GAWAIN MISSIONARY! -WEEK 30

My subject this week descibes my whole week!!   In English "missionary work" 

hahahaha Because that's all we've been doing this last week! of course!! 

But really it was just another week out here in the mission field!! 

We have transfers coming up this next week and usually the trainer gets transferred after training!  So I'm kinda expecting to get transfered!! And if I do, I'm gonna be really sad to leave my home here in Mobo!! This is all I've ever known here in the Ppines!! I'm scared to leave!!  Mostly I'm scared to leave my new moms!! hahaha (I'm a mommas boy!) hahahaha what I mean by that, is the two nanays here that feed us all the time!! It's funny, one of my mommas is just brand new! She's the mom of the family we just baptised!! I'm seriously gonna be soo sad to leave them!!  This whole last week we've been joking with each other like we hate each other so that we won't be sad if I leave.  haha  But I think it's just made us closer hahaha!!  Any of my close friends know I joke with the people I love the most!! ;)  And then the other nanay is the Gamba's mom!! She's been my mom since the day I arrived here, she always feeds us hahaha and always makes her sons work with us haha!!  But I don't know if I'm being transferred yet, I will let you know the next time I email if I'm in a new area!!  I will find out Friday and then transfer Monday!

But I just wanted to share a quick lil story!  So a lil background: when I got my call, Ellery Anderson's mom said to me " Don't even worry about the language! One day you'll start speaking and thinking in Tagalog and then even dreaming!!"  Well, she proved to be pretty much correct.  I find myself thinking in Tagalog all the time. And then one night my comp woke up in the night to go to the bathroom and he heard me sleep talking.. IN TAGALOG!! hahaha I guess I was closing a lesson saying something like "well if you don't have anymore questions, that's all and we leave these things in the name of Jesus Christ amen." HAHAHAHA that was pretty cool to hear!  That for me to know my brain is doing all the practice teaching while I sleep, so when I wake up, I'm ready to teach hahaha!! 

Well, that's all I got time for!! Just wanted to let you know I love you all!! 

Oh and I totally forgot I never updated you guys on the Elder Nelson talk.  So I will share one verse he shared and let you guys "ponderize" it!!  The verse is D & C 11:20!!

LOVE ELDER BAKER

HAKUNA MATATA!!

 The AWESOME Masbate Zone! 

a new pair of shoes Elder Baker has picked up!

D & C 11:20  Behold, this is your work, to keep my commandments, yea, with all your might, mind and strength.

BI...BI...BINYAG!!! -WEEK 29

WELL THIS WEEK WAS PROBABLY MY FAVORITE WEEK EVER!! IT'S UP THERE WITH THE BAPTISM IN THE OCEAN!! 

Well, binyag I baptism in Tagalog!!  And we had a baptism this week of  MY FAMILY!!  I call them my family cause they literally are my family hahaha!   I love them soo much!  This family is the referral we received back in December!!  Or something!  But we've been working with them for a long time getting them ready for baptism and sadly the dad didn't get baptized because he has work 3 hours away and he's only home 2 days of the whole month!!  But he wants to get baptized!  He heard our lesson about the restoration the first 2 times we taught them and he knew it was true!!  But he can't attend church so he can't be baptised!!  But he wants too!!  The family is already planning a temple trip!!  

So the baptism was great.  There was 4 of them.  3 the Cantoria family and then their niece that lives with them!!  So what we did is I baptized 2 and my companion baptized 2.  I got to baptize the mom and the niece!!  It was sooo great!  But the best part was the testimonies!!  SO, the niece bore her testimony and it was really funny!  She said the missionaries are soo great,  one time even though elder Jardeleza had lbm (loose bowel movements) they still continued to teach us!! hahahha   

But the moms testimony was great.  She talked about the first time she met the elders in the hospital, she could feel something was different about them!!  And her kids would always see us walking by their house when we would have to walk home and the kids would say I want to be like them someday! hahaha   But then she just talked about how in the first lesson we taught her, she knew our message was true!!  When we taught her the true nature of God the father and his Son, she said that it was true and the catholic church teachings were wrong!!   I was soo happy the entire time she spoke I was just smiling the entire time and AHHH IT WAS SOOO AMAZING!! 

