IN WITH THE NEW! July 14th 2013

I love being a missionary,

      I really do love being a missionary. It is incredible. Anyway, how is everyone? I hope all is well and good. Things are great here. We are right in the middle of transfers and things are MAGULO! I can't think of a great word to translate magulo, it means that things are like all-over-the-place, kinda thing. I am struggling right now with both English and Tagalog- I speak English all the time in the office and I forget easy English words and then I speak Tagalog after not speaking it all the time and I forget easy words- it is the worst! haha Earlier today I called soap- broth. Like soup broth haha. Because I mixed up sabao and sabon (sp). Easy mistake but it happens because everyday i speak so darn much english! It's okay, I am happy and blessed to speak when I need to speak. Elder Datu laughs at my Englsih and my Tagalog though hahaha- I am a MASTER AT TAGLISH though! I can speak Taglish like nobody's quan! Are you kukuning what I'm ilagaying? (Are you picking up what I'm laying down?) Okay that is a bit extreme Taglish but I love speaking Taglish to Americans, it is so awesome. 

      It rained there in Eagar? That is aweome, prayers work huh? It is good to hear that we had rain, we get plenty here in the Philippines. I hope that rain helped with the fires that are all over the state. We know as good as anyone that fires are no fun!

      So Race gets married this week right? That is crazy! And awesome! Send pictures. Also, another big thing happens this week, my Tatay in the mission- Elder Vogelsberg goes home. I will drive him to the airport this week! I am so stinking sad he is going home! I owe so much to him as my trainer! He was the perfect trainer for me. He is such a good missionary. It will be sad to see him go, but I'll see him at BYU. 

      This week has been way busy. Our mission is split in half- when we still weren't split in half we had close to 200 missionaries- now that is in the whole mission before it was cut in half. NOW we are expecting just our half of this mission to have 230 missionaries!! That is 30 more missionaries than the old Naga Mission in just half the area. What does that mean? It means there are new opening areas everywhere! Wards are having 6 missionaries in it and new branches and groups are opening everywhere! Almost everyone in our mission is training (even extremely young ones) because we are getting about 30 missionaries arriving and only like 6 or so missionaries are going home, and it will be like that until we get to 230 missionaries! The work is HASTENING! The wave is here, jump on or you'll miss it! How exciting is that? Our mission is just exploding with tons of new missionaries! I love it! It is happening all over the world! We have people finding new apartments and opening areas and stalking apartments and it is awesome! President Reeder told us that the apostles told all the new mission presidents at the Mission President Seminar that, "There has not been a more exciting time in the church than right now except for the Restoration." And I am a missionary at this time! I love it! But the biggest vision the brothern seem to have is that of missionaries and members working hand in hand- so share the Gospel with everyone. This is not just the job of the missionaries, this is the job of all those who have been blessed with the knowledge of the truth.

      Anyway my preaching is about over for the email, I think. But this week has been great, a lot of late nights and planning for transfers and things like that but it has been good. I am starting to enjoy this type of work more but I still really really really miss missionary work. We didn't get to teach much this week and this next week we won't teach very much either, we will be teaching missionaries, which is good and fun, but I miss investigators! Anyway, life is great. 

      The picture of the corn fields are way pretty aren't they? I saw it and, of course, instantly thought of Grandpa Sherwood. There are some things that no matter how many times I will see them, I will first and always think of Gramps! 

       Also if you will notice, and I am sure you will notice, of the picture of balut- the half-fertilized duck egg. We were going out to dinner and then Elder Datu said he really wanted balut, I said I was need a little munchy  myself. So he bought balut and I got donuts!!!!! I enjoyed the donuts as much as he enjoyed the balut haha! Just look at that head! I can't believe I have eaten that before, and I want to eat it again before I leave. I think I will enjoy it better the second time.

