Dear Friends and Family,
Well it's been a scorcher here in Malasiqui. I thought it was hot before, but this week has definitely proved me wrong. Earlier this week we had a rain storm (not a typhoon) that lasted most of the day. I was expecting it to be hard to work in wet clothes, but there's something oddly satisfying about working hard, soaked through, in missionary attire. I apologize, I didn't take pictures because I was scared that my camera might get damaged, but I will take some next time for sure! We also came across some burning fields this week! Here in the Philippines, when the harvest is over, they literally light their fields on fire (picture in the attachments). While I got a picture, the rendering doesn't do it justice. It is quite the sight, just miles of burning corn fields. They burn the fields to make good fertilizer for the next harvest. Apparently ash is a very good fertilizer.
This week Elder Tomas and I bought water guns for a zone activity. Well, it turns out that it's very fun to soak your American companion while he's using the bathroom, needless to say much joy has come from the water guns. This morning we noticed that one of the elders was still asleep, so I had the honor of giving him the "wet wake up call". If you haven't done it before, I recommend it, very funny to watch someone wake up to water splashing their face.
This week I was thinking about how the Atonement applies to missionary work. I was reading in the Book of Mormon (forgot where) about how the Atonement was an infinite sacrifice for all of us. So if the Atonement really is infinite, then all of God's children have the privilege and blessing of using it. And because we are members, we have the divine calling to bring others to the gate where they can start using the Atonement to improve themselves and their families. For members in the Philippines, when we ask if we can meet their neighbors, they often say "Oh Elders, don't you know? They're Catholic/Baptist/Iglesia/Methodist, you can't teach them". Well what most of them forget is that most of them came from the Catholic/Baptist/Iglesia/Methodist church as well, if they could accept the gospel, why can't others? I find this to be true for all of though. Sometimes we say "Oh they are different, they smoke, they drink, they have tatoos, etc... The Gospel can't help them." What we forget, is that we all have imperfections, we all came from the same Heavenly Father, and we all have access to the same Infinite Atonement. What we forget, is that we are not much different from others, we all have the same desire, to find purpose, and to be better.
All in all this week went very well! I also got to take a picture with 2 baby goats (by the way I hope my sister Julia sees it, I took the picture just for her)
Mahal Kita!
Elder Trevor Kent Johnson (TWMYK)
Well it's been a scorcher here in Malasiqui. I thought it was hot before, but this week has definitely proved me wrong. Earlier this week we had a rain storm (not a typhoon) that lasted most of the day. I was expecting it to be hard to work in wet clothes, but there's something oddly satisfying about working hard, soaked through, in missionary attire. I apologize, I didn't take pictures because I was scared that my camera might get damaged, but I will take some next time for sure! We also came across some burning fields this week! Here in the Philippines, when the harvest is over, they literally light their fields on fire (picture in the attachments). While I got a picture, the rendering doesn't do it justice. It is quite the sight, just miles of burning corn fields. They burn the fields to make good fertilizer for the next harvest. Apparently ash is a very good fertilizer.
This week Elder Tomas and I bought water guns for a zone activity. Well, it turns out that it's very fun to soak your American companion while he's using the bathroom, needless to say much joy has come from the water guns. This morning we noticed that one of the elders was still asleep, so I had the honor of giving him the "wet wake up call". If you haven't done it before, I recommend it, very funny to watch someone wake up to water splashing their face.
This week I was thinking about how the Atonement applies to missionary work. I was reading in the Book of Mormon (forgot where) about how the Atonement was an infinite sacrifice for all of us. So if the Atonement really is infinite, then all of God's children have the privilege and blessing of using it. And because we are members, we have the divine calling to bring others to the gate where they can start using the Atonement to improve themselves and their families. For members in the Philippines, when we ask if we can meet their neighbors, they often say "Oh Elders, don't you know? They're Catholic/Baptist/Iglesia/Methodist, you can't teach them". Well what most of them forget is that most of them came from the Catholic/Baptist/Iglesia/Methodist church as well, if they could accept the gospel, why can't others? I find this to be true for all of though. Sometimes we say "Oh they are different, they smoke, they drink, they have tatoos, etc... The Gospel can't help them." What we forget, is that we all have imperfections, we all came from the same Heavenly Father, and we all have access to the same Infinite Atonement. What we forget, is that we are not much different from others, we all have the same desire, to find purpose, and to be better.
All in all this week went very well! I also got to take a picture with 2 baby goats (by the way I hope my sister Julia sees it, I took the picture just for her)
Mahal Kita!
Elder Trevor Kent Johnson (TWMYK)