April 24, 2011
Wow, sounds like a very interesting week. Supposed to be relaxing, but spent a ton of time working!
We'll we also worked our butts off and it paid off. We got 25 lessons this week! Most with a member present. The last couple of days have been exhausting. We had some good experiences, and somethings could have been better. We had a good number of investigators at church, but were expecting more.
Church was an interesting experience... The branch president was sick, and his counselor didn't show up (hardly ever does). Branch president also isn't the best at calling on speakers a week in advance. So I called a speaker that was supposed to speak the week before but wasn't there so I had to take her place, now it was her turn! She did a good job though. Figuring out who was going to preside was fun too... Until 5 minutes before the meeting started there were no key holders there, but then the YM President showed up, he is also a former branch president. So he presided and was the concluding speaker. Other than that the rest of the block went pretty well.
Before we could leave the church it started pouring rain! And we hadn't brought umbrellas because it was way nice weather when we left in the morning. We ended up waiting for an hour! But we didn't let it get our spirits get down. We found some way smart people. They are both mechanical engineers that work in Saudi Arabia, home visiting the family. They were way into the lesson and we were able to answer some questions they had about the church. They gladly accepted a Book of Mormon. They are going to be here for a while so we are going to try and teach them. The day continued.
We were able to meet with a family we talked to last week. They were way good too. They had read the pamphlet we left with them and it was just making things clear for them. The mom had a bunch of good questions, including what it takes to join the church, so we invited them to be baptized and explained some of the other steps they would have to take. They all accepted! There was one guy, a son, that walked in late and seemed like he wasn't really paying attention, but I noticed that he was nodding his head was we were talking, at the end of the lesson he was paying attention and looking right at us.
As far as Joy Delatori, the good contact from last week. We were only able to teach her once this week, but it was good. She accepted a Book of Mormon and said that she would read. She is still doing well, it's just been with all the craziness of Holy Week it has been hard to get her at home. Holy Week is nuts... Many strange ideas...
We were able to find and teach two more families, and will go back to them.
About the temple, that is way right. Good inferring Dad. That was addressed in a talk in conference. I forgot who it was that gave it, but it was way good. I have come to realize that too, being here far from a temple. The members here don't usually have to sacrifice THAT much to go to the temple, but sometimes they do. Elder Reidhead and I were talking this morning about how much we miss the temple. It's crazy, definately one of the first things I'll do when I get home, right after going swimming!!
With Elder Reidhead and I staying together, again, it seems like transfers havent even happened since January. It feels weird to not have things change. But at least I'm with Elder Reidhead, we get along really well and work together really well. We build on each other's strengths, making us stronger, and we make up for each other's weaknesses. Many members have said that we are a great pair and should just stay together for the rest of the mission. As good as that sounds, and as much as I love Ayungon, I want to transfer eventually. But it's weird, I only have six transfers left, including this one! That's going to go by WAY fast.... Maybe too fast....
I'll just put that out of my mind and keep working hard! I love you all!
Elder Phelps
Sunday, May 1, 2011
Together for Another Six Weeks
April 17, 2011
Well, this last week was a very interesting week. It was transfer week, which wasn't as exciting as I had been expecting it to be, but it was really surprising. I guess I should start with that. So, they went through the announcements on Tuesday, Elder Reidhead and I were one of the last to be announced. Pretty much all the others had been what we expected, so Elder Newman (zone leader) asked what we wanted to happen to us, and as a joke we said that both of us were going to stay in Ayungon again for a third transfer as companions, and Elder Newman just said, "Yup, you're right!" It took me a couple of minutes to realize that he was telling the truth. So here we are, Elder Reidhead and I are still together for another six weeks. But we like each other and work well together so it's all good. All the members are happy that neither of us transfered, which is also a good sign.
That was the big news of the week. everything else was pretty normal, well, as normal as it gets. We had a bunch of good lessons and our investigators are progressing well. Though we did have a smaller number than we wanted attend church, it was still good and we followed up on them as to why not. Most had good reasons that we had already been warned about. So now we are going to help them start today to prepare in such a way that they will be able to attend next Sunday.
We did have another good experience visiting an investigator that I wasn't feeling like it would really go anywhere. We had talked to this guy last week and he was busy but said we could come back another day. He is gone all during the week so we just talked to his wife and rescheduled. On Thursday we went back (took Michael with us so we could enter the house and asked a nearby member to join too), we shared the message of the Restoration with her and you could tell that she was feeling the Spirit. It was a way good lesson. At the end we invited her to be baptized, she said that it sounded great and she had no problem with it, just needs to talk with her husband. We said that of course she should do that and that we want him to hear this too, and be baptized with her. Good experience. We tried to go back last night, Sunday is the husband's day off, but her husband was already asleep, so we said we'll come back another day. Encouraged her to talk about the Restoration with her husband.
That's pretty much our week for ya'll! it was a good one. Looking forward to the rest of the transfer!
Elder Phelps
Special note on transfers. Once you have been in an area for four transfers, like I was in Cadiz, it is highly unlikely that you will do that again. It almost never happens that you stay with a companion for more that two transfers together. And with this transfer both of those have happened to us. So now Istand this far in the mission with still only three areas, while others of my batch have many more. But I like it like that.
Well, this last week was a very interesting week. It was transfer week, which wasn't as exciting as I had been expecting it to be, but it was really surprising. I guess I should start with that. So, they went through the announcements on Tuesday, Elder Reidhead and I were one of the last to be announced. Pretty much all the others had been what we expected, so Elder Newman (zone leader) asked what we wanted to happen to us, and as a joke we said that both of us were going to stay in Ayungon again for a third transfer as companions, and Elder Newman just said, "Yup, you're right!" It took me a couple of minutes to realize that he was telling the truth. So here we are, Elder Reidhead and I are still together for another six weeks. But we like each other and work well together so it's all good. All the members are happy that neither of us transfered, which is also a good sign.
