Week #45: So my foot fungus or stinky feet is gone.

Hello family!

So my foot fungus or stinky feet is gone. That was fun. At least now I don't have to smell bad everywhere. And yet again, I survived a transfer and will be staying in Vigan. I have no idea how long though.

So yeah, auntie Jean told me that ate lisa's wedding is really soon. Ate Nympha is coming back for a bit too. It's super exciting to meet my cousins finally instead of always seeing them on facebook! Hopefully I can come back here and enjoy my time with them instead of just being a missionary. At least now I have a purpose to be here in Vigan. One by one, I'm trying to track them and teach them. So far we're teaching auntie Jean, Julius, Ate Sally's family, sometimes ate Ria, and we're going to try Vanessa this week. I have special permission to roam Vigan hunting for our family. Also please tell me what information you would need for family history since I'm here. This is probably one of the best chances you have mom to get names, dates and whatever while I'm here. Sometimes, it takes time for people to get information like those, but since I'm here, I can push them hehe.

So you don't need to send me stuff really. I can get soap, shampoo, and contact solution here. In a few months though I may need to buy some more contacts. But what I really need you to send are old scriptures! Anyways, if Uncle Lito does come, he needs to drop off the stuff at the mission home in Laoag. I'm pretty sure he's not allowed to find me while I'm here unless I'm still in Vigan. I'll most likely be here until the beginning of march. Unless I survive another transfer, then I'll be here until April.

So yeah, in terms of the work here, this next transfer, we have around 6 baptisms in the first few weeks of February! We have a lot of people in mind for baptism too. It's actually been awhile since I had a baptism. We couldn't get any in Laoag because we're always in the office. We got close though but that's that. Now the work to do is in Vigan. Especially helping the district out with the work here. Things are finally picking up here in Vigan. We were counting yesterday and there should be 11 baptisms in the district.

And yes mom, you should communicate with your family here. Encourage them to listen... since you're probably on facebook a lot. Facebook message them and tell them to find me. Tell them to ask auntie Jean. I'd give you my cellphone number here but that'd be a terrible idea haha.

So let's see... interesting stories this past week... So we met this guy bong bong Ardaniel. He's a referral from the Vigan 2A elders. He lives near the Rosario family (very big family in the branch). He lives near a bible study group. So we teach at this bible study group. And one time we walked in there and bong bong wasn't there so we kinna sat in on a lecture they were giving. A lot of their beliefs go along our beliefs: God's government, religions centralized on one source. So the lady giving the lecture asked us so many questions. We answered them and ended up teaching them and more people we're interested in our message. We found out later she used to be taught by missionaries since 1992. We also found out another missionary of that bible study group was a dating member. So that's a big reason why our beliefs coincide. What's interesting is that that dating member's name is Reynaldo Morales! That's just weird. Well our last name is extremely popular in many hispanic countries.

We also had this one investigator, su-yen. We extended her baptismal invitation and she seemed unsure. Later we found out she asked her father if its okay if we continue teaching her and one day if ever, she would be baptized. Her father said to stop taking lessons so that we won't confuse her... It's sad to see these things happen but what we're planning on doing is sending the missionaries to her father in Aparri. They need it. We can tell she wants to hear the gospel.

What I also noticed is how people know Jesus Christ, but yet don't really know Him. They know that Jesus Christ died for our sins. But they don't know what that means. They don't even know what Jesus Christ did while He was alive. Read 1 Nephi 11. It's all there. It's so simple. But they just don't know. Sometimes we just take things for granted and don't really know the importance of things. Especially the atonement. One thing we become really good at as missionaries is asking questions. That's one thing I learned here. Especially asking those questions that really get you thinking about life. For example: Why does your family mean so much to you? We never ever think about those things, then we really need to think about it. Another question: What does it mean to you that Jesus Christ died for your sins? Then people really get thinking.

It's fun teaching our family here. I have fun discussions with Auntie Jean about things she noticed at churches. She loves coming to church, so does Julius. They keep bearing their testimonies to me. I don't even need to tell them to come to church. They just come. Ate Sally's family has been really busy these past few weeks due to the longganisa festival. But since that's over. Restart kami. The lesson is about what happens after this life. That should be really interesting and fun to teach them. Please mom encourage them to listen! Everyone needs a push. 2 Nephi 2:16. Entice them to do good!

