Dateline, 7/26/2011, Dauis, Bohol.
Things are going great. We had an awesome Branch Activity last Saturday. There were a ton of investigators, too. So it was really “pwede” [Tagalog for “okay”] for us to be there. But there was this member who grew up in the branch but has been living with his family in Jersey for a little over 10 years and they donated a Lechon pig. So that naturally was delicious. It was tough though because our activity like always was on a pristine white beach, and I wasn't allowed to jump in the crystal clear blue waters. But my Future wife is going to be so much hotter because of it. Also we are baptizing a fantastic young lady, Catrena Baron this Saturday. She has been a huge blessing to me in proving that it is very possible that we can soften the hard Catholic hearts here in Dauis.
Also yesterday we saw the Hand of the Lord in work. We visited this lady who went to church in Tagbilaran last Sunday, but she lives in our area she just didn't realize that there was a church closer. So we visited her and asked her why she went to church, and she said like a few years ago, a guy named Alma, visited her house and invited her to come to church, she never acted on that invitation until now, but she seems crazy nice. She's so smart because she calls us "Elders" already, that usually takes months for some investigators. She's way nice, but she is living with her boyfriend and they have baby (That’s a huge problem here in the Philippines, because getting divorced is illegal). But she said she is planning on marrying him, so hopefully one day she will receive the Gospel.
Aside from that, things are just going on. It’s been probably our most successful transfer up to now here in Dauis, which is great.
Aside from all that, I'll just throw out some “shout-outs.”
- Tania, I got the letter I mailed you back in the mail because you moved I guess, So, expect 2 letters now and a whole bunch of pictures.
- Courtney, Got her mission call!!!!!!! Chicago (so gangster) Spanish speaking (Also really gangster). Learning a language in the mission is the best, Also Serving a mission is the best.
- Also Congratulations on the Baby, Brother Moore, thanks a ton for the letter.
I think that’s it, I got a bunch of mail (mostly my batch from the MTC) last night so I'm thrilled.
Anyways Be Good. Stay Crazy.
Gugma Elder Abbott
Also yesterday we saw the Hand of the Lord in work. We visited this lady who went to church in Tagbilaran last Sunday, but she lives in our area she just didn't realize that there was a church closer. So we visited her and asked her why she went to church, and she said like a few years ago, a guy named Alma, visited her house and invited her to come to church, she never acted on that invitation until now, but she seems crazy nice. She's so smart because she calls us "Elders" already, that usually takes months for some investigators. She's way nice, but she is living with her boyfriend and they have baby (That’s a huge problem here in the Philippines, because getting divorced is illegal). But she said she is planning on marrying him, so hopefully one day she will receive the Gospel.
Aside from that, things are just going on. It’s been probably our most successful transfer up to now here in Dauis, which is great.
Aside from all that, I'll just throw out some “shout-outs.”
- Tania, I got the letter I mailed you back in the mail because you moved I guess, So, expect 2 letters now and a whole bunch of pictures.
- Courtney, Got her mission call!!!!!!! Chicago (so gangster) Spanish speaking (Also really gangster). Learning a language in the mission is the best, Also Serving a mission is the best.
- Also Congratulations on the Baby, Brother Moore, thanks a ton for the letter.
I think that’s it, I got a bunch of mail (mostly my batch from the MTC) last night so I'm thrilled.
Anyways Be Good. Stay Crazy.
Gugma Elder Abbott
Dateline 8/2/2011
I got an outpouring of love from my family this week, Erika emailed me, which is good timing because I was thinking how long it’s been since one of my siblings wrote me. The picture of Britta-Ann (I call her that to be fair) was too cute. I miss her, and I haven't even met her yet! Also thank you kaayo (very much), Biddison family.
As far as work goes. We had a baptism and it was great, because it logistically went off without a hitch, except for some speaker topic confusion. But the best was Catrena's mom came and participated and enjoyed the service, she really likes us missionaries. It was excellent timing because the Relief Society was having a cookie-baking activity right before the service, so lots of members were at the church to participate in the service, also I got some peanut-butter cookies, so rare.
