Letter of Release

Dear Brother and Sister Schenk:

This is surely an exciting time as you await the return of your son, Elder Devin Keith Schenk. He is scheduled to return home on Thursday, 7 June 2012. Elder Schenk has rendered faithful service and has achieved substantial personal growth. His willingness to learn and the effort he has put forth in the growth of the kingdom has been an inspiration to both members and missionaries alike. It has been a pleasure laboring with him in the Philippines Cebu Mission.

While here, Elder Schenk has served with several companions and labored in various areas. He has served as Senior Companion, Trainer, and District Leader. In these areas of increased responsibility, he has served faithfully, performed his duties well, and rendered valuable service.

Here are the details about your son’s honorable release:

1. We will provide an airline ticket for travel from Cebu to the airport nearest his home. He will arrive on Thursday, 7 June 2012.

2. Missionaries must travel directly home. Any exceptions are to be approved in advance by the Mission President and the missionary’s parents.

3. The cost of any change of approved travel plans will be paid by the missionary.

4. He is to report to his Stake President as soon as possible after his arrival home.

Thank you for raising such an exceptional young man. May the Lord’s choicest blessings be poured out upon you and your family always.

Warmest regards,

President Evan A. Schmutz

Philippines Cebu Mission

April 24, 2012

Paste Lan Eric! Choy legi ka kaayo! It means you’re a handsome devil! Nice work becoming the king by popular vote! Amalakaya tried to do that and ended up with the Nephite army chasing him. You were much more successful, and much better looking!
This Friday I am transferring to Sibonga/ Argao branches. I was assigned in CarCar, the next area over, before so I have been to both of them. Now there are only two missionaries for both branches. One of the branches has only been open for a year and neither of them have a church building, just rented houses. It is a HUGE area, the last one on the south end of Cebu on the East coast. This is my 7th area, once again on Cebu. My companion is Elder Ibay from northern Philippines, I think. I met him once. I will be follow-up training him. It is his 3rd transfer. It is a beautiful area out in the middle of nowhere with clean water and nice beaches. Thant will be nice. The city is so dirty.
This next Friday Elder Nelson is coming to speak to us! We are super excited about that! That is two apostles in one year!

If you moved what is your apartment like?
I have been to the apartment before, it is great! They have a huge kitchen and the house had couches in it when they moved in. Usually we just get plastic chairs.

When did you meet with President Schmutz last? What kinds of things has he been teaching you lately?
We had zone interviews last week. He taught us about the true reason why people sin and go inactive. We are to apply it to our less actives and try to build them back up so they are active again, and then apply it in our lives so that we never go inactive. It was a great talk.
Are you taking lots of pictures?
YES!
Have you been feeling healthy and taking good care of yourself?
For the most part yes. No major problems. I just got a chest xray last week so that the mission knows that the outgoing missionaries don't have tuberculosis. I don't.
What kinds of things can we pray about for you?
You can pray for me to have the spirit to be with me to guide me to those sincerely seeking the truth and be converted or reactivated, and also that I will be guided to know what to teach them. Pray also for the Sibonga and Argao branches to strengthen.

Sure love you all. Take care,
Elder Schenk

April 17, 2012

Mom,
My homecoming week sounds great! Friday graduation, and then Monday Hawaii...I can do that. I'm sure there are a few good stories I could think of to tell.
We had success again last week with another baptism on Wednesday, Rizalini Acapulco. She just finished reading first Nephi. I love it when converts grasp on and work hard to strengthen their testimony. We just started working with another investigator, Bebes (nice name!), who is the friend of a member. She is 14, we think (forgot to ask) and was almost baptized at least twice. The first time her dad got mad, so the record says, and the second time her mom wouldn't sign the baptismal record authorizing it. Apparently her mom was just joking and was fine that she got baptized but Bebes thought she was serious. Latter her mom asked about her baptism and Bebes said she hadn't been baptized because her mom hadn't signed the form. Oops. So we are going to have to BRT (build relationship and trust) with the parents before the baptism this time. When Riza got baptized last week Bebes was really wishing she could be baptized too. All of the youth thought that Bebes was already a member because she goes to church and activities. She is friends with the entire ym and yw so no problems there.
Next Friday is transfers. Either Elder Galdonez or I will be transferring. He has become my favorite companion of all. He has also been with me for the longest, two and a half transfers. Ill let you know next week who transfers.
And now for the story. Today we are fasting as a zone. Last night we got a call from the zone leaders saying that we, as a zone, will be fasting for the investigator of the Assistants. He was a catholic priest who has been all over the world preaching and learning. His family is very catholic with his aunts and uncles in leadership positions. He has been converted his baptism was scheduled for today, but he has been taken by his uncle to an island way on the edge of the Philippines and locked up there. Apparently they found out he was going to be baptized and didn't approve. So we are fasting that he can get out of prison and be baptized. It is the best story I have heard of persecution here in the mission. We will watch the hand of the Lord work miracles for him.
I love you all. I am grateful to be a missionary. It is the best thing I have ever done.
Love,
Elder Schenk

April 11, 2012

Maayong gabii sa inyo tanan. How are you all doing? Sounds like you had a fun Easter and are doing great. Easter here in the Philippines is a little different. I actually forgot it was Easter until it was mentioned in a conference talk. I never heard the word Easter, and if you aren't Catholic you don't celebrate it. They call it holy week with each day having a special name and something that you do. They even take a few days off from work as a public holiday. And yes, some guys get nailed to the cross. They don't truly appreciate the Atonement and why Christ suffered for us.

