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| March 11, 2013 |
Sunday, March 17, 2013
March 11, 2013 E-Mail!
Heyyyy!
My companion is feeling a lot better today we just ate some Pizza Hut so we're good to go! haha They asked me where I was going to eat first when I get home.. I thought about it a little and I think I decided BDubs!! haha So party at BDubs when I get back! haha
So life's been great here! I've really enjoyed it. I've really seen the hand of the Lord in the work. It's been difficult but exciting and all that jazz. Da best. So I'mma just start answering my parents questions cuz I think it'll explain the last couple weeks pretty well.
Who is the new missionary and where is he from?
So check this out. My comps Elder Phillips from Logan, UT. He's super legit. He's actually a big baseball fan which is really rare, and he's already doing well out here in the field. He's one of the eighteen year old's! Boom! He's only a few months older than Caleb... haha He's one of a few in the group that just got here that's eighteen. So it's pretty cool.
Are you going to miss being a zone leader?
Umm.. yeah maybe. It's okay, but I feel like I'm closer to my people as a district leader so I think I might like that better. But whatever is whatever.. haha I'm still just a missionary like everyone else.. =D
How do your transfers work?
Transfers here have just recently changed. We used to all go to Buendia and meet and then do the transfers there, but now it's up to the ZLs to coordinate with their missionaries to get them where they're supposed to go and they should almost always have a companion so that makes things complicated as well sometimes and yeah.. that's how it works.
what's the new area like? How is your companion?
So I'm in Kawit, Cavite now. Serving in the Kawit Ward. It's a pretty small ward because it's recently split and when it split the other ward took a lot of leadership with it as well so we're still like "kulang" a second counselor in the bishopric and a few other spots in the ward. But its all good. I really like our ward so far. The area is interesting. It's like a rural city.. cuz its pretty built up not a whole lot of wide open fields and what not but its not like super city cuz there's not even a mcdonalds here.. haha That's the ultimate judge of how city your area is (notice city is being used here as an adjective... I can't remember if we do that in english as well..). haha But me and Elder Phillips are doing good! We're working hard in a pretty difficult area. The Ward Mission Leader told me yesterday that aside from the baptism that happened like a week before we got there, they haven't had a baptism for like six months. The WML says he doesnt remember the last baptism they had.. haha So yeah! Good thing we're looking at baptizing like 6 in April! They just gotta start coming to church, but other than that they're super cool!
So I'll just tell you a little bit about yesterday cuz it was awesome! And I don't have that much time to tell you about every other day.. so I'll just tell you a lot about one day. haha
So like I mentioned above.. we just need these people to come to church! We unfortunately didn't have any investigators at church yesterday.. that's like a first my whole mission.. But it went alright! It was a good chance to get to know our WML, Robert, who's super cool. We didn't have anyone attend our Gospel Essentials class so instead we taught language study to Elder Phillips.. haha It was pretty fun. Apparently Robert knew Elder Hopkins back in the day cuz he was assigned here so that's pretty sweet! I'm going to die in one of my trainer's areas. It was also super weird/legit at church cuz we had this one lady come up and ask us what time church started. So we told her and she looked at us kinda weird and then she was like oh, I'm from Maryland.. haha So then we spoke english to her... Apparently she grew up here but actually lived in Urbana for a while! URBANA! As in my home stake! WHAAA?? weird. haha She said her husband went to the U of I.. so that's why.
So after church we got some lunch and then headed out to work. The very first family we visited was a less-active family that actually loved Elder Hopkins so I was like having flashbacks like crazy yesterday so that was pretty fun. And there Elder Phillips got to participate in his first priesthood blessing! Woo!
