Sulit Talaga: Sto Tomas Area

A "jello" transfer party!

April 16, 2012

Well, hello Fam! This week went by really fast.
I am still trying to learn my area...there is soo
much, although my first area I was in
charge of 39 Barangay's...or like 39 towns. Here-
I am in charge of like 10, but it is loaded with
members. I was surprised and really shocked to
find out they really don't know a ton of less
active members. They have an even smaller
church here than my last area, but more members
that attend it. the sacrament hall is packed. The
Bishop is great, we got to have a PEC meeting...
it turns out they weren't having that before, but I
told him we'd meet him at the church at 6pm
for pec meeting, okay? haha and he just laughed
and said okay...and invited the other aux leaders.
He said he knows they need to have the
meeting, sometime he just slips, but thanks for
the reminder. I just said hey no problem. haha
Anyways, we had our pec meeting, and Bishop
really is pretty organized, and he has the support
of leaders. They are all seeking to magnify their
callings, and that's what it takes in order to have a
successful ward. They have forms written out, and a
computer, and when I ask them to do something,
like for a copy of records they get it to us. Its great...
they have organized Home Teaching, the EQ
President, Pres. Fajardo is soo great. Not related
to my trainer, Sis. Fajardo, but still he is soo
great! Turns out the former bishop here was
former companions with my old Bishop,
Bishop Noel DeGuzman, when they served
their missions years ago in Quezon City. I was soo
taken aback when after we had our MCM meeting
yesterday, Pres Fajardo asked if we could go
with them to a few appointments, they were having
a "Preisthood Carivan" so some of the elders
quorum members were all going to visit less
active members. I was soo impressed.
Pres Fajardo is soo great. they invited us...I
didn't have to invite them haha :) Anyways,
that went well. Each ward here has 15 focus
names of less active families they
wanted to rescue, the missionaries here before,
haven't even met all of those 15 names, and
the ward isn't doing anything to help them...a
nd the year is 1/4 over with already...hopefully
we can get going on it. I have noticed here,
the people's hearts are more hard here. People
were very accepting of us in Lingayen,
but here....they're stubbern, and don't want to
return. Jun Samson, one LA- we visited him
and he said sorry I''m a convert to
"Iglesia ni JesuCristo" and talked about how
his church had the truth and was so great and I
just wanted to say to him "do you know that the
founder of your church used to be LDS, but because
he didn't get callings that he wanted in the church
he went apostate, and then he
created your church and made it like a business
so he makes money? No you didn't know that?
Hmm...well it's the truth" but of course..I
didn't say that...but I really wanted to :) haha
Instead we taught about the Apostasy. I have
learned that is really the key to helping
them understand why we have the true church.
That is why only WE have the true priesthood authority
for ordinances, and that is why it is important. hahaha
Anyways, needless to say their hearts really are
more hard here. And before I got here, I was really
discouraged when I saw they had 0 inv with bap
dates, 0 progressing investigators, 0 progressing
returning less actives...it's like starting over. They only
had an average of like 15-maybe 20 appointments
for a week- usually like 3 appointments a day. I just said,
are you kidding me?! haha I couldn't believe it...I had
about 40 appointments a week at my last area. They
waste their hours by cooking huge meals and won't
leave the house until 1 o'clock. Also, they talk
forever with members, and go to fhe appointments
with active members that don't really need
strenghtening as much as some of the other members
or LA's. I don't know how to fix that without being rude.
Whenever I suggest or comment that it isn't needed,
I just get weird looks and reasons why they need
to go.
I try and use my time wisely. I don't want to waste my time
here, I know that I am accountable for every minute
here in the missionfield.
Sis. Olila is great, she is a great missionary,
and she is really great at preach by the ways...we
are learning from each other, they just need to learn
how to use their hours more wisely. I am getting
frustrated though...oh well its like D&C 3:3 says, the
work of god cannot be frustrated...but only the
work of man. So in order to fix the problem, we are
going to be finding like crazy all the less actives,
they have over 1000 members in Carmen ward, and
10.5% attendance. haha So...we'll find the low hanging
fruit, and start over. Its hard to find though and
suggest ideas when I don't exactly know the area...
like at all. I don't know who is really active, and it's
soo many names to memorize. I'm just praying that the
Lord will help me remember all of the many people
here and their needs.
On the other hand...great things about my apt situation.
I am learning how to cook many many philipino
dishes....I am gonna be a real pro when I get back.
I cook it, but I don't really eat it...because they
fry everything here...it's soo easy to cook philipino
style rice & fry whatever you want...eggplant...chicken...
liver...whatever haha That is why all the philipinos have
high blood pressure...haha So...I will cook but not
always eat, but I want to learn! :) Also, Sis. Olila
agreed to run with me every morning! I am soo
excited...we go running every day now and it feels
soo good, I'm starting to be healthy again! haha :)
This week I was reading in personal study, and I read
Moroni 8: 2-3 and I just started to get teary eyed as
I thought of Dad talking to me. I replaced my name
with son, Moroni. The mission is busy, and hard...but
at the same time not really hard. It's the best place you
could be, and it's doing the work of the Lord.
And as Dad always says, the standard of truth has
been erected. No unhallowed hand can stop the work
from progressing.

.
Anyways, of course the work is going great, and it's