A Head Cold For Christmas!!!

Dear people I saw through the computer last week,

How yall doing? I am doing alright... I have been sick the past couple days... I just pushed passed it and decided to work I usually felt good after a lesson or two. Right now though... I feel like poop... Yep I said it! I am tired my head hurts, I woke up with a sore throat (gone now), I just feel sick... I am all good though! Don't worry about me I will live!

So this week has been a pretty relaxed and normal week. I will admit it was boring actually... One crazy thing that happened was Sister Bitter(she lives in syracuse) got robbed! She says it is the 3rd time here mission, but first time in person! Really sad... 

Other then that, the second most exciting thing that has happened is it has been raining!! Woohoo! I love the rain! It makes a huge difference in the temperature! 

Me and Elder Zobell are still doing brackets! The Lich King was decided to be the most evil video game character. (boys/Heather play warcraft 3 campaign and you will understand ;) ) And the Tree Ent is the best fairy tale character. We are now doing best movie hero. Crazy no? 

Well as you can see not much has happened... Oh last night we went on splits. I was with Brother Sano who as you know is only a 2 year convert. It was great though I taught some good lessons, I think. We are hoping to have a couple baptisms in January! the 19th is where most of them are able to be! Wouldn't it be cool right before my birthday? And my birthday is on a P-DAY!! WHOOHOO! I am excited. Well I hope you are having fun. I am so glad to hear Christmas rocked!

Keep me updated. Oh some things I was thinking I might need/want. Ties of course, chocolate, I loved the peanut butter (perferrably Skippy) and honey from aunt Judy (funny thing is the peanut butter she sent is the only American peanut butter actually here, I thought it was funny), Candy of course, and I had other things last night but nalipat ko (i forgot). Well here are questions.

Boys who is your favorite football/basketball team and player?

Who is taking the Superbowl?

How was Christmas?

Well thanks for all you do! I was so happy to see you last week! I think I will be okay for another 5 months! I think it is cool you are getting that translated (Brock's Testimony)... Just to let you know... Not sure if it was correct... Just saying! Thanks dad for the story I see that in some instances with me too. Please send more! Thanks yall I love you! 

Love your Missionary,

Elder Minson

Christmas 2013

Christmas 2013 - The chat to last the next 5 months!!

Brock called us last night at 7pm our time. We enjoyed being able to hear from his own mouth the adventures he is enjoying and some that he is enduring. He is Happy Health and is so full of the light of the gospel. It is a beautiful sight for us to see. There is no better gift than the gift of family at Christmas time. When the call was done we held each other and it was then that I think I fully realized Christmas is all about family, everything else is just stuff.

Merry Christmas from Brock to Everyone!!!!

Two Days and Counting!!!

Dear family who can probably tell that I think I am to cool to just to write "dear family,"

How are yall? It looks so Chirstmasy and sweet and cold and ugh... TRUNKY!! HAHAHA I am all good though. It was a pretty decent week this week. Our teachings were rocking, even with one day gone because of zone conference. I will admit though I am so tired....  I will be all good though. I have ups and downs, but overall I just kind put my best foot forward.

 

Dad I love you so much, I saw the poems on Facebook, but knowing you made them yourself means the world to me. I want you to know that you are a perfect example for me. You have given me everything I could need to be a good missionary, brother, husband, and father. I really am striving to be more like you. If you could, send me some of your mission experiances, we never talked about you mission and I wish we did more. I want to know both good and bad times. I want to know how you were. I want to see if I could compare to you now? I think it will be fun! 

 

Mom, you are the best! I am so glad the (CTR) ring for Heather came out so well! (I saw that ring on the Lds Store and that is the one I was thinking of getting) I am trying to put on the best example like you have taught me my whole life. I am having so much fun with this apartment arrangement with 4 Elders. It really takes off steam. I find comfort in talking to others, I wonder who I get that from? Love ya Mommy!

 

Bros, you guys rock! For you, I want you to know last night I ate Chicken Liver, and some other organs that were cooked in a Adobo. It was good! I had no complaint. It was funny, I asked Sister Sano what it was and she said she would tell me after I finished. It was funny! So how is school? I hear girls are following you two like crazy? Any new games, movies, or TV shows? Who is winning in the NFL? Have you looked at the deals on Steam yet? are they huge? How tall are you now? I love you boys keep up the good work and keep having fun!

