week 55

Hello!

Im sorry i am on so late but its because WE GOT TO GO TO THE TEMPLE TODAY!!!! So happy. You get to go once in your entire mission and its been 13 months since ive done an endowment session so it was really nice to go however besides the spiritual experience of the temple itself i had a really awesome experience earlier at the temple, hence the subject line.. 

I knew Elder Jake Halverson got his mission call to Naga mission a few months back and of course i was super excited for him however i had no plans or way of seeing him. So i didnt think to much of it. Well i thought Elder Halverson came into the philippines a couple weeks ago and was already in Naga however i didnt know he had been visa waiting in Texas. So just as we were arriving at the temple i thought "Oh jake was here not to long ago" But quickly shrugged off the thought. When we got into the temple you have sign in on a sheet to rent out clothing so i picked up the clip board and saw near the top the name "Elder Halverson" I set the clip board down immediately and went to ask the worker what time this elder halverson signed in and what mission he was coming from. She told me that he was going to Naga but his session was 10 and it was already 10:20 so i quickly lost hope of that maybe being him and if so seeing him. So i got my stuff and went into the locker room thinking maybe after the session i could go search for him in the MTC and thats when a door swung open and it was like a deer in head lights. Elder Halverson was just walking out of his session. I guess the lady lied to me but i was able to give him a hug and talk to him for a couple minutes before i had to run into my session. It was tons of fun seeing him and being able to talk to him for a little bit. He heads off to his mission tomorrow so they chose to go to the temple for their last day. Just a super comforting moment to see someone from home. 

THis past week has been super busy! We have had lots going on and we are teaching tons of new people. I had lots of pics and videos to send so that will tell plenty of stories itself. ZOne conference is this coming week and we have to check all the missionary apartments in our zone so it should be another busy week.

Last week the mission got 20 new Americans. this coming transfer day is another 20. The transfer day in November is 17... SO many white people its insane.

Love you all lots!

Elder gsack

Matching companionship watches

temple

Sister Matiga, my favorite!

Week 53 - What all missionaries think but only Elder Sackley says...

Hello.

Well not much has happened this week and its been quite hard. I know for a fact all missionaries come to a point like this on their mission. Whether you are willing to admit it or not all missionaries do and I have definitely hit the point. The point of absolute home sickness. 

The hardest thing for me as well has been the Moon. I love looking at the moon every night. It brings me a great deal of comfort looking up at the moon almost every night and saying "I know my family is under the same moon. I know that as i work hard here the Lord will take care of them for me" SO every time  i see the moon it makes me a little homesick but this night I had just said my nightly prayer. I un paused my music and the song 'Homeward Bound" came on and as i laid back into bed I looked out the sliding glass door and the moon was just dead center of the window and oh man i have never been so homesick. I dont want to legit come home or anything I love it here in the philippines but man its hard. 

However on the flip side and happiness over the past week i have interviewed 7 people for baptism and have had 3 of our own investigators interviewed for baptism. SO that was super good. I love interviewing people so this weekend was super happy for me and I just felt lucky to have the chance to interview so many people and then All the ramos kids passed and editha bagting passed so all four of them will be baptized this coming satruday! super excited for them!

Transfer day is next week. There is a stupid amount of new Americans coming in and I really dont know whats going to happen. President called the other day and was asking for help and ideas on where to place all of them. So many. 

Love you all lots!!

Elder gsack

 

ps. no matter how home sick... still dabbing away ;)

 we went on splits with elder uasike the other day

 Pic with Editha bagting

Rambutan is back in season and i am so happy

Week 52

well i have lots going on and not a lot of time to type so i will just fill you in on some of our investigators. 

Editah Bagting. She is 60 years old and a part member. She used to work abroad and it was hard for missionaries to teach her but now her mother is 89 and slowing winding down so she is home taking care of her and we are teacfhing her! she is super nice and loves coming to church. She will be baptized this coming 25th!! 

Ramos family. They are three little kids and my favorite. none of the kids have been  Their family is less active and is very very poor. Their mother died just last february so about 6 months now and the father has no job. So we have been re activating them and finding the father a job. They are all also being baptized on this coming 25th.

Eloise Regidor. She is 17 years old right now and a part member. She lives at home by herself so every morning we meet her at the church before she has school and teach her. Its super helpful too because seminary is going on so we can just pull other young women out and join our lesson. Needless to say she has lots of friends now in the church. SHe will be baptized on September 8th! WOohoo!

