3-20-12

Hello everyone!

Hello Family! I have a favor to ask you guys.  First, I thought this would be cool.  I don't know if you are already doing it or not, but it would awesome if you could update my facebook profile pic with pictures I send home periodically so all my non member friends can see what's going on as well.  I included one this week, the one with all the kids, that I would like as the profile pic right now.  Secondly, it would be awesome if you could somehow mail me some Enya music, as well as the theme song from Man from Snowy River (Jessica's Song).  You could probably just rip the cds and put it on a flashdrive and mail that to me.  It wouldn't need to be a big flashdrive.  Probably just 512mb or 1gig.  It's probably too late for my birthday, but maybe for next Christmas or something, or whenever you get the chance.  Just load it with as much church/spiritual/instrumental music as you can and I'll love it!

We had a pretty great week again over here in Bogo.  We baptized Sister Castillote and her daughter JoyJoy, and because of them, we began teaching their extended family as well.  Sister Castillote's sister now has a baptismal date for the 31st, and her cousin is taking the lessons with her as well.  

We did a service project for a member this week and I got toasted.  I'm getting kinda tan out here in the Philippines.  The picture we took of me is sorta weird.  Almost artistic.  My body is getting so weird out here.  My waistline is tiny now, but I'm getting way bigger up top as I keep working out every day.  I'm going to have to ask you to all feed me like crazy when I get home so my waist can meet up with my chest and back.  Real American food sent through packages would also be a welcome relief from the tasty, but nutrition-less rice I'm living off of.

So work is going steady, we are teaching tons of lessons and seeing lots of success.  We recently reactivated the Delantes, a family that had been inactive forever, but is now on the path to the temple, We are super excited to see them get there.  Sister Delante has an awesome testimony and great faith, but sometimes lacks the knowledge of how to apply it.  She told us last time last time we visited her, that she got a sick stomach and since her husband didn't know how to give a blessing she just used his authority and anointed and blessed herself.  That was interesting, so we taught them a little more about the Priesthood and we are following up more about it when we visit her on Friday.

We saw our biggest attendance ever here in the Polambato Branch this week.  54 people in Sacrament Meeting.  That was awesome.  Since I have gotten here, attendance has increased from 25 to a consistent 50 every week. It is great to see growth in the Church and all the blessings that come from it.

Nothing else too crazy happened this week.  All is going really well and I am loving how great of a Spirit is in this Zone.  As a whole, we are leading the mission every week in stats, and improving ourselves every week as well.  President Schmutz is coming up to work with us this Saturday to see how we are doing so well.  It's really just a matter of Obedience and Diligence.  The Lord is doing all the rest.  I know that if we just keep ourselves worthy, all our efforts will be consecrated unto us for our good.

I love you all!

Elder Garver

3-14-12

(Just a note: the family had written to Andrew about some of the struggles they're having with the new schools, especially in regards to lower moral standards all around them.  Thus his response.)


Hey Loved Ones!

First, to my family, I love you all so much.  It's scary how fast this world is going downhill, and it's scary to think that my family has to go through that without me there.  I pray for you all every day though, and I do know that we have a family equipped to handle even the worst Satan can throw at us.  You all have the gift of the constant companionship of the Holy Ghost who will be with you at all times, so long as you stay true to who you are, a child of God.  With His help, you will be protected from evil, and always be watched over.  Don't doubt yourself.    Never forget who you are, where you came from, or what you are becoming.  Remember Hel 5:12, and live it at all times.

As for me out here on the other side of the world, things are going well.  We have 2 baptisms this week, of a family we have been teaching forever.  Sister Castillote has dropped cigarettes for good, and her level of commitment surprised even us.  Her daughter is also being baptized with her.  Her other daughter is waiting for her job to end so she can consistently come to church as well, and then be baptized.  The father is interested in the Church as well, but travels frequently, so his time will come sometime in the future, hopefully soon.  We were also able to find another 3 inactive families this week and had a great time teaching them.  They are all excited to have been found by the missionaries and want to come back to church, but are struggling with money problems right now.  We will continue to visit and assist them as they continue to find more and more happiness in their righteousness.  

They are organizing a big youth activity right now for our area, and it looks like it's going to be a lot of fun.  The youth are traveling to all the different areas in the Zone and doing different activities at each one.  This has been a great way to encourage inactive youth to come back into activity and have fun with their old friends and meet new ones as well.  


