The Tagalog Blog: PICTURES!!!!!!! Monday October 28th 2013

Howdy Howdy!

This was a GREAT week! I don't even know where to start. I have so much I could write a page about! But I'll just start... So on Monday we had P-day and then work that evening. Tuesday we had exchanges is Camaligan. Wednesday we had Mission Tour with ELDER ARDERN in Pamplona. Thursday we had a mission tour in Canaman with Elder Ardern. Friday we had exchanges in Iriga. Saturday we had a Baptism in Pasacao and we toured the Lubigan area after that. So- we've been a bit busy! But it has been amazing! What a great week.

I wish I could tell you more about Elder Ardern's Tour here but it was amazing, He is a very spiritually and scripturaly powerful man. He taught us so much and motivated us even more. He gave us some great vision of where this mission can go in the future. He taught us about becoming a "Teacher come from God" it was awesome. In our exchanges in Iriga we had just tracted into this family and taught them the first lesson. We tried hard to teach so that they would recognize us as teachers sent from God. After the lesson was over we walked out and I heard the Nanay lean over to the little boy there and say, "Do you want to grow up to be good boys like those boys are?" I hope I teach in a way that people recognize me as being a "Teacher come from God." Anyway my whole mission I have tried to serve with this attitude, "Be the kind of missionary my mother and father think I am." I still think that was but after the mission tour I added, "Be the kind of missionary I will one day as my sons to be." I hope to serve with honor- serve the way it says to serve in D&C 4! Anyway I learned A LOT from that Mission Tour, Elder Ardern is pretty amazing. His wife is too and we chatted about Papa Hansey!

I am getting way better at finding new investigators! We have to talk to everyone! I hope this will help you guys when you try to share this Gospel will others. Elder Ardern taught that when we see people say to yourselves, "There goes someone of great importance to God. what am I going to do about it?" When you are with your non-member friends say that to yourself, "This person is of great worth to God, what am I going to do about it?"

NOW! The baptism in Pasacao! I was so excited when I got news that this family was ready to be baptized! They asked them who they wanted to baptize them and they all said, "Elder Vogelsberg!" And may I add that would be the only thing that would have made this day more perfect. Anyway they settled with Elder Davis in Elder Vogelsberg's absence. When we got there and were making our way to the beautiful beach we crossed a half-broken hanging bridge right near the mouth of a river into the ocean. Once we were over the bridge I heard Erica's little voice, "Elder Davis! Elder Davis!" Beside her I see the other little nippers running to me, with little puffs of sand with every step. I bent down and they just hung on me! I love this family. I started talking to them and they said, "Hey you're way better at Tagalog now!" I just laughed and said, "Yeah, it's been a year!" Anyway we walked to where my beloved Pasacao Branch was waiting, the whole time with all those kids clinging to me! Side note- they are in the process of building a chapel in Pasacao so they won't have to keep meeting the basement of that building.

We got there and had a great visit and then had a wonderful program and then had the baptism! First off, as missionaries we can't go swimming, so it was quite nice to finally get in the water. It was so blue and clear and the sun was perfect! It made me think of Christ's command to his apostles in the last chapter in Mathew in the last two verses, "Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen." I baptized them having been commissioned of Christ ... on the edge of the world... in the name of The Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.

Elder Vogelsberg and I loved this family. We loved teaching them. When we were there their father wouldn't allow them to go to church or be baptized. Their mother is a member, when we were there she had just given birth to that little baby in the pictures. As much as we loved them we had given up much hope of them being baptized. They live far from the church and it is a big sacrifice to go but they finally softened their Dad enough to let them go to church and to be baptized. I think sometimes we don't realize what effects we have as we go about doing what the Lord asks us. I didn't think they would be baptized- but a year later to my surprise and delight they were ready. Don't give up on people! You can count the seeds in a single apple- but you can't count the apples inside one single seed. "by small things are great things brought to pass."

Saying goodbye to those kids was terribly hard! They would come hug my leg, look up at me and say, "Elder Davis, I'll miss you..." I told them I will miss them too! I told them I love them. I asked them if they remembered about "enduring to the end" and they said yes. I said, "Well if you endure to the end, go to church, say your prayers, read your scriptures, follow the commandments, etc. Then we'll see each other again in heaven. I say Elder Vogelsberg and I will endure to the end, we will try our very best and then, "Magkikita-kita tayong lahat sa langit!" I will miss that family. I went to the Dad, who attended the baptism but wasn't super happy, and said, "Thank you for allowing your children to be baptized." I don't think he has a clue what path they just entered. And remember they just entered a path- a long one that will lead them to Eternal Life but baptism is not a destination, only a beginning. I could go on about baptism for a while, children baptism, immersion, proper authority, etc but I'll leave that for another day.

Anyways keep working sharing this gospel. You never know what will happen in a years time. Miracles will happen- languages may even be learned.

Finally I will share one more story. When we were in Iriga we contacted a member of the church that had been less-active most of his life. He grew up in Cotnogan and then moved to Iriga- but he lives pretty far from Iriga Centro. So he lives kinda far away but he saw the missionaries and told them they needed to come to his house. So we went to his house and started talking to him. Since he moved from Cotnogan he hasn't been going to church except once or twice a year when he goes home to Cotnogan. He then showed me three books (see attached pictures). The three books were: The Book of Mormon Another Testament of Jesus Christ, The Holy Bibly, and The Hymns of the Church!

This man, though less active, still reads from these WORN books. His house was flooded, like 6 feet of water flooded. And that is why those books look the way they do. That's why you see mud on "Silent Night." Anyway he showed me these books and while my companion talked to them I just kept looking at it and staring at it- half smiling and half crying. They asked me why I was so intrigued and I said, "It's so old- but it's still true." I asked him if he still reads them and he said, "Yeah I still read it." Then I said, "Can I take a picture? I need to send this back home and tell everyone back home to make sure they read their scriptures!" They agreed and now I am saying- Read your scriptures!

Well I love you all! I am thankful for your prayers! I am doing great here! This is my home and my people for the time being. I know, with everything in me, that what I am teaching them is true. I see the difference is brings to their life. I see the light that goes into their faces when they know it is true and when they live it like they know it! I pray for you. Be good. Be better, serve with charity. Read your scriptures. Go to church. Love God and his children. I miss you all, but all these sacrifices seem like nothing- they always do in the service of God.

Elder Davis