24 May 2010

Watz up lahat!

Lahat means "All". ha ha Well I'm not a Filipino by any means but I think its safe to say that the Tag-ulan or rainy season is here.  Even if its not here in full fledge its been raining almost every day this week and it is AWESOME!!!!  I love it.  ha ha I'm pretty sure that my companion doesn't like me very much.  We were out tracting in the rain and he's already caught a sniffle. ha ha His nose has been running and he's had a bad headache.  ha ha.  Yeah that was my fault, but he is a trooper cuz we've still been going out and working.  ha ha.

Well today is the last day of the transfers and I will be staying in Bani for at least one more transfer, hopefully 2, because I would really like to stay here until I'm over a year.  Mostly because it is a pain to move ha ha.  But tomorrow we will transfer apartments to Bani which will help us a ton on saving money because for the last 2 transfers I've had to use a bit of personal money for travel.  Thank goodness I have it!!!!  Speaking of saving money, we had a really good fireside last night about saving money. I don't know if the members took much from it but we missionaries did ha ha holy cow!

I got Elder Pennock to eat Balout the other day, it was fun. We had 3 other elders there and 2 sisters, cool huh? ha ha When we asked him how it was, he just replied "its alright" ha ha i don't think he's a big fan of it. 
Teaching was slow this week, but I'm sure it will pick up.  I guess last week we had over 700 new investigators in the whole week, that was way over what president expected, he was hoping for around 500, so he was way happy.  They have been putting a big stress on getting our stats up because our mission is in need of more missionaries and if we can show that we are working we will get more missionaries. 

Yesterday we had an interesting experience after church, we had a birthday party of one of the members after church, of course there were non-members there and true to filipino culture there were people drinking.  They were wasted! Then the grandpa of the girl whose birthday it was said "okay, we gotta stop drinking before something bad happens, there's kids here and we can't be having a fight here." Well, that started the fight.  One guy started pushing another, then one guy punched another then they drug one guy away, then he tried to come back 2 times and they drug him away again, then he came back with a piece of wood. That made things real interesting.  There was a lot of screaming girls and the guys that were sober were trying to break everything up.  It was really exciting but at the same time sad because of the cause of it and knowing the people.  I was ready to jump in and help till Nanay told me to get my butt back in the house.  You don't mess with Nanay. ha ha.  Drinking is really the root of all evil and it is sad that it controls a lot of people over here.  It's up to us to change that.

We were teaching this one guy the other day at the wet market and he was telling us how he wanted to change his life.  Then as we were teaching we had 4 other people come over and ask us to come share with them. One ol boy mentioned that he wanted to become a member.  It was amazing how we've seen the Lords hand here lately. I love it. 

Miracles are real.  God lives. And I love being a missionary.

Until next week
Elder Chase

24 May 2010‏

Hey everyone,

Well it has been another amazing week here in Paradise! We had some really good stuff happen this week.  Tuesday I got to go up and do exchanges with a missionary from California.  Dang Californians.  ha ha Just kidding, Elder Pennock is a Californian too.  I can't say nothing bad about them.  So we went up to Bolinao and because we had interviews with President Aquino that day we didn't get up there until about 6:00pm.  which meant that we only had time for about 3 appointments.  So we went to one and the house was right on the beach. It was beautiful! we got there about the time the sun was going down.  I hate my job. ha ha.  Then we went to the other one and got lost on the way. Then the last one the people were very rich and had a sweet kubo! I'm gonna buy one when i get back to America, maybe I'll just live in it! Basically a kubo is a bamboo hut.  Then the next day we returned to Alaminos so I could get my companion again.  Only to find out that they didn't get to go to work yesterday because the Elder that is usually up in Bolinao had to get an x-ray.  That was a little irritating, but oh well, life goes on.  The Huellas family is doing great, we taught brother and sister last week and I think that they will get baptized before too much longer.  They are golden.  One of the few people I've seen over here that disciplines their kids. 

On Saturday night we had an interesting experience.  We went to one of our investigators, Cel, we knew her husband didn't like us very much, but then he made it very apparent then.  So we got there just after dark and we started tao po-ing (that's how you tell people that there are people on their doorstep, instead of knocking).  Then he comes to the door and was like don't come to my house after dark.  Come in the morning, or in the afternoon but not at night.  So I was like sorry brother, then we went to leave and he muttered something. so as kindly as I could say it I said, what did you say? Then it started getting interesting.  he took it offensively.  Then he went back in his house and came back out with an empty beer bottle and he was ready to use it.  So i was just like okay, I get it and we started backing away.  He said, we are Roman Catholic, and we don't want to move to another church, we are Romano. blah blah blah. So I says, okay.  then we left then he came out after us and tried to apologize and I accepted it but we won't be going over there anymore.

