Christmas and New years

We had some good success this week and seem to have some good investigators. 

Wednesday was the sweatiest day of my mission so far.  At one point my shirt was pretty damp.  After getting home I took a nice cold shower.  One investigator we visited is progressing amazingly.  We found her about three weeks ago and she has already been to church twice and has read the Book of Mormon up until 2 nephi 17.  It is awesome.  She is very interested in the church.  The only problem is if her "guardians" won't like the church.  They are gone right now and were gone when we began teaching.  It shouldn't be a huge problem because she is 22 and doesn't need anyone's permission to be baptised.

     Thursday was a very successful day.  We were able to teach 6 lessons.  It was also transfers today and I will be staying in Quezon at least until mid February

     Saturday was a fun day because curfew was 6:00 pm.  They just wanted us to be safe for New Years eve.  We had snacks and played some games so it was really fun.

Sunday I was pretty tired in the morning because of a bad nights sleep due to the noise outside.  At church we had 11 investigators attend.  It was awesome!  I have never had that many at church before.  Elder Ramos and I also taught the the gospel principles class.

A dead rat I found under my desk

Loading up everyone to go to the beach for the Christmas Party.

At the beach

A guava

We found this giant spider outside with an egg sack underneath it.

   

First Christmas

This last week the branch had a christmas party at Roma beach.  We got to go with them and it was fun.  We loaded a ton of people into a giant truck and drove about 30 minutes to get there.  The scenery was beautiful.  The food was also pretty good. 

     On christmas we got up and opened some presents then went to church.  After we went out and tried to teach some lessons.  We have some really promising investigators and should see some more baptisms in January.  

--

Love, Elder Harkness

Trek to Panitian

This last week was really good with getting new investigators and people coming to church.   

     We had a zone meeting this past week so back to Narra.  After a good meeting we came back to the house.  After we got back to the house we still had 45 minutes to go out and try to teach.  It wasn't successful but we did find some of our investigators and recent converts walking home from seminary.

     Wednesday we got 4 referrals from an excited drunk guy we met on the street.  He called all his friends over and told them to listen to us.  The drunk people here are so nice.  I also bought a bunch of bananas.  There are 3 main kinds of bananas here.  A thick kind, a small kind, and a long skinny kind.  I don't know the names so that is what I will call them.  The long skinny kind comes in green and yellow and it is my favorite but is also the most rare.  The bananas here are practically free.  The average is one piso per banana or about two cents.

     Thursday was somewhat of an adventure.  We have known about two families with inactive members that live in an area about 20 minutes away by trike in an area called Panitian.  We assumed that we would take a trike out there, somehow find the families, and then walk all the way back because we didn't think there would be any trikes out that far.

     We grabbed a trike and started heading out to Panitian.  I started to get a little worried about having to walk back because we just kept going farther and farther.  Eventually we went far enough that I started getting really concerned about having to walk back so we just told the trike driver to let us out there.  We were out in seemingly the middle of nowhere with just a few houses and a lot of rice fields.  We talked to a lady that was out in front of her house and she gave us a few directions.  We started walking in the direction she told us to go and then asked some other people if they knew the families we were looking for.  One of them told us to walk ten minutes the way we were going and that they would be near a high school.  I had some doubts that there was a high school anywhere near but we kept walking.  After probably an hour and a half of walking, searching, and asking we found a boy who took us to the house of one of the families we were looking for.  When we got to the house there was a 14 year old girl who recognized us.  She told us that she had been going to church but I really doubted that because I swear I have never seen her in my life.  We asked her some questions about the branch to see if she was lying and she wasn't.  We weren't able to find the other family but know the area that they live in so I guess we pretty much went out all that way for nothing.  The good news is that we were able to find a trike to take us back.  It was a good adventure though.

     Friday I had a cool experience talking to some people.  Elder Ramos and I came to a house with four people out front so we both decided to each talk to two.  I began talking to a man about the church.  He was nice and friendly and I was actually able to have a five minute conversation with him.  I understood almost everything he said and was able to speak back to him.  It was great.  He kind of wanted to bible bash but nicely.  He asked me about what day the Sabbath is on and I came to find out that he was a seventh day adventist.  I feel like that is the only thing adventists ever talk about is how saturday is the sabath.  It is probably because if they are wrong (which is true) it would destroy their religion.  I don't know how anyone could know that Saturday is really the seventh day.  I just told him that the only thing that matters is that we chose one day of the week to worship.

     Saturday we continued reteaching the Gerarmans and afterwards they fed us dinner.  I really like the Gerarmans.  They are really nice and love to feed us.  I tried chicken liver for the first time.  It was definitely interesting. 

     Yesterday we had 6 investigators show up at church which was really good for us.  One of them was Angelito Lepalam, the guy who has had all the lessons but his leg is hurt.  I think it is getting better slowly.  I just hope he will continue coming to church so he can be baptized.

