A Missionary's Work: Community Service

10/31/2016

Picture from a couple of weeks ago when Morgan helped serve. It was posted on his Mission President's Blog.

So this week is very full. First we had Family Home Evening, and there were many people but soooo much food. We were so busog (full). It was filled with a great spiritual lesson and super fun and easy game with challenges to do if you lost (I lost, so had to do their version of Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes in a pabebe(girly) way).

The next day we had community service at a members house. We cleared a field and in the process found a snake. It was super small and harmless but people here freak out like nobody I have ever seen! They were yelling and absolutely destroyed the poor guy with a hoe. It was hard work and fun, it's one of my favorite parts.

Wednesday, all the missionaries in our zone got together, and it was my first transfer (which is just the announcement of where missionaries will get sent to, or if they stay in this area or not). That same time we also separate into our districts and have a meeting to see how everyone is doing, then have a workshop. It was me this time, so speaking Taglish, I taught about the Atonement.

Later that day, on a trike ride to our house, another trike guy threatened that the president here was going to kill me because I'm white, which makes me wonder what is going on in politics. Though it's just a hotheaded guy because I talked to members about it and it doesn't seem bad, just crazy news stuff.

Later in the week we went to teach one of our investigators and got to see an interesting Chinese belief. So, they burned this herb which smells sort of like pine mixed with something and went everywhere in the house with it in the pan. It's supposed to cast out spirits, very interesting. That same family, later, their son named Aaron loves Pogs (round, cardboard cards with any design like Pokemon, streetfighter, political cartoons, etc.) and he gave me some. So now I'm starting a collection of them.

The spiritual thought: I have been thinking about the scriptures and honestly they are the best. By the scriptures we can be spiritually fed, receive answers to our prayers, and try to learn and improve ourselves. We teach every day from the scriptures and honestly we can teach all day and it won't matter. What matters is the people we teach to read for themselves, then ask the one who knows them the best, the one who wants us to know Him, so He will answer us somehow. Pray to God, truly wanting to know and having faith that he will answer your and then you will know. So, when you think about the scriptures, also think of prayer because they go together.

Well, I'll email next week. Love you all! Mahal kita and ingat po!

Elder Peterson
p.s. I'll send pictures next week because the CPU here is sooo slow!

A Missionary's Work: Getting the Full Experience

10/24/2016

Well, we had a 2nd Baguio (typhoon), a super baguio, but it wasn't close to us so we just had a lot of rain. So, I have never been a clean freak before but I find myself sweeping a lot, ha! And I have a new favorite food, it's called Tocino. It's a sweet chicken or pork with rice and tomatoes soaked in soy sauce and vinegar, MMMM! 

For culture: The dogs here are fine and nice if they roam the street (usually) and the ones chained up want to bite you. So part of the full Philippines experience, as we visited some members, we had to walk through a narrow walk way. As we did, the member's dog bit my leg, but I was fast so he just barely got me. Luckily our member worker is very into dogs (buy and sell) so he gave me an alternative medicine application, involving soap and garlic, fun.

Today we again played basketball at Talavara and we invited some members and it was a blast!

So the spiritual thought this week is really from the realization of how hard a mission can be. So everyone that goes on a mission will say it's the hardest thing they've done. I expected something way different. It's hard physically and mentally, ya, but the absolutely hardest part is that we can only help so much. We want to do so much more for everyone, but are a little limited. These are our brothers and sisters and I want to do so much for them, especially when they are having a hard time or need help, but we want to do so much more and can't. Think of it like Jesus' atonement, as he suffered for us, I wish I could've been there to a least comfort him, but can't, all we can do is so little. So I really learned a lot about service, selflessness, and loving others this week. I want you to all look at Jesus' atonement and imagine what he did for us, really just stop and ponder it and his love for us, try to show your love for others this week as he has shown his.

P.S.- Stay awesome guys, love you all!

A Missionary's Work: The Baguio (Storm)

10/17/2016

This week was an adventure. It started out on Monday, we went across our mission on many trikes and jeepneys to reach the church building that could give the CLS test (an English test to certify that you know that language) to my companion, and he passed! This is huge in the Philippines dahil (because) you can have a better paying job. While we were there, we got to serve by helping set up for sister missionary conference and eat some of the leftovers.

