You know it’s close when you check the flight plans and search the seating lay-out of a BOEING 767-300 and EMBRAER 175 to see if you're in a window or aisle seat :)

I had my last Sunday in Damortis yesterday, as long as I get permitted to visit one of my last areas on the Sunday before going home. I have been following my Mom's advice, and took more pictures this week than I have in entire areas before. We also did a ton of fun activities, mostly CSPs (Community Service Projects).

We planted rice in 3 fields on 3 different days. The first day was for a person we're teaching, and we were really bad, like we planted too much rice, our lines weren't straight and it was super slow. Sister Raquel Munar (add her on FB to see us :) ) came and took pictures of us and posted it to Facebook, so basically the Whole Barangay knows there’s 2 amerikanos who will plant rice for free (or a little snack afterwards). The second day was another small scale bukid but then Brother Oliver took us with him to meet his Mom, who lives probably 5 minutes away. We were able to teach her on Saturday and hopefully we'll be able to teach all of Oliver's uncles, titas and cousins. After the first time we met Oliver's Mom, they set us up with another rice planting gig in their clan's bukid (rice field). We told them we'd be happy to help and would come back the next morning at 8. We were a tiny bit late and had to be led across a hill, up a mountain, and down the other side to find where the 25 men were working on 2 bukids which were probably 40x50 yards, no joke, this was way bigger scale than we had experienced before. Like on Breaking Bad when he sells to a couple street guys then gets mixed up in an entire mafia. We went from helping a 45 year old lady, then a 24 year old man, to working alongside with 25 men who were insanely fast at planting, and their lines were super straight and uniform. I was thoroughly impressed. We are hoping that from showing people that we are willing to help alongside them, they will be more apt to accepting the messages we have, even if not from us, but from future missionaries. All-in-all it was a great time. 

 

 

 

 

 

After a lesson at the STA Cruz's house,something flew into the curtain from outside and started moving around. Elder Pettit and I thought it was a Toko, a type of lizard about 8 inches long. There’s one that lives in the upstairs and only comes down sometimes. I ran up, grabbed it (still wrapped in the curtain) and realized it was not scaly like a Toko, it was furry and soft. I told them it was a bat, they said it was a rat, Elder Pettit told me to grab it. SIs Mylene handed me a paper thin piece of cloth to grab it with haha. I asked if they had anything thicker so I didn’t get bit through the fabric. I finally got to it and saw it was a bird! Luckily sister Mylene had a spare bird cage we could put it in just long enough to take pictures. We let it go just in case it had babies or something.

I don’t know if I’ll be able to send an email next week, just know I'll be home soon and I love you all.

Everyone is welcome to come to my homecoming talk at church (3722 NE Going St, Portland, OR 97211) on the 22nd of July in Portland Oregon, It will start at 10 AM.

And we’re gonna have an Open House at my house the same day, beginning at 2 PM – come on over!

Elder Hennessey

 

(Just rain)

 

This is what snail eggs here look like @Torben (all along the wall)

 

We saw some frogs chillin in holes in a dirt bank; I took a  picture of the next hole checking if there was a frog in the way back, little did I know there was a massive spider camouflaged right next to the opening. 

Our friend Arman at 7-11 was on his last day, so he let us self-serve the soft-serve ice cream.

aso mo, kambing mo, itali mo "your dog, your goat, you tie it up".

About 18 months agoo I had scratched my name into a piece of bamboo. And now, 1.5 years later, it was still there haha It was a nice little throwback to my first area. 

 I also had a monkey climb on me, super cool experience, that’s the 2nd monkey I've held here :)

This week I was able to bear my testimony in the last Fast and Testimony meeting of my mission. It was nice, I don’t know if I'll be able to speak again from the pulpit here, so I was glad for the opportunity.  I have to say, of all the units I've been assigned in, Damortis is one of the most actively Involved in missionary work. They are always happy to work with us and to refer their family and acquaintances to hear the missionary discussions. 

