Hello!
Again, unfortunately I am a little short on time due to a very important email I had to send out again. But! Lots of news.
First. I am transferring! Transfer calls came in earlier this morning and I am be transferred to Toledo 1 in Cebu as a Zone Leader. My new companion is Elder Barcellano, who was in my very first district. He is awesome and I am excited to be with him as a companion. I am also excited to go back to Cebu where I can attend the temple every month again. I know I am leaving Valencia in good hands, as Elder Mejos is becoming a trainer in this area.
To answer Mom's question about teaching less-active members. It has to be completely through the Spirit. Every single person is different, and even though we plan each night and morning for the lessons to come, they frequently are changed by the Spirit as we teach. I want to share a story about that this week.
I had a really powerful spiritual experience the other day. We were on our way to our last appointment of the night, and while on the hablehable (motorcycle PUB) a thought entered my mind. It was more of a remembrance of a family that we hadn't gotten to visit yet. It was not a powerful or even audible whispering from the Spirit, yet I followed it none-the-less. I told the hablehable driver to stop and we changed course. When we got to the Madronero family's house, I wasn't sure what to teach, or even what their needs were, and Elder Mejos had never even met them before, but I felt that we needed to be there, so we sat down and began. I volunteered to say the opening prayer, and while doing so, I opened up my heart to Father in Heaven, willing that He would guide us as we taught. Mid-way through the prayer I received a very audible whispering from the Spirit accompanied with a power confirmation from the Holy Ghost, that we needed to focus on the Book of Mormon. I finished the prayer and lifted my head. I looked at the family for a couple seconds, waiting, and then I received a second prompting, like the one during my prayer, and I knew exactly what to say and ask. We chastised them for not reading as they should be and taught of the power that comes through feasting on the words of God. Every single thing we said sunk deep into their hearts and even though Elder Mejos had never met them before, the inspired words that came out of his mouth were perfect. The Spirit was very powerful, and our investigators were inspired by Him. We did not only teach with the Spirit, but He taught through us. Our words were His words, and we were transformed into mouthpieces. Each lesson is different, some need to be guided by the spirit more while other less active members just need a friendly reminder, but love and patience is always key. There is no 1 best way to go about it, besides worthiness and faith.
We haven't been able to go back to the Dutch woman again since she is currently going to college in the city and only comes home on weekends, but we are going to go back this weekend. Teaching in English is tough though. During our first conversation I had to keep mixing in Bisayan words and phrases because I couldn't remember my English. Luckily she has lived here since she was 7 and is fluent in Bisayan herself. That is probably what the Elders here will teach in when they go back this weekend. I leave for my new area tomorrow.
I'm happy you all got to see everyone in VA again. I miss them too. I love you all!
Elder Garver
Thursday, August 30, 2012
8-22-12
Hello!
Dad, I don't hear anything about anything out here. That's cool that Mitt Romney is running against Obama. I bet this will be a really exciting election. I have no idea about politics here or there or anything about the olympics. I heard that Phelps broke some more records, but that's it. That's interesting that you only have 1 active teacher in your ward. How many are inactive? What have you been doing to reach out to them and invite them back? Do you just teach the active one one-on-one on Sundays?
This week has been another awesome one. I got my new companion on Friday. His name is Elder Mejos, from Davauo, Mindinao. He is on his 3rd transfer. When I found out my new comp was going to be so new, I prepared myself to begin training another new companion, but when he arrived, it was clear that no training was needed. Elder Mejos is amazing. He is the best most capable teacher I have ever been companions with. He was born in the covenant, which is somewhat rare for Filipinos and was raised in a good family in the church. He knows his stuff, and because of our righteousness and preparedness, the Spirit is able to work miracles through us, which we have seen in great abundance these past few days. Mike Acero is being baptized this Saturday, and we are seeing many Less Actives accept the Spirit back into their lives as we have been teaching them.
