March emails

"My Berkada" [Sent 03/29/2011]

Dear friends and family,

Berkada means "gang" or "group of friends."

I have a berkada here in Siaton, which is great. There all just a bunch of little kids that hang out at the park and practice their tumbling, they are like 9 or 10 years old and speak surprisingly good English. They are super hilarious and they love me. Last night I was on splits with Elder Love (my district leader) and we were going to go back to his house for the night, but he wanted to see the park in Siaton (its not huge but its very nice) and when we were there, they saw me and ran up and called me Cuya Abbott (cuya means big brother) and gave me a big hug. Then we talked for a bit and they told me that I should come watch the movie in the park with them that Friday night. (the town plays a "hollywood" movie on a big projector every Friday night and it's free) I told them "pohon maayong lawas" which is what people always say when you invite them to church and they don't want to go. It basically means "god willing and if I feel OK." So I basically blew them off, but I don't think they got it. 

That was more or less the highlight of my week. I saw a lot of wildlife this week - not in a great way. One night we got home and it was rainy so there were a million spiders in my bathroom, some inside the toilet. And then one morning we were eating breakfast at a karnederia down the street and a rat ran across my feet. Then we saw a monkey when we were at a member's house. So that was all very exciting. Our investigators have been disgustingly stubborn these last couple weeks and none have been coming to church, which is a little discouraging, but we'll just press on. We finally got a hold of a Tagalog Book of Mormon for our Tagalog investigator. We're hoping that will do the trick, because she says she wants to be baptized but she hasn't been able to read the Book of Mormon really yet. Last night was fun since we are having a district activity today.  We had a district sleepover at the District leaders house. One of the best parts of Camotes was there were 4 missionaries in the house which meant it was a ton of fun. On the down side I slept on the floor with all the mostly dead cockroaches and my back was hurting like crazy when I work up. But once we are done here e-mailing we're going to go to some waterfalls which should be pretty dope. 

How are all you? Mom, sounds like you have had some crazy nights. Kaleb sounds like the most Kugihan missionary in the world, which is a good thing. My niece sounds super cute. Let Josh know that I'm doing great. I did like 35 push ups last night, so I'm pretty ripped. I got a letter from Tania I'm not sure if I mentioned that. Accidental Italics. 

Be good 

stay crazy

I just hit my 7 month mark, but I'm not trunky.

Gugma Elder Abbott

"Gisukahan" [Sent 03/22/2011] 

Dear Friends and Family,

Maayong Buntag!

This week turned out a lot better than last week so my moody blues are all gone. We are still working with Analin (she speaks only Tagalog) and she really wants to be baptized, but she has yet to make the step to coming to church. She said the closing prayer yesterday for the first time, which was great! The spirit was really strong and she said a great prayer which makes me think that she has been praying on her own. I'm pretty confident that she is going to be baptized, but maybe not this transfer. Then we finally got Amado's wife to understand the restoration. I think I told you all about how we watched the restoration DVD and Elder Cabrera shared about fruits of the prophets and she was confused and thought he meant the blackberries that he was picking in the first scene. That's a true story. So we decided to start from the beginning and work our way very, very slowly and finally Monday we taught about the apostasy and how if you don't have the authority to baptize or to act in Christ's name the ordinance isn't valid. She responded really well to our use of the Bible. It seems like her concern was she wasn't sure we studied the Bible. So we explained that we can't choose to have authority we have to be chosen of God, and Joseph Smith was chosen of God. She seems pretty excited to continue now. So I'm feeling pretty good about these next few weeks.

That's not to say I haven't had some trials this week. This Sunday afternoon we were riding a bus back from our appointment to pick up some members and visit Amado. I had the window seat was feeling quite nice and I had my elbows out in the breeze. Or more accurately one elbow, suddenly I felt something a little wet on my elbow. I inspected it and wasn't sure what I was looking at. My first thought was fish blood or something like that. The bus came to a halt and I looked up to the front of the bus and all at once I realized exactly just what had happened. A passenger about 7 rows ahead of me had gotten carsick, and had let it all out the window, and since the bus was moving quickly the wind carried it to my exposed elbow and part of my shirt.

It was disgusting and Elder Cabrera thought it was pretty funny. So, we went to Nanays house and I cleaned myself off. But it wasn't a total waste I learned a great word. Gisukahan (thrown up on).

So that was an experience. Every day I have experiences, but I always forget them and I'm getting really bad at writing in my Journal. So pray for me that I will remember and have the desire every night to write in my journal.

Also in your next email don't write about General Conference because we don't get to watch it until next week so don't spoil it for me.