In other news, I got the package. It must have flown on two cherubim, because it got here in record time. I'm pumped for some of the tasty treats, and the district says thank you for the tootsie pops! The ants got to them, but we don't mind picking them off/ eating them. It’s unreal how many ants I just eat now.
Then, last Monday we had an Area Attack, which is where all 10 elders in the District come and tract one area for a few hours. It was sweet because it was in Dauis. It helps a lot. On the downside, it turns out born-agains are just as hard headed/hearted as Catholics because all of the sweet referrals we got were born-agains and they started fearing man more than God and asked to stop our visits.
As for other cool things, Me and the “Canadian Bacon” Elder Fisher went on splits and did some serious work. We walked into the Devils Gullet (which is where Catrena lives, it’s a Catholic village) and got Catrena's mom to sign the Baptismal record. Catrena's mom had no problem, it was just the other people that didn't want Mormons talking to them. Also a tourist drove by on his motorcycle and shouted "There's Mormons all the way out here! It’s a little far away from Utah!" I don't let it get me down though.
As far as work goes. We had a baptism and it was great, because it logistically went off without a hitch, except for some speaker topic confusion. But the best was Catrena's mom came and participated and enjoyed the service, she really likes us missionaries. It was excellent timing because the Relief Society was having a cookie-baking activity right before the service, so lots of members were at the church to participate in the service, also I got some peanut-butter cookies, so rare.
In other news, I got the package. It must have flown on two cherubim, because it got here in record time. I'm pumped for some of the tasty treats, and the district says thank you for the tootsie pops! The ants got to them, but we don't mind picking them off/ eating them. It’s unreal how many ants I just eat now.
Then, last Monday we had an Area Attack, which is where all 10 elders in the District come and tract one area for a few hours. It was sweet because it was in Dauis. It helps a lot. On the downside, it turns out born-agains are just as hard headed/hearted as Catholics because all of the sweet referrals we got were born-agains and they started fearing man more than God and asked to stop our visits.
As for other cool things, Me and the “Canadian Bacon” Elder Fisher went on splits and did some serious work. We walked into the Devils Gullet (which is where Catrena lives, it’s a Catholic village) and got Catrena's mom to sign the Baptismal record. Catrena's mom had no problem, it was just the other people that didn't want Mormons talking to them. Also a tourist drove by on his motorcycle and shouted "There's Mormons all the way out here! It’s a little far away from Utah!" I don't let it get me down though.
Well that’s about it, I finally got to send a bunch of pictures, I have a TON more but you'll just to wait til I get home I guess, because I filled up a memory card.
Be Good. Stay Crazy. This Church is sooooooo true. I know it.
Gugma Elder Abbott
Pictures:
Be Good. Stay Crazy. This Church is sooooooo true. I know it.
Gugma Elder Abbott
Pictures:
1)Baptism for Catrena Baron. Her little brother, the little boy posing, is a riot. A butterfly flew into the room while one of the speakers was speaking and he went nuts trying to catch it.
2)This is a sweet old guy playing the guitar at the branch activity, it was a stole shot.
3) Us at Kawasan Falls
4) District team Photos
5)District Team Photos from behind
6) Me about to eat a lechon Pig, soooo good
7) Me holding 2 baby monkeys in diapers.
Dateline 8/9/2011
This was another Fantastic week! The highlight was that we have 2 Brand New committed for baptism this September!!! One of them was a random, very inspired I2L [Invite to Listen?]. Last Monday when the whole district was area attacking Dauis we took an Ice Candy break. It was delicious ice candy loaded with real mango - only 5 pesos - but the real highlight was that the lady selling the Ice candy was like, "How does someone become a member of your church?" That’s an Inspired question if I ever heard one. So it turns out she wants her daughter to listen to our discussions, and sure enough on Sunday afternoon we committed her. Then our other new committed is a lady that was referred to us by some members. She wants to join the church because she saw how her neighbors used to be palahubogs (Drunkards), but now they have a happy family with zero drunkenness. So she wants that with her family. Her husband is less than enthusiastic about it. But she is way into it and wants to be baptized. This could be a family. They have like 5 little kids.
