April 9, 2011 - "That Kid Looks Like an American"

This is where they make "oring", which is a like coal that they cook with, but it isn't coal. It's hard to explain.

Hey everyone this week has been way good. We saw conference a week later than you all. It was way good and we had a lot of people at the stake center. Jim Weaver, the American I teach, went to all 5 sessions of conference and loved it, I am so happy about him. He is being baptized this Saturday so that is so awesome! In conference Quentin L. Cook talked about how awesome the women are in the church (no offense to dad) but I couldn’t agree more! I am thankful for all the women reading this! I hope work is okay mom, I am glad tax season is almost over so you can relax and enjoy life. I can’t believe it is snowing haha that is nuts. It’s April! It is about its hottest here that I have seen. It’s fine though. That is good about my truck so you don’t have to deal with it anymore. Thanks for taking care of it. Ha yes I remember that story about the drinking fountain. It has been so long I don’t remember the details but something along those lines. I remember crawling under it haha. That is cool that Stephanie got engaged, tell her congrats. I bet her guy was in the Bacolod mission. Back then I believe it was the only mission speaking Ilonggo. Also I am happy you all enjoyed Joe's homecoming and everything went well. Elder Jenkins and I have been cooking a lot together fairly healthy haha. It is way hard to eat healthy but I haven’t gotten fat...yet. I have a few funny stories this week. We went to a barangay called Ilabas and there we were teaching a less active father, non-member mother and a nine year old non-member. We had been at there like maybe fifteen minutes and we were not yet started into a lesson, just talking about stuff. Then the nine year old said to her mom "Hey, that kid (me) looks like an American!" And the mom was like yeah he is American haha and the little girl was like "no way! he knows Kinaray'a but he looks like he is American, he is white!" and the mom told her again that I’m American and the little girl would not believe her since I was conversing to them in Kinaray'a haha it was so funny. I also got to see my first cock fight this week. There were tons of people standing in a circle in the street so I walked up and since I am taller than everyone I could see them fighting with the big metal things on their feet. It was weird, but whatever, haha I don’t really care to see it again, but it was a cool experience I guess. One killed the other and the winner won a bunch of money haha. Anyway this week went really well. No problems here. Love you all! Fram Bam: That is so awesome about the snow I bet you love it! My week was way good :) I miss you lots and can’t wait to talk to you next month! Love you! Dad: That is too bad Dixie got beat by PV. Who are the good players on Dixie? And I can’t believe it is still snowing that is way weird. I wanted to tell you something dad. In conference Elder Richard G. Scott talked and in his talk he brought up how one of his kids said "dad, your my best friend." I am way thankful that I feel the same. I always loved hunting and fishing and going to games and golfing, etc. Sometimes I had other stuff going on, or chose differently but I want you to know that I feel so lucky to have such an awesome dad that I can really say is my best friend! So thanks for being awesome! That is cool about Steph's fiancé going on his mission to the Philippines. Maybe I will be able to speak to him in ilonggo! Anyway, I Love you dad!