As we walked away I had thoughts of what Elder Edwards had said at Zone Conference about how we needed to stand as reps of Jesus Christ whose name is on our name tags.  We can't respond badly to the bad things that come, if we do and other people see, there is the reputation of the church at stake.  Then  I also had the thought of the scripture that says, he that looses his life for my sake, shall find it.... but that kinda faded when I thought about getting my skull fractured and cut up by a beer bottle.  ha ha

In other fun things that happened last week. We had a crazy rainstorm on Tuesday and I went out and started playing in it with the kids. I got drenched and then I had to go into and interview with president Aquino, He says, you're all wet.  I just smiled. then he said, yeah, I saw you out there racing the kids across the parking lot in the rain.  One of those kids was quick, holy cow! Or maybe I'm just slow?

Then yesterday in church we walked into church at 8:55 and president says, oh, Elder, your speaking today, I need you to fill 10 minutes.  Talk about a rush eh? ha ha But it all turned out good.  Then the district president came up and chewed our branch out because we were the lowest sacrament attendance and we were seriously slacking in other areas.  I was so happy, cuz we've been trying to get things going up there including getting an Elders Quorum president called in the branch.  It was awesome, I thanked him after and I had a smile on my face the whole time he was talking.  ha ha

Well that's all I've got time for this week.

Love you  all

Elder Chase

17 May 2010‏


Wow what a crazy week! But not a lot really happened.
Monday we got assigned to the house because of the elections and we couldn't go out because some angry person or rioter might come kill us or something ha ha. We painted our house in morning and I'm proud to say that I didn't get any paint on my clothes!!! Cool huh. Then in the afternoon we got really bored and went outside and played baseball in the little courtyard of our house. We used a bamboo pole as our bat and a tape ball as a ball ha ha, then it got hit up on the roof of our house. The first time I roped it off. It was SWEET!!!! Then the next time in the 2nd inning it got hit over the roof and they boosted me up on the roof and I had to run and get it. I don't think those roofs are as stable in the ones in America. ha ah But I made it through. My friend once told me that the cool thing about buffalo is that they face their fears so like a buffalo I jumped up on the roof and hoped I didn't fall through.(maybe a light buffalo) Don't worry I was smart I walked on the bolt line ha ha.
Tuesday we went to Santa Cruz for our Zone Conference with Elder Edwards, he is the Area president over here. Wow, what a smart guy. We have one new member, Edralin, that likes to ask deep questions about the Gospel. Well my knowledge of the gospel is limited. So we asked him the questions and he answered it as easy as the question "Who is the son of God?" We didn't get home till late from there so no work! Dang!

Wednesday we went to work and had a good day. Taught a bunch of lesson and went out to one member and ended up walking home in the dark. We said a prayer before we left and low and behold about 10 minutes after we started walking my companion got bit by a snake! So he's been in the hospital for the past week and i'm working with a branch missionary. Nah just kidding. Gotcha!!:) After about 10 minutes a tricycle came and it was actually an answer to my prayer because I was hoping that a tricycle would come so we didn't have to walk home past the cemetary in the dark. So we flagged the guy down and he consented to take us to the highway where we would walk to the town square (Bayan) so my companion jumped on the back and I squeezed into the side cart. ha ha After about 2 seconds I figured out that they guys were Drunk off their rockers! ha ha ha They were so funny! One of them wanted to read something so I gave him a restoration pamphlet. ha ha Then I took their names and told them we would go to their houses. ha ha. I love Drunk guys they are sooo funny and they are easy to talk to! When we got to the highway they shook my hand and one followed me out of the tricycle and wanted to walk. He was too drunk to walk so I helped him get back in the tricycle.

Thursday, nothing really crazy happened but we did teach a bunch of really good lessons. we have one investigator that told us she wanted to learn, she only has a 4th grade education but her faith is such that she will read the Book of Mormon even though it is hard for her. She believes everything we say and we got her to pray when we were there, it was really cool. One of the fruits of this work is when you get to see people progressing and their first prayer is especially a great thing to see. Sometimes you can feel that they are stuck and you have to say a couple words to get them going again but by small and simple steps great things happen. Especially when it comes to missionary work. Even with our drunk investigator, it starts with getting him to reduce his shot size, then his amount of shots. Then getting him to come to church. It is great to see. Even if they fall back into their old ways for a bit. You can pull them back out easier when they have the desire and they know what is right.

The other days of the week. Nothing really happened. Sunday we went right to Bolinao for baptismal interviews right after church. It is cool being able to do baptismal interviews and see listen to people express their feelings about the things that they had to do in order to get to the point that they are at. For many it is literally a life turn around.

Sunday as well, we had one family come to church. the Huellas (Wellias) family, they are such a great family. The first couple times we went there they told us right up front that they were hard core Catholic. We said, "thats fine we just want to share with you about the gospel of Jesus Christ and if at ever you don't like it, just say so." Then we got them to church. The kids, and the wife all have friends now and brother, I think he has a few familiar faces there. I think they will be back, they are such a great family. We'll see what happens to them.

Thats about all I ahve time for this week. Thank you to everyone for everything.

Love you all

Elder Chase

8 May 2010‏

So I know this is early but because the elections are on Monday we won't be a able to go out on Monday.  So, we are emailing today. 

