Did I just see my MOM???

HeLLoO to all!!

Wow, what a week. This was seriously one of the craziest weeks of my life. Haha I feel like every week I say that; but it's true every week!! We had a great last minute meeting with Elder Shane M. Bowen of the Area Presidency, a wonderful baptism, Stake Conference, and lots of work!

Imagine my surprise when I saw my mom's car over here. For a split second I was homesick...but only for .45 seconds!

What the??? Really??? My MOM is following me???

Last Thursday we had an amazing Cebu Mission Conference with Elder Bowen. It was an unbelievable experience. I felt his strength and dedication and I know he has been called of God to teach the Gospel all over the world.. We had a great workshop on the four topics I mentioned last week. It was fun and enlightening to hear from a general authority the truths of this wonderful gospel. 

A small Army of Helaman....

After the conference, Elder Bowen called a last minute meeting with all of the Zone Leaders.  

We talked for about 2 hours on the keys of the Priesthood and the organization of the Kingdom on Earth - as found in D&C 107 and 124. 

I am so grateful for the pure, simple, straight forward instructions that The Prophet received in relation to building up this true church of Christ. As we were discussing, I couldn't help but marvel at the fact that a young man, Joseph Smith, under the direction of Jesus Christ, put forth the exact order and organization of the church.

Every possible thing that could happen is discussed in these revelations. I can't help but to laugh at the thought that there are so many in the world that say Joseph could have just made this up from his own mind with his third-year elementary school education. 

I know that Joseph Smith was a prophet of God.

On Friday we held the baptism of Cherrybeth Gantuangco! It was great!! It was even better because her friend and fellowshipper, Gaveriel was able to baptize her. She will be confirmed this upcoming Sunday - due to Stake Conference last week.

Saturday and Sunday we had Stake Conference and Elder Bowen and his wife and President and Sister McCurdy attended. It was so great for our members and investigators to experience.

Last week I mentioned the awesome Family that is going to be baptized soon. Their babag (obstacle? something holding them back?) has been marriage! Hero and Riza have three beautiful little children, but they haven't been legally married yet. 

The Cebu Temple

Elder Buque and I decided to get that fixed this transfer AND.... they have all of their papers ready and signed, they have a wonderful member to sponsor the cost for the judge, and we are all meeting at the church tonight with our Bishopric to discuss what day they can be married. It will be held at the church, but they are so amazing because they 100% understand that the true marriage won't happen until they are sealed as a family in the Cebu Temple in one year! 

I love this gospel!

I had an amazing personal study on what it means in the scriptures when Christ says that He is IN the Father, the Father is IN Him, and that we need to be one IN  Christ as well. 

Many many many people in the world today take this to be literal, however we know and understand that, because both Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ have bodies of flesh and bones, it would be impossible for them to literally be inside of one another. 

This is a tactic the Adversary uses to confuse billions of people. If he can get them to create a false image of God in their minds, he's got them. 

We read about something called Divine Nature in 2 Peter 1:4 (the only place you will find those words) as being something we partake of - meaning we put inside of us. When we study about this "Divine Nature," or God's Nature, we learn that it is every characteristic, attribute, and quality of God. 

So, in essence, what I learned was this: As we come to gain these Christlike qualities and become more like Him, we are putting Him inside of us - therefore, becoming ONE in the Father and the Son. I love Moroni 10:32-33 because it literally summarizes the entire theme and purpose of the Book of Mormon in two verses: To "come unto Christ and be perfected IN him." I know that as we do this, we truly will come to know who we really are and what is really waiting for us if we make and keep our part of these sacred covenants. I love the scriptures.

I love the Gospel and I love coconut!

Thank you so much for all those who email every week.

 I really am so grateful to have all of you to support me. I love you all and pray for you all by name every day. 

Let's continue to do all that we can in our individual callings at this time in our life. Let's be happy and let's make others even happier. Promise to make someone - even a complete stranger - happy this week through an act of service. Promise? Good.

Love you!!!

Elder Jacobs

This sign is so funny...it basically is a warning not to "Hang out" there between the hours of midnight and 7am!!

Hahahahaha....don't worry about the dog....

You have no idea how your gift of reading glasses answered prayers!!