Also, I know it says that we aren't allowed to keep pets and all, but we have tookoo, the tall lizard things that can cure AIDS, that lives in our bedroom. It scared me so bad on Monday night when I was taking off my tie in front of the mirror and I notice in my reflection a giant tookoo on the wall behind me. (picture included) So Elder Rebojo was a little freaked out and asked me to grab it and throw it out of the house. He went back downstairs so I wrapped a shirt around my hand and stared at the stinking lizard, for about 5 minutes, trying to draw up the courage to throw my hand at the tookoo's face. I decided to make it a matter of prayer. I did NOT feel the spirit testify that it was a good idea, so after making a half-hearted attempt (mostly so I could tell people that I tried), it ran further away and I decided to just pray that it would not bite us. Sure enough, it’s still there and we are fine. He did poop on my bed yesterday which is a bummer, but we don't mind him anymore. We are actually moving houses in Dauis at the end of the month.
Yesterday we had a Zone Community Service Project in Bohol. We moved rocks (picture included) from a river bed, up a hill, through a couple of rice fields, past an angry cow, to an Investigators house. It was kapoy [tiring] work. Then we also spent some time breaking them up into little pieces so they could sell them. I guess it’s to make concrete. It is some very humbling work. Some people get paid 25 million dollars a year to play basketball, these guys barely scrape out a living hauling rocks and smashing them with home-made hammers. But on the flip-side these guys are close to receiving the gospel, so who is really the richest?
So there’s your spiritual thought. Pilar is really far away from Dauis so I got to see almost the entire Island of Bohol. Got some nice landscape shots, also included.
Be Good. Stay Crazy.
Gugma Elder Abbott
PICTURES:
Also, I know it says that we aren't allowed to keep pets and all, but we have tookoo, the tall lizard things that can cure AIDS, that lives in our bedroom. It scared me so bad on Monday night when I was taking off my tie in front of the mirror and I notice in my reflection a giant tookoo on the wall behind me. (picture included) So Elder Rebojo was a little freaked out and asked me to grab it and throw it out of the house. He went back downstairs so I wrapped a shirt around my hand and stared at the stinking lizard, for about 5 minutes, trying to draw up the courage to throw my hand at the tookoo's face. I decided to make it a matter of prayer. I did NOT feel the spirit testify that it was a good idea, so after making a half-hearted attempt (mostly so I could tell people that I tried), it ran further away and I decided to just pray that it would not bite us. Sure enough, it’s still there and we are fine. He did poop on my bed yesterday which is a bummer, but we don't mind him anymore. We are actually moving houses in Dauis at the end of the month.
Yesterday we had a Zone Community Service Project in Bohol. We moved rocks (picture included) from a river bed, up a hill, through a couple of rice fields, past an angry cow, to an Investigators house. It was kapoy [tiring] work. Then we also spent some time breaking them up into little pieces so they could sell them. I guess it’s to make concrete. It is some very humbling work. Some people get paid 25 million dollars a year to play basketball, these guys barely scrape out a living hauling rocks and smashing them with home-made hammers. But on the flip-side these guys are close to receiving the gospel, so who is really the richest?
So there’s your spiritual thought. Pilar is really far away from Dauis so I got to see almost the entire Island of Bohol. Got some nice landscape shots, also included.
Be Good. Stay Crazy.
Gugma Elder Abbott
PICTURES:
The tookoo that sleeps in our room now, he has a kind and cute face but he is really big and freaks Elder Rebojo out.
A cool picture of a Philippines seaside town, somewhere near Jagna, Bohol.
Some Elementary Kids that were going crazy seeing white people in Pilar, Bohol
these were the rocks we were moving. Really tiring.
Elder Fisher (taga Canada), Elder your son, Elder Gubb (taga New Zealand)
Dateline 8/16/2011
Maayong Odto! Mga Kaigsoonan!
