"How Great Thou Art"

TyBlog12.9.2012

Hello everyone this has been another good week. So to start off we had a good family home evening last week with some people to help prepare them for the temple. We played the usual games and then ended up having a talent show.  I sang "Better Together" by Jack Johnson and it was a fun enjoyable night.  Then we were supposed to have a Super Typhoon here in our area, but it didn't hit here - it was no problem. It just rained a little bit and was a little windy. Unfortunately one of our doors of our house upstairs is broken so a bunch of rain blew in from the balcony and flooded the house, which was pretty tiring to clean up.  Also, we ran out of water this week for a couple days so it was back to getting water from the neighbors in a bucket and showering and it was way hard to wash the dishes. I can't believe I went through that for like 2 months.  I am way thankful for running water, that is for sure. Then once the water came back, a faucet was left on and the house flooded again which was so tiring ha ha.  This week we had to balance our work in Stop and Mabini.  It has been way fun to work in a threesome and I have really enjoyed it.  Elder Hagen has helped me with the language too because he is way smart and good at grammar.  We have been studying a bunch of flash cards and learning a bunch of random words to become fluent.  Also this week we made some chicken curry and chicken adobo which was way good because we haven't done that for a long time.  I am also so thankful for the power of priesthood blessings. We have had many opportunities to use the priesthood lately.  Last Saturday we blessed Edwin who had some sickness in his feet and legs but had an interview for baptism the next day and needed to go.  The next day he was fine.  Pretty cool.  Monday we blessed some members who were sick and they recovered fast.  Tuesday we blessed some of our investigators to have help overcoming word of wisdom problems and some members too.  They are doing well. We also blessed an investigator who was way sick and is ok now and one other person who was sick and then like 10 minutes later walking around.  I know the priesthood is the power and authority from God to help bring souls back to Him.  I am so thankful for fasting too. Last week I fasted on Sunday and saw blessings.  Then on Tuesday I fasted for my bro to get a job, and then on Friday we fasted to help one of our investigators Edwin who is 18 and had his baptism on Saturday but his dad was very angry so he didn't know what to do.  He also needs a job to stay in his home and not get kicked out.  He has so much faith and decided to be baptized which was way cool.  So I know that fasting can do miracles and just like in Ether 12 we need faith before we can do any miracles.  It was way hard on Friday to fast because I felt like I hadn't eaten this week ha ha, but in our lesson with Edwin on Ether 12 and faith to be baptized and follow what you know is right, I knew from the Spirit we had to do a group fast.  We hiked so much later that day and it was so so hot, also the next day we did a CSP in Mabini where we dug a hole for a bathroom or we helped with a eternal project that had already been started ha ha but it was way wet sticky mud that was so so heavy and our feet kept getting stuck and it was way hard.  We wore these big boots and it reminded me of Thomas Thorup saying "Nothin boots can't handle" when he would wear these huge hiking boots when we hiked ha ha.  Then later on Saturday we had a baptism service.  It was so cool.  We had four baptisms.  It was awesome.  We weren't sure if Edwin would be baptized because of his Dad.  But he was there and so excited and knew from prayer and fasting that it was the right thing to do.   I respect his faith and know that our fast helped.  So they all wanted me to baptize them and it was such a cool experience.  It is so awesome to feel the spirit so strong just knowing this gospel is true and we are helping these people prepare for eternal life.  The other 3 were part of the Gepiala family which is so cool I am still here to see them baptized and they were so happy that I could do it.  In that family we just have one left, the old nanay.  She says after all her kids she will be baptized so we will see.   Elder Hagen, Elder Agustin and I sang "How Great Thou Art" before the baptism.  It was way cool.  Anyways it was a good week.  We still will work in both areas and be companions this week.  Love you all and know that this church is true and Jesus is the savior of us all.
Love Elder Mifflin