      We had Sixto's baptism this last week! I love the Ramos Family! I love them! Baptism is a very simple but a very specific commandment. It is also has huge consequences, whether you chose to be baptized or not, and then if you choose to follow the covenant you ahve made at baptism. I don't know why it was chose that we needed to be baptized and confirmed (born of water and spirit) to enter into the kingdom of God, but that is how it is. It is such a blessing in our lives and eternities. Sixto was so happy both at his baptism and his confirmation when he was given the gift of the Holy Ghost. he told me, "I feel different." After the baptism we went by the family and taught them a lesson about eternal families. We talked about how baptism can unlock the gate for heaven for an individual but for a family they need that and to be sealed in the temple. They have a date and goal set for next year to go to the temple! They are awesome, they don't have much of anything to call there own in this life as far as material possessions go but they have a treasure of truth and knowledge that no one can take from them. We are all so blessed, both physically and spiritually! I hope we are all so thankful!

       Anyway, I need to go. I love you all. Keep me in your prayers, you are in my prayers! Have a great week, we will have a great one here. Thanks fore everything. 

Elder Davis

I would choose this.....

instead of this!

President Reeder, Sister Reeder, Sixto and family.

Kumusta?

        Let me first off start by saying, on the 4th of July... I forgot it was THE FOURTH OF JULY! Hahaha it was Elder Datu's birthday and we celebrated that. I forgot all about what everyone was doing at home, not to say I didn't think about America and it's wonderful and miraculous starting, but I didn't think about you family AT ALL! I hope that doesn't make you feel bad haha. I realized a day or two after the fourth that you had, the flag raising, the parade, fireworks, BBQ, and all that jazz. I didn't even think about it. I opened up my email and saw all your pictures and I GOT SAD... why? Because I realized that next 4th of July I won't be a missionary anymore! It will be fun to be home and fun on the 4th, but I don't want my mission to end. Anyway, happy fourth of July, little late. I feel very blessed to not worry about home at all. I am lost in this work and I LOVE IT! 

         So this week I will "participate" in my first transfers! I am very excited to give my advise to President Reeder and then watch and learn! I am learning so much here on my mission, and growing so much! I love it. This next week, like all transfer weeks, will be full of busy days and long nights and long rides and long meetings and little sleep hahaha. I can't wait, send a prayer our way. 

       We will have a baptism this week, Sixto Ramos! He is awesome, he is a part member and his family hasn't always been active. But his family has started to come to church again while we've been teaching him and now they go to church as a family and it is just awesome! We have seen such a change in Sixto and in the Ramos Family in general. They are happier, and Sixto has gotten so much smarter. That kid can answer about any question in all the lessons we have taught him. He reads better and has just matured in this process! Anyway we are excited for his baptism. We'll try to send pictures.

       Earlier today we had a Zone Activity and it was awesome. Very pretty and it was the first time the Reeders have seen The Philippines in that way. The ocean was way pretty, I will try to send pictures today, we are pretty busy.

       This week we had an amazing lesson with The Azanya family! We had a Family Home Evening there and we had for member presents, our Bishop and his wife, our ward mission leader, and our Elder's Quorum President and his wife! It was awesome! Members are the key to this work! Family, if you are not giving thought out, and prayed out, referrals to the missionaries you should do it! Members are the key to missionary work. The Tatay said a few words at the close of our FHE, he said how he was impressed with our church, how we dress, how we act, and he talked about how WE CAME TO THEM, including our Bishop coming to them, he said how in other churches they want you to come to them, but hot in this church. And he loved how much we focus on the family! I love being a missionary! So- share the gospel with your friends, or tell the missionaries that they can use your home to teach people they are already teaching and you can be there and be member present. In the words of Gramps, "Do it 'dang' it!"

         We had "Meet the President" Zone Conferences this past we and they were awesome! President gave a talk called, "Do We Realize What We Have?" We all talked about we we have in this church that can be found no where else, how families can be together FOREVER, the Plan of Salvation and I could go on and make the list but I wont. We talked about all these answers we have to life's questions and how blessed we are and how we need to share it with others. President read us a letter of a conversion story in Germany, this lady had 3 PHD's in religion related topics, and she had wrote multiple books on the same topic. Anyway she let the missionaries in her door and they handed her something she had never heard of before, "The Book of Mormon." She read it and D&C and the Pearl of Great Price and like 20 different volumes of doctrine from the church and some Talmage writings in the next 8 weeks and she was baptized into our church. She gave a talk at her baptism and said, "I don't think you members know what you have." I don't know if I realize what we have, I need to be a better missionary. We are so blessed and we need to share this Gospel and our testimonies. I know this church is true, I know it. So lets share it, the world is starving for truth. I love being a missionary.

