Sent: Sunday, January 31, 2016 11:58 PM
To: Lauri Merrill <lauri.merrill@usu.edu>
Subject:
Hello:) So yes I’m still alive. My new area is amazing and I really don’t have words to describe it. There are so many things good about it but then at the same time there are things I really do not like. So my zone is Ligao and my area is called Tula Tula. It’s literally a forest in the mountains. Like I said last week I’m a trainer now which means I get a fresh new missionary. His name is Elder Caranzo. He’s from the Philippines and Tagalog isn’t his first language. He struggles with Tagalog just as much as I but we get through it. It really helps me to learn Tagalog because I have to speak Tagalog to him for him to understand. Anyway, when we first got to our apartment it’s the APs first apartment too, we walked inside and it was completely TRASHED. The 2 elders before, from what I’ve heard and seen, were really bad. They didn’t obey the rules at all. All the members says they were always "sick" so they couldn’t work. Our area book wasn’t updated AT ALL. Which means we went to our new area in the dark. The 2 APs said this was the worst apartment they’ve ever seen. Garbage, food, even dead animals were inside. The good thing about our apartment is it’s the only house in the forest so were private but the bad thing is no water. No running water in the sink, in the toilet, nowhere. No shower even. So for us to get water we need to buy fresh spring water (which is delicious) and to shower we go outside and use one of those old faucet things you need to do by hand to pump it. It sucks. But I’m getting a workout every day. There are more spiders in our apartment then there are grains of sand in the sea. HUGE spiders, small spiders, orange spiders, green spiders. Plus we’ve had animals break in and eat our food. We’re still working on how to fix that. It stinks and I feel like I can’t touch anything. When we got there someone painted on our door "Bawal ang mormons dito" (Forbidden for Mormons to come here) and underneath are pictures of a gun shooting a missionary. Then another writing said "Only the strong will survive". And I know that to be true haha. So on the good side, its private and big. On the bad side, dirty bathing water and millions of spiders. BUT the members here are so helpful. We almost starved to death because we had no food when we got there and the market is so far away so they saved us. We’ve been working with the members to help us with the area. It’s beautiful here. I’ll try to send pictures in a sec. My comp is amazing, hard to teach but he’s cool. The members rock and it’s the best:) I’ll send pictures now then I’ll write some more.
**Elder Merrill**
From: Jordan Mark Merrill [mailto:merrill.j@myldsmail.net]
Sent: Monday, February 01, 2016 12:21 AM
To: Lauri Merrill <lauri.merrill@usu.edu>
Subject:
So in continuation with my last letter, all in all I feel great right now. I’m not stressed at all. The area and this country are beautiful. The Filipino people really are so different from Americans and it’s amazing to see the progression in people’s lives as they learn about the gospel. There is so little here and people are always seeking for something to ease the pain and that’s exactly what missionary work is. It’s just sometimes they don’t know where to find it. SO that’s our job:) Despite it being 1000 degrees during the day then freezing at night and somehow still sweating, I love it. It’s sad for me to say that I’m 1/4th the way done already. So now being a trainer were focusing on being exactly obedient and hoping to see the Lord’s miracles. The previous elders in our area really tore the branch down with their lack of motivation to the work so our goal is to reactivate less actives and baptize of course. The goal for missionaries right now is to teach repentance and baptize converts so that’s exactly what we are going to do. Anyway, don’t worry about me and my living conditions. To be honest it really is so hard back in our apartment but I’m becoming more humble to this country every day. And am appreciating the Philippines more and more. Syempre I know this is the true church on this earth today, and this work I do every day is the Lord’s work in order to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of mankind. I love you all:) I’m ok and will continue to be fine. Don’t forget to say your prayers;) Love ya xoxox
**Elder Merrill**
 |
| Planting rice:) |
 |
| still planting rice |
 |
| The left side is where we were |
No comments:
Post a Comment