2017-4-2 Mt. Everest

2017-4-2 Mt. Everest

Kumusta po!

This week we climbed Mt. Everest! No guides nor oxygen, we didn't even have ice picks! 

 After church last last week we had lunch at a member's brand new home as part of their blessing of them home/birthday party. Then we taught all day and on the way home, they saw us passing by and called us back in, so we had dinner there too. Awesome to spend some time with the members!

 I got to go on exchanges one day with another Elder, we had a great time, even though the heavens opened up in a downpour where one moment it was sweltering heat and blue skies. I saw an American visiting here and talked to him for a moment, it was a little strange to talk about the church in english, but it was okay! In the Philippines, you just walk up and ask a question like "where are you headed?" and it's completely normal, you don't really need to ask their name until you have figured out how many siblings and kids they have, plus where their from  and what their job is. it's a very friendly culture/language, you just act like your best friends with someone and they will respond the same way normally.

 We roasted some barbeque where we do our laundry as part of celebration...

We got to have dinner with our Mission President and his wife! We ate some of the best lasagna I've ever tasted. While the Americans were savoring this Italian dish, my companion was saying this food wasn't right for his mouth, and he was wondering where the rice was...

For my companion's one year mark! This means he has 1 year left, it's downhill from here!

That's all for now folks, I gotta run! Thanks for reading, I love you all! Can't wait to watch general conference and listen to some living prophets next weekend!

Elder Fish

2017-3-26 Master Chef!

2017-3-26 Master Chef!

magandang gabi po!

It's been forever since I wrote, or at least it feels like it! A lot has happened, so here is some summary:

I'm still in my 3rd area, which has it's own unique things. in my last area there weren't as many members, so i was the master chef in our apartment since we didn't get many meals provided. Which means we had hotdogs on rice and anything else that can be fried under 10 minutes. we always commuted since the area was massive, and I got a little rice belly from that. That's the area with all the beautiful rice fields. now I'm closer to the city again, but the area is pretty unique. There are a lot of people, but the whole area is hilly, and it's like a nature hike going everywhere. the area used to have no electricity or water, but the people still developing houses here. They have limited electricity, from 6pmonwards by generator only, but they get by! I’ve been here for almost 2 months, and I watched a whole house get thrown together in less then a month, construction goes fast here! So, lot's of walking, which means no more rice belly, but not for lack of trying! we get fed a lot more here and I’m getting to try some legitimate Filipino foods! 

My new companion is elder Pelimiano, and he's awesome. He's super nice, and I'm learning a lot from him. Since missionaries get transferred to different areas and different companions, it almost gets tough to settle down. But we have to make an effort to get close to the people, even though our time here is relatively short. I hope I get to stay here for a long time! It's no fun to drag a suitcase full of dictionaries and scriptures through cities.

Things are going great still. we talk to new people everyday, the people here are so kind. Even if they have no intent to listen to our message, people will let us in. it's just part of the culture. There's so many different churches here though, so there's a lot of confusion. It's a little disheartening sometimes to realize how different views are about god. I reckon if you collected every snippet, every verse in the bible about the condition of God, then organized it and studied them and how they relate, it would be pretty eye opening. Thing is, whole churches have been founded on a just a single verse in the bible, which is a little absurd in my opinion. It really takes patience to get the bigger picture, but it's worth it. 

i love my job. Even though I won't change the whole world by teaching what Jesus Christ taught these 2 years, it's gratifying to help misunderstanding and confusion become clearer, and to help others understand God's plan for us. Not to mention all the friends I'm making along the way! Sorry for no pictures, hopefully next time I'll dump a whole load of them. Thanks for reading, love you all!

Elder Fish

2017-3-19 Pics President Bertin Took

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!