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Well this past week was pretty great as well.
We loaded up and headed out Tuesday morning to attend the district meeting in Ormoc. They gave some really insightful trainings. I think the thing I learned most is that when missionaries teach the Restoration to members in order to ask for referrals, they need to make it super personal. They need to relate it back to Joseph Smith and his family. What did Joseph Smith do after he saw God the Father and Jesus Christ? He told his father and mother and sisters and brothers. And they believed him. What else did Joseph do? He tried to repent of his sins and stay faithful to the commandments he had been given. Because of that, his family and many of his friends found the truth. Members can be likened unto Joseph Smith and their potential referrals can be likened unto Joseph's family. We all have friends that aren't yet members. Surely we want them to have a knowledge of the truth just as we are so blessed to have.
After District meeting we started exchanges. I went with Elder Carlson. Yes this is the Elder Carlson that I lived with for 6 months in Tacloban. It was a ton of fun! He kinda has this perfectionist mentality when it comes to the language. He's struggled a lot his entire mission but he's never lost hope. I'd never worked with him so I was excited to see how he actually is. He's actually really really good at the language. He just psyches himself out. Regardless he is a great missionary. We taught 2 families of returning members and went finding a lot in some rich neighborhoods.
After the Conference we went down to Bato. I wasn't super excited to work in Bato. Especially since all throughout the night and in the morning it was storming and raining. But the rain broke after studies and Elder Rivas and I went to work. This was my 2nd exchange with him because I was his zone leader back when I was in Calbayog and he was in Catbalogan. It was a ton of fun! It really made me realize that the area just depends on the missionaries' attitude. I had a horrible attitude when I was back in Bato. We had a great day. We taught 2 less active families and went finding and it was great. We talked a bunch throughout the exchange about how much our families have been blessed since we've come out on missions. It's so great to have good friends to talk to.
This past week was the last round of zone conferences. And we had 3 more exchanges with zone leaders on the other days. So lets start it off.
We loaded up and headed out Tuesday morning to attend the district meeting in Ormoc. They gave some really insightful trainings. I think the thing I learned most is that when missionaries teach the Restoration to members in order to ask for referrals, they need to make it super personal. They need to relate it back to Joseph Smith and his family. What did Joseph Smith do after he saw God the Father and Jesus Christ? He told his father and mother and sisters and brothers. And they believed him. What else did Joseph do? He tried to repent of his sins and stay faithful to the commandments he had been given. Because of that, his family and many of his friends found the truth. Members can be likened unto Joseph Smith and their potential referrals can be likened unto Joseph's family. We all have friends that aren't yet members. Surely we want them to have a knowledge of the truth just as we are so blessed to have.After District meeting we started exchanges. I went with Elder Carlson. Yes this is the Elder Carlson that I lived with for 6 months in Tacloban. It was a ton of fun! He kinda has this perfectionist mentality when it comes to the language. He's struggled a lot his entire mission but he's never lost hope. I'd never worked with him so I was excited to see how he actually is. He's actually really really good at the language. He just psyches himself out. Regardless he is a great missionary. We taught 2 families of returning members and went finding a lot in some rich neighborhoods.
Wednesday was zone conference with Ormoc and Biliran zones in Ormoc chapel. Ormoc chapel is probably my favorite chapel in the mission. That's where my first zone meeting was as well as my first stake and general conference was. It's HUGE and has carpet. The conference itself was pretty great. I was pretty tired and found myself falling asleep in the back. I love giving trainings though. I love bearing my testimony to the missionaries of what I know to be true.
After the Conference we went down to Bato. I wasn't super excited to work in Bato. Especially since all throughout the night and in the morning it was storming and raining. But the rain broke after studies and Elder Rivas and I went to work. This was my 2nd exchange with him because I was his zone leader back when I was in Calbayog and he was in Catbalogan. It was a ton of fun! It really made me realize that the area just depends on the missionaries' attitude. I had a horrible attitude when I was back in Bato. We had a great day. We taught 2 less active families and went finding and it was great. We talked a bunch throughout the exchange about how much our families have been blessed since we've come out on missions. It's so great to have good friends to talk to.
Friday morning we drove from Bato to Sogod for the last zone conference. It was great. By far this one had the best lunch. We had chicken curry and adobo beef steak and mango floats. Sogod zone leaders win all the bonus points in my book. It was great to see Elder Oakes again. He's one of those friends that is just kind when you feel like you don't deserve it. I'm really grateful for him.
Friday night we worked with the Sogod ZLs. I went with Elder Carling. So we were in the MTC together but he is one batch ahead of me. He extended as I'm really glad he did. Working with him was great. We mostly just went finding and found this really nice woman Daisy. She's not Catholic. She accepted an english Book of Mormon and said she would read it. She's a teacher and her husband is a security guard. They have a really big house. I hope things work out for the zone leaders there and that they can teach them. We also taught their recent convert and his family. The dad is awesome because even though he's new, when we read scriptures he asks his kids what they understand. It's so awesome to see fathers who care that their children understand the Gospel and try their hardest to live it.
Saturday we were going to build a house for a service project but it was high tide so the plot was flooded so we couldn't continue. We decided to just go home to Tacloban. When we got back we had a FHE with a less active family here in Tacloban 1st ward. I gave the lesson. I did an object lesson. I showed a 1000 peso bill and asked who wanted it. all hands in the air. crumpled it up and asked again. all hands again. smooshed it under my foot. still all hands. threatened to put it in the toilet. everyone still wanted it. I related this to the love that Christ has for us. No matter how crumpled, torn, dirty, or worthless we think we are, the Savior wants us so much. His love immeasurable and all he wants is for us to follow him. I shared 1 Nephi 19:9 and Alma 5:33. We all had a really great time playing games and dinner was great too.
Sunday was great. We were back in Tacloban 1st ward. The Zone Leaders have a baptism for an older man this coming saturday. I sat next to him and fellowshipped him during sunday school. His name is Bayani. really cool guy. After church we did studies and started preparing trainings for MLC.
Earlier today we played ultimate frisbee with our 1st counselor. It was a ton of fun. Also, I finally cleaned out a room of our apartment so much that we can actually walk in it and see the floor. It's amazing what happens when you clean.
This coming week should be pretty awesome. We have 3 exchanges left; Tacloban, Tolosa, and Carigara. I'm super excited.
It is unreal how fast time is flying by
The work is going great. I'm doing well. I'm working on humility and charity this week.
Love you all! Keep on keeping on. Thank you for praying for me.
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