That was the big news of the week. everything else was pretty normal, well, as normal as it gets. We had a bunch of good lessons and our investigators are progressing well. Though we did have a smaller number than we wanted attend church, it was still good and we followed up on them as to why not. Most had good reasons that we had already been warned about. So now we are going to help them start today to prepare in such a way that they will be able to attend next Sunday.
We did have another good experience visiting an investigator that I wasn't feeling like it would really go anywhere. We had talked to this guy last week and he was busy but said we could come back another day. He is gone all during the week so we just talked to his wife and rescheduled. On Thursday we went back (took Michael with us so we could enter the house and asked a nearby member to join too), we shared the message of the Restoration with her and you could tell that she was feeling the Spirit. It was a way good lesson. At the end we invited her to be baptized, she said that it sounded great and she had no problem with it, just needs to talk with her husband. We said that of course she should do that and that we want him to hear this too, and be baptized with her. Good experience. We tried to go back last night, Sunday is the husband's day off, but her husband was already asleep, so we said we'll come back another day. Encouraged her to talk about the Restoration with her husband.
That's pretty much our week for ya'll! it was a good one. Looking forward to the rest of the transfer!
Elder Phelps
Special note on transfers. Once you have been in an area for four transfers, like I was in Cadiz, it is highly unlikely that you will do that again. It almost never happens that you stay with a companion for more that two transfers together. And with this transfer both of those have happened to us. So now Istand this far in the mission with still only three areas, while others of my batch have many more. But I like it like that.
General Conference
April 10, 2011
This week was a way strange week. We had zone conference on Tuesday. It was great. Lot's of good trainings given. Then we got a fun ride home with the Bevans couple. They and the four sisters were in the cab of the truck while the rest of us piled in the back, it has a cover, with windows so it wasn't too hot. I and the other Elder Phelps got very close in that trip, he was laying on top of me the whole time. He is pretty cool, way fun to talk to. We got back to La Carlota pretty late, so a bunch of us went to the couples house (mansion) and had ice cream to celebrate Elder Newman's birthday.
Wednesday, Thursday and Friday went alright. We taught the dad of one of our recent converts and gave him a baptismal date. He has some issues to overcome, but he can do it. Then we went to a referral and taught them for the first time. Within the first five minutes of the lesson we invited them to be baptized (that's what one of the trainings from zone conference was about). So we did it and they accepted! Mom, dad and four daughters, two are over the age of 8.
That was the highlight of work this week. The ultimate highlight, and yet downpoint was General Conference. Saturday Michael was the only member from our area to come. But it was way good that he came! He got a ton out of it. Especially President Monson's talk at the end of priesthood. It was like he was speaking straight to him. It was a power outage on Saturday from 8-5, so we ran the generator in the church which powers most of the lights, the video for conference, but NOT the A/C so it was blazing hot in the chapel.
Sunday things were better. More members came, not as much as should have, but at least they came. Saturday we were at the Tilanas home and invited their cousin to come with them on Sunday, she said yes. I didn't think she would really come, but she did! So she would have been our only investigator in attendance, but since we haven't actually taught her yet, it doesn't count.
So, this week is transfer week, and normally we would know by now who is going to transfer, but they decided to change it up and not tell us until Tuesday. They give us less that 24 hours to wash clothes by hand and pack everything up. So that is going to stink. Elder Reidhead and I are expecting that I will be the one to transfer, so I'm just going to start laundry today, but still won't be able to get it all done. I wonder where I will be transfered to....
Love from the Philippines!
Elder Phelps
This week was a way strange week. We had zone conference on Tuesday. It was great. Lot's of good trainings given. Then we got a fun ride home with the Bevans couple. They and the four sisters were in the cab of the truck while the rest of us piled in the back, it has a cover, with windows so it wasn't too hot. I and the other Elder Phelps got very close in that trip, he was laying on top of me the whole time. He is pretty cool, way fun to talk to. We got back to La Carlota pretty late, so a bunch of us went to the couples house (mansion) and had ice cream to celebrate Elder Newman's birthday.
Wednesday, Thursday and Friday went alright. We taught the dad of one of our recent converts and gave him a baptismal date. He has some issues to overcome, but he can do it. Then we went to a referral and taught them for the first time. Within the first five minutes of the lesson we invited them to be baptized (that's what one of the trainings from zone conference was about). So we did it and they accepted! Mom, dad and four daughters, two are over the age of 8.
That was the highlight of work this week. The ultimate highlight, and yet downpoint was General Conference. Saturday Michael was the only member from our area to come. But it was way good that he came! He got a ton out of it. Especially President Monson's talk at the end of priesthood. It was like he was speaking straight to him. It was a power outage on Saturday from 8-5, so we ran the generator in the church which powers most of the lights, the video for conference, but NOT the A/C so it was blazing hot in the chapel.
Sunday things were better. More members came, not as much as should have, but at least they came. Saturday we were at the Tilanas home and invited their cousin to come with them on Sunday, she said yes. I didn't think she would really come, but she did! So she would have been our only investigator in attendance, but since we haven't actually taught her yet, it doesn't count.
So, this week is transfer week, and normally we would know by now who is going to transfer, but they decided to change it up and not tell us until Tuesday. They give us less that 24 hours to wash clothes by hand and pack everything up. So that is going to stink. Elder Reidhead and I are expecting that I will be the one to transfer, so I'm just going to start laundry today, but still won't be able to get it all done. I wonder where I will be transfered to....
Love from the Philippines!
