Monday June 16th 2014.... last letter home:):(

This is called Paksiw. It is like a sour fish soup with rice and vegetables. Delicious!

Raul... Chantz's last investigator.  Should be baptized in July.

Howdy Howdy one last time!  

     MOM! We just had a missionary who got sick and President needs a temporary missionary for about 3 weeks! I told him that I was willing and would LOVE to do it! So I will still be home in time for school but they just changed my flight plans, is that okay? I told them that it was and that they didn't even need to inform you! Okay okay okay, that's not true- it is all a lie. I have come on a mission to share absolute truth, not to lie. What a waste of time this would have been if it wasn't true. So just kiddin' I'll be home on Thursday! 

     To tell you some more truth- I have no idea what to write right now. Truly it is like tons of things running around the head and not a think the say haha. 

     MOSTLY- I want to say Happy Father's Day! Thank you for everything Dad. I can't really put it to words. But I have been blessed with a great father. I am so excited to work with you again. That was my favorite growing up, all the projects we did growing up and seeing your great example of being a man of integrity. I remember, as I am sure Race does, "listening with sleepy ears to bedtime stories from 2 special years." That is a line from a unfinished poem I will give to you if I can ever finish it. Thank you for everything Dad. I have always been proud to say that I have never heard my father raise his voice... referees not included. No ones testimony touches me the way my father's does. As the little kids say "my dad could beat up your dad" but my dad is too kind to do anything like that.

     Gramps says, "The best way to kill time is to work it to death!" Well the time has FLOWN by! I feel like I just got transferred from my first area in Pasacao! I would like my family to know that I have "E.R.E.D'ed" I have been diligent and obedient without exception my whole mission. Not perfect but NEVER lazy and NEVER disobedient. I love my mission so much. It means more  to me than I never knew it could. 

     Really I have nothing much to say. I am going to try REALLY HARD not to be a weird RM when I get home but I will probably be a little weird but I am committed to hit the ground running when I get home. I love my mission so much but I won't be a RM who can't see that HE HAS RECEIVED ANOTHER ASSIGNMENT in a different area and for a very long period of time and even great blessings and people to meet and what not. I am also not going to be a RM who just wants "back to the world" no spank you! So, basically I will see you all THURSDAY! That is the happy news. Now I just have to figure out a way to say goodbye to these people... that is going to be very very hard! But we "smile because it happened and don't cry (too much) because it is over."

    I love you all a bushel. I am thankful for your prayers on my behalf. I pray for you and can't wait to see you and hug you. I have thought about that day my whole mission and when I would think about it I would remember the last words of wisdom gramps gave to me before I left, "Earn It!" He had a way of "SAYING A LOT without speaking much." And he wanted you to do the same. Or he just might tell you, "You sure do speak a lot without saying much. ANYWAY- see ya Thursday! As Gramps as my witness I have "Earned It." 

Elder Davis

   

    

Monday June 9th, 2014

This little piggy....

Top view of balut:)

Loves the balut!

Last ride:)

Elder Davis and Branch president.

Coolest branch president EVER!

Sucking out the egg "juice"

District P day hike!

Howdy!

    Well, they say pictures are worth 1000 words so if that is the case this will be a long email because their are tons of pictures, but really I think this will be pretty short! Some of you who may read this or see these pictures will think that I am so sad to go home because of the beauty and pure awesomeness of the Philippines. That has some truth, but of all the things I will miss that is pretty far down on the list. I will miss the people, Being a missionary and teaching them. OH AND I WILL MISS BALUT(the egg thing)! Because that is just delicious, it really is! 

    I spoke this last week in Baao since we have District Conference this week in Iriga and it was pretty hard for me to speak and sorta say my goodbyes to all of them. It is weird, it feels like I was at my home ward about to leave for a mission in a foreign land in Eagar Arizona haha. I feel like I am  from Baao now haha BUT I am excited to come home! I miss you all! I just can't believe it is over.... but really it won't ever be over. I didn't just serve a mission.. I became a missionary and there is a big difference! 

     So I have officially passed my two year mark... WORKING OVERTIME AND LOVING IT! It feels like there is double the pay haha. This last part of my mission has been great. An awesome companion to "kill me" in THE BEST area and with the best members and missionaries ever! 

      So I hope you enjoyed the pictures. We had a great District Activity this morning and I forgot all the other pictures but I hope you enjoy them because I don't have too much to write or rather, I don't have too much time to write! Man time flies! I swear I am 19 years old and in Pasacao with Elder Vogelsberg still! CRAZY! But I am so thankful for this mission. They say that "you have 2 years to serve and then your whole life to think about it" I will be having good thoughts, in that case, for the rest of my life!  Truly words can't express how grateful I am that I served a full time mission. I hope I don't just cry the whole time I speak at church... it is possible. I get that from Dad I guess! 

     This past week we had the opportunity to give a Priesthood blessing to a very sick member of our Branch. I could talk quite a bit about the experience, about charity, about Priesthood, about leaderships, jsut great things and lessons that I learned from the experience but for times sake I will just touch on this one lesson that I seem to have learned OVER AND OVER AGAIN on my mission. The lesson is that we are to be THANKFUL! We are to be thankful for all our physical and spiritual blessings that the Lord has given to us! I have had the blessing of living in a place that has encouraged me DAILY to be thankful for the things we don't even notice on a daily basis. It is a heavy thing to have the person you are teaching say that they don't know where the food for their children will come from for TONIGHT'S Dinner! Oh we are to be thankful. Or to hear someone say, "Our father needs to go to the hospital but there is NO WAY we can afford it... so we will just pray and ask for a priesthood blessing and know that that is better than any doctor on earth. That is FAITH! Or to see people go to church so far away and so expensive but they do it EVERY WEEK! We are to be thankful for our physical and spiritual blessing without exception. I love you all. I will see you next week. That is the weirdest thing to type ever, I will see you next week. But I can honestly say that IF I was asked to serve another two years, I would. It would be hard, for I do want to go home, BUT I am thankful for the physical and spiritual blessings enough in my life that IF I were called to serve another 2 years I would do it. 

