President's Training

This week was a good one for us.  We started the week off with President's Training at the mission home.  It is always fun to go there.  We always have one-on-one interviews with President Lopez and he is always in tune with the Spirit to know exactly what I need to talk about.

We were able to have the baptism for Sister Gloria Bolivar.  It was good because it finished the family, at least the ones who are old enough to be baptized!  The best part was that her husband was the one who was able to baptize her.  He is our recent convert of only about 3 1/2 weeks.  We were reviewing the baptismal prayer with him and he was so nervous, but he had it memorized when the baptism came around and it went perfect.  He didn't even need the paper copy we made for him to read if he forgot it.

This week we went on exchanges again.  I went with Elder Fernando in Manta-angan.  He is a very sharp missionary.  He is really trying to learn the language.  Even when people would speak Tagalog to him (and a lot did), he would always reply in what Illongo he knows.

The tough part about the last couple of days here in EB Magalona is that they are having the annual Ugyunan Festival.  It is a lot bigger than I was expecting it to be.  They had live bands every night, so it was really hard to sleep.  Also, with the festival going on, nobody is at their homes.  Friday, Saturday, and Sunday we were able to teach a couple of people, but the rest of the days we went to EVERY single person we planned for.  That usually doesn't happen.  We usually run out of time in the day way before we run out of people in our planner.  I am continually reminded about how badly I need to learn patience!

So it is close to the end of the month, which means our support money is running thin.  Saturday our gas ran out, so we couldn't cook anything. It costs us each 600 pesos to refill it.  Right now I have a little bit over 40 pesos (less than a dollar) cash to last me until the 2nd, when support gets reloaded.  We have eaten Uga (little dried fish) for the last three days because it's only 5 pesos for three little fish.  It is disgusting, but you do what you have to do!  I will send a picture of it.  You don't taste the fishy taste if you drench it in vinegar!!! I have some support on my mission credit card that I haven't withdrawn, so I will be able to buy some chicken today when we go to the market in Silay because they take cards. There aren't any ATMs in EB Magalona.

Saturday was National Service Day in the Philippines, so we went to a park and pulled weeds as a ward.  I remember how much I hate doing that!  It is way better in St. George though, because even though it is hot you don't sweat as much.  My shirt was drenched by the end of the day.  Now I have a weird skin rash that is spreading all over my body.  I don't really know what it is, but they are little red patches that are swelled up and itch like crazy!  I am supposed to go see the dermatologist today, so I will be fine.

Just so you know, I hate not playing baseball!  I am going crazy.  I bought a tennis ball and I just throw it against the wall in our house to work on my hands.  I also found a bamboo stick that is almost the perfect length for a bat.  I took that to our apartment and swing it all the time.  I have quite the imagination. I have hit a walk-off homerun in the college world series about twenty times now, so when it actually happens my homerun trot will be flawless!

At the end of this week, I will have less than 14 months left!  I am hoping the time will continue to go by fast.  It has been a good transfer as far as that is concerned.  That is one of the many reasons why I don't want either of us to transfer.  We aren't best friends, but the time goes by fast and I don't hate him, so that's good!

Anyways, I love you guys so much!  Have a great week!

Teaching at President's Training

Uga

Food--One of the best things about going to the mission home!

Great Lesson Learned

This week was another busy week with exchanges.  On Wednesday, we went with the Bata Elders.  I went to Bata with Elder May. It was a good day.

The rest of the week was busy.  We had good success finding new people to teach.  We also have a baptism coming up this next week--Sister Gloria Bolivar.  Her husband was baptized two weeks ago, but she waited because she wasn't ready.  Now she feels all her fears are gone and she is ready.  Her husband just received the priesthood, so he will be able to baptize her this Friday.  I am very excited, as this will be my first complete family baptism.

