First Face-time of the year

3/24/19

Hello everyone.

We had a wonderful week this past week and all things are crazy .

Speaking of crazy my companion is flying to manila in about 2 hours so that's crazy. He's coming back though on Tuesday, just going there to work on visa stuff. Other than that, I'm still alive, overcoming some problems with more viruses and a possible second sinus infection but I've just been pushing through and working hard as well as loving everyone!! 

We had a total of 4 investigators show up (we have two families attending church now) but none of them can actually get baptized because the moms aren't married and the dad's don't want to get married. So we are planning on teaching them the next few days about an eternal love that means so much more for a family. It's all one giant part member family that lives in the whole complex here that we are teaching in and 2 of the members are fully active (one's the branch clerk and the other is in the Young Womens presidency) so that's great support for them. Just working on concerns and all is hard. But strong. 

Church is true. No pictures to add sorry. I'm going to be Face-timing my family hopefully instead today which would be fantastic for me kasi I miss them a lot. 

-Elder Powell 

P.S. Elevated water pipes aren't good at piping water 

P.P.S. Sing a good song today and you will feel the love of your savior!!! My promise to you all this beautiful Monday morning/ Sunday evening at home) 

A small talk I gave in church last Sunday

3/17/19

Our first Prophet of the latter days was a simple man. He worked in the farms of his family and lived a happy simple life. However he had some bothers in his life as a kid. He was desiring some answers to some life questions. That of "Why are we here?" "What is going on?" "Of all the churches here, which one is the true church?" "Why do each of these churches that believe in the same God and Jesus Christ have different views of his gospel?" as a 14 year old kid, he simply listened to the Pastors and Preachers of the different churches in his small town of Palmyra, New York.

Since none of them could give him the desired answer that he wanted, he went to the Bible to find his answer. Reading in James 1:5, It says:

If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.

He was struck by the verse inspired to asked of God, his Heavenly Father, for an answer to his questions. Before he got his answers in the sacred grove, he struggled. Satan was afraid of him, of what could come from him getting an answer. So it happened that he:

was seized upon by some power which entirely overcame me, and had such an astonishing influence over me as to bind my tongue so that I could not speak.Thick darkness gathered around me, and it seemed to me for a time as  if I were doomed to sudden destruction. (Joseph Smith--History 15)

But.... 

Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried,he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him. (James 1:12) 

He endured the trial and temptation from Satan and asked with all his faith, might, and power within him. And he got his answer after the trial of his faith (yet another scripture ref to Ether 12:6 :) )

From this I was able to understand how to always have a guaranteed answer from God no matter what the question is you have for him. 

1: Be Patient! (Pumasensya ka!)

 My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations;

 Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.

 But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing. (James 1:2-4)

God (our Heavenly Father) is perfect. He knows the best time for your answer, how you need to receive it, and why that is what you need to know or do. BE PATIENT!!!

2: Ask in Faith! Have no doubt or fear! He will answer you!

(James 1:5-6 again)

If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.

But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.

3: Be Humble

If you have pride within you desiring the answer you want, don't expect the answer. Your question will be discarded. If you are humble you will receive it, if you have pride you will miss it.

(James 1:7-11)

For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord.

A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.

Let the brother of low degree rejoice in that he is exalted:

But the rich, in that he is made low: because as the flower of the grass he shall pass away.

For the sun is no sooner risen with a burning heat, but it withereth the grass, and the flower thereof falleth, and the grace of the fashion of it perisheth: so also shall the rich man fade away in his ways.

4: Resist Temptation
(James 1: 12 - 16)

 Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried,he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.

 Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man:

 But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust,and enticed.

 Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.

 Do not err, my beloved brethren.

Satan DOES NOT want you to know. Know that God Loves you, He is there for you, and that he will answer you. Satan will try to give you other answers that aren't true, or things that distract you from the truth. But we are given the power through the Gospel of Jesus Christ and his Atonement to overcome all temptation and you will be blessed greatly for using your agency to Chose the Right!!!

