Things are looking Green! October 14,2018

Things are looking Green in my Area! Because I'm Training a brand new missionary from the MTC. His name is Elder Dean from Tennessee. He brings awesome spirit to the companionship! We were all super sad though to say bye to Elder McBride. We miss him. I already miss hitting fat jumps with him on our bikes! 

As for other good news! We had the baptism of Marish this past week. Im so happy for her! She is the cutest little girl ever! She stood up to give her testimony and then she got super nervous and started bawling. Then she went and sat down. It was sad but cute at the same time. She has an awesome testimony even tho she got too nervous to share it in front of everyone. Her favorite thing to do is say the family prayers! 

Our baptism for this month didn't show up to general conference. We were so bummed. Super bummed. She will have to get baptized next month. Crisel. 

Other good news tho! Our investigator Jesus cut down his cigarettes. Hes making good progress! We set up a baptismal date for Jan next year! 

Nanay Bertulfo went to Conference with us! She is so awesome. We taught about Word of Wisdom. She has a coffee problem but she is willing to try and quit. My companion asked her to be baptized and she said yes! We set it up for Nov! She said shes gonna see..so idk really what the means but shes going to church! 

Jonie went to Church again! His grandma and his aunt and uncle are members. He hasn't been baptized tho. My last companion and I started teaching him. Hes doing good. He just needs to keep going to church. Hes 10 years old. Hes the one that his teacher was trying to get him baptized in the catholic church.

We also got Ariel and her dad to go to conference. Ariel is 10. Her dad is an Returned Missionary but has fallen off the path. He's the only one in the family that is a member. We've been teaching his family tho! Its been great working with them. He also took some free books that were at the church. Members were giving away because they dont need them anymore. Nanay Berfulfo did that also haha. 

So yeah! It was awesome. Our other October baptisms look like they arent going to work out now. But, things are looking good for the future! 

Also, Conference was so good! I took down lots of notes. i loved the Heavenly Father doesn't want us to be Obedient, He wants us to choose to be obedient.  others also. Sacrafice your pride. We arent MORMONS! haha! thats what most non members know us by. But it will be okay. Life is not meant to be easy. Repentance is spiritual medicine. And lots more! Im so greatful for living prophets and apostles that help guide this Church! 

That sums it up for this week. Until next week! Love you guys!

Finally got a tour of the mission home! 

Elder Mumford (He's from Highland also! We went to the same church building but different wards), Elder Kammerman(1 of my MTC companions) He's training also! ,ME, then Elder Dean

Marish and I! 

Elder Dean from Tennessee

October 7, 2018

Hey guys! 

This P-day we went on a sweet hike to some waterfalls! We went with Mark and his little brother and their friend that we're teaching now! It was tons of fun! Lots of different falls in one small place. Super fun! We taught them all after! And Sister Irish cooked dinner. 

We did some more companion exchanges this week. I was back in Iba. I got to see some of the investigators there when i was there before and now they are baptized! So thats super cool. The Elders there are still doing good. Makes me miss working with Elder Leakehe there. 

Our golden investigators that went to church last week didn't come this week. We dont really know why yet. We have an idea tho. But we had others show up! There is a sister serving from this branch on a mission and their family isn't members. So we visit over there and the mom and the daughter went to church this week with their less active friend! So it was so cool to see them at church! Hopefully next week again! We love visiting there. They are so awesome. They also accept what we teach and they are praying and reading the Book of Mormon. 

This week was fast and testimony meeting because General Conference is delayed here by a week. But Sister Irish and Brother James both got up and bore their testimonies! It was so awesome. Sister Irish even gave us a shout out over the pulpit. It was awesome. They are so cool. 

We have been also working with a Part-Member. His whole family is members but hes the only one who isn't. He accepts us when we come over and hes really open to us! Right now hes working out the Word of Wisdom with his Cigarettes. Hes super cool tho! He went to church this week with his family! 

We didnt have the baptism this week of Marish. Its going to be this Saturday. 

This week is also going to be transfer day! Lets see if anything gets changed

Love you guys! Have an awesome week!

Too bad we couldn't swim :(

Riding on the back of a Jeepney.  Haha

It's October now! 9-30-2018

Monday was sweet last pday. We went and hung out with Elder Jones and Elder Packard. They are making the music video right now to the song. You're gonna see me in it! We also ate at a super nice steakhouse. Super malahap(tasty in Zambal)! 

We worked super hard to invite everyone we knew to go to church this Sunday! We did some exchanges. It was good. I got to work with one of my old companions Elder Ngalu in their area. Fun stuff! Chrisel came to church again and they brought their cousin who hasn't even been taught by us but she wants to get baptized also apparently. We haven't taught her yet tho. So that's a good start. She already went to church! Fun working with them. Two families who are members that we've been visiting with who haven't been to church in a little bit went to church this week! They dont have any family members that we can teach tho :/ But, it was super cool to see them at church! We were super excited for them! James also got the Priesthood this week! We were able to stand in the circle. Its great to see his progression. Hes super excited to pass and bless the sacrament. Were going to have Sister Irish's kids baptism this week. Shes 8 years old so shes not going to count for a convert baptism but we love teaching her and strengthening her testimony. She did great in her interview! 

