Week 19

Hello Family and friends!

I am doing well here in the Philippines. I am sort of sick right now though with a cold. So bear with me. This week has been super busy for Elder Ordeniza and I. We are working hard just to keep up. That is so awesome though that Graham and I got to experience or first baptisms on the same day! I think we will treasure January 22 2011 for forever. Congratulations Courtney! I know it was a tough decision and a very big decision for you. I know it will be tough to stick through and to endure. But I also know it will be a decision that you will never ever regret. So really, good job. I said to Sister Sheila this last week. Baptism is likened to a gate for a reason. Once you are baptized you aren't to the Kingdom of heaven yet. You are in the right direction though. You still have to walk more and persevere until that day comes when you do arrive at the door to heaven. You are on the right path to learn those things you need to know and for the Savior to say, "Welcome home thou good and faithful servant." So those are my two cents!

So Sheila's baptism was a very nice one! We are excited for her and her journey. Her brother this week said he wants to be and Elder. This is actually what his mother said, "Ginhambae ni Fernando nga gusto niya mag-elder" They put mag- in front of alot of american words to just say "to do that thing" So he wants to do whatever Elders do. So we taught him and hope he will progress and e baptized as well. I was able to baptize Sheila. Funny Story: The priest who was supposed to get there really early and fill up the font was, of course, fantastically late. So we waited and waited and had some problems with the water. So finally, with the water at my knees, they made me attempt the baptism. Sheila is not short either. Failure! We tried twice and basically only succeeded in scaring the poor girl half to death. So I told bishop that we need to just wait for the water to raise in level. So 45 minutes later I was able to baptize her. She is so nice though and didn't hold it against me. She is getting involved with Seminary this week and got her Young Woman's achievement book this week. She truly is awesome. Attached is her note to me in my remembrance journal. I thought it would be good so you could see real Tagalog. You don't have to just take my word for it. It says: Thanks so much for the teaching to me. And I hope that you still have many more teaching to your brothers and sisters. And you are very talented in Aklanon. (it really says that, I don't know why. I am horrible). I really believe in you. Thank you for your baptism to me, I won't be able to forget it (probably because she thought I was trying to drown her.) Always take care." So there you have it.


Aklanon Aklanon Aklanon. the story of this week. We have taken our language study at a member's tindahan the past week. It has paid ridiculous dividends. I don't know why we didn't think of it before. I can teach in Aklanon now! Very basic vocabulary though. This past Sunday I wasn't lost for one minute because I could completely understand the member's Aklanon. It was awesome. I was overjoyed! The pronunciation is still impossible, but the grammar is coming along. I have also noticed that when I speak Aklanon the people are SO much more forgiving on my speech. When I completely speak wrong Tagalog they don't understand, but when I try my best in Aklanon they still get my point. So I am so thankful for that! It is very different though and I get head aches from thinking so hard about it... haha. So here is a basic testimony in Akeanon. Kasayod ko nga ro mensahi namon, tuod gid imaw. Nga matuod nga propeta si Joseph Smith ag gintawgon imaw it Diyos bilang propeta. Nakita nana ro atong amay sa eangit ag si Jesus christ. Sa paagi nana mayuna kitang simbahan ngara. Kon ipangamuyo mo parte sa mensahi namon, gasabat do Ginoo it mga pangutana mo. Kasayod ko nga matuod ro Simbahan ni JesuCristo ng mga banal sa katapusan adlaw. Sa takipusoon ko napamatiyagan ro banal nga espiritu. Nagpamatuod imaw kakon nga matuod imaw, ro simbahan ngara ag si propetang Joseph Smith. In Tagalog, the very same thing- Alam ko na ang mensahe namin ay totoo. Na totoong propeta si Joseph Smith na Tinawag siya ng Diyos bilang propeta. Nakita niya ang ating ama sa langit at tsaka si Jesus Christ. Sa pamamagitan niya meron tayong simbahan na ito. Kung ipagdasal mo tungkol sa mensahe namin, sasagot ang Diyos ng mga tanong mo. Alam ko na totoo ang simbahan ni JesuCristo ng mga banal sa mga huling araw. Sa puso ko, narumduman ang banal na espiritu. Nagpatotoo siya sa akin na totoo siya ang simbahan na ito at si propetang Joseph Smith.

So there is the Aklanon. I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did. I think it is just the most interesting thing ever. I should be able to get some others while Im here. Like Karay-a and Ilonggo and Kapish-non. Like that. I am very excited. I am sending the pictures home to Krista so hopefully there will be plenty more for people to see soon. The pictures are

(I haven't received any pictures yet... so maybe he meant snail-mailing them?)
1 Already explained.
2 Me in Altavas with the members who started my Aklanon lessons. Marco and Resty. Resty is very happy he just doesn't want to show it.
3 The baptism day! She is not very photogenic either! But we love her anyway.
4 Typical kitchen.

So this is a funny shout out and I doubt she even reads these blogs. But one of my investigators reminds me EXACTLY like Rachel Van Dyke. Like her personality the way she talks.... just everything. It is uncanny. haha. She is one of the girls that gets to church at six! She literally is just a 10 yr younger version of Rachel. So Michael or someone who knows her. If you could please just pass that along. Thank you!

Devyn- I'm glad you got your letters and you are doing so well! I have no explaining to do. All explaining will be done after the mission. Thank you for the pictures.

Bro Anderson- Are you getting these emails? I really hope this other person I am sending the emails to is you. haha. If not just tell me and I will quit.

I love you all and pray for you all daily! GO Dawgs!

Elder Lowry!