Socks, Ducks, and Florescent Chicks

11/25/18

This has been another beautiful week. In our branch we have had a baptism every week for the past 2 months. Really wild to be honest and I haven't gotten a single picture of them because they all are with the other companionship in our district. (I know our district is small. 2 companionships and the 4 of us all live together lollll) 

ngayon yung kapatid na dadaggoo nag-aatack siya 

Pero Not at much as this one. (what a happy boi) 

(don't try to translate this. just accept it) 

For Austin Cilone: I still wear your socks here every Wednesday.

Here's a funky duck

Oh the places you can sit

So here are some mga addin who have these chicks that are like super neon Green and red-Pink. it was super weird to see all these kids with chicks and such but it was kinda cool. 

The Gattarran Festival happened this Saturday and we weren't able to get much done.... But it was cool to see such a community brought together to celebrate just existing :)

The High schools here (and elementary) have parade bands consisting of a bunch of color guard, some people on these cheap little bells and a bunch more on drums. That's it. It was so much fun to see them and call them a marching band and such. That's something I have always wanted to do here actually. Start an actual brass full marching band here in a place where band isn't much of a thing. But that's a future obligation. not present. 

More pictures to come in a future email! 

Other things:

Spiritual moments: one of the members in our branch had a stroke and couldn't afford to go to the hospital so she was half paralyzed in her left side and had a stutter. The other day she had another one but her family and some members pitched in and took her to the hospital in tugegero. She sadly can't speak anymore and is almost completely paralyzed. We gave her a blessing of comfort/healing of the sick. It was a special moment for us and I felt peace in her soul. 

Another moment, I shared a portion of the gospel of Jesus Christ's Gospel here on earth to an investigator and although my Tagolog is still broken and  like 3508 percent just me conjugating English words into the sentence (ahahaah yeah...) one member was almost crying. 

Last moment. I have a new best friend. I can't talk to him much but he is an investigator named John Michael Cortez (were teaching 2 John Michaels and actually have another few in the ward. Common name. Like... "HEY JOE") but he is super awesome. He's a senior in high school and a super chicks boy but he has strong standards, morals, and a love for the Gospel and is super spiritual and a fast learner too. Either way. He's super awesome. I'll try to get a picture with him sometime. 

I recently re-watched the Cultural celebration of the Gilbert Arizona Temple. It made me so happy to almost relive that experience of how excited we were for the opening of our beautiful temple and it was a moment I loved so much. Especially with how much it rained that night. Satan tried so hard to stop us but our spirit that night was so strong the only thing stopping it was the second coming of Jesus Christ and that hasn't happened yet. Either way. Of such, keep strong and faithful in Christ. I would suggest for all to go to Lighttheworld.org or https://www.mormon.org/christmas and follow along with lighting the world, community, family, and your faith! PASKO NA!!!!! Celebrate the reason for the season all you can and show your inner Christ in helping all around you. When you are in the service of your fellow beings, Ye are in the service of your God! 

tapos ko

as always

-Elder Ponnelll 

P.S. I've had a few people ask: This is my address to send me stuff. just a warning.... It takes about 3 months for it to send. so send ahead of time if you want send it to here. 

Brgy. #50 Buttong, Airport Avenue
Junction Tangid Road, Laoag City
2900 Ilocos Norte
Philippines

P.P.S. I think I have eaten more ice cream here in the past month than I have in the past year..... 

P.P.P.S. Serve in your community and then serve yourself with some popsicles and a movie. A movie is always better with friends too. :) 

P.P.P.P.S. If I come home as a avid soda drinker it's because a bottle of soda is cheaper than clean water.... so yeah. 

P.P.P.P.P.S. For future reference don't throw your ramen against the wall. It doesn't make the Bukikis very happy. 

P>P>P>P>P.P.S. I'm getting really good at the Ukulele here. Piano is still a work in progress but It's fun being able to practice on pianos that really need to get tuned a few times a week (baptisms and before and after church basically but yeah) 

P>P>P>P>P>P>P>p.S. I use my french horn mouth piece as a tool in object lessons to help explain Prophets and why we have them. (they are the mouthpieces to the instrument of the Church to help all hear what he has to say. President Russel M. Nelson is the Mouthpiece. The Conference Center, TV, radio, and everything else that helps people hear his words is the Trumpet. something like that. hahahaha either way...