Stay Crazy and Be good

Gugma Elder Abbott

"Heartbreak Siaton"  [Sent 03/15/2011] 

Dear friends and family,
I'm OK. The tsunami here was NUTS! Joke. It didn't even touch us. We had some rain last night, but hey it's the Philippines.

So, this one is gonna be pretty short, because not too much happened last week. Last night was interesting though because it was profoundly disappointing. We had one investigator tell us she was moving to Hong Kong last week. Then last night we had another tell us she was also moving to Hong Kong. Humph. So pray for Siaton. We have a lot of work to do. A lot of finding. A lot. Pray that all those stiff necked Catholics (they are great people) will be softened in their hearts.

Also, I love you guys. I hadn't heard if the missionaries [in Japan] were OK, so it was a nice update.

I don't have very much to write today for some reason, I can't remember anything big really happening. My companion is great! He reminds me a lot of Josh Anderson. Just Pinoy.

So thats about it. I promise a much longer one next week.
Stay Crazy
Gugma Elder Abbott.

Hey Kids, can you rock and roll?

 [Sent by Elder Abbott 03/08/2011]

I can.

Dear Family and friends, I am in a good mood.

Why am I in a good mood? Because I'm a missionary lagi. [lagi means something like “of course” or “really”] And because Amado got baptized last Thursday and received the Holy Ghost last Sunday.  So naturally we are focusing on his wife. She isn't as quick on the uptake as Amado was. We showed her the Restoration DVD (In Cebuano! I reccomend listening to in Cebuano its totally dope.) and afterward the discussion was going really well and Elder Cabrera (my new comp, more about him later) shared about fruits of a prophet and she was like, “Oh yeah, Joseph Smith has fruits, those berries.” (In the first scene, Joseph picks some blackberries.) So we will just have to take it slowly.

On the plus side, I have a new companion. Elder Cabrera. He is my first companion not from Mindanao. (I nailed the spelling) So he speaks Tagalog. On the down side, he is really good at English, so sometimes it’s a temptation to speak in English, since he usually does. But I need to persevere. He's pretty funny. He's really bright, and he spent a transfer with a master Bible Basher, so he can use the Bible really, well but he doesn't bash which is great.

Elsewhere in Siaton, things are still just tumbling along. This is a tough area because it is HUGE and plete [“fare”, i.e. transportation costs] is a huge factor in coming to church. So he we have to like convert them before they come to church, which is a chore. We are working this old man pretty hard right now. We really want him because he is son of God, but also because he is a Seventh Day Adventist. And they are notoriously hard to baptize, ultimately, because Sunday worship isn't terribly clear in the scriptures. I mean it’s clear, but Saturday worship is more clear. He's great though since he reads the Book of Mormon, so we feel like his testimony will come around any time.

Also one of the best parts of Elder Cabrera is that he likes Balut. Elder Angeles never bought balut (or any foods), so it’s been a while since my last balut. But now we will eat balut all the time, and I will not regret it.

That story about Britta is incredible and there really isn't any way I'll be able to top Erika as favorite, which is disappointing. But ultimately I am just saying that the clock is now ticking for little Britta (Brits-town) to be able to say "I love you uncle Elder Nik!" So stop flaunting your new-born baby and get to work, Erika. Also, tell Sister Anderson that its totally cool to e-mail me Kaleb's letters. I just can't email him or her directly.

Well thats about it, Happy Birthday Day Mom!

Stay crazy.
Gugma Elder Abbott

P.S. The first photo is brother Amado's baptismal service (not at an ocean)

and second, are companionship photos of me and Elder Cabrera at the house last night. 

I really liked fried eggplant

[Sent by Elder Abbott 03/01/2011]

Dear friends and family,
This week has been pretty slow, not too much to report, except we are baptizing Amado tomorrow and he is really really really excited! He is a funny guy. We went to his house yesterday afternoon and we were like, "Where is he?" And then, SHOOF! he comes sliding down a coconut tree. So we drank coconut juice and filled out his baptismal record. He told us all about his plan to bring his family to church, so they can get baptized too.
Also, Elder Angeles found out he is getting transferred, so I'll have my fourth companion in as many transfers, so give a warm welcome to Elder Cabrera, I hear he is very nice.
We got a golden referral from Hong Kong (that's in China), so that was boss and its not just one middle aged lady, but two! So we are all very excited about that.
Aside from that not much to report.
Happy birthday Mom!!!!! 22 right?

I'm really not sure what else to write. Friday was my 6 month mark. That's really really crazy. I still feel really new.

