Week 84

Week 84
10-26-14

Hello everyone guess what?? It's another great week in the Philippines. On monday night we had another family home evening at our less actives house and it was really great they had an investigator there that really enjoyed our message and over all it was a good time. The next day was transfers. So we all met at the Canaman Chapel to meet our new companions. I got to say goodbye to a lot of my friends because this is most likely going to be the last time I see them before I go home so that was nice. SO I met my new companion. His name is Elder Seegmiller from Sacramento, California. So this is going to be a really fun last transfer. So far we have a ton of things in common, so this is like a said should be a fun transfer. We had a good week we got 4 new investigators this week and got in a couple of great lessons t, our investigators have said they feel a peace of mind every time we come over so that's really nice to hear. Our work is progressing it seems like we have focused on a couple of good investigators and we can sort of see them having a chance to be baptized in the future, I'm just trying to work really hard right before I leave so I have no regrets when I  leave for home. Some cool things I ate this week have been Octopus and Sili or spicy Chili ice cream. The ice cream didn't agree well with our stomachs so I recommend not to eat it. ahaha, but the octopus was really good it was cooked in this really good mango mushrooms. Earlier today I bought a 10 peso vest which is only .23 cents in America so that's cool. We played some volleyball earlier today with some members and the sister missionaries in our ward. But I have been really having a good time as my mission starts to wind down. I really appreciate all the things  that everyone does for me. Makes me really thankful, so thanks for everything. This upcoming week is going to be busy with exchanges with different Elders and we are going to have the day of the dead, which means there are going to be a ton of drunk people on Saturday, it is basically equivalent to like a July 4 but just people hanging out at cemeteries and having a good time. hahaha  I'll send some pictures to you guys next week about it.

Elder Llorens

Week 83

Week 83
10-19-14

So this week turned out to be a great week because we didn't have to run around that much for assignments and stuff so we were able to be focused and do all the thing we needed to do. So nothing to out of the ordinary happened this week, the cool thing that happened though was  that one of the Sister missionaries investigators got baptized and the girl that got baptized ask me to do the ordination so that was really nice. But me and Elder Finau got a lot of hard work in the week. We found 4 new investigators and we have 6 progressing investigators this week.So this is the last week  of the transfer so we got the news that Elder Finau is going to be transferred so I am going to meet my new companion tomorrow. I am going to miss Elder Finau but its been a great transfer with him doing our early morning work outs together.  Another cool thing this week we were able to give one of our investigators a baptismal date! But really thats all thats happened this week I guess I can tell you I got really wet the other day because I lost my umbrella again and it rained so me and Elder Fianu both don't have umbrellas so we both got soaked. So maybe later today I'll find another one hahaha. But yeah the count down continues looks like I'll see everyone 6 weeks from now. But I am really trying  to just finish strong and to keep the faith all the way to the end. I just would like to thank everyone for all the great support from the beginning, you have helped me to become the person that I am now. All I can really say right now is thank you! But just want everyone to know that this has been a great adventure and I  can't wait to tell everyone about it when I get home. thanks again.

Elder Llorens

Week 82

Week 82
10-13-14


Hello again,

So this last week was a really fun week for me. Last Monday we had a great family home evening at one of our less actives homes. We shared a small but great message and we played some fun games and just had a really good night. The next day was just a normal day we went to our far area to teach one of our part member families but we went to a less active first... this is the one that was drinking the last time.... so I ask him if it was okay if he could give me a clean trim for my hair he said okay. Notice (this guy is a little weird). All of a sudden he gets his clippers and starts giving me a hair cut, by the time I could say anything it was too late and li he gave me the most awful haircut ever. I just wanted to get a nice clean trim for general conference but I guess Satan was just working against me.

Community Service

 But the next day we had a District Community service project in the rain at a high school we just cut grass with some machetes.... pretty normal, but it was fun. My job was holding the umbrella so others didn't get wet pretty important job ahaha. After that we went on exchanges with some Elders and that turned out really nice we got a couple of lessons with them so that helped us out a lot. We even killed a rat so it was a successful day. The next day we had a district meeting and that was good afterward we got some Mang Inasal so that was amazing. Later that day Elder Finau gave one of our less active tatays a hair cut free of charge and it turned out really good.... better than mine haha -_- later that day we taught some lessons also. 

Just a trim

The next day was nice. we got a couple of lessons and it was really good got a couple of new investigators so our week started to get really busy. But on Saturday we had our general Conference and it was so great! So many great talks and I got to see all the other missionaries. Best day of the week this week. I even got to see Elder Relf. So we have gone to General Conference now 3 times in a row so we are going to have to make a tradition now. And yeah such a great atmosphere. We had some Elders sleep over too because they live far so away so they worked with us for some lessons than we went home in the rain and made some crazy sardine omelet not too shabby. Sunday we had our last sessions of General Conference and it was great as well. After, we went home worked with some members and went on splits and  taught some more people. Even though it was a busy week we got a lot of lessons this week so we are really happy. The work is great we got some new investigators and some families that we are teaching are really progressing so that makes it worth it.