Px9.S. Feel Free to Email me! I love hearing what is going on back at home! Even if it's short it's nice to hear from all :) 

Editor's Note: You can email Joe at powell.joseph@myldsmail.net

Another Beautiful Week

Editor's Note: This is last week's email from Joe. I never posted it because most of the photos didn't come through and I was hoping Joe would resend them the next week so and I could add them so this email, which mostly talked about the photos.

Nov. 18, 2018
What another beautiful week this week has been of me talking to a lot of people, Getting really good at the Ukulele, People saying that I'm starting to look Filipino because of how much I am nag-tatan and so on and so forth. 

In a growth of this week, I was able to teach a few lessons with my companion but most importantly was building a relationship of trust to the people here. I have been able to respond and say a bit of what I actually want to say in lessons I've taught but also it was a growing experience for me when I was assigned to speak in Sacrament meeting yesterday. I gave the entire talk in tagolog, wrote it myself, and got lots of comments on how deep my voice is getting ( I had a cold heheehe )

As well with such, My week is better described when pictures are added :) I'm going to keep the videos to a low setting from now on. I'm setting up a folder on my google drive that will be public and I will just share that link with videos every week that I have some to share. (none this week) 

Here is some photos from traveling I just now got!!!! 

(Thanks elder McLain!) 

I'm a happy boy :) (thanks elder McLain) 

I don't joke around when I say I sleep in weird positions on the bus rides. But I do. :\ 

Last time I'm going to be having a good burger and shake in 2 years :( 

That is all from previous times :)

Now for this past week. A friendly reminder that there is 36 days until Christmas!!! 

Here in the Philippines they are THE KINGS of Christmas. They don't celebrate Halloween or Thanksgiving here so they start counting down on September 1st and I am low key digging it. However, yesterday a family hosted a "Filipino Thanksgiving" for us and that was amazing.

I pass by this dog on the way to the multicabs to go out to where we teach and such and I finally got a good picture :) He is my favorite good boy on the block :)

On the way back home from a day of teaching and serving ( helped pack some rice into bags ) we saw a beautiful sunset and it reminded me of the Arizona Sunsets here. how lovely it is and how much I miss my family and friends back home in AZ :( 

(Jokes lol. I don't think that much about home. It's so much better here)

I spent 450 pesos on a 4 liter tub of Mango ice cream (which wasn't that icy this go round) but it looks like a giant tub of butter so I Had to. 

Don't worry mom I actually took my time on this one at Tapos ko ito sa tatlo araw. (mom you have a translator) (Editor's Note: translation: "I finished it in three days.")

This (and Pancit or ramen) is what I have for breakfast and lunch almost every day. It's really great, not going to lie. 

I will be honest as well I miss having an oven. 

Today's collection of places we went to go share the message God has for all of his children:

All of the rice has been harvested but yeah we walked through a couple to go to some members homes and some tao (people) who were interested.

this beautiful house in barangay Dummon that reminded me of the Studio Ghibli Movie "My neighbor Totoro" which just filled me with joy and love for this place even more.

All the fields are dead lol!! But still a beautiful scene 

It was my companions Birthday last Wednesday so we celebrated with ice cream (more ice than cream but still good) and a brownie.  

I ate over a gallon and a half of icecream this past week. i know its not a lot. I'm going to try to up my game this week. 

PASKO NA

For those wondering what a Multiabs and Tricies are: They are all we really have here (and the occasional van) in which for about 12 pesos (they upped the fair of it for all :( ...) you can go around yung mga Barangay sa Gattarran. They are motorcycles (bikes) with attached seating. the one in the back with the white cover is a multi cab in which we fit 19 people just this last Friday. Tricies with less seating we fit 9 on comfortably (there were a few on the top and wheels) 

Elder Egana made a little Elephant. it was cute :) 

This one lady that we talked to a bit in centro sur. put this mannequin by her gate (which was closed and all lights were off when we were heading over to teach her) so that was a wonderful welcome to see in the dark...... (Haan) 

That is mostly all from ako :) I have truly loved it here the past month and I can truly say that as a representative of Jesus Christ, I could not have asked for a better place to share his message. Seeing families grow spiritually together in happiness has been a wonderful experience to see myself and the growth and support that there is with members to new saints and investigators. We love them all so much and I love the people here more than anything else (over sights, food, and the occasional building with an aircon) 

I received lots of revelation from our heavenly father here all of which are going to help me a lot in the future :) 

This is the true and restored Gospel of Jesus Christ and his church has been restored to us all! 

