This is an example of the hard gospel library that some members have: Teachings of the Presidents, seminary manuals, and others. It’s so cool to see how important gospel knowledge is to some members. 

 

A flower that is my mom’s favorite color ;)

 

Classic landscape of Baguio. 

 

Baguio ulit (again) with Elder Atkinson while we had exchanges as both of our companions were sick. 

 

Last P-day when Bro Richard Turner took us out to eat STEAK!! It was delicious. Big shoutout to him for feeding us good.

 

Elder Beck with his 24 ounce T-bone.

 

Me and Elder Atkinson again. 

 


These are the missing pictures from last week.  Also these pics of us eating and the stairs at the Crown Legacy Hotel. These two nice ladies (sister members) took us out for breakfast. It was masarap!  

2 things only, cuz I gotta write some college essays.

 

Elder Lloyd is my favorite Baguio Mission Chorister. He is also my first District Leader ever and my current Assistant...(to the President) He goes home in less than a month!

Also these pics of us eating, of some stairs and of the chandelier are at the Crown Legacy Hotel. These two nice ladies (sister members) took us out for breakfast. It was masarap!  (Some pictures were not accessible through a google drive - might have them next week.)

 

 

 

 

Us with the Bishop’s boys as they drove us back to the house after FHE.

Elder Beck carrying Bro Danny up the 220 steps to the road where we got a taxi to take us all to church. He's gonna go back to live with his Family in Bisias but he wanted to come to church one more time. He had a stroke that affected his whole right side so he's pretty kawawa. 

 

Enjoying the view from the Bagnos's porch.

  

Shots taken from the bus as it traveled up to BAGUIO CITY. All those coke bottles fell off the truck, I don’t know how/why or when, I just know I saw a bunch of kids walking away with free cokes :)

Finally, a pic of the first carpeted chapel I've yet been in during my time here in the Philippines. Also my shoes, soles, and socks :) 

 

The area has been going really well here in San Fernando Zone, Sevilla Ward. We are working a lot more with the members and focusing more on Re-activation of long-time less active families.  Then, as they are returning to church, we will teach their family members and invite them to be baptized so that they can just, you know, get into heaven and be with their families eternally (no biggie). J

One investigator right now is Sister Angelica B., she is a referral from (shout out to Kat (Katleen Jucutan)). She is progressing suuuper well and is to the point where if there is a commandment, or thing that she needs to do but isn't yet, she has the faith to completely change to more fully obey and follow the commandments.

BUUUT

I will not be there to witness her baptism because I was a victim of Special Transfers. Its kinda like an Emergency Transfer, it just happens rarely halfway through a transfer. I have been called to be a Zone leader in Baguio City, Pactel Ward. I’m excited because it’s Baguio, one of the major famous cities in the Philippines and my Companion will be @Elder Beck #Batch #6footer #6monthsnalang.  

But I am really sad to be leaving this area. I feel like in my 3.5 months here I've finally learned how to be a missionary who can stand up for anything and do what we’re supposed to even if it’s hard/tiring. I'm relieved to know that my replacement, Elder Grimm, is also my Batch and I know I can trust him in the area. He'll take everything we were doing and magnify it x100; he’s a really great missionary, and amazing at the language. 

HAPPY NEW YEARS!!!!! 

I had a weird experience today, while emailing, my Mom chatted me telling me that my sisters were outside yelling "Happy New Years" to passing cars. It was strange cuz I had just celebrated the same event, same time, but about 14 hours earlier. It is now about 4 o'clock in the afternoon here, Power of time change, no? New Years here was fun, I think New Years was more of a national holiday than Christmas just because there were so few people today in the market it felt empty, probably only every 7th stall (shop) was open. Last night we stayed up with the rest of the Philippines until Midnight (the fireworks started at 6:30 once the sun went down). Once the clock struck 12 (on our nokia brick cellphone) the entire country burst into a roar of Fireworks, plastic Trumpets, pots and pans being banged together, car horns, yelling, and coins being thrown onto the floor (one of the cool New Years superstitions here. Another cool superstition here is that on the New Years eve you need 12 different kinds of fruit to be displayed, it will help your year to be "fruitful" or "mabunga" bunga=fruit(of your labors) and the ma makes it an adjective.

Bye Bye,

Have a fun Day!!!

Us helping sister Juvy Ann get her carienderia ready for grand opening on Jan 3.

 

Me pretending I have a Selfie stick like my cool companion Elder Aguirre, but no it’s just a broom :)

First we got Elder Fowler and me.

Jucutan Family after they went caroling, counting their money.  They were gone 2 hours and got 822 pesos split into 4 is 205, not bad at all for going out singing with your friends.

Sister Evelyne and Elder Aguirre My new Companion. Sister Evelyn got baptized on Saturday!! She asked Bishop Rabe to baptize her and he happily obliged, even though the white baptismal clothes made him look like Baymax.

 

Jacob, aka Kolbe, my favorite kid of Sevilla Ward. He's 3 but talks up a storm and is super mischievous. He has 5 brothers/sisters and they live in a Christ-centered home. I took a picture of him and Chacha sleeping cuz that’s how I sleep on the tile cuz it’s hot, but they have a mattress.

 

Last of all Shout-out to Precious Aquino, she’s sent a lot of pictures to my family while I had no camera.

Casan Jucutan, Angelia B. (has a Baptismal Date for January 20, Precious Aquino, Kaizyl Jucutan, Yours Truly :)