Week 16 - Mighty in word by Faith... eventually
- Ansel Childers
- Aug 27, 2018
- 3 min read
Kumusta sa inyong lahat!! Another week down. I'm getting the hang of the routine out here, and I'm adjusting more and more each week. This week has been really really good for me. Me and Elder Ruiz are in an area called Abulug. It's huge. The area is the biggest Elder's area in the mission, and all we have are two somewhat really dysfunctional bikes. Anyways we have talked with each other about the work that we want to see done in this area, and we are focusing right now on getting to know the area better so that we can more effectively work here. Apparently there's no such thing as maps here so we've gone "finding" (more like exploring) a couple times this week. I love it. We've stumbled across places that we think missionaries haven't been to in a LONG time or even ever. On one day, we found 13 new investigators in 2 hours!!
So for our area vision, we want to first get to know this area very well. Then after that, we are planning on spending time in only a couple places in our area. We think it will be effective. But as for right now until the end of the transfer we're trying to meet with ward members and explore the area. On Saturday we were exploring in Consuelo, and we both got absolutely drenched in rain and mud. Elder Ruiz's shoes even fell apart and he had to walk barefoot for an hour or so. We are blessed with the members here, they gave us a ride home so we didn't have to walk. The people here are truly so humble and willing to help with anything!
Some cool food that I've eaten so far:
- Rice
- Chicken Intestine
- Avocado cut up on a tray and condensed milk poured over it.
- Rice
- Chicken and potato? soup
- Rice
- Baked / Boiled Bananas
- Fried duck egg ---- This is my absolute favorite thing I've had here so far.
- More rice
Last Monday I was doing my laundry and then all of the sudden a FREAKING demon spawn spider crawls out and says hi... That thing was straight out of the forbidden forest man!!! Also I', starting to get used to the fact that cockroaches are all over our house, we go hunting every night we come home. It's actually getting kinda fun hunting them down. I'll include some pictures
On Tuesday, I went on an exchange with Elder Ballan, one of the Zone Leaders. He's really cool, and I learned a lot from him. When we were planning for the day, I told him that I could barely speak Tagalog and absolutely no Ilokano, so I couldn't really teach.
He then replied: "What do you mean you can't teach? You can teach! They aren't going to remember what you say - they might remember being visited by some American who spoke retarded Tagalog - but they will always remember how they felt. You need to remember that!"
What he told me has come back to my mind many times this week. I've felt discouraged when I want to add something to the lesson, but I think that I can't because I'm afraid of messing up in the language. "You can teach!" Tagalog has been hard. I have to remind myself that I'm only three weeks in to actually being in it. Elder Ruiz tells me that I'm making good progress on it, but I still have a hard time understanding a lot of what people say.
I came across this scripture in Ether 12:23: "Lord thou hast made us mighty in word by faith... because of the Holy Ghost which thou hast given." I can become mighty in word because of the Holy Ghost. I've been reminded that the Spirit is the true teacher, the true missionary! Even though I can't speak a whole lot yet, I have faith that I will become mighty in word.. eventually. In both Tagalog and Ilokano. I'll get there!!
Ingat kayo, make an amazing week!
Elder Childers










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