Mission CSP in Tacloban and other fun happenings

Well this past week not a whole lot of proselyting happened because we had like a 3 day "vacation" in Tacloban.

Monday night we had a really fun FHE with Sis. Morin. Her husband actually lives in Canada about an hour and a half from Quebec so we got to skype him in and we had a really good time. It was interesting to hear how missionary work is where he is at. Apparently he travels an hour and a half each sunday and has to take a ferry just to get to church. Rick you are going to a cold cold cold part of the world :) Love every minute of it!

Tuesday morning we teamed up with the STLs and waited at the Grand Tours Terminal for the Catarman ZLs and STLs. We all headed down together. It was a blast catching up with them! We took a van from Calbayog to Catbalogan and then the bus from Catbalogan to Tacloban. I really want to be assigned to Catarman! The waray they use there sounds so interesting to me. It's kinda like Calbayog but they use a lot of weirder deeper words. And on top of that when you go on exchanges you basically have to use Tagalog because there are areas which are Cebuano and Bikolano. So much fun right? When we got to Tacloban we went to Burgos chapel. I love running into people I used to know. Bro. Viray's son is now home from his mission. Tacloban 2nd ward attendance is now averaging 230... that's 100+ increase from when I was assigned there. Tuesday night we had the opening devotional for MLC in the mission mansion. President Andaya read his release letter from the First Presidency. It was so spiritually moving. He testified to all of us that he wants some of us to read the same letter someday and that his purpose as a leader wasn't to train followers but to train more leaders. He told us that when he was set apart by Elder Hallstrom 3 years ago, the advice he gave him was to train his replacement. That's why I love President Andaya so much is because from day 1, he has been more concerned with how I am developing as a missionary and as a man than he has every been concerned with my numbers. Every training that he and Sister Andaya give revolve around us as missionaries becoming righteous fathers and mothers who will raise a righteous generation.

Wednesday morning we had MLC. Most of the focus was on solving the concerns of missionaries in our zones and becoming "quick to observe" I really liked it. It's something I can definitely improve on is reading body language of both members and investigators and then discerning their needs and acting. It's a very impressive leadership skill to me. I found the principle in the scriptures in Alma 18:8-9. Lamoni asks, where is the man with great power and the answer is, he is cleaning the stable stalls and preparing the chariots. Great leaders serve while mediocre leaders have others serve them. In the afternoon we went out to MacArthur Park to see what sections each zone would be cleaning. My zone kinda got shafted and we weren't even assigned to a single section so they kinda just grouped us in with another zone. Wednesday night we all went to Uncle Sams which is a filipino restaurant that sells expensive american food. They had real ice cream. It was a really fun night.

Thursday morning we all got up and headed to Fatima in our CSP clothes and then they shuttled us out to MacArthur Park. It was pretty hot and almost everyone got sunburned. So much fun though. Our zone didn't have supplies because they forgot about us but we still had a great time weeding and cleaning up garbage and stuff. We had 160+ missionaries cleaning up there and it looks a lot better now than it did. I'm hoping that we'll get to do it again when President Maurer arrives. After the CSP we went back and showered and got ready and had a mission devotional. Unfortunately I burned a hole in my pants with the iron. So bummed about that.... pun intended... The devotional was great. It was the last time most of the mission would see the Andayas. Luckily, we have zone interviews this wednesday so I will see them one more time. (or 2 if I transfer) After that we took the Night Bus all the way back up. We left at 7 and got home at 11:30... not my favorite ride.

Friday we did weekly planning. Then we went to visit the Nabong family and had an interesting discussion. Earl apparently had some really sore teeth. Bro. Nabong, having recently been ordained to the office of priest and being in possession of the Family Guidebook which contains instructions for priesthood ordinances, decided he would give it a try. He gave his son a blessing despite not having the Melchizedek Priesthood. Strangely enough, Earl was fine half an hour later because his tooth fell out. Brother Nabong has a lot of faith. We explained to him that he needs to have the Melchizedek Priesthood. He was humble enough and realized that he needs to prepare still and said he'd ask for help the next time someone in his family needed a blessing. Such a wonderful family.

Saturday morning we went to Gandara to do a baptismal interview. Elder Parsons conducted it while I prepared for my lesson on Sunday. As soon as we got home we went to the chapel for another baptism. That makes 4 weeks in a row now and there is another one this upcoming Saturday. Cian conducted the service and is actually really good at English. He worked with me during reactivation and told me he really wants to serve a mission right away as soon as he hits his year mark. I asked him about school and he said he would put it on hold like me and Elder Quinco. He studies, not just reads, the scriptures every day. He is enrolled for the mission prep class that starts next week. He is the most amazing recent convert ever.

Sunday was really good too. I love going to church and feeling uplifted. It's a relief that I don't have to work to make sure others feel the Spirit and that the members here are so great. Pres Salazar taught the investigator's class and I taught Elders' Quorum. My lesson was on the Gift of the Holy Ghost from the teaching of President Joseph Fielding Smith. One scripture I found was D+C 88:33. What's the point of Heavenly Father giving us a gift if we don't receive it? I tried to emphasize that we have to do things and put ourselves in the places that we will feel the Spirit everyday. I connected it with 3 Nephi 19:9 and 1 Nephi 13:37. Having the Spirit with you is the most desirable thing in the world and as we seek to bring forth Zion we will have it in our lives.

Thank you all for your prayers. I can feel them strengthening me. I love you all and I thank you for your love and support. I hope you have a wonderful Spirit filled week as you all try to bring forth Zion. Go preach the gospel!

Love you!