Wk 94 August 22, 2011

HEY!                                          

      Mother and Father, Yes! I got your package just last week. Thanks a whole lot. The shoes fit great and are nice to wear around the house. I am not allowed to wear them proselyting though. :). I had a fun time with the beef sticks. We were driving from one area to another and I leaned over to the driver of the van and asked if I could open the smelly sticks. He said yes, so I then proceeded to hand our beef sticks to everyone in the car. At first everyone was kind of like "What? What is this thing? Where is the rice to go with it? Why is there a white guy giving me a brown long thing?" I told every one in the van just to take a bite. Everyone looked at it like it was some foreign meat stick (which it was). They all said it was "Sarap!" "Delicious!" So it was a success. One of them asked me if I had a rice stick I could give them. We laughed.

     This week has been a little bit of a mix up. Our district leaders companion had to go home because of heart problems. That was really sad because he was an awesome missionary just barely new to the mission. So from Thursday till now we have been staying in the Tangalan missionary apartment. There are three of us. Elder Arrieta, Verso, and I.  It has been really fun with the both of them. We are switching off areas every other day until he finds a malkesidik priesthood to be with him.

     That’s cool you had Stake Conference, because we did too! Ours was way packed and not everyone fit inside. President Pagaduan and his wife spoke which was good. They talked about missionary work and had us stand and told the members they need to feed us. :). But the best part was Brother Armando came to church! Mar came to church and Nanet came to Church!

     Brother Armando we didn't think he was going to be able to make it because he was in Baracay (a closeby sinful island) but he surprised us. He made it back early from Baracay because he said he was bored and went with one of our members to Stake Conference. We were way happy to see him. He was to cross a bambu bridge with a cane. I am pretty sure that has got to be hard. Right? right. What a trooper. We visited him also on that Sunday to teach him. He is accepting the message so far. We taught him about Joseph Smith, he said it is new but he wants to know more. :) I am excited for him.

     Sister Nanet is a longtime investigator. She has been progressing great lately and her and her husband are close to getting their marriage license so they can get married. I was amazed though of how strong Nanet is and she set the example of attending church with her two kids. It’s not easy to go to church but she exercised her faith and did what she could to make it to church. I know Heavenly Father will bless her family for that sacrifice.

      Alot of good stories this week, but I can't tell them all. Here is a few other things I have been able to do and see this week:

1.  Jogging on the beach every morning.

2.  All companionships now have DVD players so we can watch the missionary training videos. District 1 and 2. You should watch them they’re good.

3.  Taught a really big man with no pants on. Actually a really good lesson.

4.  Did missionary work with an investigator as in our investigator came and proselyted with us.

Kyle I hope everything goes well with the move. Sounds like quite the trip. Love you Leah, Heidi, Kyle, Mom and Dad. Talk to you next week.

 -Elder Kirschbaum

Wk 93 August 15, 2011

Hello Family,                    

      This week absolutely stunk! Joke. This week was...rad. I don't know if I have written very much about our investigator Erma. She is the mother of 3 of the kids who are recent converts.  Erma has been taught by the missionaries for probably about a year now. She just recently had a baby so she hasn't been able to come to church for the last little while. This last week we have been fasting for her and her family. We had a few really good lessons over at their house.  The next Sunday Erma came to church. All the members were way nice to her and she really enjoyed the classes.

      Our investigator named Nanette also came to church. That was awesome too. Armando didn't come though. We were really excited for him to come to church and he was excited too. But when the member from our branch went to pick him up, he wasn't feeling well, he said, so he didn't come. Okay though, next week.

      We held an activity on Saturday. It went really well. We had about 20 of the 30 branch members attend so that was good. We did the balloon object lessons. They were all laughing hard. Then we did a few more object lessons, then practiced how to contact people that have just experienced life changing experiences. (new baby, death, new move in, etc.) We made them all practice how to introduce the church and invite them. Then we had ice cream. I am pretty excited though for the follow up.  We will be visiting them throughout this next few weeks following up  and hear about the 5 people they have contacted.

      This week I kind of got frustrated with the language. We speak Tagalog when we are at the house, then Aklanon when we teach. I have been having a hard time speaking straight because 4 different words for what I want to say pop into my head at once when I speak. I think I am speaking my own made up language of Taglishaklonggo. I have been praying and fasting for help.

      I hope things are going well with Kyle and Kierston’s move. I am excited that you will be close when I get home. I just want you all to know that I love you, and I love this church and the knowledge that we have and get to share with others.

Till we talk again,

Elder Kirschbaum

Wk 92 August 9, 2011

Hey Family!                  August 8, 2011  #92

     This week has been awesome! The first week of being with Elder Verzo. I absolutely love this man. He is such an awesome guy. He is from Bicol, it is an island more north of Panay.  He has only been a member a little over a year, and his testimony is super strong. We have had a lot of cool experiences this week.

