Dear family,
All is good and well here in Cebu. We knew there was a storm because there has been a lot of rain and wind, but no problems at all other than wet shoes and muddy pants. To answer your questions again, my area is completely flat. It is the flattest part of the entire island. No walking up and down big hills here, just through sugar cane fields and coconut trees. It really is a beautiful place. The beach isn't really that great in my area, but in the other areas it is like paradise. We just got back from our district activity in a tiny village called Anapog. The branch president there watches a huge nice house on the beach for a rich French man who vacations there for 15 days every January. It has a beautiful beach and a gorgeous house made of bamboo and a grass roof. It is all built out of natural materials, but inside is so nice. We cooked up a super delicious meal of fish, rotisserie chicken, and fresh boko juice (coconut milk with the meat grated and sugar and sweet and condensed milk, the most delicious drink ever!). I am getting better at chopping open the coconuts and getting out the milk. Its harder than it looks, and everyone looks at the big tough Americans funny when we struggle to get one open when the old nanays make it look easy. One of the coolest things about the Philippines is that you could go into the jungle with a machete and live. Everything you need is there, bananas, coconut, mangos, tons of kinds of fruit, and everything you need to make a house, bamboo for the walls and floor, and coconut leaves for the roof. It really is a fascinating place to be. The people here use everything. You can cook a meal without firewood. All you need is coconut shells and dried corn cobs. It is great!
I use the boot/ shoes that I bought almost all of the time here. The sole on my other pair of echos got destroyed in my last area so I dont use them anymore. I trade off the boots and my keens every other day, but the soles are wearing out on the keens too. I'm almost out of rubber. We do a lot of walking here. I only use my shiny rockports for sundays and meetings so that they don't die. My boots aren't going to die anytime soon though. They will last until the end of time.
Our apartment is a two story 2 bedroom 2 bathroom with showers and a nice big downstairs. There is a great wind that whips through the upstairs when you open the windows. That is my favorite part! It really is a nice place.
I haven't gotten your letters yet, but am excited for when they do come! I bought some cds last week and want to mail some pictures home. I just need to find an internet shop that has a cd burner. I don't want to send home the sd card because I have heard of too many that have gotten stolen somewhere between the Philippines and America. I'll see what I can do.
We got the transfer call today. I am not transferring, and neither is my companion, but I have been called as district leader here. I am excited for the opportunity to serve. Things are going well in my area. I anticipate a lot of success in the coming months.
Here is a list of our investigators that need prayers.
Merly Andetligando
Cheryl Daitol - pray that their husbands will let them be baptized.
Verga Daitol
Kathren - pray that her parents will let her be baptized.
Liza
McLyn - pray for them to have a desire to become active members.
McHard
Ward
Thank you so much for all of your prayers and thoughts in my behalf.
Love,
Elder Schenk
Wednesday, September 28, 2011
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
September 20, 2011
Family,
First to answer Dads Questions,
1. I would love it if you could come pick me up at the end of my mission and visit some members here. I would love to show you the Philippines first hand. I don't know how long, a few days probably. I'll try to ask my mission president what the policy is.
2. My plan was to return to school in January and work up until then. I could possibly try to change my track so that I could go back in September, so that might be an option.
3. I would love to go on a big trip as a family when I get back, especially somewhere I could go swimming. The John Day River would be a blast.
The Vancouver temple is a lot like the Cebu, but bigger. I think the Cebu is about as small as they get.
Thank you for the spaghetti. It was a little taste of home. Also I loved the cards from Sister Macon's primary class. Please thank her for me. They are fun to look at and read.
The zipper on my camera case just broke, and I am using another bulky one I brought. If you could send another one in my package I would appreciate it. It is a little neoprene stretchy fabric case that just fits my camera inside. It has no pockets or anything. The brand is Case Logic, I think, and I bought it at Walmart.
Thank you for the music. I would like a William Joseph with the orchestra in the background, and some upbeat music I can cook and clean to.
I would like to send the pictures home, but I don't know where I can get them burned onto a cd here. I’ll try to find a way to get them to you soon. Maybe I’ll do that today.
We had some great success this last week with a baptismal service with 5 baptisms! Only three of them were ours though. We combined with San Ramejio Branch. Juvy and Michelle Orque, ages 13 and 11 respectively, and Daniella Litanon, age 9 were all baptized. Juvy and Michelle are great. They are the family we walk to church and back with every Sunday, except for last week. We were planning to walk, but I had a stomach ache and the runs, so I payed for a tricycle to take the 6 of us. They also brought 2 investigators and 3 inactive members to their baptism as well, all of which are their neighbor cousins. That was a great success as well.