         I am learning so much here and the Reeders are awesome! I miss the Bliesners but they've earned their right to go home. I feel like my emails are getting more and more boring haha, hopefully they will get better. Let me know if you have anything you would like me to write you about or anything you would like to know. 

       Thanks for your prayers and I pray for you. I hope the fires will stop there in Arizona. I miss you all, but I don't want to see any of you one day earlier than I should haha. You guys rock! Tell the grandparents I said Hi and that  I love them! Also if you know any couple missionaries that want to serve in Naga, send me an email, no guarantee, but I think we could get them here, pull some strings. We need couple missionaries here bad! So let me know! I love you all, sorry this is short, we have a lot to do today.

Elder Davis 

        

They look like lifeguards; in a way I guess they are!

Seriously? rough P Day.

What a view!

June 30th 2013..... Out with the Old

President/Sister Bleisner

I smell a RAT!

Chicken poo!

Well, Howdy! We are still alive here in the Naga Mission! Our mission is now officially split into the Legaszpi and the Naga Missions and both missions have there new mission presidents! This week has been pretty busy and this week will even be busier! But I am loving it. I am so excited to serve with President and Sister Reeder, even though it is sad to see President and Sister Bliesner leave! Yesterday we met the Reeders at the airport. We were told the second that President Reeder's foot is on the ground, the keys of the mission would be transferred to him from President Bliesner. I could see the change, because all the sudden all my fear went from President Bliesner to President Reeder haha just kidding. The Reeders are amazing! I can't wait to get to know them more and serve with them. We'll have a long time to spend together! They are so excited to serve, and so am I. So after we picked them off we went to church and President Bliesner gave them a quick tour and orientation and then after that Elder Datu and myself drove them to Legazpi to orientate the new Legaspi mission president and then to leave. It was fun to spend time with them in there last few hours here. I think they have been working the last few weeks on about 4 hours of sleep each night, and President Bliesner didn't sleep at all his last night here, they were busy beyond all belief! I can't say I have ever seen anyone be so masipag and "return with honor" like they did. What a great example, they are inspiring to me. This week we will have to Multi Zone Conferences of "Meet the President" and what not, and we have a Mission Leadership Council tomorrow. We are busy and happy and the Reeders are up to the challenge. So first off, Pa Tenney is a new Bishop back home? Tell him to send me an email! I love the Tenneys! Also Brother Smith is now also, Bishop Smith? That is great, those are two men that had a great influence on me before I left on my mission. They are awesome, we have good people back in ol' Eagar. Also your trip to Washington DC looked like a blast. Race and Julie look great! It will be so weird to go home and be THE ONLY ONE NOT MARRIED hahaha. But I will just hang out with all the pumunkins (nieces and nephews) and leave you old folks to your boringness. So funny story. We were in a lesson the other night and we had a member working with us. We were teaching and then our member present, kuya Richard, pointed out that there was a chicken sleeping above me in the roof. Now, I am more uncomfortable in a lesson when there is NO chickens running through my feet and what not than I am when there ARE chickens. It just seems like there should be chickens, because they are always there. SO anyway, the chicken was there sleeping above me and I didn't even think twice about it. The lesson when fine, but at one point, I feel a thud on my leg, the chicken had pooed on me. The people we were teaching laughed pretty hard and so did Elder Datu and kuya Richard, and I laughed myself. We took a picture of the white mess on my pants! I also have a picture that Elder Klassen took on his camera. They were on their way to come to our trainers training and they found a massive, stinky, dead rat under their seat on the bus! Classic, so I'll be sending that home for your enjoyment! I love this place! I hope this next year goes by slow but time is going sooooo fast here in the office SOO FAST! "Heaven is a continuation of the ideal home." -Preach my Gospel page 85. That is a really cool quote. I am so thankful for my family, I think it would be hard to get more "ideal" than our home and our family. It truly is heaven, or I feel like heaven with all of the fam damily! We're not perfect but we are happy. Heaven will be a happy place. I really like that quote. We are teaching a less active family and focusing on getting one of their children baptized. When we started teaching them the kid, sixtu, was pretty dull. He couldn't read all that well and wasn't all that happy, or didn't seem to be. You should see this kid now. He can tell you all about the Plan of Salvation and the story of Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon and The Gospel of Jesus Christ. His parents are impressed at how happy and smart he has gotten in these lessons. He knows so much! More importantly the truth of our message has touched his soul. It is great to see that family, once less active, come to church as a family and be so happy. Brother has a tie now and sixtu will be baptized soon. I love my mission. I want to be a missionary for the rest of my life. Speaking of which we have SO MUCH TO DO! I need to go and get to work. I love you all so much. Thank you for your prayers I feel your prayers everyday and pray for you everyday as well. Sorry this is so short. We are busy and time flies here. Be good. Share the gospel, and do it with "Power and Authority", "be not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ" and maybe my favorite, "Declare my word like unto angels of God." Elder Davis P.S. I almost forgot it is the 4th of July soon. That's like my favorite holiday ever and I don't even miss it, I am lost in this work at the moment! I love being a missionary!

