December 21

Hey everyone!

It's been a good week here in the Philippines!  Sunny still, so that's nice.  Sometimes it doesn't feel quite like Christmas without the snow, but I don't really love the cold so it's alright that it's warm still.  The other day it got down to 60 ish and that felt pretty chilly.  But still no snow.  This week I have been reading a little about the temple, and the importance of it.  We are trying to prepare a couple of families in our branch for the stake temple trip this April, and as I have pondered the blessings of the temple I have really come to realize how incredible of a blessing the temple is for us.  The temple is literally the house of the Lord, and he has promised many blessings from it.  He has promised us that thousands will rejoice in the blessings of the temple, and that He will appear to His servants there. (D&C 110:8-9) The temple is a place where we can go to receive solace and guidance and relief in this crazy out of control world.  The temple is a place where we can go and forget about all of the things of the world, and just focus on the things of the Lord, the things that matter most in life.  One family that we are helping to prepare to enter the temple is the Marcos family.  They are a returning less active family, and they are some of the nicest people.  They have  a great desire to become better, and be sealed as a family for eternity.  One of their daughters, Hashley was able to go to the temple this last week to perform baptisms for the dead.  They went for three days, and were able to just spend time at the temple with some of the youth from the stake.  When she came back from that experience, she was a different person.  Me and my companion were talking to her mother and she said that before Hashley went to the temple, she wasn't always willing to do chores, she spent a lot of time just texting, and she wasn't always consistent at reading the scriptures.  When she  came back though, she had changed.  She became more willing and diligent to help out around the home.  She no longer cared that much about the phone, but more about the people she was with, and she could often be found just sitting and reading the scriptures.  As sister Marcos related the story of her daughter's change to us, I couldn't help but be grateful for the blessings of the temple.  Before I left on my mission I took the temple for granted far to often. It was only fifteen minutes away, and I could go whenever I wanted, and because of that, I never felt a strong desire to attend.  When I did attend, I many times took the whole experience for granted.  I never allowed the temple to change me in the ways that it could have.  So, that is my challenge to all of you this week.  Go to the Temple of the Lord. As soon as possible. Spend some time there just thinking about your blessings you have received, all that you are grateful for, and any problems that you may need help with.  Spend some time to just become closer to God.   Forget about all worldly cares for that time, and just focus on things that matter most.  I promise all of you, that if you do this, you will be uplifted.  You will be able to become closer to God.  You will receive more of the Spirit in your life.  You will be happier.  That is my promise to you, and that is the Lord's promise to you.  I love you all, and have a wonderful week.

Elder Childs

December 14

Hey Everyone!

I think that I have said that almost every time that I've written, but that's alright.  Things are great here in Banna!  Elder Ganzon is my new companion and he is from Hong Kong, but he is 3/4 Filipino.  He has been out for a little over a year and he's a cool guy!

Random things about the Philippines:

A normal family here has 4 ish kids. But it varies a lot. If there is only one child in the family people kind of pity them, but families are usually the whole extended family. Everyone lives together here in the Philippines. People don't really move away from home that often. And when they do they just spend a lot of time figuring out when they can get back to their families. 

Today we ate at mang inasal, it was pretty tasty. I had pancit with a shrimp thing on top. and a halo halo. which is delicious. In the morning we had rice and scrambled eggs (:

I don't know how hot it gets really. There aren't a ton of thermometers here. Its hotter in the city center than it is in the Bukid. (I don't really know what a good English word for that is. Its the rice fields, but its also the country. ish.) But the heat isn't really a problem for me anymore. I just kind of got used to it I guess.

Here in the Philippines the Christmas is more like Thanksgiving.  They eat a lot of food.  We had our branch Christmas party this week and it was pretty fun!

