Less than 400!

Did you notice the count down - less than 400 days until we see MIB again!! But whose counting, right?
I'm so excited for the experiences he is having. So is MIB; he said, "The missionary experience is awesome. I wouldn't trade it for the world. There is so much about this gospel I am learning out here and so much about the world too. It's awesome."

These first few pictures are from his current area (I think). But the others, I believe, are from a previous area. I am just now getting the pictures. He's been trying to send home all his pictures a little at a time. Since they are all new to all of us viewing them, I figured you'd enjoy them whether recent or not. Enjoy!

News from this week is about the expansion of the ward where he is now. He is so excited about the growth. "So this week went pretty good. We are getting to visit with the new bishop, his counselors and some in-active members :D So our meeting house is supposed to be fine to meet in by Sunday. I went through it and compared it to all the churches I have been in in the Philippines. Its way nice (all of ours in PG that I remember are still way bigger but hey it's all good). I'm way way excited to get to meet in it."

"It used to be tiny before I came and now it's huge, bigger than the stake center. Everyone is way way proud of it. haha To me it is awesome; I'm way way excited :D"

"My comp is awesome. We are teaching tons of teenage girls and they all have different religions, so it's kinda fun. haha For example, some of the girls believe God and Jesus Christ are one person and a spirit."

MIBs birthday is in a few weeks. It's a great excuse to send him a letter. I'd love for you to share your testimony with him - share with him what you believe in and what you know to be truth! Just in case you've misplaced his address, here it is (postage is 98 cents):

Philippines, Bacolod Mission Office

PO Box 660

Bacolod city

6100 Negros Occidental

Philippines

No excuses! Share the love! Take a minute to send him a letter! Thanks for your love and support!

Elder Espitero‏ and Old Sigay City

MIB is in Old Sigay City with Elder Espitero. The two have faced a lot together, including the death of Elder Espitero's father. What a dedicated servant of the Lord that Elder Espitero has been to remain in the mission field during such a difficult time.

It has caused me to reflect how quickly circumstances in life can change and how much we really need our loved ones.

Thank goodness for the gospel of Jesus Christ where we can know that we will again be reunited with our loved ones after our mortal life on earth.

I have received few written words from MIB the last few weeks, but lots of photos.
Here is the majority of what I have heard from him and some pictures for your enjoyment!

"So we had a baptism on Saturday :D Bengie :) I got to baptize him :D Only problem is my camera died, so the Pres. took a picture with his and his camera is film. I will have to wait to get it. Umm, we had some exciting stuff but I have to save some stories for when I come home. haha. Well, I hope everything is going great over there even though I'm not there. haha"

Until next blog...

Views of Zions NP

While looking for a picture of Hubby to include in my last post, I ran across these pictures from our last venture to Zions National Park.

I thought you may enjoy seeing some of what we captured there. Zions is one of our family's favorite places.

I didn't take near as many pictures as everybody else did! I was able to sneak a few in, but mostly somebody else was snapping pictures, including NAWs!

There is something therapeutic about nature and Zions has lots of it!

Enjoy!

Jesus Spoke in Church Today!

Today's little storey is just too funny not to share.

Those of you who have not seen my Hubby in the last year may not recognize him these days. He has been growing his hair out. Along with his "longer than ever before" hair, he also has a beard and mustache. (His latest idea is to grow a beard long enough to braid...hmmm. Maybe he'll get another idea before he fulfills that one.)

Here is a picture of him so you can see his new look. I love the curl!

Now for the Jesus Storey:

Hubby and I spoke in church today. Yep, we did and survived : )

After the meeting, our neighbor came up and shared with us a story of how Hubby had truly inspired their 3 year old to pay attention in church.

They noticed early on in the meeting that he was staring at the program and studying it more than usual. The picture on the front of the program was of John the Baptist baptising Jesus. He continued to look at the picture, and then look up at the stand and then back at the program again. When Hubby stood up to speak their son stared at him and watched him so closely. Then after listening for a few minutes he turned to his Dad and said, "Jesus is speaking at church today."

Yes, it's not the first time Hubby has been called Jesus. When going out, Jared would endearingly refer to Hubby when saying, "Jesus, you sit up front with me." However, I don't think Hubby's look ever encouraged Jared to pay any more attention to what he had to say as it did the 3 year old in church today.

Too funny.

Ocean Baptism

Guimaras

MIB loved his time in Guimaras. It was his first time being the senior companion and group leader. He really loves the people of Guimaras!

One of the things he had so hoped for on his mission was to be able to baptise in the ocean, and HE DID! Here are pictures from that baptism.

MIBs ability to speak the language has improved so much. He doesn't admit to it, but when he is struggling to find the English words in his emails, I know he must be doing well.