Elder Phelps
New Investigators Really Progressed This Week
April 4, 2011
Okay, so best thing just happened. I'm listening to conference and downloading it! So we are going to listen to it before we watch it this weekend with every one else!
This week wasn't that great. We had some good experiences, as in some great experiences. Teachings were way down this week, but new investigators (referrals) from last week really progressed this week. We had some of them come to church and gave them dates for baptism. The biggest highlight was that this week was fast and testimony meeting, one of the best I have attended here. What made it so awesome was that the testimonies shared were good and that we had TWO INVESTIGATORS share their testimony! One was Raffy, Michael Tilanas' younger brother that is still trying to get married. His testimony was way awesome! He shared his conversion and how much he knows that this church is true. The other one was one of our way new investigators. It was her first time at church, but she got up and shared. It wasn't anything astounding but she talked about what she feels in the lessons and how she felt at the moment in church. It was way cool.
Though that was pretty much it for the week in cool experiences. Not sure what happened to this week, but lesson numbers just went down. Although our investigators are progressing really well.
Sorry, but it seems that this email is going to be way short, but the others lately have been pretty long so I feel it is alright to be short this time and make up for it with PICTURES!!
Baptism of Michael's mom, cousin (Jon-Jon), and Michael Francisco's sister Salve May
Elder Reidhed and Poypoy at his baptism
Me and the volcano Can-laon
The Fab Five baptism Reneboy and Raymundo Arevalo, Jeno Erin, Raul Tilanas, and Crislen Malagquit
Elder Phelps
Okay, so best thing just happened. I'm listening to conference and downloading it! So we are going to listen to it before we watch it this weekend with every one else!
This week wasn't that great. We had some good experiences, as in some great experiences. Teachings were way down this week, but new investigators (referrals) from last week really progressed this week. We had some of them come to church and gave them dates for baptism. The biggest highlight was that this week was fast and testimony meeting, one of the best I have attended here. What made it so awesome was that the testimonies shared were good and that we had TWO INVESTIGATORS share their testimony! One was Raffy, Michael Tilanas' younger brother that is still trying to get married. His testimony was way awesome! He shared his conversion and how much he knows that this church is true. The other one was one of our way new investigators. It was her first time at church, but she got up and shared. It wasn't anything astounding but she talked about what she feels in the lessons and how she felt at the moment in church. It was way cool.
Though that was pretty much it for the week in cool experiences. Not sure what happened to this week, but lesson numbers just went down. Although our investigators are progressing really well.
Sorry, but it seems that this email is going to be way short, but the others lately have been pretty long so I feel it is alright to be short this time and make up for it with PICTURES!!
Elder Phelps
5 Baptisms, 3 Suits
March 28, 2011
For mom, the pest problem is pretty interesting here. There are ants, everywhere, no matter what. And then there are termites also everywhere. If you aren't careful, you'll get rats. We have some rats living in our ceiling and walls, but they haven't actually got into the house. The mosquito are everywhere also. The bites don't last too long but it is still annoying.
This week was way weird. I don't really know how to describe it. Monday to Saturday was pretty normal. Nothing strange happened. Saturday we had our baptism of five, using only three baptismal suits because that is all we have and the other branch president wouldn't let us borrow any. So what we did was have two of the guys and the girl get into the clothes, then baptized the two guys, they got out and had the other two change into their wet suits. It worked just fine.
Sunday was not as good. Out of the five baptized only one showed up on time and was confirmed. The other four came during the sacrament hymn and it was too late. But they'll just get done next week. I hate it when that happens. And I let them know that on Saturday night, hoping it would ensure that they would get there on time. Well, it didn't.
Today we had a zone activity, where we all brought a sudan (entrée that goes on top of rice) and our own rice. So we all just got to eat some of what every one else brought. I was going to make my favorite (adobo, I make a mean adobo), but since sooooo many people like adobo I figured some one else would bring that, so I spent the week thinking of what to cook. Saturday I got my answer when we went out to eat before the baptism. Instead of getting the usual inasal chicken like the rest of us E Reidhead got the fried chicken, and so I decided that was what we would make, with my personal touch of course. So this morning when we did our shopping I got some Crispy Fry breading mix (classic flavor) and some McCormick Lemon and Pepper flavor. We mixed the two together and crushed up some Magic Flakes (saltine crackers) and then added cayenne pepper and black pepper, chopped up the chicken and fried it all up. Yeah it was a huge hit, and so was the fry sauce I made to go with it.
Everyone that had some came to me and told me that it was "delicious" or "awesome" or " the bomb." Sister Bevans (the senior couple missionary) really liked it. She asked me what I was going to do when I "grow up" and I told her, "airline pilot." After tasting everything there for myself, I must agree with them, the fried chicken was probably the best thing there. People told me I should work at Chick-Fil-A. Elder Reidhead said that I "am Chick-Fil-A." Next time though I'll give them a taste of my amazing adobo, it will knock them dead. And I'll make it for you all when I get home. Other than the baptism the success with the fried chicken was the highlight of my week.
Oh, so I got the letters from the YM, sort of. Elder Newman (zone leader) has it at his house and will bring it tomorrow. Today though I got a sweet late Christmas package from Helen and Kent! I dont know why it took so long to get here. It was marked as arriving in Bacolod on December 22. I blame the office. Sometimes they take forever with mail and sometimes it never gets sent because they lose it in the office or just forget about it. Either way it is here now.
Well, thats pretty much it for this week, hope you all have a good week!
Elder Phelps!
For mom, the pest problem is pretty interesting here. There are ants, everywhere, no matter what. And then there are termites also everywhere. If you aren't careful, you'll get rats. We have some rats living in our ceiling and walls, but they haven't actually got into the house. The mosquito are everywhere also. The bites don't last too long but it is still annoying.