Elder Mejos and I contacted a Dutch woman yesterday who was completely ready for the gospel. It was really interesting talking to her because she moved to the Philippines when she was 7 and is now fluent in both English and Cebuano. It was really interesting contacting someone who was so prepared for the gospel in English. English speakers' thought processes are so different that that of the Filipinos. I brought up the fact that Christ established a church when He was here through Prophets and Apostles, but that His authority was lost with the death of these leaders. She then interjected and shared with me her belief that was taught to her by her father that all the different churches on the earth today are instruments of the devil to confuse the children of God. "Wow!" I thought. Exactly! I then told her about the priesthood authority which has been restored and that God is once again speaking and directing his people through a living prophet, that we don't have to be confused anymore, and that Christ's one true church is again on the Earth. She looked at me with a smile and asked, "Elder Garver, how do you feel when you share that message with people?" The Spirit descended and filled all of us as I replied, "Sister, I feel, just as I do now, filled with joy and happiness." She told me that she couldn't imagine how anybody could reject a message like the one that we were bringing to her and shared her feelings of joy with us as well. She asked that we come back and share more. It was such a spiritual conversation. Very very cool. She also said that she will come with her father in law, who is a member, to church this Sunday.
Another evidence that this church is true, is how hard the devil works at stopping people from receiving it. Did you know, that in every single Lesson 1 that we teach to families, there is ALWAYS a baby that screams and cries and pees on the mom or poops itself? Always. The cool thing though, is despite the ridiculous amount of noise and chaos that the devil throws at us, if we are teaching with the Spirit, the devils chaos comes to no effect. The Spirit still testifies to the hearts of those being taught, and they still feel the truthfulness of the gospel.
Well, we are about to go on a Zone Activity to the chocolate hills... again. This is the fourth time for me. I have been in Bohol for so long. But my zone is a blast so it will be an awesome, packed, car ride and activity. I love these Elders.
I love all of you too! Take care of yourselves this week, and allow Father to take care of you all as well.
Elder Garver
Dad, I don't hear anything about anything out here. That's cool that Mitt Romney is running against Obama. I bet this will be a really exciting election. I have no idea about politics here or there or anything about the olympics. I heard that Phelps broke some more records, but that's it. That's interesting that you only have 1 active teacher in your ward. How many are inactive? What have you been doing to reach out to them and invite them back? Do you just teach the active one one-on-one on Sundays?
This week has been another awesome one. I got my new companion on Friday. His name is Elder Mejos, from Davauo, Mindinao. He is on his 3rd transfer. When I found out my new comp was going to be so new, I prepared myself to begin training another new companion, but when he arrived, it was clear that no training was needed. Elder Mejos is amazing. He is the best most capable teacher I have ever been companions with. He was born in the covenant, which is somewhat rare for Filipinos and was raised in a good family in the church. He knows his stuff, and because of our righteousness and preparedness, the Spirit is able to work miracles through us, which we have seen in great abundance these past few days. Mike Acero is being baptized this Saturday, and we are seeing many Less Actives accept the Spirit back into their lives as we have been teaching them.
Elder Mejos and I contacted a Dutch woman yesterday who was completely ready for the gospel. It was really interesting talking to her because she moved to the Philippines when she was 7 and is now fluent in both English and Cebuano. It was really interesting contacting someone who was so prepared for the gospel in English. English speakers' thought processes are so different that that of the Filipinos. I brought up the fact that Christ established a church when He was here through Prophets and Apostles, but that His authority was lost with the death of these leaders. She then interjected and shared with me her belief that was taught to her by her father that all the different churches on the earth today are instruments of the devil to confuse the children of God. "Wow!" I thought. Exactly! I then told her about the priesthood authority which has been restored and that God is once again speaking and directing his people through a living prophet, that we don't have to be confused anymore, and that Christ's one true church is again on the Earth. She looked at me with a smile and asked, "Elder Garver, how do you feel when you share that message with people?" The Spirit descended and filled all of us as I replied, "Sister, I feel, just as I do now, filled with joy and happiness." She told me that she couldn't imagine how anybody could reject a message like the one that we were bringing to her and shared her feelings of joy with us as well. She asked that we come back and share more. It was such a spiritual conversation. Very very cool. She also said that she will come with her father in law, who is a member, to church this Sunday.