Next cool event, I got to use my ASL signing skills to talk to a deaf guy, it was so cool! Tapos I played chess with Brother Guinto and was absolutely destroyed twice within 15 minutes.

My favorite event was our service to our ward mission leader, we cleaned his house. His house is really a pieced together shack and we went through stuff they wanted or was garbage and swept the dirt floor and moved stuff. While going through some clothes, we found a friend, a baby, but huge spider, bigger than your palm. Service is awesome though, you feel so good after, no matter how tiring it is.

Then we prepared for the bagiuo (storm), my first typhoon! It was ok. We were safe and didn't receive damage from the high winds and had no baha (floods) though there is supposed to be another storm tomorrow.

Also, the best bread is made here and so unique. We go to the bakery and get fresh bread all the time, and only 5 pesos (right now 48 pesos is 1 American dollar). Because of the bagiuo we had visitors. The missionaries in the Bayler ara were evacuated here and I got to go on splits with an Elder whose 1st area was here too! Elder Cowley, a very cool Elder. We were in lock down until 1pm Sunday, so we missed church. Today we played basketball with Talevera area. I got to play with Elder Elms, my companion in the Provo MTC. It has truly been a blessing to have him in my zone because he is in the same boat as me and it's nice to see how each other are doing. Plus, after, we ate at Inasal, unlimited rice with chicken and I got flan this time.

So for culture this week: Gambling is huge here. They bet on small and big spider fights, cock fights, horse fights, dog fights, (any kind of fight), basketball, guessing a number our of one hundred, and so on.

Anyway, to the spiritual thought. Think of this question: How can we show love to Christ? He loved us so much that he teaches us, blesses us , and even died for us. So a scripture comes to mind, in Mosiah... I'll paraphrase, when you are in the service of your fellow man, you are only in the service of your God. One way to show your love for Christ and our Heavenly Father is to serve his people. When we serve there are two people blessed, the ones you have served ad yourself. Christ served his apostles and his people and served us by dying for us so we can live with him again. The least we can do is continue serving his people, even with little things. Service is awesome, I challenge you all to do your best to serve someone - whether it's smiling, opening a door, picking up some fallen objects, do something.

I love you all! See ya next Monday!

p.s. I ate balut for the first time. It's actually pretty tasty, no joke!

Balut

A Missionary's Work: An Interesting Week

10/10/2016

So this week has been interesting for sure. We started with family home evening with the Ramonez family and I ate eggplant cooked with egg and fried (tortang talong) with rice. It was a blast, with a game called cocheta at tinador (spoon and fork). Someone starts with the spoon and someone else with the fork. The person who ends with them both loses and has to drink a glass of water. So the people with the spoon and fork must ask the next person in the circle what is this (ano its?) and the person will answer either cocheta or tinador. The hard part is you have to ask twice with the spoon and once for the fork, so the fork chases the spoon. It's actually really fun!

The next day we had a hard day and virtually no lessons taught because they all fell through, so on our way to lunch I decided as we walked by someone to say Hi, next thing I know we are invited in and we teach their entire family. Apparently they had been taking lessons before but they moved and a huge flood ruined all their stuff. So they were eager to learn and were excited that they actually argued on who could hold the copy of the Aklat Ni Mormon we gave them. They are such an awesome family and read the Bible and Book of Mormon all the time and ask lots of questions we are glad to answer.

That night out block had a power outage and we don't have AC so it's just us and our fans. Luckily it came back on when we came back home that night.

By the way, for culture- The area I am in is the "trike capital of the Philippines", honestly I would say the world, but maybe someone can look that up. So we also witnessed a spider fight in our lesson with Johndel and his brother Hubert. It's what kids like to do here, spider fight, I have a video. I finally rode in a jeepney, though I didn't take a picture, sorry.

So for the spiritual thought, I have an invitation if you have time (try to find time, please) look up a video talk by Brad Wilcox called "His Grace is Sufficient". It is so good! Do you know what grace is or how it came to be?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yLXr9it_pbY
Think of these questions when you watch it:
1-Have you been changed by grace?
2-How is there mercy and justice in God's plan?
3-How can we continue to grow in Christ?