4/3/11 One of My Best Weeks So Far in the Field

A kid named Earnesto

Hello kamo! Things here in Sibalom are going really well. This might have been one of my best weeks so far in the field! We had to come back into San Jose which is a big town close to us, to withdraw cash because Elder Bosotros ran out haha but oh well we hurried and got back to our area. So something bad happened that I am not too stoked about. I plugged my camera in a computer last week and there must have been a virus or something because it deleted my whole memory card. So at least we have my first two months but all my photos from March are deleted completely. Try to save my photos as well as possible haha. That would stink to lose them all. That is way exciting about Joe. I bet he was stoked but at the same time in a very, very weird place. I haven’t even been gone that long and it would be way crazy already for me to return. You learn crazy things on missions that are hard to explain. That is why missionaries seem so weird when they return. They (most) are not worldly. They focus on what matters. Then slowly they get back to "normal" then people think they are regular again haha but oh well. About your praying question, mom. I don’t really have any advice on how to remember but I would like to point out in the book of Ether (I forget what chapter, maybe 3 or 4) God chastizes the brother of Jared for not "calling on the lord." So that makes us realize how important it really is for us to pray. But luckily through Christ we have the gift of repentance. Use that gift and like in the following verses of Ether "sin no more." Anyway, I got a box today from mom and another from Mauri Webster so please tell her thanks so much! I have not opened them yet, though. We get the Ensigns here but they are called Liahona. Also I can’t read that book. It is not in the missionary library. Also like a few months ago you sent me a book called Christmas Jar. It has been just sitting on the counter not opened. I don’t want to read it due to the rules. I don’t want to break that rule and slowly loosen up on any rules, so no offense, but it won’t get read haha. Regarding the cookies, we will eat lots of dough cuz that is my favorite, but we also have a little tiny oven thing. It doesn’t work well but it cooks the cookies ok so that’s what we use. The couple missionaries, Brother and Sister Holt live in San Jose and they are leadership helpers. They watch over the entire Antique zone and all the branches, strengthening members and leadership. I like them a lot. Jim is the American I teach and he came over here to Manila in the 80's to play a performance because he was a pro musician and he met a lady, they dated, got married and eventually moved to America. They taught school and retired now they moved back to retire forever. I like him tons, way rad. I do listen to the hymns on my i pod sometimes so thanks! Another story. this week we had an investigator that was going to be baptized but ended up moving to Manila. We learned from her aunt that her dad had raped her when she was 13 and she had a baby at 14. Years later the exact thing happened again so she was a 19 year old girl with two kids, both of which the father and grandpa were the same person. yikes. The Book of Mormon is not translated into Kinaray'a yet. We either give the investigators The Book of Mormon in Ilonggo or Tagalog and they usually can understand ok. But usually we have to just go through it with them. There is no Bible translated to Kinaray'a yet either. The phrase I sent in my letter a couple of weeks ago says "I know this church is true, and I love you." Also I am not sure what I should do to call home in May. Maybe have Breck find out for me what is best. He knows more. My roommates don’t know either haha. Apparantly they used Skype so maybe you should set me up an account? I don’t know haha I don’t have time. Things are going really well. I love you all! Talk to you next week. Hey Papa! Things are going really well here. I want to thank you for the sacrifices you are making for letting me be on a mission. Both financially and non. I am learning so much I love it. Really! It definitely has been the hardest time of my life but at the same time to best for my life. I can’t believe Joe is home. Missions are way fast! I need to start using time more wisely haha or it will be gone before I know it! Dad I love you tons. Your hunt is soon! Good luck! Talk to you next week! Hey fram bam. things here are going well. Glad you are liking soccer and stuff. I love you and miss you so much!

