2017-3-12 Baptism

Kamusta po!

This week was great, we held a baptism for the oldest child in a family we have been teaching for a while! We also are teaching their aunts and uncles, its really amazing to see the potential to bring many families to the temple! 

Sorry, no time again but next week I'll write out some more! I bought some shoes for about 5 USD and they have almost worn all the way through in 4 uses. 

Love you all!

Elder Fish

2017-3-6 Summer!

March 6, 2017 – Summer!

Kamusta po!

This week will be another picture book! Maybe next week it will be a coloring book...

 Here is the view from the backside of our apartment. My area is very hilly, and it's just walking so it's kind of like hiking every day. No complaints here! I love it, although, the temperature is climbing... my shirts used to last 2 days, now I'm having to wash much more frequently!

 This picture reminds me of the Palangoy family in my first area. They were grossed out because they watched a Fear Factor episode where some americans ate cochroaches. Then again, I was talking to some people the other day about how great dog tastes! It's a dog eat dog world. Or a human eat dog world.

Trees are blooming! It's almost MANGO SEASON! I think that's worth a little extra Celsius.

Thanks for reading, hope you all have an awesome week, filled with centipedes and excitement! Or maybe just excitement... Love you all!

Elder Fish

2017-2-26 Temples and Apostles

Kamusta po!

It's been a while since I had a chance to write, sorry for the delay! Last week our regular day for preparation was moved, since we had a chance to go the temple! Many many other things happened in addition to that, I probably won't remember it all but here we go!

 The family that was just baptized a few weeks back has a lot of extended family too. Out of 10 aunts and uncles, we taught 6 of them and the grandmother. I'm reminded of my own family and all my cousins and aunts and uncles and what a fantastic influence the church has been in our lives and bringing us closer together, not to mention the knowledge that we can see each other again after this life.

 In the Philippines they have this cool thing called compounds, where there's one big house, and a bunch of satellite homes around it that are composed of all the children: it's rare to move very far away from family here! So, we are lucky to teach in this compound with a lot of adults with their own families who are willing to listen. This little baby couldn't figure out what an American is doing in her neighborhood.

 Last week we got up nice and early to beat the traffic, and to be able to visit the temple. Temples are a little bit different from normal chapels or churches. Every church building says "visitors welcome" but after the open house of a temple, after it is dedicated for its holy purpose to the Lord, you must be a member in good standing to enter. And what a blessing it is to have that privilege. There's nothing like it. 

 The temples in our day are a little bit different from Solomon's temple and the other holy places of Israel of olden times, for instance we don't offer sacrifices. But, the holiness is the same, it's just as much the House of the Lord. The ordinances have changed, because Jesus Christ changed them. We have no more sacrifices because He is THE sacrifice. Christ showed the need for temples by spending so much time there: the only experience of His youth is at the temple, He clears it of merchants, and teaches there for many days. It's a place of edifying and learning, and a key ingredient of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Has anyone ever asked themselves when reading the Bible, "where did the temples go?" of course the ancient ones were desecrated, and since then there have been many beautiful cathedrals, and shrines to different holy men, but up until the 1800's the Lord had no place on earth to call His home. I testify that the Lord still uses temples to impart knowledge to us, and to strengthen us.

 I got to see one of my best friends, Elder Dela Cruz! Plus, the missionary he is training!

The missionaries never gather in one place at a time, it's usually just you and your companion. But last week we had an awesome opportunity: Elder David A. Bednar, a member of the twelve apostles, visited us! I've read and admired of the ancient apostles, mostly Paul and Peter have struck me with their power in speech, love for the disciples, and skill in wielding the Holy Ghost to impart truth. In a 3 hour meeting with a living apostle, I testify that nothing has changed. The people that fill God's ordained offices are empowered and enlarged, and David A. Bednar is truly an apostle of Jesus Christ.

 We talked about so many things, it wouldn't be realistic to just list them off here, but it centered and being actors, not objects, and a different way of teaching. Not just talking, but asking questions, edifying the whole group by letting everyone contribute. The meeting was exhausting because you had to have your mind sharp, and be listening to the Holy Ghost intently. One of my favorite things Elder Bednar said was "there are no boring sacrament meetings" we get to choose to be uplifted, whether it's by just one thing they say, one verse the read from scripture. There was many many more great moments, but I'll leave it at that.

