March 22, 2011

Hey everyone.

So things are going in a really good direction still.

We have our baptism for Sister Lore next Saturday. I'm really excited. She is nervous but excited at the same time. She gets it all really easy. SHe's way smart. She's going to be my 8th baptism in this area. haha. Thats almost a baptism every 2.5 weeks. haha. I think thats the right math???  I think President Hansen likes the work that we've been doing here. We have 14 investigators committed to baptism and as for my converts in the area, we have 100% retention, full-tithe paying, home/visiting teaching, Priesthood holding/exercising, nightly Book of Mormon reading CONVERTS. Not just people who got baptized. I know you know the difference. I'm so happy with the way its been going. I hope it keeps up. My companion made a comment to me that things in our area are different because its very smooth. He said that every lesson, every tracting opportunity, everything just seems to run smooth. I'm glad he feels that way.

So as a zone, we are targeting some of the things that need to be better. One is the effectiveness of our tracting and contacting. Its good but it could be way better. So we have had our District Leaders focus their workshops on quality over quantity. Well, this last week it kind of backfired. We had a whole bunch of quality but not much quantity. haha. So they kind of stoked the fire of diligence and we are looking at a better week this week.

One of the things that we also do as missionaries here is teach members how to hold family home evenings. But on of the things that has really bugged me in the mission is how these Family Home Evenings are done. It seems to be a 5 minute lesson and then 2 hours of playing games and goofing off with the family. For me, that isn't what Family Home Evening is. So I really expressed to the District Leaders that they need to teach their missionaries to do REAL family home evenings. And they need to be spiritual. Not a time to hang out and be used as an excuse not to work. We are really banging on all cylinders in this zone and we have turned it inside out. So now we just need to fine tune some things to get this engine purring so nicely that we can just PUMP baptisms out like crazy! We are almost there. I can almost taste it!  I really love what I have been able to do with Lilo An Zone with my companions' help. Some of my buddies are joking that its good enough to get me Assistant. haha. I dont want that. I would much rather go fix another broken zone. That is way more rewarding to me than sitting in an air conditioned office and getting fat......ter. haha

Thanks for everything everyone. Love you!

PS. I got Opa and Oma's package. I'm sending them a letter too. But just let them know

March 15, 2011

Hey mom and dad.

Sorry that you get a nice little short and sweet email with two stories.

So we had Evelyn's baptism on Saturday. Holy cow. Satan was working HARD to stop that thing from happening. He tried really hard to get her to not get baptized in the first place as you may realize from all the times she said she didn't want to be baptized and such. But when we got to the church, we had to drain all the water in the font and then we found out that the water pressure in the font SUCKS! After 2 hours we probably had a foot and a half of water and we were freaking out. We had used buckets to fill it and everything but nothing was working. So I just said a prayer in my heart that I would get an idea. Then I thought, "Hey! Lets just baptize her sitting down!" So we started the baptism and when we got to the actual ordinance, she sat in the water and Elder Sureta (the story of why he baptized is too long to recount) kneeled in the water and baptized her. It was just high enough to where she could be immersed.

The crazy thing is that after that, she spent the next HOUR telling her conversion story instead of her testimony. haha. We where at the church until 9:30. haha. She's great though. She's planning on a mission next year.

The second story is about the Pana family. So about three weeks ago, we got a referral for this guy Don Don Pana and his wife. They live in Dap Dap Catarman and they have a little store. He is a guard at the temple. And that's all we knew. We also had a crudely drawn map on a receipt. haha. For the last three weeks I would say we have spent at least 12 hours searching for this family. The map made it look like their house was in this one spot that had a house and store but every time we went there, the lady that ran the store said that she was not Ellen Pana but Terese something. I thought she was lying to us because she didn't know her husband had asked to be visited.

Well, yesterday, I was near giving up. I was about to just throw my hands up and just say that I had done all I can and go home. But I decided to go back to the Terese lady and give it one last shot to see if she was lying about who she was. So we go there and buy some drinks and started to talking to her a little bit about the temple and asked her about her family and she still said that she was not Ellen. She siad maybe we want to check up the road. The map sure didnt make it look like that was the way but we tried it. There was a little path that went off and we followed it. There we saw a little store and a lady sitting outside. We introduced ourselves and she said that she was Ellen that and that her and her husband had been waiting for us for three weeks. We just laughed and I said, "That's funny. We've been looking for you for three weeks." I know that Heavenly Father answers our prayers and guides us and others.

Love you all. Thanks for the package! Its not here yet....?? I'll text and find out.

I'll be home for CHRISTMAS!!!!

Brandon

March 8, 2011

Hey dad.

So I gotta tell you. I laughed out loud when you told me that you met this Tongan lady that learned Visayan and Cebuano. hahaha. I don't think I've explained this well enough. Cebuano is Visayan but Visayan is not Cebuano. Visayan consists of all the dialects in the Visayan region of the Philippines. Its confusing. In fact, I'm not even sure if I understand how that works. But just suffice it to say that they are one in the same. But yeah. I love the Philippines. There are some things that really bug me about it but they come with the package and I try not to dwell on those a lot. Even though they are all up in my face alll the time.