District Activity

 Earlier today we had a district activity. So all the missionaries in our district went to Camaligan to play volleyball..... so we thought. we got to the chapel to set up the court but guess what? the ball magically disappeared, we searched the whole place for it but WALA!!!! So we played capture the flag, 3 flags up and some other Filipino games which was fun! Afterward we had the caters in our ward cook us some really great food. Then we went home and showered and paid our bill. But yeah that was my week and day so far. Just sweating right now because I am in an outdoor internet cafe because the one we usually go to is full. But thanks everyone for the support you are all great and I'll see you all soon! 7 weeks na lang......

Elder Llorens

Week 81

Week 81
10-05-14

So this week was a long one. 

 On Monday last week, we went to our far area to teach one of our investigators and  it was a really great lesson. But we had to walk like 3 miles home so that was not too fun. The next day we went to the mission home for our MLC (Mission Leader Conference) with all the other zone leaders and STLs(stake leaders) in the Naga mission just to talk about our mission and see if we are making our goals and also talking about other things as well. I got to see my best friend Brother Willie! He's the security guard and last year when I was assigned to naga 3rd area me and Elder Relf would always go to hes house and teach.... mostly eat haha. But it was really great seeing all the other elders and sisters and talking with them and seeing how they are doing. SO in the afternoon we taught some less actives which was a really great lesson.  The family we taught  is really having a hard time and right now we are just trying to help them through it. It was a super super nice lesson the whole family came to church and later tonight we are having a family home evening at their house. Yay Progress! The next day we went on exchanges with the Tinambac Elders in our area so that was nice we were able to go on splits in our area so we got a lot of good lessons with them and at the same time we helped trained them too.The next day we had zone training so me and elder Finau gave a work shop to the missionaries in our zone and it was really great it was an open discussion type of workshop. It was nice hearing the testimonies of the arriving and departing missionaries. Later that night  we had a Family home evening with another family and it was super nice because the family invited one of their friends to come so we taught a good lesson and we plan on being able to go back to the family that came to the F.H.E. So another new family to teach! The next day we went on exchanges with the Assistants and that was fun. We got to do our studies in Aircon the whole day and we had a car for the time we were there, sort of felt like America hahaha. But the best part of that day was probably at the end of the day when me and Elder Villamor were waiting to get picked up. All of a sudden a drunk dude was in the middle of the road while jeepneys and tricys were just dodging him. then he starts to come over and starts talking to us.... basically making no sense... tells us that he doesn't like Americans. So I just start talking to him and basically he was a nice drunk guy. So i just tell him we are brothers and that we are cool in Bicol and he started to like us, he liked us so much that he says he loves us! By this point he's a mess and I am helping him to stand up, I take a picture with him and right after that our ride shows up but he wants to go in the van with us. So I tell them just go ahead and I'll catch up with them. So I leave the guy and just jog to the ride and get in. But I guess the dude was chasing me so as soon as I get in Elder Villamor slams the door and we take off. I had no idea!  We all had a good laugh. 

My New Friend

Sunday was good! The Sister missionaries actually had a baptism in the morning so that was really nice way to start the day. We had a couple of our less actives show up so that was awesome! Our day was long full of meetings but we had a good lesson with one of our progressing investigators. Earlier today we played some basketball with the members and tried to pay the water bill but its a holiday here so that was a fail. I also picked up my pants that I had made and they look pretty sexy. but thats all for today really. Looks like everyone is doing good here nothing too big is happening  but it seems like I only have like a couple of days left now. But thank you everyone for the support from the beginning til now your awesome. 