That sums it up for this week! Should be another good week here in Botolan! Love you guys! 

We Baptized A Korean! 9-23-2018

This week was good! 

On Saturday we had the Baptism of James! Hes not really Korean haha! Hes just a Korean fan! He did great with the baptismal interview! He chose me to baptize him! Apparently i didnt move far enough from the stairs in the font and Elder McBride my companion said it looked like his head hit the stairs. It didn't tho luckily ! After that James gave his Testimony! His testimony is so strong and its great to see his conversion in the gospel! He will be an awesome missionary! 

The Dumulot family wasn't able to go to church this week because they didnt have enough money they said. They said they now believe in Joseph Smith tho! So thats awesome to see that. They said they would love going if the church was closer and they could want but they have to commute super far. 

Our other investigators are doing good! It was a pretty chill week!

We have also been teaching Chrisel. She is 16. Her family has been slowing getting baptized over this last year and this year. She hasn't been baptized yet! So we've been committing her to go to church these last weeks. And this week she went with her brother who is a member and her cousin! So it was awesome to see that! She has accepted to be baptized next month! Super excited to keep working with her! 

Love you all! I love the gospel! Have a good week! 

Elder Breinholt

Baptism of James

 

Super Typhoon hit the Philippines ! 9-16-2018

This week was intense! We got news from President that a Super Typhoon was going to hit! Luckily it wasnt centered into our mission but we were going to experience heavy winds and rain. And thats what happened! We had plenty of heads up to get our 72 hour kits ready and get lots of water! So that was good! We stayed safe when it came! 

Before the storm we got a lot of good work in! I had one of the most spiritual experiences of my whole mission with the Dumulot family. We reviewed what we taught about the restoration and then talked about the Book of Mormon and how everything weighs on what they can hold and read in their hands. They said they would read it and pray about it.  We then extended the commitment to go to church. They werent sure because they only have enough money for a couple of the family members to go but not all of them. We then opened the Book of Mormon to Mormon chapter 9 and read the following verses.

19 And if there were miracles wrought then, why has God ceased to be a God of miracles and yet be an unchangeable Being? And behold, I say unto you he changeth not; if so he would cease to be God; and he ceaseth not to be God, and is a God of miracles.

20 And the reason why he ceaseth to do miracles among the children of men is because that they dwindle in unbelief, and depart from the right way, and know not the God in whom they should trust.

21 Behold, I say unto you that whoso believeth in Christ, doubting nothing, whatsoever he shall ask the Father in the name of Christ it shall be granted him; and this promise is unto all, even unto the ends of the earth.

We told them that we know if they pray for Heavenly Father to give them a way to go to church as a family it will be given to them and that God will provide. And we told them that God is a God of Miracles. That He will give their family a miracle if the ask in Faith. They all said they would pray that they could go to church the next Sunday! Well the huge storm came on Friday and Saturday and we were really asking ourselves if we were going to have Church and what was going to happen. How are our investigators going to be able to come to church. Well the storm stopped on Saturday Night and we were able to have church on Sunday! The chapel wasn't flooded or anything. Right when we walked into Sacrament we saw Nanay Dumulot with 3 of her kids. The Spirit hit me so strong and we were so happy to see them there. I knew God gave them a way to go to church even tho it wasn't the whole family. That was also their first time to go to our church. That was such a spiritual experience for me. They loved Church too! 

We even saw the faith of others we are teaching! Nanay Bulatao, the lady we baptized last week had a crazy experience during the storm! So, during the storm their roof came off! The two sons and their dad somehow managed to nail it back together. During that their clothes got all wet along with the house! But that didnt stop them from coming to Church the ! And Marish came! The 8 year old that we are preparing for baptism! We so happy that they were okay during the storm. They are so awesome! 

This week also Nanay Baluyot from one of the farthest areas in our branch gave us a refferal! Her 10 year old Grandson! Turns out his teacher in school is asking for his baptismal record. Well he hasn't been baptized yet, even in the catholic church or anything. So his teacher is telling him that he needs to get baptized in the Catholic Church! Well at this point hes telling his grandma(Nanay Baluyot) this. And shes ticked at her teacher! She says you are not getting baptized in the Catholic Church.. we are Mormon! Me and Elder McBride were so stoked! We taught him about how  Jesus was baptized and we need to be baptized like him through immersion. And every child of God needs to do this. We then asked him the question..Will you follow the example of Jesus Christ and be baptized by someone who holds Priesthood authority of God.. He said Yes! So we got him set up for next month! And he went to church this last Sunday! It was great! His teacher is crazy! Apparently the teacher was doing that to another kid in the class who was Muslim.