Phineas and Ferb in Tagalog??

Howdy Howdy, This has been another very busy and very fast week. I think the weeks get faster and faster, and they are super fast here in the office because we always have big projects to do. I almost had a FULL REGULAR MISSIONARY DAY this week, but I still haven't. But I am more SANAY to the office now. I still can't come up with a good English for sanay- I think it is, "I am more used to the office now" but it's something like that. Sanay na ako dito. We had a few problems we had to fix this week though. Not near as many as President though. he is so incredibly busy these last few weeks. Mission splitting, 4 assistants to train, new couple missionaries to train, interviews with 107 companionships, that includes two islands. Oh and he has to have everything ready for two new mission presidents. BASTA he's busy. We had a few mid-transfer arrivals this week. Two of them where from Kiribis (sp) and then we had a new couple missionary show up. It is so fun to get to meet them and hear there arriving testimonies. One Sister (from Kiribis) had such a powerful testimony. She is the only member in her family (like Elder Datu) and her family was pretty upset when she decided to go on a mission, but here she is. Her testimony was so strong. It is amazing to see what people "sacrifice" for the truth. It really is no sacrifice at all, missions are privileges! The new couple's testimonies were pretty amazing too. This is their third mission! How great of an example is that to their grand kids. They are such hard workers, too bad they will be in the new Legaspi mission and not Naga. This Sunday we will be both picking up The Reeders and dropping off the Bliesners! I am both nervous and excited!It is scary at how much knowledge and experience will be leaving with President Bliesner, we will miss him and I am so thankful that he has been my mission president. I am also so excited to greet The Reeders here into Naga. I am excited to help them out and mostly excited to learn from them! I don't know them yet, but I love them and pray for them everyday. They will do so good here! I feel like the kaastigan (awesomeness) of my letters have dropped haha. Sorry about that. However, here's a semi-cool story. Earlier today Elder Datu got his hair cut and while I was waiting the TV was on. Now I am a missionary and I know the rules, we don't watch TV. But it is really hard not to see it and hear it in this tiny barber shop. So I am just sitting and waitin'. The show that was playing was "Fibeas and Ferb" (that spelling must be WAY OFF but paki ko) which happens to be one of the funnies cartoon now playing. At first the volume was pretty low and I couldn't really hear it, but I didn't really want to anyway. Anyway I was just minding my own business and, of course, making faces in the mirrors- really who doesn't do that at the barber shop? So anyway it was after 10 minutes that I realized the show was in TAGALOG. I didn't even notice because I understood it haha. Way cool no? I hope I don't sound boastful. My understanding skills are way better than my speaking skills. Anyway that was cool. I am still waiting to have a dream in Tagaolg! I've only had parts. But I am still young. I have 11 more months to improve. Speaking of 11 months. I don't want to go home haha. I love my mission too much. I need to make the best of these next 11 months! My prayer is I will be able to finish my mission as a trainer! If not I will be sad. I want to go to the furthest area in the mission, hopefully "open area" and train for my last two transfers. The field is much too white for staying in the office! I don't have anything else to say. I love you all and I pray for you everyday. Be a missionary. You might not have a name tag on you shirt but as they said in conference PAINT ONE IN YOUR HEART! Share the Gospel with your friends, if you aren't your friends will be mad at you... one day. Be bold and remember you are a missionary, and then be a member present in the lessons with the full time missionaries. Don't wait until tomorrow to invite, if you're going to invite, "open your mouths and it will be filled" and do it today, not tomorrow. You can do it to someone else tomorrow. "How great will be your joy" is what the scriptures say. And if you're not a member and you are reading this, just listen to the missionaries, tell your mormon friend that wants to invite you but is scared that you want to be taught. I know this Gospel is true. I am so glad I get to share it every single day! Elder Davis

