Sept. 20-26

This week was great. We had a lot of members work with us this week, almost every day. And as a result we had more lessons with a member present than other lessons. The youth and the young adults are the ones who always work with us, it is way fun. Sometimes the Relief Society or the Branch President does as well. And it makes it way better when there is a member there and not just us, so the investigator can have someone to relate to and have a friend.
Things are getting pretty tough now cuz a lot of our investigators are close to be done with the lessons but there are things missing for their conversion. Some of them are not goin to church, reading the Book of Mormon, praying, or drinking and smoking still. It's tough, we got to help them in this change, as well as help them help themselves.
Last Monday it was way fun, we had a Family Home Evening at our house. Quite a few members and investigators came and we cleaned our front and backyards. Then we had FHE, dinner, a lesson and games. For the games after 3 people lost you had to do the chicken dance, me and Westwood lost first and so that was fun for everyone to see us do the chicken dance. Some people liked it so much they made me lose again, to make me dance again. But it was a lot of fun.
This last Sunday was great. We had a record attendance, around 110 in sacrament and 15 investigators. Also we had a baptism after, a grandkid of a member and the mother of 3 members who work with us all the time. Her husband came to church for the first time.
After church and and the baptism we walked so far. We were finding a referral that one of the sister missionaries gave us. They said they live behind this resort. So we followed the signs to the resort forever. Then we got to that and it was a ways away, and we ended up fairly close to a member's house in the next barangay. So it was better and faster to go out a different way. It was a huge circle. But that was it this week. Everything is great. I love you all. Elder Pennock

Sept 13-19

This week was great. A lot of fun good stuff happened this week. I forgot t mention a couple things last week too. Friday morning last week, we had a youth activity at the church, it was actually quite fun. We cleaned the whole church with all the youth. :)
Also we had a service project last Monday, we did yard work at a members house in Alaminos. It was just all the missionaries.
One new investigator this week Jordan Acheta, is was the first lesson, he invited all his family, so there was a lot of people. The cool thing was after we taught him, he said he believes in our message. Also one other investigator, Victoria, who we have been teaching for a long time now, accepted a baptism date for next month along with her friend and her daughter. Also 3 of our investigators had their baptism interview this Sunday, so the 3 of them are getting baptized next Sunday!
On Thursday we had special training, learned a lot and practiced teaching a lot. We had to teach in English to the couple missionaries one time, that was pretty hard to teach in English instead of Tagalog.
On Saturday we had a service project at an elementary school in Alaminos. A ton of people were there, all the missionaries and the branches. We painted, and cleaned the classrooms.
A lot of stuff happened this week. The work is going good. Love you all Elder Pennock

Sept 7 - 12th

This week was good. The work was a little slow cuz we had a lot of meetings and stuff. On Monday, ok this is a good funny story about my beloved companion Elder Westwood. On Monday we went to the doctor, for him to get a checkup and the doc told him he can't eat a few things. So that night he ate fish, the one thing he can have, and he ate a bone, which got stuck in his throat. So we went back to Alaminos after that, but the doc wasn't there. So he slept with it in his throat. Then we went to Alaminos Tuesday morning. But the bone had come up a little, so the people said swallow a banana. So we went to the market and he tried swallowing a banana. And he started chocking in front of everyone. haha. But then it finally worked and he used the banana to get rid of the fishbone.
Our district meetings have been changed to Tuesday afternoons now and it's in Alaminos. So it messes up our proselyting time. So we just stayed in Alaminos, and visited 3 of our recent converts who work in Alaminos. We were able to teach one. That was way cool.
On Wednesday, we had /got to go down to Santa Cruz for a leadership training, cus Westwood is district leader. But the meeting was way good. We a lot from teaching practices and the mission president and other leaders. They are changing how we do district meeting, its gonna be a half hour longer now. Aw well. And I being a comp to a district leader am like his assistant/secretary. But that's not hard, I just gotta work with he stats and stuff.
Thursday through Sunday we worked and focused on our progressing investigators. We have a few investigators with a baptism date. And I"m excited for that. This morning we had a service project in Alaminos. All the missionaries, except for the elders in Bolinao, came and cleaned/pulled weeds at a members house. It was fun there we 10 of us, 4 sisters and 6 elders. Everything is goin great! I love you all. Elder Pennock

Aug 30 - Sept 5, 2010

Kamusta na Kayo!? This week was great! Everything is going well. We have a few real good progressing investigators, a few difficult ones who are addicted to alcohol or cigarrettes and we found a few great new investigators.

On Wednesday we had a special training again in Santa Cruz. It was good we had to split up and just teach by ourselves. It was good to do that. I learned alot. Also I got to see my trainer, my first companion! He is now a zone leader so he was there. It was way cool to see him again. He told me a few things that has happened about our area, San Marcelino. One of our investigators had died because of drinking, which was terrible to hear, but one other has a baptism goal date again, she had one when we were there but then she had a baby. But the coolest thing that happened that he told me was that Ferdinand Lagoy, I am pretty sure I told you about him way in the end of March. Me and Elder Maccasudduc were the first ones to teach him. And he said he has been looking around at different churches and that he believes in our message, that God sent us to him and this is the way. That was so cool to here that, especially when I was still new but I could understand that. So the great news is he was baptised and is an active member in San Marcelino!! That was so awesome to hear! I so want to go back there and see how everyone is doin.

(this is what his companion said on his blog about the training on Wed) "For the duration of the training they seperated the companionships. Elder Pennock got put with 2 sisters, one that is still new in the mission, and one that doesn't know very much english. I think it was good for him! He seemed to learn a ton. And he had to talk a lot more cause I was not there to do it." (his blog is http://www.elderchasewestwood.blogspot.com/)

On Friday we and the branch president cleaned the church again. But we do not have to do it this week because the youth are goin to clean the church. Yay!! Also we cleaned the baptismal font cuz we had a baptism on Sunday after church! 4 of our investigators got baptized and i member. I baptised 2 and Elder Westwood baptised the other 2 and the member. It was so cool to get a baptism again. We have a few more with a goal on the 26th. It is great to finally have some success for all our labors.

We have started to teach a few part member families and the Brother (dad) of one of the families, where the mom is a member finally went to church on Sunday! Also the other part member family, the parents aren't members, the mom has been going to church now and the dad just said last night he wants to join the church. When he said that his 3 daughters were all excited, because a while ago he said that in a dream and his wife and kids heard it.

So the work is goin well. Walang problema. Mahal ko kayong lahat. Elder Pennock