Hello to all the coolest people in the world! (2nd to the Filipinos, of course...)

I literally cannot express my feelings right now. I think I might be breaking mission rules because I feel like I just emailed all of you like yesterday. It is the next week, right? This week has FLOWN by and I don't know what's going on!!! Missions are crazy.

First of all, I want to thank ALL of those who gave reading glasses for my mom to send. You have no idea how many prayers have already been answered just because of your huge desire to give a simple pair of glasses. 

I actually want to share one story really quickly.. 

Elder Buque and I have an investigator right now whose name is Sunny. He is about 45 years old and he and his wife really weren't progressing at all - until this week! 

Literally, the day after I received that package of reading glasses last week, we visited them and taught another lesson on the Book of Mormon. The first thing out of their mouths were, "I can't read, my eyes are bad." I immediately thought of ALL OF YOU and I was so grateful that I had put a pair of glasses in my bag earlier that morning... Don't you love how the Spirit works? 

Anyways, after explaining some things, I let him try on the glasses. He said it was magic.. That everything was clear on the page. 

We had a great lesson and at the end, I did my best to help him see that the glasses didn't come from me, but from his Heavenly Father. His Heavenly Father wants him to be happy and to do what he needs to do to understand this wonderful message. I told him he could have the glasses and there is no payment necessary except to commit to follow our Savior, Jesus Christ. Sunny had never been to church.....until he walked into the chapel this last Sunday. 

I am so grateful for all of you and for the love that you have shown the people I am working with. I am so grateful for my Heavenly Father and his watchful, loving eye that keeps us doing what we need to do. I gave out the rest of the glasses from that package to my zone. I advised each companionship to have one pair of glasses at all times. I know miracles will continue to happen in this zone and it's because of you! I love missionary work.

On Saturday, our stake - Central Stake - had their Youth Roadshow!!!

We told the zone that they would be able to attend if they kuyoged (accompanied?) an investigator. It was so awesome!! 

Our ward got 2nd place overall, but first place in almost every other minor category. It brought back so many memories of our Roadshows!! 

I would LOVE to work with the youth of this church. They are such examples to all of us.

 

 

We also had one of our investigators, Cherry,

We keep very careful records.

be interviewed Saturday night for her baptism this Friday!! She is 28 and is a great example of a determined daughter of God set on making her life the best it can be. We have a few other baptisms coming up as well, but we are still finalizing some marriage plans for a young couple before they can get baptized. I love working with these amazing people. 

We also had an opportunity this last Monday to go on exchanges with our District Leader, Elder Musgrave. He is from Gilbert, Arizona. I worked with him and it was amazing. 

I am so grateful and feel so humbled in the work I am doing right now as a Zone Leader I am so humbled and grateful to be able to work side by side with the quality and caliber of missionaries that we have here. 

My companion, Elder Buque, is phenomenal and I have learned so much from him every day. I love opportunities to go on splits with our DL's because, although technically I am supposed to be training them, I have learned more from them than they could ever learn from me.

Someone lives here.

The past few days, in preparation for a conference we are having tomorrow with Elder Bowen (Area Presidency), I have been studying four topics: 

The Baptismal Covenant, The House of Israel, The Abrahamic Covenant, and The Oath and Covenant of the Priesthood. They are each individually AMAZING studies, I highly recommend the adventure ;) 

Today I focused on the phrase "Many are called, but few are chosen." 

I realized that, even though we are all adopted into the House of Israel when we are baptized and confirmed, we  we are called, but not yet chosen for Exaltation. I love Matt. 22:1-14, Alma 5:37-38, and D&C 105:35. 

I know that Jesus Christ calls each and every one of us. Those not baptized are called to be baptized in the true church. Those baptized are called to go to the temple and make covenants with God. Those who have made the covenants already, are called to continue on in faith and righteousness unto the fulfilling of their covenants. 

I know that, no matter how you feel, Christ is ALWAYS calling out to YOU. Let us all answer the call and be worthy of Exaltation.

I love you all soooo much! I know that I am doing the right thing. 

Sometimes it's hard for us to know with 100% surety that our walk of life is pleasing to our Heavenly Father but I can testify that if we are doing our best every day in the things we know we need to do, in all obedience, we can be confident before the Lord. I hope we will all continue to experience this confidence in the presence of our Savior, Jesus Christ. 