LOVE, ELDER BAKER

I LOVE THIS WORK!!  I LOVE THIS PLAN!!  I LOVE THE PPINES!!  I LOVE THE GOSPEL!! 

HAKUNA MATATA!!

Now we know that we must also

Witness faith in Jesus' work,

Be baptized to show obedience,

As was Jesus Christ, our Lord.

APOSTLES... THEY'RE IGHT -WEEK 28

HAHAHAHA KIDDING APOSTLES ARE AMAZING!!! 

We had the very lucky privilege to listen to an apostle of the Lord speak to us yesterday!!  Elder Nelson President of the Quorum of the Twelve!!

So it went like this!  He showed up at the chapel and then we all went outside and took a big group photo on one camera and I don't have the pic yet but later I will!  But after the pic he and his wife and Elder Ardern of the Seventy and his wife waited in a line to greet us at the meeting!  And we all got to shake his hand!!  LET ME JUST TELL YOU SOMETHING!!  I received a stronger witness that he's an Apostle just from shaking his hand!!  THERE WAS POWER IN HIS HANDS!!  Yet, they were still those old man hands!  But it felt like the worlds strongest man was gripping my hand!! 

Well, I only have a lil time to talk about his talk!  And I left my notes at home so next week I'll go more in depth on his talk!  But I just want to tell you a cool experience!!  So he was teaching directly from the spirit, first of all no teleprompters out here in the Ppines!!  But so he was just sharing with us his personal insights!  And he did this like 4 times, he would be sharing and then say.. wait my minds going somewhere... somewhere in D and C... section 136.. verse (sorry I forgot the verse but it's in my notes!) and then he would just read this verse and we got the opportunity to watch an Apostle read a verse!  Break it down!  Expound the verse!  And then LIKEN IT!!  It was the greatest experience to watch a master gospel teacher at work!!  Ten feet in front of my face!! 

Other updates on my area!!  WE HAVE 4 BAPTISMS THIS SATURDAY!!!  MAYBE 6!!  hahaha the family is finally being baptised!!!  All though the dad is not being baptised, because he doesn't have time to attend church because of work, he really has a strong desire to be baptised with his family and their big family goal is to be sealed in the temple!!  Funny story... So one of the kids was messing around during the lesson and the mom goes "listen to the lesson or you're not gonna be able to go to the temple with the family" HAHAHAHAHA how cool is that!!!  They're already starting to become worthy to enter the temple!! 

Well, that has been my last week!!  I hope everyone is having a great time wherever you may be and I encourage you to always pray and read everyday!!  And one thing that was taught in the conference was to really think about your prayers!!  And your relationship with God, and your prayers will become more meaningful!! 

YA HA BIBI!! (arabic for mahal kita or in english I love you)

LOVE ELDER BAKER

HAKUNA MATATA!!

PPINES UPDATE! -WEEK 27

Well sorry, no super cool stories this week or anything fun happening this week hahaha!  But it was a great week none the less!! 

So update on the family baptism!!  YES THEY ARE STILL GONNA GET BAPTIZED!!  But I don't know if this rule is the same in all missions but to be baptized here, they have to attend church 4 weeks in a row!!  So sometimes it takes a long time for people to be baptized and sometimes you have an investigator that is sooo smart and knows about all the lessons and actually reads the Book of Mormon, but they don't have money to attend church, so they don't attend!!  Which means they can't be baptized!!  But then you have other families that give up the money they would use for lunch and use it to come to church!!! 

I'm definitely learning lessons of sacrifice out here in the ppines!!  Pretty much all the young men in the branch have sacrifice written in their Book of Mormons!!  BUT ALL THE MEMBERS HAVE IT WRITTEN ON THEIR HEARTS!!  If I come home with one thing learned (besides the gospel, cause I definitely learned more of that haha) it would be how to sacrifice!!  I'm so thankful that the Lord sent me here to be able to learn these important life lessons!!  And I'm so thankful for the examples in my life of sacrfice!!  And I'm so thankful for so many of my friends going out and sacrficing 2 years or 18 months!! to help the people of the world that are kept from the peace and happiness of this life, because they know not where to find it!! 