-This past week I have been sick. Had a sore throat, coughing all night long, a bad fever, but of all the things I was bothered about, I couldn't speak! As a missionary I am here to teach the Gospel and the Truth that has been restored to the earth and my testimony that Jesus is the Christ and our redeemer. Why? What did I deserve to have this happen to me? I then read in James chapter one and learned, I need to have PATIENCE: So I waited and worked regardless of my sickness. I'll get my answer as to why. This is the Lord's time I'm working on anyways! FAITH: I need to put all my trust and Faith in him. I will learn why soon. Be HUMBLE Elder! Pride is a sin! (what went through my head a lot). RESIST the TEMPTATIONS that Satan put in my mind! There were times in which I was told by him that I don't need to pray or share my testimony. He told me I wasn't good enough to be a missionary and that is why I am mute. However the gospel of Jesus Christ teaches us that we CAN! We need faith. to Repent. Be obedient. Patient. Worthy of the Holy Ghost in our lives at all times with our promises made to God. Be like Jesus Christ.

My Fellow Brothers and Sisters, I know this is truth coming from God. I have learned this through my faith in him and have had a personal witness that he loves us, answers us, and has the greatest gift of all just for us. Nothing in the world can compare to him and the blessings he gives us. I invite all to receive this wonderful blessing too! Pray to your Heavenly Father in the name of Jesus Christ, go to his church, read his scriptures given to us by prophets old and new, and follow his example in which I live this with you in Jesus Name, Amen

That was my talk. It was long and the branch president gave me a wild note saying "TIME NA" it was kinda funny but yeah.

Love you all!

-Elder Powell

P.S. If I were fluent in every language in the world, I would only speak to the elephants of New Zealand about their politics.

P.P.S. PICTURES!!!!  https://photos.app.goo.gl/FWsm6MmYVvugW7nN9

P.P.P.S. small explanation,

Sometimes when you go grocery shopping and buy a lot of stuff they put your groceries in a cardboard box for you to carry around.

This is our pathway to church every Sunday we walk. also involved in the walk, giving high 5's (or they say "up here") to 23 kids

PRAYERS HAVE BEEN ANSWERED! IT RAINED!

The Barangay Captain in the barangay we work in every day where our investigators are progressing, said thanks for the service you do and gave us a huge meal. We were in a rush to our appointment (which we ended up missing) but the Barangay Captain was persistent as well as the Nanay/wife. so we stayed and ate......

This is what we take to go to our working area. you can fit 14 people in one of those... and they put 14 people in there.... every... time.... little cramped.

selfie and a cool tree

FABRO FAMILY! We're teaching the tatay and when we came last week the oldest of the family came back from the Batanas Islands (where she is living with her husband) and we taught the whole family and got a cool picture with them. Part member families are great because then you get to unify the family :)

A gas station with a pump from somewhere? I think Taiwan or Korea. Not sure

Got picked up by an ambulance on our way back to head home at the end of the day. it was great :) first time it's happened for Elder Drake :)

Agency is important

3/10/19

Showing the Light of Christ through action is a wonderful way to share the good news to everyone especially when people try speak to you in a language you are not perfect at. Me and Elder Drake are working hard on getting some ng mga tinuturo namin na magsimba pero medyo mahirap sa kanila kasi kami... 

(our people we teach to attend church but its kinda hard for them cuz yeah..) 

So here is a rant about Agency in people's lives that is not finished because I ran out of time.

They are strong and I've become such good friends with them but the hard part is getting them to change. It's hard being a missionary that goes around asking people to change their religion especially with the social aspect here that people have that if you are already baptized Catholic you should be Catholic and never change your life ever at all (even though they legit don't even attend church and also they were baptized against their will) so that is what we are trying hard to teach them. It's been working well even with their decisions to not get baptized and have change in their life but also it has helped us discover that of scattered Israel. Those who know they are children of God and the Spirit speaks to them the strongest. Agency is one of the greatest gifts given to us by God through Adam and Eve. We all are given the wonderful and most beautiful opportunity to chose for ourselves. If there is anything else I could say about such a gift, I would... But I chose not to right now :) 

Joke Lang. 

I would like to share at this moment a few verses about the ability to choose for ourselves and how wonderful of a gift it is :) (My thoughts will be in Parentheses)

2 Nephi 2 

3 Wherefore, thy soul shall be blessed, and thou shalt dwell safely with thy brother, Nephi; and thy days shall be spent in the service of thy God. Wherefore, I know that thou art redeemed, because of the righteousness of thy Redeemer; for thou hast beheld that in the fullness of time he cometh to bring salvation unto men.

