Well, Happy Easter to everyone! Even though there is no Easter in the Philippines. If you remember last year when I was still in my first area, they have Holy Week. Where they have traditions to remember Christ. And I was really shocked last year cuz i had no idea about it. In the morning the men while walking the streets whip themselves with sticks so they bleed and I even heard some really get nailed to a cross. They say its for repentance. Also in the evening everyone joins in like a parade where they hold candles and have floats of Jesus and Mary. So for a few days it was hard to go tracting, so we visited alot of members instead. We also watched the new Joseph Smith movie with them as well, which is totaly awesome. Its on the Doctrine and Covenants DVD.
Our work was good this week. We had a few members work with us which helped us get more work done. One priest age kids even said he really felt the spirit and enjoyed teaching. This was at one
inactive member's house and I let him take the lead and share a message and he really liked it, which was awesome to hear. Also we had exchanges with the Assistants to the Principle because my comp is a zone leader. Even though I was with an assistant it was just the same, I led and we both taught the lesson. Where I was surprised and thought he would teach and help me out more as a missionary.
We had an interesting and eye-opening thing happen this week, we talked to two British men who don't believe there is a god. They both live here and have family here and were fine to talk with us. It was just way different to 1. speak english and 2. teach someone who doesn't believe in god.
I am thankful that I'm serving in the Philippines cuz they at least have faith and believe in God, and I really feel for and give credit to the missionaries in England and the US, and other places where they teach people without belief and faith all the time.
The two men were very bright and had good points, one even read the whole bible. It really made me and my companion think about the importance of faith and the spiritual side of things not always the physical and logical side. Because that's the only way you can know about anything religious or spiritual. How you gain a testimony, making right choices, knowing things to be true, and have true purpose, peace, and comfort in life. A ton its crazy. and its so important to keep strengthening and working on that spiritual, faithful side so we don't lose our testimony and faith and fall to the physical worldly side. Sorry if this is kinda out there and preachy ;) but talking with those 2 men just really affected me. Things like, how do you know the Book of Mormon is true, how do you even know if the bible is true, it all came from man, there is no afterlife, no before life. So that was just an eye-opener as well as a faith-builder.
Other than that we had a sweet Service project, with three of the wards, Balanga, Cupang and Abucay. We cleaned yet another barangay and all the trash on the roads. Cuz its like the national service day in the Philippines, they said. That is also what the pics are. You can see there when we are all walking in the street that me and the other american stick out. =)
Our work was good this week. We had a few members work with us which helped us get more work done. One priest age kids even said he really felt the spirit and enjoyed teaching. This was at one
inactive member's house and I let him take the lead and share a message and he really liked it, which was awesome to hear. Also we had exchanges with the Assistants to the Principle because my comp is a zone leader. Even though I was with an assistant it was just the same, I led and we both taught the lesson. Where I was surprised and thought he would teach and help me out more as a missionary.We had an interesting and eye-opening thing happen this week, we talked to two British men who don't believe there is a god. They both live here and have family here and were fine to talk with us. It was just way different to 1. speak english and 2. teach someone who doesn't believe in god.
I am thankful that I'm serving in the Philippines cuz they at least have faith and believe in God, and I really feel for and give credit to the missionaries in England and the US, and other places where they teach people without belief and faith all the time.
The two men were very bright and had good points, one even read the whole bible. It really made me and my companion think about the importance of faith and the spiritual side of things not always the physical and logical side. Because that's the only way you can know about anything religious or spiritual. How you gain a testimony, making right choices, knowing things to be true, and have true purpose, peace, and comfort in life. A ton its crazy. and its so important to keep strengthening and working on that spiritual, faithful side so we don't lose our testimony and faith and fall to the physical worldly side. Sorry if this is kinda out there and preachy ;) but talking with those 2 men just really affected me. Things like, how do you know the Book of Mormon is true, how do you even know if the bible is true, it all came from man, there is no afterlife, no before life. So that was just an eye-opener as well as a faith-builder.
Other than that we had a sweet Service project, with three of the wards, Balanga, Cupang and Abucay. We cleaned yet another barangay and all the trash on the roads. Cuz its like the national service day in the Philippines, they said. That is also what the pics are. You can see there when we are all walking in the street that me and the other american stick out. =)
Also at the end of the road by the sea there is a bunch of fish frying, "tuyo" as it is called here, dried fish. They are tiny and way cheap, and dont taste too great :) 
Well love you all. And hope you are all strengthening and building your faith and testimony everyday. ;) Elder Pennock
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