well this week was a hardish week. we planned a ton of lessons and people to visit and we on got punted hard core parcore. we tried to think of the positives in our situation, but it was obvious that the negatives were taking over. sigh.... well its work...
we have been meeting with some very promising investigators but as of late they havent been keeping any of their commitments. it makes us super upset and stuff. im not sure if ive told you, but the whole mission statement for the PTM is Dressed in white twice. We have been told by our area authority that there wont be any more tracting and that we are supposed to focus on reactivating and keeping recent converts active. In that aspect of the work i think we are succeeding. Its sad to see that the peens has over 600,000 members but only about 150,000 are active. We have one family in particular that is really great to see returning to church. the G. family. the missionaries have been visiting them a few times a week for about 5 months. and they are finally seeing the light side of the force.(as opposed to the dark side of the force, Satan) Through a guy that brother G. referred to us, that guy was able to work with them and finally get it through their faces that they need the lord to be successful in life.
Im glad that ive had the lord in my life my whole life. I can truly see all the blessings of living where i have been. i appreciate my life so much more now that i can see all the great and wonderful things that have been taken for granted. Thanks kaayo mom and dad for raising me in the environment that you did. i love you guys so much. i really love the lord and all of my amazing blessings. especially my family and my close friends.
Remember the Lord in all things.
Love you all soo much.
Christian.
Ps, mom if you ever get a chance, can you put like a ton of hymns on a zip drive and also on that same zip drive, the articles of faith songs? As of my batch, we have to become certified to be DLs ZLs or SCs. so i
have to pass certain requirements and schtuff... and i have to memorize the articles of faith :)
Monday, January 30, 2012
Monday, January 23, 2012
day 96 3 whole months already!!
This week I decided to not ask him any questions to see if I would get a longer letter...well a letter period and it worked. But it was sooo hard not to ask any questions though.
Wow!!! No questions?? this is just weird. well, this week is another blazer. it went by super quick!
well a few days ago we went out to try and find an investigators house that we met at a bus stop. we tried to get a member from around that area to go with us, but no such luck. it was fiesta in his barunguy. so as we were waiting to sakay(to ride a taxi), this lady held out her hand and said Kano, Oi guapo kaayo ka! means very handsome. so i said thanks and we continued walking. so she started to follow me and was continually saying, "guapo gayud ka, oi pinaka guapo ka. (your so handsome, your the most handsome) then she asked me for kuarta.(money). i said i dont have any pisos. sorry.... so she then decided to get reaaallyyy close to me and kinda caress my face. WEIRD! then i said ayaw beh. (dont please). then she grabbed my hand and was stroking it till she felt my ring. then she looked at it and saw that is was shiny and was like, ill take that instead. i said, i cant give it to you, it was a gift to me. then i said please stop touching me. then i pulled my hand away and she grabbed it and started smooching it and then i just yanked it away and we started walking faster. WOW..... she was prolly hubog kaayo.... (very drunk) it was one of the more bizarre experiences of my mish so far.
this week has been a pretty good one as far as investigators go. we got like three new ones and they all seem very promising. we had stake conference on sunday in ormoc. its about a 45min bus ride away from our city. it was really good. the leaders there were all really good at English and all spoke in english. it was great! this morning we went to a waterfall as a district activity. it was pretty darn fun!! we took lots of pics and elder morris and i made some sweet slow mo vids.haha speaking of which, he gave you a shout out in his blog last week. be sure to check that out.
well i got the pouch that you sent about jens email and a letter from sister hatch and some from J. this week ive been pretty sick. on Wednesday, i had one of the worst headaches ever. ever since then, ive been having a crazy runny nose and cough. i still dont feel that great. hopefully ill recover soon. Oh... btw, ive lost ten pounds already! crazy huh??
well hope this week is another good one. good luck with the chickens... ha there are so many fetching chickens here.... it would be your dream. they have lots of americanas and black and white spotted ones. everyone also has a few roosters. they keep them tied up so they dont impregnate everyone else. also they are the fighting chickens. everyone and their dog fights their chicken.... we always have people offering us lechon manok. bbq chicken. basically chicken on a spit.
well i love you and miss you.
