The zest of life

MTC Companions back together again!

Elder Freason, Elder Williams and Elder Stokes

FINALLY!  a good picture. 

Hello PO!

feb 4

This morning I read John's Taylors writing about the martyrdom of Joseph Smith. E Bellen and I went jogging today, I could tell he was having a hard time, but I'm just glad I have a companion who is willing to run with me and wake up early pa! We had a zone activity at CLSU today, we went biking and then to PCC. After email (which was great), we went home and rested until 6:00. At 6:00 we had FHE at President Pajarito's house. E Bellen ate so much food now he's working out right now to make up for it.

feb 5

134 days to go! But don't think I'm trunky, I'm just counting the days so they'll last longer. D&C 134 is really interesting. It outlines the churches stand of separation of church and state. I love missionary work. Today one of our investigators said she tried to come to church yesterday but took a wrong turn and they got lost. But then she said next week she's going to bring her husband (sana) and her kapit-bahay (neighbor). Also we visited this other investigator, but he wouldn't come outside (its rude here to knocks on doors. you're supposed to stand by the gate and say Tao po! and wait for them"). So while we're waiting this little kid walks by and says "Who are you waiting for?" We told him we were looking for the investigator and he told us to wait. After a few seconds he came outside and said "He says he's not here. But I know he's there, I just talked to him!" So we laughed for a minute and he eventually came out and it was a great discussion. E Bellen met Tatay Bustos today that was a lot of fun.

feb 6

We didn't have DDM today because of mission tour bukas, so E Bellen and I tracted in Lumang Bayan. We didn't teach any lessons but we just talked to everyone. This afternoon we finally taught Tatay Bustos (it’s been almost two weeks). E Bellen thinks we might not have any baptisms here, but we'll see. Anyway, we want to focus in the bayan since E Garcia and I were always in the bukid. Tomorrow we have Mission Tour.

feb 7 

This may have been the best day in my entire mission thus far. E Illustrismo and Mosquera slept at our house last night so they wouldn't be late (also, they have no cell phone because they lost it). We woke up at 4am and left about 5:30am. Sonny Corpuz took us in his jeep to Guimba, were we picked up the missionaries there, then we drove to Paniqui, where our mission tour was held. Paniqui and Camiling were the only other zones there, but I saw E Stokes for only the second time in my entire mission. E Nielson taught all the zone leaders about leadership before the actual meeting, and in less than two minutes he explained to us why Catholics, 7th Day Adventists, and Jehovah's Witnesses don't worship the right way. Catholics are so worried about Mother Mary (who is wonderful. She was the only one worthy enough to be the mother of the Son of God.. eka.) That they don't focus on the redeeming or enabling power of the Atonement. 7th Day Adventists are so worried about what day Sunday is that they hardly keep it holy. And Jehovah's are so caught up in Jesus' name they don't properly worship. I had a really cool revelatory experience today. We have this part member family, that I want to help so much because the wife isn't a member, and her husband is an LA. 

feb 8

Another great day. We had weekly planning, and then the San Jose ZLs came to our house around lunch time because we have a special ZLC with E Nielson at the mission home. After lunch, the four of us set off for Tarlac. We left at 1:30 and got to Robinson Luisita around 4:45. At 5:30, we had dinner and ice cream at the mission home with E Nielson & his wife, and President & Sister Martino. After niyan, E Nielson taught us about the difference between kumilos (act) and pinakikilos (acted), especially in missionary work. He taught us also about becoming and discipleship. Basically, everything he taught us just blew my mind. The way I feel right now is the way I felt after my first ZLC when we talked about Light. When he was done teaching, we closed with a prayer and now we're all just upstairs talking to everyone.

feb 9

This morning I woke up and took a hot shower, sa opysina pa ni Pangulo! Ang sarap pala ng buhay ng missionary!(the President opysina more! The zest of life) I felt like I was at a hotel. Sister Martino (because she's a saint) made us all scrambled eggs and ham for breakfast. After a short devotional and message by Sister Martino (since President was already on his way to... somewhere), we all went to the mission office to get supplies and tumambay na konte.(and hung out for a little while) On the way home, we stopped at NE Pacific for lunch. O Babilonya. Namimissko kadakayo. We went with E Gifford and DeClaro to MacDo since they would take the same bus as us going home. We got to Munoz around 2pm and went to Linglingay. Work wasn't that great.. I'm really losing hope because nobody will let us teach and nobody comes to church anymore. We taught Mariss and Mae this evening and then I took Elder Bellen to the Parenas Family, but nobody was there pala. nakakapagod talaga ang pagiging missionary! (Fatigue actually being missionaries!)

anyway my times up.. I'll email you again next week.

Love you!

E Williams