Ill talk to you all soon. mahihiling ko kamo 

Elder Llorens

Week 80

Week 80
9/28/14

Hello everyone. this was another good week here in the City. So at the beginning of this week, last Monday actually, we went to our far area to teach some investigators and less actives we also got to help someone carry some rice to their home and because of being friendly we were able to teach them, the only thing that sucked was walking back all the way home because there were no more rides available when we left. The next day we did a little small community service project for a less active member in the morning we basically cleaned his house for him. So that was good he came to church this week and in the afternoon we taught a couple of lessons. The next day was really nice we had a member work with us and because he worked with us we were able to teach  8 lessons, we can't go into houses if it is just a girl or a women so when we have someone working with us we can teach a lot more people so that was really nice. Also it really nice to have someone there thats not a missionary it helps to make the setting more comfortable. The next day we went on exchanges with the other Elders Anderson and Allred. We had a great day a lot of tracting and teaching but it was great working with some of our Elders and helping them during their teaching and giving them some advice. The next day we had interviews with our Mission President, it was funny that some of my interview was about what my plans are for after the mission But it pretty much made me think how close i am to going home now.... 60 something more days left.  But we had a Branch family home evening and before that we went to help one of the members carry food from their house to the church and before we actually carried the food they offered us some KRISPY KREME DOUGHNUTS!!!!.... what the heck, it was the most glorious thing I have tasted in 2 years. The activity was fun we weren't prepared to do an activity so we sang Joy to the World, pretty lame but what ever. The next day we went back to our far area and taught our new investigator and other investigators and unfortunately our less active was a little drunk so it got a little interesting as well. Yesterday was crazy so while we went out working one of our investigators that we teach literally came out of now where and was drunk grabbed me by the arm and started to tell us how much he loves us. So we told him that we were going to go back later in the week and teach him, because he wanted to be taught at that very second. So we left thought it was pretty funny until we came back to the church and some of the members told us that the same person came by earlier before we came and asked to know where we were. Sometimes its hard in the city because the culture is one that enjoys alcohol. So those experiences were pretty funny but this was a good week, we were hard working. Me and my companion are trying to finish our missions out strong  so we are always tired, between the work and working out every day we stay busy.  We cleaned our house today and I killed 3 rats so I call this a successful week already. But thank you all for the email they are great and can't wait to hear from you all again next week!

Elder Llorens

Week 79

Week 79
9/21/14

Hey so this is my update. So this week was good but also hectic at the same time. This week was the Pena Francia So all the people went to the centro of naga and partied the whole week but we couldn't go... bummer but we stayed back and tried to find people to teach even though there was hardly anyone back in our area. So we just basically looked for anyone to teach and it acutally worked out all right. But we also got to go on exchanges with some of the elders this week and got to attend their district meeting in Calabanga. We also had to hurry and do an emergency run for a baptism I guess the chapel that they had a baptism at had no more clothes so we had to get our baptismal clothes from our chapel and take it across town to the other one so it was a little hectic but it worked out and we got to watch 6 great baptisms! But the work is going great but District Leaders are really hard working. So I am getting use to my new position. I am getting along well with Elder Finau most of the time we just talk about the funny things we did back in the MTC together and its crazy that we are getting ready to go back home now. But the mission is going really well a lot of new people that we are teaching. Its fun also to be with a good friend, makes the time go faster. Earlier today we had a community service project with our church we picked up trash around the community and this Friday we have a nice branch family home evening and hopefully we can get our investigators and less actives to come to that. But I got a really nice package from my Nana so thanks Nana can't wait to eat all the food! and thanks to everyone that wrote me. The emails are great. But I am getting ready to get off now so thank you everyone and I love you and I'll talk to you all soon.

Elder Llorens

Week 78- New Area

Week 78

9-14-14

So I am transferred. My new area is back in the city and is called Camaligan.  The area and the members are great. But it's such a weird feeling coming from the jungle to such a nice part of the city. I have a nice apartment with nice clean running water, no more brown outs and we can get food any time we want...  if we really wanted to, we could order McDonald's haha! But my new companion is Elder Finau who is actually part of my batch in the MTC and we were roommates in Buhi way back when... So we are really happy that we are together and having fun teaching the Gospel everyday. So this week we have had so many teaching appointments its hard to fit them in our schedule but we are trying hard to teach everyone we can or just at least talk to them and build a good relationship with them... its funny how its a Mexican and a Tongan speaking Tagalog or Bicol  to all these people. This week is crazy because the Catholic Church here has this thing called Pena Francia... the same as the one from last year... where there are all these parades and stuff going on... a lot of fire works and people drinking so there are more people than usual here in Naga for the celebration... I'll try to get some good pictures later today. I think another funny thing is that Elder Finau and I have been working out everyday so far... we had a tropical storm on Saturday and every morning at 6 we wake up and either run or weight lift.... on Saturday we ran in the storm so that was fun... we got a lot of crazy looks from people on the street... they were mostly laughing at us. But its been fun being with someone I've known it  definitely helps me get through the work... crazy thing is that there are more sister missionaries than elders in our district.  They are all nice and they are fun... hopefully I can get some pictures to you guys next week. my computer for some reason won't recognize my Sc card. But last night I had such a great dinner, the people  fed us this super good tasting  fish with cookies and brownies from the oven with coconut salad and blue lemonade... so I am pampered here now and will most likely will get fat. But I love the area and the work, and thank you to all the people who continue to  send me emails . They are really great to get. And I hope you all have a good week this week. Salamat ulit!

Elder Pogi Lloren