5.9.18 Carcar

Hello people it was a good week not to much happening we are working with our investigators and putting in some good work. The temple session was amazing last week and just earlier we were able to hike up a mountain in some rain and fog which was just as fun as i made it sound in this run on sentence hahahahha. Yea lovin the people here still i know i say that every week and love my companion. Some hard things happening in the area this week as some investigators fall in back to old habits and it seems like our work has been to put to waste, but i know it hasnt. Actually one of the biggest miracles that happened this week didnt even happen here! President Pajaro let me know in my interview last week that two more of carlos's family from Siquijor were baptized last week. sorry i have pictures i will throw them in but shout out to Elder Phippen for keeping the work going it made me happy too see even more additions to a family that started from zero. That day me and Elder Ranon were tracting for what seemed like forever in an area that had probably been tracted over like 100 times right next to Larena. we were about to go another way and not up a small hill, but we followed some inspiration and found this family. we went from hard times to loving the work and im so grateful for Heavenly Father and his hand in our work. Im still doing good if you guys were wondering hahah just still working and trying to help our investigators. I love the people here and i wish i could help them all in teh perfect way, and that is what we told our recent convert yesterday. As she struggled with many trials in her life and problems that makes it seem like she cant do it, we reminded her of the love of the savior and how that a lone is more powerful that what ever satan has to throw at us. I think she felt of that and i would like to testify of the power of his atonement and gospel. I know that there is no another way for us to feel happiness, if not through Him. I love the work and I love you all! Also Happy Mothers Day to all the mothers out there all the aunts that i Love!!! Especially, Happy Mothers Day for the ones waiting for us in another world right now, because I know they are. I cherish the opportunity i have here to share to people that families are forever, and i know that they are. I love Grammie, and I love my mom. She is a wonderful example to me in everything and cant wait to see her smile this weekend! hahahha love you all and remember to press forward, keep it in gear, never look back! amping!

 

 

-Elder Smith

Excerpt from Parker's companion/trainer Elder Ranon.....

This pictures made me cry earlier as i look closer to the content of the picture most specially to the man who is wearing white. I easily figured it out that he is one of my recent convert @ Siquijor. He is Brother Carlos with his daughter in-law and his grand child.

I remember the day me and my trainee (Elder Smith) found them. That day was a very wonderful day, Me and Elder Smith DECIDED to tract a new area. the day was so tiring and frustrating but after all the NO'S and REJECTIONS from the people we luckily found Tatay Carlos and her daughters Camela with her Baby and Carrie.

That day Tatay was just around doing some chicken stuffs and we just passed by on him as he gave us direction and permission to preach to his house. We found her daughters (Camela and Carrie) @ the house. We taught his daughters while he was busy with his stuffs. We scheduled to visit them the next day to continue teaching them the restored Gospel and to have spiritual time with them also to rejoice.

The next day we went to visit Camela and Carrie and unfortunately they were not around. We learned that they went to visit Camela's Husbands house so Tatay Carlos was just alone. He then just let us come inside their humble house and of course Tatay entertained us and while having some simple chats with him we found out that Tatay was Elect and the one whom the Lord has prepared for me and my companion to teach and nurture that day.

We nurtured Brother Carlos since that day we met him, We patiently taught them. We exert more time visiting them and give our very best work of effort for them and fortunately enough they taught us to develop our Chirst Like attributes and taught us a lot of knowledge even wisdom. Me and Elder Smith were so blessed because of the lives of this Brother and his household.

The day was set and they were ready for baptism. Tatay told me He wants me to baptize him but unfortunately 2 days before their set baptismal day i got transferred. I had a mix emotion that time I was sad and happy knowing that all was prepared even Tatay's will to the will of our Father for him and so I still got transfer to Toledo Cebu.

Tatay is the best.He has now the power and authority to baptise and to do more greater things. He is indeed the Elect that me and my Companion-Elder Smith found through Obedience and Hard Work.

THE DECISION TO BELIEVE IS THE MOST IMPORTANT CHOICE WE MAKE.

SUCCES THROUGH OBEDIENCE :)

 

## after all the hard work and patience son we are  now reaping :D

 

 

 

 


PDAY hike...

