Sunday March 25th 2013

Howdy Howdy, Well, hi. Hahaha I never know how to start my emails, or write them, or end them haha- but that's okay. So first, Rulon's Papers are in?? THAT JUST IS ASTIG! No other word to describe that but ATIG! Elder Udall will be so good, hopefully he is Naga or Legaspi Mission hahaha! Probably Wisconsin though haha. So "this just in" our apartment flooded- surprise surprise. I think I will be more surprised when my apartment is not flooded as apposed to when it is haha. But No big deal, I am way thankful for where I live, especially from what I see everyday. So I love training! I hope I make a good "Tatay" haha. My AKI IS AWESOME! Elder Villamore is like my real kid haha TRULY! He is awesome, just a tiny Pinoy with a big testimony. He rocks! And our work is INCREDIBLE!!!! Mom, you would absolutely love him haha. But training is GREAT! Also we had a random transfer so I am now in an apartment with 3 philippinos!!!!!! I am going to get good in Tagalog sana! And my kabahays are AWESOME! But I am say happy. I think if all three of them stood on each others shoulders I would be taller than them hahahaha joke lang! Want to hear an awesome thing? Ready or not here it comes- We got a referral last week and this week we went to have our first lesson, it was Saturday. We had a great lesson, The Restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, it was awesome the spirit was very strong. We testified of Jesus Christ and The Book of Mormon, of Prophets and of Joseph Smith. Elder Villamor extended the baptismal invitation (first lesson mind you) and he accepted. So the next day, Sunday, he went to church and told us he was up to 11:00p.m. last night reading in The Book of Mormon! I am beyond excited to go back haha! He has a wife and 3 kids with one on the way and HE WANTS TO INVOLVE ALL OF THEM. FYI, we want to involve them too hahah of course! But we truly are finding "the elect." And it came FROM A MEMBER REFERRAL! From a sweet Sister that shared her testimony and the gospel with him (her friend) and gave him to us (the missionaries). BE NOT ASHAMED OF THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST PEOPLE. Give referrals and share this Gospel with everyone, including ESPECIALLY your friends even close friends! Remember it is true, remember how blessed you are to have it and SHARE IT! Sorry for my "missionary mode" haha, but do that thing. We have awesome investigators right not and they are progressing so much. I love being senior and training. This work is so fulfilling! We contacted another lady, Nanay Lita she was a former investigator we came to find out. About 10 years ago she had a dream about what to do with her religious life and then the next day the missionaries knocked on the door and said, "we felt like we should come here." Cool no? She listen and liked there teachings but never ACTED! Hopefully this time around she will ACT! I could tell stories for years but we have a FHE to get to pretty soon- another thing HAVE FAMILY HOME EVENING EVERY WEEK. And we are busy. Love you tons. I pray for you daily. Read your scriptures, choose the right, pray, obey, go to church, and be thankful! Love you and thanks for your prayers! Elder Davis 

Life is SO hard!  Count the little girls fingers:( Chantz said deformities are pretty common.

Hungry anyone????

Sunday March 17th 2013

Together again!!!! Elder Vogelsburg the best trainer!

skinny missionary

Pretty sure he has found someone to tease. Poor little lady!

Howdy Howdy,

      Igwa na akong aki! (Bicolano Naga) I have a KID, A GREENY, A TRAINEE! And Vogelsberg is now a proud LOLO! And on a similar note, Elder Vogelsberg in now in my district and my ZONE LEADER. Also my previous companion Elder Datu is the new Assistant to the President-cool stuff! I feel so old in the mission but still VERY YOUNG! 

     Things sound great back in good ol' Eagar! Things are great here... I am basically opening an area... basically BUT I AM LOVING TRAINING!  My aki is awesome and he came here to work and he's obedient. I LOVE IT! I am finally able to do missionary work the way I think it should be done and follow Preach My Gospel as close as we can. I AM SO EXCITED for these next two transfers! 