On Thursday I was able to go on exchanges again with Elder Affleck to my old area Agoo Branch 3 in order for Elder Maners to interview Cindy Puzon for Baptism. While in Agoo, I showed Elder Affleck around to some of the people we had been teaching before, whom I felt could really progress/benefit from the blessing of the Gospel. We also were able to visit sister Dulce, a Nanay up in the Mountain of Santa Maria. About 18 months agoo I had scratched my name into a piece of bamboo, and now, 1.5 years later, it was still there haha. It was a nice little throwback to my first area. I also had a monkey climb on me, super cool experience, that’s the 2nd monkey I've held here :)

Saturday Cindy as baptized by Elder Pettit. Elder Fenn was allowed to come back to see the baptism since he was one of the missionaries who taught her. Normally this isn’t allowed but Elder Fenn was a special exception. The baptism was very nice; she gave a very nice testimony afterwards. We just need to make sure that she can have lots of support from the branch to help her become even stronger in the church. Anyone else who we are teaching will be baptized after I've already landed in America sooo thats wierd, but at the same moment Fine by me.

22 Days nalang ;)

Elder Hennessey

On this the 25th day of the 6th month in the 2018th year of the Coming of Christ, Elder Hennessey has a remaining 23 days before he will set foot on American soil once again. It’s hard to imagine that I will actually be coming home after such a long time. I'm sure all of the things I have seen and done here will help me throughout my life but where I'm at right now... It seems crazy! Literally having planned out just about every week for the past 104 weeks, that realm of planning is about to hit a brick wall - Then it’s just work and school. 

But as long as I’m still here, I might as well tell you about Cindy. Cindy is the youngest sister of the Branch President. She’s super cool and had her 24th Birthday on Sunday. She has had all but the last missionary lesson, about the baptismal covenant; what our covenant (promise) is to God when we are baptized, and what his promised blessings are to us when we uphold that promise. The change we've seen in her as we teach is like night and day!  At first we thought she wanted nothing to do with us haha (I doubt she'd argue that much) but now she is fulfilling all of the commitments we give to her and is growing in her faith on the doctrines and testimony of the truth of our message. 

Everyone loves telling me I’m getting close to going home. I don’t know what the last week will be like. Hopefully not just visiting a ton of members, I want to leave the area alive and flourishing for Elder Pettit so he can have a good last area. He goes home in October so this will most likely be his last area too. We were house mates in Baguio, and then he followed me down to the low-lands :)

Lastly, we are doing a Book of Mormon reading schedule as a mission, always following up on peoples reading to see how they’re doing and what their learning about. It’s been a nice experience because we have some investigators who are only on chapters 1-10 of the Book of Mormon, so reading it from the start again is kinda fun reading along with them. Sister Raquel, another investigator, shared with us how she likes that all families will prosper if they follow the commandments. Of course I agreed, but I didn’t realize that it states that very clearly in the second chapter:

20 And inasmuch as ye shall keep my commandments, ye shall prosper, and shall be led to a land of promise; yea, even a land which I have prepared for you; yea, a land which is choice above all other lands.

21 And inasmuch as they brethren shall rebel against thee, they shall be cut off from the presence of the Lord.

I hope all of you had an awesome week, Seeyalls soon!

Elder Hennessey​

Elder Pettit teaching kids to be reverent in the Sacrement Hall.

 

As punishment for losing at Family Home Evening games, sometimes you get marks on your face (lipstick, liquid eyeliner and baby powder).

FHE at the Nabor House :)

Here are the pics of the week:

 

ME with Lambert, a guy we met and taught and baptized in Baguio. He’s awesome!!

(no picture included)

Working with Members, Namely si President Nabor the 1st Counselor.

(no picture included) 

Friendly reminder to get your bukid ready to plant rice in it in the next 2 weeks. 

  

A Soccer referee wandered into the bukid/field next to our house, Philipino or Hispanic not yet confirmed. 

 

Pics of the baptism of Junarya and Vixen Lee (Tubby) Munar. 

A ton of stuff happened this week, and most importantly I wrote about most of it in my Journal. A cool think that happened is that Elder Pettit and I went finding and met a really nice guy and gal and were able to teach all of lesson one to them. Lesson one is The Restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I have to say, throughout all of my many companions I have learned very well how to teach and explain doctrine and help people to set goals and make commitments to eventually get closer to doing the ordinances necessary to get into heaven. I have a lot of faith in other missionaries too, as long as they are living the things they teach. It’s really uplifting when you can see someone understanding, and then they say "you're not like other missionaries who come through here, we actually understand what you’re saying and you make sense." It’s because of the Holy Ghost that they understand, and it’s through the Holy Ghost that we always receive affirmations that our actions are indeed correct. 