This week has been really good!  I have felt a lot of the Savior's love for me.  At the start of the week I was really trying to find the Savior's love.  I have the strongest testimony of that love, but sometimes I feel that I lack that love in myself.  So I was trying to learn about it, to help that love grow within me.  I read a lot of really good articles in the Liahona about the Savior and his atonement, and I felt really uplifted by that, but I wanted to really just feel that Christlike love for someone.  Anyone really.  So Sunday rolled around and I still hadn't felt like I'd received an answer to my prayer.  So during the sacrament I just prayed to Heavenly Father and really tried to find ways to make myself more ready to receive my answer.  I went away from the sacrament feeling uplifted and ready to go.  When we went out proselyting we first went to a less active named Maximo Tauyan.  He has a disease, OCDP I think.  I'm not 100% sure what it is, but it makes it so that he is weak.  He has had it for 8 years, and for many of those years he could not walk.  He could not do much for himself.  He was literally nothing but skin and bones.  He spent more time in the Hospital than out of it, and had an all around hard life.  I have always been amazed with his testimony, and he continues to amaze and uplift me.  Through all of the trials, Tatay has never complained, but every time he talks about it, he talks about all of his blessings and how they come through God.  But this particular Sunday we talked about the Savior's atonement and how great a gift that was.  We shared our simple message and bore our simple testimony.  At the end, right before I was about to end, (I had literally started saying and we would like to leave....) I felt I should ask him to bear his testimony of the Savior.  So I stopped mid sentence and asked if that would be alright.  He agreed and then paused, as he tried to gather his thoughts.  When he was ready he looked up at us and began to tell the story of what he thought would be the last day of his life.  He was in the hospital and his condition was really bad.  All of his vital signs were low, and he was sure that he was not going to make it to the next day.  The doctors informed him that he would need a special gas mask to preserve his breathing, because he could only take very very shallow breaths.  As they put the mask on he felt a voice say, "Don't" but he let them put it on for a few minutes.  His breathing got worse and so he called the nurse.  He asked if he could have a normal mask, and after some argument, the nurse consented.  They put the new gas mask on and he began a deep prayer.  He prayed to Heavenly Father that he would be given the opportunity to help his children in this life.  To see his family converted to the true church, and to help them receive the blessings of that.  As he prayed, his vital signs slowly got better.  He became healthier, against all odds.  He was literally given the gift of healing through God's grace. He continued on to tell us about all the blessings that followed in his life, and that he continues to receive through the love of our Father in Heaven.  As Tatay Tauyan was telling his story, I felt such an outpouring of God's love for him.  I truly felt that I was able to see him as the Savior did.  

I just want to bear my testimony that Heavenly Father does know us and all of our needs.  He knows how to help us and we will receive answers to our prayers.  I know that this is the Lord's Gospel, and that through it we will all become happy.  I love you all, and have a great week

Elder Childs

December 6

I have been using the advent calendar you sent.  I have been turning each day's picture over, and then reading the summary, and then if I have more time, I find that event in the scriptures as well, and then if I have even more time, I read about that part in Jesus the Christ as well!  It has been a really uplifting experience.  Thanks for the Advent Calendar!  It helps me to remember to learn about the Savior's life this Christmas season!

You asked me to tell you about someone in my mission.  There is a lady named Sister Annelyn, and she is awesome!  She has a great desire to read and pray, and she is really starting to gain a testimony.  The other day we visited her and weren't able to teach because her husband was gone and we didn't have a fellowshipper, but we talked with her and before we left we followed up on her reading and prayer, and she had done both,  and then we felt we should ask about her testimony...whether or not she had received one.  There was a long pause, and she looked down at the ground for a while, and when she looked up she said, "I believe everything that I read in the Book of Mormon.  I believe it is true.  I don't know yet, but it is more yes than no."  The spirit was so strong as she said that, and I really appreciate her understanding of the word faith.  Hopefully I can get better at faith!

Its been a great week here in the Philippines, and I really truly love getting to share the gospel with the wonderful Filipinos.  They are some of the nicest people out there.  Hopefully I can become more like them.  This week I have been thinking about prayer a lot.  I remembered a quote from Elder Holland this week.  I don't remember it exactly what it says, but its something like this.  "Everything that you want for your investigators to do, Heavenly Father wants you to do as well.  You want them to have better scripture study, well he wants you to have better scripture study.  You want them to have more meaningful prayers, He really wants you to have more meaningful prayers."

I have thought about that a lot.  Many times I go into a lesson just hoping and praying that when we follow up on their reading and praying, they have done it, and really learned something from it.  

BUT

I think that that is something that I really need to get better at as well.  Especially the prayer part, and so that has been my focus in connection with Christmas.  I'm sure that Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ don't want to hear just a rushed prayer at the end of the day because I'm tired, but they want me to talk with them.  Council with them.  Just tell them how I feel.  What I'm grateful for.  

Through this, we are blessed, we are given the help and blessings of God.  This week every night and every morning I have tried to take the time to just talk with my Heavenly Father.  To let him know how I feel, and to gain His help, and I have really noticed the difference that that makes.  I have seen blessings and guidance in my life, at times when I was not even paying particular attention.  

I just want to close with a quick quote coming from President Benson.  He said,
"Man does not stand alone.  Or at least he need not stand alone.  Prayer will open doors.  Prayer will remove barriers.  Prayer will ease pressures.  Prayer will give inner peace and comfort during times of stress and difficulties.  Thank God for prayer."