the Filipino way

TyBlog12.2.2012

Hello everyone - so this week has been kind of a crazy week. We went to Bacolod last Monday and got Elder Hagen. I enjoyed the fast food some good old McDonalds and KFC. I got some mashed potatoes to remind me of Thanksgiving. We were busy and just ate the usual so it wasn't too special of a Thanksgiving. So we are working in a threesome companionship which is like the MTC all over again. It is fun though and Elder Hagen is a good missionary and my friend and has helped training Elder Agustin. So this week Elder Agustin got pretty sick though. His eye got all swollen out of nowhere and he had bad pain and body aches. We let him rest and we didn't work on Wednesday or Thursday. It wasn't getting better so we went to the hospital in Sagay. He got some antibiotics and medicine and now is fine. It was a pretty bad sty and we needed the medicine. So that cut out a lot of the work we needed to do.  Also I am back in two areas again which doubles the load with the same time. We mainly just can focus on our investigators right now until Elder Hagen's companion comes. While Elder Augustin was sick, Elder Hagen and I did a lot of chillin and talking which was nice. I cleaned a bunch of clothes, did a bunch of study, and made some way good fruit salad with graham crackers that you put in the freezer. We also cleaned the house and I got the bathroom to the standards of my mom. It is hard because we are so busy but let's just say some of the walls were a bit moldy ha ha. You may think the house was dirty now.  Well it was, but compared to when I first came to this place you would be in shock ha ha. It is really clean now and we plan to keep it up. At night a got freaked out because I saw a huge rat in the house again, I haven't seen it for a while. I got some pictures and we closed off the hole so it won't come back. This week we plan to work in both areas. Last Sunday was fun to go back to church and see everyone in Mabini, and then we went to church in Stop.  I am used to it from last time so it shouldn't be too bad this week. We plan to have 4 baptisms this week in Stop. Three are from the Gepiala family and they are so ready and want me to do it. I am stoked.  One is a future missionary who is so prepared and was a referral from a member. He is 18 and will go on a mission in a year.  So this week we will focus on them and on some investigators in Mabini too.  There is a funny and kind of gross story I forgot to tell but it is worth telling... so two weeks ago when I was with Elder Agustin we were at the Gepiala home at night…just a normal night. Then I realized I couldn't make the 25 minute hike and 10 minute motor ride home because I had to go to the bathroom ha ha... Let's just say I used the river and that I experienced the Filipino culture way of wiping with the hand for the first time…ha ha not a fan, I prefer toilet paper.  Also Elder Agustin snuck up on me and took some pictures - none gross, but funny to remember the experience... ha ha just a funny story.  I also like how Boyd K. Packer says our mind is like a stage and we must keep clean thoughts on it and use hymns. Elder Hagen also says our mind is like many doors and the bad thoughts and temptations can only get in if we open the door.  It is like the gospel and the picture of Jesus by the door with no handle, we must let him in.  The same is true, opposite.  I related it to my study in Alma 48 and 49, notice how the people were prepared to overcome temptations because they had "lines of defenses" - like my temple recommend for me.  It’s something personally to remind me the blessings of overcoming sin.  President Stringham taught me to just use something that will remind us of all the blessings of the gospel, something we can bring with us everywhere and help us overcome temptation.  I have been using my temple recommend for the past year and it has worked.  I bring it everywhere I go, even when I sleep or shower, to remind me that the temple and eternal family is the most important thing. The people in the Alma chapter had a strong foundation of testimony which we can get too by living the gospel and reading scriptures, praying, and church. You will see that many of the enemy died, and none of the Nephites died because they were prepared.  Some were wounded though, showing we aren't perfect and may sin but we need to repent always and strive to become like Christ. Anyways love you all and apply the gospel and have a good week.
Love Elder Mifflin aka Nature Man