So after that we had a couple appointments fall through and I happened to remember this referral we got in an area we'd never heard of. So we decided to check that out. It turns out that thats like the prettiest part of our area and it's super cool! Hence the pictures that are super pretty at that river. It made Elder Phillips really happy cuz he really wants to see some scenery out here and most of Kawit doesn't have too much to offer. So we end of finding this referral and it turns out that she had a one month old child that had died just last month. I asked the missionaries that gave us the referral if they knew that and they had no idea. So it was perfect and totally guided by the Lord. And we were able to share with her and testify simply and clearly from Moroni 8 as to where her child is now and that he is saved because of Christ's Atonement. And that was what made my day. Well the river and beautiful area was super cool, but I get excited when I meet someone or share something with someone that is exactly what they need to hear and it helps them in someway. I know that this sister was touched because I felt, too, felt the Spirit so strongly there, and I'm grateful that I was able to bring a glimmer of hope into the life of this sister.
So after that, my companions stomach started hurting real bad but he trooped out one final lesson. Luckily we had a ward missionary working with us cuz Elder Phillips couldn't do much in that last lesson so the ward missionary helped me teach. We taught the Plan of Salvation to them and it went super well! They had a bunch of questions for us and you could just tell from their eyes that they were getting and absorbing everything we were teaching. The Spirit really helped me answer their questions and it went really well and shed some light for them regarding Heavenly Father's plan for them and their families.
So that was kinda Sunday and it was awesome! I'm loving it here and I'm sending you a bunch of pictures so you guys better love it!
Well I'mma head out.. so I'll catch you guys later!
Love
Elder Michael Gadberry
My companion is feeling a lot better today we just ate some Pizza Hut so we're good to go! haha They asked me where I was going to eat first when I get home.. I thought about it a little and I think I decided BDubs!! haha So party at BDubs when I get back! haha
So life's been great here! I've really enjoyed it. I've really seen the hand of the Lord in the work. It's been difficult but exciting and all that jazz. Da best. So I'mma just start answering my parents questions cuz I think it'll explain the last couple weeks pretty well.
Who is the new missionary and where is he from?
So check this out. My comps Elder Phillips from Logan, UT. He's super legit. He's actually a big baseball fan which is really rare, and he's already doing well out here in the field. He's one of the eighteen year old's! Boom! He's only a few months older than Caleb... haha He's one of a few in the group that just got here that's eighteen. So it's pretty cool.
Are you going to miss being a zone leader?
Umm.. yeah maybe. It's okay, but I feel like I'm closer to my people as a district leader so I think I might like that better. But whatever is whatever.. haha I'm still just a missionary like everyone else.. =D
How do your transfers work?
Transfers here have just recently changed. We used to all go to Buendia and meet and then do the transfers there, but now it's up to the ZLs to coordinate with their missionaries to get them where they're supposed to go and they should almost always have a companion so that makes things complicated as well sometimes and yeah.. that's how it works.
what's the new area like? How is your companion?
So I'm in Kawit, Cavite now. Serving in the Kawit Ward. It's a pretty small ward because it's recently split and when it split the other ward took a lot of leadership with it as well so we're still like "kulang" a second counselor in the bishopric and a few other spots in the ward. But its all good. I really like our ward so far. The area is interesting. It's like a rural city.. cuz its pretty built up not a whole lot of wide open fields and what not but its not like super city cuz there's not even a mcdonalds here.. haha That's the ultimate judge of how city your area is (notice city is being used here as an adjective... I can't remember if we do that in english as well..). haha But me and Elder Phillips are doing good! We're working hard in a pretty difficult area. The Ward Mission Leader told me yesterday that aside from the baptism that happened like a week before we got there, they haven't had a baptism for like six months. The WML says he doesnt remember the last baptism they had.. haha So yeah! Good thing we're looking at baptizing like 6 in April! They just gotta start coming to church, but other than that they're super cool!