The work is going pretty good. You know that girl Evelyn that had read all the Standard Works but refused to get baptized? Well we really urged her before we left that we wanted her to pray about it remember? Well Thursday we get a text from her that she got an answer that she needs to get baptized. YES!!!! So we finished up the lesson and went over there that night and taught her a great lesson. Then Friday I realized that she could get baptized on the 19th of March instead of the 26th! So she ended up texting us ask when her baptism could be and I said the 26th. Then she complained and said that that was too far away so then I told her that the 19th was also available and she accepted. Then we taught her on Friday and I felt impressed to commit her to the 12th instead. She accepted and then I told her that she would have an interview the next day to prepare. Then she freaked out. She started crying and telling us that she wasn't ready and that she wasn't sure if the church was true and all this weird stuff. So then once she settled down a bit I told her that she knew this was the truth and she just needed to act. So we go ahead and close and she says the prayer and just starts balling in her prayer. At this point I'm really starting to doubt if that was the Spirit telling me to commit her to the 12th or my own hunger for another baptism. You know what I mean? Of course you do. You were in my place before.

So we leave and call to cancel the interview. I felt so weighed down! I was like, "WHAT THE HECK!!! I did exactly what the Spirit told me and it failed." I was so confused Dad. I felt let down. So we planned and I went upstairs, showered, got ready for bed and then just kneeled down and let Heavenly Father hear it. I'm sure I sounded like a baby. "What am I doing wrong? Why did I fail? What do I need to do? Then I just poured out to him that I wanted to gain a witness tonight that it is true. Just give her that if its thy will." Then I prayed for her and for her to be sensitive to the answer when it comes. The next morning we are teaching a lesson and I get a text from Evelyn. It said, "Elders, sorry for last night. I prayed. I'm going to get baptized last week. Lets do the interview at four. This is the will of Heavenly Father." Yeah. Prayers are answered!!! So she got interviewed, blew away the interviewer and she is getting baptized this Saturday. She's lucky number 7 in Lilo-An.

Thanks for everything dad. Especially your example. It's always helped a lot.

I'll be home for Christmas.

Brandon

March 01, 2011

Hey dad.

So this week was great. We had a baptism for this kid Arnel Sayon. He was not a very easy investigator but when I finally just told him that all the answers where in the Book of Mormon and that he just needed to figure it out himself through prayer, it was all cake from there. We had the baptism and you can tell the kid is CONVERTED!!!! At this point I'm six for six in this area with active, spiritually-converted converts. So happy.

Then a week or two ago I got a text from this kid that we had contacted out of frustration because he had called me Joe. So we just went up to him and his buddies and contacted them to show them that I wasn't just "some American guy", I was one who could speak his language. That usually shuts up the hecklers pretty quick. We left them a pamphlet with our phone number and left. SIX WEEKS LATER I get a text from this kid saying that he and his buddies have read the pamphlet and want to get baptized and turn their lives around. Whaaaaaaaat???? hahaha. So we taught them on Sunday and committed all four of them to baptism on April 9. I hope it works out because I AM STILL IN THIS AREA AND I AM NOT TRANSFERRING ON FRIDAY!!!!! Oh my gosh. They stepped my companion down with one transfer left before he goes home. Thats the second time in a row that's happened. I feel kind of jipped because I was going to be transferring to an area with a car but the Lord wants me here. And wherever the Captain wants me, that's where I'll stay.

We also committed that sister Lore on Thursday to a March 26 baptismal date. She's terrified but she accepted because she knows that she needs to do it. We told her that we will be there for her every step of the way. Her husband is going to be a good help too...I hope. He didn't give her the reaction we were expecting when she told him she was getting baptized.

We also have another investigator that came to our ward for the first time on Sunday. We taught her yesterday and come to find out that she has read the Book of Mormon, Doctrine and Covenants, Pearl of Great Price, Gospel Principles Manual and watched all the Church History DVDs. haha. Then she basically proved to US that the church is true before we could even teach her anything. But when I asked her to get baptized she turned it down because she wants to check out the Muslims and Protestant religions before she commits to anything. That is seriously the worst logic ever. I told her that if I am looking for a shoe that I lost or can't find, I don't keep searching for it AFTER I HAVE IT!!! haha. She's confusing herself a little bit I think. She just needs to get back to basics.  We just need a little more time. And now I have that. haha. Dangit.

Love you dad. Thanks.

