Family,
We have been having a great week here in Argaw. I love it here. The members have such strong faith and want to be good members so bad. I am grateful for their good examples. There are about 35 who come to church, and we had 25 of them at an FHE at the house of an investigator last night. They are mostly poor fishermen. A lot of people in Argaw fish for a living. It is a little town with nice beaches and beautiful water. I love it here so much! The people are amazing! I get excited every day that we get to work there. We only work there on Tuesdays, Fridays and Sundays because we work in Sibunga the other days.
I will be skyping next Monday after district meeting, probably about 1pm my time. That is a little late in the evening for you so if another time would work better email me and I’ll be able to check tomorrow. President still hasn't sent my letter yet so he gave us a chance tomorrow to read it. Anyways just confirm so that we can be on at the same time.
I want to finish telling the story I started writing two weeks ago about Nickie. He was a catholic priest who has been all over the world preaching. He has even taught in the Vatican City. He was taught by the assistants to the president here a was converted, but a few days before his scheduled baptism date his uncle took him and imprisoned him in some cell way up on one of the furthest north islands of the Philippines. His family is very catholic. A lot of his aunts and uncles are priests and the female leaders (I forget what they are called). The entire City zone and President Schmutz and a lot of the temple missionaries fasted for him so that he would be released. The only people who had a key to his cell were the highest catholic leaders there. One day while he was praying he heard the door open. He went over to see who had opened it, but nobody was there. He escaped from his prison cell and found some fishermen and got a ride on their boat to another island. While there a 70 year old lady asked him if he was a priest. It was a strange question because he was wearing civilian clothing. He said that he used to be, and told his story. She gave him money for transportation and food to come back home. I transferred after that so I haven't heard, but I would guess he is baptized now. That story gives me goose bumps every time I tell it. I love it. It was so great to be a part of it.
Last Friday we had zone conference with Elder Neilson of the seventy. He told us that we have the most obedient mission out of the 17 missions in the Philippines! He also told us that we are leading all of the other missions in the reactivation and rescue efforts. They receive four statistics from every mission about it. 1. How many less actives have been visited for the first time? (1st place) 2. How many less actives have been to church for four weeks in a row? (2nd place) 3. How many lessons have been taught to less actives? (6th I think) 4. How many baptisms have occurred in result to teaching less active families? (1st place) We have been having great success!
And now for the questions.
Are you doing a lot of cooking now or eating out?
We eat breakfast at the house, usually oatmeal, and then buy lunch somewhere, and then ether eat dinner at a members house or cook something up quick at home before we go to bed. The members here make you eat a lot! I get soo full sooo often. Its great! We had dinner appointments last Friday, Sunday, Tuesday and we have another one tonight and Friday through Sunday this week we should have them as well. That is great news!
What's the weirdest thing that's happened in your new area?
The weirdest thing for me is how many people I know. I got to know a lot of the members or investigators in the Argaw and Sibunga areas while I was assigned in CarCar. I did community service projects at their houses and saw them at general conference and temple tours. There are families who have pictures of us doing service in their house. There is even one family who remembered who I was, realized that I had lost weight and noticed that my acne had gone away and I only saw them for one day during general conference! That blows my mind. I also have pictures of a lot of them on my camera. I also see so many people from the CarCar area. We used to eat lunch at the Ortega family every Saturday when I was assigned there, and now they work right next to my apartment. I can see them work from the window in our study area. My companion is always amazed that I know so many people. It is a lot of fun. And then I go to the temple and know so many people there. There are a lot of workers and stake and ward leaders that I have gotten to know there.
I sure love you guys. I’ll see you on Monday!
Love,
Elder Schenk
We have been having a great week here in Argaw. I love it here. The members have such strong faith and want to be good members so bad. I am grateful for their good examples. There are about 35 who come to church, and we had 25 of them at an FHE at the house of an investigator last night. They are mostly poor fishermen. A lot of people in Argaw fish for a living. It is a little town with nice beaches and beautiful water. I love it here so much! The people are amazing! I get excited every day that we get to work there. We only work there on Tuesdays, Fridays and Sundays because we work in Sibunga the other days.
I will be skyping next Monday after district meeting, probably about 1pm my time. That is a little late in the evening for you so if another time would work better email me and I’ll be able to check tomorrow. President still hasn't sent my letter yet so he gave us a chance tomorrow to read it. Anyways just confirm so that we can be on at the same time.
I want to finish telling the story I started writing two weeks ago about Nickie. He was a catholic priest who has been all over the world preaching. He has even taught in the Vatican City. He was taught by the assistants to the president here a was converted, but a few days before his scheduled baptism date his uncle took him and imprisoned him in some cell way up on one of the furthest north islands of the Philippines. His family is very catholic. A lot of his aunts and uncles are priests and the female leaders (I forget what they are called). The entire City zone and President Schmutz and a lot of the temple missionaries fasted for him so that he would be released. The only people who had a key to his cell were the highest catholic leaders there. One day while he was praying he heard the door open. He went over to see who had opened it, but nobody was there. He escaped from his prison cell and found some fishermen and got a ride on their boat to another island. While there a 70 year old lady asked him if he was a priest. It was a strange question because he was wearing civilian clothing. He said that he used to be, and told his story. She gave him money for transportation and food to come back home. I transferred after that so I haven't heard, but I would guess he is baptized now. That story gives me goose bumps every time I tell it. I love it. It was so great to be a part of it.
Last Friday we had zone conference with Elder Neilson of the seventy. He told us that we have the most obedient mission out of the 17 missions in the Philippines! He also told us that we are leading all of the other missions in the reactivation and rescue efforts. They receive four statistics from every mission about it. 1. How many less actives have been visited for the first time? (1st place) 2. How many less actives have been to church for four weeks in a row? (2nd place) 3. How many lessons have been taught to less actives? (6th I think) 4. How many baptisms have occurred in result to teaching less active families? (1st place) We have been having great success!
And now for the questions.
Are you doing a lot of cooking now or eating out?
We eat breakfast at the house, usually oatmeal, and then buy lunch somewhere, and then ether eat dinner at a members house or cook something up quick at home before we go to bed. The members here make you eat a lot! I get soo full sooo often. Its great! We had dinner appointments last Friday, Sunday, Tuesday and we have another one tonight and Friday through Sunday this week we should have them as well. That is great news!
What's the weirdest thing that's happened in your new area?
The weirdest thing for me is how many people I know. I got to know a lot of the members or investigators in the Argaw and Sibunga areas while I was assigned in CarCar. I did community service projects at their houses and saw them at general conference and temple tours. There are families who have pictures of us doing service in their house. There is even one family who remembered who I was, realized that I had lost weight and noticed that my acne had gone away and I only saw them for one day during general conference! That blows my mind. I also have pictures of a lot of them on my camera. I also see so many people from the CarCar area. We used to eat lunch at the Ortega family every Saturday when I was assigned there, and now they work right next to my apartment. I can see them work from the window in our study area. My companion is always amazed that I know so many people. It is a lot of fun. And then I go to the temple and know so many people there. There are a lot of workers and stake and ward leaders that I have gotten to know there.
I sure love you guys. I’ll see you on Monday!
Love,
Elder Schenk
This might be my favorite letter yet. I love how my brothers are all suddenly so popular. Eric is prom king, Devin knows everybody in a place he has never been...fame must run in our family.
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