Another evidence that this church is true, is how hard the devil works at stopping people from receiving it. Did you know, that in every single Lesson 1 that we teach to families, there is ALWAYS a baby that screams and cries and pees on the mom or poops itself? Always. The cool thing though, is despite the ridiculous amount of noise and chaos that the devil throws at us, if we are teaching with the Spirit, the devils chaos comes to no effect. The Spirit still testifies to the hearts of those being taught, and they still feel the truthfulness of the gospel.
Well, we are about to go on a Zone Activity to the chocolate hills... again. This is the fourth time for me. I have been in Bohol for so long. But my zone is a blast so it will be an awesome, packed, car ride and activity. I love these Elders.
I love all of you too! Take care of yourselves this week, and allow Father to take care of you all as well.
Elder Garver
Thursday, August 16, 2012
8-15-12
Hey Everyone!
First, a cool experience. I mentioned two weeks ago that we had an investigator, Mike Acero, who was solid, but struggling with Word of Wisdom. He was addicted to cigarettes and had been from a very young age (random side note: you can buy cigarettes here as soon as you learn how to talk. You wouldn't believe how many 4 year olds I see running home with packs of cigarettes in their hands for mom or dad, or how many 8 year olds I see carrying around cigarettes in their pockets or behind their ears. Ugh.). Mike was worried to simply stop all at once, because he said his body would shut down. He said he needed time to slowly drop the habit. We set a date for him to be completely clean, but as that day was coming nearer and nearer, the cigarettes remained. He finally told us in one lesson that he didn't know if he could physically do it. This is where the Spirit got a little impatient with us. I told Mike that what he was deciding to do was not going to cut it. God always provides a way for His children to accomplish the thing they have been commanded, and God does not suffer us to be tempted above that which we are able to bear. I testified to him that his idea of dropping cigarettes little by little came by the natural man, fear and lack of faith. I promised him that he was a child of God, and had power in his body from our Divine Creator to overcome and completely destroy the influence of the devil in his life, and if he truly trusted God, he would never smoke another cigarette in his life, and would continue on to baptism. The Spirit completely guided me in saying all of this, and then we waited for his response. He had a funny look on his face for a few seconds, and then he shouted to all the others in the house who were in other rooms, and made sure that the other members of his family who were listening where all paying attention. He then spoke to us, and to all present, saying, "You all as my witnesses, I promise to God and to you all, that from this moment forth I will never smoke another cigarette in my life." It has been 2 weeks and he is still clean and good to his word. I testify to all, that the power of our spirits is great, and that through the assistance of God, we can overcome the weaknesses of the flesh. We need not be controlled by bodily urges or desires. I also testify of the influence of the Spirit in our teaching, whether it be in church, in the home, or in the mission field. We are called to preach nothing but repentance, and we are to do it boldly, through the Spirit. If the Spirit is present in your boldness, no elect person is going to get offended or upset. Beating around the bush because we are scared to address someones real problem is only postponing their salvation. Mike responded to the call, and is now being baptized the 25th.
So in other news. I don't have a companion anymore... We had Zone Conference on Monday and afterwords, Elder Plandiano went back to Cebu with President and the APs, leaving me to stay here on Bohol while, President finds me a new companion. I've been working with the Zone Leaders here in Tagbilaran for the last few days while I wait for my new comp to get chosen and arrive. I'll let you know what happens next week!
I'm glad you guys are all having so much fun back home! Virginia really was an amazing place. Keep up the missionary work back home!