       My trainee is Elder Villamor and he is from Metro Manilla! He rocks, he is taking his "first steps" in the mission. He has, in these past tree days, given two baptismal commitments and did his first OYM's and just EVERYTHING! Of course it is a little easier to do when you are fluent but it is still scary for new missionaries! But he is a natural. He is super prepared and awesome! He is a convert, with his family, like 5 years ago I think, and his testimony is super strong! BASTA I AM A HAPPY TATAY! 

       Before we got our trainees we had "Trainer's Training" and it was awesome! We got to watch the talk by Elder Holland from the MTC, the same talk Race had me watch before I left for the mission. It got me so excited! Elder Holland knows how to motivate missionaries! President Bliesner doesn't do too bad a job himself.

      So I have no clue what to tell you haha. I have become desensitized VERY MUCH SO to the Philippines. Showering with buckets seems usual... not unusual. Eating something that still has eyes in it seems RIGHT. Seeing BEAUTIFUL scenery is normal... but I still enjoy that. Seeing a family struggle for food is a weekly basis kind of thing. I find myself more comfortable in homes with grass roofs and dirt floors than IF THERE WERE A HOUSE HERE WITH CARPET! I don't know what I will do with carpet... I don't know what I will do with a washing machine. I don't want to go home. I don't want to do anything but missionary work forever. My purpose is ... "inbitahin ang iba na lumapit kay Cristo sa pagtuong sa kanila na matangap and ibinalik na ebanghelyo sapamamagitan ng pananampataya kay JesusCristo at ang kanyang pagbabayadsala, pagsisisi, binyag, pagtanggap and kaloob ng Espiritu Santo at Pagtitiis hanggang wakas." I don't want to do anything else than that! I am so gad I still have 15 months to serve Him with ALL my heart, might, mind, and Strength.

       Well... I have to go time to go. Hopefully I will have some cool stories for you next week! I am so thankful for all your prayers, especially you family and parents. I feel them often and I have been very blessed! Thank You! I am also remembering that there is a Mom out there somewhere praying very hard that the trainer of her son will be "a good boy." I will try so hard to be that "good boy" now and forever. Thanks so much.

       The church is true and I am a happy missionary "bringing the world his truth." Love you all and pray for you OFTEN! Keep on keepin on!

Elder Davis

Sunday March 10, 2013

Howdy Howdy, October 15ish I began to read Ang Aklat ni Mormon in Tagalog. My trainer promised me, that "if I would read it, for understanding, I would be fluent before I finished." I have now read over 777 pages of Tagalog text in the Book of Mormon and I FINISHED IT THIS WEEK! In October I would read 1 page a day, on a good day. And by the time that page was over I couldn't really tell you exactly what happened. Now, well, it's much much easier hahaha! I read 95 percent of my free time and during language study as well of course. It takes a while haha. Two days after finishing it I was informed that I WILL BE TRAINING NEXT TRANSFER STARTING TOMORROW haha! I am way excited. It could be American (maybe an 18 year old) or it could be a Philippino. We'll see what happens! Either way I am excited! And our area is being split... basically opening an area! As I finished Moroni chapter 10 I again tried "Moroni's Challenge"- To ask God in prayer if it is TRUE! But this time, unlike previous times, I did it in Tagalog! The answer came the next day in a mock lesson (in Tagalog) as I testified of the Restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. So... totoo siya! Pangako iyan! I learned much more than Tagalog in my reading- MUCH MORE IMPORTANT THINGS! ...bagbag na puso at nagsisising espiritu... Now don't let me fool you. I have far to go in Tagalog. I am far from perfect. I am an "ugly fluent" haha! But things are great here. I am excited for next transfer... Tatay na ako! Who knows who my anak is but I am excited! It will be way hard though!!!!!!!!!! This past week in our old apartment we did 4 DAYS with NO WATER! You never know what you have until it is gone! We had to go pump the water from the community well and then bring it back to the apartment to shower haha. Anyway we have water now. BE THANKFUL for everything you have. Clean water and IT IS IN YOUR HOUSE haha! Good stuff. I have met a man here, actually HE found ME. We were on the street one night, a man came from my back and grabbed my arm (not weird in the Philippines) I turned and a small old man with a cane (It was like the old man on the movie 'UP" status) and he spoke to me in FLUENT ENGLISH saying, "Do you have an Englsh Book of Mormon I could have. I am very interested in it. I have a Tagalog version but I think I would understand the English one better." Cool? YES!!!!!! We will teach him for the first time this week, HE CAME TO CHURCH. He loved it. He asked questions and the whole ward is in love with this Tatay. AS AM I! I have never felt like this with someone, but I am way excited for Tatay Abner! This Gospel is AMAZING AND PERFECT! It will heal any wound, for it is Jesus Christ's Gospel in its FULLEST! And the truth will always set us free. We are blessed! So Elder Christofferson's talk in the Liahona rocked this month no? It made me think of Gramps Sherwood, but cows and horses instead of sheep haha.I miss him a lot. Anyway the quote of President Packer was quoted in that liahona, "We are not obedient because we are blind, we are obedient because we can see." How true that is. Think about it, it's an awesome quote. Well, you all rock! I am happy. I am trying hard, working hard, obeying hard, and I am seeing miracles. Pray hard. Be thankful. Be obedient regardless of any hardships. I am such a wierdo missionaro na ey? okay lang iyan! I will send pictures HOPEFULLY! Love you all, throw a prayer my way. I'm chucking them your way. Elder Davis P.S. I totally met Elder Ardner!!!!!!!!!! that is awesome that whole thing with papa hansy hahaha cool stuff. I might meet him again, we'll see. Tell Grandpa if he wants to wait until next year I will help him brand and we all know he is fond of waiting.

