Teach it to the Marines! - Week 70. Serving in Laoag

This week we taught P and he committed to read the Book of Mormon before the end of the year (4 pages a day starting last Monday). Wish you could meet him, he is so awesome.

We had M & E's baptism! We got there at 5 (start time was 6) and got everything set up. We had met a member the day before at the mall who is from our ward but moved to Hong Kong to work. She came back to get her patriarchal blessing (they told her to do it in her own country so that the language would be better understood). We invited her to come to the baptism. She was really nice. She is a ward missionary in Hong Kong and works pretty often with the missionaries there.

E texted us around 5:50 and said they were running late for the baptism. Then at 6pm I texted and asked where they were and she said they were still at the house. President B and the stake President and I went to get them as we found out that their little motorcycle ran out of gas. On our way there they texted and said don't worry we got a trike after all. So the baptism all started at around 6:30-7ish. Not bad for a filipino event. The baptism was good. E was really nervous and was afraid that Elder S would keep her down in the water (before they went into the font she said, "Elder, don't kill me!" She's hilarious). All went well. After the baptism we drove them home with President B.

Once we were back at the mission home we made... CHILI NACHOS! Yep, it was a great night. We fasted Sunday and it was a great day. Fasting always seems to do that. Church went well. M was so excited to get the gift of the Holy Ghost. I love that guy.

When church was done, we saw the girl from Hong Kong there. She looked really sad and told us that she goes home on Tuesday and that she still had not been able to get her patriarchal blessing. We went and got the bishop and asked him to help her. He called the patriarch who agreed to see her (his ward is right after hers so they would be at the chapel at the same time anyways) . She texted us later to say thanks. She said that she got her blessing and  it was incredible and answered a lot of the questions she had been having at the time.

Yesterday we found out one of our less actives who initially told us not to come back is in the hospital with some serious medical issues. We visited and they were happy to see us. I hope that they will humble themselves so that God can help them . They are sweet people.

We met an ex-marine who lives two houses down from the mission home. He's really nice and served with a church member before and wants us to help him find him. He apparently was married in the temple in Houston Texas. We are going to his house today to do some service for him . He has a huge Rottweiler and I played with it yesterday. It's so cute.

Four new missionaries arrived yesterday and they go to their areas today. I can't believe how long ago that was for me. Eight months is all I have left. I don't know where it went. Anyways, I love you guys and can't wait to hear from you again.
Elder Dustan

"A mission would be worth it solely for the amazing people you meet and how much happiness they bring you." - Week 69. Serving in Laoag

So much has happened this week. Last P-Day we went to the hospital to visit M who had been admitted for a fever and trouble breathing. Poor guy was in a room packed FULL of people on stretchers. He was in the back corner of the room with an IV in his hand and a big smile on his face as usual. I love that guy. We stayed and chatted with him and E, who was right there by his bed side joking and laughing. Later M's mum showed up and she talked to me about their baptism. She said that she was baptised before (not LDS though). It was a wonderful experience for her and she wants her son and E to have it as well. She is a really sweet lady. We also brought them some copies of the Liahona including the one on the temple (Mga Templo). M opens it, sees the picture of Moses ordaining Aaron, points at it and says to us, "Priesthood?" We haven't even taught about ordination yet. He's a sharp kid.

After we left (everyone in that crowded hospital room stared at us the whole time), we went to P's house but he was sick too! Everyone is getting sick (just wait, there's more of them).

We tracted into a 30-ish year old man and his mother in a little bahay kubo and taught them. They were way nice. After we had taught them I noticed we were all on a bit of a "high", as in we were all suddenly happier. I realized that we have been slacking in finding new people to teach. Sure we have really been helping our recent converts, current investigators and less actives to progress but there are still so many more people around us that haven't heard the gospel. The feeling we all had from sharing the gospel can't be felt in any other way.

Saturday we went to the stake president's house for lunch as it was his birthday. He's a nice man. He lived in California for years and then came back. He loves cars so he and Elder M get along really well. They fed us and fed us and fed us. I was full multiple times. They are a fun family too.

We went to teach P and his wife, S. This is our first time teaching S since she had been in the hospital and had told us she wanted to be baptised. Our plan was to get her to bring it up to see how interested she really was. Then right after we opened the lesson, P says, "S, don't you have something to tell the Elders?"
She is a really shy filipina but in this lesson she spoke openly about what she felt and it was great. She said that when she was in the hospital she was worried about her sins and she decided she wanted to be baptised. She asked us what she needed to do... best question ever! We had Elder S invite her to be baptised. He did a really good job and I think it really boosted his confidence.