Keep on serving others and making sure that they are as happy as you :)

Love you!!

Elder Jacobs

As for me...I am feeling good and strong and don't want anyone at home worrying about me one little bit.

Hello All!!

First and most importantly.... thank you ALL who joined us in fasting and prayer this last Sunday. I truly felt the power of prayer and know the entire mission did as well. 

A quick update: Elder Ngungutau is doing GREAT! Everything worked out with his donor and he is recovering very well! He was released from the hospital two days ago and even did a little light work this week, showing his true desire to serve. He had Dengue Fever.

As for me...I am feeling good and strong and don't want anyone at home worrying about me one little bit.

After being in the jungle for six months,I now feel like I am

in New York or something. There are areas here in Cebu where the city is HUUUUGE. It really feels weird... haha

These primary kids in the picture on the left were practicing for the primary program that is coming up! I can't wait. It is going to be awesome.

This week we had our ZTM (Zone Training Meeting). That's where the Zone leaders  (Elder Buque and I) relay the information that was given to us by the Mission President to the missionaries in our Zone.

 It went really well and I am glad to get my first ZTM out of the way! We Taught and discussed the doctrine of obedience and the doctrine of Adversity.

This Wednesday we ate at a member's house!

They are awesome and the food was delicious! It is such a wonderful thing when members welcome us into their homes.

 I love the Spirit we felt there. We were able to teach a short lesson after dinner.

    John is 8 and his older siblings are all baptized. 

We had three (3) baptisms in our Zone last Saturday!!

This little guy was pretty excited about getting baptized! He is doing the "I'm getting baptized" dance! Of course, we joined him in that little jig!

 

John's older brother baptized him. Pure JOY!

In the morning on Tuesday, the sister missionaries in our zone called and said their stove was broken and it was "about to explode" which caught our attention.... We got there as soon as possible and........

Their left burner wasn't working... Hahahah sisters.... 

Anyways, we traveled to the mission office to pick up a replacement stove and got that situated in their apartment.

AND yesterday I think I had one of the oddest days I have ever experienced on my mission. Just read:

1) We came across a urinal. 

Sorry for the visual........i know...you want to vomit.....

On a wall.     In the middle of a not-so-populated street.      Many people will casually just stop and take a bathroom break in the middle of their journey or errands. How convenient............

2) We were walking on a VERY-well-populated street - the highway - and I noticed a very very old nanay (grandma) walking behind an electrical box type thing... She didn't even make it all the way behind before she pulled down her pants and started..   ????? going to the bathroom I'm guessing? 

Not too sure seeing as I looked away as soon as humanly possible. Umm... Yea.

3) I think this is my favorite...... 

We were at our investigators' house last night and Elder Buque was trying to teach a lesson.

Little Hiza (10 months old) who wasn't wearing her diaper at the time walked in and peed on the ground. But really?? Who can blame her? She's 10 months old!! 

We thought that was it, but then she walked over to Elder Buque and basically pooped on Elder Buque's foot. Hahahhahahahahaahahaha he was just sitting there and then randomly yells, "NAGPOOP SIYA! Nagpoop siya sa akong foot!" 

Hahahahaha it was awesome. I was dying from laughing so hard. Ahhhh memories for a lifetime.....

I'm sorry for the bathroom related humor... But it was an interesting day. It all happened in one day!

Anyways...back to serious stuff....Again, I am so grateful for the prayers of all those who helped this past week. I am so happy to be here on the mission and know that it has eternal benefits that I can only begin to understand. 

We all can do better at being obedient in the situation we are in right now! For me, it's the calling of a missionary, but it is different for all of us. Do your best, know you are accountable, and I can promise you that you will feel the confidence and trust the Lord will put in you.

I Love you!!!

Elder Jacobs

Please pray for Elder Ngungutau.

Dear Friends and Family,

This week was... different. With the transfer and the new assignment,

Elder Buque, my new companion.

Elder Buque and I have had just enough time to say hi, work twice in our area :(, receive training, and visit the hospital several times. 

