Immediately i started the missionary work cuz that's what its all about. on my flight to san francisco i met this guy from Romania...i cant remember his name i wrote it down somewhere but anyway we started talking about religion and then i talked about how im serving a mission and i started sharing some of our beliefs and i gave a full on lesson about the Plan of Salvation and our purpose being on earth. It was awesome, he was so intrigued and then before we had to go i offered him a BOM so he can learn for himself the gospel and be able to answer any questions or curiosities he may have but he declined saying he liked our conversation but doesn't really enjoy reading. I wasn't discouraged tho cuz it was still a sweet experience.
Then I went to the airport and started talking to a filipina and also some polynesian kids and then i found Elder Lutz. My knight in shining armor. It was good being with another missionary. We didn't talk too much but it was still cool. We then flew to Hong Kong. the flight wasnt even that bad! when we arrived in Honk Kong the airport was HUGE. and we were so happy to finallly be out of america. It was my first time! we were there looking out at the mountains and water and were just fascinated. Elder Lutz and i were getting closer it was awesome! there we met with all of the other missionaries, White, Olpin (the BFG), Lowery (my cowboy), Eccles (the filthy dog), Munk, Brown, villanueva (thinks hes a filipino), And sister Tillman.
When we get off the plane to the philippines we took one good breath and BAM we knew we would have to grow lungs on our mission hahaha joke-lang (just kidding in the philippines). but it was humid and i dont mind it acrtually. after al the flying i forgot what my bags looked and i was so scared and in the airport i also had another failed attempt of offering the BOM to someone. ia sked if they jhad ever seen one and they said they had never seen one so i asked if they wanted to see what it looks like and so i pulled it out but then never got a chance to offer it to them :( but its cool. it was like still day one and i was just happy to make the effort to invite others to come unto christ through missionary work.
We got out of the airport and Jun took us to the hotel, a HERTZ worker. they drive like crazy in the philippines. its a controlled chaos that scared Lowery who beat us in rock paper scissors for shotgun. Lowery by the way is a straight hick. its awesome we all love and the philippones think hes hilarious. When we got to the hotel we were like the first people there. we went out outside not knowing if it was allowed and walked close to the hotel cuz we had to check the place out. it was amazing we got sweet photos! We stayed at that place and there were filipino missionaries everywhere. I became homies with a new zealander and filipino. Elder Watene and Elder Maandig.
in the mtc we arrived and i had to get a haircut. they are crazy strict. everyone gets the same haircut and they are all asian haircuts hahaha two leaders loved my hair but they said it had to be shorter so that was fun. the days have felt long! there were so many meetings it was crazy! and by that day tagalog was already starting. the next day we had to teach in tagalog...like what the bulong keso! (cheese ball!) Everyone was so nervous to teach. we were the last group to teach the investigator and when we got in there we just spent time getting to know her and then found out stuff that i was able to relate with her on and then we taught her a lesson i think different from what we planned and it was awesome the spirit was there and we spoke Taglish. English and tagalog. She loved our message about how heavenly father loves us and about how the gospel of jesus christ blesses families and how families are eternal cuz she lost her mom. it was good for me to relate with her about losing my dad and that helped us connect withe her. Our lesson went over time. it was sweet, we were so pumped! everyone was really nervous and before i walked in there i stopped elder lutz and was like if we want this to be good and if we want to convey our message so she can understand (xuz we didnt speak tagalog) then we cant joke around and we have to be serious cuz we need the spirit to be in tjher because the spirit will teach her and the spirit will allow our message to be conveyed. So despite all my worries and feelings of inadequacy i offered a powerful prayer. probably one of my most powerful prayers, with elder lutz and that changed eveything and the lesson went awesome cuz of the spirit. truly a lesson that we need to rely on God in our life and on the spirit because if we do so we will be blessed.
I forgot to mention! on day one i was called as the District leader. so that was cool. I also have to give a lesson and run a district meeting this next sunday so hopefully it goes well.
funny thing! the indians in the mtc LOVE ME and I LOVE THEM. they gave me rupees and i gave them american money we always talk. the sisters are so kind and the Elders are just so respectful. I love being everyone's friend here. I also love messing with all of the filipinos and they love it. they are the funniest. everyone gives fists bumps here its so funny. Sister [] got mad cuz during the mtc devotional everyone was fist bumping after going to sit down after shaking the area 70 hand, it was hilarious.
The days after have been rough i have had problems with [a certain elder who] has been kinda rude to me and i have been having a hard time loving him and so was my companion. with all of my negative feelings i started reading later the bom before i went to bed and coincidence...i think not... i run into 3 Nephi 11 i think and it was talking about how the spirit of contention is of the devil and i just felt so bad for having bad feelings towards him. i haven't said anything really to him but still having those feelings and reading that chapter and then read chapter 12 when Christ visits america. man i felt bad and that i just need to be more Christ-like and i need to stop having these feelings that are just hateful and negative so it was a huge wake up call. I want to be more like Christ and i know that i just cant have those feelings so now i know no matter what i jus t got to try and love people even if they don't necessarily love me back cuz i didn't have the power to change how they feel about me but i have the power to change how i feel. So even though i gotta a lot of love i know i need to expand it if i want to be the man the lord expects me to be and i want to be that man. Also i had strong impressions that I just got work SO hard. Harder than i've ever worked before. after they told us the story about how Gordon B Hinckley took the pledge to lose himself in the work i felt so impressed that i need to make the same pledge to stop feeling so insecure about the language, to stop thinking of myself and my needs, and maybe things that are bothering and to get to work. cuz that's what matters most. this work right here and that's why i'm here. i have just had so many feelings that i just need to really work and to focus on what matters most. I know by doing so i will be blessed cuz it was so strongly testified to me. and i'm excited! I already love the people and i love being able to share this gospel and invite others to come unto Christ. I have so much work ahead of me and that's the good thing. i just got to forget about myself and keep positive always. i cant be here to complain and to wish things were different i gotta be here to work so i can be shaped and so i can be an instrument in the lords hands to help others be shaped into conversion. I know the Lord has great things in store for me.
I love you all so much, all of you who receive this letter i love you so much and i miss you guys so much. I hope you guys know that.
Here are photos: the second photo is called the path of righteousness is lit:
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