Wk 60

Hey Family!!      

      I felt like it was such a short call. I wished I could have talked to each more. It is just awesome hearing all your voices. I didn't quite feel like I said goodbye to everyone. So goodbye and I love you. Sorry if I didn't answer everyone’s questions...:) There were lots. Just write me and ask me.  Kevin you too.  Well I love you all. Can't wait to talk to you again soon. Next year.

      Well this week is going to be quite the week. We are going to be super busy with 20 new foreign missionaries coming in. We have to take them and their luggage everyone. Feed um. Stay the night at a hotel with them (I have never been more excited to take a hot shower, 1st in a year). We are so jammed pack with a busy schedule that we probably won't be able to work very much in our area.

      We had a amazing day yesterday (Sunday). Oh man..two whole investigator families came to church. The Tanaman and the Enriquez both came to church which was sooo awesome. Also we had three other investigators there. One of them is reading the Gospel Principles manual and reading the Book of Mormon. He is a super smart guy.  We will start teaching him after the new year. Well Elder Adams and Elder Gowey will. I on the other hand will be transferred to I don't know where. I am super excited though. I will find out on Friday.

      Christmas was really fun! We ran around everywhere and delivered gifts to investigators and other random kids on the street. It got pretty ridiculous. Everyone here, especially if you’re white, will ask you for their Paskua (gift) They saw us giving a gift to someone so all these little kids ran up to us and were attacking us, pulling our clothes and trying to get presents. It was pretty bad. Me and Elder Adams had to sprint away from everyone. I almost felt bad giving gifts away. They go crazy for gifts. We wanted to share a little message about Christ and give them a little something but they were grabbing stuff away from us before we could. So we just had to evacuate. It was really cool though seeing other people and how grateful they were for the little things we gave them.  I am pretty sure some were the only presents they would get for Christmas.

      It made me pretty grateful for how close everyone is on Christmas at home. We are super blessed we have such an good family. That we can all get together and celebrate Christmas for what it is really for. 

     Well I just want you all to know that I love you, and I love serving the Lord, and these people. Hope all is going..the best. Happy New Year Naman.

-Elder Kirschbaum

I included some pictures of the investigators we are teaching. 

Michael and Wela’s Wedding.

Some kids caroling. (When kids carol here they do a little presentation and then they ask for money or a Paskwa) All the little kids are out doing that for the whole week of Christmas. 

Wk 59

Hey Family,           December 19, 2010      

      So I just got back from the wedding of Micheal Seduco to Wela Elizan. Micheal has been an investigator for a very long time, and just a few hours ago he finally did what he has needed to do for years. Get Married! I just realized that was my first wedding I had been to in my life. It was neat. Really simple and short. There was about 20 people there in all. We got to sign as the witnesses. I felt pretty cool. I was really excited for them. They have been waiting a long time to get married. His baptismal date is set more January 15th now. So we are excited about that too.

      This transfer has flown by. It will end right before the new year. This transfer with Elder Adams has been a great growing period. And I have absolutely loved it. It is always fun getting to know new people new companions and learning how to make this work well with each of them. Elder Adams is a really strait forward guy, so it has been nice because as soon as something isn't as good... as it could be in our companionship... he will bring it right up. It has helped me a lot with being able to talk things out, when usually I am just quiet about it. So our companionship has been awesome, because we have had very minimal time in allowing disagreements to linger. Which is super important cause it is impossible to teach people if there is the spirit of contention. Those same lessons of love has been nailed into me over and over again. If we are just trying to be like Christ, if we just think at all times about other people, life is so much more pleasant and just fun. Sometimes I feel like I am too reserved of a person, it is also something I have been trying to improve on. I realized how all reservedness goes right away when your life starts to focus on others. 

     Thanks for sending that analogy mom and dad, I really liked it, about how our life is a tandem bike with Christ at the front leading. All we have to do is Pedal. Even if it the road is a little scary and fast, just keep pedaling. I like the end "And I am learning to shut up and pedal in the strangest places, and I'm beginning to enjoy the view and the cool breeze on my face with my delightful constant companion, Jesus Christ." 

      It has been really neat hearing from all my friends out there in the field. We are in such different places but things are so similar. Josh’s letter was awesome. What a strong missionary.  Mckay has always been the most Christlike person I know. Thanks for sending their letters every week.

