It's Transfer Time!

Dear Mom and Dad,

Few notes:
-Who's the College Football National Champ?
-I've given Elder N the Spirit of America CD. Mormon Tabernacle Choir (MTC) is pretty much non-existent over here. If you ever get a chance to send him a box, please send him MTC CD's and Skittles. Weird request I know, but he's had Skittles and loves them so much!
- The best thing I like to give to people here is those 3 x 5 Mini Books of Mormon. I think that's what I'd like to give to people I am really close to.

Well, I knew the day would come....I'm going to be transferred on Friday! I'm actually not that surprised at all. There are 14 new Elders and 4 new Sisters coming into the mission on Friday, and I figured that they were going to have Elder N train in Pola because he's only been here three months. The Mindoro Zone is going to be completely different after transfer day. Of the 14 missionaries in the Zone, 2 Sisters are being moved to another area, and 5 other missionaries are being transferred, including a Zone Leader. There's only one companionship that is staying the same! I'll be sad to leave, but I felt like it was time for some new challenges. You know when you start to get comfortable it's time to get a kick in the pants and get you out of your comfort zone. I'll get to see Elder Tamale at Transfer Day too!!!!!! (Elder Tamale was Elder Yost’s companion in the Mission Training Center in Provo.)

We're teaching a Tatay and Nanay (older man and women) that are just hilarious. They've not been very active for about three years because Tatay’s feelings were hurt by some rumors. He literally lives 50 feet from the church. He had a stroke a few years back so his hands are really stiff and his speech is slurred. It's hard enough for me to understand Tagalog when people are speaking clearly, let alone when their speech is slurred! Nanay is so sweet. We've started teaching them and Tatay has been a bit of a nuisance is a funny way. I think the majority of the people in the Philippines believe that Adam and Eve ate manzanas or an apple. We've been trying to explain to Tatay who likes to make a big deal about the forbidden apple (Snow White?) that it's not important if it was an Apple, coconut, magic beans or whatever. It was forbidden and they ate it! How often are we like that in our lives where we say, oh it's just a banana it can't be that bad! The Lord has given us commandments and like I've said, the adversary is not stupid. He says, oh these strawberries are good, they're not bad!

Tatay has told us he had a dream that he's had multiple times. In the dream, he comes to a fork in the road. One path leads to a dark night like place. The other leads to a pretty, bright place in the day time. He stands at the fork, wondering where he is to go, and a child comes, takes his hand, and says "Don't go to the darkness, let's walk to the light. We were going to teach about prophets but we felt prompted to teach the Plan of Salvation, so we taught Tatay the Plan of Salvation and the Fall of Adam and pretty much answered all his questions. We got to the last principle which is the Three Kingdoms of Glory, and it hit me like a ton of bricks. I said, "Tatay, the light in your dream is the Celestial Kingdom, which is comparable to the brightness of the sun. The other is the Telestial and Terrestrial, dark and indiscernible. Through a Temple sealing, you and your family can go to the light, the Celestial Kingdom, and through obedience to the commandments of God, you can live happily together forever.

After the lesson, Elder G. and I (We were on splits) talked about the experience. We both felt kind of like Daniel in the Old Testament! We really felt like the Spirit revealed to us what to say, and how to apply it to Tatay. I don't know what I would do without the Spirit. I would be a train wreck as a missionary without it! This experience taught me a valuable lesson. It doesn't matter how talented you may be or how smart you may be. If you humble yourself and listen to the Spirit, you will know exactly what to say.

So after the lesson, we asked Tatay if he had any more questions. With a look of mischief on his face, he said,” Why aren't there prophets on Mindoro! “ We told him we'd cover that next time!

Now as to me being sick last week. When I have gotten sick it has always been these 24 hour things. I think I've narrowed down the suspects and you won't be happy, but the culprit is - Balut. (Balut is a Filipino delicacy that involves eating a hard boiled egg where the chicken is partial formed) I'm sorry it's just so delicious! I woke up the next morning after I was sick and felt great!

We were in a van traveling to a District Meeting in Pinamalayan and they started playing Taylor Swift on the radio and I was so so so excited, but the volume was really low so I was straining to hear. The driver finally turned it off and I about cried...!

I had a great last Sunday in the area. During Sacrament meeting, the two deacons passing the Sacrament were recent converts. One of the Priests blessing is a recent convert. On Sunday, four of our recent converts were sustained in Quorum Presidencies. It made me feel so good to know that I was an instrument in the hands of the Lord. So much in this area has changed in the last 4 and a half months. Look at the miracles the Lord has wrought here! It's not been us or our ability. I've been grateful to be an instrument in the Lord's hands. I look and ask myself, “are our labors few? No! They are many and the harvest is great!”

Well Pola, I'll see you when I see you! Not unless I see you first! (this is a saying between Chip and Alex)

Love,
Elder Yost