I'm also getting really good at Ukulele and Piano here dahil meron ako na isang ukulele at melodica rin... All of which, The branch president asked me to play piano for sacrament meeting so I get to practice Piano for 1 hour a day (and if the piano at the chapel is not available, the melodica to help with building chords and write some music here as well) 

All fun and stuff 

Eat lots of food!!! 

-Elder Power (because no one here can pronounce my name lolllll) 

P.S. Don't eat the fish from the market unless it is still alive. 

P.P.S. It really hurts my humility when I'm walking down the street and you hear "oi! Pogo-Americano dito!! Na papunta sila dito!" 

"Oiii Hey Joe! Wasup!" "Guapo siya!" "Harry potter and draco?!?" all followed with teenage girls giggling.... 

P.P.P.S. Prayers and love goes out to those in Paradise California. My Tatay trainer) has a brother serving in that mission right now and not only did the chapel there burn, but also his apartment with literally all of his belongings, and literally the entire city.... It was devastating to see the pictures being sent live from his brother of what was happening. 

Take care of your forests please and don't be stupid. Thank you. 

P.P.P.P.S. I love dogs a lot. 

Roads, Kids, Dogs and Caves

November 12, 2018

ayeeee Kamusta mo? "MaBEAUTY AkO"

Every time I say that in response people loose it in laughter. A great conversation starter for sure. 

I'm alive and experiencing life like no other. It's been beautiful here filled with a lot of spiritual ups and downs. All of which has only brought growth and Joy into my life. And the best way (at least for me to describe it all) is through pictures.

 Isa na bagay: Yung Mission Home and all of us that came in on all saints day. Lots of fun and I love my mission president and mission. the President's wife makes really really good food and she came over to our area on Friday and made us PBnJ with real jelly and honey and holy cow i never realized how good a sandwich could be. 

Here's all of the missionaries from Provo (Jokes) at the manila MTC. Muy Guappoo :) I miss the food at the Manila MTC not gonna lie it was sobre Masarap. SOBRE 

(awkward pause as I wait for my pictures to load onto my google photos....) 

(everyone at home is probably asleep or on facebook right now lol happy 10:19 pm family and friends)

Here's us on top of a van that took us from appari to Centro. I like to play a game called how many people can you fit in a van, A tricie, a Multicab, and a Jeepney (which they don't have here actually. That's more of a thing in Illocos apparently) and so far the records are, Van:27 Tricie (with one side car): 12 Milti cab: 17 and Jeepney (which thankfully I was not in): 48 

numbers to probably go up in the future.

Here is a pretty shot of a road we were on with a tricie driving by. They are my favorite because you get to talk with the driver and they are always interested in what a white person has to say especially when you can speak their language.

Here are some kids of a family we teach. They lost their home in Bagio (or Typhoon) that had the power of a Category 5 hurricane. It was sad to hear but they are resilient and rebuilt fast. They have a pump and some animals and that's it. However they are some of the happiest kids and nay I have ever met. It was beautiful teaching them;)

There are a lot of rice fields here and they just are now harvesting them. so the roads are all lined up with rice drying off to get milled soon :)

Another Beautiful road walked on :) Lots of walking and a damaged power line (from the recent typhoon) 

This is Lixie. the best and most energetic good boi in all of Dummun Barangi!

on the toppic ng Dagggos dito ay mckflufffy siya :)

We wen't into a cave today (ft Elder Egana glowing)

They have caves in the Philippines. Mas Maganda

That is all from me :) It's great to hear from you all! The Lord is hastening his work in this beautiful country. He has proven this to happen right here in Gattarran. I had my first Baptism today! This one with a 12 year old kid who's Lola (Grandma) became a member in September was a sign of beauty in the support of her whole family in hearing our message for them. We have been able to help them out physically as well in repairing parts of their house that was damaged from the recent typhoon and the branch out here has helped them (as well as a LOT of others) in all. Its one giant family out here. We also have baptisms planned for the rest of this month and into December too! Lots of people heard our message and found for themselves the beauty of it. It brings me peace when You only need that of  the spirit there to change lives. This restored Gospel of Jesus Christ is a true gospel that was restored on this earth. 

Nuf Ramblig from me

Mahal na Mahal kayo ng Dios and such

-Elder Po(well)(s) 

P.S. When the Nanay say's "kamusta na LBM yo?" do not respond with a blatant "maganda" in an American accent. you will regret it.

P.P.S. Eat some rice for me and be a little asian. its fun. 

P.P.P.S. Hopefully the videos will work here. The other photos and videos didn't work last week but this one should. 

P.P.P.P.S If it doesn't sorry not sorry.