Christian.
Wow!!! No questions?? this is just weird. well, this week is another blazer. it went by super quick!
well a few days ago we went out to try and find an investigators house that we met at a bus stop. we tried to get a member from around that area to go with us, but no such luck. it was fiesta in his barunguy. so as we were waiting to sakay(to ride a taxi), this lady held out her hand and said Kano, Oi guapo kaayo ka! means very handsome. so i said thanks and we continued walking. so she started to follow me and was continually saying, "guapo gayud ka, oi pinaka guapo ka. (your so handsome, your the most handsome) then she asked me for kuarta.(money). i said i dont have any pisos. sorry.... so she then decided to get reaaallyyy close to me and kinda caress my face. WEIRD! then i said ayaw beh. (dont please). then she grabbed my hand and was stroking it till she felt my ring. then she looked at it and saw that is was shiny and was like, ill take that instead. i said, i cant give it to you, it was a gift to me. then i said please stop touching me. then i pulled my hand away and she grabbed it and started smooching it and then i just yanked it away and we started walking faster. WOW..... she was prolly hubog kaayo.... (very drunk) it was one of the more bizarre experiences of my mish so far.
this week has been a pretty good one as far as investigators go. we got like three new ones and they all seem very promising. we had stake conference on sunday in ormoc. its about a 45min bus ride away from our city. it was really good. the leaders there were all really good at English and all spoke in english. it was great! this morning we went to a waterfall as a district activity. it was pretty darn fun!! we took lots of pics and elder morris and i made some sweet slow mo vids.haha speaking of which, he gave you a shout out in his blog last week. be sure to check that out.
well i got the pouch that you sent about jens email and a letter from sister hatch and some from J. this week ive been pretty sick. on Wednesday, i had one of the worst headaches ever. ever since then, ive been having a crazy runny nose and cough. i still dont feel that great. hopefully ill recover soon. Oh... btw, ive lost ten pounds already! crazy huh??
well hope this week is another good one. good luck with the chickens... ha there are so many fetching chickens here.... it would be your dream. they have lots of americanas and black and white spotted ones. everyone also has a few roosters. they keep them tied up so they dont impregnate everyone else. also they are the fighting chickens. everyone and their dog fights their chicken.... we always have people offering us lechon manok. bbq chicken. basically chicken on a spit.
well i love you and miss you.
Christian.
Monday, January 16, 2012
day 89 Questions and Answers
Got any pictures you can send us right now?
im sending my sd card home next week. its got lots of photos and vids. it takes too long to upload all 5 pics at once.
What's the best thing that happened this week?
well yesterday, the bishop had ward council and we got in one baranguy, 15 new inactive families to teach! whooohooo (baranguy is basically a city. or suburb. but its sweet news!
Favorite food so far in the mission?
hmmmm.. there is a bbqhan near our apt. that we go to sometimes when we dont feel like cooking. it has BBQ pork and chicken on a stick. its pretty fetchin good.
What are you planning on doing today for p-day?
well today we did our laba,(laundry) we cleaned, napped, i played with my ball, and now were in an internethan emailing! were gonna take care of our electric bill later and also do our weekly shopping. then we go to our FHE lesson with someone.
Are you getting anything from us yet like... letters that I've been sending you? You prolly haven't gotten the package I sent yet huh? I sent it last tuesdee...It only costed 60 bones to send...hehe
i only get mail like once a month. at zone meeting. so i have yet to receive anything. but i have zone interviews this Friday and im anticipating some stuff :)
Funny story?
hmmmm nothing super funny.. this week we got punted a ton, and we actually only taught like 8 lessons. it was a pitiful weak. soo last night we went to a sisters house to administer the sacrament to them cuz they are super old and sick. so after, they gave us food. (rice,noodles,goat, and spaghetti) well this guy was waving at us and he kept his hand up forever, so i thought he wanted a high five, so i reached out and he pulled his hand back and i like awkwardly grabbed it.... it was sooooooooooooooooooo awkward!!! ahahahaha everyone laughed at me.OH and yesterday i spoke in sacrament. it was ok. i basically read the scriptures to the ppl. haha but i spoke for 35mins!!!! when elder wood spoke for 12. i was proud. especially cuz they told us to speak in priesthood. ha.
