Week 18... The Elders are staying put!!!

National service day...

After service project my feet were filthy...

I always stand in awe when i write these emails as i reflect on the weeks activities and i see God's hand in all things that i have done. 

Elder Choresca and I have been given the opportunity to be together for another transfer! which is super rare! Rarely is your trainer your follow up trainer! I'm excited for all the many plans we have for this Transfer. Our housemates got whitewashed, which means Elder Choresca and I have the house to ourselves, and all of Victoria area to ourselves. No more Victoria A and Victoria B, just Victoria! and the area is huge! but we have so many good ideas to keep everything in check! 

I came across and beautiful Article in the December 2014 Ensign titled "The Sacred Grove" I recommend this article for any eye that can read. It is absolutely beautiful. When i read it in my personal study a thought popped into my head to share this with one of our investigators. Marilyn Mallari, i've mentioned her before. She is amazing. We have been teaching her and her family ever since i arrived here in Victoria but she has never attended church. We had tried everything. This Saturday we shared part of this article with her. The spirit was so strong and so thick that you could probably see it. I had this overwelming feeling that she was feeling and believing the words that were coming out of my mouth. Elder Choresca and I entered the church yesterday. Sister Marilyn was waiting for us at the doors of the chapel. I couldn't believe my eyes. I shook her hand with the biggest grin of joy and then quickly escaped to the bathroom before she could see my tears. 

Yesterday we had a Ward Missionary activity. We got all the ward missionaries together and had personal and companionship study together after church. They came a long with us for the most part of the day. We even fed them dinner! 7 cups of rice takes a long time to cook! and we used all the cans of tuna we could muster. When we were walking to our appointments with them we kindly gave all five of them pamphlets of the Restoration. We said before we get to the next appoinment we want you to give these away. They were scared out of their boots! but they did so good! i was super impressed! Nothing is better than hearing the testimonies of people about this gospel. 

Teaching Fear not ( with custom robe)e)

I've found a new addiction. I've been getting clothes made for me. But not any ordinary clothing. I'm talking robes, sashes, cloaks. You know like Jesus time clothing! When i come home at night i undress myself and i get in my proper gear! I love it and i plan to get a lot of more stuff made! 

Teaching the Parable of the broom ( with custom robe) 

I absolutely 100 %ly love being a missionary. 

I love Victoria

I love my companion

I love my misson president and his wife

I love My family

I love my friends

I love the companionship of the Holy Ghost

I love my brother and redeemer Jesus Christ

I love my God, My father in heaven.

Until next week! 

Keep it 100

Love Adrian

Ward missionaries teaching Marjorie Cureg...

Week 17... Let your light so shine...

Honeydew with sister Katrina and her little sister...

I celebrated yesterday my 4 month mark. I celebrated with oreos and milk. If you find something better than Oreos and Milk please write me and tell me what it is, I will write you back and tell you that you are wrong. 

I'm doing great, time is flying by! I don't have a lot of time to write today so i will be super brief about the miracles i experienced this week

Eddie Corpus Valdez and Mary Fe Galanga Alvarez were baptized this Friday and Confirmed members of The
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints yesterday. I take back my comment about the Oreos and Milk, there is one thing that is better than that. It is the Light that you see in the eyes 60 year old man and a 12 year old girl as the come out of the waters of baptism. The light that you see shine from a 60 year old man and a 12 year old girl when you say the words "We Say Unto You, Receive The Holy Ghost" These two very special children of our father in heaven have this light. The light that you and I have enjoyed for so very long. Brother Eddie Valdez said this to me as I brought him out of the water "I made it" How incredible to see a man with such faith and such diligence make it to the most important decision he has made in his life. To truly partake of this light. 

Friends and Family let your light shine. If you feel that it has gone dim you know how to make it brighter. I love you all, i feel your prayers strengthening me everyday! especially when it comes to getting out of bed. I know that our God loves us and has a plan for each and everyone of us. 

