Five Months Down!

November 25, 2015

Yesterday, the 24th, marked 5 months of my mission. To be honest, it doesn’t feel like 5 months! It feels like a few weeks. This week has been a long one in many ways. We smashed it this week with 41 lessons and 150 FTEs. (Standards are 25 lessons and 100 FTEs). I finished reading the Doctrine and Covenants this morning. I started about the beginning of this transfer so it only took 3 weeks. There is a lot of deep doctrine in there!

We have a "crazy", homeless friend by the name of Mando. We fed him BBQ the other night and he is now our friend:) He always gives us this weird look and smile. He tells us how people fed him human feces and all these disgusting stories. Well yesterday we learned a little more about our friend Mando. He has a child and the wife is...get this...his first cousin! He also hooked up with his sister once.... He is the funniest homeless person I've met here and he is very...out of it. Well yesterday morning he got arrested. He was drunk in the market and people called the fuzz on him. Poor Mando!

Last Sunday I had the chance to confer the Aaronic Priesthood on Ernesto.  Elder Germain did it for Gabriel. It was great and a good experience! I have done many priesthood ordinances since I've been here. I also hear that we can curse people instead of bless them 0-0! Cool stuff.

So today we get the great chance to have Thanksgiving here! We have ordered a grilled chicken, have potatoes (those are expensive here!), and very simple other things. It shall all be well W-.-W. I wish the best for you all back at home and hope that you guys are having a great holiday week!

We have three baptism interviews this Saturday that I am excited for! I know that I am not supposed to brag about numbers (or even count my chickens before they hatch) but if all goes well I should be looking at having 8-9 baptisms by the end of my time here in Toboso! Unless of course I stay another transfer! (Then more! W-.-W) This area is very fruitful and I cannot wait to see what else happens!

All is well on the Pacific front and I wish the best for you all back at home! Amping moha!  

(On the beach. Ang bay-bay sa Tigbau.)

(Elder Germaine ate a blue gumball!)

-Elder Morris

P-Day Again!!

November 18, 2015

This was a very long week... they all are - haha! Started out with getting a nice care package from home last Thursday! It contained a lot of toys to give out to the kids here and a few small things for me ;) (like a first edition BOM and a new tie clip!). We had two baptisms on Saturday! I baptized kang Brother Gabriel ug kang Brother Ernesto! These guys show what a true investigator is like! Gabriel walks several kilometers to get to church each Sunday, totaling 3 hours of walking one way. And Ernesto changed from a diehard Catholic to someone who truly sees the light of Christ! I was super happy!

 (Baptism day!! Me, Gabriel, Ernesto, and Elder Germaine.)

Brother Gabriel showed up 1 1/2 hours late to his baptism and I just about died when he didn’t show up but alas he did! I got to confirm Ernesto a member the following Sunday (I had to say the prayer twice cuz I suck) and another person confirmed Gabriel (cuz I suck at giving prayers in Cebuano). I was also asked to give a talk 5 minutes before church started.... that went well. Ernesto went up to the pulpit halfway through sacrament meeting and just started bearing his testimony. It honestly was kind of funny, but his testimony was good!

We have a bunch of "Tokos" living in the jungle and the houses. A Toko is a big lizard that sounds weird. Well we have one in our house named Mikey Gecko and we came home one day to find him on our wall just chillin’. I've lived here for about 4 months and this is the first time I have seen Mikey Gecko. So what did four 19-22 year old boys do? Shempre! We caught it! He was MAD! I got a video of him in our basket – haha he is funny! We ended up letting him go because, let’s face it, life wouldn't be the same without his annoying mating calls at 2 in the morning! Plus he is endangered.

(Mikey Gecko!)

A mouse caused Elder Germaine to squeal like a frightened little girl :D. That was funny cuz he is 6'3",  240 lbs and a high pitched noise came out.

The crazy lady came back again! I told Elder about her and he wanted to meet her. We were eating barbeque one night and just like that she popped up behind Elder Germaine and in mid sentence I said "Do you remember that crazy lady I told you about?" He was like "Uh oh!".  I said "She's standing right behind you!" She chased us! I got to run again – haha!