Jim Weaver from Pennsylvania

Whats up ya'll? Things here in Sibalom are going well. We found out Ernesto has a graduation thing he has to go to on April 2 so he is being baptized on April 16 with a girl named Kris Fadol (who lives like an hour walk from our house, across a river where there is no boat) so it will be sweet to baptize her. Also we will be baptizing Jim Weaver who is the American I am teaching from Pennsylvania. At church this week he bore testimony and said "After the missionaries started coming to my house, I knew I had to be a part of their church. They were just different than the other teenagers in America, they have a drive in them and know where they are going. They are what I want all teenagers to be like" and on and on. It was cool. We also had a weird experience this week. So last week at church we had about 90 attendence (high) and we were working way hard with less actives and investigators as well. Then at the end of sacrament meeting our branch president said in Kinaray'a "you parents with kids need to make sure your kids are quiet so we can be reverent, if not the sin of the kids will come on your heads".........so as you can imagine, lots were offended. Church attendence went from 90 last week to 40 this week. Yikes...so we have a lot of work to do with members now. Our new Elder in the house is Elder Madayag from Philippines as well. He knows like 6 languages and is very obedient. I like him a lot. He has only been out a couple more months than me. The language is coming along well. I can teach pretty much anything fine. Also conversations are fine too. Rarely do I have to have help anymore. It’s fun because people always think I am just a dumb "Joe" so they say things to me in the language and when I answer back they are stunned. That's rad. Also it’s fun joking around with people. So update. My health is doing well. I feel good this week. And in general, I haven’t really gained or lost much. Maybe lost 5 lbs. only. I work out a little every morning so I have stayed in okay shape, but have but on a little on my belly, but I could work it off in like a month at the gym. Elder Jenkins and I ordered a bench so we can bench press haha out of wood. It’s like 5 bucks. I also jump rope every day so thanks momma for sending that jump rope, I love it. When I got sick last week I did not take any medicine although I have some. I just figured if I let my body deal with it, it would be best. And I think it was good cuz it’s all gone now. We are only a little over a month until I get to call home! I am excited for that! I have so much to say haha. And no offense mom but the tuna I ate was from you haha in a package. After I ate it I looked the date and it had expired like a year ago haha but it’s all good. Still love you mom :) I love teaching the people here. It is so fun to see a light flip on in their minds to the truth of Gods plan for us. Of course there are some who try to battle us but whatever, they are easy to take care of :) We are more educated haha. Anyway I love you all so have a good week. Hey Dad, things are going really well. Dad, that is cool about the March madness. Jim (the American I teach) told me BYU lost but he doesn't know much else about the tournament. That is good for Dixie. I can't believe baseball is started. That is cool. Haha I am happy to know Dre is doing well and keeping things exciting at home :) We need to take him to South Dakota when I get home! He (and I) would love it. Thank you for researching the east wind thing. I think I agree with you. Just a symbol of some sort of consequence to disobeying commandments. Anyway thanks for always writing dad! I Love you! Hey Barb I love having you as a sister too! That is fun about the kitties. I know the Miller's will be good owners. The cats here need owners like you. They are all ugly and have no owner. They just run around looking for food. I miss you lots and can't wait to talk to you. Love you!

Upset Stomach - Girly Voice

Hey everyone! This week has been a pretty good week. Kind of longer than normal but it is okay. Today we had transfer announcements which is when our zone leaders tell us who will transfer and who will stay. Turns out I am staying with Elder Bosotros another transfer. I won't lie 12 weeks is a long time with any human but 18 is unheard of haha. I will have to trust that it is like this for a reason? We will be getting a new missionary in our house though so that will be really cool I think I am excited to meet lots of people and learn from them. I pray he is obedient and hard working. So this week Saturday I woke up and worked out a little. I ate breakfast then started my studies (we get one hour of personal, one hour companion, and one hour language) Then for lunch I had some tuna on top of rice (of course). Then we went out and started working and I started having pain in my stomach and had to use the bathroom. So turns out I think the tuna was bad or something because we had to return to the house because I had to use the bathroom like every 15 minutes and my stomach was killing me. I was also feeling weak and kind of dizzy. We stayed home that night. Then all night it was the same with my stomach. I would wake up and have to use the bathroom. Same throughout the morning but it was Sunday moring so we went to church. But we had to leave after sacrament because I was dying. We sat at home almost all day, then at 4 I felt okay so I said we could go work so we went out. But after walking like ten minutes I started getting way dizzy and tired and my stomach started killing again so we ended up teaching one lesson then going home. I felt bad for Elder Bosotro. Then this morning it feels a little better but still odd. Oh Well it will go away I hope. If not I will call Sister Pagaduan and ask her what doctor to go to? or what medicine to take. So on the work. We have been teaching our recently baptized the lessons for post baptism and we also have another kid getting baptized April 2nd. He is a kid who was going to church and we didn't know he wasn't a member. He has been way awesome, he has also gotten some of his friends over to his house to listen to us. Lots of referrals so that is way good. His name is Ernesto LaVega and he is 17 yrs old. How is everything going at home? The weather has been good here this week. Overcast for the most part but I still constantly sweat. We also got to see a fight this week haha. Two young teenagers were going at it on the side of a road, then a guy broke them up. I have a question for anyone who reads this and will help me out. I have been reading in the Book of Mormon and in Mosiah 7:31 and Mosiah 12:6 it talks about the "East Wind." What do you think the meaning is of that? I know it is in the Bible too but I don't really have the resources to look it up more in depth. I appreciate any help on that. Oh I was going to tell you. Everyone here always does karaoke haha it is funny because they are terrible but I did it for my first time ever. I sang "kabet" by "gaggong rapper" haha you will have to look it up but to be honest it is Tagalog so I don't understand all the words so if it is bad I am sorry I dont know haha. Wow I can't even believe about Cooper. I obviously didn't know him way great but that is nuts. I feel so bad for his parents. It is crazy when things like that happen. (Garrett's cousin Cooper was killed in a snow skiing accident.) On the other hand I was glad to see all the missionaries. It makes me so happy to know people are serving the Lord and will be joining me throughout the world. Especially when I know so many of them. Hey dad. I was afraid Spanish Fork would win again. That sucks they are so good haha. Does Kasey Reynolds play or dress or is he old enough ha I don't remember his age. I got a letter from Janell Reynolds so that was cool. I will write her later. I bet you are excited that young men basketball is over. That was a lot of work for you (and me :) keeping score when I could.) I get letters from Jon Bowler so when you see him tell him thanks for me. Also please give me the address of Hilton Covington. I want to write him and thank him for helping me out on the dedicated hunter project last year(although it is way late haha). Anways things are good. Go find some turkeys! I Love you Dad! So about the language. I have been getting a lot more confident. I would say anything I need to get across I have no problem. At least in lessons. Also with normal conversation I can do that too. It is crazy to think three months ago I started learning a new language and now I know it. Obviously I have a lot of room to grow, get better at grammar and learn deeper things and deeper vocab, but it is way cool if you really think about it. I also think I got lucky to learn Kinaray'a which only a very very small area of the entire world speaks (like maybe Washington County sized.) I will never use it after my mission probably but it is fun. Something different here is that the higher your voice is the more they understand. So if I talk normal sometimes they don't understand. But if I make my voice higher, almost girly, they understand haha and all of the men here have high voices. Anyway I am out of time. I love you all and miss you tons! talk to you next week I am at a new computer shop this week and it won't let me send photos so sorry I will send next week. I love you all. bye bye

