Mahal Kita

Hello every one. Just kinda wanted to start out by apologizing for how abrupt of an ending the last email had I lost track of time and didn't have time to tell every thing I wanted to. Thank you everyone for all you'r support and I love you all. Now to the weekly report.

     Monday, was your average p-day Email basket ball laundry. After P-day ended at 6 we went to work all of our appointments fell through but we met a very promising man at the house of one of our investigators.

    Tuesday, we had our district meetings the two assistants to the president came and visited that was nice then after we returned to work the other elders in the area were on training splits so our district leader was here that was kinda fun  We then worked We visited what we thought was a very promising finding from Sunday and that turned out he was a Baptist preacher and only wanted to debate with us. That was sad, he was very determined that we didn't need to be baptized and that you just need to believe in Christ to be saved we bore our testimony of the truthfulness of the message and ended, it was really sad. We then went and visited one of our investigators who only speaks Ilikono a very common dialect here. our lessons with him are always hard just because of the language but he is super receptive and goes to church even though he doesn't understand much. I know that the Lord blessed us with this investigator and I love him very much.

     Wednesday, we went and taught in Puntar Sur. We visited several of our different investigators. They were most were too busy to have a lesson but we had a few. For example the Agetraps.  The Agetraps we met a few weeks ago, the first time was a regular finding with Nanay Agetrap she accepted the pamphlet we followed up a few days later and totally fell in love he ate up everything we told him. We've taught him a few other times and he just love everything we teach. We then visited a few other people but most people were just to busy.

     Thursday we went to Butubut Norte and went all the way to the end. We helped harvest peanuts which is actually quite cool. We helped peel corn and did a lot of findings we saw two monkeys that apparently the elders before us always fed according to the owner who they had previously taught. So the monkeys were mad at us. No one really accepted a message but we did several finding 

       Friday we prepared the Baptismal font for Saturday.  We then visited several people in the area that was interesting because lots of people turned us down.  

     Saturday we had the baptism of Primrose Olies She is a little 8 year old girl who reminds me so much of my little sister Ruth. She is full of energy and loves the idea of baptism. Here family originally was inactive when we came in all they needed was a reminder to come and they jumped back in and were supper exited for her baptism as well. I've decided I'm having my own kind of white Christmas with all the baptisms in the area. I have been so blessed by my Heavenly Father to be in such an wonderful area where people are so ready to hear the gospel.

   Sunday we had church I taught a lesson about the Atonement of Jesus Christ I absolutely love the topic. After church we visited Butubut Norte had several good lessons and finished the day off.

My spiritual thought comes from 3 Nephi 27

27 And know ye that ye shall be judges of this people, according to the judgment which I shall give unto you, which shall be just. Therefore, what manner of men ought ye to be? Verily I say unto you, even as I am.

28 And now I go unto the Father. And verily I say unto you, whatsoever things ye shall ask the Father in my name shall be given unto you.

I know this promise Is true that Jesus is the Christ He came just as the scriptures say in a stable in Jerusalem and suffered and died on Gethsemane. 

I love you all I thank you again for your love and support.

Love elder 

Behold, I am a disciple of Jesus Christ

Hello everyone I know this weeks title is a bit strange and abrupt but I could not think of a title for my email this week and I was just kinda having a hard time this week and I opened my scriptures and this verse that I read, 3 Nephi 5:13 hit me like a brick wall and I just knew things would be ok. 

     Monday, so Monday for p-day we went down to San Fernando to get some things that you cant really get most places like a bag and shoes. We then returned and went and taught Brother Freddie. Brother Freddie still hasn't gotten his answer but he said when he does he will be baptized. It is so sad for me because I can see and feel of his earnest desire to know of the truth he is keeping commitments and I can feel that he is trying to know but just doesn't know he knows or doesn't know he is getting answers so we are trying to help him recognize the spirit more.

        Tuesday we had district meeting, returned did what we needed to do to finish preparing for the day then went out and worked. We spent literally the rest of the day being denied so ya that was harsh. Then at the end of the day we visited a member who is the only member in her family and her little sister is an investigator. Her little one year old nephew had a high fever and had been sick all day the day before and all of that day. She asked us if we could give him a blessing. We obtained permission and gave him a blessing (my first blessing of healing.) That Sunday when we spoke with her about it she said it was amazing that at mid night that night the fever broke and he felt better. That was such a good testimony to me the Lord listens to us and he will respect us when we worthily exercise the priesthood authority. It was such a great spiritual experience and I loved having the opportunity to do so.

     Wednesday was one of those days that you just walk and walk and walk (I'm starting to sound like a pioneer child.) We walked for hours and every where we went and every appointment we had just denied us because they were to busy with the festival in town. Then there was also no one in the street because everyone was in the plaza so ya that was an amazing day.. It makes me appreciate the days where we have lessons all day even more.

    Thursday was probably the craziest and best day of all. We woke up at 4 to go up to Candone for a multi zone Christmas conference. We spent the morning playing games there was a talent show we saw several Polynesian dances. I got to sing with two other elders Penitonix version of Mary did you know which turned out decent  and another zone did a pretty cool choreography dance thing. We then got presents from the mission and got to see Santa. That was nice to have a little bit of home getting to see Santa. We then had lunch and a devotional. The devotional was amazing we learned that the mission would be using family history more and how we would use it. President Bangal showed a few church videos and shared a message going along with the video about the man who carved the "Holiness to the Lord the house of the Lord" Into the Salt Lake temple. He talked about how no mater what your hardships, if you keep on working and act instead of being acted upon we will be blessed. It is amazing to see the direction of the Lord in the mission and to feel of the spirit and to know he knows what I need to hear.