WE HAVE THAT PEACE AND HAPPINESS THEY NEED AND WANT!!  SO GO OUT AND SHARE IT!! 

LOVE ELDER BAKER

HAKUNA MATATA!!

And after many days an angel of the Lord appeared unto Adam, saying:

Why dost thou offer sacrifices unto the Lord? 

And Adam said unto him:  I know not,

save the Lord commanded me.

And then the angel spake, saying: 

   This thing is a similitude of the sacrifice of the

               Only Begotten of the Father, which if full of grace and truth.

--Moses 5:6-7

6 MONTHS WHA WHA WHA!!! -WEEK 26

SOO CRAZY BUT THIS THURSDAY IS MY 6 MONTH MARK IN THE FIELD!!!  And like my friend, Elder Pothier was saying the language really starts to set like in, in about 6 months... ya well he had a 4.0 gpa in high school I'm just a little bit slower than he is hahaha!!  It's kinda been freakin me out cause all the teachers at the mtc said ya, you'll be fluent in 6 months for sure!!!  I wouldn't say I'm fluent.. but I would say that I'm comfortable.. hahaha  I can teach a lesson and kinda hold a conversation with people, but I can never understand what they're fully saying hahaha!!  Especially when they tell like a 5 minute story.  I'm like uhhh ya, you lost me after the first 30 seconds haha!!  But it's totally fine, cause the reason I'm here is to teach people about the gospel, and I can say pretty much anything I want about the gospel!!  I've got the gospel language down.  Now it's time to become a true pure bred filipino!! 

So quick update on investigators.  Our work out here in mobo a mabate area hehe!! So the family of investigators is AMAZING HAHAHA I love them!! So yesterday at church we had a fifth sunday lesson and watched the Philippines area broadcast and then talked about it!!  But then after we were like done with the lesson, the branch president was like so does anyone have any questions for us or for the branch!?  And the mom stands up and says I have a question... when is our baptism?? hahahahaha!!  Then the whole branch looks at me hahaha I'm like February 20th!  So yeah!!  She's definitely excited to get baptised!!  And with her family... her niece is gonna get baptised to!!  And that same day we have 2 other baptisms!!  So in total, 8 baptisms on one day!!!  What better way to celebrate my 6 month mark, than by having a family of 6 be baptized!!! 

So this whole last week it seems like everything has been about missionary work... but not "MISSIONARY" work MEMBER missionary work!!  And I just remembered one of my favorite songs now.  It's "I Will Not Be Still" by Kenneth Cope!  I encourage all members to go listen to that song and then think about the blessings of the gospel in your life or your family's life... then here's the "hard" part.  Go out and SHARE the gospel!!!  If you're too scared to share by yourself, go out with missionaries!!  Then all you have to do is bear your testimony!!  And just a reminder, it doesn't matter how old you are, anyone can work with the missionaries!!  

mahal na mahal po kayo!! 

LOVE ELDER BAKER

HAKUNA MATATA!!

Sister Delgado got transferred to Masbate!!

They met and found out they know some of the 

same people....Dillon's cousin, Caitlin was her roomate at BYU!

 Mom woke up one morning, to friend requests

on FACEBOOK!  And lot's and lot's of

PICTURES of our cute Elder!  We love the 

sweet members in Masbate who love the missionaries❤

How can I keep this gift to myself

When I can lift somebody else.

I'll be a witness of his miracles and his mercy.

I put my future in his hands,

Knowing he's made me all I am.

When I put my faith in him the truth begins to speak,

His power is real it moves me until I will not be STILL.

                                           --Kenneth Cope

LIVIN THE PINOY LIFE!! -WEEK 25

So we had transfers this last week and it was really sad because the two other elders in our apartment got transferred!! The sad part is that they both spoke English!!  And now the 3 other people in my house are pure filipino!  And don't speak English... LIKE AT ALL!!! HAHAHAHHAHA it's wayy cool tho I was thinking about it and I'm like... holy crap I'm in the ppines, living in a house with 3 other filipinos!! And speaking a different language 24/7!! hahahhaha 

I LOVE IT!!!!