3 Baptisms

A big spider. Probably a little smaller than my hand.

Getting down a "star apple" from a tree

A bamboo boat A river crossing

Ireneo/Quiapo Baptism

Kumusta Kamo?! This is Elder Christensen reporting from Sibalom again haha things here are going very well. Yesterday we had three baptisms. Jina Quiapo-16, Ivy Ireneo-10 and Mike Ireneo-8. Mike and Ivy are siblings and Jina is their cousin. It was really cool and went well except at first the font water wasn't working so we had to get a hose from the outside and put it through the window. That tsunami has been pretty weird. It was on every television here for a few days but it hasn't affected us. Apparently if it affected the Philippines it would hit the East coast and I am on the Western part. Transfers are next week so I am like 99% sure this will be my last full week with Elder Bosotros. I won’t lie I kind of want an American because it will be fun to talk and stuff while we proselyte. Elder Bosotros is way cool we just don’t have much in common and twelve weeks together has been a long time haha we have run out of things to talk about. I talk a ton to my roommates though so that is good. I can’t believe mom and dad have been married 29 years that is nuts. Congratulations. We have an investigator who has been going to church for a long time but we just thought he was a member. Turns out he just likes going and wants to be baptized but we just didn't know. We were at his house yesterday and his parents have been married for 27 years and he was talking about it a little. That is pretty rare here though. I think. Wow, I am way excited for Colton Gust (Fort Lauderdale, Florida) and Nick Accordino (Cape Verde). When do they leave? They will be completely different people in just a few months haha. Sounds like a lot is going on in St. George! They are just fixing things up for when I return :) what a good city. I also can’t believe Britt is eleven. Happy Birthday! I hope you have an awesome day and hope you liked my gifts haha even though they are small. I really cannot believe that baseball is going on right now. Time is flying by! I swear last week I was a sophomore talking with Nate Carter and those guys but he is already home and what not. The language is coming along so, so well. I can teach almost everything and have been engaging in conversations so I have been getting better and better every day. It is nice that I can speak and people understand haha. That hasn't happened for like the last two months! That sink is not actually the kitchen sink but we do dishes in there. Our clothes wash we just do in buckets sitting on the ground. It is lame. But ok. It takes me like about two hours every P-Day. Mom I got your card in the mail today. And yes, things here are very similar to that Mayan village we visited in Cancun last summer (wow it was already almost a year ago!) The people just have little houses and they have tons of chickens, turkeys, goats, pigs around for them to eat. I won’t lie, I am pretty shocked that nobody said anything about the balut I ate haha. I expected mom to freak out. We also got a senior couple in our zone today. They are the Holts from Roy, Utah but originally from Enterprise, Utah so that is cool. They lived close to us. I am not sure yet if they proselyte or what but it will be nice. They brought us brownies too! yay! Hey Britt! It is the 14th here today so happy birthday! I love you so much and you are growing up too fast! I am happy you got a new bike(sorry for never fixing yours) haha I hope you ride it lots and give the whole family lots of love for me! I love you Fram Bam! Anyway, things are good. Love you all! I will leave you a little line and see if you can translate it for next week :) Kamaan ako nga matuod ang simbahan ni jesucristo. Kag palangga ko kamo p.s. the video of Nick Accordino getting his mission call was cool. I didn’t know where Cape Verde was either haha. Tell him congrats and I can’t think of anything else for the package maybe like some cookie mix haha for my sweet tooth. Love you!

