Week 20

Hello everyone. 

I have had another good week here in Stop Aguinaldo. I feel like I am in a different world here in the Philippines, ever since I got here, not in a bad way but it is just so different here than in America. Sometimes I feel like I have been here forever - like this is my home, but also time goes by fast too and it is crazy that summer is almost over. That probably doesn't make much sense, ha ha, it is like graduating from high school - it goes slow each day but once you finish you’re like wow I can't believe it’s over. Time goes especially fast when we teach and I feel like there just isn't enough time in the day to teach all of the people. They are great and a lot of them have such simple lives here in Stop.  Many are farmers of rice, sugar cane, corn and charcoal is big here too. The people always give us fruit - like mangos and bananas and coconuts. They also give us corn and I have been eating the sugar cane - you just chew it and spit it out. It is sweet. Sometimes I feel like this place is just so disconnected with the rest of the world. It is like the people have their own home and town and nothing else matters,   where as in America everyone is up to date about everything. A lot of the people here struggle with money but most have cheap cell phones. I'm sure the people have hobbies and do stuff for fun but whenever I ask it is only basketball and work - so ha ha like I ask “what did you do today?” ... “nothing or work”.  “What do you like to do?”… “Work, basket” ha ha The people here are great though it just isn't as developed or experienced as America but people here still enjoy life which is all that matters. Some families have TVs and watch movies and there are some computer games the kids like to play too. Just like Canlaon everyone here rides around on motorcycles. We also ride the jeepney a lot which we didn't in Canlaon.  It is true how they fit everyone on there who wants to ride. It is also funny the way the people look at Americans here. They call me Kano. Sometimes I feel like a celebrity when I walk down the street and everyone is looking at me and wants to talk to me. ha ha  It is funny but also a good way to talk to people. One way I feel connected to home is through music.  The people who live by us blast American music and songs I like too each day.  My favorite is Hotel California. Every time they play it I think of my dad and my family. Well this week has been a good week and went by way fast. Again last Monday we played basketball with even more kids.   It was way fun and for Family Home Evening we helped prepare a family for the temple and had the usual games and charcoal fight.  This week we continued to focus on the people we have been teaching. The members here are so great and so willing to help - we got like ten members (leaders and branch missionaries) to teach with us twice this week. We went to the family out by the river. There is one less active there and the rest are investigators. They are so nice and open and listen intently and accept our message, we hadn't been able to get them to church but this week most of them came.  It was awesome and they had a great experience. The less active hadn't been to church for eight years so it is a good start. We also fasted for them so I know that God helps us and is involved in this work. The investigators are still hesitant to be baptized but I know that if they continue to listen to us and go to church and read the Book of Mormon and pray, they will come to know the truth. It is hard to get people here to read from the Book of Mormon, but we need to help them because it is crucial to getting a testimony to read and pray and then use the promise for all in Mor. 10:4-5.   They are the Jepiala family and the Cabungcag families. Some of our other investigators, Orly and Alma are doing great, he is the one I teach in English and he is on 1 Nephi 10 and really understands the gospel. Their problem was that he had a previous wife.  They were separated but you can't get a divorce here, you have to get an annulment which is expensive and he doesn't have that money. So we were worried they wouldn't be able to be baptized but I guess they can because of their situation.  He has been separated for 18 years and with this new girl for 8 years so we are excited that they can be baptized.  In order to go to the temple they need to get married which will be long and challenging but worth it. Anyways that is a big problem here – people live together but don’t get married. Some of our other investigators aren't married and they want to be baptized so we are helping them get married first. Some of the less actives we worked with came to church this week too which was good. The Bacani family and Tigulo (the part members with kids with baptism dates) have been struggling and we had to push them back. We won't give up on them this week - we are having family home evening and having the branch help us too. There are also a bunch of faithful kids here that come and find us and want to be baptized in between ages 10 and 18.  It surprises me how faithful some of these kids are.  We plan to follow up and try to teach their families too.  On Sunday I was really busy just helping teaching in the classes and I also had the opportunity to speak in church. I focused on the Book of Mormon how it brings us all to Christ and how all can know the truth.  I then told them about me - how I got a testimony and it is the same for all - through reading and praying. The branch is way good, it is just less experienced here than in America.  Sometimes we just have to help the people learn their duty and do it but they are willing.  I tried my best to help these people have a good experience at church and feel the love of Christ. I like a memory from Spencer W. Kimball from a story talking about how his full time mission was a period of growth. He had many challenges, but one story was about how he used a funny way to teach someone by playing her a song on the piano. He said so far as he knew she never joined the church but it was not because he had not tried. I like that and we can all use this and try to do our best always.  I am trying to do my best to help these people come unto Christ. I am not perfect either so I know that as we trust in Christ we can do anything and have true happiness. Spencer W. Kimball also says, "Is not there wisdom in giving us trials that we might rise above them, responsibilities that we might achieve, work to harden our muscles, sorrows to try our souls, are we not exposed to temptation to test our strength, sickness that we may learn patience, death that we might be immortalized and glorified. Suffering can make saints of people as they learn patience long suffering and self mastery... In the face of apparent tragedy we must put our trust in God, knowing that despite our limited view his purposes will not fail. With all its troubles life offers us the tremendous privilege to grow in knowledge and wisdom, faith and works, preparing to return and share God's glory."  I know that true happiness comes from the gospel of Jesus Christ. Have a great week. Love you all

Love Elder Mifflin aka Nature man 

ps we went on the same hike again today I wanted to see the sunrise but I slept through my alarm to go way early I will do it next time. It was still sweet and nice to enjoy nature of course.