As for Bishop Cherrington, my advice as far as physical preparations might be a little rough since we don't have conventional means to do a lot of things like laundry (it is all done by hand), and I have not had to sew anything yet. Usually cooking is pretty easy too. I learned how to cook rice, in or out of a rice cooker, and I usually just fry my food to go on top. I really like this stuff called corned beef and egg, fried up with soy sauce. 
But I do want to give some advice as far as cultural things go. If you go to a foreign country, don't act like an American. Eat whatever they give you. Eat like them, don't be a picky eater. Just do everything you can to be like them, I hear stories from the members of American missionaries that wouldn't eat fish or rice or something. Just eat it, you'll begin to like it. I promise, and the people will like you a lot more.
Spiritually, I don't really have any advice that won't sound cliche, except READ the Book of Mormon, everyday. I wasn't very good at it, and I wish I had started reading it sooner. It's incredible! Read Preach My Gospel, especially chapter 3. Eat it up! I learn new things every time I read it. Try and go on splits with the missionaries, if they are still in the ward. You will learn a ton from working with them. MOST IMPORTANTLY, dont wait - start saving now. And 4 months before you turn 19, turn in those papers! College can wait, work can wait. Trust me, you will be so glad you went because it is the most fun in the world! Last, but not least, try and get sent to the Cebu Philippines Mission, because it is the best!

I hope that helps. If I think of more stuff this coming week (I probably will), I will include it in next weeks letter.

I love you all. Be good. Does my niece have a name or is she still "that baby"?

Gugma Elder Abbott

Tagalog is different than Cebuano

Really different.

Dear Family and Friends, hey.

How are you? 

. . . 

That sounds marvelous. First and most important, CONGRATULATIONS! ERIKA AND CHRIS! She sounds great, she looks tiny and like a little alien, but most importantly I'm very proud for (of?) you two, you guys are great.

As for everyone else in the family; I'm sure you all had great experiences this week, but none of that beats a baby. My week included. 

Anyway, I'm going to try and make this interesting, but it probably will be boring. So like my title says I learned a really important lesson from one our new investigators. She is 25 and totally Tagalog, which is frustratingly difficult to understand. It feels like I'm in my first transfer again. Elder Angeles can understand Tagalog since he is Pinoy and it is universally understood here, but he can't speak it. So we both taught in a funky Bisayan/Tagalog/English mix and prayed that the spirit would carry the message to her heart. Which we feel like it did, she really enjoyed the lesson. And she is progressing pretty nicely. We're headed back there tonight so pray for me. But on the plus side I learned some Tagalog. I greeted her in Tagalog and she was very pleased. She asked if I knew Tagalog too, then I explained in Bisayan that I only knew Bisayan. But I can pick up the short things she says since almost everything written on billboards, on tv or the radio is Tagalog - you just pick some it up. 

Also, I got a couple of letters. First HAPPY BIRTHDAY ALEXIS!!!! You’re totally 20, thats really old. 

Second, I really loved the Christmas cards that Jamison sent. They were hilarious. I was looking at the "Seasons Staircase" one and my District Laader (American) said me and my family took a picture like that once. He didn't understand it was a joke. 

Also, the Zoo was a blast last Wednesday. I'm sending pictures. The first is Elder Angeles and me holding a giant snake! 

 The second is me teaching a mermaid the Word of Wisdom. I was going to teach her the law of chastity, since she isn't wearing a top, but I settled with Word of Wisdom because that was the only pamphlet I could find in Cebuano. She didn't speak any English. I also taught a monkey and a reindeer the message of the restoration. 

The third picture is just a cool sign at the Zoo. 

And fourth is a Giant Alligator (crocodile?) It was like 10 feet long. The zoo guy was walking around in the cage right behind it. We totally thought they were going to wrestle. Nothing happened. 

Also this week I found out that there is a tree that grows mangoes in our yard. YES!

Also, we had a really boss coordination meeting with the branch that hopefully will increase the number of people that come to church and give us referrals. 

We ate some good food this week, but I have no time to explain since Elder Angeles is standing behind me waiting to go. 

Also we have a boss new Investigator. I'll tell you about him next week. 

I love all of you, you guys just keep doing awesome things. I love my friends and I'm grateful for my family. Be good and fly safe mom.

Gugma Elder Abbott. 

The times they are a changing

Dear family, friends, and everyone else not sitting on a cushioned seat! (I hope Mom gets that)

First off, I'm totally attaching pictures! 

 The first is of my current Companion, Elder Angeles. He is a handsome sucker, and his accent is crazy cool. 

 Second is me one night before our dinner appointment while Elder Angeles was in the CR - I was praying, I swear. 

 And third is a pretty big spider that I found in the bathroom one night. I'm not sure how clear the picture is, but it was much taller than my nametag.