Sibalom Apartment

Our living room and dining room

Our shower

My bed

I wash all my clothes by hand in this sink.

Our laundry room

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March 6, 2011 - Balut

Arthur with his mask

One of my favorite little girls, Shaneen, from an investigator family "Caribou" or essentially "the tractor" here Balut or half developed chick

My district

Whats up ya'll! This week has been a really good week, we are staying way busy. I can definitely say I am starting to enjoy it more and more weekly and am finally getting the language, for example, I just had like a fifteen minute jeepney ride and I talked to the guy next to me the entire time. It was a confidence booster and I am going to go contact his house later this week because it is in my area. Today was P day so we shopped and had district meeting and stuff. It was good. This last week has been so hot it is insane, like unreal hot haha. I literally am drenched in sweat all day every day. That is one thing that’s not so rad. I also tried Balut this week for the first time(sorry mom) but I had to. It is the half fertilized duck egg thing you have all heard about. It wasn't as bad as I expected. Not that good though haha I probably will never eat it again cuz it wasn't that good. I would rather eat a boiled egg or scrambled haha. Yes the white boxes in the pictures I sent home are at the cemetary. I guess due to the water underground, they have to put the people above ground. It was weird the first time i saw that. I am glad for Elder Rebman, he is getting so close. I remember going to his farewell with dad, we saw Papa Joe, too and then went to their house. Mom was busy but I remember that well so that’s crazy he is almost home. We have three more baptisms this Saturday so in a week I will send the photos. These are sweet baptisms. I have been here and started teaching them and now baptizing. It is an 8 year old, an 11 year old and a 16 year old and they are all cousins. I am trying my best to send letters to everyone that sends them to me. I don’t have a lot of time, and I only can do it on P day but I am trying my best. This morning I woke up at 5:45 because I had to do wash. Wash is getting old by hand.....later we are going to play basketball and stuff. Work out some stress haha. I can’t believe Trevor Reynolds is getting married that’s crazy but I am happy for him. Tell him hi for me. That is also cool that baseball is starting already. I remember playing the Sunshine Tourney like it was last week. Time is a crazy thing. It is flying for me. It will be Mother’s Day before we know it, then Christmas again haha. Speaking of that, have Breck or someone figure out the best way for me to call you all on Mother’s Day cuz we have to do it through the computer. The phones are different here and I can’t just call from a phone. Computer only, so please figure that out cuz I don’t have time to. Anyway I love you all and thanks for the support and letters. I got the Dixie Elder and loved it. Please send it monthly if possible! Love you! Hey Momma! There’s not a lot is new this week. Although, I am about sick of taking off my shoes and wading through rivers. We do it once or twice a day. It gets old haha but we have awesome people here. I can’t think of anything for the package. Just random things are fun. Like canned chicken and that stuff is fun and good. We get our allowance which is about 3 dollars US for food each day so it is hard to buy chicken and healthy things due to lack of money. Sometimes I endulge and just use personal money. Sorry, but I have to sometimes. Anyway I love you Momma!