So these last 2 weeks have been great with this new family we got!!  They've attended church the last  2 weeks!  And they love the gospel!!  Everything we teach them, like the word of wisdom, and tithing, and law of chastity, they think is great!!  And they're like, why doesn't our religion have that?!! haahhaha they're the best!!!  And not only do they love to listen... THEY LOVE TO SHARE THE GOSPEL!!  They give us referrals and introduce us to their friends around their houses!!  So now we have a ton of investigators by her house!!  And a lot attend church!!  This last week we had 12 investigators attend church!!!  WHAT!?!?  That just doesn't happen out here in the Legazpi mission hahahha!!  But I'm lovin it!!  This branch/ area is PROGRESSING FOR SURE!!!  Maybe when I come back after my mission it will be a ward!!!  (p.s. mom and dad better start saving for me to come back!) 

I LOVE YOU ALL!

LOVE ELDER BAKER

HAKUNA MATATA!!

Search, Ponder and Pray
Are the things that I must do.
The spirit will guide, and deep inside,
I'll know the scriptures are true.

FAMILY BAPTISM??? -WEEK 24

SO THIS WEEK WAS A GREAT BLESSING!!  Everyone always says after hard times comes the blessings!!  And that was sooo true with this last week!!  I had one of the worst weeks of my whole mission!!  Everything was just hard with the people rejecting us!!  And then it all turned around when we got a referral for a family!! So we immediately tried contacting them!!  All we had was a name and a general place so we asked around and the lady we asked if she knew them, walked us over there and then stayed and listened to the lesson!!!  Well, it turned out they both were interested in our message!!  So they both wanted us to come back the next day!!  So we did, and the next day we taught both of the people in different lessons but with their whole families!!  And one invited her friend!!!  Well, one of the families is gone every Saturday and Sunday, so they couldn't attend church, but the other family ALLL SHOWED UP!!  It was funny cause they came in late during one of the speakers!! (they were only like 10 minutes late, but we are done with the sacrament 10 minutes in!!) but, so they all came in and the whole branch is like what the heck who is this!?  And then immediately members were getting out of their seats to go sit next to the family members and fellowship them, soo that was great!! 

Another cool thing is this last week I realized how much I think in Tagalog!!  Like it's the weirest thing whenever I'm walking around all my thoughts are in Tagalog!!  And the other day in a lesson an investigator asked me to pray in English... lets just say my biggest fear now is praying in English!!  It's one of the hardest things for me to do!!  I realized when I was praying in English, I think of what I want to say in Tagalog and then say it in English!! 

I LOVE THIS MISSION!!   I think it's crazy how much I've grown up in just a short couple months and I'm so excited to see how much I can grow!!  And I just think it's straight up cool how I think, speak, and dream in a different language!!  

ONE QUICK LAST THING!!  My momma just said to me she said, you have been blessed and now your giving back for those blessings!!  And I was thinking about my experience with the hard times and now the blessings... and I need to remember to be thanklful for all those blessings!! But I just want to give everyone else a helpful reminder to always thank our Heavenly Father for blessings!!  There's a scripture somewhere in D&C that says when you recieve everything with thankfulness you will receive ten fold!!  And I know that to be true!! 

I LOVE YOU ALL AND JUST REMEMBER HAKUNA MATATA!! HEHE ;)

LOVE ELDER BAKER

HAKUNA MATATA!!

 I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT HE'S RIDING HERE,

JUST GLAD TO KNOW HE GOT OFF ALIVE!

  SLIMY...... YET SATISFYING!

 I THINK ELDER BAKER IS REALLY GOING TO MISS HIS SIDEKICK, MJ

 

  

I thank thee, dear Father in heaven above,

For thy goodness and mercy, thy kindness and love.

I thank thee for home, friends, and parents so dear,

And for ev'ry blessing that I enjoy here.