I promise I won't go months without blogging more. Check back again soon!

When the phone rings...

I failed to mention, but we did get a phone call for Mother's Day! It was wonderful to hear MIBs voice! Everybody enjoyed talking with him. I enjoyed talking with him AND I enjoyed listening and watching everybody else talk to him too! I think everybody's spirits was lifted by the conversation with MIB. Home just isn't the same without him hear and we feel the void in our daily lives!

However, I wouldn't change a thing. MIB is exactly where he needs to be right now and he is doing a great work for the Lord!

Here are a few excerpts for your reading pleasure: "Yesterday we went to the ocean and planted mangroves, or something like that. It was, ahhhh... interesting walking in nasty mud."

I eat fish and rice everyday. Peanut butter and jelly is just too expensive on my budget. I have eatin fish eyes, fish head, little fish, big fish and weird shrimp not to much big shrimp. I have had crab twice and love it. Its the best, haha, except annoying to brake out of the shell."

"On Saturday we went and taught this elderly guy named Miguel and his 10 year old son named Kenneth. We were reading 3Nephi 11 and teaching him how Jesus was baptized at the right age, by authority and baptized the right way. He asked if he is allowed to get baptized again because he was baptized when he was a baby. We told him he could. Then he asked where he should get baptized. We told him that our church had authority from God to baptize. He then asked, "Well, who can baptize me (thinking it had to be the prophet or some one in America or something very difficult to do)?" We told him that we had the authority as missionaries of the church. He got a huge smile on his face and was way excited. Then he asked how much it cost. When we told him it was free, he got way way excited. We told him its not just basta-basta (like ummmm, not just something you do with out thinking about it) and told him in our next visit we would talk about the steps to baptize and repentance. He smiled again and told us next time we came we had to teach him how to repent. He wants to set a date that he can be baptized :D That's way awesome huh? And he walked with his son to church yesterday and payed more attention to what everyone was saying then anybody else there, including the high council men :D I'm so excited for him :D"

The most beautiful place on Earth!

At the first of May, MIB was transferred to Guimaras. "Pretty much I LOVE IT HERE :D I am on Guimaras (the little island between Negros and Panay). Remember Elder McCook talking about his area that they built a thing in there backyard for church? Well, that's where I am now :D We have two "groups," its smaller than a branch. My companion is the group leader of the group that meets in my back yard. I go to a far away place in our area to attend the other group. My companion is Elder Parrenas. I am his first white companion. This area is so beautiful; I can't wait 'till I get a new card reader so I can send you pictures :D " Above is a beautiful sunset on Guimaras.

Right: MIB and his new companion, Elder Parrenas.

"To get here we road an ocean jet (pretty much a jet in the water) to Iloilo then a different kind of boat from Iloilo to Guimaras. While on Iloilo I got to meet Elder McCook. It was like meeting someone I knew."

As a little background on Elder McCook - His mother and I began emailing just after MIB received his call. She helped me in preparing for MIB to leave home and continues to share stories from Elder McCook's experiences there. She has become a great friend to me and our sons have come to know each other through the stories we've shared of emails and such. Elder McCook comes home this fall, so it was wonderful they were actually able to meet! Who knows, maybe there is still a chance for them to be companions before Elder McCook's mission there is finished.

Prior to leaving Silay City, MIB had some other experiences to share:

"This week was interesting, to say the least. I lost my companion for half a day. I rode a carabao (pictured at left with Elder Winegar and Elder Lecheminant) and almost got eaten by a monkey (luckily he was chained down and I was just out of the chains reach). I think I can send pictures so I'm going to try. We should have 10 baptisms on the 25th of April and I'm way excited for that :D" A little "small world" side note: MIB and Elder Lecheminant lifeguarded together at SevenPeaks a couple summers ago. Small world!

"General conference was amazing. I learned a lot about ahhh everything! Especially Elder Holland's talk (he would have to be my favorite). I learned a lot about the atonement and that God had to leave Jesus so he could feel spiritual death just as we do when we sin. I had actually been thinking about how Jesus knew our pains when we sinned since he never did. I had thought about it almost every night this last week. It is amazing how the Lord works through the Apostles and speaks to us. We only got to watch Sunday conference so if anything stuck out to you during Saturday, please share. If Dad or Josh could do the same with priesthood session. Thanks tons! Oh, by the way, a thought that came to me while I was listening to several people talk about the importance of going to the temple. Since I can't go to the temple, ahh ever for the next year and a half (yes 6 months is on the 22 :D) Will you and Dad try to go every week for me? :D"

It's hard to believe that MIB has already completed 1/4 of his mission! It is wonderful to get to share the experiences with him through email and pictures!