Happy Missionary!

Delicious apple star fruit.

Howdy Howdy,

      Do you know how good it feels for others to tell you are fluent in Tagalog? If you don't know how that feels, I invite you to try it. Well, everybody it has been another great week. Time is still flying by! We will be moving into a new apartment this week and next week our area will be split and there will be four of us in this area. Which means that Elder Guanio and I will be split as well, but we'll still be in the same apartment so it's all good! The work is great and we are progressing! Lovin' IT! 

     So FHE daw tomorrow with the Lambson's and Kellen ey? Sounds fun, tell them I am in Ocampo, right next to Pili- I think Kellen was assigned there.  That will be fun to hear there stories. Naga Mission "best in all the land." Maybe they'll sing the mission song for you guys! It should be your opening hymn!

     So Mom we do have Sisters in our District but they are assigned in Goa the biggest city in our district. Your guess was right that usually there areas are in nicer areas. But our sisters are toughthey can do anything. Also Sister Christensen is in my district which is fun, we were in the MTC together. But ya, there's your answer.

      So who wants a cool story? Ready or not here it comes: This Wednesday we were walking, in the heat, sweating and dirty, to a far area of ours. I told my comp, naramdaman ko na makikita natin ang isang ahas mamaya. "I feel like we're going to see a snake later on." Earlier that morning I had randomly read in Acts where Paul gets bit by a viper and nothing happens to him. Ironic no? When we reached the house Tatay wasn't home but about 2 minutes later he comes running by saying there was a COBRA! It was about twenty yards from there house! So naturally I was quick to follow and see a COBRA! We watched from a little way off, just in-case we got bit and were't quite as lucky as Paul haha.  But Tatay and few others IN SANDALS dug out the cobra and killed it with an itak (machete). It was about 4 feet long- scary looking thing. But it was way cool. They ate it daw, sadly I did not get to taste it BUT I REALLY WANT TO EAT COBRA! I thought it was no good, that they only ate python but nope. There are tons of snakes in this area! 

      So after that event we taught tatay and I told him the story of Paul and we talked about MIRACLES! He told us about ten years ago he was able to go to church with his sons, because they really wanted to, but he had NO IDEA how they had the money every week to go. But that somehow every week they had the money to go to church. He said it was a miracle. I agree. We had a great lesson and he committed to go to church. He's going to Manilla for a few months though next week- DARN MANILLA! 