I know that this is true, and I know that as we try and make our prayers meaningful, we will be blessed.  As we try and really talk with Heavenly Father, he will talk back, and He will bless us with the comfort and guidance that we know.  I know this, because I have felt it.

I love you all and have a wonderful week,

Elder Childs

November 29

Hey everyone!

Its been a good couple of weeks here, but a little bit rough as well.  I missed emailing last week because I was sick.  On Monday morning I woke up and didn't feel to hot, but we went to eco park and wandered around.  It was gorgeous, but I also didn't feel so great so that put a little bit of a damper on life.  Then when we got home I really didn't feel good, and so I just slept the whole day.  I didn't feel like I could get out of bed until 5:00, when I felt like I could go out and do some work.  We went to a couple of families, then I came home and collapsed in bed for the night.  The next day I felt even worse, so we called the mission presidents wife, and she told us that we should go to the hospital.  So we headed to Laoag for a checkup.  We spent most of the day in the waiting room of the hospital, and I grew to dislike hospitals.  But finally at the end of the day they set me up in a nice room with a nice IV, and air conditioning.  And that was where I stayed until Thursday.  So that was fun.  But I felt good at the end of it and no problems now, so that's good!  As for the rest of my week, we have been trying to figure out how to help people progress.  We have investigators, but they don't always want to follow their commitments, and yesterday, everything just felt down.  I knew that I was staying here for the next transfer, and I didn't know how I was going to help this area grow, but during my personal study the spirit taught me a few cool things.  The most important is a bout the love of Heavenly Father, and about prayer.  I realized how much Heavenly Father loves us all.  Everything that he does is to help us grow and become like him, and that really is the central message of our gospel.  And if we have this Heavenly Father who just wants to help us, why wouldn't we talk to him.  Why wouldn't we tell him how we feel.  Why wouldn't we thank him for everything that he has done for that.  That is the central message of our teaching, and that is what I should be teaching.  I know that Heavenly Father loves each and every one of us, and he wants to help us grow an become like him.  I know that through following his will for us, we can become like him, and become happy here on the earth.  I love you all!  Have a great week.

Elder Childs

P.S.  In answer to your questions, we didn't celebrate Thanksgiving.  Its not a thing here, and I completely forgot about it until everyone emailed me and asked about it haha.

This Tuesday is transfer day!  Elder Daclag is leaving, and I'm staying here.  My companion has already been here in Banna before, so I don't have to worry too much about leading.  I'm excited to meet him!

November 15

Hey Everyone!!!

Its been good here in Banna, Its been hot, but good.  We had meetings with the Branch this week, and really figured out with the branch what we wanted to do with our branch to help the situation with the less actives.  We have upwards of 200 members here in Banna, but only 50 or so that attend church every week, so we've started to work out a home teaching program that will help the less actives return, because sometimes the missionaries just can't do it on their own.  I hope that it will help out!  Other than that during my studies this week I had some really cool insights, but one was about Lehonti, in Alma.  He was a man, at the head of the armies opposed to attacking the Nephites.  For our purposes we will call them the members of the church.  There were some armies that wanted to force them to fight the Nephites, headed by Ammonihah.  We will call him the adversary, with his armies.  Lehonti had gotten to the top of a mountain and had a lot of weapons with him.  With his armies, he outnumbered Ammonihah.  He was a pretty safe guy, and he knew it.  Ammonihah wanted him to come down from his mountain, presumably just to talk to him.  Lehonti, being smarter than your average joe, refused.  And so Ammonihah, being the persistent fellow his is, asked again.  And again.  And was refused both times.  But far from being frustrated, Ammonihah came up with a plan.  First he went up, almost to the camp of Lehonti, and asked again.  Lehonti thought that this would be ok, and so he went down.  Just a little, to talk to him.  Ammonihah gave him what sounded like a great plan to help him capture his (Ammonihah's) armies, with no blood shed, and so Lehonti agreed to go down, with his guards, to the camp of Ammonihah.  The plan worked and now Lehonti had captured all of Ammonihah's forces with no bloodshed, and all ammonihah had asked was that he was put second in command!  Great right?  Not really.  Ammonihah then came up with a plan to kill Lehonti, and because of that, came out at the head of the forces of Lehonti, with no blood shed.  Hmm that turned around quick.  In our lives, we are sometimes the same way.  We are up in the mountains with our forces.  Doing the things we should, following the commandments, and if Satan asks us to do anything big, we of course say no, so satan only asks us to be a little disobedient.  To do a little wrong, and that leads to a lot of wrong, and eventually our spiritual death.  Moral of the story, don't ever let your guard down!  Always do everything you know you should, without exception, and I promise you that your life will be so much easier, and so much happier, because you will have the lord on your side.  I love you all!