Immediately upon arriving in Cebu, we dropped luggage off at the apartment and headed out to get repairs done on a few of the sisters' apartments. 

Elder Buque and I had fun taking apart a couple bunk beds with one, non-powered screwdriver and an electric fan.














Friday we worked in our area in San Nicolas and it was great! Big and very cityish, but it's great.

Friday night, one of the newer missionaries in our zone was in the hospital due to an odd swelling of chest muscles causing loss of feeling/pressure on his heart. We went on exchanges on Saturday so that they could get some work done in their area and his companion (District Leader) could conduct a baptismal interview.

Sunday was great! A solid 164 in attendance in Sacrament - that was an amazing sight. I love being in a ward.

Monday, however, brought even more news. Elder Ngungutau (another Elder in our zone that has been sick since last week) was taken to the hospital due to non-stop bleeding, nausea, and fever. We met them at the hospital and got things situated. After taking blood tests and all that, they said he was free to go home. I went back with him to the house and Elder Buque and Elder Archibald went out to get some work done in their area. It went fine and Elder Ngungutau got some rest. We thought he was starting on his recovery process.

On Tuesday, we met in Lahug at the Mission Offices

MLC

for MLC (Missionary Leadership Council.. I think?) at 9am.

When we arrived, we could tell something wasn't quite right with President and Sister McCurdy.

They were very emotional and President made an announcement that Elder N was taken back to the hospital late Monday night and, due to loss of blood, was undergoing a transfusion at that moment.

That set the mood for our day. We contacted the entire mission to include him and his donor in their prayers, and we knelt in solemn prayer many times that day.

Yesterday at MLC we focused a lot on obedience and The Adversary.

The Cebu Philippines Mission has been known for the past three years as one of the most obedient missions in the world. This was much due to President Schmutz and the many wonderful changes that he brought in. The culture of the Cebu Mission is unmatched anywhere.

 Having said that, we have noticed that, in the past few weeks or so, we have been the target of some of the Adversary's strongest attempts. This comes in the form of temptation, sickness, homesickness, etc.

I know that temptation, pain, and sickness is a 100% crucial part of our life on Earth. It is necessary in order to develop the faith unto life and salvation. We are put through a constant refiner's fire because Heavenly Father truly knows what we can become. It is important to know and understand that, the moment we are tempted.....at the exact same time....we are also being encouraged and prompted by the Light of Christ or "the Spirit". We need to use our agency (2 Nephi 2:14,26) and CHOOSE to follow the Savior (2 Nephi 2:27).

As we were studying about this and receiving revelation in this light, I was reminded of a book I read called "The Screwtape Letters", by C.S. Lewis,

 I do not remember that exact quote, but C.S. Lewis teaches an eternal principle when he teaches something along the lines of, "If Satan can prolong the trial [or temptation] just past what we think can bear, he's got us."

I know this to be true. I know that if we just hold out faithful, be firm in our testimony and try to understand the big picture, and reject Satan, he will flee (James 4:7). I know that trials are a time given to us to prove whose team we are really fighting for.

 We know who will win. Let's fight hard, with all we have,  and be on the winning team.

In closing, President McCurdy invited us to invite our missionaries to a mission-wide fast this Sunday, August 10th.

We were encouraged to invite anyone who was willing - including family and friends. I realize this is contrary to a phrase in the white handbook, however, President has received revelation that this is what needs to happen. There are missionaries struggling, and prayer and fasting is what will solve this.

 I read in Isaiah yesterday and had an interesting thought. Isaiah 58:6 talks about fasting and putting off all unrighteousness. I realized that, because Satan can ONLY get power as we make wrong decisions, and that power is limited to the will of the flesh, when we fast, we are completely putting off the will of the flesh - giving Satan zero power over us.

I hope you can take this seriously and join with us in our Mission Fast this Sunday for the Philippines, Cebu Mission.

We are fasting and praying for a miracle to save the life of Elder Ngungutau. We are fasting and praying for greater strength for the missionaries to battle on and conquer the trials facing us here and discouraging feelings that can accompany trials.

President closed MLC with one phrase that I would like to repeat:

 "This week, let's pray like we have never prayed before. Let's be obedient like we never have before. Let's fast like we never have fasted before."

