February 16, 2011

Hey everyone.

So as always, I'm just taking things a week at a time. Things are going well and the work is treating me nicely. On Saturday we had the baptism for sister Hydee Tan. Her son is serving a mission in the Philippines Butuan Mission. She decided about a month or two ago that it was time for her to be baptized and so we were blessed to teach her and now baptize her. She's great. At times I was kind of nervous about her conversion because she seemed really quiet about how she felt about the church and gospel. I was also worried that she may not continue going to church because she had been taken to church by some members because she had a surgery and couldnt be on bumpy roads. But she came to church this Sunday on her own and I found out that last week she had turned down the invitation to be picked up for church because she wanted to make sure that she was doing it all for herself. I was stoked to see that kind of conversion. She made a statement in her testimony after her baptism that she was doing this all for herself. Nobody was pressuring her. I was really happy. I also attached the pictures from Editha and Ladyvale's baptism and also the baptism for Melissa Aya-ay. You can tell how happy Duane is in the picture to be able to baptize Editha and Ladyvale.

As for the work, Elder Himarangan and I found the tiniest hole in the wall. Literally, its a little tiny pathway that you take and it leads into this ENORMOUS collection of houses. Like thousands of people are in there and it stretches forever!!! So the last couple of days we have been going door to door and tracting our faces off!!! We are in desperate need of investigators and its nice to have a place like this relatively close to the church that has barely been touched by missionaries since the late 90s! We taught this guy that has pneumonia and he is full of questions about why he has this happening to him and what he is to learn from it. I was so mad at myself because yesterday in order to be able to fit more Books of Mormon in my bag, I left my scriptures at home and took my little New Testament and a paperback Book of Mormon. I felt strongly that I needed to share a scripture from Paul but I only had it marked in my quad!!! ughhh.... That is the last time I leave my weapons at home. I repented on the spot. haha.

We had to do another emergency transfer on Friday. Two elders were really not getting along and it was getting to the point where any problem resulted in them calling us to come settle it for them. So I was fed up and called the APs and told them that I wanted one of them out. My zone is working at top performance right now. We had 13 baptisms last month, 5 baptisms last week and there are a lot more to come in the month of February. At this point, the zone cannot afford to have its progress hindered by those who refuse to change themselves and try to improve. We have no disobedient missionaries. Pride is gone from the zone. Its just 14 missionaries working their tails off for the Lord and the fruits are coming. So we moved one of the Elders out on Friday and got a new Elder in. He's a great guy--from Laie, Hawaii and fired up to work. He's exactly what we needed to complete our circle of excellence here in Lilo-An Zone. Now, instead of focusing on fixing companionship problems, we are focusing on reaching the tracting standards. It sounds like all the missionaries in the zone are well on their way to the standard. I'm really excited for what we can do if we continue. This is my dream, my comp's dream, and I know its the Lords as well.

Thanks for all your prayers and support.

I'll be home for Christmas,

Brandon

February 8, 2011

Hey everyone.

So here's my week.

So Then on Sunday we followed up with Sister Editha and her sister who is interested in the gospel. He visited her sister Marylou and her husband Adolfo. It was a great lesson. Two missionaries, an RM, and then Sister Editha and her burning fire of a testimony. She kept saying throughout the lesson, "This is the truth!" haha. She's such a boss. She was talking to the neighbors too and inviting them to listen. We gave Marylou and Adolfo a baptismal date of March 5--sweet! They are stoked. Marylou kept saying, "we need to join this church!"

We also did a Service project up in a river on Saturday. We moved a whole bunch of rocks around to try and get the water to go a different way in the river. (That made sense I hope--it did in Visayan. haha) It was okay. A couple of the American elders and myself put a little American initiative in it and things really sped up at the end once people realized they had to actually get down and work hard. It was a success at the end.

I attached some pics of my lace up shoes which a torn up on the bottom so if I step in a puddle my socks get all wet. The new shoes are great by the way. Also, if I can put in a request for some Gold Bond Body Powder that would be great. Things get a little itchy sometimes and that helps pretty good.

Wait. I forgot my camera. Next week then.

I'll be home for Christmas.

Brandon

PS. I have written in my journal every day for the past two weeks!!!!