4 And thou hast beheld in thy youth his glory; wherefore, thou art blessed even as they unto whom he shall minister in the flesh; for the Spirit is the same, yesterday, today, and forever. And the way is prepared from the fall of man, and salvation is free.

(Our eternal salvation has no payment except for a personal sacrifice of not that much in our lives but to be good people, read a book, attend church for 2 hours a week, and pray to God eventually making promises with him. All for eternal salvation! It's so easy and all is prepared for us and our benefit.)

5 And men are instructed sufficiently that they know good from evil. And the law is given unto men. And by the law no flesh is justified; or, by the law men are cut off. Yea, by the temporal law they were cut off; and also, by the spiritual law they perish from that which is good, and become miserable forever.

(obedience is the First law of not just Heaven, But everything! -Elder Jeffery R. Holland)

6 Wherefore, redemption cometh in and through the Holy Messiah; for he is full of grace and truth.

(Jesus Christ... Duh)

7 Behold, he offereth himself a sacrifice for sin, to answer the ends of the law, unto all those who have a broken heart and a contrite spirit; and unto none else can the ends of the law be answered.

8 Wherefore, how great the importance to make these things known unto the inhabitants of the earth, that they may know that there is no flesh that can dwell in the presence of God, save it be through the merits, and mercy, and grace of the Holy Messiah, who layeth down his life according to the flesh, and taketh it again by the power of the Spirit, that he may bring to pass the resurrection of the dead, being the first that should rise.

9 Wherefore, he is the firstfruits unto God, inasmuch as he shall make intercession for all the children of men; and they that believe in him shall be saved.

10 And because of the intercession for all, all men come unto God; wherefore, they stand in the presence of him, to be judged of him according to the truth and holiness which is in him.Wherefore, the ends of the law which the Holy One hath given, unto the inflicting of the punishment which is affixed, which punishment that is affixed is in opposition to that of the happiness which is affixed, to answer the ends of the atonement—

There are many more verses to read about it. But just think about these ones first, pray for the spirit of God (the Holy Ghost) that you will receive an answer or knowledge. Then read the whole chapter. Agency is important. It is what makes us free here in the world. Do everything in your power to help people see they can choose for themselves but also that every action has a consequence. (Every action has an equal and opposite reaction) and so on.

Hard to explain also I'm out of time lol. But love you all!

In the name of Jesus Christ amen :) 

- Elder Powell

P.S. Muffins are hard to make when you don't have an oven. just an FYI. 

P.P.S. Pictures! 

 https://photos.app.goo.gl/RMonPoVZTD8MrDnm6

First Baptism

3/3/19
Not much to say this week. also no pictures. Computer lab wont accept it... sorry. I'm going 6 months into my first area though which is wild. there's only 3 from my batch now that have still not been transferred yet since coming in. It's wild. But everyone from my batch that is in the Zone is still staying for one more cycle. Outside of all of this, I'll keep things short. 

1: I have MY FIRST BAPTISM!!! It's this one family that I've been teaching this whole past cycle. The whole family is amazing and the mom is super spiritually ready to become a disciple of Jesus Christ. She helps out in the primary often when she attends church and such with activities on other days. It's wild. 

2: I'm going 6 months in my first area. But I'm also super excited because we discovered a new area in a close barangay that missionaries have never been to. So we went to them and freak they are so awesome. One offered us Bicol Express which... I mean.... ANG SARAP SARAP!!! 

3: Take some time this week to think of the blessings that come from God for you and your family. For all such other things that you see as a trial, hard, or simply not pleasant, think of what you have learned from it for the better. Apply it into your life what life lesson that was and what you can do to try to never have to deal with that hardship again! 

4: The branch here says I really have the gift of tongues. I've been quite set with Tagalog this cycle and a lot of the members in the branch have been like "woah you can have a normal conversation with us" and I was like "shempre, Pinala ako ng dios sa kaloob ng wikas" Little do they realize it's only easy for me because they aren't good at Tagalog either because they all speak ilocano soooo. 

Mahal Kita ah! 

-Elder Powell