With all my love

Eddie after he passed his interview with President Clark..

Week 16... Everyone loves cookies!

My most dearest and beloved Friends and Family! 

Paradise is great if you are wondering, Halo Halo araw araw! 

I wish i had some fantastic experiences to share about this week but I simply don't remember a ton. 

General Conference...

Yes i do, I'll give you a quick overview of the awesomeness that has been going on. We have a new Golden Fantastic new investigator, her name is Marjori i believe she is 17 years old, We began teaching her last monday. We were kind of torn whether or not to teach her because it was right in the middle of our P-Day and we wanted to take it easy and just rest a little bit but we where caught in the phrase "What would Jesus do" We buttoned up our shirts, tied our ties, Walked out of the apartment forgetting our pantz turned around put them on and with the spirit of the lord with us.  She sent us a text that evening thanking us for spending the time to teach her. She came to General conference with us this sunday as well! She's pretty much great!

 One of our Recent converts Jericho Gasilan is pretty much already a missionary.When we get done teaching him he usually assists us in teaching a family near his home. We gave him a part in the lesson and he went about teaching the entire lesson by himself! He's already a better missionary than i am and he has only been a member for a month! 

We teach this cute chubby little 8 year old girl every now and then and she just refuses to accept to be baptized it's always so funny when we teach her just because well she always laughs and crys and well chubby. but Cute chubby. Her name is Princess.

I have brought a new Luxury to the Philippines "NO BAKE COOKIES" I baked them myself a couple of weeks ago and I brought them to every investigator, Less Active, and Recent Convert that we teach. yes, I have appointments with all of them to return and teach them how to make them. We made a family home evening with the Ganapin family and they ate those cookies faster than fast. 

The main part i want to get to with this letter is the spiritual impressions that i have had about Family this week. As i listened to Conference I couldn't help but think "Family, Family, Family" That's all that was on my mind! We all know that Families are the most important thing that we have. Why do we not treat it that way? Do we sometimes forget that Child hymn "Families can be together forever" Family and Friends, Family is Everything. I am so guilty of taking for granted my family, I've realized the reality of the phrase "You don't know what you've got till it's gone" Take care of your families, nurture them with the Gospel and Love. HAVE FUN! "Families can be together forever" I know that but Only "Through Heavenly Father Plan" I know that this gospel is best applied within the family, If you feel that your family has struggles that are beyond repair you are wrong. Christ's Atonement reaches every aspect of needed repair, Especially in the Family. I know that God's plan of happiness for his children is real and is of vital importance for all of us. I know the center of this plan is Jesus Christ and his Atonement, And FAMILIES. Serve and love them with all your heart might mind and strength. I know that our redeemer lives and loves us. 

I love and miss you all dearly.

Week 15... Look where this Chick ended up!!!

Happy Easter and General Conference everyone! 

Happy Easter...

One of the best holidays in my opinion. Nothing beats Egg hunting and going to church on the couch! I'm Jealous of you all, i don't get to watch conference till next week ): Words cannot describe how excited i am to hear the talks though. 

We were informed in the middle of the week a big Typhoon was coming our way! If you could see that expression on my face when i heard that you would think i was crazy. I was glowing with joy! I absolutely love storms and I got all my treats ready so i could sit at the window of the apartment and watch the havoc occur. Sadly, We got a couple hard winds for 5 minutes and that was the end of it. I'm still in one piece! 

We had Zone Interviews this week and they were fantastic! I got to sit down with President Clark and Sister Clark individually. They truly are two fantastic people! Sitting with Sister Clark she asked that we bring our favorite Hymn and explain why it is our favorite Hymn. If you are really close with me you know that my favorite hymn is Green Hill Far Away. She asked why? I said well of course it is about our savior and Redeemer. I love that part of the song. But the real reason why it is my favorite is because I remember My Mother Becky Jo one day in sacrament explained to me something about this song, I wish so badly to remember her words but from since that day this song has had a profound effect on me and my spirit every time it is sung. 