Monday, January 9, 2012
day 82
sooo.. This week has been loads better as far as feeling better and stuff of that nature. i organized all my stuff and made it all look nice. hmm all the emails i got from family are really comforting. its so nice that you all are being so amazing!
we are having more success in our work. our bishop came to church yesterday and it just was the best thing ever. the ward was awesome!
also we try to have a member with us in most of our lessons so there is one lady that is just uber willing to come and work with us. her name is Sister Daloris. she is very tiny and small but man does she pack a punch. i think the only thing that would do her justice is this. If Ceasar Cardoso was a filipino woman, he would be her. she is identical in almost every aspect!!! ahahah its so funny. she is reaally bold in all she says and sometimes oversteps her boundaries. she wants us to call her Nanay Daloris which means like grandma, but its weird and we dont like to call her that.
yesterday, we visited a man who is a minister for the Roman Catholic church. he is a supervisor in the school system so he has nice money. he speaks pretty fluently in english so we taught him in english. it was such a testimony building experience talking about his religion, and finding all the flaws that he had. there are just soooo many! it was also a 100percent different experience because we taught in english and i understood everthing that was going on. it was great.
well i love you guys sooooooo much.
thanks mom for your diligence in writing. i really enjoy your writings.
well thats all i can think of for now. so i love you mom
Elder Christian Smith
Ps(i always feel weird writing my first name in emails. i forget that its my real name.) peace!!!
we are having more success in our work. our bishop came to church yesterday and it just was the best thing ever. the ward was awesome!
also we try to have a member with us in most of our lessons so there is one lady that is just uber willing to come and work with us. her name is Sister Daloris. she is very tiny and small but man does she pack a punch. i think the only thing that would do her justice is this. If Ceasar Cardoso was a filipino woman, he would be her. she is identical in almost every aspect!!! ahahah its so funny. she is reaally bold in all she says and sometimes oversteps her boundaries. she wants us to call her Nanay Daloris which means like grandma, but its weird and we dont like to call her that.
yesterday, we visited a man who is a minister for the Roman Catholic church. he is a supervisor in the school system so he has nice money. he speaks pretty fluently in english so we taught him in english. it was such a testimony building experience talking about his religion, and finding all the flaws that he had. there are just soooo many! it was also a 100percent different experience because we taught in english and i understood everthing that was going on. it was great.
well i love you guys sooooooo much.
thanks mom for your diligence in writing. i really enjoy your writings.
well thats all i can think of for now. so i love you mom
Elder Christian Smith
Ps(i always feel weird writing my first name in emails. i forget that its my real name.) peace!!!
day 82 Questions and Answers
Grandma B wants to know if you recieved money from her. She said that she sent it before you left the MTC. but only by a couple days.
ya i got her letter and money in the mail. while in the mtc. it was super nice. i wrote her back but i havent sent it yet. everything was so hectic at the last week and first couple weeks here. so there will be mail incoming! soooon.
How far is the mission home from where you are? That's where you get your mail right? And how often? once a week?
the home is three hours away. so i have yet to get mail. everyone says that we usually get mail once a month.
Do you have a bike? what is the transportation you use?
well for the far parts of stuff we use public transportation, busses, cabs and bikes with side carts on them. there was an announcment that we were getting bike like 4 months ago but it hasnt come true yet. i look forward for that day. The use jeepneys mostly in the city.
Jessica has written you 5 letters (at least) BUT I don't think that she's put enough postage on the letters. I think she's only put 1 stamp on them. She just got one letter back yesterday. That's the only thing we can think of as to why it was returned. So I think that she'll prolly be getting all those back and you'll be getting a ton all at once but not for awhile. I also sent you a letter through the pouch system last week. (you haven't gotten it yet..have you?) I wanted to do an experiment to see if there was a faster route...but I didn't send one the other way yet. I will this week with Jensen's emails that I send you. Have you been told how many stamps to put a regular letter? We've been told 3 but haven't tested it yet...like I said I will this week..I'll prolly send it on Tuesdee.
ya it would be goood to use three stamps. thats what all my comps ppl do.takes about three weeks to get here so ya.
