Santo Domingo Week 22

Hello Po Francis Family,

I have had a fantastic week here in Santo Domingo.  We had a lot of success and a lot of afflictions, but we did exactly what Elder Williams said to do, to be happy and not to let discouragement bring you down, keep pushing and KAYO MO YAN (You Can Do It).  I love that phrase it's so true we can do it with the Lord's help and the Espiritu Santo (Holy Ghost). We just need to have confidence in everything we do, don't be afraid of failure because that is the way to succeed. We need to be Masikap (diligent), Masunurin (obedient), Mahal sa mga tao (love the people), and of course Masaya (happy). With these things you can be a perfect missionary, but missionary work is not easy, but it is the most important work you will ever do and the most memorable. 

This week has gone by really really fast.  I am getting a little scared because in four weeks or ten weeks,  I don't know which one,  I could be transferred to a new area. I love it here in Santo Domingo and the people and my branch, I will miss them a lot, but where ever the lord wants me to go "I WILL GO AND DO". 

 

 

Yesterday I had to give a talk in church, it was scary at first like what am I going to say for 15 minutes. I wrote down a lot of notes and sentences for my talk, then me and Elder Aagard went over it and translated it.  On Sunday we had the sister missionaries check over it too, it was good and ready to share, so I got up there a little scared but really happy and excited to share about missionary work and just to bear my testimony to them.  After everybody said wow Halo-Halo (mix-mix) I  spoke a little English, Tagalog, and a tiny bit of Ilokano too. But everybody was impressed with my Tagalog and how well I am doing, so I was really happy. 

 

I love my branch so much, I have been here for 14 weeks now in Santo Domingo and I am the oldest one that has served in Santo Domingo so I know everybody. I will really miss the people and the friendships I have made with them. Another really exciting thing we had three investigators show up to church like Yeaaaa!!!, we had Emerson pula and his son and Jeraldine and her daughter, and Emersons little sister Kathrine. I was so happy and excited and we had a couple of less actives come that have come to church for a really long time, I was happy to see them all there.  We have a lot of progressing, me and Elder Aagard have a lot more Brngy's now instead of four we have 18  because they took out 2 sister missionaries. So we have a lot more area, and a lot of finding to do. I love finding people, getting to know new people even if we can't share with them at least offer help or service for them or buying from the tindahan (store) that they own. I love offering help and service and helping the poor and the needy. But we are going to have a lot more success, the new standard for this year is 50 lessons a week, and 2 baptisms a week, when I saw those numbers I was like no way, but now it's not hard just find and keep working hard. 

That's great to hear you got to talk to Elder Williams.  I hope he talked good about me and you guys liked talking to him, he was a great companion and I  really miss him, he really helped me a lot through hard times, and supported me a lot to do my best and always said to me KAYO MO YAN!!!. I hope you guys like the pictures and videos.   BALUT was not that bad, it just looks gross.  I have eaten it twice since I have been here.  I eat a lot of weird food. 

 

 

I love hearing from you guys and how much fun you are having.  Keep being happy and smiling at everyone. And I hope you guys have a cold next couple of weeks or months while I enjoy the heat hahaha jokelang. I hope you guys are enjoying the stuff I sent. and loving the Philippines I sent to you.  Today for P-day I bought a small bamboo backpack and some other stuff too. So I am spending my money wisely and enjoying the Philippines, what can I say "It's More Fun In The Philippines." 

I hope you guys have a great week and stay safe.   I am Buhay Pa (still living), and loving it here. Working hard everyday and having fun with Elder Aagard we love having fun together and laughing and listing to my music and dancing to it. So have fun and stay safe and enjoy the stuff that
I sent to you. Hopefully I can send more stuff to you soon and hopefully send pictures too. Last thing, there might be some people adding you on facebook or looking for my facebook, you can add them as a friend on mine if you want to. 

Mahal kita or Ay-ayaten ka 

Elder Francis