I USED TOILET PAPER! -WEEK 10

Ok so to start off, I used toilet paper for the first time!!  So yes all the myths and joking around about using my hand is 1000 percent true!!  But cool parable about it!  So wiping with your hand is like repenting!  You might not want to go down there with your hand just like you might not want to go and repent of your sins and confess to a priesthood leader!  But it is 100 precent necessary, cause if you don't go down there with your hand and clean it all out your gonna have stains on your underwear... and if you don't go and confess your not gonna be completely clean!  Well, there's my lesson for the week!  lol 

So this week we had an earthquake at 10:30 at night and I was going down stairs to turn the lights off and as I was going up the stairs it happened and we have 2 metal garage doors down stairs and they started shaking and it sounded like gun shots!  So I thought I was getting shot at, so I jumped and then ran up the stairs and jumped in bed!!  I had no idea it was an earthquake till the next morning when we got a text asking if we felt the earthquake, and my comp said oh that's what that noise was... I thought you fell hahahha!!

Ok so I've never been more excited for conference before in my life and I loved it!  We didn't get to see saturday sessions but the other ones were great!!  I really loved in Elder Bednars talk he quoted, I think Elder Wirthlin,  but he said "come what may, and love it" and that's how the mission has been for me!!  I've had many hard things come up and also some gross and weird things butttt I just decided to love it!!  I'm not gonna be able to wipe with my hand in  2 years, so why not enjoy it di ba??

We had a baptism on Thursday and my companion took a pic of me during a quick talk on baptism so there's a pic of me in live action!  It's so great having baptisms, it makes me soo happy!  Like one of the conference talks said " look at every person thru heavenly fathers eyes... and we can only do that thru the spirit" and during baptisms you really get to do that, and it's truly amazing seeing a person come unto christ!!!

Last thing sooo in Devin G Durrant's talk he invited everyone to ponderize a scripture.  I invite you all to do it too!!  My scripture this week is Alma 26:12  I don't have time to type it up but it's great.  I encourage you to look it up and then choose your own!!


ps." Don't just go thru the motions" Elder Oaks quote!   Keep being the best examples to the whole world!!  And keep the light in your eye shining like President Monson said!

LOVE ELDER BAKER

HAKUNA MATATA!!

Doing some service!  

 Watching conference

With the kids...Probably his favorite place! 

 Giving a talk on "baptism"

 Their drinks come in plastic bags!

I am like a star shining brightly,

Smiling for the whole world to see.

I can do and say happy things each day,

For I know Heav'nly Father loves me.

MASTER BAKER -WEEK 9

Well first off, the subject!  Instead of PANADERO,  they call me MASTER BAKER sorry dad I think mine is better!! 

Ok so this last week.  So on Monday last week we gave a blessing to an old man and then we came and emailed, and then on Tuesday we found out he had leukemia and then on Wednesday he died.  And I was really depressed thinking the blessing didn't work but my companion pointed out to me that it is better that he die now instead of having to live longer with leukemia and he was also like paralyzed and blind so ya, it was bad!  So my companion pointed out that that was the power of the priesthood blessing, that he would either be healed, or put out of his misery and his families misery of having to watch him struggle everyday.  k then Wednesday we took a trip to THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE!  lol this whole island is the middle of nowhere, but really it was a 4 hour trike and bus ride out there, and then a 30 minute motorcycle ride into the deep parts of the jungle!!  Oh ya, and on our way out there I pooped for the first time here in Masbate!  lol ya I know like a whole week!  And we had to stop at a school and I was like 1 second away from pooping my pants!

