12-29-2019

LAST WEEK WAS JUICY BUT THIS WEEK WAS EVEN JUICIER

This week has been another busy one, I got a new companion Elder Balois. He has never ridden a mountain bike before but he is doing great at learning how. He is a great missionary.I am doing way better than I was last week, my bronchitis and my split scalp are healing. We have been having a pretty fun time in our apartment with 4 elders as well. Last night we were practicing for the song that we are going to sing at the christmas program today. As we were playing, A mouse jumped out of the guitar that was being used to play the song Nothing like playing a song and a mouse jumping out of your guitar. After lots of 12 year old high poitched screams and stomping and yelling the small furry assasin was eradicated by a broom handle and a flip flop. I don't think I have ever seen a group of 19 -21 year old men act so much like a bunch of 12 year old girls afraid of a mouse. We aren't talking a RODENT OF UNUSUAL SIZE from princess bride, we are talking normal normal amercian sized mouse

 We are currently sleeping in our District Leader's area and commuting an hour to our area and an hour back everyday.]Definitely not easy but salvation is not going to come easy. These people need to feel Christ's love and we are the way that he does that. God always answers our prayers but he usually answers our prayers through the actions of others. One of my favorite quotes by Elder Holland reads, 

"I have thought about this a great deal. I offer this as my personal feeling. I am convinced that missionary work is not easy because salvation is not a cheap experience. Salvation never was easy."

- Elder Holland

I know that this is true, I know that this work that I am doing is the most important work in the world. I am so grateful that I have this opportunity to bring people to a knowledge of their redeemer and in doing so help them, come closer to him. As I have focused on loving and serving these people my eyes have been opened to how much our god loves each and every one of us. He loves us so much he provided a way for us to return to him. in 1 nephi 10 it reads

18 For he is the ^asame yesterday, today, and forever; and the way is prepared for all men from the foundation of the world, if it so be that they repent and come unto him.  

I stand as a witness that this gospel is true. The Book of Mormon is true. Our savior, Jesus Christ knows and loves you. The way is prepared for all men to receive salvation and peace through the redeeming love of Jesus Christ.

That is the true doctrine of Christ: LOVE. As you show people your love, you are bringing them closer to god. This Christmas season try to remember to the true doctrine of Christ, the reason why we have Christmas, LOVE

I love you all, stay safe!!!!!!!!!

Message from Mom:

Jordan had Typhoon Ursula hit his area on Christmas Eve and Christmas day so I was unable to communicate with him because he has no power in his area.  A member from his area did post some photos on facebook of some of the damage incurred and so I thought I would include them in this post.  

12-22-2019

THE BOYS ARE BACK IN TOWN... (for a day)

We finally were allowed to sleep in our area, for one night. Of course after that we got told it was to dangerous because of the looming threat of the NPA in our area. We have been sleeping in Basey and commuting to our area and working their every day. 

This Friday I went outside after I got up to admire the downpour of rain, when I went downstairs I slipped and hit my head on the cement stairs. I reached back and felt the back of my head when I drew my hand away and looked at it, it was soaked in blood. We went to the close hospital where they bandaged me up, and then we went to the nicest hospital in Tacloban. I got 4 stitches and also I got a check up on the nasty cough I have had for two or three days... The doctor told me I have bronchitis. 4 stitiches later and with bronchitis, your boy Elder Belt is still alive. I hope to heal quickly and O hope the threat goes away in our area that way we can really focus on progressing the area. 

I get a new companion on Wednesday, I will let you know how that goes.

(Sorry the email is rushed as always)

Wound inflicted:

Crime Scene:

Time for stiches:

Stitches completed (my dad said he would have done them a lot differently):  

Companion pictures before transfers:

vape shirts in sacrament:

12-15-2019

ANOTHA ONE

This week flew by. We have been working in the area next to ours because we got evacuated from our area because it is not safe. So I have been on week long exchanges with my district leader who is an american!!!! It has been tons of fun and a cobalay (4 elders in a house) is soooo funnnn. This week at District Council meeting the sisters and Elders brought food, cake, and all sorts of treats for my graduation party from my training as a missionary. It was so awesome. The scripture I would like to share quickly has to do with  being hungry (which I find I am always hungry here) not physical feast but a spiritual feast

2 nephi 26

24 He doeth not ^aanything save it be for the benefit of the world; for he ^bloveth the world, even that he layeth down his own life that he may draw ^call men unto him. Wherefore, he commandeth none that they shall not partake of his salvation.

25 Behold, doth he cry unto any, saying: Depart from me? Behold, I say unto you, Nay; but he saith: ^aCome unto me all ye ^bends of the earth, ^cbuy milk and honey, without money and without price.

