"THROW THE UMBRELLA AWAY!" -WEEK 93

Soo first off about the subject I heard something cool in church yesterday. So this guy was talking about how God is always showering blessings upon us but sometimes we’re just too scared to take in all his blessings! Then he said "GO OUTSIDE, THROW THE UMBRELLA WAY, AND TAKE IN THE RAIN!" 

I thought it was the coolest thing cause God’s blesisngs are definitely raining down on us ALWAYS! Maybe not the blessings we want.. maybe it’s a trial.. but no matter what it is, IT’S A BLESSING to help make you stronger and more ready to enter in his presence! 

But we had a pretty good week this week.. well it ENDED AWESOME!! So my new companion is Elder Balacuit this is his second area so he’s kinda new but he’s a GREAT missionary! Kind of quiet but I’ll break him out of his shell and help him be a little more open. But this week I was kinda showing him the whole area so that hopefully by next week we can do splits cause we have a lot of members that work over here with us, so hopefully we will be able to find those people that are ready for the gospel quicker haha! 

But we had the most awesome blessing this week! So our investigator Arcel came to church FINALLY!! She was the one that couldn't go cause her dad didn’t want her to ..BUT she was able to go this week and brought her little sister with her so that was AWESOME!! She’s soo excited to be baptized also.. we had to move her bapt date and she was like "ohh why I thought it was the 30th" haha so she really wants to be baptized and she loves the Book of Mormon! She testified of its truthfulness to us last week! I’m soo excited to be able to help her come unto Christ and finally see some progression in this area, she could be my last baptism..hopefully no.t Hopefully we find those other souls that are waiting for us! 

But Arcel coming to church was another testimony builder of FASTING! Cause I was fasting that her dad would soften his heart and let her come to church and.. it WORKED!! YESS!! So I’m pretty excited now and pumped to go out and find more people ready to be taught! 

One other thing that was awesome that we talked about in district meeting was the story of Lehi and his dream and how he wanted to share the fruit with his family and then Elder Vainikolo brought up the word ohana which means of course "family and family means no one gets left behind" and we talked about how everyone here is our family and we need to make sure NO ONE gets left behind! and doesn’t hear the gospel!! 

I love each and every one of you. You’re all part of my FAMILY!! And I hope you have an awesome week and an even better MOTHERS DAY! HAPPY MOTHERS DAY TO ALL THOSE AWESOME MOMS!! Where would we be without you!! 

LOVE ELDER PANADERO

HAKUNA MATATA!!

 "district"

TURNING "20"

TIYAGA TIYAGA! -WEEK 47

So tiyaga means kind of like patience or like just continue! But it's pronounced like chugga chugga like a train hahaha I thought that was cool!! But really as a missionary and just as normal people that's all we really have to do is chug thru the hard times and just wait for the day when we will be made glorious! I read somewhere in the New Testament this last week about the parable of like the metal and how it has to go thru the refiners fire to become a beautiful piece of metal, and it's just like us how can't we be made into something great if we don't suffer the greatest trials!! 

I RESPECT ALL THE PEOPLE THAT HAVE THE HARDEST TRIALS... you know why... because those are the people with the STRONGEST FAITH!! God knows as their faith builds, he needs to keep testing them with harder trials! but just keep chugging!! And know God loves you! 

This last week was absoulutely crazy!!! SIKE!!! It was actually a completely normal week we just worked and worked hahaha but we got to go to our roommates baptism so like that was funn hahaha!! 

BUT this week we've been working with one of our progressing investigators, her name is Loribell!! She is wayy cool her brother used to get taught, but now he's always busy with school and work. So we've been trying to start her with the lessons and she immediatley progressed!! She read until 1 Nephi chapter 15 in one day haha and she always has a ton of questions it's great!! And then she attended church this last Sunday!! Thank goodness... we've been having a drought with investigators coming to church haha but we're hoping for a lot this next week.  We've got some pretty interested people I'll let you know how they go next week so I'm not too excited haha!! 

But that's about it for this week take a look at some of the photos those are fun! The pic of the rice and noodles just made me laugh how they have to eat rice with EVERYTHING!! Then the other pics just some fun stuff hahaha!! Sunset is for Court haha she was mad I didn't have any sunset pics haha! First time I've seen one my whole mish the trees always blocked them in my last area!! 

LOVE ELDER BAKER

HAKUNA MATATA!!

   

And I will bring the third part through the fire 

and will refine them as silver is refined, 

and will try them as gold is tried: 

they shall call on my name, and I will hear them: 

I will say, It is my people: and they shall say, 

The Lord is my God.

                                       -- Zechariah 13:9

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY!!! -WEEK 46

FIRST OFF HAPPY FATHER'S DAY TO THE BEST FATHER THAT A KID COULD EVER ASK FOR!! I will forever be grateful for the endless service that he gave to other people to help me watch and learn how to serve the people of the Philippines and everyone after my mission for the rest of my life!! 

SECOND OF ALL!! How can we ever express our gratitude of our earthly fathers without addressing the greatest father anyone could ever ask for!! The father that will 100 percent always do everything for you to be happy and help you prepare to return to live with Him again!! I AM SOO GRATEFUL FOR OUR HEAVENLY FATHER!! Without Him we would be nothing!! I love the way my mom said it!  "I'm so thankful for Him. For His love for us every day.  Without it, how could we ever make it?  How could we do what we do?  Why would we?  

  I LOVE ABSOLUTELY LOVE how it says how could we do what we do? BUT THE GREATEST PART IS WHY WOULD WE?? 

I asked this question to myself a few times on this mission after having hard times. I would sit down and just ask myself "why am I here??  2 times I had a very sweet experience with this question!! The first time I prayed and was directed to the scripture "love the Lord with all your heart might mind and strength!!" And I realized that's exactly why I'm here!! The second time my answer came thru a letter from a very very wise man!! "You're only there for 24 short months! Make these 24 months what shapes you, what molds you and makes you have a greater desire to come home and do better!"  May not seem like much but I realized this week how much a life changer this mission is!  I have seen some of my BEST FRIENDS might I add little boys... (SHOUTOUT TO THE KR3W!!) change into some of the greatest men ever!! I have also seen the blessings of a mission in many of the great people in my life that have served missions!! I have truly seen a mission make a man out of a boy!! Just like our Heavenly Father discreetly hinted at this in one of my favorite disney movies mulan!! (although I'm not and some of my friends aren't) he has truly made a man out of us!  AND YES THAT MEANS THRU TRIALS!! NOT JUST BY LIVING LIFE EASY!! 

But although we have trials we can take joy from a favorite verse in the BOM!! "his anger is not turned away... BUT HIS ARM IS STRETCHED OUT STILL!!"

WE ALL HAVE THE GREATEST FATHERS WE CAN ASK FOR BUT LETS ALL TAKE THE TIME TO THANK OUR HEAVENLY FATHER FOR ALL THE TRIALS HE GIVES US THAT ARE MAKING US READY FOR OUR ETERNAL GLORY!! 

LOVE ELDER BAKER

HAKUNA MATATA!!

 Mayon Volcano

 Service Project in Ligao

We must be swift as the coursing river,

With all the force of a great typhoon,

With all the strength of a raging fire,

Mysterious as the dark side of the moon....

I'll Make A Man Out Of You!

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

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.