This week was way weird. I don't really know how to describe it. Monday to Saturday was pretty normal. Nothing strange happened. Saturday we had our baptism of five, using only three baptismal suits because that is all we have and the other branch president wouldn't let us borrow any. So what we did was have two of the guys and the girl get into the clothes, then baptized the two guys, they got out and had the other two change into their wet suits. It worked just fine.
Sunday was not as good. Out of the five baptized only one showed up on time and was confirmed. The other four came during the sacrament hymn and it was too late. But they'll just get done next week. I hate it when that happens. And I let them know that on Saturday night, hoping it would ensure that they would get there on time. Well, it didn't.
Today we had a zone activity, where we all brought a sudan (entrée that goes on top of rice) and our own rice. So we all just got to eat some of what every one else brought. I was going to make my favorite (adobo, I make a mean adobo), but since sooooo many people like adobo I figured some one else would bring that, so I spent the week thinking of what to cook. Saturday I got my answer when we went out to eat before the baptism. Instead of getting the usual inasal chicken like the rest of us E Reidhead got the fried chicken, and so I decided that was what we would make, with my personal touch of course. So this morning when we did our shopping I got some Crispy Fry breading mix (classic flavor) and some McCormick Lemon and Pepper flavor. We mixed the two together and crushed up some Magic Flakes (saltine crackers) and then added cayenne pepper and black pepper, chopped up the chicken and fried it all up. Yeah it was a huge hit, and so was the fry sauce I made to go with it.
Everyone that had some came to me and told me that it was "delicious" or "awesome" or " the bomb." Sister Bevans (the senior couple missionary) really liked it. She asked me what I was going to do when I "grow up" and I told her, "airline pilot." After tasting everything there for myself, I must agree with them, the fried chicken was probably the best thing there. People told me I should work at Chick-Fil-A. Elder Reidhead said that I "am Chick-Fil-A." Next time though I'll give them a taste of my amazing adobo, it will knock them dead. And I'll make it for you all when I get home. Other than the baptism the success with the fried chicken was the highlight of my week.
Oh, so I got the letters from the YM, sort of. Elder Newman (zone leader) has it at his house and will bring it tomorrow. Today though I got a sweet late Christmas package from Helen and Kent! I dont know why it took so long to get here. It was marked as arriving in Bacolod on December 22. I blame the office. Sometimes they take forever with mail and sometimes it never gets sent because they lose it in the office or just forget about it. Either way it is here now.
Well, thats pretty much it for this week, hope you all have a good week!
Elder Phelps!
Toaster Oven... Toast, Baptisms!
March 21, 2011
Sounds like you all had a really good week. I have learned a lot about Snowflake Arizona from Elder Reidhead. It does seem like an interesting little place, nice though. I don't know about everyone being related, but Elder Reidhead knows pretty much everyone and everything there.
It was St. Patricks's day last week? Wow, totally did not notice. But I guess it's not that important of a holiday. Scout overnighters., I do still miss those.
This last week was really good. Got a lot of good work done and then ended the week with a baptism and some more baptismal interviews. The baptism went well. It was for Peliezer Tilanas Gonzaga, Michael's cousin. He is way awesome, a young man. Which is way good, because we need to continue to add to the young men in the branch. Michael took care of the program and it went really good. One of the better baptism programs I have experienced here.
Next week the baptisms are Raul Tilanas (Michael's papa), Reneboy and Raymundo Arevalo, and Jeno, and Crislen Malagquit. They are all really good too. They passed the interview just fine. Way excited to have Papa baptized. and then Reneboy, Raymundo and Jeno are all friends with Peliezer (Poypoy). Crislen is the 11 year old daughter of a newly reactivated member. We are also trying to teach her father. He wants to be taught, but he is just always busy. We'll get there though.
Everything else has been pretty normal, at least normal for here Even with the rain it has still been getting hotter and hotter here. Its way tough to do anything when it is hot. Elder Barrott and I were sweeping the house this morning and we both agreed that we would be more inclined to do things like that if you didn't start sweating like nuts three seconds after you started! But it was a well needed sweep.
Well, we went shopping earlier and the four of us decided to pitch in and buy a toaster oven for the house. A toaster oven is awesome to have, but is not a standard apartment appliance. But we really wanted it so we bought one. We can do so many things with that! Like make toast! We don't have toast if we don't have a toaster oven, and I haven't had a toaster oven in a long time now. I really want to make some toast...
So, even though we don't watch it we do hear about the news, and its nuts all the natural disasters happening around the Philippines. But everyone here that doesn't have family overseas is still pretty chill about it all. Maravic (Raffy Tilanas' soon to be wife) has an older sister that is over in Japan and she has told us a bit of what's up over there.
Well, thats pretty much it for this week. I hope you all have a great week. I know we will!
Elder Phelps!
Sounds like you all had a really good week. I have learned a lot about Snowflake Arizona from Elder Reidhead. It does seem like an interesting little place, nice though. I don't know about everyone being related, but Elder Reidhead knows pretty much everyone and everything there.
It was St. Patricks's day last week? Wow, totally did not notice. But I guess it's not that important of a holiday. Scout overnighters., I do still miss those.
This last week was really good. Got a lot of good work done and then ended the week with a baptism and some more baptismal interviews. The baptism went well. It was for Peliezer Tilanas Gonzaga, Michael's cousin. He is way awesome, a young man. Which is way good, because we need to continue to add to the young men in the branch. Michael took care of the program and it went really good. One of the better baptism programs I have experienced here.