       We've been super busy and I forgot my list of things I wanted to tell all of you! Basta, totoo ang simbahan haha! I love my mission, Tagalog ROCKS! I have bee so so so so so so so blessed! We are all so blessed. This Gospel is true and one day we will all return and stand before God, our Father. I hope and pray we are only doing things we can be proud of when that event happens. Judgement Day is a good thing to ponder every now and then. I am a representative of Jesus Christ. I feel it everyday! This is the only true and living church. And I know, Jesus Christ lives and he and Heavenly Father love each one of us PERFECTLY. Weather you live in a home with carpet and a computer or in a hut with pots for cooking rice- he loves you!

     You are all awesome! 

Grandpa Sherwood goes with him everywhere!!!!!

Always has, always will LOVES little ones!

Elder Davis

January 24th, 2013

"Aren't they a beautiful people?"

Baptism day in the ward

Kumusta lahat?
       So first off there have been 58 new missions made around the world can you believe that??!!!! What makes it even crazier is my mission is one of those, bet you didn't know that- but it is true! The Naga Mission (my mission) is being Ihahati SPLIT? It's becoming two missions. So there will be Naga Mission and the new Legaspi Mission. HUGE NEWS! The church is growing here and missionaries rock rock rock! It is an exciting time to be a missionary! I hope I will be in Naga, we'll see what the revelation says! President Reeder will be the new mission president. 
       So we had a baptism today that was great! It was the easiest baptism a missionary can get haha. She's nine years old, her name is Sidney and basically they just forgot to baptize her last year... don't ask me why- gotta love the Philippines! Anyways she is awesome and so is her family. And the baptism went great. I will tell you about there family in a little bit and how inspiring they are. Hopefully I will send pictures too! 
      So that family, the Jove family rock. They live in a area called Sigrada (our farthest area). There main language is not Tagalog, it is not Bicolano it is Rinkonada! So it can get a bit confusing when in your area there are 3 languages! Believe it or not I understand Bicolono quite a bit but I do not understand Rinkonada at all! TAGALOG NA LANG! Iyo Oo and Amo are the three ways to say YES! They are similar languages but WAY DIFFERENT TOO! Anyway it is a far area and a whole new language out there. In order for the Jove family to go to church they have to spend 100 pesos PER PERSON! Now in dollars that's a little over two bucks but that is SO MUCH MONEY for these people. It is over 3 kilos of RICE per person every time they go to church. THAT IS SO MUCH RICE! I would not be surprised if they go hungry on occasion due to this sacrifice. Brother Jove is awesome, he is a RM, an old RM, and he has some way cool stories from way back when! Anyways, this family the Jove family has found the "The Bread of Life" and "Living Water" they are willing to sacrifice MONEY, TIME, and PHYSICAL HUNGER just to be able to go to church. These people are amazing. It has been a pleasure to get to know them and love them. They are so inspiring, going to church is an easy thing for us back in America- I hope we go every week without exception and realize the importance of this Gospel like the Jove Family does in there little hut that is so far away from ANYTHING really! Did I mention Tagalog rocks, ya'll should learn it before I get home, it's cooler than English hahhaha! 

     So we have been so busy this last week, like all weeks haha. But it's been crazy. We are still have no apartment, hopefully this week! But the work has been great and we have been busy! In that busyness I have thought about HOW MUCH COOLER MY MISSION IS THAN RACE'S! And I will give JUST A FEW reasons why:

    1 Race had a volcano in his mission... cool? Yes. BUT I have MOUNT MAYON, the most perfect conic shaped volcano in the world... so!

    2 Race calls the grandkids Ninyos.... when I get home I will call those nippers either MGA BATA or PAMANGKINs. Whose language is cooler? That's what I thought hahahaha

    3 Race had at least 2 languages in his mission... that's a lot- But here we have about 18 dialects! So yeah.

    4 Race taught some great, loving people BUT I teach a better loving people... and they love Diyos more than the Guates do. Mythbusters tested it and ITS TRUE! 