We, at the moment, are working to find new investigators to progress to baptism. We have some that we are working with, and a few that said that they are going to come this Sunday, but we will see. Hopefully we can commit another few this week to go along with our 3 committed for October.
We have transfers next Friday and my companion will probably be transferring. I'll let you know what will happen next week.
We have a great opportunity in October! On the 20th Elder Jeffery R. Holland, Tadd R. Callister of the presidency of the seventy, and John U. Teh of the seventy, are coming to Cebu! All of the missionaries get to attend, so I am really excited. We have been asked to prepare ourselves by more fully committing ourselves to be obedient and invite the spirit more fully into our lives. I am so excited to be able to shake his hand! I have seen Elder Holland a few times and heard him say "take care" when we saw him at the MTC, but this will be even better!
Dili ko magdugay, kay dugay na ko. Salamat sa inyong paglinkod ug pagbasa sa akong taas nga gisulat ninyo.
Love,
Elder Schenk
First to answer Dads Questions,
1. I would love it if you could come pick me up at the end of my mission and visit some members here. I would love to show you the Philippines first hand. I don't know how long, a few days probably. I'll try to ask my mission president what the policy is.
2. My plan was to return to school in January and work up until then. I could possibly try to change my track so that I could go back in September, so that might be an option.
3. I would love to go on a big trip as a family when I get back, especially somewhere I could go swimming. The John Day River would be a blast.
The Vancouver temple is a lot like the Cebu, but bigger. I think the Cebu is about as small as they get.
Thank you for the spaghetti. It was a little taste of home. Also I loved the cards from Sister Macon's primary class. Please thank her for me. They are fun to look at and read.
The zipper on my camera case just broke, and I am using another bulky one I brought. If you could send another one in my package I would appreciate it. It is a little neoprene stretchy fabric case that just fits my camera inside. It has no pockets or anything. The brand is Case Logic, I think, and I bought it at Walmart.
Thank you for the music. I would like a William Joseph with the orchestra in the background, and some upbeat music I can cook and clean to.
I would like to send the pictures home, but I don't know where I can get them burned onto a cd here. I’ll try to find a way to get them to you soon. Maybe I’ll do that today.
We had some great success this last week with a baptismal service with 5 baptisms! Only three of them were ours though. We combined with San Ramejio Branch. Juvy and Michelle Orque, ages 13 and 11 respectively, and Daniella Litanon, age 9 were all baptized. Juvy and Michelle are great. They are the family we walk to church and back with every Sunday, except for last week. We were planning to walk, but I had a stomach ache and the runs, so I payed for a tricycle to take the 6 of us. They also brought 2 investigators and 3 inactive members to their baptism as well, all of which are their neighbor cousins. That was a great success as well.
We, at the moment, are working to find new investigators to progress to baptism. We have some that we are working with, and a few that said that they are going to come this Sunday, but we will see. Hopefully we can commit another few this week to go along with our 3 committed for October.
We have transfers next Friday and my companion will probably be transferring. I'll let you know what will happen next week.
We have a great opportunity in October! On the 20th Elder Jeffery R. Holland, Tadd R. Callister of the presidency of the seventy, and John U. Teh of the seventy, are coming to Cebu! All of the missionaries get to attend, so I am really excited. We have been asked to prepare ourselves by more fully committing ourselves to be obedient and invite the spirit more fully into our lives. I am so excited to be able to shake his hand! I have seen Elder Holland a few times and heard him say "take care" when we saw him at the MTC, but this will be even better!
Dili ko magdugay, kay dugay na ko. Salamat sa inyong paglinkod ug pagbasa sa akong taas nga gisulat ninyo.
Love,
Elder Schenk
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
September 13, 2011
Family,
Maayong haopn sa inyo tanan. Maayo gud ang kinabuhi diri sa Polambato. Dako kaayo akong gugma sa tawo diri. I am so grateful to be a missionary. I have learned so much since I have been in Polambato even though it has only been 1 month. I can't believe how fast time is flying by. I only have 5 more transfers left! That's like nothing! Ill probably only have one more area after this. I hope that I am assigned here for a long time. This is one of the happiest times of my life.