June 17th 2013

Family history picture: L to R Great grandfather, grandfather, son, grandson:)

Philippines sunset!

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY!

       This week has been, yet again, crazy! It was Wednesday night and we had just finished exchanges with the Iriga Zone Leaders and we were eating dinner, I told Elder Datu, "Tomorrow will be my first REGULAR day since I have been here. We can get up tomorrow morning and do regular missionary work all day long, I am so excited." Well I jinxed that! About 10:15 that night we got a call about a problem we needed to fix the next day. We drove all the way to Goa and then to Calabanga! We didn't get to work that day until 4 or 5 pm I think. I am still waiting for my ONE REGULAR DAY of just being a missionary haha! But it is great here. It is a different kind of service and I am enjoying it. Hopefully one day I will have a full day to teach God's Children His Gospel, sa bagay pahabang buhay ko, gagawin ko iyan!

         So let me throw in a random question, have you sent my new Debit Card? This one is now expired so, it would be sweet if you could send that in a convenient day. 

         Patuloy tayo. So, this past week Elder Datu and I held a lesson in a church other than our own haha. I won't say the name of the church but it is not very big and if you didn't know it was a church you would think it was a house. Their leader guy is one of our investigators and when we went by they invited us in. We went in and they wanted us to share a message to them. So we were there with about 5 of their most active members, Bible in hand and ready to preach. I think they wanted to debate and argue, of at least a few of them but we just kept our cool and began to share with them the message of the Restoration and just what we believe. Because we didn't argue or yell, when they asked questions, we were able to answer very easily and calmly. While on the other hand they seemed very... unkind. Almost everything they said was non-biblical and a little crazy. May I note by the way that Elder Datu is THE BEST TEACHER I KNOW in English or Tagalog. He's good. Anyway they asked us, "if we were to die right now are you sure you would be saved?" My answer was pretty simple, "I don't know. I am not perfect. I hope I will be, I know that we can only be saved through Christ an His Gospel, faith, repentance, baptism, ect." And then we asked them the same question and this was the answer one lady gave. "I know I am saved, I am positive of it. No matter what I am saved" and she gave some reasons such as, when she came to know Jesus Christ she changed and became better than she was, she believes in Him ect. ALL TRUE, GOOD THINGS.

         But the impression came to me, "Wouldn't that be what the adversary wants? For people to think, 'I am saved now, no matter what I do.'" Satan will tell you many truths to make you believe one lie. Christ has saved us, it is true, we are saved by His grace, but if we never threw out our responsibility of repentance and faith and living the commandments and not to mention his commandment to "be ye perfect." I hope I will be saved, I think I will be, but I will not assume that I am saved "no matter what." Anyway I am just preaching on like a mad man and who knows if I even make sense but it was a very cool experience to preach the Gospel in that environment. It was only after the lesson on the way home we realized that in the missionary handbook we aren't supposed to preach near or close to houses of other faiths, oops. We'll just teach them in their homes next time haha. Also I think we are going to church there this week, President said we could, hopefully they will return the favor and go to our church. The lack of the spirit in that church we taught in was quite apparent. Anyway that was fun.

        Now let me bud in here again- I will be here for at least 9 months! I would love if you would send me some good CD's. Some good lds music, please consult Race, he'll know the good stuff. These long drives need some hymns! If you could do that I would be very happy!