Love,
Elder Garver
First, a cool experience. I mentioned two weeks ago that we had an investigator, Mike Acero, who was solid, but struggling with Word of Wisdom. He was addicted to cigarettes and had been from a very young age (random side note: you can buy cigarettes here as soon as you learn how to talk. You wouldn't believe how many 4 year olds I see running home with packs of cigarettes in their hands for mom or dad, or how many 8 year olds I see carrying around cigarettes in their pockets or behind their ears. Ugh.). Mike was worried to simply stop all at once, because he said his body would shut down. He said he needed time to slowly drop the habit. We set a date for him to be completely clean, but as that day was coming nearer and nearer, the cigarettes remained. He finally told us in one lesson that he didn't know if he could physically do it. This is where the Spirit got a little impatient with us. I told Mike that what he was deciding to do was not going to cut it. God always provides a way for His children to accomplish the thing they have been commanded, and God does not suffer us to be tempted above that which we are able to bear. I testified to him that his idea of dropping cigarettes little by little came by the natural man, fear and lack of faith. I promised him that he was a child of God, and had power in his body from our Divine Creator to overcome and completely destroy the influence of the devil in his life, and if he truly trusted God, he would never smoke another cigarette in his life, and would continue on to baptism. The Spirit completely guided me in saying all of this, and then we waited for his response. He had a funny look on his face for a few seconds, and then he shouted to all the others in the house who were in other rooms, and made sure that the other members of his family who were listening where all paying attention. He then spoke to us, and to all present, saying, "You all as my witnesses, I promise to God and to you all, that from this moment forth I will never smoke another cigarette in my life." It has been 2 weeks and he is still clean and good to his word. I testify to all, that the power of our spirits is great, and that through the assistance of God, we can overcome the weaknesses of the flesh. We need not be controlled by bodily urges or desires. I also testify of the influence of the Spirit in our teaching, whether it be in church, in the home, or in the mission field. We are called to preach nothing but repentance, and we are to do it boldly, through the Spirit. If the Spirit is present in your boldness, no elect person is going to get offended or upset. Beating around the bush because we are scared to address someones real problem is only postponing their salvation. Mike responded to the call, and is now being baptized the 25th.
So in other news. I don't have a companion anymore... We had Zone Conference on Monday and afterwords, Elder Plandiano went back to Cebu with President and the APs, leaving me to stay here on Bohol while, President finds me a new companion. I've been working with the Zone Leaders here in Tagbilaran for the last few days while I wait for my new comp to get chosen and arrive. I'll let you know what happens next week!
I'm glad you guys are all having so much fun back home! Virginia really was an amazing place. Keep up the missionary work back home!
Love,
Elder Garver
Wednesday, August 8, 2012
8-8-12
Happy Birthday Rachel!!!! I realized the other day as I was worrying about you growing up so fast that I will make it home right before you turn 16. That brought me some peace.
Dad, lets not get you too trunky ha? You still have a whole 10 months before you can come over here :)
Mom, thanks for your questions about the scriptures, and... rice. First, the rice. We are lucky enough to all have rice cookers here so cooking rice is super easy, but the natives just use fire. They are pretty good at it too, I have never yet bitten down on even 1 grain of rice that wasn't cooked. Amazing. There are lots of people who eat burnt rice here though. It's called dukot.
So about the scriptures. I think it is interesting how my point of view has changed regarding studies from before my mission until now. Before my mission when I studied for 1 hour, I was done. That was a good study and I was ready to go do other things. I learned, but it wasn't as deep or lasting, or important to me as it should have been. Now when I study, it hits the hour mark each morning and I groan. This gospel is filled with with so much, that there is no way you could possibly learn everything in just an hour a day. Just think of all the things we have to study! 