Feb. 24, 2012 - Mission Mail of the week!!! Tons of new news!!!

Wow, it barely feels like I’ve been here for 6 weeks but looking back I’m much farther along than I was on day 1, I can tell you that.

News of the week!!! Balita ng lingo (i think that's right):

So, in great news our district unity has been up this week. It's been a great time with them as of late. Last Saturday Elder Alofa'ae got a package, a big one! and in it were lava lavas for everyone in our district I was like O.o oh wow... So we all got a ton of pictures in our lava lavas and we wear them in the residence. haha all of the time. I have pictures and I’m sending them to you this coming week. Anyway, then Elder A taught us all the haka to perform for the leaving districts. All of the older districts had left on Monday and we (my district) performed the haka to them before they went on the bus. It caused somewhat of a crowd to gather haha. I have a video for it that I’ll send with my card. You'll love it :)

Lava-lavas from Elder Alofa'ae

Unfortunately, I can't use the recording function to send videos of me to you on my camera because it's against mission rules. However, there is a sister in my zone who has her family send her a tape recorder or recording device and she can hear her family talking to her, then she records her own message on it and sends it back to them. Neat huh!?! Can we try that? I want you all to hear my Tagalog! Well you'll hear it in about 2 weeks when I go to the airport. Btw I should probably get a phone card soon...unless you want to get me a disposable phone! but make sure it's approved. I do really like the idea :) So yeah, maybe we can do the tape recorder thing in the PHI huh? Oh and mom, please continue to write me every day, it doesn't have to be just about your day, but something nice you found in the scriptures or a missionary moment or anything :) I love each and every letter and appreciate it much :) Congratulations, Ryan, for passing your test! Where's your helmet? haha joke lang.  Don’t abuse your driving powers or Kira, or I will come back and arm bar you!!!  

Good news! This Thursday I get my travel plans!!! It'll have all of the details so then we can plan a time for me to call you all up!!! I'm so excited :)

In other news We got 3 new districts this Wednesday in our zone, oh btw I’ve now been assigned to be a Zone Leader :D  It's not as intense as out in the field but I will do my best nonetheless. We had a tour with the new missionaries and we had an orientation where we told them all the rules. They all seem like great people so I’ll look forward to working with them. Our teachers said that we cannot speak English to them on their first week so I’ve been speaking Tagalog to them and it makes me feel good about how much I’ve learned, and seeing in them me from day 1 haha. I really have progressed far.  This week has been an exciting week for investigators; we have two of our investigators commit to baptism!!! YAY!!! But now the hard part is teaching them everything they need to do before baptism so that they can be cleared and such haha. Lesson 4 is hard in Tagalog. BTW can you all help me with something? The MTC president President Brown said that it is good to be able to have your family involved with what you are learning and what you are teaching so could you help me with something? I'm doing skeleton lessons plans for all of the lessons in chapter 3 of Preach My Gospel and I'm having a hard time finding good scriptures and stories to help me teach lesson 4.  Could you study it with me and send me your input? I'll write you mine as well :) 

Fresh meat!

An honor to carry the Philippine flag...

Representing the Philippines!

With Sister Curtis

This is our Zone.  We are all going to various parts of the Philippines.

Okay now to spiritual experiences (karanasan na espiritu):

We had watched a nice devotional by Elder Bednar called "The Character of Christ" and here are the great points:

"If you look for yourself, you’ll find it, but if you lose yourself in others then you'll find yourself and not have to look for it."

"If it weren't for the character of Christ there could be no Atonement" - Neil A. Maxwell

When Jesus was tempted in Matthew 4 by the devil 3 times, in ways it’s not 3 temptations but 1 temptation at the root: "If thou be the son of God" he was not tempted by hunger, but more he was tempted to turn from who he was and turn inward. The character of Christ is always turned outward to other people rather than inward (natural man).  If you study the New Testament you can see that everything that Christ does is outward and Satan tempted him to use his powers for himself.  Diba? gets po ba ninyo? 

Then a great worldwide leadership conference by Elder Holland on Teaching was great!!! Here are the greatness:

First off everyone has the ability to teach, there is not a calling in this church that is not a teacher. Diba?

Everyone has the ability to teach - Moroni 10:17

Deny not that ye can have the ability to teach - Moroni 10: 8

Matthew 7:7

Fear not to open your mouth and speak, for the Lord will guide your tongue.  Exodus 4:12

PS… I hate the 30 minute time limit (I’m over already)

When you know not what to say turn to the scriptures - Alma 31:5 (great scripture)

…Cause the word of God heals the soul (Jacob 2:8)

Pinaka mahalaga ang Aklat Ni Mormon at ang Biblia!!!

Ah sige, walang time ko. I need to go now, I’ll write a letter tho and send it in today so yay!!! hahah I love you all!  Please stay healthy and take care of yourselves. I'm fine here.  I have the Lord and the Spirit with me ^_^ as long as I am obedient.  Sige na… INGAT!!! 

Doing you proud,

Elder Froude