Auugust 5, 2013

Church building.....And to think they tore down our beautiful old Eagar building because it wasn't structurally sound.

Dewormed and feeling a whole lot better!

WELL IF I EVER HAD WORMS- THEY SHOULD BE ALL GONE! Howdy everybody! How was my introduction? Haha this last week I was positive that I had an ulcer, I was convinced of it and my stomach hurt for a few days. I didn't really know why I was hurting but I swallowed my pride and told Sister Reader I was hurting and then I swallowed a WORM PILL she gave me. Since that day my stomach hasn't hurt- I have seen no visual evidence to say that I had worms, but it is much like the Holy Ghost, though I haven't seen anything I can feel it and I just KNOW that I had worms. Anyway, all I know if as once I was wormed- now I am dewormed! Speaking of my stomach ache and my theory that it was an ulcer, we (Sister Reeder and I) texted Doctor Jackson. Now I had heard Doctor Jackson's name before I came to the mission because Uncle Paul Blad told me, "If you ever get sick in the Philippines you'll meet my friend Doctor Jackson." I told him, "I hope I never meet him then haha." Anyway when we texted him I told him that Paul Blad from Kanosh Utah says hello! His response was, "How in the world do you know that ol' retrobate. He is one of the best people in this world, but don't believe all his stories he tells about me." He told me to tell Uncle Paul HI! So Uncle Paul- Hi from Doctor Jackson! He told me "I couldn't have a better uncle in the world." That was word for word! Doctor Jackson is awesome and he helps out our sick Elders and Sisters all the time! But don't worry about my sickness that I had, it never was bad enough that I couldn't work. I have been blessed very much in my mission with health. This past week was had to travel to a very far area with President Reeder to give a baptismal interview to a lady who- who needed the Mission President to interview her for baptism and not just a missionary. Anyway we went up with President and I had the privilege of being President Reeder's translator. It was an amazing experience to see how much change had happened in this sister because of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. She has been christian all her life but she said she found God and the truth in this church. She continually used the words, NATAGPUAN and NAHANAP, which basically means DISCOVERED or FOUND, as she told us about her conversion to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. She talked about be spiritually hungry and thirsty and that the gospel gave her that drink and food she needed it. She kept referring to the Book of Mormon and how it was so easy for her to come to know who Christ in that book. It was a great interview and she passed. She had truly repented of her past sins and it was quite apparent, you could see it in her face. She had an countenance of a happy, repentant person who had discovered the Restored truth. It was an awesome experience and I learned a lot. I took a picture of where we had that interview. It is that cinder block building you see. It is about 50 yards too the prettiest ocean you will ever see. The water is like turquoise! Anyway it is extremely beautiful there, jungle and ocean beach! That cinder block building is also the chapel! A bunch of saints gather there every week to take the sacrament and go to church- awesome right. If you think that is a "bad" building you should know we have a branch here who meets outside! They meet in a place with just a grass roof extended off a building like a porch but with dirt floors and the primary meets under some mango trees jsut a little was off. Is that not awesome. The most powerful sacrament I can remember on my mission was in San Vicente- I already wrote you about taht one a few months ago. With the deacon who was passing the bread and water with no shoes or sandals. Anyway I hope we all realize what we have and I hope we are all thankful. We are opening 14 new areas this next transfer! That is right- 14! We have 3 missionaries going home and 30 missionaries coming in in 2 weeks! Our mission is growing so fast! If you haven't noticed in the past 6 months what the word "Hastening" mans, you have missed something We are starting to flood the earth and I hope we are using missionaries in our wards back home. I hope you are FIGHTING over them in their schedule on when they can teach your friends. Anyway it is an exciting time to be a missionary- actually I take that back- it is an exciting time to be a member or a missionary in this restored gospel. I hope you guys enjoy my emails. I love hearing from people that enjoy reading the blog my mom makes. I have gotten a lot of emails over my mission who say they love reading the blog. It is great to hear from you. I hope I am doing missionary work even in my emails home. Anyway thanks for all your prayers- from family and non-family alike. Well, I had better get going. We have MLC tomorrow and then Trainer and New Missioanary Workshop the next day and so much more! I love you all, I am thankful for you and all the blessings my Heavenly Father has given me. One of the largest sins has to be the sin of ingratitude. If I have learned anything on my mission it has been to be MORE grateful. Love you all a bushel! Keep those prayers a coming! Elder Davis