Dear Family and Friends,
Well after 6-months in Malasiqui, I have been transferred to Asingan 1st ward! It was really weird to pack up and g, it almost seemed like I was going to be in Malasiqui for the rest of my mission! But my new area is just as cool! It will be a new challenge!
Well now for an animal update.... So this is the funny story that happened last night. So Elder Baniago (My new companion) get back from home to find that there is a fire going on in the sink and the other Elders are just siting there watching it. A little confused we investigate and find that there's a cockroach on fire in the sink. The other Elders give me this look like "What? You got better idea?" and so started this hunt for anything that looks like it might kill you. We later found a spider under the bed, chased him out and lit him on fire. come to find out, its better to burn them then to stomp on them \, form what I've heard they can still breed even when they die, burning is the best way to cut them off at the source! In one of the pictures (following email) is a cluster of tiny spiders we found in the kitchen! If you zoom in you can see their legs and stuff!
So on the spiritual side I think something my Dad sent me this week highlights what I've been studying this week! Its lyrics from a song.
When I'm worried and I can't sleep
I count my blessings instead of sheep
And I fall asleep counting my blessings.
When my bankroll is getting small
I think of when I had none at all
And I fall asleep counting my blessings.
(So) If you're worried and you can't sleep
Just count your blessings instead of sheep
And you'll fall asleep counting your blessings.
It makes me think of how we end our days. Do we end them on good notes ready to start off on a good note? In my head I think that when we end the day on a bad note, we will start right where we left off. Too often we say "Ugggghhh I hate this day, I'll just go to bed and hope it changes tomorrow". I believe that statement to be incorrect. Even if we end the day simply giving thanks, we can prepare ourselves to have a better day. Now I know that there are days better than others, we have tragedies and misfortune, but why should we add to it? One things that I've learned from the people here in the Philippines is the quality of "Making the best of what you have", and its sad to see that it seems to be a dying art. By saying to ourselves "give up, its already a sunk ship", or "its not worth saving", we are simply admitting "I don't understand the Atonement". After reading "The Infinite Atonement" (A fine book by the way) it goes into saying that the Atonement is "Infinite in Depth". In other words, no matter how far the boat has gone under water, it can still rise again. No matter how much self-worth we lose, we are still important to Him. Christ will never leave a sailor that calls to Him, just as experienced by Peter. The Atonement provides us a way to find a Phoenix in the ashes, and "Diamonds in the rough", just a matter of how long we look!
Stay happy all of you! Keep on , keepin' on!
Elder Trevor Kent Johnson (TWMYK)
Well after 6-months in Malasiqui, I have been transferred to Asingan 1st ward! It was really weird to pack up and g, it almost seemed like I was going to be in Malasiqui for the rest of my mission! But my new area is just as cool! It will be a new challenge!
Well now for an animal update.... So this is the funny story that happened last night. So Elder Baniago (My new companion) get back from home to find that there is a fire going on in the sink and the other Elders are just siting there watching it. A little confused we investigate and find that there's a cockroach on fire in the sink. The other Elders give me this look like "What? You got better idea?" and so started this hunt for anything that looks like it might kill you. We later found a spider under the bed, chased him out and lit him on fire. come to find out, its better to burn them then to stomp on them \, form what I've heard they can still breed even when they die, burning is the best way to cut them off at the source! In one of the pictures (following email) is a cluster of tiny spiders we found in the kitchen! If you zoom in you can see their legs and stuff!
So on the spiritual side I think something my Dad sent me this week highlights what I've been studying this week! Its lyrics from a song.
When I'm worried and I can't sleep
I count my blessings instead of sheep
And I fall asleep counting my blessings.
When my bankroll is getting small
I think of when I had none at all
And I fall asleep counting my blessings.
(So) If you're worried and you can't sleep
Just count your blessings instead of sheep
And you'll fall asleep counting your blessings.
It makes me think of how we end our days. Do we end them on good notes ready to start off on a good note? In my head I think that when we end the day on a bad note, we will start right where we left off. Too often we say "Ugggghhh I hate this day, I'll just go to bed and hope it changes tomorrow". I believe that statement to be incorrect. Even if we end the day simply giving thanks, we can prepare ourselves to have a better day. Now I know that there are days better than others, we have tragedies and misfortune, but why should we add to it? One things that I've learned from the people here in the Philippines is the quality of "Making the best of what you have", and its sad to see that it seems to be a dying art. By saying to ourselves "give up, its already a sunk ship", or "its not worth saving", we are simply admitting "I don't understand the Atonement". After reading "The Infinite Atonement" (A fine book by the way) it goes into saying that the Atonement is "Infinite in Depth". In other words, no matter how far the boat has gone under water, it can still rise again. No matter how much self-worth we lose, we are still important to Him. Christ will never leave a sailor that calls to Him, just as experienced by Peter. The Atonement provides us a way to find a Phoenix in the ashes, and "Diamonds in the rough", just a matter of how long we look!
Stay happy all of you! Keep on , keepin' on!
Elder Trevor Kent Johnson (TWMYK)