     On Wednesday we met a man named Armando. We were walking by this house and he called out to us to come in. So we went right in and he introduced his self to us. He is such a humble man. He used to be a radio announcer here in the Kalibo, but then he had a stroke. He has been able to recover slightly but not completely. His right side of his body is a little limp. Anyways he told us to come back on Friday so we gave him a pamphlet about the Plan of Salvation and left. When we went back on Friday he told us he read the pamphlet and believed everything in it. He then continued to ask us, "Sino talaga ako" "Who am I?" So we taught him from the beginning to the end of the Plan of Aalvation. He was smiling the whole time. He told us he believed all we were saying and would add his testimony too. After the discussion was over, he asked us, "Ano ang atin Relihon" "what is our religion?" We told him the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, then he said that he has always passed by our church and wanted to go in and see what it was like. We committed him to attend church this week and he said yes. We also committed him to be baptized if he found out that our message was true and he said yes. On Sunday morning it was raining and he didn't end up coming. So after church we went to his house and talked to him. He said that he had gotten all ready to come but his son came to him for help so he could not come, but he promised he would be there next week, and even told the member who lives by him to pick him up. I am super excited for him.  We will be able to visit him during the week.

      We planned on having like 7 investigators at church this week. Haha. None of them came haha. Next week they will be there.

      This morning I took Elder Verzo hiking. We did our personal and companionship study in the Bundok""mountain".  While we were there we met a cool kid and set a time to come back their house.

      Haha I just asked Elder Verzo if he sings. He looked at me and said "Indi" "NO".

      Mom and Dad you have been able to have some awesome missionary experiences at home. It’s almost like you’re full time missionaries. Just wait till you are couple missionaries...hehe. I am glad that you two have been able to share the Lord’s blessings with those on our block.

     The Birthday was good. I bought some Mango Ice cream and put a candle in it and me and Elder Verzo ate and took pics. It was a good b-day cause that was the day we found Armando.

     Well I love you all and I love the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the opportunity I have to serve him here in the Philippines. Love You!

-Elder Kirschbaum

Philippino Fact of the Week:

 I don't know if you already know this but every meal here in the Philippines is Rice. If you’re a really poor missionary it is rice with Tang.

Other than that about what ever you find you eat with rice. Hotdogs, Rice with Rice, Eggs, Hardboiled eggs which have become my fav, Soup, Veggies, Meat, etc...

I attached some photos!

Translate this: 

May tiyan talaga si tatay sa foto. Masarap yata ang pagkain doon sa amerika. hehe. mahal ko kayo ah. dali na lng, kta kts.

Wk 91 August 1, 2011

HEY!!!       

      First off, Happy Birthday to my Bro. Happy Birthday Kyle. Thirty Two No? Creeping up on the 40's. Hope You have a good B-Day.

I have got some News...I am now training! I am way excited. Last Wednesday I traveled down to Iloilo to pick up my trainee. In the Philippines we call them "bata" Child. He was the only Elder to arrive this last transfer. Elder Verzo (the little man in the photo I sent). He is filipino, 25 years old, and is 5 Foot 1, doesn't speak English. He is the funnest guy ever. He is a super humble guy too. We call him a little munchkin. I tried to explain what a munchkin was to him...he didn't understand. I don't know if I even understand, but it fits him. He is from Bicol but moved to Manila a few years back where he met the missionaries and was baptized. A little after a year later he decided to serve a mission, now he is my companion, and I am super lucky to have him. I don't even feel like I am training him. I am way excited for this transfer.

     I was pretty nervous to train. The trainee picks a lot of stuff up off the trainer, so I pretty much need to be perfect haha, at least a good example. Not that I am not a good example ;). But for example like...working out in the morning. I haven't been very good at doing that...but now! We go jogging every morning and I love it. It has been really tiring but its awesome.

     I won't be district leader anymore over the sisters. I am way sad. Four more sisters arrived in the district so there are 8 all together, but they rearranged the boundaries of the districts so I am not district leader anymore. Okay lang.

What else....

     Alfonso is gone now to Manila. He will be gone till September 19th.

We found a really neat investigator a few weeks ago. We watched the Joseph Smith video that the church has. Afterward we asked him what he thought. He started to talk about how the video showed how the truth was restored again on the earth and that people need to know about it, and that we should be telling it to everyone. Haha we were kind of stunned at his remark. We then committed him to pray about it and attend church that next Sunday. We will be teaching him again tomorrow.

     Well Family I am doing great thanks for the support. I know this is where I am supposed to be right now. I love you all and this gospel. Talk to you again next week!

-Elder Kirschbaum

Hey Mom and Dad! Yes I am writing right now. And I attached some photos. Get ready...:).  Love You.