We have good success right now in our area. We have 3 baptisms this Saturday and I just found out from President Schmutz that they are going to be building a church in my area! An actual church building and not just a renovated house. They are still in the planning mode, and not everything is approved yet, but it is so exciting that after almost a year of no building that they will get one again. It will probably take a long time to build though and I will be home before it is finished.
In our ward we teach the gospel essentials class for the investigators, recent converts and all of the youth. There is so little leadership here. We also speak every 3rd Sunday, so this week. We are a large part of the ward here. We have continued to walk with our investigators to church. That is really good in building our relationship with them, I just hope that they will have faith to keep coming even if we don't walk with them. Sometimes it is really hot, other times it is raining. They are being blessed so much for their efforts, I love to see that. Lovely, the recent convert older sister, is already done reading 2 Nephi and is in Jacob. Juvy, her 13 year old younger sister is in 1 Nephi 16 and their younger 11 year old sister Michelle is reading as well, though not as far. We are visiting the Anteligando family alot right now. MaryJoy and her younger brother are inactive members that got baptized a year ago. Their mom and 2 aunts are interested and hopefully they will all start coming back to church and the 3 of them will be baptized. My companion is a really good teacher and always makes the lessons fun and interesting. I am learning a lot from my junior companion.
We were able to go to the temple today. That was great! It has been so long since the last time I have been there, 3 months I think. It was closed one week when we were supposed to go, and I transferred right before my old district went and right after my new district did. Needless to say it was so good to be in the house of the Lord today. It was definitely worth the 3 hour bus ride there. We are about to head back right now. We had McDonalds for lunch, it was soo good! Nothing like good ol' filipino-ized American food! I spent about 250 Pesos, or about $6. That’s more than most people in my area make in a day!
Thank you for the package. The food is almost all gone. It was really good. The only request I have for the next one is beef jerky. That spicy jack links was really good. I could go for some more of that.
Sure love you all,
Elder Schenk
Maayong haopn sa inyo tanan. Maayo gud ang kinabuhi diri sa Polambato. Dako kaayo akong gugma sa tawo diri. I am so grateful to be a missionary. I have learned so much since I have been in Polambato even though it has only been 1 month. I can't believe how fast time is flying by. I only have 5 more transfers left! That's like nothing! Ill probably only have one more area after this. I hope that I am assigned here for a long time. This is one of the happiest times of my life.
We have good success right now in our area. We have 3 baptisms this Saturday and I just found out from President Schmutz that they are going to be building a church in my area! An actual church building and not just a renovated house. They are still in the planning mode, and not everything is approved yet, but it is so exciting that after almost a year of no building that they will get one again. It will probably take a long time to build though and I will be home before it is finished.
In our ward we teach the gospel essentials class for the investigators, recent converts and all of the youth. There is so little leadership here. We also speak every 3rd Sunday, so this week. We are a large part of the ward here. We have continued to walk with our investigators to church. That is really good in building our relationship with them, I just hope that they will have faith to keep coming even if we don't walk with them. Sometimes it is really hot, other times it is raining. They are being blessed so much for their efforts, I love to see that. Lovely, the recent convert older sister, is already done reading 2 Nephi and is in Jacob. Juvy, her 13 year old younger sister is in 1 Nephi 16 and their younger 11 year old sister Michelle is reading as well, though not as far. We are visiting the Anteligando family alot right now. MaryJoy and her younger brother are inactive members that got baptized a year ago. Their mom and 2 aunts are interested and hopefully they will all start coming back to church and the 3 of them will be baptized. My companion is a really good teacher and always makes the lessons fun and interesting. I am learning a lot from my junior companion.
We were able to go to the temple today. That was great! It has been so long since the last time I have been there, 3 months I think. It was closed one week when we were supposed to go, and I transferred right before my old district went and right after my new district did. Needless to say it was so good to be in the house of the Lord today. It was definitely worth the 3 hour bus ride there. We are about to head back right now. We had McDonalds for lunch, it was soo good! Nothing like good ol' filipino-ized American food! I spent about 250 Pesos, or about $6. That’s more than most people in my area make in a day!
Thank you for the package. The food is almost all gone. It was really good. The only request I have for the next one is beef jerky. That spicy jack links was really good. I could go for some more of that.
Sure love you all,
Elder Schenk
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
September 6, 2011
Good Morning Everyone!
So you know, I will probably be emailing earlier now. We are emailing first thing in the morning here. Don't feel too bad if you missed emailing on time some of the last times, I still know you love me. Maybe you could email the day before so dad doesn't feel guilty.
