Back in Pola!

Hello!
Well, you're probably wondering where I'm writing from today! Paris, Rome, Manila? Well I'm writing from Pola for the first time in a month! It's certainly good to be back. A lot has changed since we left. One of the biggest changes is that I have a new companion! He's Elder Navarro and he's from the Bisayas. He's been on his mission only three months longer than I have. His native tongue is Ilongo, but like most Filipinos they've at least been around Tagalog their whole life so within a month or two they're fluent. He speaks a little English, so I'm helping him with that. One big selling point that he has is he lives close to Manny Pacquiao(world champion boxer). I knew he was huge here, but I didn't quite grasp it until I got here. I think he's on almost every advertisement here! Elder Navarro is 19 and has a great zeal for the work. So much at times it's almost impossible for me to get a word in...we're working on that though.

We had our first investigators attend Sacrament meeting! (President has asked that we don't email names home of people here). The Nanay ( Tagalog for woman) and her two sons came. They are so so so solid, and the only thing holding them back was Pagsisimba (going to church). They looked so happy to be there, and a few relief society sisters went and sat next to her and talked to her. I can't tell you how w happy I was! Luckily I was sitting in the back row so no one could see my eyes welling up. I haven't had baptisms yet like some other missionaries, but the feelings I had on Sunday were ones of joy and gratitude. Every night for the past month I prayed the Lord would watch over these investigators and he so did. (Mary Ann: You can see the bi-lingual ‘transference of pronouns, ‘he so’ versus ‘so he’ as he is thinking in Tagalog as he writes in English. ) They're probably ready to get baptized today, but they still need to attend Church 3 more weeks in a row.

It almost has a feeling here like we're re-opening the area. We don't have many investigators, some moved, and others just have lost interest. The exciting part about this is we get to start over, something this area really needs. The challenge is always been about finding people to teach. I think I mentioned last time that there are no street addresses here and it's virtually impossible to find former investigators in some instances. We're really focusing on finding new people to teach. I'm putting together a plan to go through area book records, baptismal records, and the members to find people who have had sufficient contact with the Church in the past. We were taught in a workshop at Zone Interviews about finding and we're doing our best to implement it all. It's exciting. We are giving the members extra love and care and building relationships. Just simple things like making them feel loved and appreciated goes such a far way. It's amazing to see how their attitude with us is completely different now. We're going to start using the Priest age young men aka the Branch Clerk and Branch Mission Leader to help us find people in the community here. We had our first real referral show up to church. It was our first time ever meeting her. It was wonderful!

I got a package from you with the things for the kids, a few letters from you, and some DearElder emails. I got a letter from Elder Tenny too. It's free for us to send pouch letters to each other here so that's how we communicate. I withdrew 3200 pesos about because Elder N. support money is all gone and there are ten days left in the month. He had no money at all so I withdrew to make sure we'll have food and be able to travel so that's that. At transfer day I gave my Tagalog Scriptures and English PMG to a lady who binds them and puts leather coverings. It'll have my name on it and various designs. It cost me 3000 pesos but so worth it because it's something I'll always have. I'll send pictures of the house and everything next week I know you want them, please bear with me the house needs to be cleaned, and I don't want you to be worried when you see cockroaches climbing on my toothbrush.

I heard from other missionaries this week that Elder Tamale's father passed away about a week ago. My heart just breaks for him. I heard the news at a time I was kind of wallowing in self-pity myself. I kind of gave myself a kick in my pants to stop feeling sorry for myself. I can't even imagine what Elder Tamale is going through. I thought about you both, and pray that I would not have to go through that. I don't want to sound too direct, and I know you know this, but take good care of yourselves. If you need to get something checked out, do it. Don't put things off. I love you too much to not say this.

I thought back to the MTC, and how the first blessing I gave to someone was Elder Tamale and the situation with his father. I remember blessing him with the ability to completely focus on the work, and give all that he had to the Lord. I promised him that his family would be blessed for his service. Dad, I thought back, in the middle of the blessing, about your experience when you were giving someone a blessing and you wanted to say, "Rise and be made whole", yet that's not what you were prompted to say by the Spirit. I wanted to tell Elder Tamale that his father would be okay, but I felt such a profound feeling of calm and peace, even though I was not prompted to promise complete healing. Elder Tamale's father lived a good life. While he was not a member of our church, he loved the Savior and dedicated his life to serving others and his God. I testify that true happiness comes in following the Savior and living the Gospel of Jesus Christ. While the loss of loved ones and other trials in life bring pain and grief, through the suffering of the Savior, we are able to gain strength and endure even but a small moment until we are exalted on high (Doctrine and Covenants Section 121).