     Alright so President pulled me in his office last week and told me I would be leaving the office.....haha...I was pretty excited. I am going to miss the office a lot but it is going to be so great to be more involved in the work. I will be serving as a zone leader somewhere on Panay. Don't know where yet. I am just hoping I don't have to learn a new language. I might have to go back to Tagalog. Wherever, I am pretty stoked to go. No more car though...:) This next week I will be training Elder Gowey as my replacement in the office. There are tons to train on so I am pretty excited.

     Oh yeah and on Christmas I will get to go to the Guimaras Island. We get to sail across the ocean a little ways to Guimaras on these viking look alike boats. I am way excited about that. We will be going to see Elder Goweys baptisms that are on Christmas. We also are preparing for the 22 foreign missionaries that are coming in. It will be crazy. There are so many of them we have to get them hotel rooms for their first few days here.

      So Karver is way sad looking. Poor little guys left eye. It looked pretty beat. You’re all going to Las Vegas for Christmas? Sweet! So I will call you when you are all there. About that...I was thinking I was going to call Christmas morning here, which means Christmas eve evening there. I am not sure what time I should call there. Let me check on google really quick. If I call around 9am here on Christmas, then it will be about 5pm there. I will try to call around that time not unless you want me to call sometime different. I could also call Christmas night if you want. Just tell me what’s up.

      Looking forward to hearing from you on the 24/25th! Love you all and talk to you soon.

-Elder Kirschbaum

  

 Peddling The Road Of Life                                                                        

At first, I saw God as my observer, my judge, keeping track of the things I did wrong, so as to know whether I merited heaven or hell when I die. He was out there sort of like a president. I recognized His picture when I saw it, But I really didn't know Him.                                                                                               But later on when I met Christ, it seemed as though life were rather like a bike ride, but it was a tandem bike, and I noticed that Christ was in the back helping me pedal.                                                                                          I don't know just when it was that he suggested we change places, but life has not been the same since. When I had control, I knew the way. It was rather boring, but predictable... It was the shortest distance between two points.                                    

But when He took the lead, He knows the delightful long cuts, up mountains, and through rocky places at breakneck speeds, it was all I could do to hang on! Even though it looked like madness, He said, "Pedal!"                           

I worried and was anxious and asked, "Where are you taking me?" He laughed and didn't answer, and I started to learn to trust. I forgot my boring life and entered into the adventure. And when I'd say, "I'm scared," He'd lean back and touch my hand.                                                                                          He took me to people with gifts that I needed, gifts of healing, acceptance, and joy. They gave me gifts to take on my journey, my Lord's and mine.                  

And we're off again. He said, "Give the gifts away; they're extra baggage, too much weight." So I did, to the people we met, and I found that in giving I received, and still our burden was light.                                                               

I did not trust him at first, in control of my life. I thought He'd wreck it; but he knows bike secrets, knows how to make it bend to take sharp corners, knows how to jump to clear high rocks, knows how to fly to shorten scary passages.                  

And I am learning to shut up and pedal in the strangest places, and I'm beginning to enjoy the view and the cool breeze on my face with my delightful constant companion, Jesus Christ.                                                               

And when I'm sure I just can't do anymore, He just smiles and says.... "Pedal."                                                                           Author Unknown

Wk 58

Hey!!

     Haha I am super glad Elder Booth stopped by. That was fast, I didn't even know he had left Moapa yet. SO that must have been a blast seeing him and having him show you our area. I bet you kirschbombed him with questions. He is pretty guapo huh? I was thinking I guess he probably didn't show up to your door with a suit coat and tie. I bet he was wearing the Element shirts we bought at SM the last week he was here. When you see him next time tell him palangga ko sia, and tanan di nahidlaw sa iya pati ako.

     Anyways Family back the real stuff...

This week was a pretty awesome. A whole bunch of stuff happened. Here it goes:

1. The Enriquez are attending church every week and are doing awesome as ever. Their little 2 year old kid is super cute and will find me during the sacrament and come and slap my face. Brother Enriquez met with our Mission President. Yeah pretty crazy huh? We strongly believe that Bro. Enriguez can change his life around. We got to teach their oldest daughter the other day, Lelev. We are hoping she will see the need to listen to us also.

2. An investigator that we have been semi teaching and the missionaries before us since 1999 is finally taking some steps forward. We have been helping him a lot and to make it to church every week. His name is Micheal, and he has now been to church twice in a row. This week will be a hard with a big decision. We are excited for him though. He has made a lot of great strides.  We contacted him everyday for a while reminding him about his commitments for baptism and his family. Then he talked to the bishop and him and his member wife are going to get married on the 20th. Super stoked for it. It has been forever in waiting.

