September 28

Hey Everyone!

It sounds like you've had a good week!  Thanks for the recipe, it sounds a little complicated, but hopefully we'll have some time to try it out.  As for the food, I don't know what your recipe was for otap, but what I've had looks like dried bananas, with some sugar stuff on it.  I don't know though.  I'll take a picture and send it next week (:  And the Ginataan stands on its own.  and its super tasty.  I'll learn how to make all sorts of tasty foods out here and then when I get home we will have a feast.  Because its all super cheap.  Me and elder Daclag buy all of our food for the week on 20 dollars.  And we eat a LOT.  I love all the food here.  I am loving the Phillipines.  There is no place that I'd rather be.  My week was pretty standard though.  Me and Elder Daclag are really trying hard to just help our investigators progress, and to find some more.  The people here are so kind, and I know that the Gospel can help them so much. I love working hard, and giving everything to the Lord, because I know that he gives it back two fold.  Tell Neal goodbye for me, and wish him luck.  He's gonna need it.  The mission is like nothing you ever expect.  But in an awesome way.

Its always good to make it to Monday and have a chance to reflect on my week and see how the Lord has blessed me.  And this week, I am grateful for gratitude.  Sometimes, its a little bit rough in the mission field.  Everyone knows that.  Things don't always go as planned, and companions aren't always easy, and investigators don't always do the things that they need in order to be happy.  Waking up is hard, and the heat is hard, and cooking is hard and so is washing clothes and cleaning and walking walking walking.  The list could go on and on and on.

BUT

Lets look at it a little bit different.  You go out into the mission field, where Heavenly Father blesses you with his guidance to help you be effective.  He gives you a companion so that you always have someone to lean on.  Someone to help you.  He gives you the incredible loving kind people who are trying so hard to be better.  To grow closer to the Savior.  He gives you food to eat.  He gives you clothes to wear.  He gives you a body that can do incredible things!

Now, all these blessings are coming, when you are supposedly supposed to be serving the Lord.  Before my mission I thought that that was so real. You go on a mission in order to give back to the Lord, and to give him something.  Now, I don't know if I believe that so much.  I look at all the blessings that Heavenly Father is giving me now, and will give to me in the future, and has given me in the past to prepare me, and I feel like missions are all for us.  If Heavenly Father wanted he could have the whole Phillipines baptized in an instant.  He doesn't need some 18 year old boy to do it for him, but Heavenly Father wants to help me out.

I don't know about you guys, but the second mission that I described sounds like a lot more fun than the first, while the first is just a waste of time.

And thats what I learned this week.  I spent a lot of my time thinking these sad, selfish thoughts, and it was a hard week.  But as soon as I started looking at the positive side, looking at the things that are good about life, I had the best week!

Brothers and sisters, it really is all about perspective.  In life, things are hard, and there are many trials.  There are many hardships that we cannot see the purpose of, but when we look for the good things, instead of the bad things, we will be happier.  There will always be good things, and there will always be bad things, it just depends on what we choose to pay attention to.

I know that when we look at the good things in life, look at what the Lord has given us, we will become happier.  Our lives may not change that much (though I believe a change in attitude will change actual events) but it won't matter.  We will be happy with the things the Lord has seen fit to give us, that will be enough.

I love you all, and I hope all the blessings in the whole world upon you.

Elder Childs

September 21

Hey Everyone!

It's still awesome here in Banna!  It's so gorgeous and all the people are so kind.  I don't know what the population is, but there are seven-ish different barangays in it, and there's a pretty good number of people.  There are some really cool families here in Banna.  One of them is the Marcos family and they are so kind and loving, its fun to be with them.  I am really tall for over here.  It's tough sometimes because all the clotheslines are hung right at my eye level, so I have to be careful, especially at night (:  But I like it.

You asked about breakfast and lunch.  We usually have rice, and Ulam.  Which is basically anything haha.  We'll have hot dogs, or a stir fry, or eggs.  Lots of delicious stuff (:

I ate Balut, and something that I think might have been the throat of a pig all cut up (:  They were pretty tasty!  I've learned most of the time its better to just eat it and enjoy haha.  One thing that I think you guys would like is called bannana otap.  Its really good!  You should see how tough it is to make, and if its not to hard try it!  Also could you look up how to make ginataan?  Its really good, and I don't think too hard to make.  If you find a good recipe, send it to me (:

There is one district in Banna and we are the only missionaries in the area.  As far as the ward goes, there are a lot of less active people.  Our church attendance is very low, we had only 54 people at church, and many of them showed up for sacrament meeting only.  Our teacher for priesthood was late, and after waiting for 30 minutes for him, I got to teach a lesson.  So I taught about the spirit and choice.  I hope it was alright.  I got to give the standard missionary talk in sacrament so that was good.  Church meetings differ here in the essence that sometimes they just don't happen, because teachers don't show up, or they are usually late, but me and Elder Daclag decided to change that one, and always be ready to teach on Sundays so that we can start on time.