Big week, big because my waist expanded a bunch. Sunday was a great day. It was Branch Conference, and we had a ton of investigators show up, which made us look great! But more importantly than looking great was that they all seemed to really enjoy the time there. One commented that church was “delicious,” because she felt like she was actually learning things. Then Sunday kicked off Fiesta. Pretty sure they don't have that in the States but it’s a Catholic holiday. All the neighborhoods near the Catholic church celebrate their Patron Saint. Anyway so admittedly Mormons shouldn't be celebrating Fiesta, but a lot of members are still bound by tradition and they claim, that it’s not ok to worship saints, but it is Ok to cook a lot of food and give it to everyone. That is exactly what happens at Fiesta. So anyway, long story short we ate a ton of food on Sunday, like a ton. Then on Monday after District Meeting, instead of going out to eat like usual we all went to my area and ate at a members house. It was packed. It was the most people I had ever seen in Dauis. There was also soooo much food. So that was a good ol' time.
I'm just going to let you all know that I'm getting transferred, on my Birthday [8/19]. I'm going to CEBU!!!!! I'm finally going to be able to visit the temple. I'm headed to Balamban, Cebu. Elder Natividad is my new Companion and I'm District Leader, which is really scary.
So that is pretty much it. I'll miss Dauis, but I can proudly say I do not have any regrets there, I worked as hard as I could, and I feel like the area is a lot stronger than when I got here. I'll miss the people, but now I get to meet new people.
I love you a bunch. Be good. Stay Crazy.
Gugma Elder Abbott
Big week, big because my waist expanded a bunch. Sunday was a great day. It was Branch Conference, and we had a ton of investigators show up, which made us look great! But more importantly than looking great was that they all seemed to really enjoy the time there. One commented that church was “delicious,” because she felt like she was actually learning things. Then Sunday kicked off Fiesta. Pretty sure they don't have that in the States but it’s a Catholic holiday. All the neighborhoods near the Catholic church celebrate their Patron Saint. Anyway so admittedly Mormons shouldn't be celebrating Fiesta, but a lot of members are still bound by tradition and they claim, that it’s not ok to worship saints, but it is Ok to cook a lot of food and give it to everyone. That is exactly what happens at Fiesta. So anyway, long story short we ate a ton of food on Sunday, like a ton. Then on Monday after District Meeting, instead of going out to eat like usual we all went to my area and ate at a members house. It was packed. It was the most people I had ever seen in Dauis. There was also soooo much food. So that was a good ol' time.
I'm just going to let you all know that I'm getting transferred, on my Birthday [8/19]. I'm going to CEBU!!!!! I'm finally going to be able to visit the temple. I'm headed to Balamban, Cebu. Elder Natividad is my new Companion and I'm District Leader, which is really scary.
So that is pretty much it. I'll miss Dauis, but I can proudly say I do not have any regrets there, I worked as hard as I could, and I feel like the area is a lot stronger than when I got here. I'll miss the people, but now I get to meet new people.
I love you a bunch. Be good. Stay Crazy.
Gugma Elder Abbott
Mango Float, delicious Filipino desert, easy to make, I'll be bringing home the recipe, you can probably find it online.
Cortez District, eating at the Risponte house.
Me with the Telmo Family, super nice people.
Hi. This is Catrena Baron. I saw this blog post while i was making fun of searching my name then this post came out and clicked this. As i was reading the blog,it was way back 2011 and i was just 15 years old the time i got baptized by the church but i was kinda disappointed about the content of the blog saying 'I HAD A BOYFRIEND WITH A BABY' (from that time,i don't recall having a boyfriend or baby 'cause i don't even have an interest to have one since i was just 15 yrs. old. How could you post false information about me? I was kinda disappointed of you posting false information about your baptized people. I was having fun and still respected your religion until now but when i read this blog? I don't know if u guys are really worth respecting. Could someone delete the wrong information about me? If i did not searched my name,i'll still won't know about this false blog post. Thank u.
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