Next week the baptisms are Raul Tilanas (Michael's papa), Reneboy and Raymundo Arevalo, and Jeno, and Crislen Malagquit. They are all really good too. They passed the interview just fine. Way excited to have Papa baptized. and then Reneboy, Raymundo and Jeno are all friends with Peliezer (Poypoy). Crislen is the 11 year old daughter of a newly reactivated member. We are also trying to teach her father. He wants to be taught, but he is just always busy. We'll get there though.
Everything else has been pretty normal, at least normal for here Even with the rain it has still been getting hotter and hotter here. Its way tough to do anything when it is hot. Elder Barrott and I were sweeping the house this morning and we both agreed that we would be more inclined to do things like that if you didn't start sweating like nuts three seconds after you started! But it was a well needed sweep.
Well, we went shopping earlier and the four of us decided to pitch in and buy a toaster oven for the house. A toaster oven is awesome to have, but is not a standard apartment appliance. But we really wanted it so we bought one. We can do so many things with that! Like make toast! We don't have toast if we don't have a toaster oven, and I haven't had a toaster oven in a long time now. I really want to make some toast...
So, even though we don't watch it we do hear about the news, and its nuts all the natural disasters happening around the Philippines. But everyone here that doesn't have family overseas is still pretty chill about it all. Maravic (Raffy Tilanas' soon to be wife) has an older sister that is over in Japan and she has told us a bit of what's up over there.
Well, thats pretty much it for this week. I hope you all have a great week. I know we will!
Elder Phelps!
"Completing" Some Families and "Starting" Some Others
March 13, 2011
Well, it has been raining all morning, since before we even woke up. It's nice though. Cools things down just a bit.
This last week was pretty good. We got a new "high score" as a companionship for lessons this week. We also had 9 investigators attend church. That was way awesome. I have to say that the most awesome thing was that this week they moved sacrament meeting to first in the block, and I was worried that our progress in high overall attendance was going to be lost. Because all the weeks that sacrament was last we would start with 15-20 people and by sacrament we would have high 40s. We showed up just before things were about to start, which we usually do because of delays on the trike coming from La Carlota (but we are usually still some of the first to arrive), but this week we got there and there was a ton of people!! Official count comes in at 52! Third highest including branch conference. I was way impressed.
Most of the rest of the week was rather boring. We were doing a lot of finding, and that was not going so well. People come up with the dumbest excuses to not listen to our message. None quite as bad as one Elder Reidhead told me about in his last area. There was this guy sitting there and they started talking to him and his excuse was that he was watching a pot, he wasn't even cooking anything, just watching an empty pot. They talked for several minutes, but he was totally serious about watching the pot. When they walked away the guy just got up and left. Its a funny story.
Saturday we had a baptismal interview for Poypoy (Peliezer) Gonzaga. He is Michael Tilanas' cousin. He and a couple of his friends are our investigators. The other two missed church last week so we had to reschedule their baptism. And Poypoy decided to go ahead and just go first. So we have one baptism this Saturday and five next Saturday. It is going to be awesome. Completing some families and starting some others. The idea is that they will be finished too, and certainly hopefully sooner rather than later.
Yes dad, the parable of the sower and the tree of life and the iron rod really apply to investigators, and its fun to see these people that catch it, understand it and love it. But it is sad to see the others that don't. Those who reject you for lame reasons, those that start out good but end up falling away, and the worst is those that are way good, get baptized and then fall away. Especially when you hear that about your converts.
Well, we are once again looking forward to another good week here in the awesome Ayungon Branch!
Elder Phelps
PS. General Conference is coming up! I'm so excited! There are four really good times a year for missionaries, General Conference is two of those and calling home is the other two!
If I'm not too lazy I'll try and write the YM a letter. But I'm terrible at that, and then even worse at actually getting it sent.
Well, it has been raining all morning, since before we even woke up. It's nice though. Cools things down just a bit.
This last week was pretty good. We got a new "high score" as a companionship for lessons this week. We also had 9 investigators attend church. That was way awesome. I have to say that the most awesome thing was that this week they moved sacrament meeting to first in the block, and I was worried that our progress in high overall attendance was going to be lost. Because all the weeks that sacrament was last we would start with 15-20 people and by sacrament we would have high 40s. We showed up just before things were about to start, which we usually do because of delays on the trike coming from La Carlota (but we are usually still some of the first to arrive), but this week we got there and there was a ton of people!! Official count comes in at 52! Third highest including branch conference. I was way impressed.
Most of the rest of the week was rather boring. We were doing a lot of finding, and that was not going so well. People come up with the dumbest excuses to not listen to our message. None quite as bad as one Elder Reidhead told me about in his last area. There was this guy sitting there and they started talking to him and his excuse was that he was watching a pot, he wasn't even cooking anything, just watching an empty pot. They talked for several minutes, but he was totally serious about watching the pot. When they walked away the guy just got up and left. Its a funny story.
Saturday we had a baptismal interview for Poypoy (Peliezer) Gonzaga. He is Michael Tilanas' cousin. He and a couple of his friends are our investigators. The other two missed church last week so we had to reschedule their baptism. And Poypoy decided to go ahead and just go first. So we have one baptism this Saturday and five next Saturday. It is going to be awesome. Completing some families and starting some others. The idea is that they will be finished too, and certainly hopefully sooner rather than later.
Yes dad, the parable of the sower and the tree of life and the iron rod really apply to investigators, and its fun to see these people that catch it, understand it and love it. But it is sad to see the others that don't. Those who reject you for lame reasons, those that start out good but end up falling away, and the worst is those that are way good, get baptized and then fall away. Especially when you hear that about your converts.
Well, we are once again looking forward to another good week here in the awesome Ayungon Branch!
Elder Phelps
PS. General Conference is coming up! I'm so excited! There are four really good times a year for missionaries, General Conference is two of those and calling home is the other two!
If I'm not too lazy I'll try and write the YM a letter. But I'm terrible at that, and then even worse at actually getting it sent.