So I learned a good lesson this week.  Two weeks ago we took a journey to Panoasawan.  It is a half hour away from our church, so we rarely go there. We had a referral, so we went and met this guy (Brother Antonano) who lives on the beach.  He is a fisherman and didn't seem too interested in anything we were saying.  He was watching tv while we were trying to talk to him and seemed to be annoyed.  His daughter moved to Manilla and married a return missionary in the temple.  She wanted her parents to start taking the lessons, so we left a pamphlet with him and scheduled a return appointment for the next Friday.  So that Friday comes up and we had a conflict with another appointment.  We decided that guy wasn't really interested and lived so far away that it would be tough for him to progress and come to church.  We went to the other family instead.  That Sunday we show up to the church and he (Brother Antonano) is there waiting to go to Talisay with us to General Conference.  He was holding the pamphlet we gave him and told us he had waited four hours for us on Friday and we never showed up, so that morning he got on his motorcycle (that we didn't know he had--takes care of the getting to church issue) and comes to church--white shirt and all.  I felt like absolute crap and wanted to beat myself up!  Anyways, he doesn't speak English and the talks at conference were all in English.  We went to visit him on Tuesday, but his wife said he wasn't there.  I was thinking, great--we blew it!  Anyways, we go back on Friday and he is there waiting, still holding the Restoration pamphlet.  He told us he had read it all and wanted us to tell him about Joseph Smith. We taught Lesson 1 to the man and he told us he was a Jehovah's Witness and didn't want to be baptized, just wanted to investigate. Well, he showed up again to church on Sunday.  I cannot believe that even though my faith is weak, Heavenly Father has given me such a great blessing!  We are planning on visiting him again tomorrow and will try to give him a baptismal date.  His wife listens too, but has diabetes and had her leg amputated, so she said she will never come to church.  I told her I would carry her on my back to church if she would come.  She laughed and said she would think about it!  I could use your prayers for this one.  I feel like this man has been prepared by the Lord and I don't want to screw it up!

We have bought the heaviest-duty mouse traps that we could find in Bacolod, but we still haven't caught the rat.  This thing eats the food without setting off the trap.  It is unbelievable!  I feel like I am being outsmarted by a freaking rodent!!!  Do you understand what a shot that is to my pride?? It's a big one! As of now, he hasn't tried getting in my bed again.

I met our neighbor and his wife this morning.  They are very nice people, but I don't know if I will ever be able to look at them or talk to them again!  I told you we had to shower outside, didn't I?  Well, I had heard that the neighbors sometimes get on their roof to pick mangoes off their tree.  So I was washing my hair and I hear what sounds like footsteps on their roof.  I have soap all over my face, so I don't know what to do.  I'm just thinking, there is no way this is happening right now because from the roof you can see right into our shower!  Anyways, I dip the scooper and pour water down right as they turn around and see me . . . both of them . . . and I am buck naked!  It was probably the most embarassing moment of my life!  I figured if I made a big deal out of it, it would just be worse, so I just said "kamusta" (how are you) and kept showering.  They turned around and continued picking mangoes as if nothing happened!  Man, you gotta love Filipinos!  Elder Baladad was dying when I was telling him.  He said it happened to his last companion too, except that he went running in the house.  I don't know who handled it better, but chalk it up for experience!

I love you guys tons!

Elder Baladad and Cole

Bolivar Family

Study Time

General Conference

What a wonderful two days of General Conference.  It is like the Superbowl for missionaries!  The whole week you want to focus on the work, but in the back of your mind you know that this weekend will be something different. I need to say that now that I am a missionary, General Conference means a little more to me.  I never fully understood the concept and blessings of having living apostles and prophets until I got on my mission.  I have seen just how lost some people can become without the guidance of our Lord through his prophets.  I may be a little bias since he is from St. George, but Elder Holland is by far one of the most powerful speakers I have  heard.  It was impossible for me to take my eyes off him while he was speaking!  That is the type of missionary I want to become.  The one where after I leave the house, the people just sit there wondering what they just witnessed (except I will be sure to teach for understanding!!!)  Anyways, let's just say I am spending some of my email time rewatching that particular talk.

This week was good.  The first couple of days were rough.  With such a big area, you need to plan by area to make sure you use your time wisely.  Then when you plan for an area and get "punted" four times, it makes filling an hour or two pretty difficult.  We were able to make do with what we had though.  Even if we threw out the plan and just winged it.

