The last week of February. Man time is goin by fast. I'm now close to a year in the Philippines. This week was pretty good. Taught a lot of investigators and less active members. We had a few rejections this week from some investigators saying they don't want to study anymore, or to come back when its vacation. Also only a couple of investigators are coming to church. Which is really sad, cuz the ward here is really strong and great. The speakers this Sunday were really good. One of them is preparing to serve a mission, he got his call and he is now just waiting for his visa. He is actually going to the California Arcadia Mission, so thats way awesome. He works with us pretty often and hopefully he will join us in personal and companionship study this week. He have a good talk on missionary work and preparation. He also said that his dad had been a great example for him even though he works abroad and isn't around a lot. But the little communication that they do have and his father's example of serving a mission helped him. So I was touched there and am thankful that my mom and dad have been/are there for me and have been such a big part in my life. So with good sacrament meetings like that I wish we had more investigators attend. That's what I want to focus on this week.
At one of our lessons, there is this kid who is really makulit (energetic), So I just kept him busy, he had a bunch of chocolate kisses that his mom gave him, the thing was he didn't want to eat them, he just wanted to unwrap them all. So he would unwrap them and then feed them to me :), I tried given him one, he put it in his mouth but then gave it back to me . . . I couldn't do anything with it so I just popped in in my mouth and ate it. =) So that was fun being fed chocolate kisses by an investigator's kid in a lesson. :)
One thing that's still struggling here with the church is good meetings where everyone shows up. We had a good meeting with the Ward Mission Leader at his house and then a good PEC meeting with the Bishop before church, but that is still missing a ton of people. Ah well.
Also this week was Zone Conference. So that was cool. Except, before conference we didn't have any water at our house, so the 6 of us missionaries went to a nearby member's house to shower and shave and everything. Which was an adventure. Also I got to work Sunday morning for the first time cuz our church is at 1:30pm. So I got to see everyone at their house hangin out, doing house chores, playing chess and everything because this is the only day they don't have work. I just wish they would give an hour or two to God and go to church, especially the investigators that we are teaching. So that was a little bit of an eye opener to me.
Also one more funny thing that happened this week was at one of our lessons, another investigator with a makulit kid, this one is maybe 2 years old. Well he likes to crawl and climb, and use mine and my comp's knees to stand up. And when he was standing holding onto my comp's knees he decided to pee, take a wee on my comp's shoes. His shoes are pretty nice too, leather. I just laughed, the investigator thought it was funny that I was laughing and she even laughed a little too. =) hahaha.
Well I think that is all for this week. Oh wait, we did splits two days this week. I was with Elder Cahayanan both times, once in his area and once in mine. So that was fun to work with him. Also I still don't really know my area well, so when I had to lead Elder Cagayanan in my area we were walkin around in circles. :) So the work is good, havin fun. Love you all. Miss you guys. Elder Pennock
Monday, February 28, 2011
Sunday, February 20, 2011
Feb 14-20, 2011
This was the 2nd week in my new area Cupang Ward, Balanga, Bataan. It was pretty much totally awesome. Starting with Valentines Day on Monday. It was p-day so we bought a few things and cleaned and chilled at the house. I also got a cool heart valentine thing when we ate at McDonalds. :) Also we had a Valentines day party tuesday night, that a member invited us to go to. But it turned out to be for couples only, so me and my companion were a little uncomfortable being there, so we left and visited a member instead. :)
The work was good this week. Getting a few new investigators, and meeting investigators that I haven't met yet. Also we committed a family to get baptised, they said yes! Their baptism isn't for a couple months, but they are excited and hopefully we can teach more of their kids as well. We also have one great new investigator who has a lot of friends and coworkers who are members.
On Friday there was this cool activity/fireside thing in Orani where an LDS teacher had all her 4th year high school students come to learn about our church and reflect on their last year of high school. There were a few speakers who talked about our beliefs and the importance of education and stuff, then all of us missionaries (6 elders, 2 sisters) had like this open forum thing where they asked us questions about the church and our beliefs. We also had some games and they shared their feelings and things they learned and liked about the fireside. (see the pics, I'm in the back with the kids playing the game) It was way cool. Hopefully some of them will read the pamphlet we gave them and investigate the church more, maybe when they are older.