 

Well this week was successful all around. We had 2 baptisms yesterday I got

to baptize Brother Mark Joseph Lavadia, and the other was Brother Ruzal Malagimat. They are two younger boys, we are working also with their parents to get them to return, or for Ruzal's be baptized.

 

We are gaining new investigators slowly and steadily. I hope some of these new investigators progress...  They are amazing people... I have a feeling that they will come though. We are working hard, and now that I am able to speak better then before, I feel like it will come.

 

So for Skype I want you to make sure you got the Headset I have hooked up to my computer, or just another headset. If you try using just the computer mic the sound is ugly, trust been there done that. We have everything worked out other then that though... 

 

Thank you for all you do. This transfer has been rough And I am really trying to be better slowly.... I will admit though, me and Elder Zobell have a ton of Fun!! We have started making a bracket system for best super heroes, super villans, video game heroes, and villans. It really is fun. We came down to the top 2 super heroes ironically are Superman and Captain America! We decided Superman wins, but Captain America is our favorite ;) I am grateful to have him in the home to let off some steam...

 

Well I am super stoked for Wednesday! Make sure to write questions and I will do the same! I miss you and love you all! Send more pics ;)

Love,

Elder Minson

 

 

New Pics!!!

A member and dear friend in Philippines moved to a new home and the missionaries in the ward help them clean up and move in.

The Package Has Arrived! The ducks Have landed!

Dear people and relations who for some reason read these things, ;)

 Well this week was pretty good. I had some struggles at the beginning, just kind of upset by all the things going ... One night we kind of got mad at each other because I said we probably should wait to baptize these to boys, because I wasn't sure if they were ready. Well Later that night we taught the Baptismal Questions, and they all did really well. I was impressed and it really humbled me. I hadn't realized they have been taught so much because their records were bad from past missionaries. The next morning Elder Mata'utia explained to me that the area hasn't been progressing for a long time and that the members are making fun of us now, he brought a quote up from Elder Uchtdorf this last October Conference, "Doubt your doubts, before you doubt you faith." We have grown really close since then. We had those boys interviewed and they will be baptized next week.... when its time to work he works tell there is no more work. We are Exactly Diligent, people can say that we aren't perfect and thats because we aren't. In the end I realize that sometimes you have to do (things differently) to help people come to the gospel. This is no excuse by any means. I just have learned that there are different way of doing things and we should accept them all.

 

Yesterday as you know we had our Christmas Zone Conference. It was so nice to hear from President. We were interviewed and we had to RP (Role Play) with President and teach the Kingdoms of Glory in Illongo to him, I struggled because of my nervousness, but Elder Mata'utia pounded in the spirit real well, and I hope we can apply that to our teachings. 

 

I am now comfortable in speaking the language. Usually my first teaching everyday is the roughest, but after that it starts coming and I am usually pretty strong in my speech. I by no means am fluent or sagad sa Illongo, but I can teach and get my point across clearly. Elder Mata'utia and Zobell have really helped my progress in my language and this week I have felt my improvement greatly! I was able to teach the whole Plan of Salvation to Eddie on Sunday without help from my companion. That is usually where I learn most my language is when I teach him, because it is more relaxed and I am able to figure out what I am saying and how to say it while teaching. 

 

Well Family thanks for everything. Send me some pics. I love the videos and am so happy to see all of you next week. My Skype is connected to my Facebook. I recommend for best quality is use a CPU and not a laptop. Unless our CPU sucks then use the laptop. I have everything setup and it should be ready. I recommend linking your skype account with facebook for easy access. Send some questions now if you have some. I love you and Merry Chirstmas! 

 

Oh, by the way I got the package!! I love it! I am so greatful for everything!! Was there really cloths on top? If so they were stolen! Haha, but everything else was fine! Tell Aunt Judy, Heather, Grandma and Grandpa, Tessa, Tad, and anyone else who contributed thank you! I love all the candy, it is nice to have snacks again haha!

 

Love you again and Merry Christmas,

(Palangga ko kamo kag malipayon nga Paskwa!)

 

Elder Minson