The Tagalog Blog: January 27th, 2013 - CAN ANYONE SSSSSSSAY SSSSSSSSSLIMEY SSSS SSNAKES, OCTUPUSSSSSSSS AND SSSSSSSSSSNAILS?

Maray na AGA. Maray na aga rin! I love those few Bicolono words I hear everyday! Well I am back in Camarines Sur! I am in the area Ocampo, District Tigaon, and Goa Zone! Believe it or not I am in a WARD! With a Bishop! Way cool stuff. My companion has changed race from Tongan to Philipino, lost over 200 pounds, a few shoe sizes, and shrunk more than a foot in height, his name- Elder Guanio. I am very excited for this transfer and it has been great so far! I did get a downgrade for an apartment though... sayang. (see picture of our shed/kitchen) haha So, a lot has changed but a lot has stayed the same: The people are still nice, the kids still cute, the poverty still a plenty, I am still preaching the everlasting word and I am HAPPY! Life is awesome! Of course it is, I am a missionary! But it's also very hard- I am a missionary! Anyway our ward is awesome but needs a lot of help, which is why I am a missionary hahaha. So, first to explain all these pictures. The stuff you see with the octopus is SNAIL. The snail was OK to me, but Elder Lavaka LOVED IT! As far as the octopus, the tentacles were SARAP (good) but the ULO (head) was NOT! It took some stomach to get the head down! We were at a Family Home Evening when we ate it, it was a great FHE and then they brought that out.... you never know what you will eat. But you are always thankful you have something to eat. FHE- have it every week! With or without octopus. Also, the SPIDER! Big hug? I have seen bigger, but I FINALLY got a picture! And to give you a reference of the size, IT IS EATING A BUTIKI meaning LIZARD! See the blood, me too. We found that guy about 5 feet from my bed... truly. And if you think, that thing must be slow- you are dead wrong! It is SOOO FAST! I don't think I will ever not be scared of them. But Elder Lavaka smashed that with his shoe.... only his shoe was big enough hahaha! May dugo.... yucks! So now the PYTHONS! Or in Tagalog SAWA! Elder Guanio and I were walking to our first lesson of the day when we saw those monsters in a guy's front yard! I thought they were alive but don't worry they were dead... too bad! The owner pointed to the small river just right by the house where he had caught them. I was so freaking out but to them it is NO BIG DEAL, they only freak out if it is a BLACK COBRA! Still waiting to see one of those! Anyway a member lives close by and we stopped and talked to them and told them about the snake They said it makes for great meat. That night when we were finished with our work and on our way home we stopped by their house to say goodbye Turns out they had bought the snake and cooked it up! DELICIOUS! I kid you not I think it is the best meat I have ever had. It has an element of fish, maybe it's just the bones di ko aram! It's also like chicken and like steak. To really know- go to your nearest sawa store and try it for yourself. ANG SARAP! I live in the mission of my childhood dreams! I love it, but lest we forget, it's no paradise, it is easily the hardest thing I have ever done. But the blessings outweigh it more than Elder Lavaka outweighs Elder Guanio! What this mission has done to my spirit and to those spirits I have taught is worth every bad octopus head, nasty kitchen and bathroom, and frustration of insanely hard languageS. It is great being a missionary! So I have already told you one thing you should do in this email- hold weekly- Family Home Evening let me tell you another thing that is a great thing to do in our lives. Every night I pray ABOUT every night 99% of the time, I say 2 nightly prayers. First of all let me tell you I have learned and am still learning to pray on my mission, I had no idea before hand. There is a lot more to prayer than I ever knew. And I imagine the older I get the more meaningful my prayers will become. You spend a lot of time on your knees as a missionary! So pray, pray with your whole soul. But I said I say 2 prayers.... that second prayer is this- I pray with all my heart JUST FOR THANKSGIVING of my many blessings. Not requesting for a thing. And I count them. My numbers get higher and higher the more I do it. I thank God for specific things that I am TRULY thankful for. And the more I do it the more I realize how much he has given me, and I recognize it during the day. FALL ASLEEP COUNTING YOUR BLESSINGS! I see everyday people who are truly truly struggling, it is humbling. Remember to be thankful. We gave a blessing just a couple days ago to a man who was convulsing in his small hut during the whole blessing. He passed away just a day or two later. We have no idea how blessed we are. As you say this "second prayer" remember the day, what you did, what you saw, what you felt, smelt, thought and everything and give thanks to God for it. See the things YOU HAVE in this world... not the things YOU DON'T HAVE! And remember the knowledge and testimony of yours should be near the top of the list. But always at the top is Jesus Christ and his Atonement. I have gotten so much closer to Him as I have done this on my mission. Anyway, be thankful- PLEASE! I have seen the richest of rich Americans that are ungrateful and unhappy and I have seen the poorest of poor Philipino saints that are grateful for their small hut, clothes and food and MOSTLY This Gospel of Jesus Christ. "The most important things in life, aren't things" as my mom always says. Elder Davis P.S.I had a way vivid/fun dream that Me and Race and Uncles Richard, Dwayne, Dennis, and Charlie were golfing in Eagar. Random but awesome