Week 37

Hello, This week was a long one but its over now. Today was transfers :( Sad to say but Elder Gascon was transferred and I got a new companion. His name is Elder Ugalino and he is a new missionary as well. He seems really cool though. 

Elder Sackley why did you serve a mission?

That is a very good question. And depending on when you asked me I would have different answers. For sure what got me to turn my mission papers was my family. Of course all three of my older siblings and father are Return Missionaries. I dont go on a mission oh my goodness I would be shunned from the family. Just kidding. However for sure I would say my family got me to turn in my papers. The time from when I received my mission call to when I entered the MTC was kind of just a floating time. I didn't fully realize what I was doing and you can ask Madison or Stephen, Minutes before I entered the MTC I still didnt understand what I was getting myself into. The first while of my mission I realized I was screwed. I had entered the MTC because of my family and friends and I really didnt have a strong testimony. Or one strong enough to keep me a float out here. So over my second transfer here in the field i read the entire Book of Mormon. Thats when I realized I was out here serving a mission because this is what I believe and know to be true. This gospel has brought my family and friends more blessings then you could ever imagine. And that would be my answer until about a week ago. This past transfer has been really hard. I have never been broke so hard mentally and just wanted to give up. Brand new area, little amount of investigators, training a new missionary and the missionary barely spoke english and tagalog. Needless to say I had to rely on Heavenly Father more then ever. I was praying harder and longer then I have ever had and still  just felt nothing. However this past week we had a lesson with one investigator. They have been really struggling with past lessons and have had a hard time understanding. Well we decided to go over lesson one and Joseph Smith. By the end of the lesson our investigators were crying and understood everything inside and out and knew for a fact it was true. At that moment I have never been so happy in my entire life. Two rugby state championships, scoring under the lights on friday nights, white water rafting, road trips, concerts anything you name it. I have experienced it all but i have never felt so happy as I did in that lesson. I serve a mission because I am happier then ever out here. I serve a mission so others can be as happy as I am. I serve a mission because I know this is the true church of God. I left my family for two years so other families can be together forever, I know that quote is cheesy but every morning when we go out all I want to do is find a family to teach. To all of those who are close to going on missions or are deciding whether to go or not... just go. Its okay if your family or friends are the ones who get you out because I know in the field you will feel the same happiness I do and will truly want to serve. Yes your family motivates you but you are out serving because you want to serve. 

I love you all lots, Sorry for the long letter :(

Elder gsack

We went jogging the other week and then found this bunny set up thing

We got a district jersey because all of us were in training. Tatay means father and anak means child. Also i apologize for the tan lines

From Elder Labrums bday party the other week

FHE at Caintic family the other day!

Little kids on the street 

and Marian!! She is getting baptized May 5!

Week 36

Hello People,

7 Days till transfer. 

This week has been pretty good. This past saturday Kristine was baptized!! Woohoo!! That was a really good experience. The spirit was oh so strong and her testimony after the actual baptism was very cute and just a 9 year old. It was great. President and Sister Speirs were able to attend as well which was lots of fun. 

I dont think I have mentioned it yet but Our first conselour in our ward has been in the hospital the last 2 weeks or so. He originally went in because some body levels dropped but once he got to the hospital he body seemed to take a turn for the worse and hes really been struggling. Hes been in and out of ICU the last couple days. However Tatay Miguel (that is his name) is the most kind loving and serving person you will ever meet. He definitely reminds me of Grandpa Creek. He always is going out of his way to help others and put others before himself. Even as he has been in the hospital he has been trying to check up on others and ask how others are doing... putting others in front of himself. I think it is oh so important to do this. As we continually serve others we will be blessed beyond measure. As we lose ourselves in the service of others we will be taken care of. The Lord is always mindful of us. Never forget that. 

I love you all and miss you all lots!

Elder Gsack

Huge spider verse lizard... probably one of the best fights ive ever seen

Kristines baptism!!!

Mangos are in season right now and they are the best!

Logan this one is just for you... you are welcome

The first vision is a tongue twister, it had been a long day, i got upset, im sorry

Week 35

Hello,

This week was a good week. General Conference was an amazing thing and it was such a great experience to have the solemn assembly. 

Kristine is getting baptized this week fianlly! ahahha the chicken pox have finally passed and she can be baptized. the down side is now her little sister has it and is stuck inside and cant come to the baptism. 