This week was one to remember for sure! During the Typhoon i was totally feeling what Alma was feeling when he said

44 But Alma said unto him: Thou hast had signs enough; will ye tempt your God? Will ye say, Show unto me a sign, when ye have the testimony of all these thy brethren, and also all the holy prophets? The scriptures are laid before thee, yea, and all things denote there is a God; yea, even the earth, and all things that are upon the face of it, yea, and its motion, yea, and also all the planets which move in their regular form do witness that there is a Supreme Creator.  During the storm i really felt the Lord. That he is real and we need to depend on Him in our lives! It really testified to me that Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ are real beings. I testify to you that He Lives! 

We've also been working with James! His girlfriend introduced him to the church and hes been going ever since and he loves it. His family wants him to choose a religion. But they don't really support him. Now we were talking to him about Baptism and he wants to get baptized! When he told his girlfriend she was so happy! The smile on her face was huge and shes so happy for him! Hes going to have his interview this week for baptism! Were so excited for him! 

I feel like theres still some stuff that Im not remembering to write. It truly was an awesome week. Love you guys tons! Have a good week! We are all safe!!
Elder Breinholt 

A video i took in the Storm! I hope you guys can see this

 https://photos.app.goo.gl/gXDK4e2b4miLMWq7A

Mission Tour and More! September 9, 2018

This week went good and how we planned!

This week we had a Mission Tour with Elder Wakolo and his wife! They are both from Fiji! Sister Wakolo got up to the mic and said Bula Vinaka and right away some others and I said it back. Thats 'Hello' in Fijian. The other Missionaries didn't know what was going on. It was great to get to know them and learn from them! I've already been able to apply what they taught in the work. 

This week we were really focusing on Nanay Bulatao and making sure everything was going to go smooth for the baptism. This week we taught them how to do Fhe and we taught and talked about Family History. Her son Mark that is 16 has already done baptisms for the dead for Nanays Father. So they are getting a great start. Her Baptism happened this Saturday! I was humbled by the opportunity she gave me to baptize her. She was afraid that Mark wouldn't be able to lift her up out of the water. So she wanted me to do it. It went great! She bore her testimony and it was really touching! They are so awesome! 

This week even tho we lost a couple of days because of traveling to the meeting and the baptism, we were able to find lots of new people to teach. One of them being a refferal from Brother Noel in my last area. He works here in our area and we taught a family of 6 with him! It was awesome. They were going to go to church but it didn't work out. So that was a bummer. But hopefully next week! Some of the others we taught are people who were taught before by missionaries. One family we taught had been taught by the missionaries before but the Dad and one of the daughters weren't baptized. But we taught them and extended a baptismal invitation to them and in straight up English they said "sure why not" We were taken off so much! But yeah they committed to baptism! 

Im still having fun out here and enjoying the Philippines. The other day was really funny. Our new housemate is brand new to the Philippines and we were fed Dinuguan. Its meat stirred in with a Pig Blood gravy. So he took it not knowing what it was. His reaction was really funny when we told him what he ate after! 

Love you all! 

Elder Breinholt

Back up North! 9-2-2018

We had a Zone Activity on Monday at the chapel. Played some games and what not. Had a good pday! And a sweet FHE with the Artajo Family in the evening. 

Transfer news came this Tuesday! I had myself convinced that i wasn't going to be transferred. And then bam! Back to Zambales. I'm in Botolan 1 now. This is my 3rd area in Iba Zone. I honestly wasnt too excited to come back but it has been fun so far! My companion is Elder McBride from Queen Creek, Arizona! He just finished his training. Me and him get a long tho super well! I will also still be the District Leader. Elder Ngalu is in my district. He was my companion before. It should be good. We also have to open the area too! So that's been fun !  

We have an awesome area. We have bikes. Its been hard learning the area but we are slowly getting it down. We have had tons of fun teaching the Bulatao Family. The kids have recently been baptized and now their mom wants to be baptized! She passed her interview this last Sunday! She was taught along time ago and was going to get baptized, but she moved and had never met the missionaries again where she now lives. Until a little bit ago the missionaries were trackting and what not and found their family and taught them! They are so awesome! 

 It was super fun this last Sunday because it was District Conference. So i got to see all the members from my last areas and my recent converts! It was awesome. Got to do some catching up! I also thought it was so awesome what our Mission President said! The Philippines has as many members as the states did in 1930! So 100 years it took the states to get an amount of members. But it took the Philippines 57 years to get that amount. The gospel is spreading like crazy here in the Philippines. Its a great place to serve!! 

It should be good in this area! Noel got baptized yesterday! September 2,2018 So excited for him and his journey. Awesome news! 

We are also going to be having a misison tour this week with a 70. Elder Wakolo! 

Some missionaries in our mission also put out a song! Its about finding the elect! Please listen and share on Facebook! I will attach it to this email! Its so awesome! You guys will love it! 

Thanks guys! Love you all! 

Elder Breinholt

The stats about the church in the Philippines 

We also went to the driving range in Lubao! I taught my district how to golf! It was awesome! 

Bye Lubao :(

One of my fav foods. Buffalo Wings. 

Chaddy and I! Love that guy

Our new apartment is soooooo nice. its right on the beach. we literally live in a beach house! the beach pictures were taken from our back porch. There's always people surfing and fishing. 

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                     Baptism of Noel!