On Wednesday, we had exchanges and Elder Cannon came with me.  My limited knowledge of the area was evident and we finally had to call it a day at 8 pm because I had absolutely no idea where to go.  We had exhausted the people in the area that I knew and didn't know what to do.  We tried OYM at the park, but that was going nowhere because of the Barangay Basketball games.  We called it a  night a little bit early!  Elder Cannon is a great missionary.  He is still struggling with the language, but I tried my best to help him with some tips that helped me.  Honestly, the only real thing that has helped me is reading the Book of Mormon in Hiligaynon and speaking the language as much as possible.  He is doing a good job training Elder Fernando and they are both being obedient.  He admitted that sometimes they fall short on the exact obedience, but then we had a good talk about the atonement and how that makes up for the little part as long as we are trying our best.  I was impressed with him and can see him as a future leader in the mission.

While we were doing our companionship study, I had a little revelation.  We were reading from PMG page 105, paragraph 2 when it talks about the real purpose of the Book of Mormon.  It's main purpose is to testify about the Bible that Jesus is the Christ.  This lead me to think about a different way of introducing the Book of Mormon.  Elder Cannon and I practiced and I am very excited to try using it in an actual situation.  In this way I want to focus more on how the Book of Mormon testifies of the Bible and Christ, and less on the Nephites/Lamanites and Joseph Smith.  After I tell them what the Book of Mormon does, I will try to show them what it means if it is true.  The I will introduce Joseph Smith.  I am hoping that it will give people a greater desire to read it as a testimony to Christ.  We will see.

Friday we walked probably a little over 10 kilometers . . . that sucked!  I was so tired and was so ready for bed.  I was sleeping great until 4:11 am.  Why that specific time?  That was the time my buddy (who happens to be about a foot long rat) decided to come in and try snuggling with me.  I woke up when he got on my stomach.  I freaked out and swatted him with my hand.  He flew against the wall, squeaked, and ran out of the room.  Needless to say, I couldn't sleep the rest of the night.

I met someone who knows Dad.  I know her as Sister Polatis, but I am pretty sure Dad knows her as either Bruce or Todd's assistant.  She worked in their office.  I am sending a picture of me and her.  She recognized Dad's picture, so he may recognize her.

Saturday night it rained so hard.  It hasn't rained forever, so I was loving falling asleep to the rain.  Anyways, our house flooded.  Our area book was soaking wet, Dad's present got ruined, and just about everything else that was on floor level was trashed.  Conference was later that day, so it was all good.  All the stuff that was wet can be replaced.  I would take a flooded house over a rat the size of a cat any day!

My proslyting shoes got another hole in them, but this time it also put a hole in my sock.  Instead of continuing to wear those shoes and have to buy new shoes and socks, I decided to take one for the team and proslyte in flip flops!  It was so great!!!!  It is also one of the items on my mission bucket list. I repented and promised Heavenly Father I will only do it out necessity like this week.  I can't go to the mall which is an hour away in the middle of the week.  I will send a picture.

I love you guys so much and hope you have a great week!

Sister Polatis and Cole

Sporting the flip flops!

Another Great Week!

On Monday and Tuesday, Elder Baladad and I had Zone Leader Conference at the mission home.  It is always a fun time.  You get to spend the night at the mission home and it is only the zone leaders.  There are three of us from my batch now--Elder Doane, Elder Moody, and me.

On Wednesday, we had our Zone Leader Training, where we train the missionaries in our zone.  It went good, but so far I have had to adjust what I have prepared at both trainings.  The first one because Elder Saure was confused on what he was supposed to talk about and this last one because I only had 25 minutes to present an hour's worth of material.  I had to train on "Our vision as a mission".  I felt it went good, but it was hard trying to decide what to share and what to leave out.

We had to two baptisms last week.  One for Brother Jacob Bolivar and one for Sister Azucena Suganob.  Brother Bolivar's wife is scheduled to be baptized on April 27.  Right now she is just wanting to get a little more comfortable at church.  Her concern is her two 5-year old twins.  They are pretty rowdy and she is a little embarrassed to take them to church.  However, we had the Relief Society and Primary Presidents visit her, and we think she feels more comfortable.  She has come to church six times not, but still wants to have her date as the 27th.  The baptism was great and both of the candidates bore very strong testimonies.  It is really cool to watch a man with a couple of tattoos and who has made some mistakes just bawl and talked about the changes in his life.  Those are the moments this work is really fun and fulfilling.