The work was good this week. Getting a few new investigators, and meeting investigators that I haven't met yet. Also we committed a family to get baptised, they said yes! Their baptism isn't for a couple months, but they are excited and hopefully we can teach more of their kids as well. We also have one great new investigator who has a lot of friends and coworkers who are members.
On Friday there was this cool activity/fireside thing in Orani where an LDS teacher had all her 4th year high school students come to learn about our church and reflect on their last year of high school. There were a few speakers who talked about our beliefs and the importance of education and stuff, then all of us missionaries (6 elders, 2 sisters) had like this open forum thing where they asked us questions about the church and our beliefs. We also had some games and they shared their feelings and things they learned and liked about the fireside. (see the pics, I'm in the back with the kids playing the game) It was way cool. Hopefully some of them will read the pamphlet we gave them and investigate the church more, maybe when they are older.
This was our service project. We cleaned up trash from the road and the gutters. I held the trash bag so my hands are dirty. :) It was a lot of fun ...at least to be with the other missionaires and members.
Then we went to Mandama so my companion could do baptismal interviews, it was a long trip, and later that night the Balanga Elders had a ward family home evening at the church. So we went to that. There were musical performances and games. It was sweet, there were these two teens who were amazing, the guy played this beat box thing (kinda like a drum) and then the girl played the guitar. And they both sang. Also my comp, Elder Muliaina, played the guitar and sang as well. Way cool. So a lot of stuff is goin on, a lot of fun, very tiring as well.
Then we went to Mandama so my companion could do baptismal interviews, it was a long trip, and later that night the Balanga Elders had a ward family home evening at the church. So we went to that. There were musical performances and games. It was sweet, there were these two teens who were amazing, the guy played this beat box thing (kinda like a drum) and then the girl played the guitar. And they both sang. Also my comp, Elder Muliaina, played the guitar and sang as well. Way cool. So a lot of stuff is goin on, a lot of fun, very tiring as well.
We had one investigator come to church which was cool. Hopefully next week will have more. Oh also when we have time in the morning we play basketball at the local court, which is awesome, see the pics. I also bought a new camera, I got the guy to cut the price down 3,000 pesos, so it was only 4,000! =] Well thats it for this week. Love you all. Elder Pennock
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Feb 7-13, 2011
I'm in a whole new area! Crazy, I traveled from one end of the mission to the other end on Tuesday, with Elder Graven. We both came from Pangasinan all the way to Bataan. It was cool to see a few missionaries at the bus terminals along the way, who I haven't seen forever, but the trip was so long.
We left Alaminos, Pangasinan at 7am and got to Balanga, Bataan at around 4 pm. My new area is great, Cupang Ward in Balanga. Its a strong ward with high church attendance! So I am so excited to work in this ward and get to know the members and investigators.
We only worked in our area three days this week because my comp, being a zone leader, had a ZLC meeting in Olongapo. So when he was there I worked with the Balanga Elders in their area for two days. Which was way fun, and we found out one of their investigators, who has a baptismal date now, lives in Cupang. So we got a great new investigator with a baptismal date from the other elders. =)
So its way cool and exciting in my new area. There is for of us in our apartment, the Balanga elders, E. Cagayanan, and E. Schweikert, and me and my comp, E. Muliania. I met Muliaina up in Alaminos, we were there my first transfer in Bani, then he got transfered. He is Samoan from Australia and he is way coll. Elder Cahayanan is from Negros Occidental, Philippines and is still pretty new in the mission and he is awesome too. Then Elder Schweikert was born in California then moved to Florida, and he is 2 transfers ahead of me in the mission, and he is awesome as well.