These scriptures are talking about something that is priceless, that is the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Love you all!!

(Don't have much time today)

How Filipinos travel here reminds me of two guys on a scooter from studio C.

My graduation Day.

12-8-2019

Hello all!!!! This week has been full of more work and some pretty exciting events First off the top 1/4 of our mission is getting hit by hurricane KAMMARI today-Wednesday. Second Me and my companion got told to evacuate Marabut because of the NPA terrorist threats there. Thank goodness that we got out, I pray that the people there and in the path of the hurricane will be safe. Second off my finger that was infected is finally healing!! YAY FOR HOSPITAL VISITS AND MEDICINE!

My district leader said when we arrived to their apartment last night that as he had been taking his bucket shower he realized that the water had brown things in it. He tried to scoop it out but was not able to, he finally decided to dump out the water and pour in new water because he was sure the water was really dirty (keep in mind, this is water elders have used for months without emptying to shower, they would just refill the reservoir according to however much water they used). As he dumped out the water he told me that their were worms... in the bottom of their shower bucket, THAT IS SO GROSSSS.

 Other than that not much has happened besides the daily progress of the lord gathering scattered Israel.

The scripture thought I would like to share is about the lord and his tender mercies. The lord knows each and every one of us. He knows what we have need of and he is willing to help us, if we but have faith and look to his light. I know that just as the people of moses, those who look upon god and his light according to their faith will be able to recieve his tender mercies as they direct their eyes single to the glory of god. If we do this we recieve his light and his countenance and most importantly his tender mercies. His tender mercies include every little thing, not only the huge great things in your lives but the little, small, seemingly insignificant things that brighten our day. In nephi 1 it says, 

20 And when the Jews heard these things they were angry with him; yea, even as with the prophets of old, whom they had ^acast out, and stoned, and slain; and they also ^bsought his life, that they might take it away. But behold, I, Nephi, will show unto you that the tender ^cmercies of the Lord are over all those whom he hath chosen, because of their faith, to make them mighty even unto the power of ^ddeliverance.  

It is hardest to see the light of his tender mercies when times are hard but I promise you his tender mercies are there even in the hardest times. I know that if we take time each day to see and appreciate the tender mercies in our lives from him, we will be able to open our spiritual eyes  to see his endless love for us. I know he loves each and every one of you, he bestows you with tender mercies every day, all you have to do is look for it.

  

Until next time ya'll!!

Sometimes this is how tired I feel.

Classic Philippino lunch.

Boodle fight baby why is there no silverware you ask?  You guessed it you eat with (drumroll please)... YOUR HANDS.

Soldiers of the Philippines and a soldier of the Lord.

My Philippino family in Marabut.  They are not members of the church but feed us almost daily.  

Meli Kalikimaka is the thing to sayyy on a white sandy Christmas day.

Note from Mom:  I guess hurricanes are a pretty much a yearly or more occurrence there.  This last one was large.  All missionaries were accounted for and safe.  I have no update as to whether or not he was sent back to his area with the terrorists threats.  We will see soon.

12-1-2019

Hello all! This week was so awesome, time is really starting to fly by. We had the opportunity to have Elder Bangerter attend zone conference and train us there. It was so amazing as the close to 100 missionaries learned how to better fulfill our callings from him. He gave us 5 tips to always stay close to god and even though they are simple I would like to share them with you because by small and simple things are great things brought to pass.

1) Attend all church meetings

2) Hold and magnify a church calling

3) Pray... Every night, always

4) Set aside time daily to read your scriptures

5) Strive to attend the temple regularly

Lastly something he said that really struck a chord with me was that "We need to protect the private times in our lives" As I pondered this and why he said this here is what came to mind, those private times in our lives are the times are when the truth of the principles of the gospel are confirmed for us. Through this we may strengthen and grow our testimony.

Alma 34

26 But this is not all; ye must ^apour out your souls in your ^bclosets, and your secret places, and in your wilderness.

27 Yea, and when you do not cry unto the Lord, let your ^ahearts be ^bfull, drawn out in prayer unto him continually for your ^cwelfare, and also for the welfare of ^dthose who are around you.

This week was full of fun. I got to go on exchanges with the zone leaders and while we were out proselyting we decided we needed to a quick pump to better convert the nanays in our area. So we did what any 19 year old kid does that wants to get a quick lift pump on, we did some curls with a cement and rebar dumbell. Also, as me and elder Java cooked rice this week for lunch (like always breakfast lunch and dinner here is always rice) we needed to get some ingredients for the side. So he started the stove and we went to go get the ingredients. When we came back he said oh shoot!! He lunged forward and ignited the stove (which had not been burning at all but just leaking propane). Immediately  we heard a WHHHOOOMMM as we watched a ring of fire ignite in a 2 foot radius around the propane stove. So that was awesome, nothing like almost accidentally destroying the cement missionary apartment with a propane stove bomb.

