DID YOU THINK I WAS KIDDING LAST WEEK ABOUT THE TOILET IN THE MIDDLE OF THE FIELD???

Dear Favorites,

First of all........ DID YOU THINK I WAS KIDDING LAST WEEK ABOUT THE TOILET IN THE MIDDLE OF THE FIELD???

HAHAHA!!!!! Ya....No joke. Please do not try to picture me out there on that.

Oh and check out the awesome motorbike for FOUR in the background!

Well sure enough, just like in the days of the creation, another week has come and gone. So fast! We were unbelievably busy this last week and it gets even crazier next week. Just wait for this update.

Grab some popcorn (preferably some of my mom & dad's homemade specialty), a blanket

(is it cold there? haha I wouldn't know...what does it even feel like to be cold?), and sit back for this one. I loved life this week:

Turns out my companion can sleep anywhere.....

On Thursday we had Zone Training up in Bayawan. For those that don't know, this is a meeting every month in which we get to hear the workshop that the Mission President gives to all the Zone Leaders and STL's in the mission. They, in turn, relay the workshop on to us. To sum it up = 4 hours of pure bliss. I loved the workshop.



It was on the Doctrine of Temples. Umm.... WOW. I'm not going to share too much, but I want everyone to stop and think about the temple for a minute. If we don't know what a temple is, ask a member or go to LDS.org and search it (https://www.lds.org/church/temples?lang=eng).

Just like in the Savior's earthly ministry, There are things taught in the temple that simply cannot be found in a corrupted world like ours. Let us get to the temple as often as we can!

While he slept, I did some contacting.....

In the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints we are counseled to make regular temple attendance a part of our schedule. For most people, this means once a month and If that is truly all we can fit in, that's great and it needs to happen.

But for those that live in my hometown area, let's think about this question: "Is 12 days out of the 365 that we are given in a year sufficient to say we are doing our best?"
Brothers and sisters, let us get to the temple AS OFTEN as we possibly can. Salvation is found inside the very House of the Lord.

On Saturday Eddie had his baptismal interview!! He is all set to be baptized this Saturday at 11:00am. Be there at 10:30 if you wanted to come. This is like 215lbs, 54 years of pure awesomeness. He is so ready and I can't wait for this Saturday.

We talk to everyone...and everything....

To add to that, the 14th is also my companion's birthday! Heyooooo shout out to Elder Rowley.. Best birthday ever.

Later that night, we went to visit the Carreon family (the less-actives we have been starting to get to work with) for our Family Home Evening. It was amazing.

To summarize, there were about 20 people in attendance (probably 10 kids haha), we shared a short message on the baptism of Jesus Christ - as found in 2 Nephi 31, and then played some games.
When we started to play the games, nobody was really jumping out of their seat.. err... dirt? (No chairs to sit on...) to play so it was a little rough at the beginning.

Remember, this is the one where we have been trying so hard to get Bro. Carreon to warm up to us (he sat with his head in his hands the whole lesson, AFTER we begged and dragged him to join ;) ).

Anyways, I think he started to feel bad for us when we were trying to get people to play the game SOOOO he was the first one to join! It was honestly an answer to so many prayers. We had an amazing time and got invited back for FHE next Sunday.

 Elder Rowley and I have the keys to open and close the church and all that fun stuff. Sooo we have had a fun time getting to the church at 6am to open it and then close it later at night. But Sunday was a great day. Tatay Dela Torre came to church for the first time in 5 years. 5 years. 5. You heard me. I was beyond excited. We have been working with him since I got here. I am so excited to help him on his journey back Home.

You're thinking my dinner looks delicious, aren't you?

. On Monday, we went out and just did a big FINDING day. Came home with three new investigators and a bunch of prospectives. It was an amazing day - the Lord's Hand was definitely in the Work.

 Joven had his baptismal interview last night!!! He is doing so well!! He is all set to be baptized this next Tuesday night. So Eddie on Saturday and Joven on Tuesday. So. Awesome. Pictures to follow next week :)

Today we're going to the zoo :) Don't know what that will be like....what kind of animals are in a zoo on a remote island in the Philippines? 

This Friday we have Zone Conference down in Dumaguete! It is President Schmutz's last conference :( Then Saturday and Sunday we have our STAKE Conference!! Dumaguete District is officially becoming a Stake in Zion this Sunday. You could say I'm stoked. Oh! And transfer calls come this Monday at Transfer Meeting. Next week's email should be a pretty packed one.

Hahahaha wanna hear something funny? As I was cooking dinner last night, it started raining. Hard. So what else would we do in the Philippines? I stopped dinner for a few minutes, turned on the soundtrack to We Bought a Zoo, and took a shower outside. It was awesome. A night that won't be forgotten. So awesome it rains hard enough to do that! Dinner was good too.

Haha! Ahhhhh...life is good!

I love you all so much. Know that I'm fine. Better than fine. I love this! I love temples as well. Please go to the temple for me because, as of now, we are still not allowed to go (because of distance). I love you all so very much and hope the best for next week.

Love you!!
Elder Jacobs