We Visit to Help Them Keep the Commandments
March 7, 2011
Okay, this last week was pretty good. We got a bunch of good lessons! We have nine investigators with a date for baptism, all within this transfer. So, Elder Reidhead and I are still happy that we are together. We are doing great stuff in this area. We keep getting compliments from our leaders. Elder Newman (the zone leader and my batch) and Elder Phelps (his comp) stayed at our house Saturday night so that they could steal the extra matresses for having the other zone leader over at their house sunday night. We were talking about our work and he is way impressed with it. We are making great progress, and our area is the least populated in the whole zone! That so far hasn't become a problem, there are still plenty of people.
Our investigators continue to do well. The youth and YSA (Michael Tilanas) had a youth camp at the church Friday to Saturday. That went really well. We stopped by to see how their cookfest went. Yeah, free food. They told us to come so it wasn't like we were just showing up. Then we took Michael to visit a stubborn investigator that we had been trying to get to come to church. Well, it helped, just not quite in the way I wanted. We told him at the end of the lesson that we visit him to help him keep the commandments. He was so firm in his promise to himself that he would never attend church anywhere ever again. We told him that if he changed his mind he knows where to find us, at the church. After that they had a closing devotional for the youth camp, and we were the speakers. And we found that out the night before. Either way, it still went pretty well and we are able to get some lessons after that.
Man, with all the changes you are making to the house I am starting to know how Elder LeCheminant felt when he talked to me about how his house was pretty much totally different. The house may look different when I get home, but it will still feel like home.
Answers to your questions: I got the package last Tuesday, the day after I told you that I hadn't gotten it yet. It was good. Elder Reidhead was happy that the card said that one of the Reeses was specifically for him.
Oh, so Katee sent me an email about her going on a mission and my incredible ability to remember birthdays told my about Brandt's bday.
Oh, sometimes packages get here in good time, its the missionoffice sometimes that takes for ever to send stuff to us.
That's cool that Nat is working a bunch.That should be good for her.
Well, looking forward to another good week! Love from the Philippines!
Elder Phelps
PS I love ll of you so much!
Okay, this last week was pretty good. We got a bunch of good lessons! We have nine investigators with a date for baptism, all within this transfer. So, Elder Reidhead and I are still happy that we are together. We are doing great stuff in this area. We keep getting compliments from our leaders. Elder Newman (the zone leader and my batch) and Elder Phelps (his comp) stayed at our house Saturday night so that they could steal the extra matresses for having the other zone leader over at their house sunday night. We were talking about our work and he is way impressed with it. We are making great progress, and our area is the least populated in the whole zone! That so far hasn't become a problem, there are still plenty of people.
Our investigators continue to do well. The youth and YSA (Michael Tilanas) had a youth camp at the church Friday to Saturday. That went really well. We stopped by to see how their cookfest went. Yeah, free food. They told us to come so it wasn't like we were just showing up. Then we took Michael to visit a stubborn investigator that we had been trying to get to come to church. Well, it helped, just not quite in the way I wanted. We told him at the end of the lesson that we visit him to help him keep the commandments. He was so firm in his promise to himself that he would never attend church anywhere ever again. We told him that if he changed his mind he knows where to find us, at the church. After that they had a closing devotional for the youth camp, and we were the speakers. And we found that out the night before. Either way, it still went pretty well and we are able to get some lessons after that.
Man, with all the changes you are making to the house I am starting to know how Elder LeCheminant felt when he talked to me about how his house was pretty much totally different. The house may look different when I get home, but it will still feel like home.
Answers to your questions: I got the package last Tuesday, the day after I told you that I hadn't gotten it yet. It was good. Elder Reidhead was happy that the card said that one of the Reeses was specifically for him.
Oh, so Katee sent me an email about her going on a mission and my incredible ability to remember birthdays told my about Brandt's bday.
Oh, sometimes packages get here in good time, its the missionoffice sometimes that takes for ever to send stuff to us.
That's cool that Nat is working a bunch.That should be good for her.
Well, looking forward to another good week! Love from the Philippines!
Elder Phelps
PS I love ll of you so much!
It Was a Glorious Sight to See
Feb 27, 2011
Well, this last week was pretty good. We got a good number of lessons, we (still) have great investigators (and some not as great ones). But the work is moving forward at a good pace, our plan is to speed it up though. Our area is doing a good job and keeping things consistent, but we haven't yet hit mission standard, but getting close. We hit mission standard a couple of weeks ago in all areas except the number of lessons, so we are just bumping that up.
So, yesterday was branch conference here in Ayungon. We had been working to get investigators (of course) and less-active members to come so that our attendance would be high, we would also have a boost from the visitors from the District (Stake) presidencies and auxiliaries. So all in all our attendance was 83! Which is freakin' high! The tiny building was packed with people! It was a glorious sight to see. We also counted the number of visitors from other units and the subtracted them from the total number, so it ended up being that we had 68 members of the Ayungon Branch attend! That was awesome, because the most I had ever seen it before that was 55, but normally it is in the high 30s and low 40s. But it has been steadily increasing. We also had five investigators attend, less than we had planned but it was still good. A couple of them we found out that they wouldn't be coming Friday and Saturday, still a disappointment but it was alright. There were four more that we excpected to come, but didn't, we found out later why two of them weren't there, we went to their house and they weren't home. The neighbors said that they went to Valladolid because it was the day before the fiesta there. But we are going back to them tomorrow.
