Sunday, May 13, 2012

Great BIG Baptizing Party!! (Received 05-09-2012)

Hiya! :D

Another great week! :)  Me and Elder Montemayor are trying to balance having fun together and working hard as the end of the transfer/training/companionship gets closer.  It's been a lot of fun with him even though we're a little different from each other.  He's super CRAZY and outgoing and talkative and funny and a lot of the time I'm quiet and shy haha, it's a pretty good balance when we're teaching and things, it might be tougher for me to bond and get along with those we teach if my companion wasn't crazy :)

So we had the baptisms last weekend and... I baptized my first Filipino!!! :D   I got to baptize for the first time on my mission :) 
Elder Powell, Tess, Jerald, Tess' Husband, Elder Montemayor

Me and Elder Montemayor had 2 baptisms and the other 2 elders in our ward had 2 baptisms so we had a great big baptizing party and each of us baptized one person.  I baptized Jerald Rebenito.  He's a SUPER cool 15 year-old and he's already got a strong testimony.  He's the only member so far in his family but we're hoping to be able to teach them as well at some point.  One thing that helped him get to baptism was that the Young Men in the ward really embraced and befriended him.  So share the gospel with your friends!!!  It makes them ETERNALLY happy! :o)  Elder Montemayor got to baptize Teresita Asturias or "Nanay Tess" :)  She's a SUPER nice sister who has been searching for the right church for a long time.  She's been a member of at least 3 churches during her life and said none of them seemed right.  She was introduced to the church by a friend.  She was impressed at how sincere and heartfelt her friend's prayers were and wanted to learn more about the church her friend went to.  Now we're working on teaching her husband.  WOOT! :)

So.....  Kinda sorta FREAKING EXCITED to talk to y'all this weekend!!! :D  I'm thinking I will call you Monday morning here which would be Sunday night for you.  I will try my cell phone first at 8:30 here which will be 6:30 PM there on Sunday.  Then I'll try the home phone if that doesn't work.  Savvy? :)  Sorry, I should have planned it with ya earlier.  I'll try and have a little less than 2 hours to talk to you this time.  Sound good?  I WILL CHECK MY EMAIL ON FRIDAY NIGHT TO MAKE SURE IT WORKS FOR YOU. (THAT'S FRIDAY MORNING FOR YOU)  WE'LL MAKE SURE THINGS WILL WORK OUT THEN :)

Sorry this is kinda short, temple trip killed P-day haha.  But it was SOOOOO nice to be able to go back after 3 whole months haha.  Love going to the temple :)

Guess where else I love to go?  TACO BELL! :D  hahaha, we found out that 1 of the 2 or 3 Taco Bells in the whole Philippines is on the way home from the temple.  Woot! :) 
 

WOOT!!!
Also got not one, not two, but 3 packages yesterday!! :D  Everyone was SOOO jealous!   haha, I also got 5 letters haha, cool beans.

Love ya tons!
Talk at ya Monday! :D



Continued Help From Heavenly Father In The Pines'!! (Received 04-30-2012)


Hiya Guys! :D

Haha, the rice pouch is still pretty small but it's growing! :)  Not sure what it was but I sure hope it doesn't come back! haha :)  I think it was just a really bad flu mixed with no rest and dehydration.  Doin fine now :)

Mission Tour was GREAT!  Elder Ian S. Ardern of the 70 and his wife came and spoke to us.  He spoke about not wasting our time in last October's General Conference.  They're from New Zealand.  If you think Aunt Esther's accent is cool you have got to hear theirs!  haha it was crazy!  It was so different it was hard for some of the Filipino elders to understand haha.  He talked a lot about helping others to build their foundation on Christ and he talked about the Gifts of the Spirit and how we can gain them in our lives and Missionary Work.  It was super cool.  Sister Ardern talked a lot about Matching the Message.  Saying that since we are  sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ we need to look and act like it.  Pretty neat.

Guess who we get to listen to on May 24? :D  Elder Russel M. Nelson is going to come and speak just to our mission.  He wants to shake all of our hands too.  Pretty excited, it should be REALLY cool :)

Yep, me and Elder Montemayor have been companions since February 23.  Transfer day is on May 15, only  2 weeks away???  Weird!  Time FLIES and time DRAGS!  I say that every e-mail but it's true :)  I've had a blast with Elder Montemayor even though it's been a little bit tough and he's kinda makulit sometimes haha.  We've had a great time together and received a TON of help from our Father in Heaven :)

Ohhhh THAT Zach Williams haha.  Cool :)

That's great that you got to go to Women's Conference again, sounds like there were some pretty cool talks and lessons.  Chad Lewis and his wife actually talked to us when I was at the MTC, they are WAY cool!  Moses was 80 years old when he freed the Israelites??  That's crazy!  Haha, like you said if we make ourselves available for God's work He will make us capable :)

They scored 41 runs in 2 games???  What in the world? haha :) (Hunter's Baseball Team) Is he still getting a chance to play pitcher?  Sounds like he is a STUD of a goalie for that soccer team.  Haha, can't wait to come home and get him ready for Jr. High and High School sports :)

We've got 2 baptisms this next Sunday (May 6)! :D  Pretty excited.  One's a 64 year-old sister named Tes Asturias and the other is a 15 year-old named Jerald Rebenito.  Pretty excited for them, they both have very strong testimonies already :)  With past baptisms, Raymond Punzalan in Panghulo was November 26, Kenneth Mendoza... not sure, Sta. Ana family... not sure, Carl Baquiran was Feb. 25, and Vincent Gomboc was last week (April 22).  Pretty cool to write down all their names and think about and remember them :)  Cool beans :)

Mother's Day!!!! :D  Hmm.... This is gonna be tough.  Our church gets out on your Saturday 11:00 PM.  On your Sunday we have District meeting in the morning.  Maybe I can call you after that and it will be your Sunday night.  I'll get it figured out for sure PROMISE this week and let you know next week.
Next week we FINALLY have a temple day (the Manila temple's been under maintenance) so I'll email on our Wednesday and your Tuesday night.  So I'll talk atcha then! :)  LOVE YOU!!!  Have a great week! :)

Da Beej

P.S.
Dried fish?  Gross, but fun to kiss :P  Elder Montemayor got a bunch in a package.

mmmmmmm...

P.P.S
I don't know what it is about those action figures you sent at the MTC but I love em.  Maybe it's from watching The Indian In the Cupboard at Gma's haha.  Pretty epic pics :)
Quingey, our sweet little FHE buddy

Avengers vs Gods Army.
obvious win.

Playing games with the members!