Ok, now that that is out of the way, tell Kaleb he is a BOSS! He's on fire, and his e-mails are very well written. His e-mails and the preach my gospel DVD's we use in district meeting make me realize how different the mission is in the states. It seems “chada” over there. Also tell him that I enjoy the E-mails, but I would really enjoy a written letter and a picture of him as a missionary. And let him know that he can expect one coming his way once I find time to write letters on P-day. [editor’s note: from www.funtrivia.com on Bisayan, “Chada is a word that is unique to Cagayan de Oro. It is used to refer to anything pretty, nice, or good.”]

Speaking of which, in about hour I'm going over to the Zamboanguita Zoo for a zone activity. YES! Which means there will be other Americans and I'll be able to speak english to them. I'll send pictures next week.

So, I titled my email after Bobby, because big things are happening in Siaton. First and foremost, Armado came to church and has a baptismal date! Even better, the Branch LOVED him. He actually answered questions of his own free will in Sunday School and got to know a bunch of members. The Branch is excited because he is the first investigator over the age of 16 to come to church since before May. It seems like Siaton has been in a bit of a dry spell. Also a big deal, we have been getting almost no help from the Branch President. Sometimes he does more damage. Anyway on Friday he texted Nanay and asked if the elders could bless his baby boy because he was sick. So we did and then afterwards he offered to come with us to an appointment the next day, which was great. It was perfect since we were teaching the sacrament. Then on Sunday a new Branch Mission Leader was called so we may actually have PEC meeetings which would be so great. So big things are changing.

I need to go because I have to catch a bus, but I love you all. Tell Josh to keep his chin up, because I think of him all the time. Kaleb is a beast, keep up the great work. Does he have a car? My siblings are great. Stay wild, you guys.

Gugma, Elder Abbott   

Choco Buns

Originally sent 02/08/2011

Dear Family and Friends
How are you? I'm doing great. I'm really tired. I just got back from Cebu which was a blast, but I didn't sleep at all yesterday. All the Americans in the mission had to go to get their fingers printed for Visas and stuff. We went down to Dumaguete Monday night and slept at the District Leader's (Elder Fischer he's cool and Canadian) house. But there were almost 10 missionaries and branch missionaries hanging out there, and since our bus to Cebu left at 3 in the morning, very little sleep was had. Then we get on the bus which drives onto a ferry and crosses over to Cebu island and then drives up the coast. So we all had to try to sleep on a bus, for 5 hours. It didn't really happen, but I got to watch the sunrise over Bohol from the coast of Cebu while a missionary was asleep on my shoulder. It’s an experience. Then we get to Cebu and I got to see Elder Taylor and Elder Swicegood form my MTC batch. I hadn't seen either of them yet since they are in Bohol right now, but it was a really happy re-union. Then Elder Gertge and my last companion Elder Bajan came in from Camotes. So that was great. I can't remember if I told you that my replacement in Camotes was Elder Gertge one of my MTC companions. Then at one that afternoon we hopped on a bus and went back to Dumaguete, and we didn't get back to Siaton till 8:30. So we planned quickly and I went to bed. Needless to say I was 5 minutes a disobedient missionary this morning when my alarm went off at 6:00. But it was a really fun trip. I really miss my batch and they are all turning into stud missionaries.

So we walked a bunch this last week, like a nasty amount. And we got dropped from a few investigators which is heart breaking. But we hopefully have picked up 2 more families which are my favorite to teach. I weighed myself in Cebu for the first time here in the field. I weighed:
161 (naked) when I entered the MTC.
165 (with gym clothes on no shoes) when I left the MTC.
I weighed 154 (with church clothes on, no shoes) yesterday.
So I've lost over seven pounds here in the field, but I've got a rice belly and rice cheeks. So I need to eat more I guess, because I really didn't want to get skinnier on my mission. Which is why this e-mail is called Choco Buns. I was at my favorite panaderia (bakery) and I asked the lady there what this this roll was called. (I thought it was some cinnamon roll) but she said "Choco Buns!" it was kinda funny.

Anyway, you guys are great. I'm a big fan of all of you. Write me and send me pictures of yourselves, especially of my friends, especially of Joey since I don't have one of him and I don't have one of Elder Kaleb, so one of those would be dynamite. Also, is Josh putting his papers in this month, because he totally can? That's crazy!

Stay good and let everyone know I love them, Everyone.
Gugma Elder Abbott  

P.S. pictures! The first is me and some of my batch at last transfer meeting. We are all grown up. (Elder Gertge, Elder Ashdown, Elder Pasikala, Elder Prescott, and Me)
and the other is my farewell party in Camotes. Notice all the kids are making faces or posing. I love the kids here.