Elder Childs.

November 9

Hey Everyone!!

Its been a good last couple of weeks.  Last Monday it was The Day of the Dead, and everyone, and I mean everyone, went to the cemeteries for that. Basically they all just go hang out and eat food and have a good time hanging out with the dead people.  It made work a little bit tough because people celebrated it from Friday until Ruesday or Wednesday, so it was hard to find people to teach, but it was fun to see so many people in our little town of Banna.  We had a mission conference with Elder Haynie, one of the area presidency here in the Philippines, and that was really good.  I learned a lot from him.  It was so cool to just get to listen to one of the Lord's ordained.

One thing that really impressed on my mind as he talked was the doctrine of first impressions.  He talked about how many times in our lives, we will be walking down the street, or to our next appointment (for missionaries) or to work or school (for normal people) and we will see someone, and think, I should talk to him.  Or I should help her. Or even sometimes, walk over there, cross the street, the possibilities are endless, but basically, a simple impression that comes simply to our minds.  Elder Haynie instructed us that this is the Spirit. That many times it is a simple thought, that we then talk ourselves out of.  We have places to be, they don't need our help, other ways that we convince ourselves that it doesn't need to be done.  I really liked that, because since I've gotten here in the mission, I've realized how bad I am at listening to the spirit.  And I've been trying to change that, but sometimes feel like I don't have much success at really becoming better.  But as he talked I began to reflect on my experience here in the mission so far, and some of the best teaching or finding experiences that I have had have been when I just follow my first impressions.  Its cool how simple it is to follow the spirit, and I think that that is something that could really help all of our lives.

Other that that, not too much exciting has happened in my life. We're teaching some good lessons, loving the work, loving the Filipinos, and loving the 90 degree weather in November!   I love all of you,and have a great week!

Elder Childs

October 25

Hey Everybody!!!

This week has been good!  We started out the week with a bagyo (typhoon)  and it was awesome!!!  I love the rain, and here in the Philippines the rain is nice and warm too so that was nice.  We got to go and visit some investigators and members and just check up on them and make sure they were alright.  It wasn't too bad here in Banna.  We had some pretty good rain (it rained from Sunday to Friday morning) and it got pretty windy one night, but other than that no problems.  It made it a little bit hard for the work though.  During the bagyo, people just sleep.  So they don't want to listen to us too much.  But we did have a couple of good lessons, and found some new investigators, so that was good.  

My favorite teaching moment was with a member this week.  She is really sweet and kind, and committed to the gospel, but her children are begining to go inactive, and her husband has issues with the word of wisdom.  It's really hard for her because she wants so badly to help them, but she doesn't know how because they don't want to listen to her.  We were able to talk to her and comfort her a little bit, and then we shared about agency and how important this life is for learning and growth, and though we can't always control others' actions, we can always love them, and that is what she should continue to do.  I have really come to know that love is most important here on this earth.  If we don't have love for others we don't really have anything.  

The highlight of the week was for sure the fact that I had my first baptism!!!  Its was so cool.  Her name is Khyla and she is only 10 years old, and probably one of the shyest people that I've ever met. I got to be the one to baptize her and it was so cool to get to participate in her first saving ordinance.  We baptized her in the river and that was fun.  It was nice and brown because of the bagyo, but that was where she wanted to do it.  After the baptism, normally the newly baptized will bear their testimony, but we didn't think that Khyla would, because she is so shy.  When we tried to practice with her a couple of days before she ran and hid, so we were a little bit concerned, and decided just to skip it.  But when the time came for the testimony, we looked over at her and she was so ready to bear her testimony!  She stood up and bore her testimony in front of the whole group, and it was simple, but powerful.  Thats the real key to testimonies.  It doesn't matter how good you are at speaking.  All you need is to bear a simple testimony of things that you KNOW are true.  That is how to get people to feel the spirit through you.  

I want you all to know that I know that this is God's church.  I know that the Holy Ghost is real and it is there to help us and comfort us throughout all of our trials in this life.  I know that the Savior's atonement is real, and through him we can all become clean.  I love my Savior, and know that he lives, and I love all of you.  Have a great week.

Elder Childs

PS One of my friends shared with me the symbolism behind Christ washing his disciples' feet.  Its really cool!  But it will mean more to you as you study and learn about it on your own, so try and find out!