After that, we went out to visit a member family and it turns out that nanay was really sick. She could barely move. They live in the middle of nowhere. We gave her a blessing as she asked and then we went and tried to find her a trike to get to the hospital. Just as we started looking, her neighbor came home in a trike. Convenient! But EVERYONE  seems to be getting sick!

Sunday I fasted and it was a great day. Can't believe I used to hate fasting. I found a lot of answers and strength. I wanted a way to help M and his family and to help my companions too. We were asked to go and give the sister in the hospital the sacrament and afterwards we were asked to check her out of the hospital. We had to go and get a paper from the nurses and on it was a little line for every department in the hospital and a thing that said which ones the sister had gone to. Before we could check her out, we had to go to each department and get someone there to sign the thing for us. It was a medical scavenger hunt - way fun.

We brought Tatay P the sacrament again (two opportunities to administer the sacrament in one day, which was awesome). He asked us what the thumbs up symbol meant. We said it means "verrrry gud". He asked about the thumbs down and we said, "verrry bad". Then the thumbs sideways and we said, "verrrry okay". So now he uses those all the time. He says that every day is the same except when we come over. Really nice man. We told him how one duty of the priesthood is to exhort others to pray and that he could get his family to pray together to exercise his priesthood. He was so excited. He said in a quiet voice, "yes.. priesthood duty" and then agreed. His family aren't members and we asked him to introduce us next time.

 On Tuesday Elder M and I went up to Claveria. As I mentioned before, the new rule in the mission is that no one gets washers or dryers. A few areas had them but most didn't. We went to pick up the Claveria elders washer and dryer. I felt bad... I also felt like it was a little hilarious because it's Elder T's area! He teased me for being in the office and now he will be washing with his hands again (the mission home is the only place with washer/dryer privileges because we work later than other missionaries).

A signal-two bagyo/typhoon rolled in while we were teaching E and M. After we left the rain picked up and we got soaked, which I really don't mind. While we were walking, a cube van pulled up and it was the stake president. He asked us to get in and so we sat in the back of a cube van like a bunch of illegal immigrants until we got to our next appointment. When we got out, the rain was crazy. We went to the van window to say bye. They would give away their kidneys if the missionaries asked them too - such sweet people.

 The lighting in the bagyo was NUTS - like about this time last year in Vintar in that big bagyo when the lighting hit right outside the apartment.

 Our lesson with E and M last night was the last before their baptismal interview this Saturday (tomorrow). They are amazing. Though they don't yet understand it all, they know an awful lot. I noticed I often forget E is just 13 and expect too much of her. M told us that his life has changed. He used to feel like life made no sense, like there was a big fog in his life. Now the fog is gone and things make sense. He is so cool. Then we taught the A family. They are so sweet. They are paying tithing now and were asking us about fast offering.

 A mission would be worth it solely for the amazing people you meet and how much happiness they bring you.

No mail is coming through because of the flood in Manila and the storms around here so I won't be sending
letters for a while. Letters have been coming is with pieces soaked and damaged.
I love you guys lots. Ingat
-Elder Dustan

"Ol' (Elder) Blue Eyes" - Week 68. Serving in Laoag

Bit of a different week for me this week, so let's get started. We went on exchange with the zone leaders last Saturday. E and M's baptismal interview was then as well. I went to work in San Nicolas 1 area (the zone leaders' area) with Elder S (New Zealander) and the other Elder S (other member of our threesome companionship). Elder M got to stay in our area. Elder C worked with him and did the interview.

It started pouring when we went out to work and we were all soaked pretty quickly (I don't even bother with a payong anymore as you still get wet when the rain is that strong). San Nicolas is to Laoag as Kanata is to Ottawa. But the city planning here is a little different so when it rains like that, the city floods. The whole night we walked through flooded streets with water just under our knees. It was awesome. It was so nice to be out of the office. We taught some really nice people and got to teach with the bishop. We taught some recent converts - a young girl and an old man. They are both really nice people. The girl couldn't stop staring at us and couldn't get over that I have blue eyes.