      I am so excited, and a bit nervous, for the future. But we just have faith and go for it knowing that we will always prosper if we are obedient. I miss you all. I am SOOOO  THANKFUL for your prayers on my behalf over these two years they have helped in truly miraculous ways. My mission has been anything but easy- I am grateful for that. It is the uphills that allow are destination to be much higher and the view much grander than if we were on level or downhill grounds. ESPECIALLY in this last area of mine I have asked for blessings, of course, and God has given me UPHILL challenges that really build us the most and bring us to higher planes! So I guess we should even be thankful for our trials because they are given for reasons! I love you all. Leaving my mission is HARD but if it were easy then I would be worried! LOVE YOU ALL A BUSHEL! 

Elder Davis

Monday June 2, 2014.... FHE delightful surprise email

Dear Brother and Sister Davis,
 
During out Tour of the Naga Mission I was able to meet your outstanding son.

We are very fortunate to have him serving in the Philippines.  We are grateful 

for your sacrifice in sending him.
 
May The Lord bless you and your family.
 
Elder Brent H. Nielson
Philippines Area President 

Sunday June 1, 2014

IT IS JUNE! When did that happen!?!

    Seems like yesterday it was June...2012 and now it is June 2014... crazy! Bitter-sweet! Well this week was AMAZING! We had a mission tour with President Nielson, he is the area president of the Philippines and obviously he is AMAZING! SO is his wife. The tour was amazing and he also interviewed me after, pretty AWESOME! We are almost batch, he goes home about 10 days after I do. Anyway I will probably talk about that later on, BASTA- GREAT WEEK! 

     I received the best compliment a missionary can get receive this week. It has happened a few times before but this one was just perfect. We were on our way home, very late at night (but not too late be obedient) and this guy calls us over from the other side of the road. I figured he was drunk or something but we went over and he just said, "I have to ask you two a question..... DON'T YOU EVER GET TIRED!?!" Not a better compliment in the whole world. We just smiled and said, "No WAY! We love this!" This guy sees us walk EVERYDAY! When it is hot, like rally hot, when it is raining, like really raining and when it is REALLY HOT AND REALLY RAINING AT THE SAME TIME! I just wanted to grab him and say, "Totoo baga ang gawaing ito!!!!!! Binyagan ka namin bukas! Alam kong totoo ang Simbahan na ito!" But I didn't say that. I sorta said that, but not quite as aggressive as that. Anyway, that was great. 

     This past week we went to one of our far areas and when we got there there was a new calf, not 30 minutes on the ground! It brought back great memories of waking up every 2 hours of the night to check the corral at night with gramps! I sent pictures. Isn't it amazing that they just know what to do when they are born, they struggle up and just start sucking away. Anyway, brought back memories and I took pics, like you've never seen anything like that haha.

      Last night we were teaching our Recent Convert, the wife of the marine, when the marine, Melvin, called. He has been way down south in some dangerous stuff! Last month in fact in his group of marines they had 17 injured in combat. Anyway he called and I chatted with him, he is AWESOME! He was telling me about the heat and the distance they hike and how high the mountains are they are in and how dangerous and sweaty and scary and just everything, the food and all the things they have to pack in there bag, he was telling me about how heavy it is. I asked him, even thought it is so heavy did you still pack your Book of Mormon? He went on to tell me that he ALWAYS has his Book of Mormon with him. I can just picture him out in war in the jungle and reading about Captain Moroni or the 2000 stippling warriors and it just makes my heart swell! I remember promising him 2 days after his baptism and a couple days before he was to leave, "If you live the Gospel you will come home to your wife and son safe." I felt that from the Spirit and I am so glad he is. He said, "I know someone is watching over me here!" How cool is that? Answer- very cool! 

     So the mission tour was truly great! I learned so much form President and Sister Reeder and from President and Sister Nielson! They talked about a lot and used me as an example for "things to do when you go home" and especially for who to marry haha. It was amazing though to just sit there and listen to him quote scripture and answer questions. We went into the conference fasting and all of us had read a GREAT talk from Elder Bednar about the Redeeming and ENABLING Powers of the Atonement. It was amazing! I learned a lot. He also told me about his "Wheels Up" scripture that I am to read when the plane leaves Naga and the wheels fold up. It is from the 26th Chapter of Alma and he said read that and smile! Makes me want to cry just thinking about it, and makes me want to smile too. Bitter-Sweet! 

     Well I love you all and I love my mission. Things are basically the same as my first email to you back 2 years ago- I am always sweaty, dirty, a bug is always on me somewhere and I am HAPPY! I love my mission! The rain is here- I love working in the rain! I am praying that it will rain there in Eagar too. If not I will pack some extra rain here and bring it home with me! Also Bugga's Tacos sound really good. I promised I am focused but let's be real BUGGA'S TACOS! 

Elder Davis

The WM gang sign stands for White Mountains!  This is Sister Coons; she is from Pinetop and lives on Sherwood Lane!

The rainy season is here!

Rainy season indeed

Adobo... looks and is delicious!