Last is Tatay Juanito. He is a beast. He is a good 70 years old and still kicking hard. He does construction as his work. He looks legit like fetty wap and i think thats why i love him. Hes got the eye and everything. Ask Logan if you dont know who that is. He comes to church every week by himself and is just so sweet. He will be baptized on september 1st!

have lots more but those are the most progressing and we teach the most often. 

Love you all lots!

Elder gsack

  The ramos little kids and the mother of sister editah. She always says to me "Sakit sa akin kalooban kung aalis ka at walang paalam" which means my feelings will be hurt if you leave before telling me. I love her. 

"Bawaled pumasok ang mga mormons" this was legit wrote on someones house in sharpie and it means mormons are not allowed to enter this house

Week 51

Hello,

THis week has been a really good week with lots of really good experiences. I will try to hit a few though in this letter. 

Last friday elder egli and i were on exchanges. We had just finished planning for the day and we got phone call from a member in the ward. They told us that there was a member in the hospital who had gone into early labor and needed a blessing before she went into operation. Well of course with the traffic here we did our best to get to the hospital as fast as we could but by the time we got there she had already entered surgery. However we had the chance to talk to her parents while she was in surgery and i was oh so amazed how peaceful and clam her parents were. at one point her dad said to us "Elders i know it is completely up to God now. I have the faith she and the baby can make it through but i know whatever happens is the plan of God." it was such a simple but so powerful statement that kind of struck me. No matter how hard things are some times we always need to remember that God has a perfect plan for us and though it may be hard everything is going to work out. 

Then yesterday i had the chance to go on exchanges again with Elder Garcia. He is a district leader in the zone. We were working in his area. Well while we were walking some one out of no where called out "Elders!" and so we stopped and looked around but saw no one and then we heard again "Elders!" and we saw a women calling for us. So we walked over to and started talking to her and she told us that her husband used to be like us. So of course we asked if we could come in and share a message. we shared a really powerful lesson one and at the end we of course extended the invitations and she just kinda laughed and we asked why and she said legit "Elders ive been coming to church for over five years. I know Joseph smith is a prophet of God" my mouth just dropped. So insane. SO needless to say she now has a baptism date and is elder garcias most progressing investigator ahahaha. 

Loving the life in the mission and loving all the experience. Love you all lots!

Elder gsack

egli said we were going to the beach and it had to be done.. so it was done

One year cake.. kaya pa means like you can do it

 WE GOT A WASHING MACHINE AND SPINNER LETS GOOOOOO WOOOHOOOO 

and us at mang inasal

a nasty water fall in our area

TERNATE!!! Wasnt as nice of a beach as i thought it was going to be but the water was super warm and it was just relaxing. ps love you nora and hank

 and this is our gospel principles teacher who was companions with my mtc teacher

 this is our chapel

this is some pig we saw and it is so big. like if i laid down next to it its bigger then me 

 Egli and I at charlie and the chocolate factory

 and I got my flu shot the other day

Week 50

hello,

this week has been madness with lots going on and i am currently in Ternate! we are going to the beach today and i am so excited so i am going to email fast. 

this week i had the chance to baptize Angelo and Joselito Adimat! it was completely unplanned but i am glad i had the chance to do it. Because we are the zone leaders we have the chance to go to any baptism in the zone. SO last Saturday the sisters had a baptism so of course we planned on going.Well when we got there the sisters came up to us and said "elders our baptizer didnt show up can one of you do it?" well of course we were happy to do it however neither of us had a change of clothes or anything. SO after rock paper scissors best 2 out of 3 i lost and was putting on the white suit. but before the actual baptism i was able to sit down and talk to the two boys and their testimony was so strong and they both had their own personal conversion story, So exciting baptizing brothers. Made me miss mine. 

also i had the chance of going to MLC yesterday. its a meeting with all the zone leaders, sister training leaders and the APs. it was a super cool experience to see all the thought and consideration that goes into the mission. Seeing the steps to planning zone conference and the love each missionary has for investigators around the entire mission. just a super fun experience. 

thats all i have time to write and i have lots of pics to send so that will make up the rest. love you all lots!

elder gsack

 CHurch getting re done 

 and Bishops family :)

These are the ramos kids, there mother passed away and the father works abroad so we walk them to church every week :)

 BAPTISM WOOHOO