 

 

 

 

 

 

4.24.18 Carcar

Hello people good week here in the carcar. Not too much happening we had a solid week and I love working with my little Dude Elder Ejera. So Friday we had a normal work day, but when i woke up i smelt something really sweet and Elder Whitmore was already out of bed(which isnt normal hahhaha). I walked out and on the table were pounds of cinnamon french toast and he had also made home made pioneer syrup which was soooo good. hahhah so we chowed down on that it was soooo niceee hahah love Elder Whitmore and then for lunch after an appointment we came back and Elder Fernandez had made his specialty for us for lunch called sinigong, which is like a soup kinda thing hahahha. But then we went out to work until the night and there was a little suprise when i got home hahahah. We walked by the church which is next to our house and there was a group huddled with candles burning which scared me a little bit but it was actualy 15 members waiting there with candles and a sign and cake hahahahha love the members here so yea we had a little celebration but yea they are too good to me. we ate some cake and pizza and yea that was the day. But yea the week was really good I had a really cool personal study yesterday about the spirit and yea i jstu really love reading the book of mormon I look forward to it every day. Thank you for all of your words and emails and bday shoutouts i love you all so much. Also shout out to my boy Briones its his B day this may 4th I think.... yea i think thats about it oh waitttttttt its my favorite little guy(i guess he isnt little anymore) Coletos Birthday!!! the big man is turning 16 and getting a new car hahahha psych sorry cole good luck with the pilot hahah. Love you buddy you my fav sorry i cant be there to beat you in tennis. Anyway love you all and dont forget to press forward in faith!

-Elder Smith

oi i forgot shoutout to the best dad in the world for these sandles rockin them err day! Jazz Nation Take Note!!!!1 hahahah love you all

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

4.17.18 Carcar

Hello people good to be coming back to you this week and it was a really good week hahahah. Pretty normal not a ton of crazy stuff but we werent able to work for two days last week as we helped the sisters move apartments and we were in charge of cleaning two houses out, and hauling it all to another house hahahah so the muscles are coming back dont worry hahahah. Yea we got back to work gud saturday kay we had zone con on friday so i saw all my homies! shout out to the batch and also to my former comps that i saw there hahahah. the conference was good learned a lot about teaching better and yea there are these things called "shining moments" so for every meeting we have a couple missionaries share good things that their companions did. hahahha I dont know why but Elder ejera was called to do it in front of everyone for zone conference and he got up there and said uhm for a couple minutes and then said i was kind hahhahahah and then sat down it was so funny everyone was dying. But yea the rest of the week was good we had a lot of really good lessons and im learning a lot as i help elder ejera to learn gihapon hahhha. but yea i love this place and never want to leave! thank you so much for all of you and your support, i know that this work is true and i love going out every day to share the message. i have been so blessed and just hope to help other receive these blessings as well in their lives. love you all and press forward in faith!

 

yo there are some pictures in here hahahah, one video of my crazy comp hahahhahaha hes so funny but dont worry that thing was already on the window (couldn't get video to upload - maybe that is a good thing), and then some more of him and then me and Elder Afele and K at zone conference and then my anak(son) with the APs! wow he is famous gettign picture with aps oh and me and elder Juan who was my first Zone leader and is going home now hahah.

 

-elder Smith

oh and Elder Ejera made this thing at mac do yesterday hahahahahah hes crazy my goodness. some other pictures as well try and figure out what is happening hahhaah

hahahah the pictures from the chair incident and also i caught up with D Will in Cebu you know. 

3.20.18 Carcar

Hello people good to be getting back to you this week we had a good week here in Carcar and still pushing forward. We had some good days this week and bad days but the bad days are still good and the good days are still gooder hahahhaah. Not a ton of stuff happened but we have noticed a pattern in our work that is really cool. We have many investigators this week that have told us that they have tried to pray and have still not yet received an answer. The people here are so awesome and the fact that they are willing to ask God for the answer speaks alot about the people here. But yea we still doin good hahah Elder Morty still pressin forward and i would like to confess that he did swat me a couple times in basketball this morning. but after a week of trash talk and hype for ball i came out with the W after a banked-three from the corner hahahahah. So E Morty will be calling Elder Whitmore 'mammasita" for the rest of the day hahaha. But yea still love the work and everything here and want yall to read Hebrews 5:9 and let me know what you think. Thanks for all the suppport and love you guys!

