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