Saturday, February 9, 2013

February 1, 2013 - Happy Birthday, Dad!


Dear Dad, Mom, Ryan, and all y’all who may or may not watch the Super Bowl tomorrow,

First off, I just want to say, HAPPY BIRTHDAY, DAD!!!  Wohoo!!! It’s your birthday!!! Happy 51st, Dad!  Sorry, I couldn’t be there again, but just think, this will be the last birthday you have where I won’t be there!  This time next year we’ll celebrate your birthday together! Then you’ll be able to tell me about how things are going, but in Tagalog. Haha!  ^_^  Mark it on your calendar (though mom probably already marked it for you haha)!
            
Allow me to send a special tribute to my dad in this blog. My father has been a great example to me in all things that pertain to what a man should be. He has been, to me  a great symbol of hard work.  Just knowing where he’s come from and what he’s had to do to get to where he is now in life, with his family and his business and as a bishop in the church really astounds me whenever I think about it. I most definitely appreciate it a lot more now having lived with, walked with, and talked with many different types of people in the Philippines. He’s been a wonderful example to me of what a father should do. I remember He would always come to my home soccer games after school and cheer for me, even if I didn’t play that much at kahit na pumalpak ako maraming veses (even when I made a lot of mistakes)! He would always come to my home tennis matches and root for me. I think I always gave him heart attacks junior year when I went to super tiebreakers, like every time!  Haha! He was always there to support me and that’s what I really appreciated the most. He’s also been a great example to me of what being a good husband means. My dad would always open the car door for my mom, and every Friday night was their date night. “Ang sweet niya talaga! As in!” Pwede kayong pumalakpak! (He’s really sweet!  You can all applaud!)  Haha!  It always taught me how I should treat women and how I should act when I get married. Wag kayong mag-alaala po, Mom, matagal pa yun!  (Don’t you worry, Mom, that’s not gonna happen for a long time!) So, I just wanted to say, thanks Dad, for everything. And the things you’ve taught me still stay with me even all the way out here in PI. There are times when I don’t know what to do and I just remember some of the things you’ve taught me…like always spend just a little bit more to get the quality things that will last longer and such like that. I miss you and love you much, Dad!  Don’t worry about me out here, I’m being guided by our Heavenly Father always, and He’ll always guide me towards that which is good. I’ve been so protected so far in traffic out here.  Haha!  I wish you a happy birthday and hope everyone else is doing well as well. ^_^   Have a great birthday, Dad!
            
Well, now about my week. Honestly, it’s just been a nice quiet week in the office. Okay, not so much quiet but nothing super exciting happened except for we moved President DelaMare to his new house down the street because the mission home is getting renovated. But the DelaMare’s will be there till they go home in July so that will be easier for them. But man, it took 15 hours and I’m so exhausted!  Haha! My muscles are sore and everything. Talk about work!  Haha! Anyway, it was good though. The new house is so huge!  I’ve sent some pictures of it. I kept waking up last night so that didn’t help, but I’m feeling okay. Nothing feels better than a long hard day’s work. Wait hold on… January is over… shoot… that was so fast!
            
Other than that, traveling to Antipolo and driving through the mountain province was quite beautiful and amazing. I miss the province.
            
I also had the opportunity to give a blessing to Sister Enderle.  She is Elder Enderle’s wife and is the sweetest lady I’ve ever met. She’s been sick lately and asked us to give her a blessing. Elder Peralta anointed and I gave the blessing. It is interesting how the Spirit works when you are giving a blessing. When most people describe the feelings of the Spirit, they describe it as something told them to do something, or they felt prompted to do something, but when you are giving a blessing, it’s different. It’s more like your words are being guided to say what they need to hear. Like it’s on a set of train tracks made by the Lord. The Spirit was the Guide and the Lord was the Voice. I was but a mouthpiece for him to bless his daughter. After the blessing she shook our hands as she cried. I then felt at that time, the importance of opening your mouth and speaking the words of Christ with faith. Though we say something that may not seem grand or profound, the Holy Ghost is the one who will testify to them that what you say is true and they will hear what the Lord needs them to hear. (Alma 36:5)
            
Let us all be ready to open our mouths to speak the words of Christ to those who are in need of the hope and light that the gospel gives. Let us all be clean enough and worthy enough for the light of the Lord to shine through us and for the spirit to dwell with us. For the Spirit is the teacher, the converter, the comforter. There is too much we cannot do because we are human, nonetheless, “I can do all thing through Christ who strengthens me.”-Philippians 4:13

Doing you Proud,

Elder Ian Froude, son of Bishop Jonathan Froude


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