That's really about it for the last week. Nothing really that interesting happened. Oh! one of the investigators at church was Papa Tilanas! We started teaching him this week and he came to church! We had our doubts that he would, but he did and we (plus the rest of the Tilanas family) were way happy!! We also started teaching Michael Francisco's mother. She has wanted to be taught for a while, and was taught before, but she is was busy. But she comes home from work on Saturdays and we are teaching her then. It's just going to be hard to have her progress with us teaching just once a week and her not being able to come to church. We are going to talk to her about talking to her boss and asking for Sunday's off. That works here, sometimes.
So the most exciting part (Aside from branch conference) of the week was transfer announcements. Normally we wouldn't find out until tuesday, but because we live with the zone leader and he gets the call Sunday night, we already know what is happening. We are getting what we wanted, Elder Riedhead and I are staying in Ayungon! I used the zone leader's phone to text Michael Tilanas after we found out to let him know. He is way excited too.
Well, I hope you all have a good week this coming week, I know we are going to!
Elder Phelps
PS. I think it is way cool that Katee has decided to go on a mission. I just hope she doesnt leave until after I get home! But since she is going that makes that the four oldest grandchildren will have gone, be on, or going to go on missions.
Also, tell Brandton "Happy Birthday" from me! If I had thought about it earlier, and they actually had good birthday cards here, I would have sent him one. Maybe I still will, I'll just make my own!
And still no package... :(
And I for got to get my sizes... next week na lang!
Well, this last week was pretty good. We got a good number of lessons, we (still) have great investigators (and some not as great ones). But the work is moving forward at a good pace, our plan is to speed it up though. Our area is doing a good job and keeping things consistent, but we haven't yet hit mission standard, but getting close. We hit mission standard a couple of weeks ago in all areas except the number of lessons, so we are just bumping that up.
So, yesterday was branch conference here in Ayungon. We had been working to get investigators (of course) and less-active members to come so that our attendance would be high, we would also have a boost from the visitors from the District (Stake) presidencies and auxiliaries. So all in all our attendance was 83! Which is freakin' high! The tiny building was packed with people! It was a glorious sight to see. We also counted the number of visitors from other units and the subtracted them from the total number, so it ended up being that we had 68 members of the Ayungon Branch attend! That was awesome, because the most I had ever seen it before that was 55, but normally it is in the high 30s and low 40s. But it has been steadily increasing. We also had five investigators attend, less than we had planned but it was still good. A couple of them we found out that they wouldn't be coming Friday and Saturday, still a disappointment but it was alright. There were four more that we excpected to come, but didn't, we found out later why two of them weren't there, we went to their house and they weren't home. The neighbors said that they went to Valladolid because it was the day before the fiesta there. But we are going back to them tomorrow.
That's really about it for the last week. Nothing really that interesting happened. Oh! one of the investigators at church was Papa Tilanas! We started teaching him this week and he came to church! We had our doubts that he would, but he did and we (plus the rest of the Tilanas family) were way happy!! We also started teaching Michael Francisco's mother. She has wanted to be taught for a while, and was taught before, but she is was busy. But she comes home from work on Saturdays and we are teaching her then. It's just going to be hard to have her progress with us teaching just once a week and her not being able to come to church. We are going to talk to her about talking to her boss and asking for Sunday's off. That works here, sometimes.
So the most exciting part (Aside from branch conference) of the week was transfer announcements. Normally we wouldn't find out until tuesday, but because we live with the zone leader and he gets the call Sunday night, we already know what is happening. We are getting what we wanted, Elder Riedhead and I are staying in Ayungon! I used the zone leader's phone to text Michael Tilanas after we found out to let him know. He is way excited too.
Well, I hope you all have a good week this coming week, I know we are going to!
Elder Phelps
PS. I think it is way cool that Katee has decided to go on a mission. I just hope she doesnt leave until after I get home! But since she is going that makes that the four oldest grandchildren will have gone, be on, or going to go on missions.
Also, tell Brandton "Happy Birthday" from me! If I had thought about it earlier, and they actually had good birthday cards here, I would have sent him one. Maybe I still will, I'll just make my own!
And still no package... :(
And I for got to get my sizes... next week na lang!
I Know That This Is True and I Hope That You All Feel It Too
Feb 20, 2011
Wow, sounds like quite the week. I totally forgot that today is President's Day. Naturally that isn't a holiday here so I hadn't thought about it at all. The next official national holiday here isn't until Holy Week in April. And that is just ridiculous. But it will be my last Holy Week! My highlight for that is that conference is the next weekend here! That's next transfer! I cant wait for conference! I have been rereading my conference editions of the Ensign and listening to them on my iPod. I've got conference fever! Still got to wait a month though...
So as dad said, the people that most need our help are often those that we feel least deserve it. I hadn't ever really realized that I had realized that. But we see that all the time. There are people everywhere that need what we have. The membership in the Ayungon Branch is roughly 196. The official record (CMIS) has names of people that have died and moved away, so those need to be taken off, but the list also has kulangs (it's missing names). So with such a small number and although the area is a way small one, lowest population in our zone, there are still a ton of people that don't have the gospel. And some of them say that they don't want it and never take the chance to taste of it's sweetness. We see people and we no longer think if they deserve our service or our message, we know that they need it and we have a responsibility, duty and opportunity to share it with them. Once you see them all as children of a loving Heavenly Father that loves them just as much as he loves you, your outlook on everything changes. I have seen that change in myself. I used to just assume that someone won't listen or accept the gospel, but I have worked hard to change that and I am making progress, still not perfect at it, but I have come a long way.
For those that have found the gospel and accepted it, it says in Preach My Gospel that some have described it as, a hole in their heart that they didn't know they had, which has been filled. I used to think that was just every so often that people had such an experience, but now I have had multiple investigators use that phrase, without it ever being told to them. Even those who reject the message can feel of it's truthfulness. I have seen investigators become former investigators but they have a feeling that they made the wrong choice. One was the other week. We taught him once and he was receptive and I felt that he felt something, just the way he took it in. The next time we visited he told us that we couldn't come back because his mom is active catholic (this guy is probably almost 30). Way lame excuse. We passed by him on a trike and we made eye contact, then he looked away and avoided me the rest of the time we were stopped next to each other. I can tell he knows he made the wrong choice. We want to talk to him again, but he avoids us.
