December 27, 2011

Family,
It was really good to be able to talk with you on Monday. Christmas was a great one. I enjoyed it very much.
Since we talked on Monday some new events have happened. I’ll go through them.
First Monday at two o'clock I got my companion. His name is Brother Enriquez. When I forget his name I just think of Eric’s name in Spanish and then add a "z". He is from Talamban here in Cebu City, so he is not too far from home. It is probably about a 40 min jeepney ride if there isn't traffic. He has a mission call to the Philippines Davao Mission, the third largest city in the Philippines coming after Manila and Cebu City. He enters the MTC on January 14 so he will only be my companion for about 2 weeks. After that I guess I get a new one. They are still trying to get it all figured out. One of the best up-sides to having a non-missionary companion is that every lesson has a member present and I don't have to worry about getting a member to as many lessons so we can teach the females. There has to be a non-missionary adult male for us to teach lessons. So that will help the work move right along. Often we cannot teach lessons because there are only females home. Brother Enriquez is going to be a great missionary. We taught a lesson on faith on our first day together and he nailed it! I was so impressed. He is pretty shy though because he is just brand spankin' new and hasn't even been into the MTC yet. Also he lives with three Americans which I am sure is a shocking experience. He is good at English though so that helps. When a missionary first gets into the field they are born and their trainer is their father. I was talking to Elder Stirland about what I am going to call him since he hasn't even been born yet. He is still like a fetus. I don't get my actual son until next transfer. Elder Stirland told me he is like my puppy. In the movie Marley and Me the guy gets a dog to prepare him to be a father. So I don't have a son yet, but I've got a puppy! I guess I'm just being prepared for the real deal.
The second thing was that we got to sing in the multi-stake cantata last night. We got there at 3:30 and learned the song Candle Lite Carol. They didn't have sheet music, only the words so we had to learn it just by singing it over and over and over again. But at 6:30 we sang. Success! It was fun to be able to support my new ward and get to know the members better. I also got to see members from four of my last areas. That was fun.
For the question about the carport, I always like wood better than carpet. Here in the Philippines they don't even have carpet. I have never seen it outside of the temple or a church building. It just doesn't exist here. No vacuums.
Also about the nativity sets, I just met a guy yesterday who can get them made out of oyster shells. It looks really cool. He showed me some samples of animals he had made. It has a Mary, Joseph, Jesus, 3 kings, I think 2 shepherds and 3 animals, a carabao, a pig and a chicken, the animals of the Philippines! It is expensive though. It is P3500 or about $80. They stand about 6" tall. Let me know. I’ll try to find a cool cheap one.
Love you all. Take care,
Elder Schenk

December 25, 2011 Christmas "Phone Call"

Devin is doing great!  We got to skype with him for an hour.  Our connection was good, so we could see him well and hear him just fine.  He is now in downtown Cebu City in the Capitol area, living in an apartment with 2 other Elders.  He was getting his new companion the day we spoke.  There was no need for me to worry about his Christmas celebration in a new place where he didn't know anyone.  The other elders took him along to like 8 meal appointments in 3 days.  He had his best dinner and breakfast the whole time on his mission on Christmas Eve and Christmas morning.  He loves being a missionary and being in the Philippines.   We sure enjoyed seeing him!

December 19, 2011

Family,
Merry Christmas to you all! I hope you are all enjoying all of the cold weather there, we are getting none here. White Christmases come in different ways here, baptisms and sealings. I will be skyping this Monday here about 8 in the morning, but I can’t be certain on the time because I am transferring tomorrow! I will be assigned in Cebu City in the Capitol area. I will be training a new missionary so neither me nor my companion will know the area. I find out tomorrow at transfers who it is. They were deciding between putting me in the Branch presidency here in Polambato or having me be a trainer. I also don’t know what time the internet cafes open there, but I’ll shoot for 8 am Monday morning. That should be around 6pm Christmas day for you... I think. I don’t have much time to write because my entire district is waiting for me so that we can get a district picture. Take care, I love you all.
Merry Christmas!
Elder Schenk