We went back to the mission home after exchanges and dried off a little then drove the ZL's back to their apartment. As we drove the Starex through the streets, it made a huge wake in the water and splashed up into peoples houses... felt pretty bad about that. Then we pulled up as close as we could to the gate at their apartment. Elder C got out and climbed along the gate and got in and then Elder S tried to do the same but had to hold himself up against the van as he walked along the gate. Elder M was driving and didn't notice and pulled away - then Elder S fell in the water! It was a good night.

 We taught Tatay P again. He is so nice. He said he feels a little better and he decided to try and go to church on Sunday. We will go over to help him Sunday morning and go with him.

On Monday we taught P and his wife S which was great and then we went out to Gabu which is way far (right by the ocean and where the airport is). We looked for a couple of people out there but they weren't home. We then tracted into this house and talked to the nanay. She was really nice. She invited us in. Her tatay was there. I saw a table with lots of little horns on it. Found out that tatay's business is poison removal! He takes a hollowed cow horn and puts bees wax on the narrow end. Then he puts the big open end over the bite (they use it a lot to heal cobra bites) and with his finger nail makes a slit in the bees wax. Then he sucks on the hole in the wax. The suction makes the blood pool out and takes the poison out with it!!!! How cool is that?

Tuesday we went to the Elders Quorum President's house. He and his wife are very active and great people. They have to take turns coming to church as his mum is very sick. She has gone blind. We got there and they seemed exhausted (they have threes jobs each). We shared a nice message and assured them that God blesses those who serve Him. They asked us to give a blessing to his mum. We sat with her and talked a little. We told her we were missionaries who visit beautiful women so we came to visit her (we clarified who we really were of course but jokes first). She laughed and said, "I'm beautiful am I?"
 We said, "Yes. We are the ones who can see. You're beautiful, take our word for it."
 She had a good sense of humour.  "I'm old." she said, so we used the famous words of a lady we baptized back in Vintar, "Life starts at 70". This Nanay was in good spirits in spite of all her problems. We blessed her and said we would come back to visit again.

I worked with Elder T and Elder S on Wednesday on exchanges and we found some fun people. M asked me to baptize him. I was touched. He and E will be baptized on Saturday - kind of exciting! I'm just scared of them falling away, but I guess that all depends on their choices and on how much I dedicate myself to teaching them.

I love my mission more and more daily. I enjoy every trike ride, every chance I get to teach, every chance I get to speak Tagalog. A mission really helps you live in the moment. Anyways, I am doing well. I love you guys lots!
Elder Dustan

Beachy Clean! - Week 67. Serving in Laoag

Hey guys! Lets start with last week. I forgot to tell you that last Thursday we took E and M to the beach at Fort Ilocandia (where we played rugby before) to do service. Here in the Philippines, an investigator has to do one service project before they are baptised. We took the long walk to the beach (30 minutes one way). Once we got there we cleaned for about an hour and a half (until the sun set) and looked back down the beach and it was all clean. It was a really great experience. The waves in the South China sea were nuts though. I would hate to see it when there's a storm! (actually I would love to see it, but I won't go there in a storm don't worry).

We met a member from Batac and he was so surprised that I am from Canada and Elder M from America and that we can speak and understand each other! For someone who grew up in the Philippines where there is a new language practically every 10km, he can't grasp that two different countries can speak the same language. He was convinced that we speak different classes of English.

We are still trying to get M and E ready for baptism. Last night we had a bit of a question period with them and I couldn't believe how much they know! We asked M why Jesus Christ came to earth and he said,  "Well there are a few reasons. First, to set an example for us that we could follow to get back to heaven. Also to atone for our sins.", and he went on and on. He even had a fever and he still came out to listen. E sent us a text this morning with a little spiritual thought. They are so cool.

 We met a white lady at Pancho's water station (she was buying water jugs). She said, "Can I ask you boys a question?"
I said yes and she asked, "When you die, are you going to heaven?"
We all answered yes and she asked how. We all said that we are doing what Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ want us to do. She said, "Well a lot of people are gonna say that darlin'".
Then she said, " Let me tell you something. It's not about the Book of Mormon. It's not about your good works. It's all about the BIBLE and Jesus dying on the cross. Now you remember that!"
I told her she should at least try and read the Book of Mormon but she wouldn't even listen and she walked away.
 