Other than that, all is quiet on the western front. We have 3 baptisms coming up on the 5th of December which I am excited for! So far, I have had 5 baptisms since I've been here and am looking at having 9 before I leave to a new area on Dec 17th! Things are good!

I still love my little fishing town of Toboso and the people are great! The youth on the other hand are being too casual with the missionary which frankly needs to stop. We have a missionary leaving tomorrow for his mission in San Paulo Philippines so that is good! Toboso is sending their own into the mission field!

All is well here! I wish the best for you all back at home!    

-Elder Morris

And that was the end of my first week of actual mission life!

November 11, 2015

So no more 12 weeks, which means that I am now on regular mission schedule! I received my new companion Si Elder Germaine. He is from Arizona. We graduated the same time. He is 6'3" coming in at 220-240 lbs of pure American. We have received a lot more remarks of "Joe" and every time anyone says the word “Joe” he goes after them and FTEs them – haha! It certainly scares a lot of people when they say "Tambok Joe" and then all of a sudden the two Americans are hot on their tail to share the gospel with them! We get along quite well and have a similar taste in music. His teaching methods are interesting--more of an ‘in and out’ type deal, but I feel like I can learn great things from him. He was also batch with Elder Noprada, my trainer.

(Me and Elder Germaine)

So I get to lead the area and my first week was rough! I always had people in mind to teach but we were punted by just about EVERYONE for a straight week!!! What a bad impression! Being punted...

We had three baptismal interviews this week and 2 passed! On Saturday si Brother Gabriel and si Brother Ernesto will become the newest members of the Church of Jesus Christ! I am excited because these two are the first baptisms that I’ll have in which I met them and taught them their first lessons and saw their conversion! I truly do love these people and I am excited for them! Sis Victoria needs some more time though...

Things are going great here in Toboso and getting better! We have gone exploring a lot lately, seeing new parts of our area and meeting new people.

I hung my gigantic American flag in my room cuz MURICA!

(My simple bedroom...)

Not much else new has happened here in my small fishing town of Toboso.

So for some quick missionary tips:

• Get a bag with lumbar support! If you can rest it on your hips like mine can it is so much better than resting it on your shoulders.
• Have water proof and durable shoes where ever you go! They hold together and your feet don’t get soaked.
• Buy your umbrella before you get to the Philippines! I love this place so much but the quality of just about everything isn’t...good.
• Have a wide variety of very nice ties AND DONT TRADE THEM! Missionaries and even members want your new and nice ties.
• Socks...people stress about socks, but to be honest, buying a $10 pair of socks isn’t worth it. Your feet are sweaty wet no matter what you wear.
• The deodorant here is expensive.
• Be prepared! Study your language before you get to the MTC. Study your scriptures from all the standard works before you get to the field. A lot of people will think "oh I'll just learn while I am there" but TBH you will want to know this stuff ASAP!

The mission is great and maayong ang tanan! All is well!

I wish the best for you all back home and just know this, that I do miss the snow!

Amping!

-Elder Morris

Done with "12 Weeks"

November 4, 2015

So, “12 Weeks” is the plan the church has organized for the new missionaries in which we are able to adjust to missionary life. This is the time when we get our trainers and learn all the missionary life things and well... I am done! They say that your mission is divided into 4 parts: The MTC, 12 Weeks, your mission, the last 3 weeks. These next 20 months are going to go by fast!

So Elder Noprada and I are now splitting up. I am staying here in Toboso for another 6 weeks for my follow up training while he is going to the third island of our mission, Siquihor. On Siquihor there are 30 members and 6 missionaries. You can walk the length of the island if you really wanted to. My new companion whom I will be meeting tomorrow is Elder Germane. He is an American out for 1 year and...oh yeah he is Elder Gali's trainer! Looks like we have something in common haha! Elder Gali was my MTC companion.