Lol but it was all worth it, cause the investigator out there is GOLDEN!  She is READY to be baptised!!  Thursday I don't really remember too much but we taught an investigator who came to church this week!  ummm Friday we did a baptismal interview with the girl who got married last week, and she's getting baptised this coming Saturday!  SATURDAY WE HAD MY FIRST BAPTISM!!!  I didn't do it but still it was soo cool! Now Sunday! Well yesterday we did not watch conference yet we had a district conference, so all the members on Masbate Island were there!  It was a WHOPPING 200 people! LOL ya not that many members but still ALL great people!!  Then after 7 and a half hours of conference,  we went straight to a blessing..... at the top of a mountain!  lol it was a 30 minute hike up in the rain!  And then on he way down stopped at the Villiamors family area!  They all live together up in this mountain place it's sweet!  And while we were there we gave another blessing!  It's also fast Sunday we haven't eaten forever!!!  Well now today I'm here just chillin!  I love you all!

ps. if you're ever having a bad day read a couple hymns they're the best!

LOVE ELDER BAKER
HAKUNA MATATA!!

the motorcycle ride

 the school with the "bathroom" lol

 baptism

Just hum your favorite hymn,

Sing out with vigor and vim.

And you will find it clears your mind,

Hum your favorite hymn.

ELDER JOE COMING AT YOU LIVE -WEEK 9

Well I'm out here in the ppines! I'm not in Legazpi like everyone thinks I am.  I am actually in Masbate! lol  Right when I got to Legazpi, I found my companion and it turns out that he is the BRANCH PRESIDENT of a ward on Masbate! lol So, I'm over here in the mobo ward! Ohh ya, guess what, I'm the branch clerk lol! Ya it was a very suprising and crazy first day lol! Um well, I got here Wednesday and then on Thursday morning we took a 3 hour boat ride to Masbate! And then we got here, got a couple things un-packed and then had a quick comp study and went to work lol!! I met brother Mark Jade who looked like a 12 year old kid and then he came out teaching with us, then Elder Irabon (my companion). Well then we went and taught Sister Bellagoza and I invited her to be baptised at the end and she accepted!! Then we went to brother Rocky and I taught him and then I extended the baptismal invitation again ... and... HE ACCEPTED ALSO!! We gave him the date for December 6th and he said he doesn't like the number 6 lol, so it's the 5th! But the rest of my first day we taught 8 lessons and then we also tracted for 2 hours!! It was a crazy long day! I'm running out of time, so I'll tell some other stuff real quick! Well, on Saturday the church got robbed and they stole the computer and dvd, so we had to go to the police station and do a bunch of stuff! And then on Sunday night we taught a jehovas witness! wowo that was crazy! Umm and then today we went to a wedding of one of our investigators and then to their reception and I was dancing with all the kids, it was wayyy fun!! 

LOVE ELDER BAKER

HAKUNA MATATA!!

at the Legazpi airport

Elder Baker's first companion...Elder Iriabon

Doing the laundry...old school

Taking care of "official business"

Making friends just like Dillon does!

Letting loose and having fun at the wedding reception!


The Lord needs valiant servants,
To do his work in the latter day,
Who follow the teachings of Jesus
And serve his people in a loving way.

  

HEYYYYY I'M HERE IN THE PPINES! -WEEK 7

We have a couple minutes to just say we made it safely, and tell you I

love you!  mahal kita! or padaba taka!! That's another way to say I love

you!  We're taking off to go proselyting with the Manila missionaries!

We love our missionary and we're so proud of him!

We can't wait to start hearing about who he's teaching,

what he's eating and where he's living and who his companions are!

Sending lot's of prayers his way.

GUYS, WE HAVE A PLAN OF HAPPINESS! -WEEK 6

Hey everyone hows it going back in the AZ... or wherever everyone is that is getting these loll!  That's funny to think about how many of you guys that are getting my emails are all over the place!!  But thats also a great thing!!  So yesterday we had infield orientation and we realized the importance of member missionary work!!  So this is where the greatness of everyone being all over the place comes in handy!  I INVITE EACH AND EVERYONE OF YOU TO TALK TO SOMEONE ABOUT THE GOSPEL!  Maybe not even about the gospel, just talk to them about their life.  Just talk to someone that looks like they need some help!  Look for impressions from the spirit to talk to people!!  I personally promise that Heavenly Father will bless you if you do go out and try to share the gospel!