Lastly, we had an amazing experience with our bishop this week. Our bishop is old and is having a hard time in his calling because of some health issues. Without him being active in the ward, there is little ward unity. So in General Conference (a televised conference for the leaders of the church to speak to all its members over the world) there was a talk about callings by Elder Cook. So we ate at bishops house and had a make or break lesson with the bishop. We could either really offend him or help lift his burdens and fulfill his calling. We ended up really helping the bishop and it's so good because we really need him, the ward needs him. So I think he is now counting his blessings instead of his weariness and pains. He's a great man and we love him and want to help him, and so should we help others. This scripture will help Mosiah 18:8-9:

8)And it came to pass that he said unto them: Behold, here are the waters of Mormon (for thus were they called) and now, as ye are desirous to come into the fold of God, and to be called his people, and are willing to bear one another's burdens, that they may be light;
9)Yea, and are willing to mourn with those that mourn; yea, and comfort those that stand in need of comfort, and to stand as witnesses of God at all times and in all things, and in all places that ye may be in, even until death, that ye may be redeemed of God, and be numbered with those of the first resurrection, that ye may have eternal life-

Essentially help bear the burdens of those with heavy burdens, comfort those in need of comfort. When we serve we show the love we have for others and build relationships and really help someone in need.

You guys are all amazing people and I am blessed to have you in my life!
Love,
Elder Peterson

A Missionary's Work: My First FHE

 10/3/2016

So my last preparation day (P-day), we had family home evening, which is family time complete with game, dessert/food, a spiritual lesson and songs. So the Portugal family invited us over. We ate only authentic Philippines food, they made sure I knew that. We had a blast, this family is so nice and loving and always shares their food with us. My favorite things here besides the work and people is the food. Some of the weirdest things you could ever eat, but also some of the best! My favorite is the fresh bread here with weird ingredients but mmmm. Also this meat dish with garlic, liver, steak of some sort, and onion and of course on top of the rice.

My favorite moment this week was having my first baptism. Her name is Lheeia and she's ten, but probably one of the most spiritually filled people I have met (kids anyway). We also had exchanges this week with zone leaders. So exchanges are when you separate from your companion and teach with another companion, which is a cool change. The zone leaders are over all of the districts, which are areas, and district leaders are over each individual one which holds about 6 missionaries including them.
Mom Note: Missionaries are always in pairs (companions), they report to district leaders, which for Morgan's area consists of about 6 missionaries. The district leaders report to zone leaders, which are over multiple districts. The zone leaders report to the Mission President's assistants - who report directly to the Mission President.

So I taught with Elder Hymus who has had a crazy mission. He started in California, waiting for his visa to India, then in India, his visa expired after a year so now he's here in the Philippines and goes home this month. Super cool guy, I learned a lot from him.

Today we also played basketball. My ankle is much better from last week when I rolled it playing basketball.

So my message this week: Three things have really stuck out to me this week. One, listening is sobrung mahalaga (very important), self conversion and unity. When you talk to someone, you listen then respond, right? So what's the difference in teaching? We should teach to someone's needs, so listen. But not only that, we need to listen to the spirit and it's hard to do either of these when you don't listen and you are preparing something to say. That's hard especially if you are learning a new language, but that is where faith comes in.

Next: self conversion. Self conversion is truly knowing for yourself that something is true and you know from learning, seeking/searching, and working continually. We need to want something then go for it and when we feel those moments you think maybe I don't really want this or maybe you say to yourself, it's okay if I don't do it this time, then You need to remember why you started, what was the purpose? What have you learned and has it been worth it? This can be applied to anything like the Finish Strong principle. So keep these steps in mind and do them always: Seek/search, learn and work.

Lastly, unity. In our ward here, there is little unity so people don't have self-conversion because they don't feel welcomed or befriended. Nobody should feel like that. So my goal for you guys is to befriend new people and make sure that those you are around are there because they want to be, because they have a friend.

Oh! Almost forgot culture time!
So all the dogs here want to bark at you, and if they're tied up, they want to kill you.
If you have 6 people, you'll figure out how to all get on a trike. We fit 4 missionaries (one being Samoan), a driver, and 2 Filipinos today, but I've seen 10 Filipinos fitting on one before.

Love you guys and see ya next week!
Elder Peterson

Mom Note: Morgan doesn't see the blog so if you would like to send him an email (he loves it!), you can email him directly at: rodney.peterson@myldsmail.net. He gets his email every Monday (they are 12 hours ahead of EST)