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!

The Godfather

This week was an okay one, but it was tough to get lessons with our investigators.  Sometimes it feels like after all you can do, sometimes some people still don't understand the importance of our message.  However, we will continue to work and do what we need to do.

We had our one day mission on Saturday with our focus on the Rescue.  It was very successful.  We were able to contact some new less active members and also receive five referrals   I am very excited for this week so we can contact them and hopefully obtain some new investigators!

This week we had our companion exchanges with the Murcia Elders.  I went to Murcia with Elder Perez and Elder Peralta came with Elder Saure in Handumanan.  It was a fun experience.  I had no idea how big their area is. Eighteen barangays is unbelievable.  They also have three mountains to cover. But they are diligent and are working hard.  Elder Perez impressed me a lot with his abilities as a missionary.  It was tough to believe that he is still in his first transfer.

On Tuesday I was made a Godfather!  It's a really big deal here in the Philippines, even for members of the church.  There is a strong Catholic influence here.  The baby's name is Cadee Bell Barillas.  Her mother is only 18 and got pregnant.  she has been disfellowshipped, but is awesome and going through the repentance process.  Even through the pregnancy and everything, she never missed a single Sunday.  It is a testimony to me that even though serious sins are committed, you can still receive forgiveness--even if it isn't easy.  Anyways, I have grown really close to the family and they asked if I would be the Maninoy (Godfather).  I'm not sure if it is really something a missionary is supposed to do, but I now have a Godchild!!!  I have included a picture of her.

I met one of Brandon Irvin's converts.  He is a returned missionary and is now less active.  He became less active about a month after returning from his mission.  He went on his mission and had a girlfriend the whole time.  They wrote his entire mission and when he returned home, he went to see her.  He walked into her house without knocking and sees her holding a baby . . . her baby.  Then his girlfriend's husband walks out and asks what he is doing in his house.  To make a long story short, he actually turned crazy.  The church ended up paying for all his medical expenses and everything so he couldn't sue the church for becoming crazy due to his mission.  He is doing okay now, but hasn't attended church since then.  I didn't know whether to laugh or cry when he was telling me the story.  All I said to him was, "I'm sorry man, that really sucks!"  What do you say to a guy who had that happen to him?  It was unbelievable!!

This morning I was studying in the Pearl of Great Price.  In Moses 3:24 it says that a man should cleave to his wife and no one else."  I then read a quote from President Kimball that said, "this is not a suggestion from our Heavenly Father.  This is a commandment.  When we are married our wife becomes the most important thing in our life.  Nothing/No one else comes before her.  Not even the the mother and father we hold so dear.  Even the children must take their proper, but important place behind the wife."   After reflecting on this, I was so thankful for dad and his example to us.  I am so thankful and grateful that he obeys this commandment to a tee.  I know he would choose mom every time, without hesitation.  Mom would hate that, but I know that the three of us boys feel the same way--very glad that he would choose mom.  That is what God has commanded.  I don't know why that struck me so hard, but it did.  So dad, thank you for your example to us on how to treat women!

Well, that is all I can think of for now.  Thank you all for your prayers and all the support you give me.  I love you all so much and cannot believe that we only have 15 more months!!!  Hopefully it goes fast, 'cause I miss you all!

Cadee Bell Barillas

Zone Conference

Here are some photos from this week's Zone Conference.

Exchanges with the APs

On Wednesday we went on exchanges with the APs.  Elder Galanza came and worked with me in Handumanan and Elder Saure went to their area with Elder Garcia.  Wow!  That was all Elder Saure and I could say after the exchanges.  They are two very sharp elders and now Elder Saure and I always say, "Alright, what would the APs do?"  What absolutely blew my mind about how Elder Galanza taught was that every lesson we taught was on the Book of Mormon.  I loved their training at Zone Leader Conference, but Elder Saure and I were finding it hard to apply in our work.  I'm not sure why, but we just were.  However, after seeing how they apply it and how everything truly does come down to a person's testimony about the Book of Mormon, that is about the only lesson we have taught since then.  I cannot believe I didn't realize it before.  I tell these people every day how important reading the Book of Mormon is, and we need to KNOW that it is true.  If we have that solid testimony, it's not a problem doing anything else the church requires, because it is ALL true!