Hey mom.

yeah. So first about the study thing. Yeah. Freaking love the scriptures. I'm reading the Old Testament right now. Holy cow. SHOOT ME while I was reading the Pentateuch! It was so drawn out already. Not to mention the fact that Deuteronomy is basically a re-cap of all the pain of Exodus, Leviticus and Numbers. But I finished the Pentateuch a while ago and I'm cruisin!!! I'm in the middle of 1 Samuel. There is some crazy stuff that happens in there! Like in Judges chapter 4 or 6, one of the kings that the Israelites were trying to own snuck into the tent of some Israelite lady. She promised him safety and then in the middle of the night drove a nail straight through the guys head! Daaaaang. There's some crazy stuff. I highlight all the insane stuff so that I can stay more interested. The Old Testament isn't exactly the doctrinal rock that the Book of Mormon is. Thats why I read both. I dont know if I told you what my favorite chapter in the Book of Mormon is yet. Its Alma 42. I read it every time I'm in the Celestial room. Its just so good and its all about why we're here and why life seems so hard with all these rules and stuff. Love it! I know we're not supposed to aspire but my dream calling would be Gospel Doctrine teacher. I think I could help make that class awesome....erest.

That's great about Emma. I've been praying for her every day and I put her name on the prayer roll in the temple today along with Joey, Steph and Ben...and me. haha. Sometimes I feel like I could use a couple of temple-energized prayers in addition to the millions that you guys are putting out there for me. Thanks for that by the way. That would be super awesome if they moved closer to us. I think that it would help them accept the gospel better if we could have them over for Family Home Evenings and be around a place where the Holy Ghost is all the time.

Thanks for everything mom. Keep it up!

February 22, 2011

Hey yall.

So first off, great to hear about Emma. Really happy to hear that she is doing well. I was praying for her a lot and I'm glad to hear that things are really progressing well. Grandma sent me a pic of her sitting up in the bed just smiling away. haha. That was way cute. Glad to hear it. I'll keep praying.


We just had our zone conference yesterday and it was a really great day. We had great workshops by President and Sister Hansen and the APs as well. The food wasn't so great this time. It was chicken curry, sprouts and rice. I hope the cook guy steps it up next time. I've tasted his potential. He has it in him... But we had a great Book of Mormon workshop by the APs. I cannot explain how important the Book of Mormon is to me. It is my most valuable possession I would say. I wouldn't trade it for the world. My own personal copy has so much written in it. Its like the Half-Blood Missionary's copy of the Book of Mormon. That thing is there to comfort those who stand in need of comfort. But also destroy those who want war. hahahaha. The choice is theirs...I am just the messenger.


We had an AMAZING lesson on Friday. We postponed our weekly planning session so that we could teach the wife of this American guy. We got there and the lady, Lore spoke perfect English. So I got to teach her in English. It was awesome. I taught in English and my comp taught in Visayan. haha. But we understood each other so it was all good. It took us forever to get from the BRT (Building Relationship of Trust) to talking about the church. Usually things turn to the church pretty quickly since its so obvious why we are there. But she was able to keep us talking about other stuff for a while. So finally her husband brings up families and how the church focuses on families so much. Then he tells us that his wife has no plans of ever getting baptized. So I'm like, "wow dude. That's a lot of hope there." So I ask her why and she says that she has some issues about the doctrine, mainly living prophets. So I ask her what she thinks a prophet is. She says that he is someone who guides people for God. Then I asked how long prophets have been around. She didn't know. So I pulled out my scriptures and showed her Luke 1:70 that says that prophets have been around since the world began. Then just by asking simple questions, I got her to prove to herself that we need prophets in our time. Questions like, why does God give prophets before? Does God change? Does God still love us? Do we need direction now? Is the direction we need now different from the direction needed 50, 100, 2000 years ago? Through these (what we like to call) inspired questions and a few scriptures we were able to help her realize for herself that we need prophets now. Then she asked us for some copies of Thomas S. Monson's writings so that she could get familiarized with him.


Then we taught her about the Restoration and the Book of Mormon. What we did was we had her read the first and last two paragraphs of the Introduction and then we showed her my favorite example of the need for the Book of Mormon. In the Book of Ephesians, Paul tells us that we are saved by grace NOT by works. That way, no one can boast that they got to heaven thru their own merits and things that they did. But on the other hand, James (in my favorite chapter in the Bible) in James chapter 2 teaches us that we NEED works to get to heaven. These two ideas almost conflict with one another. One says we need works while the other says that grace is all that is needed. Good thing we have the Book of Mormon. Nephi teaches us in 2 Nephi 25:26 that by grace we are saved, AFTER ALL WE CAN DO. This does not go against the Bible. What it does is takes these two ideas that seem so far apart and conflicting and helps us understand what they mean---in one verse. After we have done our best (as James teaches) it is still not enough. But the grace of God by means of the Atonement of Jesus Christ makes up for what we yet lack and saves us (like Paul taught). This is what I used to teach Lore the importance of the Book of Mormon after which she said, "This is the missing link!" Yes. This is the missing link. The fulness of the Lord's Gospel. And its available to all who will just pick it up and read it.

Love you guys. Thanks for all the prayers and help!


Brandon

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!!!!