    5 Race had a great mission president BUT I have PRESIDENT BLIESNER... end of story.

So now that I have got the brotherly competitiveness out of me- Race you rock. And you had the coolest mission and mission president SECOND to mine hahaha! Lets just use the Philippines motto, "It's more fun in the Philippines." So I don't have much time to talk. There is much to do, many souls to save and good to do! Thanks for all your emails. Hopefully the pictures will go through. I am in Naga due to a dentist appointment of Elder Guanio! Next week is transfers, I will let you know what happens! 

     So the church is true. Mom you said we have some good missionaries in Eagar- GIVE THEM REFERRALS! Especially if they are good ones! Today is the day to do missionary work, not tomorrow. Today! Do not be ashamed of the Gospel of Christ all you people! IF I can do it in Tagalog you can do it in English! You and they will be eternally grateful you did! JUST DO IT! nike. haha I love you all, sorry there is no time. Stay strong and share this gospel with ALL!

Elder Davis

February 17 2013

The field is "green" all ready to harvest!

Valentines package made it all the way to Naga!

Yo Yo mga Tao!

    So first of all, no way cool pictures this week. SORRY! But it was a crazy week. Our area is growing, and with all the new missionaries we will be getting 2 new missionaries in Ocampo, meaning we need to find a new apartment- not easy to find here! We still haven't found the right one and time is coming quick! Anyway, we WILL find it! And then we need to get moved to. We are pretty busy here, but I LOVE IT! Elder Guanio is still bomb, and still short. Sometimes I pat him on the back or something of that nature and I feel like I will kill him... He's tiny- but has a massive testimony. So we're doing good still.

     Also I got the letter from Logan. Tell him I will write him soon! LOGAN CROOKS IS THE BOMB! Can't wait to see that kid. Also I got the Valentines package as you can tell, thanks Mama! Reeces Peanut Butter Cups are the key to my heart hahaha. Nothing like that here in the Philippines. Thanks for everyone's emails too- always good to hear from ya all!

     The cows are calving? Did I read that right? Trunky na ako haha biro lang. Life is great here and Tagalog is getting A lot EASIER! haha. BICOL... still very hard. It would be great if  these people just spoke Tagalog hahaha, I want to learn Bicol though. Hopefully before I leave I will be pretty good at it too! 

      So last week we tried a "finding idea" to get a new investigator via referal, what you do is teach The Restoration to a member, hopefully a very good lesson, and then ask who they my know who needs this lesson. It can be a very great technique to get investigators and members remember their own conversion and the importance of this gospel. We taught  Nanay De Leon and it was AWESOME. She basically just taught us hhaha. She told us her testimony and how important the gospel is in her life. It is hard for her to go to church but she goes EVERY WEEK. She told us, "You are Jesus's army." and that "missionaries are angels." NOW I'll tell you... missionaries aren't angels but obedient diligent missionaries can be angelic to the eyes of those they teach. The lesson was awesome, I couldn't hold back my tears as I heard her testimony and her feelings toward missionaries. The people missionaries teach have every right to see their missionaries as "the army of God" I feel that way EVERYDAY when I put on my NAME TAG, I fear no one. The calling of a missionary, or a "representative of Jesus Christ" is so important. I feel it everyday. And I know, that he is in this work. Anyway, the lesson was awesome and hopefully next week we will have a bomb referral from her. Nanay De Leon ay astig! Feeling the spirit is the coolest thing ever... especially when you are prompted to say things you have never before said in a different language to a complete stranger and it is what they need to hear. Sometimes the Holy Ghost speaks English, sometimes Tagalog, but it always speaks to the heart! 

    Also PUNCTUALITY is killing me! "Philipino Time" will be the death of me. I have too much "Kathleen" in me to keep up with this lateness hahaha! But church is still great, Sacrament meeting is the greatest meeting in all the church- it has come to mean so so so much to me. It gets better every week and I hope and expect that will continue my whole life. 