I know that this is where the Lord needs me.  I have learned a lot this week about the need for meaningful personal experiences wih the gospel.  There are a lot of members here in Banna who, shortly after they are baptized, fall away for whatever reason.  There are many specific reasons, being offended, not desiring to spend their time doing the things the Lord has asked to name a couple, but the real reason for all of them falling away, and for every less active in the whole church is this.  They have not had their testimony burned into their hearts.  Into their very souls.  In my opinion, this is a problem world wide that needs to be fixed.  But how do you help others have this testimony in their souls?  The answer very simply is this.  You don't.  You will never ever be able to give anyone a testimony.  You can't just wave your hands and they have a testimony through no will of their own.  It is the Holy Ghost that gives people their testimony, but even he only carries it "unto the hearts" Without a decision from the person to act, there will be no conversion.  and so Elder Daclag and I have really been trying to focus this week on helping people make and keep commitments that will help them to have these experiences.  So my challenge to you is this.  Take some time to sit down and look at your life and find one way that you are lacking in things that you know that you should do, and make a specific plan to become better at this.  I know that as you do this, your testimony will grow, and you will come to know the love of our Heavenly Father for you, through the Holy Ghost.  I love you all, and have a great week!!

Elder Childs

Balut!

Me and the Rice.

Me and one of the members.

September 14

Amerikano!!!

Thats how pretty much all the kids say hi to me here, so I thought that you guys would like it too haha.  This has been such and awesome week!!!!  It's been so cool to finally get out into the mission field and start doing some work!!  My area is called Banna, and its so gorgeous.  Green everywhere, and there are some really pretty mountains around as well.  If you ever want something pretty to look at, find a picture from a Philippines mountain, looking down into a valley of rice.  Gorgeous let me tell you.  Everyone tells me that this is one of the toughest areas, but I personally think that the previous missionaries just haven't worked their hardest, because everyone here seems so happy and so willing to help.  I may not speak the languagevery well, but I've got big plans for this place. We've met some cool people, and I love them all so much.  This is where I am supposed to be.  We're working a lot with less actives, trying to get them fellowshippers, and get them to feel the love for the gospel again. 

It sounds like the wedding was a blast!  It was sad that I missed it, but I'm so happy to be here in the Philippines, and I'm so happy for them that it was hard to be sad.  I have been really trying to focus on being as selfless as Christ, and so every time that I started to feel sad, I just thought about how happy they must be.  

I love my companion so much!  His name is Elder Daclag, he is from Tacloban, and he is super cool. He is such a loving guy, and has helped me learn so much about the language and the culture here in the Philippines.

I love the food! There's lots of rice, but I love it.  Its a good easy food, and cheap too.  Some restaurants here have unlimited rice, and we went to one and that was fun.  I ate so much rice haha.  One side note though...chicken fingers at McDonald's here have all the bones in them still, so that's weird.  I don't know if I already said that or not haha.  

The language is going alright, it's still hard for me to undersand sometimes, but I've improved a lot since I got here, and I plan to keep improving.  I can usually get my point across,  so thats good right (:  We have bikes, but couldn't use them until today because I didn't have a helmet, so we took jeepneys and trikes to our lessons if they were far, and walked ifthey  were close.  Members feed us a lot so that's good, but I don't like it because sometimes we sit at a member's house for half an hour forty-five minutes just chatting.  Think about how many lives we could bless in that time hmm!  

The apartment is good, and we rent a washing machine so that is nice.  I've come to love my dinky little desk, because I always get so much inspiration there during studies. (and theres a fan, so thats nice ;) 

A pretty typical day for me goes likethis.  Wake up, get ready, proselyting at 8, come back at 12, eat lunch, do our studies, then back out from five until nine, then dinner and bed!  after planning of course. 

I want to leave you with my testimony. I know that this is the true church,and through following its teachings, we will become so much happier than any other time.  I know that there is power in missionary work, and that when you share the gospel, you get such a huge increase of the spirit. Iknow that there is no other better way to feel peace than to read the book of mormon and pray.  I love this gospel so much, and I love you all.

Elder Childs

August 31, 2015

Hoy Mga Tao!!!

Its a good week in the mission because I got my FLIGHT PLANS!!!!  I'm officially leaving on the third of September to go be with my people!  I can't wait!!  The only down side is that I have to leave at three in the morning haha.  But thats 5 in the afternoon Fillipino time so no worries right? Other than that it has been a pretty standard week.  Just class and then more class and then some personal comp and language study, and then some more class.  Thats about all that I can remember.  I love the MTC, but I'm so ready to just get out to the field.  The other day I was at a devotional and this poem just kinda came to  me.  Its not that great, but I like it, so maybe someone else will too!

Down this path of trials and tears

There comes a joyous ray

a ray of hope, shining through the years, 

The hope of a better day

If we look to that ray

With eyes turned to his might

We can be sure that God will guide

Our footsteps with his light

"Walk in the light though blessed child"

Our Savior wants to say,

"and guide them home, home to my love,

"the ones who've gone astray."

That is really the sum of what I've learned this week.  I know that when we look to our Lord, with real faith, real hope, he will show us the way to help others, and help ourselves at the same time.  I know that this is so true.  God guides us, and if any of you are ever feeling down, look for a way to serve someone.  Any simple thing, and when you do that, you can know that you will be lifting yourself up while you do it.

Well thats my normal jumbled mess of the week, I hop that you all have a wonderful week, and find a way to serve someone around you this week.

Mahal ko kayo!

Elder Childs