This week we had a really spiritual with a "new" investigator. I say it like that becasue she was taught by missionaries years ago but she eventually stopped taking the lessons and became uninterested but her sister is a member and so we thought we would give it a try. So we went over to teach her and she was home and very welcoming in letting us in. We sat down and started talking to her and she was super nice and friendly. We started to introduce the message and she immediately started to cry. She told us how her husband had left her and how she has a 10 year old child that she loves so much and wants her whole family to be together. So we continued with the first lesson and it was a really spirit filled lesson. She really understood everything. When we got to Joseph Smith and the first vision the spirit was so beyond strong I started to cry myself. We went through the first vision and she stopped us and told us she knew it was all true. She knew Joseph Smith was a prophet of God and told us how she regretted not listening to the missionaries so long ago. The lesson continued and she ended up bearing a very strong testimony to us. I know through the power of the Holy ghost you will feel a happiness you didnt know you could. The gospel is truly an amzing thing. 

Love you all lots

Elder gsack

This is our chapel!

the spiders... go ahead pick your poison. Those were in our bathroom.

Donna at conference! ps all of the sackleys peep my tie,

"Yeah id be gucci down"

I look good in glasses :)















Pics with members and little kids :)

Week 34

Hello my people,

its been a rough week. Elder Gascon has been sick and I am positive any return missionaries knows how much it sucks when your companion is sick. You just sit at home all day and drive yourself crazy. Needless to say in the last 72 hours i have read 300 pages of Jesus the Christ. However for my email this week I thought I would catch you up on our investigators in our area right now.

Kristine Besagas. She is a 9 year old part member. She should of been baptized when she was 8 but her family moved her and when they got here the church was under construction and they didnt know where to go. So now her baptism was supposed to be March 24th but she got the chicken pox! so now we are waiting for her to get better and her goal date for baptism is April 14th.

Karen. Shes is 24 years old and has 5 kids. She is looking for the truth and really accepting to what we share. we found her about a week ago. Her husband is super interested too and loves reading to book of mormon. This week is general confernce as well and they are super excited to go and see the prophet! 

Nanay Dung. She is probably in her 40s. We found her while finding and she is really cool. She has a sewing shop and that is how we found her. We need some shirt tailored and so she did them for us and we ended up sharing a message and now she is super interested and just like Karen excited to see the prophet this weekend. 

Marian and Vince. They are 14 and 11. We found them in our area book last sunday and thought we would give them a try. We found their house and they were so happy to let us in. We started talking to them and asked how they met the missionaries and we found out that they had been taught everything. Were ready to be baptized and then one day the missionaries just never showed up and never came back. so we went through the first lesson and they basically taught us and as we extended for baptism for april 24th they looked at us crying and said they had been waiting for this day for a long time. so we are really happy for them

Thats about all the really exciting ones right now. As long as Caintic but i wrote about them last week. Hoope you are all doing well! I love you all!

Elder gsack

not a lot of pics this week :)

Me, labrum, chang and brimhall from district meeting

Linggo (Week 33)

Hello hello,

This week was pretty good, lots going on and we are just now starting to find our groove in the area. Lots of finding still to come both of new people and places in our area. 

My spiritual experience for this week was when we were teaching our investigator family. Their name is the Caintic family (Kai-in-tic). They are super great. Its brother and sister and then they have 4 kids. They have an insane story of their past and where they are in their lifes right now they never thought they would be. However we were at there house the other day and we had an object lesson for them. We had a cup of clean water (representing our life) and then we had Beta dine (our sins). We slowly dropped 1, 2, 3 drops into the water and eventually the whole glass was a dark brown color. We then taught about the Atonement of Christ and how through the atonement no matter how far you think you may be gone and how lost you may think you are there is always hope. We then pulled out Xenrox (Atonement) and slowly dropped it into the water. Slowly but surely the water was turning clear again. No matter how dark we made the water first we could always turn it back to clean and clear. It was such a powerful spirit filled lesson. Brother opened up to us and told us all about his past and going to prison and all these crazy things but told us how real the atonement was for him. That he knew its not an easy fast process but if we have the faith and desire we all can be made clean again. I know that no matter how lost and far gone you think you have gone the Atonement is sitting wating for you. Jesus Christ has done what he has done and it is up to us to accept it and apply it in our daily lifes.

Love you all thoughts!
Elder gsack

Went to Tagaytay this past week to Sky ranch. It is deifintely a must for anyone and we got to see Taal Valcano which i believe is the worlds smallest valcano.


Pic in the back of a trike





Read the book. nuff said


Madden Tanuvasa I understand it was your birthday this past week so I searched long and hard to find you this special one for your birthday!


 got my first nose bleed since I have been out! 5 blood clots and tons of blood later I was better! Didnt get one drop on my white shirt too!