      So time is short. Kinda a boring email, sorry. I will try harder next week. We have ZONE CONFERENCE which is always fun!  Just being a missionary, and trying my darndest. Mahal ko kayong lahat! 

Elder Davis

Ito ay aking ibinibigay sa inyo... inside joke. So how's it going? I am really not too sure what to say sometimes- or how to say it- ENGLISH is hard! Anyway I won't complain about that. This week was GREAT, as usual. But it is getting HOT! Summer is almost here, which means two things, one good, one bad. The bad, IT IS GONNA GET HOT NA HOT! The good, MANGOS NA! So yeah, that is where I am at now. So right before emailing we ate a nice p-day lunch, I didn't know what I wanted because it all looked SOO GOOD! So the Nanay suggested I try the SHARK! I said, SIGI! meaning OKAY! IT WAS DIVINE! My goodness these people know how to cook. I will miss the food here, anyway Shark is delicious. Another story... we were in our farthest area... nothing but buko and palayan. When suddenly I had a case of the swift and mighties! It was about the time of my 6 months in the Philippines, they say you usually will have to change your pants before then at least once. I was wearing my brown pants... which could have come in handy. But we rushed to the Jove family (they're members) and I asked where the CR was, luckily there was already water there and we didn't have to pump the well or I wouldn't have made it. BUT I DID MAKE IT! 6 months and no emergency so far! But I tell you no man has ere been closer to disaster. The amount of privacy at that "bathroom" was about a 3 out of ten, and I'll give it a 4 for cleanliness. Anyway, pinoy na ako so nothing affects me now. Last week we stopped by Bishop Arce's house to ask some questions about the area, when we got there no one was home but Sister Arce's brother (non-member). He's from Manilla and was staying there for a few months, he stays there a lot daw. Anyway, we started to teach him while we were there about the Restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The lesson was awesome. The spirit was tangible, as it usually is when you share the experience of Joseph Smith. Anyway he came to church and like everything... but now he's back in Manilla for a month or two. Good thing there are missionaries there too. I can't wait til he comes back. I love teaching LESSON 1! I could teach lesson one for two years straight and not get sick of it... oh yeah that's pretty much what we do... haha. It is amazing how the Holy Ghost comes in these lessons. All it requires is a soft enough heart to feel it. Anyway I don't know how to speak well in English anymore... I am in a state of not perfect Tagalog and just "don't know how to express myself english" haha. Oh well. Well the time is short today, and I need to be going on. ALSO, it's almost Valentines Day! So MOM will you be my Valintine??? Hahaha. In most missionaries handbook they carry a picture of their girlfriend, in mine it is of you Mom (the only girl that writes every week)! Mahal kita! Tapos, Mom you asked me some questions, the first one was do I have clean running water... yes, but it takes about one full minute to fill up a small water bottle. The unfiltered water pressure is pretty good, but that water can be sketchy... good thing I only shower my self in it everyday haha. And the second question... "Elder Davis, how are your shirts so white?" Well, I am a dang good scrubber haha. Paglalaba is what I do! Just give me a bucket, water, and soap and I'll hand wash that thing until it is white as snow! Anyway yeah, I really enjoy doing laundry now... bikolono na ako! The pictures, that's the biggest spider so far- bigger than my hand- and I touched it! A member (Larry) told me to. IT was terrifying. Tapos, I got the OLD SPICE! Look at your missionary now back at me. You are looking at the missionary your missionary could smell like. Also, remember Elder Vogelsberg's and mine aweseome BYU/Superman picture that went viral? Well BYU Athletics sent us shirt because we're awesome! Cool? We think so. Well I gotta go. I love you all and pray for you daily. I feel your prayers for me, thank you. Nothing is more important than this Gospel, hold on to it like your eternity depends on it! Elder Davis P.S. Tell Braxton Brown my "Mexican Bull" to email me. Namimiss ko siya!

Famous Fist Bump

This 'guy' is as big as Chantz's hand

BYU ROCKS!!!!