Brothers and Sisters, I know that this is the true church of Christ. I know that we are entitled to call down the powers of Heaven - and that is what we are going to do this week. I love you all and LET'S BE STRONG.

Love,

Elder Jacobs

I'm going to the City!

Kent's baptism! He's pretty popular with the girls.....

So, another week gone. Does anybody else feel like I do about this whole time thing?? My mom insists the time is going by slower than ever, but I am convinced otherwise. These weeks seem to completely FLY BY! I don't have too much time today because there is a lot to get ready for transfers tomorrow, but here is a quick update:

Saturday was Kent's baptism and it went SO WELL!!

I was so grateful for all the Young Single Adults that showed up and supported him in his decision to be baptized. 

He is great and was so ready to be baptized. I loved his dedication and faithfulness. Kent was an investigator for about 6 months and really the only reason was because he wasn't in one place long enough to be taught and baptized. He would go to church in every area he was in and really already considered himself a member. I was so grateful to make that official!

This is what the font looked like. The water comes out of the faucet like that...it's normal. No one even comments about it! 

On Sunday Kent was confirmed, Eddie and Joven received the Aaronic Priesthood, and we had a great Sunday with meetings! You heard me... We had meetings because we finally got our branch president!! 

Monday was Transfer Meeting (Transfer Day is Wednesday!). I knew I was leaving, sadly, but I had no idea where I was heading or what to expect. 

E. Jacobs...that's me!

Well, I am transferring to San Nicolas over in Cebu City on the Island of Cebu! It's in the City! I'll be a "city boy" for a while now! 

And I got called as a Zone Leader... I started crying inside a little bit when I heard that. But after lots of prayers, I received a witness that this truly is what the Lord wants of me. I am 100% willing to follow His will. I am confident in Him and know that, by faith, all things are made possible. I can't wait to serve the amazing missionaries in my mission with everything I have.

I will miss Siaton. 

On Tuesday we had dinner at Sister Garcia's house to say goodbye and teach them one last time. They are an amazing member family here in Siaton that we will be coming back to visit, mom! I am sad to be leaving here after 6 solid months, but I am excited to help in another part of the vineyard. Siaton is like home to me.

I will sure miss my District!! It has been amazing working with each of these missionaries! They are truly the BEST!

                                                                                                                                                                                                                 So on Wednesday I will be on this bus for about 6 hours to get to the boat to Cebu!! 

The bus reminds me of the Night Bus on Harry Potter!!

This past week we helped a family sift rice.

It was so hot when we began talking to them so we told them to take a break in the shade while we did the sifting. 

You put the rice in the basket and pour it slowly so that the wind catches the light stuff with nothing inside. The wind blows away the stuff that is not useful. Then only the good, edible rice is left on the mat......there's a gospel lesson there....

Mom!! You asked about birthdays here. They celebrate birthdays here like in Mexico. Just a little fiesta type thing...no cake...just lots of food and some desserts. There aren't any ovens here in the homes to bake. 

That's about all I have time for, but I want you all to know that I really do love you. I know that we have the fullness of the true gospel among us. I know that - in order to truly do that which is required of us - we need to learn how to be endowed with power from on high. Faith is a principle (or a fundamental law; essential) to gaining this power. One quote that I absolutely love is: "Certain powers of heaven are governed by the faith of mortal men." I have a strong testimony of this and know that if we just do our individual parts, we will be given power to do all that is expedient in Christ. I love you all!!

Love,

Elder Jacobs

Ginourmas toads here....

Hello to all my BEST friends!!

Remember when I said that "flood" was crazy last week? Wait till you catch a wave of my experience this week (pun intended?) It was a week that I will never forget and one in which a lot was learned. I love being here in the Philippines. I am so grateful IN my situation, whatever happens!

This week was jam packed. I'm going to summarize a little bit. On Friday, we traveled out to Bayawan to go on exchanges with the Zone Leaders, Elder Warner and Elder Daisog. They are awesome and I love them. We had to get there by 5 because I had to conduct a baptismal interview out in Basay (very bukid - err mountainy...?) at 6pm. It went great! We slept at the ZL's apartment and woke up in the morning to travel back out to Basay to attend the baptism in the ocean!!!

It was awesome.

