Filipino Fun

21 Feb 2016

This week was a little difficult, we didn't get to much done because my companion was sick for some of the week...  so throughout this week I found myself looking for motivation, why am I really here?  Of course the gospel is awesome but why?  We finally got out of the house one day and our investigator wasn't there but we decided to keep walking around rather than go home.  So we walked and saw a less active driving home and decided to go talk to him, we talked about the importance of church and the sacrament and he asked us if he could be re baptized which was a weird request but we explained the repentance process to him.  He told us he loved the feeling of being clean.  And looking back I think that is why I'm here.  Because I have felt the gospel help me feel clean and I love it!  It's a good feeling having nothing looming over you, no guilt holding you down.  So that's my motivation, I need to be out there as much as possible, being as obedient as possible so that the Lord can work through me as much as possible.

So besides the ok hair cut I got today, this week was great!  We've been walking a lot to save money and contact which has been fun.  I finally got over my fear of talking to people!  I use to get scared that I wouldn't understand them but its not to bad anymore.  We had a lot of dinner appointments too so that was nice!  The members love having us over here for dinner and family home evening.  After we eat we usually share a message and the one I had prepared this week was about humility!  Something I've been working on is remembering that the Lord gave us everything we have.  I would be a very different person if it weren't for his atonement and sometimes I need to remember that I owe it all to him.  I think a lot about who I want to be too and humble is one of those traits that I want to develop.

The language barrier can get weird between me and my companion sometimes.  In Tagalog when you ask a question you just say the statement that you are trying to ask and add "ba" so for example, "Are you going to the store?" would be (in English) "You are going to the store" and you would throw "ba" in there.  So when he talks to me in English sometimes its very straight forward and comes off rude.  So not taking offense is one flaw I have been working on.

As usual, I love your support.  Thanks for your open ears and hearts.  Until next week. Again I miss you all so much, thank you for your support,

I love you all! Elder Taylor-Jenson

"He who takes offense when none is intended is a fool. He who takes offense when offense is intended is a greater fool." - Brigham Young