letter to homies

TyBlog11.26.2012

Hello everyone out in the world - just another month gone by. It has been a good month for us out here in Stop Aguinaldo, Escalante. I have been here since July and it was actually transfer day last week and I am staying here with my trainee Elder Agustin. We will be here for Christmas which is exciting because I really love this place and these people. We had a lot of fun with four in our house. Elder Delos Santos (my old comp) was transferred though, and Elder Hagen, my comp from the MTC will be training too. We live in the same house. Actually his trainee is a Filipino from America and had trouble getting his visa so he hasn't come yet.  Until he does we will be a threesome for a while which is like the MTC all over again ha but should be fun. So this month was good. The work here in Stop is so sweet. I have said it before but I love this place. Every day is like an adventure out here. It is so jungle bukid out here. Everyone mainly is very poor and just have bamboo houses. Some have concrete though. There are a bunch of small mountains, sugar cane, rivers, and muddy trails that we walk on every day. It feels like I am on a hike every day and we do a ton of walking so I have stayed in pretty good shape. When it rains here it pours and gets so muddy that I have mud up to my ankles and calves and lose my shoes sometimes. One night I forgot my light because I gave my other one to a member. I fell and landed on a sharp sugar cane pole and my touch screen camera broke. Just the screen though - at least all the memory is ok. Oh well I just got a new one though, and the spiritual things are much more important than the temporal things. Sometimes stuff like that just happens and we need to just keep moving on. Something cool this month was that we had a mission tour. Elder David F. Evans came and he is in the missionary department. It was a way good mission tour. He didn't know at first what to speak on. He followed the spirit and first focused on the importance of the spirit and the need to have it to succeed and receive the promises of God.  Also, to have the Spirit we need to be obedient to the rules which is hard sometimes but worth it. He then focused on the atonement and repentance. The atonement is central to the gospel and the most important thing. I am so thankful for the atonement and the chance we have to repent. God is so merciful and I know we have all done some stupid stuff in our lives but true repentance is true change and we don't go back to our old ways. Sometimes it is a process though so never give up if you aren't perfect. In Alma 36:12-24 it shows true repentance. Alma was the worst of sinners and became the prophet and in verse 24 shows that to have continuing repentance we must truly change and then do our best to serve God from then on. So really serving our missions is showing God how thankful we are for the atonement and repentance. Evans said that the reason why it is such a problem here with the less actives is because they don't understand repentance.  Sometimes people are just baptized unto less activeness ha, but he focused how our calling is to preach repentance. So we are focusing to help these people understand repentance and apply it in our lives too, so we can have true converts. I had so many pages of notes and he blew my mind on his understanding of the gospel. He talked about many great prophets in the Book of Mormon and how their teaching of the atonement build on each other as the book goes on. Also at lunch I got to sit by him and had a normal conversation with him, he is just a normal guy, but I know he is called of God by the power and spirit of his message. He also talked about Mosiah 2:36-37 and said the gospel is a circle, if we want to stay inside and be blessed, prosperous, and preserved we must be obedient.  If not we are cut off and will be until we REPENT and come back. Anyways - way good. We are continuing to have success and enjoy it here in Stop. We had two more baptisms in November from referrals from the Gepiala family that we had a bunch of baptisms in October. This month we hope to have more baptisms. On Dec 8 we plan to have 4 more. 3 more are from the Gepiala family - such an amazing family and I know they are true converts. Then one is a future missionary - crazy how he is so ready but he loves the church. Later in December we hope to have maybe three or four so it should be a good month. We found them in a crazy way which shows that God knows what is going on. When I was waiting in Bacolod in October for Elder Agustin my trainee I worked in a certain area for three days. I could have gone to like 20 areas but I went to this place and the guy there used to live in Stop and just handed me 7 referrals. One of the families is way elect and have been to church three times and we hope to baptize them in December so pretty crazy. We are also focusing on less actives and recent converts here just trying to stay balanced. We never give up on the less active and recent converts. It is hard to see some never progress but we invite them every Sunday before church, it is always hot and a lot of walking, but some are coming back to church and lately we have had the most sacrament attendance since I have been here. So I know we need faith and can never give up and do our best but people still have their agency. Thanksgiving here doesn't exist which was kind of hard ha hah cause I love the food and my family. It's ok though. I love you all and I love my family. I know that God has a plan for all of us we just need to let him guide us through obedience. I know this gospel is true. I know you guys are all doing miracles out there and I can't wait to hear from you all when we return. Keep going. Time flies. It is trunky season ha ha meaning very hard, just want to go home, Thanksgiving, Christmas, ha but just keep going and we will keep doing miracles. Just take it one day at a time and do your best that day. I am so thankful for the atonement and know it is infinite and God has infinite love and mercy and we always need to repent and then do our best and serve God and others to keep a remission of our sins. Merry Christmas to all!
Love Elder Mifflin aka Nature Man

washed my sheets, broken camera

TyBlog11.18.2012

TyBlog11.18.2012

Hello everyone it has been another fast week. It has had its ups and downs but has been a good week overall. So first off, I learned that when we use our P days the way we are supposed to, we can get so much done.  I usually just love to enjoy the day and relax which is ok but then you don't have much time to get things done.  So I got so many clothes washed for a change. I am not a big fan of hand washing everything, but last week went on a washing rampage. I got enough white shirts, garments, pants, socks for the whole week. I also washed a bunch of other clothes I hadn't washed for a while. And Mom, big surprise, I finally washed my sheets. I haven't washed them since I have been here ha ha, there just is no time. I put on the spare pair. I actually washed them in a couple mornings before study.  I also enjoyed talking to Elder Hagen.  The whole time we washed just talking about life. It has been good being with him. Later that night we had a family home evening at the Tigolo family, a nice family and I am close to the teenagers who want to go on missions. We are helping the parents prepare to go to the temple to be married and sealed to their family. Also, I fell through this weak spot in the floor of a bamboo house during games ha ha, if you see the pictures. So this week was a way good week. We really doubled our work this week and taught 20 lessons to less actives and recent converts. We had 12 lessons to investigators and 163 people at sacrament, which is like the most that have been there since I got here. It was really a miracle. We had so many less actives at church (23). It was so cool to see them come to church, some for the first time in such a long time - since I have been here and maybe a lot longer. A lot were hardened and offended but we never give up on them. We invite them to church every week before church and also try to teach them that we can repent always and we had a very powerful lesson about the word of wisdom. We had a good week and 5 people got the Melchizedek priesthood.  So I have seen miracles this week and we hope to continue. We have 7 people with a baptism date for Dec 8. I have learned so much on my mission and I am way happy I chose to serve. Also unfortunately this week I forgot my light one night and it was way dark and muddy and I fell and landed on a sharp sugar cane stake. Unfortunately my camera is broken now.  It still takes pictures but the screen is broken.  It is ok though I will just look for a new one.  That is all I can do - just keep moving on and the worldly things are not important compared to spiritual.  Love you and have a great week.