(My geneology... Me, My Trainer - Elder Noprada, his trainer - Elder Smiler)

This past week was a very long and...to be honest… a sad one. So right off the bat we were told by 4 of our "good" family investigators to not return, I know I should be happy that my focus can now be more centered on those who are Elect but being turned down after having several lessons still sucks!  We had a member die this past week and she was one who we visited weekly. She was one of the pioneers here in the Toboso ward. Elder Noprada and I were asked to give a talk at the funeral. I was asked to dedicate the grave. It was a great exp to see the love people truly have for their family and friends; it reminds me that the world isn't so bad. On the same day as the funeral it decided to downpour! I was soaked to the bone! Good fun :)

Last Wednesday we hiked out to Gabriel's house. It was a great hike! His family was so nice and very humble. Just as the Zoromites were able to be learned because they were humble, I too believe that Gabriel has been able to learn because he is humble. We had fun, took pics, caught chickens with ropes, ate bread fruit, hiked back.

 (One of the many paths to Gabriel's house.)

(Kit, Gabriel, Me, Elder Noprada)

A crazy dude came up to me and demanded money... kind of weird. Then he demanded my neck tie.... he got nothing. I wish I could have helped but we aren’t allowed to give out money.

I finally got one! I have finally received a cacao! I cracked it open, ate the actually good fruit in side, and am now in the process of drying the seeds. I will make chocolate from them!  #determined

This past Nov 1st and 2nd are holidays here in the Philippines. It is some "go and visit the graves" day.

Gabriel, Ernesto, and Victoria are all on schedule to be baptized on the 14th! I am excited, for they will be my first "find them and teach them from the beginning" investigators. I also have a 17 year old Kyle who we have been teaching this whole time too who is doing great and will be baptized on Dec 5th. He would have been baptized weeks ago but since he is 17 and his parents aren't members he has to go to church for 3 months so we can see that he is actually dedicated to this work. The work here is good; you have to be turned down by hundreds of people to find the one!

I love it here and I wish the best for you all back at home! These next 20 months will be pas-pas! Fast! 

(My Filipino friends!)

-Elder Morris

One more week in this transfer...

October 28, 2015

The end is nearing; my training is almost complete and soon I will receive a new companion and or a new area. As far as this week went...well it went!

Last Wednesday, we had a zone activity where we had a "Bottle Fight" (totally not how it is spelled) where you get a bunch of banana leaves, dump all your food on them and it is like a free for all buffet. All 30 of us went in this mass of food with our hands and destroyed it!

We have had splits about half the days this past week as we are trying to cover more ground! The great thing about a Philippines mission is there is always someone to teach (and we have a lot of those "somebodies"). My split yesterday wasn't the best day of my work haha. We got punted by 5 families (caught 3 of them right as they were walking out the door!) Taught only 3 lessons and got only 2 FTEs...so not a great day but the night made up for all the effort! We had FHE at the Stake Presidents house (who lives right behind my house much like in my home ward). We had another "Bottle Fight" (boodle fie...something like that) and played some interesting games that I am taking home to America with me.

Went to San Carlos (a big city because it has a mall!) for zone interviews. We left at 6 A.M and got home at 8:30 P.M. San Carlos is only an hour away but we had to wait a long time for our time with the president. We worked in San Carlos for the day. It was kind of exciting working in the city but alas I like my humble fishing town of Toboso:). Brother Ernesto's IBD is coming up here in 3 weeks as well as sister Victorias and I hope I stay here one more transfer so that I can see them get baptized! And if Gabriel is ready he too will join the Church of Jesus Christ on the 14th! Exciting things are happening and I am happy here!

One thing that I have learned here on the mission is just about how much a missionary really needs to rely on the Savior and... just how lonely one can be. You get sent to a foreign land, don't speak the language, get a new companion every 6-12 weeks, your leaders have a lot to worry about and the president has 180-200 missionaries to over see...you really come to learn that if you aren't feeling so great that you have to turn to Christ. I can see why this is so important because it is a lot of "you and Him" time. You get to learn just how much He cares for you when you see that He is there for you EVERY time that you need help. I am very thankful for our Savior and that He is there for all of us!

Other than that I am doing quite well! I can lead the area quite well and understand the people a lot more! I can converse with the locals and they understand me! I have been told that my Cebuano is much like slang haha but all is well!