Wow what a week! Not a lot happened but what did happen was really good.  I have a new record, but one that I never thought I'd have.  The record: most number of people I made cry in one week: 7! Yeah, and I wasn't even a jerk to them.  At least I don't think I was.  I just was teaching. We got really deep into some of the stuff we were talking and a lot of the time it was when I was explaining to them about the atonement. Oh yeah, they all have some big problems that they are working through right now.  One is an Alcoholic, another is a single mom and 17 years old, another has been fighting with her asawa (husband), because she wants to go to church but her husband is being dumb. Another was my companion, and another was a member that was with us.  If I had a heart I'm sure I coulda cried too but...

One gentleman we met last Sunday, he was drunk off his rocker last week, and we almost didn't stop but I figured what the heck.  So we went down and taught him once, and he said he was converted he believed our message. Of course I couldn't take him serious but I told him to be sober then we would come back and share with him.  I stressed how important it was that he was not drunk when we taught him

Then we went back and he was drunk again.  He said he was sober until 2:30 when we said we would be there. But because we were trying to get things coordinated with our new house we were not able to get there till 3:00. Nevertheless, we went to his house and talked to him and he just started crying just bawling.  He said he just wanted to die. After a while I got him calmed down and convinced that he didn't wanna die, at least not yet.  Then we settled on he wanted to change.  So we told him NO MORE ALCOHOL until tomorrow morning after we come.  He said he would do it.  Then about the cigarettes.  He said 8 I said 5 he said 8 I said 5 he said 7 then I said fine 6 it is,  ha ha and he agreed. So the next day we went to his house and he was sober! It was awesome and he listened and interacted in the whole lesson.  Then we left and came back the next day, then the next day.  When we saw him last night he was with his group of drinking buddies and he was sober and while we were there he only had 2 shots. I was so proud! Then when he shook our hands I looked into his eyes, and you could tell that he was serious about changing, there was love in his handshake.  He and a bunch of his buddies are going to go to church on Sunday. 

I know that if we have patience with him and keep working with him he will be able to change his life. His eyes are all yellow from the excessive amounts of alcohol. He's been poisoned bad from the alak (alcohol) but he will get better, I know.

Thats really the highlight of my week.  Elder Pennock is doing good, he's progressing very fast and I'm having to teach less and less.  He is not afraid of anything and he has such a great spirit about himself. 

Other than that I've got nothing. 
Love you all

Elder Chase

3 May 2010‏

Hey Everyone,

Wow time is flying by. I can't believe I'm almost 1 year out! wow! But its great.  We had 2 baptisms yesterday! Jhonalyn Castil and Glenda Taganap.  They were both so happy, they were practically glowing! Now we just gotta help them stay active and get referrals from them! ha ha. 

Last week we spent a lot of time visiting inactive members.  At one of the places we walked in and sat down and almost right off he said that he wanted to go to the temple.  He added that he is over his 1 year mark since his baptism.  I said that's great brother but you've gotta go to church and prepare yourself for the temple! ha ha He was like, okay! So we'll see what happens, he didn't come to church so we are going back there tomorrow.

We had our first big rainstorm of the season on Friday. We live in Alaminos and we were sure if it was raining in Alaminos it would be raining in Bani, so we wore our rubber boots.  ha ha Well we got off the bus, and it was blue skies, and a slight breeze, no chance of rain in sight.  Those boots were really hot.  ha ha Then to top it all off my umbrella broke! oh man! It was an interesting day, not very productive, but funny! ha ha I think one of the funniest things was seeing Elder Pennock run around outside of the apartment like a 5 year old screaming and yelling in the rain.  ha ha I was rolling, then he'd go to one door and look out then run to the other one and look out.  ha ha It was his first rain storm here in the Philippines. Little does he know what will be coming!

We went and looked at a house up in Bani on Saturday. Becuase of the big typhoon Emo last year, it took the roof off the house like many others up there but they had fixed most of the house up and we might be moving in as early as next week if all goes well. They still need to do some more fixing on it, the ceiling, the counters, the sink, a couple windows, and repaint but it will be so nice to be able to live in our area, if we move up there while I'm still here. It will mean that in all of my areas thus far, we have moved apartments. Its funny, I'm getting really good at checking apartments to see if they will pass the office inspection.

Yesterday our whole schedule stood us up, all of our investigators. So we just decided that we were going to walk until we found someone to teach.  We didn't have to walk very far.  It wasn't long before we had a drunk guys chasing us.  ha ah So when he talked to us he said he wanted to change, find Jesus, and go to heaven first so that he could prepare rooms for all of his drinking buddies. He knew he was not going to hell because satan wouldn't like him because if he went to hell he would take satans job and become the devil.  It was really funny, then we went over and taught him a little bit. Then we noticed to the side there was a guy that was listening very very intently to our message.  You could see it on his face that he was interested, then he asked for a pamphlet and we scheduled with him to go to his house and teach his family. It was just evidence that "Everything happens for a reason" we could have blown off the drunk, and he may not progress or want to listen.  I have a great feeling about the other brother.  The drunk was the bait that the Lord put out there and the true investigator was the guy sitting in the background.

This is the Lords work and we cannot do it without him.  There are people out here that are ready for this gospel, its up to us as members and missionaries to find them

Until next week

Elder Chase