#BLESSED -WEEK 76

SO I’m soo excited to tell you guys about this week!! This has been the BEST week I have had out here in Guinobatan since the first week I got here! So in our weekly planning last week me and my comp made some HUGE goals for new investigators this week and other goals to help our investigators to progress and well IT WORKED!! It wouldn't have worked without a little change of heart in me and my comp! My companion doesn't really have motivation to tract out here cause he’s been here for a long time now and hasn't had any success really in tracting out here, but we had faith we would have success this week! 

So on Tuesday we went out and started tracting immediately  We found and taught 3 new investigators right when we started! Then as we went to go and try to teach one lady we had met on the street the other week we took a detour down a road and as soon as we turned the road I saw a guy outside his house and he looked at me and smiled and I said to my comp “ we're gonna teach him!"  Well as we got to his front gate he was already opening the gate and he said "hey elders”.  I was like wait, you know the missionaries?? He’s like ya I’m a member hahaha!  Well, turns out he goes to church in the other ward, because thats where his friends are haha so I didn’t know him but then he says "come in elders I have someone I want you to teach!" HAHAHAHA WHOAH!!! #blessed!!  Well we get inside and turns out his cousin has been coming to church with him the last 2 weeks and wants to get baptised!! Well the elders in the other ward didn’t know where he lived so they never went to him luckily we found him this week and finally got to teach him and gave him a baptismal date for FEB 11!! he’s really excited for his baptism and he’s also gonna be baptized with his nephew who is 8 yrs old!! 

Well our prayer was answered!! We found our GOLDEN INVESTIGATOR!!  

But that’s not the only miracle that happened this week…………..So remember that house I told you about that we built again for that family after it got taken out by the typhoon! Well he’s a part member and he’s been really hard hearted back in the day and didn’t want to listen to missionaries! BUTT!!! We softened his heart THRU service!! He wants to be taught now and he’s already started changing his life! He has had a problem with the word of wisdom his whole life but now… IT'S GONE!!  He completely changed! WOAHH! #blessed!! We also set a baptismal date for him on Feb 26 which is the baptism of Sister Monellia! The lady who is waiting to get married to get baptized SOO WE ARE EXCITED FOR NEXT MONTH!! To see all these baptisms go thru! Elder Ayson is a little sad cause he probably won’t be here next transfer but he’s happy he was the one who found these baptisms!! 

Well that’s about it besides me losing 8 pounds in 2 days... what.. #PrayForPanadero! hehe kidding just a little stomach problem! 

I LOVE ALL OF YOU AND AM SOO THANKFUL FOR YOUR PRAYERS TO HELP MISSIONARY WORK THROUGHOUT THE WORLD! KEEP IT COMING! 

"preach the gospel at all times if necessary use words" just wanted to share one of my favorite quotes with you guys!

LOVE ELDER BAKER

HAKUNA MATATA!!

 Guinobatan 2nd Ward Christmas Party 🎄

 Is this what they mean by...."fishers of men"?

 part of Elder Baker's Christmas package!!  

 RAIN...... 🌩 the typhoon is coming!!!

 Service Project after Typhoon Nina

Rebuilding this house!!

And now behold, I say unto you, my brethren, 

if ye have experienced a change of heart, 

and if ye have felt to sing the song of redeeming love, 

I would ask, can ye feel so now?

                                        --Alma 5:26

WHAT A WEEK! -WEEK 64

Well it’s been quite a week FULL OF SURPRISES! HAHAHA ;) but it’s been a humbling and good week to learn from! I learned this week that "missionary work isn't easy. Because salvation isn't cheap” -Elder Holland.  This week we had some struggles with teaching people and keeping our heads on straight as missionaries! I’M GRATEFUL for the trials our Heavenly Father has given me especially in this new area! YES it’s been a struggle BUT YES it’s been LOTS OF FUN!! 

SYEMPRE we had success cause everyday is a success as long as you go to sleep happy.. hahaha we did find some more people to teach, actually one lady we found is sister Leonora Monellia.  She is an old lady with diabetes and she can barely walk!  But she is a spiritual lady. She kindly let us in to teach her! She expressed with us her trials and struggles of trying to help her kids get a good education and as we started to teach her the first principles of the gospel that God is our loving Heavenly Father and has a plan for each of us and how his gospel will bless us, she responded with tears in her eyes how thankful she was that we came to share with her and she CAN’T WAIT for us to come back and explain everything thats in the pamphlet we gave her! Soo happy for people like her that we find! 

We also continued to work with some of our potential progressing investigators, Christian Paul or CP3 and Christian Milliamina they both have their individual problems one with wow and one with attending church because of work BUT BOTH SHARE THE DESIRE TO BE BAPTIZED!! We tried to help one of them with his problem of drinking coffee by giving him a big packet of milo which is like a substitute of coffee haha so were excited to see how he’s been doing with no coffee and hopefully can stop the alcohol problem! hahaha 

Other than that we've been working on bringing back some less actives in our group area and help build that area!  Yesterday we had a sportsfest and we went and played bball with the ward members and me being dumb didn't play in any shoes and now the skin on the bottom of my big toes are like peeling off... just a lil blood.. SHOUTOUT TO THE POOL BASKETBALL BOYS!!  If 8 of your 10 toes aren't bleeding you're not going hard enough!! LOL! 