3. The Lord put 3 really awesome families in our way. The first was a family that has been struggling. We were able to teach them and almost all their family was at church the next week. We have become really close to them really fast. Their kids brought out a small spider and saw I was afraid of it. They finally got me to hold it.  Which I was pretty proud of. Then they brought a spider about 10 times as big. Not exaggerating, probably as big as a good size 6 inch pizza...or a hat or plate. Anyways it was huge. You could have tied a leash on it. Well I thought I was in a horror movie and pretty much broke down as they threw at me and chased me around with it. It was pretty rough. It ended up dead at the end. All the little kids and the parents thought it was hilarious that I was so terrified. Then we had a really good lesson. Haha. Only in the Philippines.  The other two families are new investigators that we found. I will hopefully tell you more about them later.

     Dad I am glad the interview went well with the special needs school. That seems like it would be a way cool project to do. Probably meet some way cool people along the way too. What other things have been going on?

     I saw the lights. They look awesome. I never thought I would see the day that we have Christmas lights on our....house or front lawn and one tree! But I am super proud. There are lots of Christmas lights going up here. And even some in our room.

     We still are thinking of stuff to do for Christmas here. We have a few Christmas parties and what not. Yeah hopefully we will get to do a choir or something. So what are your plans for Christmas? That is crazy about Tanner Charlesworth, poor guy. Tell him to get his back better and get back out there.

     So yes I did just get your package mother thanks so much. I will be handing out the little candy canes probably to all the little kids. Well I love you all so much. I love the work here. Excited to talk to you soon. I will tell you when I will call hopefully next week in my letter.

-Love Elder Kirschbaum

Wk 57

So this week flew by real fast. Let's get right to it.

      So how is your Christmas going in the Philippines? Christmas is going great. It is actually pretty sweet here. I was surprised to see how many Christmas lights people put up here. It is almost like America but not. They also make these Christmas tree out of wood and decorate them outside their houses.  It‘s pretty cool. I will have to send you a picture.

      There are a bunch of Christmas programs coming up with the church so we will be busy doing the Haka and singing at those. We are super excited. 

     Our room in our apartment smells like Christmas. We have a felt Christmas tree taped to our wall with ornaments on it. And we went out and bought some Christmas lights.

      This week with the work we have been trying to get our teaching pool going again. We kind of went small on the investigators and so we have been working with members and finding a lot. It has been way fun.

      The Enriquez came to church again this week which was awesome. The father shared how he wanted to have the gospel in his life when he attended the Gospel Essentials class. It was fast and testimony meeting this week so we tried to help out Sister Enriquez with her kid so they could hear some of the testimonies. That was kind of fun too. They have a super cute crazy 2 year old. The whole time he was trying to jump off the balcony of the church and screaming. :).

      We made some awesome progress with a long time investigator Micheal Seducu. He has been taught by the missionaries a lot but we just started teaching again and they will be getting married in a few weeks. They have wanted to get married for a while but it just has been put off and put off. They came to church last week and talked to the bishop about getting married so me and Elder Adams are way excited.

More Answers to Questions:

What do you like most about the Phillipines lately? (from Kyle) Lately I have just enjoyed talking to random people on the street. We have met some pretty funny people and played the drums in a marching band practice.

     I am also enjoying the weather. It;s perfect right now. I haven't had dog tongue but I did have some mac and cheese on Sunday to break my fast.  I don't know if I have told you this but you eat food alot with your hands here. That’s always fun.

     It is pretty insane that it has already been a year. It is just getting better and better.

     Me and Elder Adams are having lots of fun. He is a pretty "get it done" kind of guy. It is going to be fun learning with him. He isn't afraid to tell you if something bugs him. So it has been good with being united. Except for the fact that I can’t keep up with his walking speed. I have to jog to catch him. I love um though. Hopefully I will take some more pictures soon and send them off to you guys.

I love you all so much!

      Good luck with the Special Needs School Dad and thanks for the quote.  "We will not always be rescued from proximate problems, but we will be rescued from everlasting death!  Meanwhile, ultimate hope makes it possible to say the same three words used centuries ago by three valiant men.  They knew God could rescue them from the fiery furnace if he chose, “But if not,” they said, nevertheless, they would still serve Him!”  Elder Maxwell

Invite Elder Booth over to the house. He is a Man. And tell him I love him.