And I really just wanna remind everyone that I come home in 28 days, no I'm not trunky I'm just ready. 

Elder Hennessey

This week was... WOW Very ummm, I'll just tell you a day by day. 

Monday: P-Day. Saying goodbye to members with Elder Fenn and then eating with President Dungan in Agoo.

Tuesday: Transfer Day. Waited for Elder Llagas among other missionaries coming from other zones. Got to work about 4:30.

Wednesday: Elder Pettit (My new companion) got sick so we went to Lorma, the Hospital in San Fernando, got confined until Thursday, we got home around 7:30 and went to bed after studying a little. 

Friday: Missionary Leadership Council. Talked with other mission leaders and President Bangal about stuff happening and how to help Baguio Mission.  Got out at 2, went to Lorma to get another check-up cuz Elder Pettit was feeling bad again, and then went home. Changed in time to get to Damortis Branch's Bonding night, where we just play basketball and ping-pong to help others feel comfortable hopefully about coming to the chapel. Elder Pettit led an impromptu Chapel tour; it was awesome. He grabbed a group of kids and told them to come into the church and he started talking about the stories in the pictures in all of the LDS Chapels. We ended in the room of the Baptismal Font, where people who have taken the missionary discussions and have felt that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is indeed the same restored church that Jesus started when he walked the earth, can be baptized to be numbered in Jesus Christ’s one and only True Church. Basically Elder Pettit had a really good impression on the Branch. I think he will love it as his last area since he only has 4 months left too.

Saturday: Went to Agoo to have some interviews with missionaries, then to Bani to have Vixenly and Junayra interviewed for their baptism, then we got picked up by a member to go to Sison to interview his wife for Baptism. He said he was willing to wait a little bit to give us a ride to make sure that the interview happened so that he could be the one to baptize his wife the next weekend. I think that’s pretty special, finding the Gospel and then baptizing your wife. 

Sunday: We finally got a good couple hours of straight work, but being at Lorma (the hospital) for so long and having to do so many other things really killed the flow of the week. 

This morning we went to Rosario to play Basketball for 2.5 hours, I was dead tired afterwards. Shoutout to GSW with the sweep 4-0. 

I have 35 DAYS left in the Philippines, not weeks, not months, DAYS. It’s crazy to think about, I actually try not to think about it too much. I don’t know what it will be like to come home, not get into proselyting clothes (white shirt and tie) but just to kinda hangout before going on a fun trip with my family. Although, good sign, I had my first positive going home dream last night, where I wasn't worried, didn’t wake up thinking "Dang I still have 18 months left!!!" It was just nice to be in America with my family. I was also a giant who couldn't fit through the hallways of my house though, so, you tell me what that means haha

Pictures: 

Me and Elder Pettit 

I got my eyebrows done by a girl with a razor blade. 

Cows and carabaos (water buffalo) don't get along.

 Picture from MLC

On Tuesday I will have entered into the last transfer of my mission. I also will get my last companion, Elder Pettit! We were house-mates in Baguio; he is a super cool guy, used to be recorder and drive all around our mission in our blue truck. He will be the one to "kill" me, a term used when someone is a missionary’s last companion before going home. I look forward to him being in the house and in the area. 

 

On Saturday we had a very nice CSP (Community Service Project). We cleaned and painted the High School of Amlang. It was a whole lotta fun to help all of the youth and YSA of the church to do this, and it’s nice to know that our efforts will be seen by many for a long time. After the painting we rushed home to shower and eat before the Baptism of John Mark Dacanay and Sister Alice Lopez. It was a very nice service, besides the fact that we didn't have power in Damortis until just about the closing song of the Program, and halfway through the first speaker a bagyo (storm) started outside. It was a very nice service and its always an honor to perform the ordinances of Baptism and Confirmation.

Congratulations to all those who just graduated from your various levels of Education, from preschool to College but most importantly those Graduating from HIGHSCHOOL haha Congratulations Greta!!!

Also I ate fried frog :) 

Elder Hennessey

Tiegue got this picture from his sisters.  In March, Siany (top) and Greta visited their Grandma Terry who is on an 18-month mission in Salt Lake City Utah.