Love you all! 

Pictures for this week

Our branch in the jeepney on the way to stake conference.

A dude fishing with an air rifle that shoots a needle connected to fishing string... AWESOME!

The DAMP MATES- Elder Case Provo MTC  signature Phrase

A sweet piece of concrete and rebar for getting... SWOLL

My lifting buddy/ Zone Leader (Elder Adams) 

Last but not least, this is how my testimony feels everyday on my mission, getting stronger by the second.

11-24-2019

This week was another busy one for the books. We worked hard all week and managed to get 3 investigators and 2 less actives to church this Sunday which is a huge amount compared to normal so we were pumped about that. They are really trying their best to come closer to Christ and that is my purpose, that is why I am here.  I am not here to baptize people, it is not to impress others at home, it is to help people to come closer to Christ and work hard at this every day. 

I managed to accidentally hit a crab and kill it while biking to a lesson this week. Elder Java managed to accidentally step on and kill our friendly pet rat that hides in our apartment, so that was awesome. We were pumped because we think that was the last rat in the apartment. I almost got attacked by the same monkey in a couple emails back while biking past it one day (It literally jumped off of the pole and grazed my side bag as he swiped at me while I went past).  We accidentally got locked out of our own Bathroom and Elder Java had to hop the wall in the shower room to get into the bathroom and unlock it form the inside. We also biked through super tall grass this week.  It was as tall as we are and I laughed at myself when I realized that I was biking through grass as tall as me on bike in slacks, a white shirt and a tie. Last but not least I talked to a man who killed 3 people this last week. That was a new experience. Here in the Philippines if you use drugs people are allowed to kill you. He killed 2 drug users in Mindanao and he killed his neighbor in my area where we talked to him.

All is well.  Sorry the email is short I don't have a ton of time.  I will continue to work hard and I hope that you all will continue to be safe.

What happens when you give a rat a cookie (or rat posion and then you step on it).

The jungle trail we biked on to get to our first counselor's house.

The cows here sit in mud baths when it is really hot.  Too bad I can't do that.

Some crazy carpentry and wood work skills.

Elder Java after we went through the jungle and the interior and exterior on his bike tire fell off.

The classic Philippino rifle.

11-17-2019

This week was full of blessings. The work was good, we taught a lot more lessons than last week, and I can finally basically interact with the people and their language. This week we had a small earthquake which is funny because the day before we had the small earthquake, I thought an earthquake happened when a large truck drove by and shook the soft ground. Fortunately I was prepared for the exact same thing but a real earthquake the next day. I got fresh milk this week. REAL MILK. It has been a month since I have drank real milk and it felt like I almost lost a part of me. Until the troops arrived. The branch president's wife bought fresh milk for me and brought it from Tacloban which is a 2 hour drive, I payed her back and wala, fresh milk. By small and simple things are great things brought to pass. I am counting my blessings daily and there is no end them. 

The street dogs here are better trained than dogs in america. When teaching in a house sometimes a street dog will wander in, but if you say CHET very aggressively they immediately turn around and leave. The street dogs here are gross because a lot of them have sarna. My companion calls them zombie dogs.

This week the spiritual message I would like to leave with you is regarding hugot nga pagtuo or FAITH. In James 2 it reads, 

20 But wilt thou know, O vain man, that ^afaith without ^bworks is dead?

Me and my companion shared this scripture last night and it has really been bouncing around in my mind. Something I learned in the Mtc is that god cannot guide idle feet. Faith is based on works. Works are to faith as the piston is to the motor, as the starbucks is to the classic white girl, and the foundation to a house. If our faith is not built on a foundation of works, on a foundation of Christ, our house will fall. I know that as we build our foundation of good works our faith will be built daily. As we move forward we will receive guidance. I know that god knows and loves each and every one of you. 

P.S. Almost accidentally walked out of a store this last week with a peanut butter jar that I hadn't bought, the lady of course started talking frantically when I realized she had given me back a second peanut butter jar that I didn't want to buy so I would put it away. Nothing like almost accidentally stealing as a missionary

I love you all. Stay safe ya'll.

Fresh milk!!!

The classic rat pellet shower after I was done patching the holes

My amazing photography skills

My amazing photography skills...again 

 I cut my hand on this fan, it is sharper than it looks.