     That is pretty much all for the week.  A few people just came over to watch me type without looking at the screen or keyboard.  I think they are impressed.

--

Love, Elder Harkness

We also have a mouse/rat infestation in our house.  We set out some sticky pads and caught one the other day. The only problem is that the sticky pads don't kill the mice. 

     Thanks for the email and the pictures.  

P.S.  I really need the skype address.  I will be skyping christmas evening for you.  Around 8:00 am for me.  I don't know what time that is for you guys.

Our adventure to Panitian in the middle of nowhere.  There was great scenery.

A turtle we caught in our yard.

muddy pants.

Mission Tour

 I am afraid this week will also be a short email.  But hopefully next week will make up for it.   

     Monday we were in Puerto Princessa for mission tour.  We had Elder Haynie, an area seventy, speak to us.  It was pretty good.  Tuesday we had our christmas party.  It was really fun. We played some games and sang songs and had a christmas play.  I also got a tie pin and socks.  After the Christmas party we took the 3 hour drive back to Quezon.  Elder Ramos was so carsick he threw up multiple times.  I felt bad for him.  I was surprisingly not carsick at all.

     The rest of the week has been pretty ordinary but still pretty good.  We realized that some of our best investigating families actually are related.  We will probably try to find all of the extended family members and see if they will be interested.  It is a little crazy to find out that they are all related and are all pretty good investigators.

     We got a new investigator this week just in time for the rain to start pouring down.  We were walking around trying to find new people when we saw this man sitting in the doorway of his house.  He told us to come in and really wanted to listen to us.  After the lesson it was still raining and there were rivers and streams popping up all over the place.  It was pretty fun to attempt to stay dry.  

     Last night Elder Ramos and I were out talking to people when we came across a semi-drunk guy who was pretty friendly.  He said that me and my old companion, Elder Beltran talked to him on the street and set an appointment with him and then never showed up.  I honestly can't remember that but he does look familiar.  Since we see and talk to so many people each day I can't always remember them and they are sometimes surprised when I don't remember them.  This happens especially with trike drivers.  Anyway, we told him we will come back and we will see how it goes.

     

--

Love, Elder Harkness

I will skype you all for christmas.  We don't have an official time but It will probably happen on monday morning for me or sunday evening (Christmas evening) for you.  Can you guys send me the skype address?  I think I might need you guys to make me a skype account and then send me the username and password when you email me next. 

     I am doing pretty well but I am still worried to skype you all.  Even though I have almost been on my mission 6 months I still sometimes get homesick.  It isn't as bad as before though.

     Thanks for the email.  I got the christmas package last monday.  Thanks so much.

Love, Matthew  

Out working in the rain.  I had to get a picture.  Notice the stream and the soaked pant bottoms and the good attitude.

A recent convert moved up onto this hill that overlooks the land. 

This is how they do the power lines in some places here.

We came across this snake that was at least 6 feet long on the side of the road!  Luckily it was dead.

While walking through the market I saw some red bananas and so I bought them to try.

 This is how we get to houses over muddy areas and over the ocean.  It is kind of dangerous and once a piece of the wood I was standing on broke off and I dropped a few inches.

​

Puerto Princessa

This email will probably be short because I don't have my journal on me right now so I can't really remember everything that happened this past week so I will do my best  I also probably won't have all the time I normally have to email so I will write fast. 

     Right now I am in Puerto Princessa for mission tour and for the christmas party.  It has been pretty good so far.  We got to stay in a hotel here and they had HOT SHOWERS!!!  I will never take a hot shower for granted for the rest of my life.  Last night I took a shower for about 20 minutes.  It was awesome.  Never take things like that for granted.  In my first apartment we took bucket showers where you take a half gallon ladle and scoop water up and dump it on yourself.  I am lucky to have an apartment that has a shower head.  

     It is a little weird being in a more modern society in Puerto.  There are a lot of cars and restaurants.  There is also some traffic and I actually saw an airplane flying which I never see in my area.  

     This past week we have been focusing more on finding "lost investigators" or people we find in the area book who we don't know but have a teaching record.  It is kind of a fun way to find people.  We are working with some great investigators and families.  The only problem is getting them to church because they either have to walk about a mile or take a trike with is expensive for them.

      One cool thing this past week was I tried sugar cane.  We were out trying to find people and teach lessons when we saw a man holding a plant stock shaving off the outside.  We decided to talk to him.  He wan't that interested but he shared some sugar cane with us.  It is very fibrous like soft wood.  You bite off a little bit and chew it.  It just tastes like sugar water.  Then you spit it out.  It gave me a little bit of a sugar headache but it was cool to try.

Sorry no pictures this week.  I don't have my camera on me because I left it at the hotel.  The hardest thing to get used to is probably just missionary life.  I think that is the same for anywhere in the world.  I am actually comfortable with the area.  I thought I would feel really bad for the people because of how poor they are but I don't think they think of themselves as as poor as we see them.  They just think we are super rich.  They seem content and have what they need.  Missionary life is a little difficult at times because of how regulated our schedule is and all the rules.   