I love the Church, and how well the Lord organized it.  Do you realize how many blessings we have?  Welfare, Bishops Storehouse, the perpetual education fund, fellowshipping of home and visiting teachers, service from all our Brothers and Sisters, the ability to personally speak with representatives of Jesus Christ, and so much more I can't even begin to mention.  The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is true, and I love it.  How many 19 year old kids can say that they LOVE their church?  How many people, young or old, can say that they know, without a doubt, that they belong to the one and only true and living church on the face of the Earth?  Not many!  We have so many blessings that so many of us take for granted.  It is hard at times, but try to stop thinking about how hard you have it, and start thinking about how easy your life really is.  Think of the life of our Savior and Redeemer, and you'll realize that you have it easy.  Christ suffered for every single feeling and experience we will face in life, from death and disease, down to a stubbed toe, or bee sting.  This truth will make your life so much happier and easier if you will just remember, and call on Him for His divine assistance at all times.  That was sort of a tangent, but true, and it is awesome that these youth are learning that early on, so that the rest of their lives can be filled with hope and faith in Christ.

We are in Cebu right now for a temple trip, and we are going there right after this.  Cebu has such a beautiful temple, and it is going to be awesome when Mom and Dad get to come out and go there with me.  I am excited for you to see how amazing this part of the world is, but until that time, continue to enjoy each other's company out there!  I love hearing about the family trips and adventures.  I love you guys!

Keep the Faith!  Nothing faltering.
Love,
Elder Garver

3-6-12

Happy Birthday Mom!  I love you!

Wow!  That took some work.  This computer is nuts.  But Happy Birthday Mom!

It was so good to hear that you are all going to get to go into Philly together and hang out.  I am so grateful for such an amazing loving family that is so close and tightly knit together.  You don't really find that much anymore, and it is fantastic to know that I am so blessed.  I realized while talking to some Elders the other day, that I have never, ever, heard my parents raise their voices at each other.  I cannot even recall a time when they had a disagreement.  I was so impressed with the respect and love that you have always showed one another, and for how that has taught me about what I need to be when I have my own family.  Mom, Dad, you two are amazing.  I love you so much.  Sisters, don't you dare take that for granted.  We have the best parents in the world, and if it wasn't for us, they would probably be translated.  I love you all!

This week was another great one.  First, Mom, I feel completely at home here.  I told Elder Shelley the other day that I was surprised at how comfortable I am now.  I don't feel out of place at all.  I can speak to and understand every single person I meet, I know my way around the Island, and the culture has just become second nature.  I love being able to pee wherever I want (haha) and the people are so loving and friendly all the time.  I love it here.  Even the food is delicious now.  Rice is the best!  Speaking of food, I ate dog yesterday and it was super good.  Way better that pork.  It was crazy though.  There are a ton of dogs in the Philippines and they are all super nice since they are around people all day.  We walked to a small village and passed a ton of dogs on the way, even petting some.  We got to the village and they surprised us with lunch.  After we ate the spit roasted dog, we taught a lesson and headed back to a different area.  Every single dog that we passed on the way home bared it's teeth and growled or barked, and we even got snapped at a couple times.  It was crazy!  We got to our next appointment and the member told us that dogs can smell cooked dog flesh for hours after you eat it, and they were all scared/angry that we had eaten a cousin or something.  Scary.  I would definitely eat it again though.  I hope CJ will forgive me.  I miss the little guy.

As for work this week, we had a training meeting in the City on Thursday for Elder Shelley and I, and it was great.  President Schmutz is a stud.  Such an awesome man.  We learned a ton there.  We also had tons more success this week.  We committed the Borlau family to baptism on April 7 and they are looking solid.  Sister Castillote is doing fantastic as well.  She has been off cigerettes for a good while now and has such a determination to get her family to the temple.  Her baptismal interview is tomorrow, and her baptism is on the 17 of this month.  I am not too sure about her daughter JoyJoy.  She was solid before but has since gotten into a new group of friends and we need to really find out what her desires are.  We will probably hold off on her until a later date when we know she is ready.  We had a nonmember wife of a less active man in our area come to church this week too.  She woke up early and walked for an hour and a half to get to the church, and she brought her two young children.  She is looking solid as well.  We also had an entire family come to church this Sunday.  Bro. Labigan, his nonmember wife and 2 nonmember kids.  They are very interested in the church as well and Sister Labigan has a baptismal date for the 31 of this month.  Things are going great out here, and I am loving it more and more each week.  Time is flying though, and I can't seem to hold on to it.  It's crazy how fast time flies when you are working so closely with the Spirit.

Thanks for all your love!  Elder Shelley says "Aww. Salamat.  Thanks Mom!"  I love you all!

Love,
Elder Garver