LOVE YOU ALL AND HAPPY HALLOWEEN AND DIO DE LOS MUERTOS AND ARAW NG MGA PATAY AT ARAW NG MGA KALULUWA! HAHAHA!  

ps. no halloween here normal day

LOVE ELDER BAKER

HAKUNA MATATA!!

LIGAO 1A -WEEK 44

WELL MY NEW AREA IS LIGAO branch 1a and this branch is a lil bit bigger than my last one!! Going from 50 to 150 hahaha!! And soon to be Ligao WARD!!! Hopefully we can make it there we just have to focus on getting active full tithe melchezidek priesthood holders!! 

BUT ABOUT THIS WEEK!!  So because we are opening an area we just went around to all our areas (our area is HUGE!) and we just met some members and found old investigators where we could.  But the problem was, that the last missionaries didn't have very many investigators. But we really just got to know our area and find members like half the week, because this area is pretty easy to get lost in!! ( FUNNY STORY ABOUT "LIGAO" well the word ligao in English is "LOST" hahaha so ya it's pretty easy to get "lost".  

Well after we figured out the area we started finding and teaching investigators on Thursday! And in our first 2 lessons, we invited 6 people to be baptized for the second week of July hahaha I really like giving people baptismal dates, it's the only way we can see how interested they really are, so I always try to give them right away!! 

What else well not much happened!! Well yesterday we went and worked with the 1st councilor in the district presidency so that was fun!! They have the best desire to work and get the membership bigger here!!

Well I don't really have any other stuff to talk about but just remember who we are "we are members of The Church of JESUS CHRIST of Latter Day Saints!! If you ever think it's gonna be an easy thing to be a latter day saint you were wrong... the center of our church is JESUS CHRIST, why should we think our life would be easy if it was never easy for him!!" (atonement and missionary work) yes of course everything will be a little bit easier because the center of our church is Jesus Christ and his atonement and we can all be made strong thru his atonement but!! we can only be made strong after we go thru our trials or afflictions!! then will our weak things be made strong!! 

SHOUTOUT TO THE STRONGEST GIRL I KNOW!! COURTNEY IS GOING THRU A HARD TIME RIGHT NOW WITH A SICKNESS!!! 

I would ask everyone to please pray for her!! Not necessarily for her to be healthy right away (cause I know that the priesthood blessings that my dear friends and family gave her will take care of that) but more for her to be made strong thru the atonement of Jesus Christ cause He truly did take upon Him all of our sicknesses!! and thru Him we will be made strong!! 

I LOVE YOU COURT GET BETTER!! FRIENDS AND FAMILY THANK YOU FOR THE HELP YOU HAVE GIVEN MY FAMILY!! 

LOVE ELDER BAKER

DONT FORGET COURTNEY!! HAKUNA MATATA! 

 At Ligao zone conference

God knew the challenges we would face, and He certainly knew how lonely and troubled we would sometimes feel.  He watches over His mortal family constantly, hears our prayers always, He sent prophets (and later apostles) to teach, counsel, and guide us.  But in times of special need, He sends angels, divine messengers, to bless His children, to reassure us that heaven is always very close and that His help is always very near.             --Elder Jeffrey R Holland

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

REPENT ALL YE ENDS OF THE EARTH! -WEEK 12

hehehe jk I'm not gonna call all of you to repentance right now!

Soo how is everyone? I love hearing from you all you guys! you are the best fans!!

So much missionary work going down right now its crazy soo many people going on missions and soo many people out right now! I was just thinking about how many of our friends are out and the other day I realized that I have a friend serving on every continent! That's nuts!! That's just proof that the church is true and that Heavenly Father wants all of His children to come unto Him and find happiness! Not just happiness... ETERNAL HAPPINESS!!

This week I was sooo grateful that families are ETERNAL! Being on a mission you really realize how much you love your family and the blessing of eternal families becomes your greatest blessing in life!!

Well last Monday a tree fell on a tricycle like 30 seconds in front of us!! that was pretty crazy!!  THAT COULD HAVE BEEN ME, I COULD HAVE DIED!! JK  the guy was fine, but it was really close to us!!

umm Wednesday we had exchanges!! It was my first exchange!! It was really cool. We went to a place that was 2 hours away!! So it was alot of traveling in a van that doesn't have enough leg room for an American lol!! But it was cool I got to see a really pretty sunset!! And I learned that I love grape jam!! lol I never tried it before until then!! OHH AND I LOVE BANANAS NOW!! or in tagalog sagging!! haha I buy some everytime that I see them on our way to meals!

Well it's time to get off but don't worry nothing cool happened the rest of the week!

Well I love you all, and all your prayers help me soo much.  They're sometimes the only thing getting me thru the day!! 

mahal na mahal ko kayo lahat!!

LOVE ELDER BAKER

HAKUNA MATATA!!

I have a fam'ly here on earth.

They are so good to me.

I want to share my life with them

through all eternity.

Fam'lies can be together forever

Through Heav'nly Father's plan.

I always want to be with my own family,

And the Lord has shown me how I can.

The Lord has shown me how I can.

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.

  

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.