4 standard works, teachings of the prophets; Joseph Smith through today, every Ensign ever published, the conference talks of the prophets, discourses of the prophets, Mormon Doctrine, countless books written by prophets and apostles, and so so much more. It's ridiculous. I am looking forward to the day when I can go home and start studying for more than just 1 hour a day. One thing I have definitely learned here is how to prioritize. Why watch tv or play video games when you could be studying the gospel or increasing and improving your talents? Anyway, I think one of the biggest things that helps study is simply the desire to do so. Through prayer, we can ask Father in Heaven to increase our spiritual appetite, so that then we can truly feast on the words of Christ. Second, we can follow the example of Nephi who "did go into the mount oft" to pray and learn. If we can find our own personal "mount" when we are away from the distractions of the world, the Spirit can testify clearer than before. If we are willing to wake up early to study, while the world is still asleep, we can show the Lord how much we truly want to learn. Maybe your mount is different than mine, but I have found that by waking up at 5:30 every day instead of 6:30 so that I can prepare for the day and then have extra time to study in my mount, the scriptures have opened up to me and I am learning doctrine that I never even thought existed. My third tip would be to try to get in the mindset of the author of whatever book your studying. Realize that they were human too and not perfect. Put yourself in their shoes and see what you would do in their situation, or why you think they acted the way they did. For example, in 1ne 3:7 Nephi declares that he will go and do the Lord's command and bears testimony that the Lord always provides a way, yet in verse 11 the first thing he does is cast lots with his brothers to see who would actually act. Why wasn't Nephi prepared to take the lead? What was he afraid of if he knew the Lord would provide a way? Why did he send Laman, a faithless and unworthy servant, to accomplish the task of God? How did Nephi learn and grow as he realized his mistakes and changed through out the next few chapters? Always use the footnotes as well, and then make your own! Link scriptures that the Spirit leads you to and fill up those margins that have been given to you with cross references and revelation. Don't be afraid to "dirty up" your scriptures. And if you don't want to just open up your scriptures randomly or read linearly from beginning to end, start your study with a prayer and a question. "Father, what is it that you would have me study this day? Where should I start?" Then listen to the promptings of the Spirit guide you to your first topic or question which will then lead you on through your whole study. I love the scriptures. I hope this helps a little. If you have any more questions, I would love to hear more. Answering questions is my favorite part about missionary work.
So, this week was a good one. We passed the 100 mark in sacrament meeting attendance last Sunday, and we got a solid date for Mike Acero's baptism. That will be August 25. That was awesome. Elder Plandiano and I have made a more directed focus this week on finding new LA members that haven't been visited before. It has been awesome to go exploring again. The Philippines is so beautiful. The biggest reason for members going inactive here is definitely lack of testimony. When we ask these members why they were baptized, a lot of them say, "my friend was mormon so I decided to try it out" or "the Elders were really nice so I went to church for them," but then the friend moves or the missionaries transfer and the new convert is left with nothing to hold on to and falls away. This could be solved by two things, first, by missionaries making sure that they are baptizing people who are ready, and not just being dragged to baptism by a friend or charmed to baptism by the tall white guy with a long nose. Second, if members in the church do their duties to fellowship and home and visit teach, new friendships form as well as new faith, and those who were weak at first are made strong by others.
So we have a lot of work here but it is all going well. Thanks for the news from home!
I love you all!
Elder Garver
Dad, lets not get you too trunky ha? You still have a whole 10 months before you can come over here :)
Mom, thanks for your questions about the scriptures, and... rice. First, the rice. We are lucky enough to all have rice cookers here so cooking rice is super easy, but the natives just use fire. They are pretty good at it too, I have never yet bitten down on even 1 grain of rice that wasn't cooked. Amazing. There are lots of people who eat burnt rice here though. It's called dukot.
So about the scriptures. I think it is interesting how my point of view has changed regarding studies from before my mission until now. Before my mission when I studied for 1 hour, I was done. That was a good study and I was ready to go do other things. I learned, but it wasn't as deep or lasting, or important to me as it should have been. Now when I study, it hits the hour mark each morning and I groan. This gospel is filled with with so much, that there is no way you could possibly learn everything in just an hour a day. Just think of all the things we have to study! 4 standard works, teachings of the prophets; Joseph Smith through today, every Ensign ever published, the conference talks of the prophets, discourses of the prophets, Mormon Doctrine, countless books written by prophets and apostles, and so so much more. It's ridiculous. I am looking forward to the day when I can go home and start studying for more than just 1 hour a day. One thing I have definitely learned here is how to prioritize. Why watch tv or play video games when you could be studying the gospel or increasing and improving your talents? Anyway, I think one of the biggest things that helps study is simply the desire to do so. Through prayer, we can ask Father in Heaven to increase our spiritual appetite, so that then we can truly feast on the words of Christ. Second, we can follow the example of Nephi who "did go into the mount oft" to pray and learn. If we can find our own personal "mount" when we are away from the distractions of the world, the Spirit can testify clearer than before. If we are willing to wake up early to study, while the world is still asleep, we can show the Lord how much we truly want to learn. Maybe your mount is different than mine, but I have found that by waking up at 5:30 every day instead of 6:30 so that I can prepare for the day and then have extra time to study in my mount, the scriptures have opened up to me and I am learning doctrine that I never even thought existed. My third tip would be to try to get in the mindset of the author of whatever book your studying. Realize that they were human too and not perfect. Put yourself in their shoes and see what you would do in their situation, or why you think they acted the way they did. For example, in 1ne 3:7 Nephi declares that he will go and do the Lord's command and bears testimony that the Lord always provides a way, yet in verse 11 the first thing he does is cast lots with his brothers to see who would actually act. Why wasn't Nephi prepared to take the lead? What was he afraid of if he knew the Lord would provide a way? Why did he send Laman, a faithless and unworthy servant, to accomplish the task of God? How did Nephi learn and grow as he realized his mistakes and changed through out the next few chapters? Always use the footnotes as well, and then make your own! Link scriptures that the Spirit leads you to and fill up those margins that have been given to you with cross references and revelation. Don't be afraid to "dirty up" your scriptures. And if you don't want to just open up your scriptures randomly or read linearly from beginning to end, start your study with a prayer and a question. "Father, what is it that you would have me study this day? Where should I start?" Then listen to the promptings of the Spirit guide you to your first topic or question which will then lead you on through your whole study. I love the scriptures. I hope this helps a little. If you have any more questions, I would love to hear more. Answering questions is my favorite part about missionary work.
So, this week was a good one. We passed the 100 mark in sacrament meeting attendance last Sunday, and we got a solid date for Mike Acero's baptism. That will be August 25. That was awesome. Elder Plandiano and I have made a more directed focus this week on finding new LA members that haven't been visited before. It has been awesome to go exploring again. The Philippines is so beautiful. The biggest reason for members going inactive here is definitely lack of testimony. When we ask these members why they were baptized, a lot of them say, "my friend was mormon so I decided to try it out" or "the Elders were really nice so I went to church for them," but then the friend moves or the missionaries transfer and the new convert is left with nothing to hold on to and falls away. This could be solved by two things, first, by missionaries making sure that they are baptizing people who are ready, and not just being dragged to baptism by a friend or charmed to baptism by the tall white guy with a long nose. Second, if members in the church do their duties to fellowship and home and visit teach, new friendships form as well as new faith, and those who were weak at first are made strong by others.
So we have a lot of work here but it is all going well. Thanks for the news from home!
I love you all!
Elder Garver
8-1-12
Hahahahahaha the put the Olympic flame out... Oh man. People just don't think sometimes. That is hilarious.
I really have no time this week because of a huge email I had to write to President, but I thank you again for your awesome emails. I love you!
Filipinos love Americans here, so I thought at first bringing the girls here would be fine, but I was talking to another white guy and his wife a while ago and they had different ideas. Just to make sure, (sorry Rachel) I think it would be best to leave the girls there, even though I feel that it would be fine to bring them. Just think of all the fun things we could do as a family there with all the thousands you would save by not bringing them out here. Of course, pray for guidance. If the Spirit tells you that they should come out, of course follow Him, but if not, we can make it up to the girls when we get back.
I love you all!
Elder Garver
I really have no time this week because of a huge email I had to write to President, but I thank you again for your awesome emails. I love you!
Filipinos love Americans here, so I thought at first bringing the girls here would be fine, but I was talking to another white guy and his wife a while ago and they had different ideas. Just to make sure, (sorry Rachel) I think it would be best to leave the girls there, even though I feel that it would be fine to bring them. Just think of all the fun things we could do as a family there with all the thousands you would save by not bringing them out here. Of course, pray for guidance. If the Spirit tells you that they should come out, of course follow Him, but if not, we can make it up to the girls when we get back.
I love you all!
Elder Garver
7-25-12
Gooood Moorrrniiiiing Americaaaaaa!
Thanks for the emails! I love Wednesday mornings too. It's getting harder and harder for me to speak English as time goes on though, which means that It takes more and more time to respond to you, as I have to pause and think of words and sentence structure in your language. Thank goodness for spell check!