The Ermano family is doing well.  We had another communication issue and weren't able to teach them this week, but we visited them every day.  The two men who are above the age so we can teach were in Mansilingan working all week.  When they were there, we texted to tell them we were coming over and when we went, they weren't there.  We later found out that when Elder Baladad saved the number in the phone, he mixed up two of the numbers . . . the little things Satan does to try and stop the work!  However, one of their sons came to church and said he had so much fun.  Last night when we stopped by on our way to a dinner appointment, the mom said that she is really interested to experienced the thing her son talked about.  This week our goal is to teach them at least four times.  We need to make up for some lost time!!!

The obedience thing with my companion is coming!  During my training I tried to focus on the fact that even if we haven't been exactly obedient on our missions, even for missionaries close to going home, there is still time for them to be exactly obedient because of the atonement.  All they need to do is repent and change.  It was really good and it even struck me that if I mess up, I can repent and become exactly obedient.  Needless to say, the sacrament was a little more meaningful and spiritual for me this last week.  Also, without me saying anything, Elder Baladad actually did personal and sort of (25 minutes instead of an hour) companion study with me.  Hey, slowly but surely, right?  

Love you all!

 Sister Azucena Suganob and Brother Jacob Bolivar

Rice and Menudo

Bringing a little bit of the USA to the Philippines
What's more American than a hot dog!!!

Bacolod, Philippines Zone Leaders

Breakfast--The missionaries are well fed!

Elder Wilstead and Elder Baladad

Transfer to EB Magalona

This week seemed pretty long.  Transfer weeks are always the longest weeks of the transfer and things were a little bit more crazy as this was the first time I have transferred areas in my mission.  Anyways, I am thankful to be able to serve in EB Magalona and to be a zone leader again.  The thing that shocked me with this area is how big it is.  It is north of Bacolod by about an hour's drive.  My area has 10 barangays (a barangay is like the size of our ward boundaries), but it is all one ward with about 135 active members.  I have a beach in my area, but I haven't gone there yet.  I will be sure to take plenty of photos.

My new companion is Elder Baladad.  He goes home in June and is super "trunky".  He is also a little on the disobedient side.  When I say a little, I mean kinda a lot.  I still keep the rules that I can by myself, but I haven't had a companion study yet and stuff like that.  He just sleeps in, doesn't do studies and likes to hang out at people's houses.  It's tough for me because I don't know the area, so I can't say, "Hey, let's go here."  I am doing my best to set the good example, but we will have some issues if he tries to make me break any major rules, like watching movies in the apartment.  Yes, he used to do that all the time with his old companion!  I could really use your guys' help with prayers on how to handle this situation.  I really like him a lot though!  He is really funny, but the disobedience is going to get really old, really quick!  I am a missionary, NOT a babysitter.

My apartment is interesting.  I had been living in the celestial kingdom, and now I have been moved to the telestial!  It's all part of the experience though! At least, that is what I am telling myself and why I am having a good attitude about it.  It is good to experience these things, because now no matter what mine and Melissa's first couple of apartments look like, it has to be better than this!

We contacted a family this week that was a referral.  They have three kids, so if they progress to baptism, that will be five new members!  Their date is on May 4.  They didn't come to church yesterday because they didn't know what to wear.  Big mistake on mine and Elder Baladad's part not to cover that with them.  We felt like idiots when we followed up yesterday and that was the reason they gave.  I'm sure that is a mistake that we will not make again! Anyways, the father had been taught before by the missionaries and stopped because the missionaries were "white washed" and non one came back to visit them.  He said he really liked the things he saw and heard of our church and said he wants his family to listen to us!  I am very excited and I will keep you updated on their status throughout the transfer.  Hopefully this will be the first family I am able to baptize on my mission.  That is something I have been praying for for a long time now.

We have 13 baptisms planned for this transfer--including 3 families!  I am so excited and I am praying that they all progress to baptism!  I can see that even though the last elders were disobedient here, they are good at teaching.  It makes me wonder the types of things they could have accomplished had they actually been obedient!

I love you guys tons!

My new shower.  The pillow is the water filter!