Do you have any food requests? We're getting ready to send you a care package sometime this week too. Have any special requests? We'll of course send you potty paper.
actually dont send toilet paper. its just going to be expensive and hard, and i NEED to get used to using my hand. gross but its just better for everyone that way. macncheese is great, oh i have like 5 extra garment bottoms, so maybe some medium tall mesh? its da best!! an assortment of nice goodies that are ant proof. cuz they get into everthing!!!!!!!!!! more nike socks. try to get thinnish nikes but nice ones that wont get holes very quick. the ones that i have are great they are lrg and have a white band on the inside of the top of the sock.fruit leather, granola bars, a few pocket sized BOMs. in english. maybe some idahoan loaded mashed potatoes?? elder woods suggestion. they're delicious sister smith, and great for missionaries...trust me, I've been here 7 months! love, elder wood :D
Weirdest thing this week?
hmmmm... well since elder morris is in my district, we have district meeting every week. there are only two campanionships in our district. us and elder morris. so they came to our apt. after the meeting for lunch me and elder morris went to the store to get some water. but on our way to the store, i saw a snake in the road that had been decapitated. it was squirming and wiggling and stuff. so we were getting closer to it and elder morris didnt notice it. i said "Elder, watch out!" and he looked down and screamed!! and jumped away. He was like>Is that a cobra??? i had no idea so he shouted to one of the pinos near us: Who is that? Meaning to say, What is that. they all looked at us like what the crap did he say. then they all responded Snake Snake, in english. and then he realized his mistake. it was super funny:)
orrrr.. one night we were walking back to our apt. and we saw two dogs that were "stuck" together.... awkward... ha but anyways we just stood there and laughed, then out of no where, a huge dog started fighting with the boy dog! it was sad cuz the one that was stuck couldnt defend itself. so it took a big beating. we then were like, "thats what you get for breaking the law of chastity!" hahaha it was funny
We haven't done a new word for awhile new word...or phrase..got one for us? How about...Where is the banio?
hmm well that one is: Asa sa C.R.(comfort room) pretty simple. but the word for firework is Kabuto. it literally means explosion. if you say it with the wrong intonation, it is a really bad swear word... haha so i avoid that word.
Do you have a question for us?? (Jensen gave us a question..as to who has gotten married since he's been gone) Coach Cardoso, Kevin Rosen. both in December. Jaylyn Hemmingway
none at this moment but i will prolly.. hah
Has your week been better than last week?
ya it has. its still difficult cuz we have no progressing investigators, but other than that went lots better.
Favorite thing about your companion?
-- he is american. haha speaking and understanding a language is nice.
ya i got her letter and money in the mail. while in the mtc. it was super nice. i wrote her back but i havent sent it yet. everything was so hectic at the last week and first couple weeks here. so there will be mail incoming! soooon.
How far is the mission home from where you are? That's where you get your mail right? And how often? once a week?
the home is three hours away. so i have yet to get mail. everyone says that we usually get mail once a month.
Do you have a bike? what is the transportation you use?
well for the far parts of stuff we use public transportation, busses, cabs and bikes with side carts on them. there was an announcment that we were getting bike like 4 months ago but it hasnt come true yet. i look forward for that day. The use jeepneys mostly in the city.
Jessica has written you 5 letters (at least) BUT I don't think that she's put enough postage on the letters. I think she's only put 1 stamp on them. She just got one letter back yesterday. That's the only thing we can think of as to why it was returned. So I think that she'll prolly be getting all those back and you'll be getting a ton all at once but not for awhile. I also sent you a letter through the pouch system last week. (you haven't gotten it yet..have you?) I wanted to do an experiment to see if there was a faster route...but I didn't send one the other way yet. I will this week with Jensen's emails that I send you. Have you been told how many stamps to put a regular letter? We've been told 3 but haven't tested it yet...like I said I will this week..I'll prolly send it on Tuesdee.
ya it would be goood to use three stamps. thats what all my comps ppl do.takes about three weeks to get here so ya.
