Monday, September 24, 2012

Same Town, New Area


Kumusta!

This last week was transfers. we (the Ramon Elders) were given a special invitation. we were told we had to be there. The area was split between me and Oliva. I'm opening a new Area on the other side of Ramon. its just Ramon 1st and 2nd now. I'm in Ramon 1st now but its still just one ward. My new companion is Elder Sarcauga (Sar-ka-ooga). He's from Davao and is about five months in the mission. I am follow-up training him after hes spent 3 cycles or 18 weeks with his first companion. The only thing harder than training is follow-up training someone who is set in their ways. Elder Oliva's new Compaion is Elder Amoi from Fiji. He's a 250 pound rugby player. We talk about rugby a lot. 

Elder Nay and his MTC batch
We spent most of the week tracting because we have no one to go to and found a nice 52 year-old woman who is not a member but one of her kids is a bishop in manila. She said she seen the temple and said it was the most beautiful thing she had every seen and is willing to do anything to get into it because thats how she imagines heaven. So we gave her a baptisimal goal date and invited her to church then she grabbed one of her grandchildren and said," We are going to church."  It was great.  Hopefully her faith is as strong as it sounds. That's an investigator we have here now. 

There is nothing more important in this life than happily loving and serving with all your heart, might, mind, and strength every soul that crosses your path and nothing should ever stop you from doing it.

Some pictures!
First is Elder Nays enitre batch singing at Transfers.
then my Batch (me, Nielsen, Procter, and James)

I Love you all very much.


Mahal ko kayo,

Elder Allen


My MTC batch, one year into our missions.

Thursday, September 20, 2012

A Perfect Brightness of Hope

Kumusta!


Our new apartment!  Finally!
Life can sometimes be viewed as "the long night." We wait for the promised blessings of a new day. Though life can sometimes be very dark and lonely, we must look forward with a perfect brightness of hope, that the sun will rise again. Though it may not rise tomorrow, and it may not rise the next day or for a very long time, if we do as the Lord commands, the sun will rise and it will be bright and glorious and "the long night" will end.

That's my spiritual thought of the day. 

We moved again this last week, and transfers are this coming week, so I may only get to live in this house for 4 or so days. But thats okay. Next week I'll give you the good news. I dont know what the good news will be, but it will be good news.

I love you all.

Take the good news to heart and share it with everyone that crosses your path.

Mahal ko kayo,


Elder Allen

  
Balut, a fertilized, fermented duck egg.
One of the delicacies of the Philippines.

Monday, September 3, 2012

Lost Over 30 Pounds


Kumusta!

An interesting fact:  I had lost about 30-35 pounds out here, but I am gaining it back slowly through eating (important pala) and exercise.

We are continuing to try and move houses again.  And that’s about all the drama we’ve been dealing with this week, making things a little stressful.   We are also having a tough time trying to deal with the size of our area.

The sign says "its forbidden to fix cars here".
That doesnt stop them
 What we like to call 'the gathering of
Isreal.'  Those little lizards are 'butikis' or gekos.
They are everywhere and they poop on everything.
Typical interaction between
Elder Hamblin and I
That’s about all that’s happened this week.

Mahal ko kayo,

Elder Allen

Me and Oliva. He was trying to look tough,
so naturally I had to give him bunny ears.












Editor's Note:  The weight loss not only explains why he looks so skinny, it also explains all the food in the last post.