GUYS WE HAVE A PLAN OF HAPPINESS right at our fingertips!!!  Why are we not out telling every single person we see about it!!! 

Next, going off feeling the spirit!  If you feel like you cannot feel the spirit I invite you to read Ether 12:27 and realize a weakness that you have and if that weakness is a sin that you have committed, I invite you to pray to your Heavenly Father and ask him for forgiveness!!  And if it needs be go talk to a bishop!! This last week I was thinking about stupid stuff I had done and I realized alot of dumb stuff I had done and I prayed to Heavenly Father for forgiveness and then decided to talk to my branch president about lil stuff that I might not have needed to but being able to talk with him made me feel so much better about the little dumb mistakes I have made!! 

So please go out this week, find someone that you love that needs the gospel or just find a random person and make a new friend!  And share with them that we have a PLAN OF HAPPINESS! 

mahal na mahal ko kayo! 

alam ko po na tutulong sa diyos sa pamamagitan pagsubok po kayo at alam ko po na ng diyos mahal po kayo! 

(i really love you all and i know that god will help you through your trials! i know that god loves you!

I lived in heaven a long time ago, it is true;

Lived there and loved there with people I know. So did you.

Then Heav'nly Father presented a beautiful plan,

All about earth and eternal salvation for man.

 Father said he needed someone who had enough love

To give his life so we all could return there above,

There was another who sought for the honor divine,

Jesus said, "Father, send me, and the glory be thine."

Jesus was chosen, and as the Messiah he came,

Conquering evil and death through his glorious name,

Giving us hope of a wonderful life yet to be

Home in that heaven where Father is waiting for me.

PANANAMPALATAYA -WEEK 5

First off I'm sorry about no letter last week!! But, sometimes the mtc can be boring.

BUTTT this week was sweet!!! So, last Sunday was sweet I got to see some friends at the temple love you guys!  And then on Tuesday we had a devotional and guess who was speaking!?  ELDER OAKS!! It was sweet, we got to hear from him!!  And it was broadcasted to all the other mtcs and my face was on it, hehe, hope all my boys out around the world got to see my cute face!! and Lukers!

Well then on Wednesday Abby Giles and Stockton Huish came in to my zone and its soo funn to see some familiar faces!!  But that's pretty much the extent of cool stuff that happened this week in the mtc!! 

lol kidding, but this week was awesome cause I had felt like I was feeling like I was horrible at the language and teaching, but my teacher pulled me out and told me that I was one of the better teachers!! So that was wayyy nice to hear!!

GUESS WHAT!? I GOT MY FLIGHT PLANS!  I'm soo excited to get out and actually teach some Filipinos!!!

We will fly out on September 17th.  We go from SLC to San Fran then to Hong Kong and to Manilla.  We will stay at the Manilla MTC for a little bit and figure out how everything goes down in the PPINES!

Well I love you all, your all the best and I can feel everyone's prayers for me everyday.  When I start feeling down I always feel like I'm being lifted up and made happy by something and its all of your prayers, so thank you!! 

ps. I'm gonna do this thing my friend does and say a tagalog word for the week!!  So this weeks word is pananampalataya! lolol try saying that hahahha!!

pss. that's faith!

psss. sentence for the week hehe pananampalataya ni jesu christo

Elder Baker

Elder Stockton Huish's first day in the MTC

also going to the Philippines, but different mission.

The Mountain View boys at the MTC

Gio, Stockton, Dillon and Luke

 Some of Dillons buddies in his zone at the MTC

the "ITINERARY"

Heav'nly Father, now I pray,

Guide and guard me ev'ry day.

Help me feel thy love for me.

This I humbly ask of thee.

WEEK 4

Dillon and his good buddy Luke Shill!

Out in the "colorful" real world

when he and his companion were looking for a cvs pharmacy!

 "Downy Bear" taking a risk ironing his pants while wearing them!

 Dillon and his buddy, Cody Porter

 This is Matt Garry, he is Nate Garry's cousin.

He found Dillon at the temple on a Sunday walk.

 "The classroom"