Today we have a zone activity. We are going to Daan Bantayan, I guess it is really beautiful there. We bought 2 kilos of tilapia (fish), 2 kilos of Filippino pork chop and 4 kilos of mangoes. It is going to be a great BBQ!
Last night we walked from Polambato to Olbo, about 15 min through a jungle of palm trees and banana trees and some underbrush, over a bamboo bridge that the missionaries built about 6 months ago, and through a beautiful field with cows and a ton of frogs. I love that part of my area. It was raining so we got wet. And then coming home we got soaked, it poured. That was fun. I also went through a sugar cane field for the first time yesterday. We took a short cut. The leaves are rough and you have to put your arms up to protect your face. The path was made for little kids, not tall Americans. Sugar cane probably gets to be over 10 feet tall and is more crowded than a corn field. It was fun.
My zone had a ton of success this week. All of the areas are doing great, and from the records from November to now, we broke a bunch of records like investigators with a baptismal date, investigators attending sacrament meeting, and lessons with a member present. In the 4 areas in our zone we have 33 investigators with a baptismal date! That is incredible! I love my area. I have felt such a joy serving here, more-so than the rest of my mission. I love the people so much and love serving them. We walked to and from church with our investigators again on Sunday. We saw them walking while we were waiting for a ride and decided to go with them. I also went on exchanges with the District leader, Elder Swicegood, one of my favorite missionaries, on Tuesday last week, and from what the president told me that he told him, I guess I am a good missionary. That's good to hear.
I am so satisfied with where I am in life. I love my mission so much and am so happy to be here in Polombato. My apartment is amazing. It is one of the nicest, if not the nicest I have seen. It has a granite counter top in the kitchen and is well built. I have had a brand new one before, but it was really low quality and things started breaking after a few weeks. So I am happy here. We live in a gated community like grandma Hart, the nicest homes in my area. It makes me feel bad that we have it so nice when our investigators have nothing. I wish I could help them temporally so bad. I’ll have to settle with teaching them the gospel.
Sure love you all! Take care.
Love,
Elder Schenk
So you know, I will probably be emailing earlier now. We are emailing first thing in the morning here. Don't feel too bad if you missed emailing on time some of the last times, I still know you love me. Maybe you could email the day before so dad doesn't feel guilty.
Today we have a zone activity. We are going to Daan Bantayan, I guess it is really beautiful there. We bought 2 kilos of tilapia (fish), 2 kilos of Filippino pork chop and 4 kilos of mangoes. It is going to be a great BBQ!
Last night we walked from Polambato to Olbo, about 15 min through a jungle of palm trees and banana trees and some underbrush, over a bamboo bridge that the missionaries built about 6 months ago, and through a beautiful field with cows and a ton of frogs. I love that part of my area. It was raining so we got wet. And then coming home we got soaked, it poured. That was fun. I also went through a sugar cane field for the first time yesterday. We took a short cut. The leaves are rough and you have to put your arms up to protect your face. The path was made for little kids, not tall Americans. Sugar cane probably gets to be over 10 feet tall and is more crowded than a corn field. It was fun.
My zone had a ton of success this week. All of the areas are doing great, and from the records from November to now, we broke a bunch of records like investigators with a baptismal date, investigators attending sacrament meeting, and lessons with a member present. In the 4 areas in our zone we have 33 investigators with a baptismal date! That is incredible! I love my area. I have felt such a joy serving here, more-so than the rest of my mission. I love the people so much and love serving them. We walked to and from church with our investigators again on Sunday. We saw them walking while we were waiting for a ride and decided to go with them. I also went on exchanges with the District leader, Elder Swicegood, one of my favorite missionaries, on Tuesday last week, and from what the president told me that he told him, I guess I am a good missionary. That's good to hear.
I am so satisfied with where I am in life. I love my mission so much and am so happy to be here in Polombato. My apartment is amazing. It is one of the nicest, if not the nicest I have seen. It has a granite counter top in the kitchen and is well built. I have had a brand new one before, but it was really low quality and things started breaking after a few weeks. So I am happy here. We live in a gated community like grandma Hart, the nicest homes in my area. It makes me feel bad that we have it so nice when our investigators have nothing. I wish I could help them temporally so bad. I’ll have to settle with teaching them the gospel.
Sure love you all! Take care.
Love,
Elder Schenk
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