2018-3-25 – Finishing the job in Camarin

March 25, 2018 – Finishing the job in Camarin

Elder Harper is finishing the job in Camarin! This baptism is especially sweet because the whole family was baptized about 4 years ago, only the oldest daughter didn't choose to because she didn't feel an answer to her prayers. Elder Harper and I had many lessons with her, just helping her to see the answer to her  prayers and if she should be baptized. What a treat it is to see their family be complete! A year from now they can be sealed in the temple as a forever family

A member family we are visiting let us share in their Family Home Evening last night!

Sister said that she's been a member for about 10 years, and that only now is family prayer and scripture study, family home evening, church attendance being a part of their daily and weekly routine. She is so excited with how much they have done in the past 2 weeks. 4 more weeks and they will be much much closer to preparing for the temple. Almost there!

We visited a trail and saw a few historical parts of World War II here in the Philippines where the Filipinos hid out from the Japanese. My first time seeing something like this in my mission!

Thanks for reading!

I love you all! Elder Fish

2018-3-18 – My Baptism Tie

March 18, 2018 – My Baptism Tie

One thing we do to help families fully live the gospel and set plans to enter the temple to be sealed is give out this sheet (see attachment)

One large family we share with managed 5/7 days reading the scriptures and praying together, held an FHE, and came to church! It's great to see the simple obedience and strong faith bring blessings

We are planning to help in a service project with them as we help them prepare to enter the temple in May. Father and one son are working hard to stop smoking, one has been clean for a few days now, and father is down to a half stick

Other families just like theirs are making great progress on becoming fully obedient to the gospel!

This week my companion E Aplicador inspired me to read the Old Testament. It's the only thing in the mission library I haven't read here, and what inspired me was the project he started and I'm going to try as well, a family tree of Adam down through all the ages to Christ down to me 

One of the closest religions to the LDS church turns out to be the Islam religion, who also devoutly trace their ancestry, and we find out that the branches are not far! Whether Ishmael or Isaac, Abraham is still the origin. Their beliefs on family also shares some similarities with the Church of Jesus Christ

Thanks for reading, I love you all!

One family that we are visiting makes clothes, and they got an order for JollyBee jackets. I had to try it on!

 To make up for last week, here is the second seminar, it was like the first but almost double the attendance. Great way for students to be inside a chapel and get familiar with the missionaries!

 My comp Elder Harper is getting work done in Camarin!

Here is a picture of my baptism, 8 years old. You'll notice I haven't changed my tie in over a decade

 rice drying on the road

2018-3-11 – Rice Fields and Dirt Roads

March 11, 2018 – Rice Fields and Dirt Roads

Hello!

Things are still going great, we are having a blast visiting members from all over the District. Lots of rice fields and dirt roads, it's beautiful!

In addition, a family was referred by their relatives in another province, and we have been teaching them for the past 2 weeks, brother has already stopped smoking and drinking, and they want to be baptized in April. Brother S- is so driven to give up his vices and to show his two sons that they can do it too.They said when he manages to do it, they will join the Church as well. We teach his wife as well as their daughter, sister, and a niece as well that are all around the same age. It's so exciting to teach simple truths to those who have been thirsting after it! We are very blessed with the privilege of teaching them

More good news, Elder Harper has gotten word to me that 2 of our investigators are being baptized this Saturday! 6 more individuals are preparing for March 31st, what a great time for the Camarin Ward, I loved serving there even if for just 6 weeks.

Thanks for reading, more pictures next week! I love you all!

Elder Fish

2018-3-4 – Pictures in the Country

After a drought of photos, here is a glimpse into our journey!

 We took this service road dodging potholes and crossing bridges until 20 minutes in we find the road is impassable...

 We found the place we were looking for! The household had moved, but we sure got some views!

Kody it popped into my head suddenly this week that I'm living Ninja Cowboy with my companionship right now..

 Teaching a bunch of tatays (dads) means you gotta win their hearts through other means. Like good ole' fashioned diggin'

Kids in the country wondering what in the world we were doing taking compact car down service roads

 companionship sunglasses 

caribou in the fields

so much space!

 This man is going to be 104 in June! He walks around upright and got to church alone! he's there every sunday, what an example of faith! Every reason not to go to church when you're older than the dirt itself, but he's still going steady! 

The Bremners just went home, which is a huge loss becuase they are such a service to the Branch, but we had a record number of attendance yesterday, over 130 in all, including a family of investigators that I will tell about next week, and our mission president. Great testimony meeting and there's talk of extending the chapel and preparing it to be the stake center

Thanks for reading! I love you all!

Elder Fish

2018-2-25 Fiesta

February 25, 2018 - Fiesta

My companions, Elder L- (Florida athlete) and Elder A- (Cebuano Jackie Chan) are the best! We have a good time together, and it's so fun to have a lot of work to do, and people you enjoy doing it with. We have so far only been in Bustos Branch, but this week we will spend days in other Branches visiting families and sharing messages. It was such a great reunion to see the Branch, especially the B's. They finish their mission in less than a week, so it's such a sweet privilege to see them again before they go to Canada. The PJ family as well as Sis L- and JP are all still active! Huge blessings. Bro P-J- is getting the Melchizedek Priesthood on March 11, which just adds to the push to become a Stake by year's end. 

This Sunday was Fiesta... so traffic! Figuring out driving again was tricky at first, but now I'm driving through gaps so small as we navigate the small streets. Good thing mirrors fold in when you bump them on stuff... No wonder Filipinos are great drivers! 

The thing with most people who struggle to live all of the commandments is... they want to! That's what I have observed. It's hard to keep going to Church when you are struggling with a trial, because sometimes it just feels like everyone else is so good, so perfect, and you are the only one with a problem. But it's not that way at all, for all have sinned and come short of the glory of God, therefore none may judge another. That feeling of isolation can go away as we build up confidence in ourselves to do the right thing, even if it's hard. I'm grateful for the chance to spend my time inviting those who are struggling to take the easier path. Follow Christ, because there is no other way.

We are still coming up with a name for ourselves...

we have the 3 amigos

3 musketeers

Peter and the Sons of Thunder

Moroni, Lehi, and Teancum...

we will let you know when we have got it

Thanks for reading, I love you all! 

Elder Fish