So Laoag 3B will continue being my home for the next month and a half! Elder Risenmay got the text last night that he's heading WAY up north to the farthest point of the mission (but with the most beautiful beaches) in Santa Ana. He's looking forward to it! I'll miss him though, over the last couple of weeks he really became my best friend. At least we'll get to see each other throughout the mission because he isn't leaving anytime soon either :) haha But I sure did grow a lot with him as my companion! I'm extremely grateful for the three months we've had together :)
My new companion is coming from up North from Kagayan. His name is Elder Angolluan. I don't know anything about him but all I know is that he's a Filipino. Everyone has said that your first Filipnio companion is a little difficult because of the differences of culture and the language barrier as well. I'm excited to get working with him and start developing more skills in the language :) It'll be a hard adjustment though I'm sure! Prayers will be needed! But the most important thing in a companionship is charity! Once you have charity you no longer see the differences in the culture or allow little things to get to you. I'm happy to have learned that early on my mission rather than later :) haha It all really does start with the companionship though! If the companions are fighting then the area won't do as well because the spirit can't dwell within contention :)
This week went by QUICK! It didn't feel like a full week at all so there's not too much that's new to update you on.
I'm am EXTREMELY grateful to be able to continue being here in Laoag though! The members are awesome and I love the people we teach! Laoag is said to be one of the harder areas in the mission just because it's so busy and it's such a small area but I sure have enjoyed my time these last three months here :)
It's been hard for the people who we've been teaching to come to church lately. It's one of the most disheartening things to see as a missionary when you go over to people's houses 3-5 times a week, share spiritual and sacred experiences together, and pray for them night and day and you don't see anyone at church. It's not disheartening as in "I stink at teaching" or "I'm not a good missionary" but it's disheartening in a sense that you love them SO much and you want the best for them and you KNOW that the gospel of Jesus Christ is the best way for them to truly be happy in this life. It gets disappointing, and you have those days when you feel like you're just walking in circles all day in the sun and you don't have anyone to go to. This work is really tough but there is NO greater joy than seeing people change because of the Spirit and because of them coming to realize the joy that comes from following the example of the Savior :)
One of the coolest cookouts we've had was this week too. One of our members is moving from here to Denver to marry his girlfriend so we had an Elders Quorum activity. It was a cookout from 7-12 but we were only there for a couple of hours for lunch. They got there early to prepare the goats and the chickens that we ate later on. And when we eat goat here, we eat ALL of the goat. I had the brains, liver, skin, intestines and they gave Elder Risenmay and I the other parts and gave us the entire BBQ chicken intestines. All in all it was all pretty good! HAHA Pictures to come :) But it was so much fun to be there and just have a good time with them! I love Laoag 3!!! :)
Anyways that's about it for me this week. I love you all and hope you all have a great week and a great Valentines Day! :)
Mahal kita,
Elder Oslund
No comments:
Post a Comment