The Pit of Doom got Bigger

This week was pretty good. I think that things are starting to turn around here. Last Tuesday, we went out to try to find some of the people that had been taught by missionaries in the past. We found this one couple and they started by telling us that they had basically punted the sisters who used to teach them. We were kind of sad, but we decided to teach them anyway. We taught them about the Apostasy and how the truth in it's fullness was taken from the earth. But, that through another prophet, it was restored to the earth. It was an awesome lesson and it seemed to click for them. They said that we could come back and teach again in the future. 

We also found this old Nani in the middle of a field. She was sitting way out in the ghetto on a bucket under a tree. We talked to her and she told us that missionaries had taught her back in the day. We taught her and she invited us back to teach her family next week. It was super cool.

Right after that, we found an old guy who was digging a hole to bury all of the mangos that had fallen from the tree. We offered to help him and then we taught him a quick lesson. We found out that he is actually the brother of another older guy that we have taught. It was super cool to find him. 

We also had a musical presentation this week by some of the missionaries. President Bangal is going on tour to all of the Zones before he leaves the mission. They got a group together who performs at each zone. It was super cool. We invited a ton of members, investigators, and less actives. The spirit was awesome. The focus was on ministering. Trying to find those who are prepared to hear the gospel. Or those who are ready to come back into the fold. 

Plus, the pit of doom grew about 7 inches and Elder Sanford jumped it again. So, that was neat. 

The church is true and we are all a part of the most important work on the earth. Keep it up!!

Elder Thomas

Jump the Pit of Doom

Well... not a lot happened here this week. It was a pretty good week. Our last P-day was on Wednesday because of the Election and then our Zone Conference. So, the week felt super fast.

Most of our work out here has really been looking for part member families and less actives. We actually found a few of them when we got challenged to a basketball game. The court we were playing on was nothing more than a piece of metal on a tree. They all challenged us to game and we told them that if we won, we could come back and teach a little bit. After playing for a while, we learned that most of them (the adults) were actually baptized. But, they are all inactive. Our goal is to get back to them this week and teach them. 

This week, we taught our most progressing investigator. She was taught by the sisters for a few weeks before Elders were put back into this area. But, we taught her a lesson on the Plan of Salvation. She realized that she really wanted to do this with her family. We tried to stress that because her husband has never been interested. So, hopefully this next week, we will be able to teach both of them with their 2 kids. 

We did a couple of CSP's (community service projects) with our branch. It was a good way to work with some of the members and try to gain their trust. We spent a good part of the day tearing down election posters and then cleaning up the beach. 

Me and my comp play a lot of basketball in proselyting clothes as a way to start talking to people. We really don't have a lot of investigators and we spend a lot of time finding every day. It is sometimes hard to find motivation because we sweat all day and rarely see a lot of lessons. But, it is good. God definitely prepares the hearts of people to hear the gospel in their own time. Our job is to simply find those that are prepared. The gospel is true and we are all a part of the most important work that is happening in the world today. Keep it up!!

-Elder Thomas

Pictures on the beach. (I am not that fat. It is the wind :)

pictures of basketball with some kids

Elder Sanford jumped the pit of doom

I met Elder Fenn knew my sisters at college and served here in Bauang a few years ago

 

36 hours in solitary confinement

"Hour 36 in solitary confinement. The hallucinations are becoming more and more consistent. It is difficult to differentiate between real life and my own thoughts. My companion at times appears to take the form of a Chick-Fil-A nugget. He has on multiple occasions transformed himself into the Michelin Marshmallow Man and threatened to tickle me. D. Todd Christofferson has thus far kept me safe. They are not coming... Yet."

This text pretty well summed up the beginning of our week. I was not able to send an email last week because we were stuck inside all day for the election. This area becomes kind of a hot spot during some of the elections. But, it was good. We got a lot of extra sleep and spent some time watching the new safety videos put out by the church. 

I have now been more than a week in my new area. I love it. It is kind of a hard area to be in right now. This is only the second transfer that the area has been open to Elders. I guess like 2 years ago, some of the Elders were really disobedient (they got pulled out and there have only been sisters here since then) and so the members are not all too thrilled to have us back now. But, it is good. We had a lot of activities in our first week with the members. 

My first full day here, one of the young men was about to leave on his mission, so we had a little farewell party for him. We (as the full time missionaries) were asked to give the lesson. It was super good. The members realized that we had a desire to be here and do what we can to work with and help them. Then we got invited to a FHE that was 2 days later. My comp said that it was the first thing they had been invited to in the last 6 weeks. We met a lot more members and even got a few to volunteer to work with us. Then we were invited to a dessert part the following day. It was super fun. It was really good to get to know some of the members so that hopefully we can get work rolling here again. I have met our 2 progressing investigators. One of them came to church last week with her 2 kids. 

It is super funny to walk around here in our area while we are finding new people. All the kids yell "sisters!" Since there have only been sisters here in that last 2 years, they assume that all missionaries are called sisters. It is pretty funny. The kids here are awesome. 

This area here was actually a ward a while back. But, there are so many people that are inactive. There were not enough full tithe paying Priesthood holders, so they had to make it a branch. The goal is to become a ward again by the end of the year. Assuming that I am here for at least 6 months, I hope that I will be here when that happens. 

Thank you for all the thoughts and prayers. And Happy (late) Mothers Day to all the moms out there. You deserve the best!

Love 'Der Thomas

 

Goodbye colder weather. Goodbye hot shower.

Well... Transfer calls came and went. I am officially out of Baguio. That means I am back to the lowlands. I will be down in Bauang branch. I am actually super excited. It will be the first branch that I have served in here in the Philippines. They also have some of the most beautiful beaches down in Bauang so that will be awesome.

I really don't have a lot to share from this week. One of my favorite days this week was when we went down to Camp 6. It was awesome. I was told by my last companion that there was really no houses in our area down there. But, there is a member family who lives there. So, we went down there so that I could show my comp where they live before I get transferred. 

But, we got there and we found a ton of houses hidden way up on this hill. It was awesome. We contacted a lot of people. It was probably the first time in a long time that most of these people saw a white person. People were literally running down the streets yelling "Americano." It was super easy to talk to people and it was an awesome day.

We also went back to another inactive family this week. They are an older Grandma and Grandpa. They have some grandkids who are actually somewhat active in the church. We found out later that they had not let missionaries in their house in like the 3 years that they had been in Baguio. We gave them the invitation to come back to church with their kids and Grandkids. It was awesome. We taught a lesson on the importance of the Sacrament. 

Reactivation is a big part of the work that we do here. It is awesome to see people light up when they remember the things that they have felt and the experiences that they have had relating to the gospel in the past. The gospel really does change lives. We are a part of the greatest work that is happening in the world today. It is incredible. Our Savior lives and His plan is perfect for all of us. 

Love Elder Thomas