It's especially fun going to the family house. I've seen the house that Uncle Lito has been giving money for. It's BIG! But there's still a lot of work to do. It's fun spending time with the nieces and nephews. It's like spending time with Esa. They all call me tito Chris. It's funny hearing my name sometimes. But the kids are so cute haha. If only you could see. Especially Ace. There's also Ashley, who kind of looks like ate alicia. There's Uno, ann ann, may may. Marami sila! Next time I will take a picture with all of them! Hopefully those story books I ordered will get here so I could give it to the kids.

So that's the news here! Love you all!

Elder Morales

Week #44: there's one name that showed up and it's "Rose Morales." That's too funny!

Hello everyone!

And yes there is a longganisa festival here... Too bad I can't go check it out.. I'll just come back Jaunary 2016 hehe.

I'm gonna lend my camera to Julius to take pictures for me. And yes I'm extremely serious in sending old scriptures and sending missionaries to Auntie Linda. I'll also try and get dating Elder Soriano to go with the missionaries to her.

Anyways... nothing really interesting happened last week. We had extra meetings this week. I had to go to Cabugao for exchanges. Apparently there are Morales there too.. but Morales is just an extremely common last name especially here. There's actually a Reynaldo Morales somewhere in Vigan. Oh and while I was looking at the zone's baptismal dates while I was up in Cabugao, there's one name that showed up and it's "Rose Morales." That's too funny!

Anyways, your family is doing good mom. Auntie and Julius should be getting baptized soon hopefully. For ate Sally and her two kids, we need them to continue coming to church but they should be back next week. Ate Sally is too busy cause she works in the city hall, and its especially busy now since its the longganisa festival. She's actually asking us all these funny questions since she's researching mormons on the internet. We got one about Joseph Smith and polygamy. Obviously there will be A LOT of stuff on the internet, usually not pointing out the good stuff, since that is the knowledge of man. It's better to go to the correct source of information. Anyways, we're going to teach them this week again. It's just hard to catch ate Sally this week though cause of the festival. We're also going to try to teach Vanessa tomorrow. Hopefully that works out.

So yesterday, we taught this guy bong bong (I'm still not sure why bong is a nick name here). This guy had really interesting things to say. He really wanted us to come to him to teach him. He has a good belief in God. He mentioned how all religions are based on a central source and how they are branches of the main source. He also talked about God's government and how it will come to the earth. I tried to explain to him the restoration, which talks about that main source, and sorta about God's government (basically the church's organization)... except he's very madaldal.

Anyways, please try to send those scriptures right away. If you can actually send soaps and contact lens solution that'd be great. I'm gonna try some cheap contact solution here.. I don't want to spend too much money right now... personal care items become mahal after awhile... especially when they all run out at the same time and especially when pamasahe is extremely expensive here in Vigan.

So that's life here in Vigan... it's pretty mahal... well that's probably because it's the city. This week is kuripot week. I don't know why were always shopping at pure gold (supermarket)... there's a perfectly good palengke... and it's cheaper. That's what's important. Supermarket is just a luxury but my companion is kind of maarte when it comes to shopping for food. Whatever hehe... that's just what I learned when I was sent far far away to the end of the mission.. Sta Ana.. now I'm at the other end of the mission. And the best area. For some reason, every missionary wants to come here to serve.

Anyways, take care all of you and I love you all!!!

Elder Morales

Week #43: I found out that mom used to be the dancing star in the elementary school. LOL!

Hello everyone!

Vigan Longganisa festival is coming soon. 

And things are going to be crazy here again. It's always crazy here. There's so much people... except in our area. Our area is pretty malayo but we have to make do. Most of our investigators are from referrals. We have 7 baptismal dates and hopefully we can add some more. We had zone training meeting last week and the zone leaders set a goal for us to teach 2 new families by the end of this month. We're trying our hardest but families are really busy. It's fun though just teaching members and trying to get referrals from them. All I've been doing is teaching them from D&C 18. Over and over and over and over again... We also finally got a new BML, President Barrientos' counselor, President Rosario. So this is going to be really fun since he should already be super involved in missionary work.

Anyways, sorry no pictures. Nothing interesting happened this past week...