Do you have any food requests? We're getting ready to send you a care package sometime this week too. Have any special requests? We'll of course send you potty paper.
actually dont send toilet paper. its just going to be expensive and hard, and i NEED to get used to using my hand. gross but its just better for everyone that way. macncheese is great, oh i have like 5 extra garment bottoms, so maybe some medium tall mesh? its da best!! an assortment of nice goodies that are ant proof. cuz they get into everthing!!!!!!!!!! more nike socks. try to get thinnish nikes but nice ones that wont get holes very quick. the ones that i have are great they are lrg and have a white band on the inside of the top of the sock.fruit leather, granola bars, a few pocket sized BOMs. in english. maybe some idahoan loaded mashed potatoes?? elder woods suggestion. they're delicious sister smith, and great for missionaries...trust me, I've been here 7 months! love, elder wood :D
Weirdest thing this week?
hmmmm... well since elder morris is in my district, we have district meeting every week. there are only two campanionships in our district. us and elder morris. so they came to our apt. after the meeting for lunch me and elder morris went to the store to get some water. but on our way to the store, i saw a snake in the road that had been decapitated. it was squirming and wiggling and stuff. so we were getting closer to it and elder morris didnt notice it. i said "Elder, watch out!" and he looked down and screamed!! and jumped away. He was like>Is that a cobra??? i had no idea so he shouted to one of the pinos near us: Who is that? Meaning to say, What is that. they all looked at us like what the crap did he say. then they all responded Snake Snake, in english. and then he realized his mistake. it was super funny:)
orrrr.. one night we were walking back to our apt. and we saw two dogs that were "stuck" together.... awkward... ha but anyways we just stood there and laughed, then out of no where, a huge dog started fighting with the boy dog! it was sad cuz the one that was stuck couldnt defend itself. so it took a big beating. we then were like, "thats what you get for breaking the law of chastity!" hahaha it was funny
We haven't done a new word for awhile new word...or phrase..got one for us? How about...Where is the banio?
hmm well that one is: Asa sa C.R.(comfort room) pretty simple. but the word for firework is Kabuto. it literally means explosion. if you say it with the wrong intonation, it is a really bad swear word... haha so i avoid that word.
Do you have a question for us?? (Jensen gave us a question..as to who has gotten married since he's been gone) Coach Cardoso, Kevin Rosen. both in December. Jaylyn Hemmingway
none at this moment but i will prolly.. hah
Has your week been better than last week?
ya it has. its still difficult cuz we have no progressing investigators, but other than that went lots better.
Favorite thing about your companion?
-- he is american. haha speaking and understanding a language is nice.
Monday, January 2, 2012
day 75 Questions and Answers
How are your new pants? Too long? short? too hot? prolly huh?
well one pair fits like they should but the other is like huge! it says 34 but its like a 38. they are really nice though. they arent hot actually.
I also forgot last time to ask about your presents? Tell me what you did during Christmas? After we talked...What did you think about your presents? Jessica's?
well we went to church and then we went home for a little bit and then i opened my presents then we went out and worked. it wasnt much of a christmas. its been hard to have the holidays alone. but oh well.
pictures: (love to see some more today!!)
i forgot my usb chord so ill send some next week.
I know the one with you and elder mahoni in front of the temple
and then one of your district? with everybody there? and elder mahoni is hiding?
ya that was the district.
and then one of some lights? is that in philippines?
that is outside our classroom at the mtc
and then one of you and three other elders with your suits on your heads?
we were all saying Kangitngit. it means darkness, one of the sisters hated hearing that word, it was fun.
Do they charge you for internet cafe? Or you can just show up and use their service?
ya they charge 30pesos per hr.
Let's hear any food stories this week? Yuckiness?
this week i had a food that sounds like beagle. im not sure what its real name was but it was kinda like rice pudding and oatmeal mixed. it was wierd. it had nuts in it so it was gross.
How have you been feeling? Is your body in it's normal time zone now?
well besides from being tired from working, ive been adjusting just fine. i dont love it here yet. ive been thinking how easy it would be so serve in america. i kind of envy jens right now.