        So it is FATHER'S DAY! Happy Father's Day DAD! I have thought a lot about Dad this week. If there is another son in this world who thinks more of his father than I do, I don't know them. I study Preach My Gospel everyday and my favorite chapter in there is Chapter 6, Christ-Like Attributes. I am pretty sure that in every attribute listed there I have a note about how my father exemplifies that attribute. My Dad is Christ-Like. I have often BOASTED of this but that is because it is worthy of boasting, I HAVE NEVER HEARD MY FATHER RAISE HIS VOICE (basketball officials not included). I want to be like my Dad. So thank you Dad. Thank you for all the sacrifices you have made for all us kids, for your work, the vacations, stories of your mission and scriptures you would tell us when we were small, thanks for serving a mission, thank you for your example, thank you for the priesthood blessings I have received from you many times and your example in that priesthood. Thank you for listening to me and helping me through all my struggles and helping me get to where I am now. I look up to you so much. And thank you for how you treat Mom, you've given me a great example on how to be a father and a husband. Tell Grandpa Sherwood and Grandpa Davis happy father's day too! I have some amazing examples of fathers in my life.

       I don't have too much else to add. This week has been crazy! Also I don't have too many good pictures, but the one I do have is a posterity picture. I am a grandpa now! My kid texted me happy fathers day yesterday haha, it was awesome! Also, of course, I am in the same area Kellen Walker used to be in, they still remember him and love him. The Tollantes family told me to say hi to him! Also Mom you asked if I will be able to travel a lot here in the office, yes. I will see the whole mission just about, the problem is most of the cool places are in the south mission and I am north. But I have been down south quite a bit already!

        Love you all. Happy Father's Day Dad! Have a great week. Sounded like the Little Larry Reunion went well. I heard there was some good swear words thrown out there, it's not a sin when Uncle Craig is there doing his magic. Haha. Anyway i gotta run! Love you all.

Elder Davis

P.S. I have now bought a pizza card here at Shakey's Pizza, it is way good. GO FAT CHANTZ!

June 9, 2013

Sweet new ride!

Another famous Davis Fist Bump!

Howdy,

       Well, that was the craziest week of my life.  If you couldn't tell from my last letter I was pretty nervous, still am, but less nervous haha. I am enjoying it, but I MISS REGULAR MISSIONARY WORK. I miss teaching tons of lessons and helping people all day long. Now I am helping missionaries all day long, still cool, but teaching God's children His gospel is cooler haha. But we still get to work and teach, it is just less. 

        I have a massive, and very possible, fear that I will get chubby here. Haha there is always food and there is always a chair. Food + Chair= Chubbs! Haha but I am working out hard and trying to cut back on the snacks. But you saw the McD's last week. Anyway I don't wanna get chubby, but it would be kinda cool if I were literally a Fat Chantz. Just sayin.

        Our mission is growing dramatically! We are starting to get wards with 6 missionaries in just one ward. Our mission is getting split in half this transfer but in a few months we will build back up to close to the same number of missionaries we had when we had the full mission, there are tons of new areas and areas splitting and it is exciting.

         I get the opportunity every transfer to both drop off departing missionaries at the air port and pick the new ones up. It is so exciting to see missionaries that have served for 2 years and will "return with honor" and in that same day to see FRESH, SCARED, but FULL OF FAITH missionaries enter the field. It gives me a great perspective of just how short the mission really is. I can't believe I only have one year left. Then again, 9 months of that will be in the office- I hope my last three months I will "be put out to pasture" and open area and train! That is my dream and I will be praying for that for the next nine months!

        To go back to the whole chubby thing, I was just interrupted due to the fact that there are delicious empanadas here, so now I'm eating three of those... while sitting hahaha. Anyway.

        Also speaking of airports, I will drop off my TATAY, Elder Vogelsberg, there next transfer, that will be a weird experience. I will forever be grateful for Tatay Vogelsberg! We'll make sure to take pictures Mom.

        So I had to leave my last area super quickly and I didn't get a chance to say goodbye to a lot of people which was super sad, but I can still write to them so it's okay. But there was one investigator who was really progressing and I really didn't want to leave them. I just found our that they got a new puppy last week and they named him DAVIS! How cool is that? A little puppy named Davis to remember me by haha.