 I may or may not have been allowed to stand in the dagat (ocean) as a witness. Loved it. 

After that, Elder Rowley and Elder Daisog traveled back to work in Siaton while Elder Warner and I went to Zamboanguita to conduct two more baptismal interviews. We have so many baptisms planned for this month!!! Elder Daisog interviewed Kent (our investigator) and he is all set to go for this Saturday at 6pm!!! I am so excited for him! Anyways, the interviews basically took the rest of Saturday. We traveled back to Bayawan to sleep. Such a crazy busy awesome schedule!

 Now we get to the even crazier part.

A member drawing of our Zone...guess which one is me!?!?

On Sunday we woke up and got to church early because I had another (yes, fourth) baptismal interview for the ZL's. 

The interview and church both went well. After church there is a special sacrament held out in Basay for the members out there. We traveled out there with the Branch Presidency and everything went well. 

About half way through, it starts POURING. Like crazy.... and wind... and everything. Storm conditions. Nothing I've ever seen before. 

Long story short, after sacrament, Elder Warner and I had to run get some signatures of the family that was baptized yesterday. Remember I said it was pouring? And about the wind? Ya, don't forget it. 

We were running/walking and all of a sudden my head hurt SO BADLY!!! I realized I just got hit on the head with a coconut!!! Now you're thinking, "okay very funny... You would die if you got hit on the head with a coconut (because of how high those trees are)." Ya... That's 100% true! 

That's why I was so grateful that it was only the size of a baseball. But... uhh... ouch? 

I learned a lot about Diabetes at the clinic when I got my head checked out!

I can't explain how grateful I was that it wasn't a fully-matured coconut. People get paralyzed (or die) here because of things like that! Okay... moving on! 

That's not even a smidgen (word?) of what happened that day.

There is another member out in Basay that is confined to her home and the elders always take a special sacrament to her every week with the Branch President. Well, the Branch President said that he didn't want to go because the wind and rain was too hard. He said the trees might fall over. 

Haha. At first, Elder Warner and I were like, "okay.. guess we won't go." Then we thought about what the sacrament means - how important it truly is.

 We decided we would just ask if we could go do it. The President said yes we could, but he himself wouldn't go. 

We get to the "trail head" (only English I could think of for the thing at the bottom of the mountain that leads to where we want to go..) and immediately see that the entire dalan (path) is 200% flooded. And it is still POURING. We decided to try anyways. Nothing could be as crazy as last week, right? Wrong. Remember the Narrows in Zion? Ha.. It was just like that. We literally hiked up a mountain up to our knees in water rushing down.And the wind was, well, just think of Typhoon conditions. I am so sad to say that I didn't have my camera that day. Just trust me that it happened. Because it did.

So why did we go? 

I wanted to take a minute and bring this all together. The Sacrament is a vital ordinance 100% necessary for our Salvation and Exaltation. 

I hope we can all have the attitude that, no matter what the world throws at us, we will be determined to get to church and partake of the sacrament. 

I know that this is a true principle. I know that, as we partake of the sacrament, we allow ourselves to be sanctified by the Holy Ghost. We also covenant to Heavenly Father that we are WILLING to take upon ourselves the name of Jesus Christ. I encourage you to study about what that really means. I'll give you a hint: there are at least three meanings to the phrase "willing to take upon us the name of Jesus Christ". Only one refers to our baptism.

Don't worry Mom..I am eating well.

I love you all so very much and am so happy in the situation I have been blessed with. I am beyond excited for Kent and his decision to be baptized this Saturday. I am nervous for Transfer Calls on Monday, but know that it will be according to the will of the Lord. Until we meet (...read...) again. I love you all!!

Love,

Elder Jacobs

This is where we go to get new white shirts......they LOVE us!

Mission Weather Update: TYPHOON GLENDA

So, as some of you may have seen or heard, the weather here has been quite the adventure. I say "some of you," but I just

Just keep swimming, just keep swimming......

realized that not a single person except my parents probably look at the weather in the Philippines... 

Haha anyways, we have been getting rain non-stop for DAYS! Typhoon Glenda is ripping through the mid/northern part of the islands..a Storm Signal 3 Typhoon. We are not in the middle of it but I woke up a couple nights ago and I literally almost wet the bed. 

