November 23, 2010

Family. (sorry there is no comma on this keyboard... yay!)
This week is a half way mark for this transfer. I can't believe its almost over! I like my companion Elder Nicoleta. He is a really good missionary. He teaches really well and is a good listener. I have learned so much from him. I am learning the language faster with him as well because he helps me to speak it well. Also in 9 days I will have been on a mission for 6 months! That means my mission is almost 1/4 over! That is crazy! I still feel like the new one.

My story this week is about Brother Taoy. He is 70 years old and is inactive. His wife is active and works in the primary. Last Sunday I visited him with a 19 year old member. Kenneth. who is preparing for a mission. He doesn't talk much so it gives me a great opportunity to work on my Visaya. I have to initiate the conversation and if I don't talk nobody does. Then I have to understand their questions and concerns. That is the hardest part for me. I can teach almost any lesson and can teach a lesson straight from the scriptures. I have learned how to express myself with my vocabulary. The problem is other people”s vocabulary. Much larger than mine. We asked him why he wasn't coming to church. He simply said he just didn't want to. But we committed him to come the next week. This last Sunday he didn't come to church. We visited him again to follow up. He said that his knee had been hurting him as after effects of a stroke he had had a long time ago. He also has a smoking problem but wants to quit. He had been smoking less this past week. We are focusing on commitments in the mission right now. So I went for it. I committed him to read his scriptures and pray every day and to go to church the next Sunday and to not smoke this week. Then I promised him (that is a big part of committing. You should always promise blessings.) that if he would do these 4 things that his knee would not hurt him this week and he would be able to come to church. And he willingly accepted! "Buhaton buhaton" he kept saying which means Ill do it. Great! So now we just pray he will follow through. After the lesson Kenneth said that I taught really well and clearly in Visaya. Yay! Thanks to the gift of tongues I can teach people all the way on the other side of the world. That was a good experience. I am so grateful for the blessings I am receiving from being a missionary. I love the work. I love the people. It is so rewarding.

We have a baptism this Saturday! Sister Erlinda Alkala. We are excited for her. We are also teaching a family of boys. Leonardo. Hector. Josue. Renante. Their mom and dad also join in some times as well as friends and relatives. It is great. We just started teaching Fransis and his wife Jessyl. Fransis is from Manila and is Tagolog speaking so I don’t do a whole lot of teaching. He understands some but not all. And their daughters are so cute! Only 8 and 5 though. Not much potential there. But they are fun to talk to. They are always so happy and laughing. I love the kids here.

Thanks for all of your support and love and prayers. I really appreciate it all. And a special thanks to Bill Sparks who sends mail all the time. Thank you so much.
Love gikan sa Philippines.
Elder Schenk