        Aunt Tonna, due to the fact that I was transferred so quickly I didn't ahve the opportunity to share with Nanay Victorio the letter you wrote. I am sorry, but I really enjoyed it. In some ways it really strengthened me. And like you, I hope Tatay and Uncle Bob know each other. 

        I had another opportunity to go to a hospital here yesterday and give a blessing to an old pioneer in a near area, it was a great experience and I could feel so very much the love of God for that sister. I don't think I will ever be able to forget the Hospitals I have been to here on my mission. Every time I go I feel terrible about how much I complain about my life. I need to be so much more grateful, we have in very easy. 

        This past weeks we were up very late with transfer planning and trainer's training and all sorts of stuff. We were super busy but I am learning a lot. I have gotten better at driving here in the Philippines too, more comfortable now. We had to gas up on a long road trip of ours and we took pictures with those Dinosaurs. It looks like it could be in Holbrook Az no? 

         I don't have to much to say other than I really miss teaching. Teaching people the gospel is the coolest thing in the world! I miss it so much, I can't wait till things settle down here in the office and we can teach more often. But as for now I will just serve the Lord and the people of the Bicol Region this way. Thank you so much for all your prayers. I am learning so much and loving my mission. Thank you for everything.

          Mom, you asked If I will be translating for President Reeder, I imagine i will at times but only when he needs me. Sometimes I will for sure. I want to encourage them to learn Tagalog, especially Sister Reeder, she'll have more time on her hands. That will totally depend on them though haha. That is a hard thing to do... I know. 

         Thank you for everything. I would love to tell you stories of eating pythons and seeing cobras and what-not but I "ought to be content with the things that are allotted (sp) unto me." I am trying hard to serve hard here. I love you all a bushel!

Elder Davis

Monday June 3rd 2013..... Times they are a changing.

This is Tatay Abner, our investigator. I had to leave him. He is my favorite person I have ever met in the Philippines. He is the one that wouldn't pray and though he still has a far way to go in his conversion I am proud at the progress he has made! I will always remember Tatay Abner. He is AWESOME! And VERY good in English! Also, the other Elder with me and Elder Datu is Elder Salas! He is awesome, I am taking his spot here in the office and I will be very sad to see him go. He is awesome and knows ALL! ALL! hahaha It will be scary to see him go!

A tad different that what he had become accustomed to.

Elder Davis, Elder Salas and Elder Datu

Howdy Howdy

      So much has happened this week... so much! The training of my aki, Elder Villamor, is finished and he is now training!! Meaning I am a grandpa! My son is going from TrainEE to TrainER! He'll do awesome! I am so proud of him! This week has been super insane.

       If I could choose one word to describe myself right now it would be SMALL! I cannot even begin to tell you what has happened this week. I have a new assignment, I will be companions with Elder Datu, again! Which is awesome, we get along great! Also I will remain in Naga Mission with President and Sister Reeder, I am excited to meet them and show them around Naga. I am terrified of this new assignment. But ever since President Bliesner called I have just wanted to throw up. I miss just plain old missionary work SUPER BAD!

       I feel very incapable. I have now been in the Philippines for 10 months and I have a lot of responsibility to do, throw in a prayer... a lot of prayers! I will be in this assignment for a solid 9 months. I am praying I don't get fat, but since I have been here I have eaten more fast food than I have in the past year, and we have a car- not burning fat sitting haha. I am pretty daunted by this assignment. Pray for me, again!

        We have been so busy this past week, late nights of transfer planning and not much sleep, or regular missionary work, I miss it A LOT! But things will calm down next week, and then they will get busy when the new mission president gets here! I really don't have much to say, I am scared, not going to lie! I feel very SMALL! 

       Well I love you all. I am sorry I don't have to many stories or anything.... WAIT! I NOW HAVE A PHILIPPINES DRIVERS LICENCE! That is way cool. But I miss walking down the rice fields. I also now have a washing machine.... and believe it or not I MISS HAND WASHING! I am going to struggle when I get back to the states. Good thing I still have a year to serve. Love you all. PRay for me hard and I will pray for you hard everyday of course!

 Elder Davis

P.S. Driving in the Philippines is CRAZY!