     My favorite thing about living in the Philippines is that the people are generally nicer and more friendly than in the united states.  It makes being a missionary a lot easier.

     Thanks for the email

Love, Matthew

      

--

Love, Elder Harkness

Fruit

Last Monday was a pretty regular P day.  After it ended we went and did some reteaching for the family we baptized a while ago.  After that they fed us dinner.

     We also taught another lesson to two investigators named Jinky and Jun Jun.  They are really good and read the Book of Mormon but they often don't have enough money to get a ride to church and live probably a mile away.  I hope we can get them to walk or figure out something else.

     Wednesday we paid the bills.  I tried a cacao fruit for the first time.  It tasted like a mellon but much more flavorful.  There are so many fruits here that I didn't know even existed.  They have lots of citruses and other strange fruits.

     We also had a really weird lesson.  We tried teaching this one lady who is probably a little over 50.  When we were talking with her she got up and walked over to her bag.  She pulled out two pink plastic stars and some red and white cut pieces of paper.  She set them on the ground in front of us.  I was just wondering what on earth was going on.  The lady asked us to interpret the meaning.  We weren't sure what to do and I was trying not to laugh.  The lady was completely stone faced serious and was pacing in front of us.  My companion tried asking what all this was for and she told him that I knew the meaning and then waited for my response.  For a second I thought of maybe coming up with some crazy interpretation just for fun or maybe tell her it means that the church is true but that wouldn't be a good thing to do. I just said I didn't know what it means.  The whole time I was just thinking "this is the weirdest thing I have ever experienced"  and "Wow, this is definitely going in my journal."  We asked the lady to give the closing prayer and then she said some other crazy stuff.  It was the weirdest lesson I have ever been.

     Thursday was so hot it was almost unbearable.  Sweat was running down our faces as we walked around.  Eventually we came to the ocean and were able to cool down with the wind.  

     Saturday we had four baptisms for some of our investigators.  The spirit was really strong.  I baptized two of them and Elder Ramos baptized the other two.  The parents should follow in the next two months.  The parents are supportive but the problem is that the dad has a hurt foot.  This has been a blessing and a curse.  A blessing because he is home a lot and we have been able to teach him all the lessons.  But it has also been bad because it is hard for him to come to church because of it.  I hope it will get better soon because he is a good investigator and one day he just decided to read the book of moroni.

     Sunday we confirmed the four baptized investigators in sacrament meeting.  Two asked me to confirm them and the other two asked Elder Ramos to confirm them.  It was a little stressful doing it in front of the whole congregation but it was good.

     It has been a great week.

--

Love, Elder Harkness

Transfers and finally done training

This has been an unusual week with transfers.  I have a new companion.  It took about two days for my new companion to get here because he had to take a 1.5 hour flight from Manila to Palawan and then take a 3 hour shuttle ride to quezon.  My new companion is Elder Ramos.  He is from somewhere in the Philippines I have never heard of and speaks a language that I have never heard of and can't remember the name whenever I ask.  He speaks Tagalog and English though luckily.  There are a lot of languages in the philippines.  Last transfer Elder Beltran and I were teaching a lesson to a native palawan couple and I realized that none of us were speaking our native language.  My companion was Cebuano, I was English, and the people we were teaching were some strange palawan language (palawano or something).   

My new companion is good.  He has been on his mission for about seven months so he knows what he is doing.  I still feel like I am figuring things out.

     I didn't get to write in my journal a few nights last week so I can't really tell you all everything I did.  For the first part of the week I was with Elder Nakalaban because both of our companions were transfered.  We took turns working in eachother's areas.

     On Friday Elder Ramos and I worked really hard to find new investigators to get our numbers up (they were low because of transfers and working in Elder Nakalaban's area)  One new investigator we taught had a baby that wouldn't stop crying and as a result the lesson wasn't going well.  No matter what the mother did she couldn't get the baby to stop crying.  She asked us to put our spit on the baby's feet to get it to stop crying.  We ended up not having to do that but they did rub some weird liquid on the baby's tummy.  It just goes to show how superstitious these people can be.

     Saturday we worked really hard again and found a couple who seemed interested in the Book of Mormon.  We haven't been able to go back but they seem like really good investigators.  We also had a baptismal interview for some of our investigators that are supposed to be baptized next week if everything works out.

     Sunday Elder Ramos and I gave the lesson in gospel principles.  It was a little hard because we didn't know we were teaching until the class was supposed to start.  I really felt the gift of tongues helping me speak during the lesson.  It really boosted my confidence with the language.  After church we went out and talked to people and were able to get a lesson.  

     It has been a good week this past week and I have grown a lot in my abilities with the language and being a missionary.

--

Love, Elder Harkness