Thursday, August 28, 2014

Week 75

Week 75
8/25/14


Party

So this was a pretty nice week.... we had a lot of people that came to church this last Sunday.... the Sunday before was 22 but this week was 42 so we almost doubled and 5 of them were our investigators that we are teaching the gospel to... We also have another baptism coming up this week on Saturday. I am totally stoked for that.... When I first came here this area was really struggling but now its becoming a really nice area even if there was no electricity for 6 weeks hahaha... thankfully that came back... so earlier this week we had a birthday party for one of the elders he turned 27 even though he looks like he's 20. That was a fun party... I also got to inspect a high caliber bird gun... not a bad contraption but I would be really scared to shoot it. But it was a fun one to just hold it and be a poster boy for the Army.



 And once again I found another fresh water crab in the irrigation system by our house... I accidentally shook its claw to hard, its sort of fell off hahaha woops. But the biggest news this week was catching an impossible gecko!!! These things are extremely ferocious and mean I got some pretty sweet pictures for you.... we found a mouse and fed it to him.... it was a glorious fight to the death but the gecko one for sure... Hahaha we tilted the box upside down so it would be easier for the gecko to swallow it whole... it was something you would definitely see on national geographic. 

Yes thats a mouse's tail in its mouth!
But this week was a hot one too it rained Saturday and yesterday really hard for a little bit... on the way to one of our interviews it rained and we totally had to find a some what big tree to make a bridge because of  a totally random river that formed in one of our areas.... so we got a little wet... you can do the math to figure out what happened to us! HAHA.. But it was really awesome to see one of my former companions the other day at our zone conference with our Mission President. me and Elder Relf want to be companions again before I leave so we'll see what happens.... we asked the President and he said he'll think about it so we think that is a good sign   But I got to see a lot of my other friends from the mission there... as for me I am doing good.... last week flew by way quick so I am liking that...I did the math I have less than 100 days til I get home. So I am happy, can't wait to come home and hang out with all the friends and family again... I hope everyone is doing well. But yeah the sweat and the pain is worth it!!! Thanks to all again this is really like my only report this week a lot of good pictures so go and check them out!!! salamat sa lahat!


The dynamic Duo


Elder Llorens

Week 74 - ELECTRICITY!!

Week 74
8/18/14




Finally we got electricity again. we are no longer having sleepless nights!. So besides that this week has been really good we started the week out really well and the teaching is going really well. We have a baptism coming up in 2 weeks and we are just helping people still to repair their houses. So our house is one of the many houses that have power but the rest of the town or little farming country still don't have it so we are being looked out for big time. But this is a big blessing for me. I really learned what it is to be like to have no power for almost 6 weeks and its been a real learning and humbling experience. Part of my learning here I have not mastered but I am a pretty good chess player now. Some of you might think thats a little nerdy but its actually a big thing here in the Philippines and at times it gets a little intense. So the only really big news here is the electricity coming back. But we had a really good lesson the other day for one of the members here in the area. Its been a while since hes gone to church. And it was a really good lesson and it was before church when we taught him and we basically gave him a pump up speech of how this can bless him and his  family and how he can be a leader to them now doing what hes doing and at them same time going to church. I couldn't believe it but he showed up and his family too even though his baby was a little sick. That was awesome. This last sunday I gave a talk at church as well... I Shared this scripture in the Book of Mormon Moroni 10;* and I thought this could be good for everyone either of or not of our faith."And again, I exhort you, my brethren, that ye deny not the gifts of God, for they are many; and they come from the same God. And there are different ways that these gifts are administered; but it is the same God who worketh all in all; and they are given by the manifestations of the Spirit of God unto men, to profit them."   so we all have gifts from god and since god has given us these gifts we can all use them for good! example... service. It can be very simple but it is a huge thing,not only to the persons eyes who we are serving but also to gods eyes. I am greatful for the many opportunities that I have been having being here in the Philippines and I have been talking to some of my friends about being super sad about leaving.  Its true. When we are in a worthy cause it feels awesome especially when we are doing our part in helping. So this has been a great week I get to see my friends again for our zone training this Friday with our mission president and his wife. I can't wait to make the trip and see my friends and all the other missionaries here. Tomorrow we are having a party for one of the missionaries in my house. I am in charge of the soda but this should be really fun opportunity being around great people. Just want to say thank you to all of the friends and family who have been great examples to me all of my life you are all awesome. I should also share that we had another bat problem in our house and that I was almost killed by the ferocious thing.  So thank you all again... I'll talk to you soon.