How's the weather there? For the last couple days we've been watching typhoonish winds go by the island of mindanao? cagayande oro? did you feel any effects of that? Do you have a "plan" for that? like emergency like?
well we have been having super heavy rains and stuff. there is lots of flooding but not in our area. the elders about an hour away from us in Ormoc had super flooding. they rode in fridges to get across the water. it was funny.
Good this week?
this week has been bad. really hard work. our ward is falling apart. our bishop has not been to church in six weeks. more and more members are being offended for some reason and they are just not going to church anymore. people are gossiping like crazy and its really not good. we are trying our best and doing everything we can. its also magnified 100 percent cuz i cant understand the people so my comp is really the only person who can do anything at this point. we just received word that the stake pres. is going to meet with the bishop and ward and try to get this settled. its really discouraging. sighhh... oh well.
Do you write Jensen?
i havent written him besides an email or two. i dont have any of his contact info.
Do you keep in contact with any people from your mtc district?
well i was gonna try to but i forgot to get their contact info.
Tell us about where you wash your clothes?
well in our bathroom, we have several tubs that we use to wash our clothes. we soak them overnight in soap then wash them by hand and with a brush. then we leave them to soak in fabric softener for a while then we hang em up. the whole process takes about 3-4hrs. but the president has said that we are getting washing machines sometime. so lets hope its while im still in the mission.
well i dont really have anymore stories besides the one i told you about the ward. so ill talk to you next week!! i love you all and miss you all.
love Christian
well one pair fits like they should but the other is like huge! it says 34 but its like a 38. they are really nice though. they arent hot actually.
I also forgot last time to ask about your presents? Tell me what you did during Christmas? After we talked...What did you think about your presents? Jessica's?
well we went to church and then we went home for a little bit and then i opened my presents then we went out and worked. it wasnt much of a christmas. its been hard to have the holidays alone. but oh well.
pictures: (love to see some more today!!)
i forgot my usb chord so ill send some next week.
I know the one with you and elder mahoni in front of the temple
and then one of your district? with everybody there? and elder mahoni is hiding?
ya that was the district.
and then one of some lights? is that in philippines?
that is outside our classroom at the mtc
and then one of you and three other elders with your suits on your heads?
we were all saying Kangitngit. it means darkness, one of the sisters hated hearing that word, it was fun.
Do they charge you for internet cafe? Or you can just show up and use their service?
ya they charge 30pesos per hr.
Let's hear any food stories this week? Yuckiness?
this week i had a food that sounds like beagle. im not sure what its real name was but it was kinda like rice pudding and oatmeal mixed. it was wierd. it had nuts in it so it was gross.
How have you been feeling? Is your body in it's normal time zone now?
well besides from being tired from working, ive been adjusting just fine. i dont love it here yet. ive been thinking how easy it would be so serve in america. i kind of envy jens right now.
How's the weather there? For the last couple days we've been watching typhoonish winds go by the island of mindanao? cagayande oro? did you feel any effects of that? Do you have a "plan" for that? like emergency like?
well we have been having super heavy rains and stuff. there is lots of flooding but not in our area. the elders about an hour away from us in Ormoc had super flooding. they rode in fridges to get across the water. it was funny.
Good this week?
this week has been bad. really hard work. our ward is falling apart. our bishop has not been to church in six weeks. more and more members are being offended for some reason and they are just not going to church anymore. people are gossiping like crazy and its really not good. we are trying our best and doing everything we can. its also magnified 100 percent cuz i cant understand the people so my comp is really the only person who can do anything at this point. we just received word that the stake pres. is going to meet with the bishop and ward and try to get this settled. its really discouraging. sighhh... oh well.
Do you write Jensen?
i havent written him besides an email or two. i dont have any of his contact info.
Do you keep in contact with any people from your mtc district?
well i was gonna try to but i forgot to get their contact info.
Tell us about where you wash your clothes?
well in our bathroom, we have several tubs that we use to wash our clothes. we soak them overnight in soap then wash them by hand and with a brush. then we leave them to soak in fabric softener for a while then we hang em up. the whole process takes about 3-4hrs. but the president has said that we are getting washing machines sometime. so lets hope its while im still in the mission.
well i dont really have anymore stories besides the one i told you about the ward. so ill talk to you next week!! i love you all and miss you all.
love Christian
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