I am excited for what the future has in store. I am scared though that my mission will fly by fast! It has already been 4 months and I got 20 left.... In the MTC we sang the song "To bring the world His truth". The lyrics normally go "We are as the army of Helaman, we have been taught in our youth. And we will be the Lords missionaries to bring the world His truth." We sang a slightly different version. "We are as the army of Helaman, we have been taught in our youth. And we are now the Lords missionaries to bring the world His truth."  I only have 20 more months left to do what I have never ceased to think about desire. I am now the Lord’s missionary and at times it feels like I haven't quite realized it yet. These next months are going to go by very fast and I am truly going to miss this great experience. I truly love my mission and I love the people so much! Filipinos aren’t like Americans haha, They don't have the American sass. They are a great and wonderful people!

All is well and I wish the best for you all back at home or on missions!

Amping mo!

-Elder Morris

Another Great Week

October 21, 2015

This week was great; full of plot twists and happy endings!

So first, we only had a strong wind here and not much rain. I didn’t realize that we had a typhoon in the Philippines until after it had passed!

We had a baptism! Little Jewel Mikah! She was very excited and happy! 

We also have two IBDs who...relapsed :( Bro Ernesto drank a cup of coffee so we had to move his bunyag date back a month to Nov 14. Sis Victoria smoked a cig so hers also moved :( Gabriel still treks to church each week and it is quite awesome that he is able to make it! Other than that the teaching is going great! I am in charge of planning, leading, and teaching right now! All on me! MWAHAHA!

I am in the process of buying a cocoa fruit so I can eat it and then make chocolate from the seeds :) Members are feeding us hot coco drinks made from the cocoa trees in their back yard and it is amazing! Bitter kaayo!

Me and my companion have bought lava lavas as a companion item and might I say, walking around in this thing and emailing (currently wearing) in it is quite fun. Every one stares at you...

(We were told the fabric we used is for curtains... They still are pretty cool though... BTW I have a green one from a friend from the MTC that I wear all the nights :P )

My twelve weeks is coming to an end and soon I will be just like the other missionaries. I haven’t had any run ins with crazy people this week. Sis Marzan’s fried chicken is still good. The area is still peaceful. Food is still good (questionable at times).

I do love it here and I hope that I can look back at my mission and say that I gave it my all!

-Elder Morris

Weekly Update!

October 14, 2015 

Sorry for not emailing last week. We had a power outage all day last Wednesday and were only able to get to Escelante for 30 minutes to email there. General Conference was great! We got it in English too! One problem with that though. Can you think of it? The people here don't speak English! We had over 1000 peeps at the conference here and hardly anyone understood it! I myself loved it haha.

The weird (crazy) lady came across my path again... As I shook her hand she grasped it tightly, sniffed it, then KISSED it! WWWWWEEEEEEEIIIIIIIIIRRRRRRRRRDDDDD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Oh yeah and the kids also really like me too! They like to grab onto my long monkey arms and swing! I know I am tall and nice, but it gets kind of weird when a group of kids surround you just to swing on your arms.

The lessons are going great! Brother Ernesto went to General Conference and seemed to enjoy all he understood-haha. He is scheduled to be baptized on Halloween (2 weeks)! I am excited for him! We will be baptizing little sister Mikah on Saturday, and she has asked yours truly to do the honor! Excited ako!

\

(Elder Noprada and me with little Mikah)

I have begun a new "study" on faith hope and charity. It is coming along very well and I hope to mail it home when I am done translating my scribbles so that hopefully my mother can type it up and share what I have found. (Oh btw, Mother, I have a request for you!) 

I woke up this morning with a bad bloody nose... it has stained my white polo :( BOO

Yesterday was great! I led the day (so we did what I wanted to do mwahaha!) We had great lessons and a sufficient amount of FTEs (Find The Elect or OYM Open Your Mouth). I found a tranquil place here so we took some selfies! I shall send a few pics.

(Selfies!!)

All is well here and I am still alive haha! I met four Americans the other day and half of what I was saying to them was in Cebuano not by choice haha. 

I truly love my mission and I have been blessed with so much! I wish the best for you all!

-Elder Morris