So I'll just tell you a little bit about yesterday cuz it was awesome! And I don't have that much time to tell you about every other day.. so I'll just tell you a lot about one day. haha
So like I mentioned above.. we just need these people to come to church! We unfortunately didn't have any investigators at church yesterday.. that's like a first my whole mission.. But it went alright! It was a good chance to get to know our WML, Robert, who's super cool. We didn't have anyone attend our Gospel Essentials class so instead we taught language study to Elder Phillips.. haha It was pretty fun. Apparently Robert knew Elder Hopkins back in the day cuz he was assigned here so that's pretty sweet! I'm going to die in one of my trainer's areas. It was also super weird/legit at church cuz we had this one lady come up and ask us what time church started. So we told her and she looked at us kinda weird and then she was like oh, I'm from Maryland.. haha So then we spoke english to her... Apparently she grew up here but actually lived in Urbana for a while! URBANA! As in my home stake! WHAAA?? weird. haha She said her husband went to the U of I.. so that's why.
So after church we got some lunch and then headed out to work. The very first family we visited was a less-active family that actually loved Elder Hopkins so I was like having flashbacks like crazy yesterday so that was pretty fun. And there Elder Phillips got to participate in his first priesthood blessing! Woo!
So after that we had a couple appointments fall through and I happened to remember this referral we got in an area we'd never heard of. So we decided to check that out. It turns out that thats like the prettiest part of our area and it's super cool! Hence the pictures that are super pretty at that river. It made Elder Phillips really happy cuz he really wants to see some scenery out here and most of Kawit doesn't have too much to offer. So we end of finding this referral and it turns out that she had a one month old child that had died just last month. I asked the missionaries that gave us the referral if they knew that and they had no idea. So it was perfect and totally guided by the Lord. And we were able to share with her and testify simply and clearly from Moroni 8 as to where her child is now and that he is saved because of Christ's Atonement. And that was what made my day. Well the river and beautiful area was super cool, but I get excited when I meet someone or share something with someone that is exactly what they need to hear and it helps them in someway. I know that this sister was touched because I felt, too, felt the Spirit so strongly there, and I'm grateful that I was able to bring a glimmer of hope into the life of this sister.
So after that, my companions stomach started hurting real bad but he trooped out one final lesson. Luckily we had a ward missionary working with us cuz Elder Phillips couldn't do much in that last lesson so the ward missionary helped me teach. We taught the Plan of Salvation to them and it went super well! They had a bunch of questions for us and you could just tell from their eyes that they were getting and absorbing everything we were teaching. The Spirit really helped me answer their questions and it went really well and shed some light for them regarding Heavenly Father's plan for them and their families.
So that was kinda Sunday and it was awesome! I'm loving it here and I'm sending you a bunch of pictures so you guys better love it!
Well I'mma head out.. so I'll catch you guys later!
Love
Elder Michael Gadberry
Saturday, March 2, 2013
February 24, 2013 E-Mail!
Hey how's it going everyone?!
Well we're coming up on a new transfer one of my last dalawa... whoa. I think I'll save what's happening to me until the veryyyy end of this email so that way you guys have to read the wholeeee thing and umm.. I win? Okay maybe I'll be nicer and just hide it somewhere in the middle of the email so that way you can't just skip to the very end and figure it out. boom. haha We'll just see.
But hey! this week went really well. We got exciting news that we're getting four new missions here in the Philippines! One of them, the Cavite Philippines Mission is right in the heart of our mission. The works really awesome here! Of all the areas that are getting new missions the Philippines had the third most next to Brazil and Mexico so that shows kinda how great the works going here! So actually my last two areas would be under that Cavite mission but I'll be home by that time it'll go into effect like July 1 cuz that's when the world gets new mission presidents. So that's pretty exciting to see! One of our themes recently is "God is hastening His work!" And He really is. It's exciting!
