Jan. 27, 2012 - Mission Email #3

Dear Mom, Dad, Ryan, and whoever else may be reading. (and Lauren... ;p)

It's been over 2 weeks since I’ve started here at the MTC and things are just as Crazy, I'm almost to the middle of my 3rd week here and I have plenty to type about. So I’ll get right into it.

First off, thank you guys so much for the package!!! It's been keeping me warm and comfortable since it got here. I was so happy to have the jacket and scarf and gloves when I went up to the temple this morning when it was frigid cold.... Brrrr.... can't wait for the PHI Sun!!!! Some of the older missionaries were reading my shirt and were trying to tell me what it said after trying to figure it out for a minute... haha Then I told them I was Filipino and that I knew what it said LOL they were jealous of my "actual" Filipino shirts. One guy even had the audacity to tell me that the shirt was phrased incorrectly and that I should get it fixed. Then I told him I’m sorry that the actual Filipino language did not meet up to the standards of his MTC education. I politely told him though that I had 19 years of experience over him and I could assure him it was correct. LOL

With Elder Ben Treadway

I've been learning a lot over here, I'll write about in an actual letter so I can save time. I've been meeting plenty of people I know here too. I sit next to Ron Howell's table every meal. I see Ben Treadway in the halls. I sat next to Simi one time at devotional. He's changed a lot.  Oh my gosh!  Quite reverent and humble…at least from our encounter. I also saw a friend from BYU that I didn’t know got him mission call ahaha!!! And I saw Brandon Treadway too... he was volunteering for TRC, where we talk to return missionaries. He was with the Cebuano elders though.

With Elder Ron Howell, my buddy from BYU

So now to the good story, I've been feeling pretty down earlier this week. A few of the older guys find joy in mocking me and putting me down. There was this one Samoan elder who, whenever he walks by me, calls me a Bakla. I always reply with my own Tagalog insults like Sira Ulu ka (sp) and such but he doesn’t know what I’m saying so he keeps laughing cause he thinks I don't know anything. Anyway so I was waiting in line at the devotional and was studying when that same Samoan elder came, was singing with Elder A. (as poly elders always do) and then he started messing with me again. Same thing, but this time he was playing with my tag and tie as I kept moving away from him telling him to knock it off. They were being loud and irreverent when an announcer was telling us what was going on, and then he was trying to put me down again so I grabbed his nametag, and asked him, “Whose name is on your Badge? Jesus Christ...Now act like it!!!" Then The Samoan elder shoved me out of the way, got in my face and started threatening me. Telling me that I should respect him because he's from the Islands, I told him that respect isn't where you come from, it's how you act. And he got even more upset, and was threatening me cause I touched his badge, and that I was going to fall right here right now. Then Elder A. pulled me away before anything else happened.

I don't know what came over me, I was really mad cause he was disrespecting his calling and the name of our Lord that he has on his badge with him at all times. I thought of how hard I've been working so that I can help the people in the PHIL and I just reacted. I was angry that he wasn't taking this mission seriously and that many people were depending on how good of a missionary he'd be. I was upset that he was treating this MTC like it was high school, picking on the smaller people. When he got in my face, I didn’t back down an inch, and I stared him down with all my might. Elder A. later said I should apologize but I didn't know if I should. I wondered about it and was going to. I felt so down cause of everything that was happening and I went to bed early feeling depressed. As I read the scriptures I read Alma 37:37 which is basically about “counsel with the Lord in all thy doings...” so I prayed and I prayed intently and with a sincere heart for some help and comfort from God. I asked what I should do or if I should do anything and why fellow missionaries were putting me down. Then as I said Amen, my companion Elder McCoy came up to me and asked me what was wrong. I told him of what has been happening the past few days and he gave me the scripture 3 Nephi 12: 10-12 (look it up I don't have time to type it) and I felt like that was the answer to my prayers. That in my pursuit to be righteous I will suffer, but the Lord would be with me and that I should not fear. I'm so grateful for my companion and the Lord for listening to my prayers and inspiring me to work harder. Elder McCoy is a great missionary. When we do English role plays in class he is great with words and such. :)

That's not the best part of the story. It's been 3 days since that encounter with the Samoan missionary and because I stood up for myself he has not said another word to me since. I see him usually at meals and at the bookstore but even then, not a word from him. I felt okay about it. Then a miracle happened. The Samoan elder came up to me when we were in the book store yesterday…he shook my hand and apologized for his action, in Spanish (he's only speaking Spanish till he leaves next week).  I told him that I was sorry too in Spanish, letting him know that I could speak enough to have this conversation with him. I feel humbled now to know that this Samoan elder, who I thought was an immature, non-mannered kid, ended up being man enough to apologize to me. Many great and wonderful things happen to people on their mission. Through coming closer to the Lord, many hearts become converted and change for the better. I'm excited to see how I can change for the better as well ^_^

Well I'm out of time I'll write more in a letter to you. Thank you dad for sending me your talk.  I love it! Lauren, I’ll get you a scripture ASAP. I'm deciding which one I want to use ;) Thank you Mom, for all the love and support you send me. I love you all!  I read D&C 100:1 when I think or worry about you guys. Ryan, keep up the grades!!!

Got to go now,

Mahal Kita,

-Elder Froude

~Doing you Proud