IT MAY NOT BE ON THE MOUNTAIN HEIGHT OR OVER THE STORMY SEAS.... BUT SOMETIMES IT IS!

IT MAY NOT BE ON THE MOUNTAIN HEIGHT OR OVER THE STORMY SEAS................ BUT SOMETIMES IT IS. Well Kumusta? I have learned two things... I don't get sea sick and I flying fish are real haha. You don't know where I am or who I am with or ANYTHING. I have been assigned to the ISLAND OF CATANDUANES with my companion ELDER DATU! Holy smokes it has been crazy. Elder Datu is amazing. He's so humble and kind. He is the District leader here on the Island and he is AWESOME. He is good at english and wants to be better... I am BAD at Tagalog and NEED TO BE BETTER. SO we help each other. He's awesome. I am excited to be here. But it's a big change. Once you go on Cats (Catanduanes) you are generally here for a long time. So I am sure I will be here at Christmas. Hopefully with Elder Datu but we will see. CHRISTMAS ON CATS! It has been a crazy week. I have tried some different food and just had some crazy experiences. Cats is often called the TESTING GROUNDS because it is far away from President and has a bad reputation for disobedience. But Elder Datu and I are working hard and being obedient.I can't even begin to describe what this last week was like. CRAZY! Mom you told me once, "Remember Heavenly Father gives his hardest battles to his strongest warriors!" I hope you are right because I need to be strong for what is coming up. I am excited though, and I feel God's help everyday. So we have tons of Investigators here! One will be baptized next week, her name is Sister Estilita! She's TINY and just old and wrinkly. She's probably the cutest old lady EVER. She reminds me of Granny Hamblin (Philippino Style). I want to just pick her up and carry her around with me wherever I go. She's precious. She said, "totoong-totoo" when she was describing the church meaning. REALLY REALLY TRUE. She's precious. So with transfers I of course had to leave My Tatay Elder Vogelsberg, sad day but we go where we are called. They loaded me in the van and just started driving south. I stayed the night at a Zone Leaders apartment, ELDER SALAS's apartent (he's the man) and he actually trained Elder Datu. Then the next morning we went to the chapel meeting place where they told me I was going to Cats. Three Elders took me there and after a 3 hour LONG AND PUMPY boat ride I made it to the island. While we were on the boat we saw FLYING FISH- I thought that was a myth haha but I promise they are very much real and very much cool. If you've never seen them either come to the Philippines or U-tube is a cheap alternative as well. Once I got to the Island I took about a 45 minute tricy ride to my area VIRAC! I didn't think the Philippines could be prettier than my last area but it can apparently haha. It is so pretty here, pictures to come for the next few months. Also while on the ship I got my first real look at the volcano- Mt Mayon and I took a picture from the boat. And yes that is real smoke coming from the top. I made it alive and I'm happy to be here. I don't know how to describe this but I will try... I feel like I have seen my mission before. It's like dejavu (if that's how you spell it) but different. Sometimes we go to a house or meet someone or just are in a situation and it just seems RIGHT. It seems familiar and like it has happened before. It feels like whatever is happening is right and good. I don't know how to explain it. I don't know what it is but it happens all the time. So take that as you will haha. Also I think I have told you this before but maybe not... I have dreams all the time that I am back home with everyone and if feels so real. In the dreams I am home AFTER an honorable mission but I KNOW NO TAGALOG. Haha they freak me out haha and they encourage me to study harder haha. I have never had more vivid and real dreams than those. That was a random paragraph. I feel very much like I imagine Ammon felt (though I am nothing like Ammon) he said, "Yea, I desire to dwell among this people for a time; yea, an perhaps until the day I die." I love my mission so much. It is easily the hardest thing I have ever done! EVER! But I love it. I love these people and I love the TRUTH that I am called to preach to them. I love the man that is the center of that TRUTH that I share- Jesus Christ. I am one of his missionaries in his church and I LOVE IT. I know this work is true and I don't want it to end, hopefully Tagalog comes soon. Like the hymn says (which we sang at my farewell), "It MAY not be on a mountain height or over a stormy sea... My Lord will have need for me" BUT MAYBE HE WILL. I will go where he wants me to go and say what he wants me to say (even in Tagalog) I will do what he wants me to do and BE what he wants me to BE. I am glad to hear that people like to read my emails home. I have received emails and word that people enjoy reading them on the Blog my mom makes. I am thankful for you. I am glad to hear that I can be a missionary in my emails. I get frustrated with Tagalog and I feel discouraged at times. But it is nice to know that people can read my letters and hopefully get closer to CHRIST and HIS RESTORED CHURCH. This is a long email. I love you all. I hope you know I pray for you daily. I am blessed beyond anyone in the world despite my hard circumstances. No matter what happens God knows us and loves us. That is one thing I am good at saying in Tagalog- "God loves you, you are his child and he is your father. He has given us a plan, and if we follow his plan and his prophets (both ancient and modern). Everything will be GREAT! As it ways in Ether 12:4 we can "hope for a better world." IT WILL ALL BE WORTH IT IN THE END! Are my emails boring hahha??? Let me know what you want me to write about. I am doing good and I am happy, I am being obedient and working hard. I love you all. Elder Davis P.S. Hunter Hamblin got his call? Tell him congrats! I love that kid. California, that will be awesome! What a stud.