Elder Llorens

Wednesday, August 13, 2014

Week 73

Week 73
8/11/14




Downed tree from typhoon 



didn't make it...


So this week turned out pretty good...On Tuesday we started out the day by walking up this mountain to start trying to find new people to teach... maybe I'll take a picture next time of this road that leads up all the way to the mountain. So we started just to talk to some people and it turned out they knew some of the members so they said we can go back and teach them WOO! and we also got to teach some of the our investigators from before... we just haven't had a chance to teach them because of the typhoon... So one of the pictures I sent was me on a tree that fell down.... in the back ground that's Mt. Iriga or Mt. Asog I think its the same mountain... but yeah we taught a really great lesson to that family... our topic was about families so it sort of made me miss home but it was a super great lesson.... mean while we still have no electricity here in my area.... so its super hot... can't drink cold water and can't use my fan when we go home... so its been a little hot to sleep at night. They say it might be a little while until it comes back... they say October... I think its a joke (I hope) but its literally our little town that we live in that has no power... so the lessons have been going good we have a new investigator and she is really cool... her name is Sister Cherry her husband is a member but she isn't... she really likes our lessons with her so hopefully we can get her to progress to baptism. But this week me and my companion helped this one family who are members to rebuild there house... So what we did is get a bunch of palm tress and carry it to their new home which probably estimates about 150 yards away but you have to walk up a hill and down a hill and through a rice feild... so I basically carried the load for us... but it was a decent 100 pounds per bundle... reminded me of football practice. 


A little shaky..

The umbrella definitely helped LOL


Later that day we had a party for an anniversary of a father who died, his family throws a party every year so it was nice to drink nice fresh coconut water and juice.... that was a good day. Another fun thing happened yesterday, our gas ran out for cooking so my boy scout skills came into handy... we made a fire to cook rice and other meat and water... so we did not starve. But again this week has been great we also had zone training and it was great to see the rest of the new missionaries here in the mission and my friends.  This has been an all around good week. Thanks to all that has wrote me. your emails are always awesome. Til next week.

Elder Llorens

Week 72

Week 72
8/4/14


New Companion and Good Food



So this week was okay... On tuesday I got to pick up my new companion in Naga and I got to eat McDonalds for breakfast and pizza hut for lunch.... I was so full. I also got to see basically all my friends in the whole mission and got to hang out with them for half the day. So Elder Jalocon is my new companion and actually was my room mate in my last area in San Jose so we have been just telling stories from the past to each other. 




The first day together we did service at a members house, I played with a baby goat that day and unfortunately killed a duck.... the house we did service at didn't had anyway to repay us so we ate duck for lunch.... it was actually really good. I went really hard that day during service... they gave me an ax to cut down trees.... I got a sweet blood blister. But I drank unfiltered water for lunch.... so that night I paid for it.... so the next day we did more work and service and the day after we had a district meeting then later went to Pili to withdraw money and grocery shop. When we got  home my companion put his grocery bag on my bunk bed and I was still feeling bad from the water so I laid down.... that night at like 2 o clock in the morning I felt something furry on my feet so I shined my flashlight at my foot and I saw like 4 freaking rats right on my feet.... SO that was not fun... happened like 3 times that night..... So yeah not fun.... not to many lessons this week but we have 2 progressing investigators one of them is getting ready to be baptized at the end of the month and the other one is super nice... her husband is a member. I had a great opportunity to give her baby a name and a blessing. While we were giving her little baby a blessing she started to cry so it was a fun experience. 


Loser!


 Last night we had a family home evening and played a game and if you lost you had to put charcoal on your face.... I basically looked like an Apache hahaha way fun. So i think this week is going to be really good.  I am doing good, the health is somewhat okay but I am just here having some fun doing everything I can here in the Philippines. But thanks everyone for all the messages you send me they are always awesome. Later this week we have more parties here with the members. So the fun continues . Also I am going to have a knife made here in our area because there is a blacksmith: the handle of the knife is going to be horns from a water buffalo... so hopefully we get pictures of it this week. but I think this is it for this week... thanks all! 

Elder Llorens