I watched a dog get cooked. I didn't get a picture which i wish i would've because it was wild! We were at our lesson with Mary Fe a 12 year old girl who is just cute as cute can get and so smart. In the distance i noticed that a group of people were roasting something over a fire. I got up walked over without saying anything to anyone. Of course my goal in my mind is to convert these people to the gospel. So as i'm walking over I yell out "What are you cooking?"  they wave me over to look. yeah sure enough it is a dog getting roasted! MASARAP! 

It was Holy Week this week and it was probably the furthest thing i've ever seen from Holy in my life. People walking up and down the streets carrying crosses and Wipping themselves over and over again with their shirts off. It was very Satanic. It amazes me that Satan can even use the example of the Savior to twist the minds of men. 

Everything is great! i'm loving life! Language is still rough, Teaching is rough, Communicating almost impossible, but i know that i am improving! That is all i can ask for! I'm thankful for this glorious opportunity to be a missionary. I am Thankful for my savior I know that He Lives. 

I love you all!

 

We put in work!

Motivational Trike quote of the week...

Holy week slashes..

14 weeks... Prayer is real!

Good day ladies and gentlemen. 

Never has a week been so good in the history of my life. Every week seems to be that way. So so so many good things happen one after another it's almost unbelievable. Let me give you just a short run down of the highlights of my week.

I ripped my pantz! If any of you have seen spongebob squarepantz there is an episode where he rips his pantz and he shows it off to everyone. Well i did the same thing... I stretched into a tricycle and sure enough "riiiiiipppp" it was glorious! Never has a rip been so extravagant and exposing. Anyone we came in contact with that day i made sure they knew about my ripped pantz. Made things a lot more loose..

We had a baptism! Sister Hannah Manna Mallari! She is amazing! she is 16 years old and just a light. A light for me and for her family. She is a changed girl.. When i first met her she was a little cold and not super happy. As she began to change things little by little her light began to shine brighter. Now i know she will shine the way for her family so they can soon receive a bright light of their own.

Prayer is real... Early in the week we had a lesson with sister Wennie Ganapin, she is a less-active member but she returned this week! We taught about the importance of fasting and the miracles it can bring into our lives. Our focus with her is her family. We want the whole family sitting on those sacrament benches on Sunday, not just a few. The father is a drunk... this is what we have focused on a little is to get the father to give up drinking. we never teach him because he is always drunk. Our center of the fasting lesson was the father and how we could fast for him that he may soon give up drinking. My companion and I are willing to participate in the fast. Last night we taught sister and she explained to us that her prayer has been answered. Her husband for the first time had not drank any alcohol for three days straight, she came home from church and he had lunch already and prepared for their family. She said that he told his drinking buddies "We are too old for this" POW!!! Was i crying when she was explaining this to us? Ofcourse,I couldn't believe it. We didn't even do the fast, it was just her and her families prayer that he would stop drinking!  

My companion and I sang in the ward conference we had this week. I Stand All Amazed.. I'm not a super duper fan of singing in church but i think we did alright. The message of that Hymn is truly incredible and is one of my favorites.

If i have realized anything this week it is this. When we "strive" to do our best both in Temporal and Spiritual things God is going to help us out. I've noticed it in myself but especially in the lives of the people i come in contact with. I know that if we are faithful and apply that faith to action everything is possible. 

I love love love love this work. Yeah i struggle, yeah I miss home, yeah i want air conditioning. But I don't ever want to leave here. Joy is found in serving our fellow man. Joy is found when you see that the people you love have been wrapped in the loving arms of our savior. Joy is found when you see the people you love say: "I'm Home" I testify that God is our father in Heaven and his son is our brother and savior. 

I love my God, I love my Savior, I love this gospel. 

    

Giant Hot Dog with sister Ganapin...

I made no bake cookies...