Dear Pamilia

 

Cant believe it is already pday. This has been one fast week. A lot of walking and being disappointed though. We did have some small but very sweet successes though!

 

First I will tell you the story of Tatay Quijas, then the story of what happened last night! So there is a recently returned less active here named Tatay Quijas (kay-has). He is awesome, a giant rather scary looking Filipino, but is suuuper nice and protective of everyone. A super faithful member. But this is why he went less active. Last year the ward clerk, who in the middle of a baptism yelled that the lady saying the closing prayer was not worthy to pray in Church, and that she should be dis fellowshipped. Well this was very rude, and as a clerk he has no authority to say that. Tatay Quijas was there, and thought the same thing, so he charged the Clerk, punched him twice in the face, and chased him all the way around jones. If you ask me the clerk deserved it. The members here love Tatay Quijas, and last cycle he became active again... he is loved so much here, people started crying when they saw him at church! Anyway we are focusing on his wife a nonmember, who is a devote catholic, who has a fairly hard head. We finally got a lesson in with her last night. After the prayer, it entered into my mind to really focus on families, so during the whole lesson, lasay and I were really really focusing on the importance of families and especially the importance of the gospel to families. We were very personal with the lesson. I felt like i should share family pictures with them that I carry with me. That was the first time I did that my whole mission. The lesson was really focused on eternal families. It was super strong, the spirit was sooo strong, it was a very personal family based lesson. I think that sisters heart has def been softened, she was quiet (which is unusual). I am excited to go back. After the lesson e. Lasay and I talked about it, he said that after the prayer it too entered into his mind to focus on families. It was cool that the spirit was coordinating with the both of us at the same time. 

 

We tracted into this family called the Pascual Family, we actually haven't taught them yet, but during the oym they were very receptive, and wanted us to come back. I am super excited for them, during the oym I felt something different. Maybe it was just me, but this could be a awesome family. 

 

We found this less active family, the Fernandez family, we taught them on Friday, about keeping the commandements. That lesson was also awesome, in sisters prayer she asked for help in returning back to the Church. The 2nd councelor of the ward lives close so most lessons we will take him with us. I am really excited about them. If they are fellowshipped they will def come back!

 

We got punted alot this week, we only taugt 6 lessons. It was a very humbleing week. President said that if you get punted a lot in one day you should take a snake brake, needless to say we have been taking a lot of snack breaks.

 

We have some great prospects though, the Aquino family, a part member less active, the Dela Cruz family, another part member less active. We have had lessons set up with them but, both fell through.

 

We oymed the mayors house, that was a scary oym, but they let us in, and it turns out the aunt of the mayor, all of her kids are members and married into the temple. We are really trying to teach her. We have a cycle goal to teach the mayor, haha probably wont happen... but we have been in his giant house twice, and everyone their loves us. We also found out where the vice mayor lives. We are gonna go look for him some day. haha The Carlos's told us to not be afraid of tracting into big houses. They might be prepared too!

 

We are teaching the Ebarquez family. They are awesome, have been to church 2 weeks in a row, are less active. And really want to go to the temple. Yesterday we taught about the temple. Sister almost cried. She really wants to go, but her husband a less active, drinks, smokes and gambles on cock fights... (still haven't seen a cock fight yet...probably a good thing).

 

The problems in the branch are getting better. The president is learning what excatly he is supposed to do. The contention has stopped, and the gossip has been stopped too. People realized that its gonna take a branch effort to fix the branch. The help of the Gottfersons a couple missonary here has been really inspiring. If people fulfill their responsiblities this could be a very awesome branch. There are some awesome awesome members here, there just is a lack of unity and collective effort.

 

But this week has been good, we got attacked by a goose, hiden from, and have walked a marathon. Trying to keep spirits high though. Looking for the positive things. Its only been one week here and I have learned alot.

 

I love my mission and wouldn't trade it for anything, so all of you priests and prospective missionaries, just know that if you come out here you will never regret it, it will be the greatest experiance of your life. There is no good reason to not go on a mission.

 

Elder Tadena news: The operation went well, he has been sent to Manila, to the Missionary Recovery Center, he will spend a month there then go home. He will be released honorably.

 

Oh yeah, I talked to the missionaries in Bagabag, they are teaching Willy Bodegon the father of the Bodegon brothers, they said that he is going to churhc! Awesome! Hopefully they will complete the family. Funny side note, Elder Lasay (who is awesome... probably my favorite comp yet!!) he used to be assinged in Bagabag just before me and he taught sister Bodegon and her daughter, they got baptized, elder Valdez and I taught her sons, they got baptized, now Eldr Jackson and Elder Cauayan are teaching the father... three sets of missionaries but the family will be completed!!

 

For pday all the missionaries that helped with Elder Tadena were invited to Cauayan for a bbq, oh man, bbq ribs and hamburgers. It was awesome! The chicken was soooo good. and we had dr pepper, imported from USA... that was awesome.

 

anyways love you guys, keep Elder Tadena in your prayers,

Elder James