I testify that families are eternal, and through the Gospel of Jesus Christ, we are can bind our families together forever. I testify that the Savior lives. It is my prayer that we all realize and evaluate the truly important things in life, because therein lies true happiness, both in this life and in the life to come. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

I love you all so much!!!

Love,
Elder Yost

Preparing for Transfers

So this week we had Zone Interviews. We had a three hour workshop from President and Sister Peterson and the AP's. It was really good and I learned a ton about finding and keeping a great area book. I have some really good ideas of some changes to implement when I get back to Pola.

Anyways I had my first interview with President Peterson and I wasn't really sure what to expect. I was pretty nervous! Well I went in and it was the most relaxed interview I've ever had. He was just apologizing for how crazy the last few weeks have been. I jokingly asked if he could put me in the 3 other areas of the Zone so I can say I served in every area in one transfer! He laughed pretty good about that one. Anyways, one of the Zone Leaders, Elder K. is done with his mission and is going home on Wednesday. He was kind enough to carry some letters for me and drop them in the mailbox in the states. There's a letter for Mom (Birthday letter so don't upon until Nov. 9th), Uncle Christopher, Coleman Scholz, Louanne, and Christine. So because Elder K left, I'm with the other Zone Leader, Elder Libatique in Calapan until Transfers. I was able to go on Saturday to a baptism for three investigators I taught a few times here in Calapan. Halfway through the opening hymn, the Branch Mission Leader comes back and asks me to speak on the Gift of the Holy Ghost. I had less than 5 minutes to prepare! I think a lot of American missionaries when they first get here try to teach in both Tagalog and English so they feel more comfortable. For me, I've decided no English at all, which has really helped. It would have been easy to give the talk in Taglish, but I was committed to no English. I was flipping through my scriptures and praying for guidance and the Gift of Tongues. Earlier that morning in personal study I'd been studying in 3 Nephi, I think Chapter 19 about the Nephites receiving the Gift of the Holy Ghost. They described it as the thing "they desired most". This was perfect. I spoke on that and from 2 Nephi 32 about through the Holy Ghost we can know all the things we should do. As I spoke, I was really nervous and I felt like my Tagalog wasn't making any sense. When I would felt discouraged I would look out at the sister missionaries who were all smiles and that helped a ton. I finished up, bore my testimony and sat back down. I was worried that no one had understood what I had said. The Sisters told me how awesome I was, but they're always that nice. At the end of the Baptism the Branch President came up and asked me how long I'd been in the field. When I told him about a month he didn't believe me! He told me my Tagalog was so good! Phew! That made me feel a lot better! I truly believe the Spirit put into my mouth the words to say. I know my Tagalog is not good, and with the Spirit and the Gift of Tongues I could not have done what I did. At the end of all this I went up to the Branch Mission Leader and said, "Maraming salamat po sa binyag ng apoy!" (Thanks so much for the baptism of fire!)

This week I'll go up to San Pablo for the transfer meeting. I'm pretty excited to meet my new companion! We have a mission tour on the 26th with Elder Teh who is the President of the Philippines Area. I think I may buy some rubber shoes here for when it rains. Some missionaries have them and love them. I'm sad to hear about Sister Sleight, I do remember her well. One thing I would like if it exists is a copy of Mormon Tab's 9/11 program. Also, we're allowed to have Church movies, so like Joseph Smith Prophet of the Restoration, Testaments, Mountain of the Lord, stuff like that. That's all I can think of right now. Oh and maybe like a Washington Wizards t-shirt with their new colors. People love the NBA here.

I'm grateful for the opportunity to serve. It's been very challenging thus far. Three areas and 5 companions in 5 weeks. But I know the Lord is preparing me. I pray for challenges every night. The Lord gives us challenges either way, but at least I know that when I pray for them and for patience, the Lord will do everything to help me. We can only learn the most valuable and precious lessons from trials that stretch us to our very limit. The Prophet Joseph Smith spoke about his life full of trials and how he felt like Paul, that he gloried in his trials, because he knew that no matter what, the Lord will always deliver him. Love you all!

Love,
Elder Yost

1Month, 3 Areas, 5 Companions - Lift Where You Stand!!

Well, there is certainly never a dull moment here! We had a good beginning of the week until Elder B.'s wisdom teeth starting coming in! He tried to tough it out but there really isn't a quick and easy fix to that. So on Friday morning he headed up to Manila, and once again, I found myself homeless and companionless once again...I've been up in Calapan with our Filipino ZL and the American ZL has been in Pinamalayan with Elder G. Luckily they picked up my laundry in Pola, because I had to wear the same shirt for 4 days in a row! Think about it, I sleep in a different place it seems like every night, I wear the same clothes for days, and I just kind of float from area to area!

