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.