December 13, 2011

Family,
Merry Christmas! 11 days na lang!
Wow, carport looks impressive! Nice work dad! That would have been fun to help with, I love framing building.
We are one week away from transfers here in the mission. We will find out next Monday who will be staying and who will be going. I have been in the zone for as long as anyone and will probably be transferring. It’s hard to believe that I only have 4 transfers left! A transfer goes by so fast! I'm not ready to come home yet, I have way to much work to do here in the mission. I also love how much I am learning. The last two transfers as district leader I have learned more than at any other time in my life. I have been given more responsibilities which have taught me and helped me better understand true leadership. I have grown to love these people so much. I have seen so many soften though the touch of the spirit. It has truly strengthened my testimony. Out of my five areas Polambato has been by far my favorite, and also one of the most challenging. I have come to see the love the Lord has for these people and just how important each child is to our Heavenly Father. This gospel is his perfect plan to be able to bless us. I have seen that so many times here in the mission.
I will be skyping Monday morning here after Christmas, that is if I can find an internet cafe open early in the morning. I’ll let you know.
I did receive both Christmas packages. Thank you. My companion and I are going to have a great Christmas!
Our new focus of reactivation and retention is so rewarding. I have found so much joy in helping those who have lost their way come back to the gospel and get back on track for the Celestial Kingdom (2 Nephi 31:19-20). I have seen first hand what the Lord Himself has said, "Repent, and I will receive you" (Alma 5:33). I think that is correct, I translated from Cebuano.
Thank you so much for your love and concern and for the many many prayers in my behalf and in behalf of the people I am working with and for all missionaries. Your faith is helping the cause of countless miracles.
Love,
Elder Schenk

Decembe 6, 2011 Pasko NA!

Family, This week has been probably the favorite of my entire mission! The last four days have been so AMAZING! Here is what happened.

I have never been so pumped and ready to work in my entire mission! On Saturday I went on exchanges with Elder Wangsgaard. We had such a successful day. We taught a family who was offended and has been inactive for about four months. At first they didn't even want us to enter their house and were super closed down. But after we had gotten in and brt'd (Build relationship and trust) them we were able to teach a lesson. During the lesson they opened up their concern to us. We were able to teach to their needs and ask some inspired questions. After, while answering, the sister started to cry. She had felt that she had forgotten the Lord, but that the Lord had not forgotten her. She then committed herself to come to church the next day, which she did with her Melchizedek priesthood holding husband and youth grandson. I have never been so excited to see anyone at church. And they were there early! I am so grateful to have had that experience.

But the joy doesn't end there. Monday we went back and taught them, and after that lesson were able to teach their son and his wife, who are also members. They as well were hesitant to let us teach, but in the end had been deeply touched by the spirit. The brother had said previously that he often works on Sundays and couldn't come to church. On Monday he told us that he could be absent from work on Sundays if he wanted and that that was not a problem. We are planning on them coming to church this week.

After that we taught another family, the Mahusay family. The mother and father have been inactive for 15 years and their son and his cousin are also recently inactive. They ALL committed to come back to church this Sunday, other that the father who has work, but he will come the next week.

And then yesterday with Elder Wong we taught a priesthood holder who was baptized 5 years ago and then went inactive two years later because his wife had gone inactive and he didn't like going to church alone. He committed to help prepare his wife and kids to come back through family prayer and scripture study and he committed to come to church this Sunday.

Can you see now why I am so excited? We have been blessed with so much success and I have felt a joy that is so sweet. I can hardly wait to get to my studies in the morning so that I can dig into the doctrine and feel the spirit, and then I get so excited just to get out the door and save those souls who are dwindling in unbelief. I love this work! It is so much more rewarding reactivating than tracting. If everyone follows through with their commitments the priesthood attendance at church will double this week.

I also got your package today. I am excited to open that. Thanks.

Also I got a letter from Jeff Komar. Please tell him thank you for me. He always reads my blog so you could just put it on there. By the way he said that my blog is super good and that he is making one for Anna and wants lessons from mom.

Take care, love you all!

Elder Schenk

November 29, 2011

Family,
Thank you for your emails. It sounds like you all had a great thanksgiving. I wish I could have joined in the turkey bowl and the skiing, but we had a good thanksgiving here. The Baileys treated us well. There was way too much food as apparently the Filipinos don't understand the concept of the holiday, eating! Some of them ate before they came! At any rate Elder Wangsgaard and I (the two American elders) did a good work. I ate so much that when I tried to stand up, I sat right back down! It hurt too bad to stand. Success!
I experienced my first “Dressed in white, twice!” today. Two of our recent converts went to the temple today to do baptisms for the dead. That will be great for them.
On Sunday we had 8 investigators at church! I don't get it. We are now focusing on the members and then all of the sudden all of the investigators came to church. I love this work!
Well I am officially out of time. I had to write two letters to President Schmutz because the first one didn't send right and got lost. Suffice it to say, I am learning a lot and am grateful that the Lord has entrusted me with the trials I have. There is no other way to be learning these experiences.
Love you all!
Elder Schenk