It was aunti Jean's birthday by the way on the 9th. So we had food. And we had a lesson. Will you be sending those scriptures for ate Sally? She really wants them. So mom, here's some information for you, inang's siblings, in order from oldest to youngest:

Rufina Dela Cruz Aludino

Geronima Dela Cruz Magno

Nicolasa Dela Cruz Agapinan

Inang

Rosalia Dela Cruz Magno

Soledad Dela Cruz Fernando

I think I'll ask them for a whole bunch of birthdays, death dates. It'll probably help a lot. I'm still getting to know the family here, especially uncle Terecisio's family. There's so many of them. I'm still super confused but I'm figuring it out still. I met kuya Alex two kids, may may and ann ann. Little kids. And some of the kids know be by my real name.. it's weird hearing "Uncle Chris." I'm like "kasano ammom ti naganko?" They just somehow know. Haha. That's fine. Auntie Jean has been telling Auntie Linda that she's been going to church. Auntie Linda apparently told her to get baptized now and Auntie Jean told me what Auntie Linda said. Auntie Jean said Auntie Linda should go to church too. So refer missionaries to Auntie Linda please, AGAD!!! HAHAHA. Tell the missionaries at home the referral and send a note saying Elder Morales sent us. The missionaries will send it to HQ. Apparently Auntie Jean has been reading in Ate Karen's shop when she has nothing to do. So far we have been really focusing on auntie, ate Sally's family, inang narcing and Julius. They're really progressing. From there, I figure we can start branching out to the rest of them.

OH! Ate Sally told me mom used to be the dancing star in the elementary school.

Let's see... any other interesting news... I really can't think of anything. I've cooked all week. Let's see... did I cook.. Sisig, Ginataan, Menudo, Sinigang, Tinola, Adobo, Pinakbet. I made a goal this week to learn how to cook new dishes... but I'm not sure what to cook. Man! Cooking takes time especially when it comes to chopping the vegetables!!! It's fun though. I don't use those powder mixes anymore so yeah.

Anyways that's the news! Take care! Love you all!!!

Elder Morales

Week #42: Dad's short Trivia Question :)

How is all of you?

I'm fine here. Lock-down again this week. It was super hard to sleep on new years eve since there were so many fireworks. So if you look at the beautiful pictures, I have photos when we were on a kalesa. MAHAL TALAGA!! New year's resolution... don't ride those again... We also have pictures when we did those lanterns. That was fun. Basically we ate and ate this week. Apparently before I got here, Elder Marsh and Elder Finch we're never given mirienda time. Now we get a lot! Yummy!!! We have to make friends with those we teach. That's all I know. Actually on monday evening, a member invited all the missionaries in Vigan to have dinner at her place. That was really kind of her.

And can you believe it!? I've been out a year! Well.. not really but I have less than a year left. I'm supposed to be done January 1st 2015... what a weird time to finish. Whatever. It'll be a fun way to go home. I rather stay than leave a transfer early or else I would miss one more Christmas Zone Conference. There's a lot to miss out if I leave earlier. One of my batchmates is actually planning on going home for november... that's too bad.

Anyways, how is uncle enjoying church? Hopefully he is enjoying it. I might just go back to LaSalle ward when I'm back since it's closer to home and family is there. I rather be with family than at YSA. That's one thing I learned here. That's the culture here.. when you get married, you don't move far away from mommy and daddy. They usually live around the "family house."

So that's the news from Vigan this week! Keep me updated! Love you all and take care kanayon!

Hey dad!

Okay let's see,

1. Favourite Experience: Hehe... I don't know yet. I'll let you know when I get home. It's hard to gather all my thoughts especially experiences hehe.

2. Memorable Experience: Being sent to Vigan.

3. New Favourite Dish: Sisig

4. Oddest Filipino Dish: hmm... nothing is really weird to me here...

5. Best Spiritual Moment: Probably teaching mom's family for the first time.

And yes, there is a huge difference between life here and in Canada. People are very simple here and very kind. Back home, it's always busy busy and on the go. It's nice to be simple simple here. I don't need much to survive. Culture shock wasn't that very hard on me, even if I was sent to Sta. Ana as my first area. I think i had trouble adjusting to Philippine City Life when I went to Laoag hehe.

Anyways, I'll write more in the bigger email!

Elder Morales