Thinks are going well here in the mission. We are having a lot of success. We have a baptism tonight, Rizalini Alcapulco. We only started teaching her 2 weeks ago and originally planned her baptism for next Saturday, but she kept pushing it up until today. She is a great investigator. She is the cousin of the wife of our bishop and is living with them while she is on her break from schooling. Before she even moved here she had told her aunt that she wanted to be baptized. She had gone to a few different churches and decided that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is the true one. Elder Plania, who was my companion in Consolation, is her cousin and is in our district and Riza asked if he could baptize her. So he gets to do that.

And now for the Question and Answer part.
I loved the Talk in priesthood session from Elder Bednar who talked about his father joining the church. It addresses a lot of the concerns with the members here. I also loved all of the talks Sunday about parenting. Good parenting is soooo important. I can see a huge difference in the people I work with depending on how their parents raised them.

What did you do on Easter, have an Easter dinner somewhere?
Easter was like any other day. Nobody acknowledged it as Easter.

Did you get your package yet? Did you like the stuff in it? Did the chocolate melt all over?
I did get my package. It was great, and the chocolate made it just fine. Everyone was jealous that they didn't get one. I think they are just jealous that I have the best mother in the WORLD! Their moms didn't send them anything.

Sure Love you all! Take care,
Elder Schenk

April 4, 2012

Family,
(please correct the mistyped, miscapitalized or mispunctuated words, this keyboard has a few flaws...)
It has been a HOT week here in the Philippines! I am sweating and we are in an air conditioned room. It has been a great week though, one full of great surprises. The first surprise we had was on Sunday. We had 7 investigators and 12 less actives come to church! 7 of the less actives came for the first time in a few months. That was really exciting. It makes missionary work a lot of fun when you have success in bringing souls unto Christ. We also have 4 investigators with baptismal dates for April. They had all been for the 21st, but on Monday we had another surprise when Riza asked if she could move her baptismal date. She wants to be baptized sooner! Not a problem! She will be baptized on her grandfather’s birthday, Friday the 13. Hopefully everything goes well. Her cousin, elder Plania, who used to be my companion, is in our district and Riza asked if he could baptize her. That will be great.
The Ricafort family is doing great. They have been to church twice in a row and three of them have a baptismal date for the 21st, noel, the father, and his two daughters, Marjorie - 9, and Bella Mae - 8. The rest of their family is all members.

What shoes are you wearing for basketball? Did you end up buying tennis shoes?
I bought some used Nike’s for under $5. I have been using those. We play every week now. I am getting a lot better. That makes it fun. But you have to play early in the morning because by 9:00 it is too hot.

Can you get Eric one of those cool belts?
I did that a month ago. Anything else to buy? I asked about some pearls the other day. They have some deep sea pearls that are super expensive, about $80 for one pearl, or some lower quality ones that aren't perfect circles but are still good that are really cheap. You can buy a one foot strand (approximately) for $5-$10. But you have to make it yourself. I can get those for you if you would like.

Do you have any new ideas about what you want to study in college or what career you are interested in?
I have had a lot of ideas and was not planning on anything to do with computers, but the other day I decided electronics is what I love and am good at. I might try more on the making and repairing of hardware and not so much on the using the computer part. I can’t stare at a screen all day. I have also thought about finances or business.

What has been a blessing from serving your mission that you may not have mentioned before?
I think one of the greatest blessings has been what I wrote Eric about. I have learned how blessed I am and how important I must be to the plan of God, and how important it is for me to be the very best that I can be to fulfill my purpose. One of the prophets said that it should be a matter of pride that you will do more than anyone else, according to your individual capabilities, to further the kingdom of God on earth. He said that it has always been his goal to do his part here on earth. I have learned the importance of doing that.

I sure love you all. I’m excited for conference!
Love,
Elder Schenk

Dude what’s up little brother? Kamusta man ka dong?
So your all getting ready to head out to college like a big boy. Nice work. My keyboard sucks, by the way, so there may be a few errors, like capitalization of letters. Sorry. I’m super stoked for you to get out and experience life out of the good ol' sheltered Schenk home. Though college and my mission my eyes were opened after I saw bad parenting, drugs, drinking, breastfeeding in public, naked babies crying in the street, homeless families who live on the skywalk over the highway, broken homes, broken families, you really begin to see how wonderful your life is. When you get out you will realize that you are in the 99th percentile of "THE MOST BLESSED PEOPLE IN THE WORLD-- TEMPORALLY AND SPIRITUALY" category. Your parents rank among the very best. Don’t be like I was when I first went to college and not write the family or call home. That’s no way to thank your parents. I’ve repented. I write them a letter every week now and will continue that for a long time.
Take care. I love you to death!
Elder Schenk

Dad,

Hey send some of that cold weather this way. This has been the hottest week of my life! Check the temperature here in Cebu and let me know how hot it really is. Give me both Fahrenheit and Celsius. Is it up to 40c? It just hurts to be outside between 12:00 and 2:00.
Love you dad, enjoy skiing!
Love,
Elder Schenk