-Elder Smith

oh and we had a birthday party for our investigator Bro Felix and we got him a cake and yea and all green for my bed hahahh you know i made it just for the pictureeee

4.10.18 Carcar - Training

Hello people sorry I missed a week I think but this one was one for the books hahahh wow bad sign im already laughing hahahah. But yea last P day I had to get my new comp from the city because he is a brand new missionary! hahah this is his third week after being in the mtc for two and yea hes here with me in Carcar. We are doing okay and it was awesome to be able to watch General Conference Saturday and Sunday. Lots of good things were said and i learned a lot and wowww about all the new things introduced from the church. some very amazing ideas and its clear that the Church is headed straight up. I loved so many talks but the one that hit me the most was given Sunday afternoon i think from a seventy as he described sitting next to his dying mother. His mother, instead of asking for help or guidance from him in her time of pain, asked him to teach her how to pray. But not just that, she wanted to know how so she could pray for her son. I am so grateful for you all and your support and i have learned that service and love really is a lot more than two words, but it all started with your examples beforehand. But yea hahahah my comp is tagalog and its so funny hahahahah hes super quiet but everything he says is so funny hahahah and the subject of this is ano ba because he literally says that 10 times over before he says the word he wants to say hahahahha. because thats like "uhmmm" in tagalog so hes always saying it hahah and by the way in bisaya its "quan" hahahhaha so funny. yea we broke a little record this week with 20 investigators to general conference which was pretty cool. thank you so much for your support and love you all so much, stay on the covenant path! press forward in faith.

-elder Smith

3.27.18 Carcar

Hello people hahah coming to you again and sorry i dont think i can send pics again but i will give yall a small update. im good. hahah but yea of course im good other than i lost my first game of ball in awhile earlier this morning so that is sad. but yea we had a good week hahahah one of the funniest stories of my mish and this is how it went down. so it was thursday and we had to grab the keys to the church from bishop before we went out to work. we went up the mountain to tell our investigator that his interview was in a couple hours so he changed and we went down with all of his kids. we waited for President for awhile at the church and taught brother Felix in the ac of the bishops office. after an hour we heardthat president Pajaro was close and i went back in to the offive to grab something and it wouldnt open. i looked thorugh the window and there were the keys hahahah. we didnt know what to do so we called like every person ever and there were no other sets of keys to be found, especially that could open the bishop's office. So president showed up and we explained to him that is was locked along with everything inside: our bags and all the paperwork, and Felix's stuff and of course the keys. it was okay so he did it in another room and then he was on his way and we were still trying to figure out what to do. We thought for awhile and then we came up with an idea. we put a table in front of the door. then a stack of 20 or so chairs and then that was where i sat. Elder Fernandez climbed up on might shoulders and climbed trhough the ceiling. he was up there fora while and pulled him self up then sometime like dropped to the floor on the other side and the door was open hahhahah. we sat in the ac for a couple minutres laughing but yea that is the story. but other than that still love the work and so grateful for Jesus Christ who doesn't just fill the gaps in our lives, he covers it all and all he asks is that we come unto him love you all and take care! happy easter! and april fools april fools none of that even happened! jokes hahahah love you all

3.13.18 Carcar Best Week Ever

Hello people. period. hahah no run-on sentences this time. hahah yea good week here in teh CC ahhaha nah not country club the carcar and we havin fun. This week was one of my favorite on the mission. I really felt the power of the spirit in the work and we were guided to people that were ready for our message. But yea we caught fire at the end of the week and really found a lot of people and taught a lot of really cool lessons. Everywhere we went we taught or found someone that needed us at that moment, and I am so grateful for the guidance of our Heavenly Father in teh work. in other news, i have been to mcdonalds the last three days in a row so yea feel like im back home hahah. But yea it was saturday and hiked up the mountain for our ibd, then we came back down, and ended up hiking up another moundtain. while we were up there we found an interseting person. His name was Frank Senatra hahahhaha thats what he wasnted us to call him but he did go by T-Boy. he might have been a little drunk when we talked to him but he told us that he had gone to church in another town in cebu and then just to see if he was serious i asked him what color the church was and he said pink hahahahhaa. i thought he was saying stuff but then Elder Morty told me later than the churchis like a shade of pink hahahah felt kinda dumb. but yea we taught this guy and even though he was like bowing down to us during the lesson it was cool and Elder Mortenson ahd the feeling we should go back so we are tomorrow hahahh. but yea good week had somer eally cool experiences and one of the best feelings when we had 9 investigators come to sacrament. I am so grateful for the Holy Ghost and his guidance. i know that through him great things can come to pass. Yo little suggestion you guys can read D&C 50 really cool and lots of different stuff in there. grateful that im able to preach His gospel, through his spirit. Hope yall are doing good sorry the comptre wack cant upload any pics but yea still gwapo dont worry. love yall so much and want to testify that we can do miracles, my whole life right now is one miracle! press forward in faith

-Elder Smith