On Sunday my comp had to go t another area so i got to go to the Balanga ward which was cool, then he came back and we attended our Bupang Ward. Because in Balanga there are 2 wards that Balanga ward is in the morning and the Cupang ward is in the afternoon. So at this point I know the Balanga ward just as much as I know my Cupang ward. :) haha
Then after church we had a meeting in Orion with other missionaries and the mission president. Then after that we had a ward family home evening at a less active member's house. We had a spiritual thought, lesson, games and some good soup, called Lugaw. So it's been one exciting, busy, tiring week. Totally different than my last area where we were in farmland. ;) Elder Pennock
We left Alaminos, Pangasinan at 7am and got to Balanga, Bataan at around 4 pm. My new area is great, Cupang Ward in Balanga. Its a strong ward with high church attendance! So I am so excited to work in this ward and get to know the members and investigators.
We only worked in our area three days this week because my comp, being a zone leader, had a ZLC meeting in Olongapo. So when he was there I worked with the Balanga Elders in their area for two days. Which was way fun, and we found out one of their investigators, who has a baptismal date now, lives in Cupang. So we got a great new investigator with a baptismal date from the other elders. =)
So its way cool and exciting in my new area. There is for of us in our apartment, the Balanga elders, E. Cagayanan, and E. Schweikert, and me and my comp, E. Muliania. I met Muliaina up in Alaminos, we were there my first transfer in Bani, then he got transfered. He is Samoan from Australia and he is way coll. Elder Cahayanan is from Negros Occidental, Philippines and is still pretty new in the mission and he is awesome too. Then Elder Schweikert was born in California then moved to Florida, and he is 2 transfers ahead of me in the mission, and he is awesome as well.
On Sunday my comp had to go t another area so i got to go to the Balanga ward which was cool, then he came back and we attended our Bupang Ward. Because in Balanga there are 2 wards that Balanga ward is in the morning and the Cupang ward is in the afternoon. So at this point I know the Balanga ward just as much as I know my Cupang ward. :) haha
Then after church we had a meeting in Orion with other missionaries and the mission president. Then after that we had a ward family home evening at a less active member's house. We had a spiritual thought, lesson, games and some good soup, called Lugaw. So it's been one exciting, busy, tiring week. Totally different than my last area where we were in farmland. ;) Elder Pennock
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
Feb 1-6, 2011
After 10 1/2 months in Bani, I am now getting transfered. Just found out this morning. But before that my last week in Bani was pretty cool. One thing one of our investigators did made me and my comp laugh this week. She's a fairly new investigator, a born again, this would be our 3rd visit to her. But when we went to her house (which is right along the highway) she left a sign on the door saying in tagalog "Walang tao". Which basically means in english, "nobody's here". I don't think we'll go back to her. ;)
We are continuing to teach the kids and preparing them for baptism, they are really fun and really learning. They know how to pray now, about Joseph Smith and about the 5 steps to the gospel, faith, repentance, baptism, holy ghost, and endure to the end.
This fast and testimony meeting was really awesome. A lot of youth bore their testimonies and one of our investigators went to church for the first time. He said it was great. He is a part member and newly married. hopefully he will want to keep comin to church and listening more to the lessons.
Well that's pretty much it for this week. I got to say goodbye to the members here before i leave, so I don't have much time. I'll write to you next week about my new comp and area. Ingat Elder Pennock
tapos the pictures are me walkin through bukid and over bridges to our investigators. And two houses that look like they are cut in half, a lot of houses are like that here. haha
We are continuing to teach the kids and preparing them for baptism, they are really fun and really learning. They know how to pray now, about Joseph Smith and about the 5 steps to the gospel, faith, repentance, baptism, holy ghost, and endure to the end.
This fast and testimony meeting was really awesome. A lot of youth bore their testimonies and one of our investigators went to church for the first time. He said it was great. He is a part member and newly married. hopefully he will want to keep comin to church and listening more to the lessons.
Well that's pretty much it for this week. I got to say goodbye to the members here before i leave, so I don't have much time. I'll write to you next week about my new comp and area. Ingat Elder Pennock
tapos the pictures are me walkin through bukid and over bridges to our investigators. And two houses that look like they are cut in half, a lot of houses are like that here. haha
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