Other than the exchanges on Wednesday, I would like to forget this week.  It was a struggle because just as I was feeling like my sickness was gone, it came back with a vengeance   We saw Elder and Sister chin in the office and Sister Chin could tell I was sick.  I guess my face was pretty sunken in and wasn't looking food.  She told me I needed to rest and I told her I couldn't that day because we ad exchanges.  She texted me that night and said I had to rest or I wouldn't get better.  So, Thursday we didn't proslyte at all,  I think I slept for a combined 16 hours that day.  I needed it and after that the sickness slowly went away to the point that I feel like it's gone for good.  The only problem now is that my energy hasn't returned.  Even now, I have almost no drive or desire to do anything but rest.  But this week we will turn things around.  I have a feeling that good things are ahead!

This week we have our Zone Conference where all the zone leaders provide individual training.  I'm excited about it, but the only thing I am worried about is that I have zero experience on the topic.  I have to train on baptismal interviews, but since I skipped being a district leader, I haven't ever interviewed anyone!  I guess we will see how good I am at winging it!

So, I had some pretty cool personal study this morning.  I have been kinda pouty about being sick, and this morning I started reading Alma 7:11-13. Alma explains about the Atonement and the life of Jesus.  Those verses just prove to us how complete the Atonement really is.  I testify to you guys that he does know how we feel.  He knows because He has felt it.  He has suffered it, and He suffered it all so He could know how to help us overcome the trials and pains we feel.

I love you guys!

Happy 8 Months!

Happy 8 months!  Only 16 more to go!  Can you guys believe I have been here that long?  Sometimes time flies and sometimes it stands still.  This transfer is going by a lot faster though!  It's because Elder Saure is a goof and we just laugh and have fun all the time!

Elder Saure and I are having an absolute blast being companions!  He is so funny and so enthusiastic about the work, that it is hard not to have fun while we are working.  This week was kinda tough though.  I was fighting a cold that just wouldn't seem to go away.  Our proslyting hours were a little lower this week because on Friday I needed to sleep.  I felt like I was a zombie going through our weekly planning session and I knew that I would be a little better than a dead body in the room if we would have tried to teach any lessons at that time.  We still got to proslyte for five hours that day and got some good work done.

On Wednesday, we had exchanges with Elder Pulsipher and Elder Castillo.  It was fun to go and work with Elder Pulsipher.  It was the first time my whole mission that I have proslyted with an American.  That was a little different, but fun nevertheless.  We also got a bunch of lessons taught.  We reached my high for lessons taught to investigators with a member present!  I also think I may have learned more from him then he did from me.  During one lesson the spirit was very strong and it shocked me when he bore quick testimony and ended the lesson.  I kindly told him after we left that there was still more we needed to teach.   He then said, "Elder, one thing I have learned is when the spirit is strong, end the lesson and leave.  When we leave, the spirit will leave and when they feel that difference they will know there is something special about us and our message."  I thought, wow, that is so true!  That is something I had never thought about.  I will definitely try to use that in some of our upcoming lessons with investigators and try to see if it really works as well as he says it does!  We will see.  He is a very scripturally (is that a word?) brilliant missionary.  He is someone I would feel comfortable with if we were in a room with a bunch of preachers!

This week we also had the opportunity to baptize a woman.  The best part was that her husband was the one to baptize her!  We returned him to activity and then we were able to baptize his wife.  Now we start to prepare them for the temple.  They are excited and seem willing to do all that is necessary to get there.

I showed a family picture to the young men and young women in our ward and Kody and Logan were huge hits!  I was pretty ticked when one of them said that they were more handsome than me!  If just goes to show that Filipinos are crazy!  Not in this world or the next will they ever be better looking than me!  Haha!

One cool thing I thought of this week is making a mission bucket list!  I will take pictures of me doing each one of these things.  You probably won't see some of them until I get home because I am not sure how legal some of the things I want to do are--but it's going to be a blast!!!!

Love you all!

Who says I can't enjoy some of the funner parts
of missionary work in the Philippines?

I'm holding a baby goat! Of course I'm excited!

Mara Noja's baptism

Working hard and wearing holes in the soles of my shoes!!!

This was on my mission bucket list-- riding on the back of a jeepney!

Yup.. Guapo!!!