Maayong Hapon sa inyung tanan diha!
First of all, I just have to adress the fact that HOW HAVE I ALREADY BEEN GONE FOR 6 MONTHS?
I know that's only like a quarter of my mission,
but it's crazy to think that it's already a quarter done.
From now on, I'm going to look at it like this... I still have a year and a half! Phew, good thing... because I still have so much left to do here!
Everything is doing so well here. I am so grateful to be here at this point in my life. I can honestly say, I don't know how anyone could truly become the person they are meant to be without going on their mission and applying the things that they have learned.
This week was an awesome week. I loved it. I also don't know how it went by so quickly. I have learned so much in such a short week here on the mission.
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| Ok...let's go to that house over there........ |
This past week, Elder Tavui and I have been trying to just work with every single thing we have. I know that's what we need to do every single week, but this week, we really put it in our minds to give EVERYTHING. It was awesome. It was tiring. But it was awesome.
We have been working HARD! I have come home every night wanting nothing but to pray and sleep.
Sunday was a tender mercy of the Lord. It was the Daily Bread of our week. We had 7 investigators come to church this last week. 4 of them are brand new and are an AWESOME family of siblings - the Depaublos family. 1 is a very nice security guard (Bro. Torres) that we have been teaching for the past few weeks (up until this week, he has had work every Sunday - he asked for a replacement starting now on, and CAME TO CHURCH!!). The other 2 were our IBD's for a little later on in the month - Lisa and Sunshine. I was so grateful to be able to sit with these wonderful people I love at church. I am so grateful to my Heavenly Father for the tender mercies that He sends our way always.
Monday - We went on exchanges with our Zone Leaders. I went and worked in Bayawan with Elder Blount (from North Carolina) and Elder Tavui and Elder Emnace (from Davao) stayed here in Siaton. I love these opportunities I get to work with my leaders in the mission. They are truly amazing missionaries and every time I get to work with them, I am reminded what I want to become.
Wednesday - Today is just an awesome day. I hope your's is as well :)
The fruit here is amazing!! My favorite is definitely mango. I never ate it before, but now it's basically the most popular fruit here. I LOVE getting mangos and making mango floats (delicious dessert - google it) when we have a little time.
Also, lots of bananas (Hey Danny), and pineapples mixed in. There are also some weirder ones, but I haven't memorized all the names yet. There's jack fruit and dorian. They are alright haha.
As I think about the past 6 months of my life, I was trying to summarize it in one sentence. Maybe the one big thing that I have learned.
As I was thinking, I was reminded of a quote that says it perfectly - way better than I ever could.
"True doctrine, understood, changes attitudes and behavior," (Pres. Boyd K. Packer).
It's true, brothers and sisters. I love this Gospel of Jesus Christ. I love the pure, simple, and true doctrine that are contained in it. Every day I strive to do what I need to do here to further the kingdom of God on the earth. I love studying the scriptures. I hope that you do to. Try and develop a love for them. I promise that everything else will fall into place if we just develop first this love.
Here's a funnyish story that happens almost every single day of my life. So our house that we're renting has an owner that lives out back. He used to live in the house though. There was a sign out front when he lived here that said he sells ice. (ice is one of those things that you kinda have to go out of your way to get - almost like the black market).
Anyways..... Almost every single day - and I'm not kidding when I say that - there is an "AYOOOO" outside. We go out to just find people yelling "iceee, iceee". Everytime we have to explain the entire situation and that "No... we're sorry. Brother Walden does NOT sell ice anymore. But we are missionaries from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints....." and that's where it goes from there. Hahaha.
Also, some kids that think they're funny will ring the doorbell thing at like one in the morning and stand out and yell "iceeeeeee." Haha they're my friends though... I think....
I hope you all have an unbelievably amazing week. I love you all so very much. I am doing fantastic over here. Bisag kapoy nga lawas matag adlaw, okay kaayo gihapon tungod kay nasayud jud ko, wala'y duhaduha sa akong kasingkasing, nga tinuod kining Ebanghelyo ni Jesucristo. I love you - just keep moving forward and loving life <3
Love,
Elder Jacobs
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| That's one way to move it |