Okay dad about scouts, "Sunday stuff" is fun. But it is a different kind of fun. The experience we have with the Spirit of the Lord during sacrament and the classes are sustaining experiences that support us throughout the rest of the week. It also bears witness to us of the truthfulness of this church and of God's love to each of us as His children. Those who only come to the Wednesday activities don't truly understand the church or the gospel. Coming to those activities does not make up for church attendance. The Spirit may be there, but it is certainly not as strong as it is during the Sunday block. And there are no ordinances preformed at those activities. But being bold and just telling them that hardly ever works. The other young men, not just the leaders (but the leaders also), need to extend the hand of fellowship and love. Tell them that they are missed and that they would contribute a lot to the quorum if they came. And then when they do come don't let them be ignored and left out of the group. Bring them in and involve them, show your love for them and your appreciation for them coming. That works! I have seen it work for less-active members AND investigators. Just yesterday (Sunday) a in-active member came to church and she was welcomed by multiple hugs! Another came and received the same greeting. The members were excited to have them at church and made them feel welcome. Now, I don't expect the YM to go around giving hugs or kisses to each other, but a warm handshake and a manly embrace can mean a lot to them. Save them a seat next to you and show them you want to be their friend and include them in the group.
I know that this is true and I hope that you all feel it too. I have never felt all this so strongly and now I know that I was missing out. Young men, prepare for missions! Read the scriptures EVERYDAY! Even if it is just five minutes. Take your Book of Mormon around with you if you don't need to. Dont be afraid to show your religion. There are many more of us in Utah than there are here (percent wise) and the members here show where their faith lies. You can too.
Elder Phelps
Wow, sounds like quite the week. I totally forgot that today is President's Day. Naturally that isn't a holiday here so I hadn't thought about it at all. The next official national holiday here isn't until Holy Week in April. And that is just ridiculous. But it will be my last Holy Week! My highlight for that is that conference is the next weekend here! That's next transfer! I cant wait for conference! I have been rereading my conference editions of the Ensign and listening to them on my iPod. I've got conference fever! Still got to wait a month though...
So as dad said, the people that most need our help are often those that we feel least deserve it. I hadn't ever really realized that I had realized that. But we see that all the time. There are people everywhere that need what we have. The membership in the Ayungon Branch is roughly 196. The official record (CMIS) has names of people that have died and moved away, so those need to be taken off, but the list also has kulangs (it's missing names). So with such a small number and although the area is a way small one, lowest population in our zone, there are still a ton of people that don't have the gospel. And some of them say that they don't want it and never take the chance to taste of it's sweetness. We see people and we no longer think if they deserve our service or our message, we know that they need it and we have a responsibility, duty and opportunity to share it with them. Once you see them all as children of a loving Heavenly Father that loves them just as much as he loves you, your outlook on everything changes. I have seen that change in myself. I used to just assume that someone won't listen or accept the gospel, but I have worked hard to change that and I am making progress, still not perfect at it, but I have come a long way.
For those that have found the gospel and accepted it, it says in Preach My Gospel that some have described it as, a hole in their heart that they didn't know they had, which has been filled. I used to think that was just every so often that people had such an experience, but now I have had multiple investigators use that phrase, without it ever being told to them. Even those who reject the message can feel of it's truthfulness. I have seen investigators become former investigators but they have a feeling that they made the wrong choice. One was the other week. We taught him once and he was receptive and I felt that he felt something, just the way he took it in. The next time we visited he told us that we couldn't come back because his mom is active catholic (this guy is probably almost 30). Way lame excuse. We passed by him on a trike and we made eye contact, then he looked away and avoided me the rest of the time we were stopped next to each other. I can tell he knows he made the wrong choice. We want to talk to him again, but he avoids us.
Okay dad about scouts, "Sunday stuff" is fun. But it is a different kind of fun. The experience we have with the Spirit of the Lord during sacrament and the classes are sustaining experiences that support us throughout the rest of the week. It also bears witness to us of the truthfulness of this church and of God's love to each of us as His children. Those who only come to the Wednesday activities don't truly understand the church or the gospel. Coming to those activities does not make up for church attendance. The Spirit may be there, but it is certainly not as strong as it is during the Sunday block. And there are no ordinances preformed at those activities. But being bold and just telling them that hardly ever works. The other young men, not just the leaders (but the leaders also), need to extend the hand of fellowship and love. Tell them that they are missed and that they would contribute a lot to the quorum if they came. And then when they do come don't let them be ignored and left out of the group. Bring them in and involve them, show your love for them and your appreciation for them coming. That works! I have seen it work for less-active members AND investigators. Just yesterday (Sunday) a in-active member came to church and she was welcomed by multiple hugs! Another came and received the same greeting. The members were excited to have them at church and made them feel welcome. Now, I don't expect the YM to go around giving hugs or kisses to each other, but a warm handshake and a manly embrace can mean a lot to them. Save them a seat next to you and show them you want to be their friend and include them in the group.
I know that this is true and I hope that you all feel it too. I have never felt all this so strongly and now I know that I was missing out. Young men, prepare for missions! Read the scriptures EVERYDAY! Even if it is just five minutes. Take your Book of Mormon around with you if you don't need to. Dont be afraid to show your religion. There are many more of us in Utah than there are here (percent wise) and the members here show where their faith lies. You can too.
Elder Phelps
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