I'll leave my testimony at this point. Joseph Smith is a prophet of God, which means a lot of things. Which means he didn't do most of the heavy lifting in organizing a church. In fact he didn't organize a church. He didn't come up with all of the different complex offices and necessary parts. All he did was act in God's name, supported by his power, to Restore the church of Jesus Christ. That means in the Bible we read of miracles, the power of God made manifest, temples, prophets, apostles, all of these things must therefore still exist, and they do! They were lost for a time but they are what God uses to help His children come back to Him. I give my humble belief, my testimony, that the church of Jesus Christ is restored to the earth, and that means more to me and to you than we may even understand. I love the gospel, I love these people, and I love you all! Thanks for reading!

Elder Davin Fish

 Bonus picture: I won in chubby bunnies!

February 12, 2017 - New Ward and Family Baptism!

2017-2-12  - New Ward and Family Baptism!

Kamusta po kayo!

Well, I'm transferred! Doesn't take long to unpack, starting to feel like home again already. My new ward is amazing, my companion is great, life is good! I miss my old companion like crazy, and my new area and calling is setting me way way way outside my comfort zone, but if we aren't ever uncomfortable, things will always seem scary. It's super tough, exhausting even right now, but after a few months of this everything will seem much more manageable. That's pretty much the definition of everything though! We just keep getting better, but only if it's hard, if it gives you eyebags, and makes you wonder, "can I really do this?". That's the way the Lord works, He will "shape the back that the burden rests on"

my last night with some beloved members and my companion Elder D C

 Sister L- is in my batch, we studied in the training center together! I came just in time for her birthday at a member's home. It was cool to have a little reunion, even if one missionary is in the same mission, you could almost go the whole 2 years without seeing them, because it's always just your companion, and then meetings on occasion.

my first weekend in the new area, and the ward had a baptism! A family has joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints here in my neck of the woods. They are awesome, and I can't wait to help reteach them, and make sure it's a smooth transition to becoming a member. There's a lot of culture things and so much to learn, it really is a tough transition to be honest. But this ward is awesome, they have great leadership. Our Bishop, a member who has been called to lead the congregation for a number of years and volunteer his time and efforts, spoke at the baptismal service. Looking onto the newly baptized family, he said that you are like grade 1 right now, and you have to keep learning, keep progressing. But, you're not alone, the members are here with you. It's all of our efforts to become more Christ-like, more perfect, every day. After his talk, he asked to the members that attended if they promise to support and love these new members, and they all shouted "yes!" Well, in Tagalog it's "opo!" 

Thanks everyone for following, love you all!

Elder Fish

2017-2-6 Transferring Again!

February 6, 2017 Transferring Again!

Hello po!

I'm transferring again, which has all sorts of ups and downs, I'm excited but really bummed at the same time. Once I realized I'm leaving all the people I love here, I took more pictures than normal so here we go!

 We had a service project at a member's property, we cleared out an area of weeds! It was perfect timing right after the rain, so we cleared ground pretty fast. Should have taken a before picture, this used to have some small trees and was completely green.

 This was just moments after I pulled out some of our friend's plants... After a few hours of pulling out green stuff, it just becomes reflex. #classicdavin

Great view!

 Great smell too!

 I'm known in this home as Elder Peace (derived from Fish but pronounced with the filipino accent of pish)

 An awesome family in our branch! 

 After we figured out we aren't staying as a companionship one more transfer...

 I'll send more pictures in another email in a bit, I can only fit so much data in one email... Lunch first though!

Hello ulit!

More pictures!

We had a rice field picnic about 20 minutes ago! Saying farewell to our district before transfers tomorrow

At our meeting yesterday we made sure to take pictures with our beloved couple missionaries. I'm really going to miss them!

This is the worst part of transferring: leaving my companion. It's only been 3 months, but we are friends for life. This is the hardest it's been changing companions, I'm going to miss Elder D C. He will be training in our area, and I'm moving to a different area and a different companion, wish me luck! 

Thanks for reading, I love you all! Elder Fish