigators we have are all progressing and doing really well. Two, Helbert Roa and KenJay Estares, are attending seminary. Helbert is excited to work on scripture mastery. He's been an investigator for a week! They attended the baptism on Saturday too. More about that later.

So we spent lots of time trying to find new investigators and visit less-active members. Neither of which went the way we would have had them go. The we found people that would let us teach them once, then they never want to hear from you again. Have found a lot of people like that here in San Enrique. That is why we are spending so much time finding, because we keep losing them. The less-actives we found really don't want to come back. We asked multiple times in one sitting, and got multiple answers. True answers, but I doubt any were the real reason. But my hope and faith remains bright. With Helbert and the others it shows me that there are still people willing to listen to be found and converted. Not just converted, but allowing them to obtain exaltation.

The baptism of Mia (that was very Ilonggo, [ang pagbunyag ni Mia]) went really well on Saturday. There were many that attended and the service was really nice. I was the one to baptize her. By her choice. I could tell that she was a little scared to go down under the water, and I tried my best to comfort her, that I would be holding her arm and bring her right back up. Still had to do it twice though.

Okay, transfer announcements! This is what we are all really waiting for!. Elder Panilagao is transferring and becoming a District Leader. I will be staying here in San Enrique, which I am excited about, and I will also be the senior companion, little less excited about that. For mom, Elder Panilagao goes home in July, still some time to go.

So, transfer day went just as normal. My new comp is Elder Whitman. He is from Santaquin, Utah. He arrived here in the Philippines the last week of June. I've lived with a Filipino for the last three months, I almost forgot what it is like to live with an American. Neither is a bad thing, you just do things differently. So, on Friday we had just a couple of appointments, so we visited some members (Branch President) so they could meet the new missionary. The work is going well, senior isn't quite as hard as I thought it would be, but it's only been four days, there haven't been any problems to deal with, and Elder Whitman is good at the language.

So, something awesome that happened just the other day was we went to visit Helbert and Kenjay. They are really doing great. They liked church, love seminary, and are building up relationships with the members. But the really good thing is that Helbert's mom called his dad, in Manila, and asked about Helbert being baptized, and he (the dad) said yes! We thought we were going to have a problem with that, because he is in Manila and won't be home until April! But now he and Kenjay can be baptized on the same day! That means we have three baptisms on one day! We were going to have one on October 9, but that is conference here so all three are on the 16th.

Yeah, I'll be 20 tomorrow. I don't think it is quite as weird as Stuart did. It is still different, but since I have friends here to celebrate with, it is still going to be fun. But of course we will still be working tomorrow!!

I'm trying to think of deep insights I have had in the last couple of weeks, but I can't seem to remember them while I'm sitting in front of the computer., Maybe next week!.

Elder Phelps

Elder Panilagao

Hello all!


This last week the San Enrique missionaries gloried in their tribulations with 11 total teachings! That is a low number. Tuesday we had our mission tour, which was awesome, more about that later, got home late and had no work. Wednesday we had a good day. Thursday, Friday, and Saturday we had terrible days! No one was home, one of our investigators with a baptism date moved, and there were very few people out to just talk to. We tried to visit less active members, but not many of them were home either.

Yesterday, however, was a great day! Everyone was home, got some new investigators, and when we got home, as we were planing for the next day the owner of the house knocks on our door, she brought us cake! We live above their store and their house is next door. They make cakes in their store. We have the nicest house owner ever! She is always nice to us. Need to find a way to repay her somehow. We should also try and teach her.

We have a baptism coming up this Saturday, Mia T. Jalipa. 10 years old. Mom is a member, dad is not, he's Iglesia, but he has no problem with his daughter being baptized. Her grandma is a very active member and is always in in our lessons. Mia is great, even being as young as she is.

We are really trying to find new investigators this week. Gonna be tough here in San Enrique. The people turn away from us when we are just walking on the street. But there's got to be at least some willing to listen to our message and receive great blessings!

In answer to mom's question about Elder Panilagao, he's from Montalban, Rizal Province. It's in the Luzon penninsula. The large island up north. Just outside Quezon City, which is near Manila. His family are converts, second oldest isnt a member yet. His older sister is serving a mission right now too. He is my first convert companion!

Well, sorry dad, but I'm not going to be able to beat the length of the email you sent me, but I have more pictures! From a family home evening we had with a recent convert's family. It was his sister's birthday. (Sending in separate email.)

Elder Phelps

This comp is being funny and not playing nice with my camera, no pics this week. :(