Right after that we went and talked to two young men about the Book of Mormon and how it teaches of Jesus Christ and how we need to do good works like He did and we will be blessed. It felt so good. I think Elder S really got a boost from that. He had wanted to serve in an English mission and after he met her he realized what an English mission could be like. He also felt a new desire to teach which I could see just by looking at him.

Anyways, I have to get going. I love you all tons. I miss you guys - can't wait to hear from you all next week.
Elder Dustan

Tao Po!! - Week 66. Serving in Laoag

Hey family. This week was great. All kinds of stuff happened. First off, to answer some of your questions: yes I do know my departure date... in fact I know everyone's departure date in the whole mission, right up to the end of2014! I send all travel requests to Salt Lake (or a local office for native missionaries and Pacific islanders etc.) and they send me a proposed itinerary. I tell them if it will work or if it needs to be changed and how. If I am in the office this next transfer I think I will probably end up doing my own travel request... maybe I'll see how many countries I can see on the way home (go to Canada via Scotland and Guam)!
 And as for my camera, I have plenty of room for pictures. I bought a 16GB usb for storing my pictures and then I bought another one for backing them up. And guess what, it was all under 20 bucks!!! They are good quality too.

Okay, so back to my week. We taught P last Friday. He feels he needs to build a childrens hospital. It's his dream. Not that we are going to give him business advice but we want to make sure he balances his "dream," of building a hospital without losing track of providing appropriately for his family. That was a lesson I had never taught before: "How to build a childrens hospital".....random.

On Saturday I woke up at 5:30 on my top bunk, face to face with a huge Tongan man. He said, " You commin' wif me Elda. We goin' to Candon today." So I went to the Candon district's leadership training meeting (which was held in Narvacan chapel...it's been a while). We ate at Narvacan mall at Reby's where we used to eat and they all remembered me which felt good.

 Our investigators, E & M came to church on Sunday, as well as some of our less actives. E seemed sad. In sacrament meeting I sat with her and tried to cheer her up. I got her to smile and then I felt I could ask her what was up. She said, "It was a month ago today that my tatay died."  I showed her the scripture in the Doctrine + Covenants, section 137. I explained what it was about and we read it together. She was fine after that and was her usual self - all smiley and full of jokes and quick remarks.

That afternoon we took the sacrament again to Tatay P. We decided to sit and talk with him a little more than we usually do. He asked all kinds of questions. I think he's had a few of them for a long time but was frustrated as he can't see well so he can't read to find the answers. We sat and answered some of them and then we gave him the sacrament. He is so cool. He treats our little make-shift sacrament meeting like it's the most sacred experience in the whole world.

On Tuesday we had the first office meeting with our new president. All washing machines are now bawal in the mission with the exception of the mission home and mission office. There are three or four apartments that have washing machines and one even has a dryer. We have been instructed to go to those apartments and remove them. I can tell that we are not going to be very popular among a few missionaries.

On Tuesday, when we taught M & E. He asked, "Elder, how do I repent and humble myself before the Lord?". Well, let me tell you - that is the best question I have ever been asked.

P texted us on Wednesday night saying he took his wife to the hospital and that she should be out in a few days. We sent a reply to the effect of, "Oh no! That's no good. Is she ok? We will be praying for her. Is there anything else we can do to help? Any news from the doctors? Take care of her." Then we got a text back saying, "She read your text and she wants to get baptized when she is better."
That is a big deal because she has never said anything like that to us before. Of course, we will still make sure she is ready before she actually gets baptized, but that really made our night.

We went to teach our recent convert, T this week. We often teach him and his wife. We got there and tao po'd for a little bit (that's where you stand at the door and shout "Tao po!" until they come out to see who's at the door. It translates to "people here"). When he came to the door he looked tired. He invited us in and sat down and straight away he said, "Elders, can we talk? I have a problem." He is a very kind and humble man. Anyways, we listened to his concerns about his job and then we gave him a priesthood blessing and we gave him some advice on getting answers. We told him to counsel with the Lord as well as with his wife. So this week I felt like we were of use to the Lord and that is a great feeling.

 I am still very much enjoying my mission. I never enjoyed teaching this much before. Good ol' "being in the middle".
Anyways, I love you guys tons and miss you heaps. If you ever see Alfie (Daniel Alfredsson - captain of the Ottawa Senators NHL hockey team) tell him he has at least two fans in the northern Philippines - me and this random guy in Camalaniugan with a senators hat who would bike by the apartment.
. Ingat
-Elder Dustan