    Friday  again we literally walked again for hours we then had one lesson with members preparing for the temple we had a few good findings but Friday was just kinda rough

     Saturday was pretty much the same we got chased by a man with a machete and found out a baptism was delayed .

ya this week was rough but I love it here and the spirit here is amazing

13 Behold, I am a disciple of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. I have been called of him to declare his word among his people, that they might have everlasting life. 

Remember to keep the words of the prophets close and head them

Love you all\

Elder Davis 

At the Mission conference...

 Meeting Santa

 The boxes mom and Grandma sent in SEPTEMBER got there in time!!!

 Mission pillow case!

 Apparently watermelon is what they hand out at Christmas time. Here we hand out cookies and candy there they give you watermelon.

 I made him a felt Christmas tree with ornaments made from all of our Christmas PJ scraps, and stocking scraps. I assumed he could use tacks to hang it but they have cement walls... so next year I will send some velcro strips for him to hang it will better.

 A dark picture of the amazing nativity Brother Beatley made for him! (best thing in his box!!)

The advent I sent along with the one one of the other elders moms sent!

The next week we asked for more details about him getting chased by a man with a machete and this is what he said... 

Ok so We were visiting one of our contacts and last time we visited him he told us every one around the neighborhood hates him and thinks that there are problems with him we are just visiting and we hear moaning like an ogre behind us we turn around and this man just comes out from behind a house and is just swinging a machete like crazy he chops a banana tree down in one chop at this point me and my companion as well as the man we were talking to have jumped the near by cement wall and are in the neighbors front yard hiding behind the wall the man closes the gate to the yard and walks off swinging his machete. 

(When we talked at Christmas he said all the Elders that recommended the "golf" slacks we bough for his mission were right. They are great for jumping fences!

Christmas Malapit lang

Hello every one,
 Happy December to every one. This week has been crazy between a baptism Saturday and all the other crazy things that happen on a mission ya.

   Monday after p-day we went and visited brother Fredi. Brother Fredi is an investigator who we met in our first week here through finding efforts. He accepted a return appointment and we returned a few days later. He was really interested in our message, and has a real desire to know of the truthfulness of our message. He right off the bat stared keeping commitments to pray to know. He has been reading and we have been working with him since to come to know of the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon and the restoration. He really wants to know and is keeping commitments he just doesn't feel like he is getting an answer and it is hard to see him struggle. When we visited him Monday he had a bunch of questions about Nephi we helped answer questions and showed him how he could apply it to himself.

Tuesday We visited Cabuaan and  Camile Oshis and absolutely no one would meet with us and thanks to the Festival no  one was in the street or in their house so Tuesday was rough. (the festival is just a carnival)

    Wednesday was the most crazy day of all. We did our daily study then went out to Puntar Sur. We did a bunch of findings had a few unexpected lessons and one or two expected lesson. We visited Rooney our baptism from last week and his grandparents were there. We taught a lesson there and the grandparents were supper interested so we gave them a Book of Mormon and got there address. Now this is when my heart was broke. When we went to visit Reeke about his interview the next day for baptism he said that his lowla (grand mother) had said that he couldn't be baptized. We asked if we could talk with her and he said that she wasn't there so we arranged for us to visit them again the next day. He was so upset because he was so exited to be baptised and couldn't

    Thursday was a rough but very joyful day. We worked in Cabuuan and there was almost no one there so it was a hard day of work. We visited Reeke and were able to visit with his lowla. We settled her concerns and she gave us permission to baptize him. Reke was almost jumping for joy when he heard that he would be baptized Saturday. It was supper exiting for him. We then taught the group of boys in Puntar Sur.

    Friday was the first day in December and I love December. We worked in Cabuuan and didn't get very much success because of the festival. Our district leader came and we took him to interview Reke. He passed the interview and was so exited. We then visited brother Fredi he is still reading and praying and is feeling better but still hasn't gotten his answer yet.

    Saturday was the baptism of Reque. It was amazing we only had 3 members at the baptism but it was still amazing. I love seeing the people that I have worked so hard with all dressed in white ready to be baptized. He was supper exited to be baptized which is so amazing. After the baptism we visited a few other people.

     Sunday was pretty good we were asked to help with the blessing of a members 2 week old baby. That was a good experience for me. I could feel the love that God had for the child we were blessings. We then confirmed Reke. It is an amazing experience to stand in the circle for a young man who we have worked so hard to prepare. The spirit was so strong in that meeting. We then visited a new area and visited a member in Butubut Norte which was beautiful and the rest of the day was pretty normal.So this week has been pretty good and the Lord has been on our side so much.

My spiritual thought this week comes from Helaman 12: 24-26

24 And may God grant, in his great fullness, that men might be brought unto repentance and good works, that they might be restored unto grace for grace, according to their works.

25 And I would that all men might be saved. But we read that in the great and last day there are some who shall be cast out, yea, who shall be cast off from the presence of the Lord;

The lord always has his hand extended to us all we need to do is reach out and take it. I encourage everyone to repent and return to Christ because no one on earth is perfect.

Elder Davis