Teaching has been a bit fragmented. I don't get to teach the same person more than once because I don't stay in the same place for very long. I haven’t had the chance to develop a personal connection with investigators in Calapan and Pinamalayan because I only see them once! The work is good though!

On the bright side, being in Calapan is the apartment is really nice. I was even able to sit on a toilet seat! Not sure how long I'll be here. I got sick for the first time on Friday. It was like a 24 hour feel really crummy, weak, stomach thing. I went to sleep at 3 in the afternoon, didn't sleep straight through, but I slept until 6:30 the next morning. I felt a lot better then. I must've just eaten something...

A few quick notes, thanks for planning on sending Christmas decorations! Unfortunately you're about a month and a half too late!! Haha! They've had Christmas decorations up since I got here and I heard Christmas music in a store on my first day! What's BYU's record in football this year? Who's the favorite and who are Heisman candidates?

Funny fact, the word, mahal, in Tagalog means both love and expensive. Coincidence?

Conference was really good! Priesthood started at 8 AM on Saturday. The morning session of Conference started at 11 AM, the Saturday afternoon session started at 2 PM. The next day, the morning session started at 9 AM and Sunday afternoon session was at noon.

I have yet to get me clothes fixed because I'm going to do it in Pola and haven't had a chance. Another interesting note, there's a young man in the branch in Calapan that's been called to the San Francisco mission and is supposed to leave at the end of October but doesn't have a Visa. Is there anything the Utah Senator’s offices in D.C. or anyone could do to speed it up? I feel bad because they may make him go to Manila and serve 4 months there and he really doesn't want that because he's so excited to come to the states. Anything we can do?

The beginning of my mission has not been easy and has hardly been consistent, but I know that it's all in the Lord's plan, and I'm just trying to learn what I need to learn from this and prepare myself, so when the time comes, I'm ready to settle down and go to work. I love you all!!!

Interesting Week

It was a tough week. Elder G. was emergency transferred on Thursday and for the time being I am in Pinamalayan, a neighboring town which has Elders B and Elder G.[Mary Ann Yost] (Alex’s companion, Elder G received a threat via text from someone). Hopefully in three weeks on transfer day I'll be able to go back to Pola with a new companion. It breaks my heart, we have 6 investigators with baptismal goal dates, and we'll make at most two trips to Pola a week. I packed my small suitcase and brought that but I still have a lot of stuff that would be really useful back in Pola. I spent 7 hours traveling up to the mission home on Thursday, and another 5 hours traveling back to Mindoro later that night with a new batch of missionaries.

On the bright side, Elder B is a great cook! He wants to own a restaurant one day, and he definitely has the culinary skills! He's 24 years old I think, and is from the Philippines.Elder G. is 20 and is from Boise, ID. He's being trained by Elder B. and has been out 6 weeks longer than me. I've been adjusting to a completely new way of teaching and preparing. I've learned some good things. Apparently the Branch President in Pola has been bragging on my Tagalog! He told the sisters and the senior couple my Tagalog is awesome! That's nice to hear!

On Tuesday we had companion exchanges with the ZL's and I got to work with Elder K. in Calapan. I can't tell you how fun it was to have an American companion! It was awesome and I learned a lot. Today we had a Zone P-Day. We went up near Calapan to some "waterfalls". It was very pretty, but not quite waterfalls. It was a miniature version of Great Falls. I took some pictures and will try to e-mail them.

Interesting experiences this week:
- A woman offered to have her 16 year old daughter marry me in the middle of a lesson
- A man asking for money told me I was very handsome to try and persuade me. The on looking missionaries thought he was going to kiss me
-It is common for Filipinos to call American men "Joe". When some Filipinos say Hey Joe, I just reply, "Hey Joe!". The look on their face is PRICELESS

We're watching Conference in Calapan this upcoming weekend. We were not hit by the hurricane. We had rain but that was about it.

Quick story to finish. We visited a family last night that just touched my heart so much. They have one daughter who was born deaf, and another daughter who had a child out of wedlock and was born with hydrocephalus, and sleeps with his eyes wide open. They live in such a humble home, and the second we walked in they started making us dinner. They had nothing, and they made us a feast. How much we can learn from the humblest of people.

It was a hard week. When I was feeling down and out, a scripture came into my mind from D&C101, "Be still and know that I am God." This is a hard work and a hard world we live in. But if we can just remember that, what comfort that will give our souls. Just be still and know he's in control, he's God.

I love you so much,
Elder Yost