I thought the house was falling to pieces. The thunder was the loudest I have ever heard it in my life. ( I was born and raised in Southern California...I've never experienced "weather"!!) The entire house was shaking. And the lightning lit up our entire room for like 5 seconds straight at a time. 

We need to get over to that house...

So, what do we do during Typhoon weather? We continue on through the work like normal days! 




I love working in the rain - rain makes me even happier :) 



But we were traveling out to one of our areas in Sumiliring Beach and the entire street was completely flooded. 

The pictures should give a little insight. I'm sorry about the shoes, mom. We had zero options but to walk through it. 

That made for a very, very wet rest of the day! I loved it! 

We've got the streets to ourselves!!

Well almost....

Don't even worry about me! Weather cannot stop this great work that we are doing! And the people are so nice to us when we are out in the wind and rain!! ;)


Well......most people......

 We were passing an investigator's house the we had taught about 3 times in the past. It has been about a month since we have been able to even see him again - he is never home. He was sitting outside of his house when we passed. So of course, we start talking to him and checking up on how he is! Natural, right? Right.

Talked about work, family, life. Then we got to the point where the conversation is supposed to turn spiritual. Elder Rowley says, "Kamusta ang imong pagbasa, brother?" (How is your reading [of the BoM]). Immediately, he throws down his fishing-line-buoy-ball- thingy on the ground as hard as he could and starts SCREAMING. I mean SCREAMING and yelling at us. He stood up, grabbed his chair and came toward us with it.

HA! We just turned around and walked away as he ran inside his house and grabbed some kind of metal baseball bat looking thing and stands in his yard yelling. Hmmm.....

Anyways, long story short, half of me wishes ALL investigators were a little bit more bold. It makes our job much easier to know whether people are looking for the Gospel! Man was that awesome. It made it in my journal :) We just don't have any aggressive people here!

Sunday was amazing as usual. I love Sundays on the mission. Especially when everything just comes together. Elder Rowley and I had a record here in Siaton with 9 investigators attending church. We felt so so so blessed and grateful that we have been given this portion of the vineyard to take care of. We are working as hard as we can and are realizing every single week areas where we can improve!

I just can't sleep on a bus!!

On Monday we had Zone Interviews out in Bayawan with President McCurdy! He and his wife are so awesome! They are from Twin Falls Idaho! I think that's opposite of Rexburg, Jon? Or at least a few hours?

Anyways, our interview went great and we got to know each other a little bit better. As I was sitting in the interview and then pondering after I couldn't help but just marvel at how the Lord truly calls these righteous men and women to lead His kingdom on Earth. I have no doubt that President McCurdy is the perfect Mission President for the Cebu Mission at this time. I love him and his wife and look forward to getting to know them even more!

Tuesday we had District Meeting because we had Interviews on Monday. It went good! Hopefully... Haha I love having these opportunities to meet as a Zone and learn from one another. 

I wanted to just finish with one thing I have been focusing on this last week.... the Doctrine of Accountability.

Latter Day Saints have always been known for their industrious, hands-on attitude and work ethic.

We can learn from Nephi in 2 Nephi 5:15-17 about what he taught his people.

This week, I focused on being even more pro-active. We are all given opportunities in this life.
We know we are judged according to desires and actions - meaning how well we take care of the opportunities given to us. I know that we will all get to the day of judgment and, with a perfect remembrance, have to report to the Lord.

Many people constantly repeat the truth that the Lord will forgive those who repent and He will remember their sins no more.

 That is true, however, what we may not understand is that there is no way for us to repent of the people we could have met or helped, had we taken advantage of the opportunities given to us. We will, no-doubt, report to the Lord on those that slipped through the cracks when we weren't doing the best we could.

My goal is to be more pro-active! We are here to ACT! (See 2 Nephi 2:14,26) We can't be sitting around, wasting the days of our probation as Jacob teaches in 2 Nephi 9:27. Let's get up, get out, and DO.

I love you all so much and hope you have the best week in the world. I encourage you to study more on the topic of accountability and judgment. I know that, as we understand more and more, we are given a greater responsibility. How great is our calling :)

Love you!

Elder Jacobs