I feel um... looy for you dad. I think that's like, sorrow? Maybe... I feel bad that you had to be bounced all around the airports like that. At least you made it! How are your knees holding up? I'm still praying for you every day.
All that travel sounds super tiring, but at least you are all having fun. It would be super cool to come back and be able to go to school with Alicia. All the other places you are visiting sound like tons of fun as well. I'm excited to get all those letters!
I was thinking about your trip out here a little a while ago. I don't know if you have bought tickets or anything, but if not, I think it would be best to leave the girls at home on this one, That is just a lot of money. A LOT of money, and we could buy them tons of souvenirs for way cheap instead of bringing them out here. It might be safer as well. It would be fun to have everyone here, but it would be very pricey. I think we could spend a lot less and still maybe have an awesome vacation together in the states or something. Anyway, it's up to you I guess.
My week has been awesome, like always. There is so much happiness and success in my mission, I am beginning to get a little worried. There is going to have to come a trial sooner or later. At the same time though, that is just another kind of blessing, and will make me even happier in the long run. It is truly great to have a knowledge of that. So my new district is completely Filipino. I am the only white elder, and besides me, there is only one other elder who is not from a tagalog speaking island. That means that when we get together, tagalog is the language that everyone uses. This is a huge blessing because it is forcing me to focus a lot harder on learning tagalog so I know what is going on. It is coming a long well, and I can understand a lot now, even though I am still really slow at speaking. Everyone in my district, and zone, is super obedient and faithful, and things are going great. We are very close to being able to baptize an investigator we have been teaching for a while now, Mike Acero. He is solid, and he is working on getting rid of his vices, pertaining to the Word of Wisdom, and after that, he is set. It has been awesome teaching him and his family who are on track to follow shortly after him
Thanks for the updates! I love you all!
Elder Garver
This is Joceryl, at her baptism.
The Sanchez Family, outside the temple in Cebu. It was so great to be there with them!
My district, before transfers.
Thanks for the emails! I love Wednesday mornings too. It's getting harder and harder for me to speak English as time goes on though, which means that It takes more and more time to respond to you, as I have to pause and think of words and sentence structure in your language. Thank goodness for spell check!
I feel um... looy for you dad. I think that's like, sorrow? Maybe... I feel bad that you had to be bounced all around the airports like that. At least you made it! How are your knees holding up? I'm still praying for you every day.
All that travel sounds super tiring, but at least you are all having fun. It would be super cool to come back and be able to go to school with Alicia. All the other places you are visiting sound like tons of fun as well. I'm excited to get all those letters!
I was thinking about your trip out here a little a while ago. I don't know if you have bought tickets or anything, but if not, I think it would be best to leave the girls at home on this one, That is just a lot of money. A LOT of money, and we could buy them tons of souvenirs for way cheap instead of bringing them out here. It might be safer as well. It would be fun to have everyone here, but it would be very pricey. I think we could spend a lot less and still maybe have an awesome vacation together in the states or something. Anyway, it's up to you I guess.
My week has been awesome, like always. There is so much happiness and success in my mission, I am beginning to get a little worried. There is going to have to come a trial sooner or later. At the same time though, that is just another kind of blessing, and will make me even happier in the long run. It is truly great to have a knowledge of that. So my new district is completely Filipino. I am the only white elder, and besides me, there is only one other elder who is not from a tagalog speaking island. That means that when we get together, tagalog is the language that everyone uses. This is a huge blessing because it is forcing me to focus a lot harder on learning tagalog so I know what is going on. It is coming a long well, and I can understand a lot now, even though I am still really slow at speaking. Everyone in my district, and zone, is super obedient and faithful, and things are going great. We are very close to being able to baptize an investigator we have been teaching for a while now, Mike Acero. He is solid, and he is working on getting rid of his vices, pertaining to the Word of Wisdom, and after that, he is set. It has been awesome teaching him and his family who are on track to follow shortly after him
Thanks for the updates! I love you all!
Elder Garver
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)