So this week I've been thinking a lot about like what the Lord has in store for kinda like His plan for me, what He wants me to do. It's funny because one of the themes of my mission I feel like is a quote I heard early on from Elder Ardern. "The Lord is easy to please, but difficult to satisfy." So yeah.. everyone time I feel like I'm at a good point like I've got stuff down. Essentially the Lord comes to me and says (I'm putting words in the Lord's mouth but this is what it feels like) "Wow! Good job! Now I need you to give me just a little bit more. Do this a little bit better or you're not doing very good at this lets work on that a little bit." And its almost always kinda frustrating at first but in the end its for the best. This week I was studying a little bit in 1 Nephi 17. And I was like, you know what Nephi and all them probably thought when they got to Bountiful that it was the "promised land" that they were promised. They didn't realize that the Lord has much more in store for them. So then when the Lord came to Nephi and was like hey! I got somethin for you to do. Nephi with his awesome faith didn't say umm... I don't need a boat. Thanks though! I'm happy here... Plus I don't even like fish that much.. I'll stick to hunting. haha However his brother's didn't realize what the Lord had in store for them. So like Nephi I've been trying to figure out all that the Lord wants me to do and improve and just do it. Especially with me transferring and what not. Oops! Spoiler alert. haha
So we went on exchanges twice this week. haha Waiting till the last minute. We're supposed to go on exchanges at least once a transfer with our two district leaders but we hadn't done it yet. Well actually we were just planning on doing one this week and one the upcoming week. But it was kinda cool cuz we talked with one of our district leaders at district meeting about their area and about some things that need to improve and how we could help them and what not. So after that we were walking down the road to go to work and I though to myself, "It'd be kinda cool to do like an unplanned exchange with them just so we can kinda see what their area is really like and how we can help them." So shortly after that Elder Orth turns to me and goes, "Hey you wanna ask them if they wanna do an exchange right now just for today??" So luckily, my companion is more in tune with the Spirit than I am so we were able to catch that opportunity before it flew away. So that day I worked in the DLs area with him and we had a pretty good day and I think we were able to help them just make their work a little more effective. So that was pretty cool.
Another day we unknowingly were led to visit another family. We got there and sister was like elders! It's great to see you! come in come in. So we came in and started talking to them and low and behold she had been praying that we'd visit them that day because she had been in the hospital the day previous and it was like the middle of the night so she didn't want to text us. But we were able to share a really powerful lesson to them because they're a family that has recently returned and they're just trying to get their lives in line with the gospel and get back to the temple and then we gave sister a blessing because her husband can't right now.. But yeah! It was really cool because the Lord's hand is all over the work! Like if there's one testimony I have more than anything else since I've been out here is that the Lord's hand moves daily in all of our lives, we just have to look for it. (and then give thanks. =D ).
So in my other news of the week, when I was on exchanges on Tuesday. One of the recent converts there legitimately thought that I was Indian. So Darsh! We're brothers! haha She's like are you Indian? I was probably pretty obviously surprised and was like umm nope. And then she was like it's cuz you have dark hair.. haha So yeah.. I'm Elder Darshan Gadberry.
Well I should get wrapping up..but I was looking over my notes from the week and I could tell you guys a ton more but don't have time... But yeah I am transferring this upcoming week and for my last two transfers I will be in Kawit, Cavite training a new missionary and also fulfilling the role of a district leader. So that's pretty exciting! We'll see how things go.. haha
Well hope you guys have an awesome week!
Love
Elder Michael Gadberry
Pictures finally!
Umm.. a bunch of people in the zone are training also so after our trainers meeting we went to McDo.
Oh and my groceries last week! ALL CHOCOLATE! except for some extremely healthy bananas... haha I still do what I do. haha
And... the Mancilla family! Brother is gettin baptized shortly after I'm gone! The rest are members. I heart them.
Well we're coming up on a new transfer one of my last dalawa... whoa. I think I'll save what's happening to me until the veryyyy end of this email so that way you guys have to read the wholeeee thing and umm.. I win? Okay maybe I'll be nicer and just hide it somewhere in the middle of the email so that way you can't just skip to the very end and figure it out. boom. haha We'll just see.
But hey! this week went really well. We got exciting news that we're getting four new missions here in the Philippines! One of them, the Cavite Philippines Mission is right in the heart of our mission. The works really awesome here! Of all the areas that are getting new missions the Philippines had the third most next to Brazil and Mexico so that shows kinda how great the works going here! So actually my last two areas would be under that Cavite mission but I'll be home by that time it'll go into effect like July 1 cuz that's when the world gets new mission presidents. So that's pretty exciting to see! One of our themes recently is "God is hastening His work!" And He really is. It's exciting!
So this week I've been thinking a lot about like what the Lord has in store for kinda like His plan for me, what He wants me to do. It's funny because one of the themes of my mission I feel like is a quote I heard early on from Elder Ardern. "The Lord is easy to please, but difficult to satisfy." So yeah.. everyone time I feel like I'm at a good point like I've got stuff down. Essentially the Lord comes to me and says (I'm putting words in the Lord's mouth but this is what it feels like) "Wow! Good job! Now I need you to give me just a little bit more. Do this a little bit better or you're not doing very good at this lets work on that a little bit." And its almost always kinda frustrating at first but in the end its for the best. This week I was studying a little bit in 1 Nephi 17. And I was like, you know what Nephi and all them probably thought when they got to Bountiful that it was the "promised land" that they were promised. They didn't realize that the Lord has much more in store for them. So then when the Lord came to Nephi and was like hey! I got somethin for you to do. Nephi with his awesome faith didn't say umm... I don't need a boat. Thanks though! I'm happy here... Plus I don't even like fish that much.. I'll stick to hunting. haha However his brother's didn't realize what the Lord had in store for them. So like Nephi I've been trying to figure out all that the Lord wants me to do and improve and just do it. Especially with me transferring and what not. Oops! Spoiler alert. haha
So we went on exchanges twice this week. haha Waiting till the last minute. We're supposed to go on exchanges at least once a transfer with our two district leaders but we hadn't done it yet. Well actually we were just planning on doing one this week and one the upcoming week. But it was kinda cool cuz we talked with one of our district leaders at district meeting about their area and about some things that need to improve and how we could help them and what not. So after that we were walking down the road to go to work and I though to myself, "It'd be kinda cool to do like an unplanned exchange with them just so we can kinda see what their area is really like and how we can help them." So shortly after that Elder Orth turns to me and goes, "Hey you wanna ask them if they wanna do an exchange right now just for today??" So luckily, my companion is more in tune with the Spirit than I am so we were able to catch that opportunity before it flew away. So that day I worked in the DLs area with him and we had a pretty good day and I think we were able to help them just make their work a little more effective. So that was pretty cool.
Another day we unknowingly were led to visit another family. We got there and sister was like elders! It's great to see you! come in come in. So we came in and started talking to them and low and behold she had been praying that we'd visit them that day because she had been in the hospital the day previous and it was like the middle of the night so she didn't want to text us. But we were able to share a really powerful lesson to them because they're a family that has recently returned and they're just trying to get their lives in line with the gospel and get back to the temple and then we gave sister a blessing because her husband can't right now.. But yeah! It was really cool because the Lord's hand is all over the work! Like if there's one testimony I have more than anything else since I've been out here is that the Lord's hand moves daily in all of our lives, we just have to look for it. (and then give thanks. =D ).
So in my other news of the week, when I was on exchanges on Tuesday. One of the recent converts there legitimately thought that I was Indian. So Darsh! We're brothers! haha She's like are you Indian? I was probably pretty obviously surprised and was like umm nope. And then she was like it's cuz you have dark hair.. haha So yeah.. I'm Elder Darshan Gadberry.
Well I should get wrapping up..but I was looking over my notes from the week and I could tell you guys a ton more but don't have time... But yeah I am transferring this upcoming week and for my last two transfers I will be in Kawit, Cavite training a new missionary and also fulfilling the role of a district leader. So that's pretty exciting! We'll see how things go.. haha
Well hope you guys have an awesome week!
Love
Elder Michael Gadberry
Pictures finally!
Umm.. a bunch of people in the zone are training also so after our trainers meeting we went to McDo.
Oh and my groceries last week! ALL CHOCOLATE! except for some extremely healthy bananas... haha I still do what I do. haha
And... the Mancilla family! Brother is gettin baptized shortly after I'm gone! The rest are members. I heart them.
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