Halloween here isn't super big, here in the city it is a little bigger, I think, but not 100% sure. They celebrate the day of the dead though, just like in Hispanic cultures, at least they did back on Marinduque.
We are doing alright now with teaching. We had exchanges this week with the assistants, which was fun, and then with our district leader. We have been trying to encourage the zone because everyone is down in the dumps and not really wanting to do a ton of work. It is like everyone has become depressed, so we have been coming up with ideas to got people going and getting them excited, and will be testing it out this week before we introduce it in MLC.
It is doing challenges like video games. Weekly/daily challenges that help get them to increase their key indicators, have some fun, and do something crazy (but still mission appropriate). Some examples are: Invite 5 people in blue shirts; Get 5 girls phone numbers; Do jumping jacks with an investigator. Just fun and random stuff to spice up their lives, because the WHOLE MISSION is kinda in the dumps right now. We did this on our exchanges and we had some much fun with our DL. We found so many new people to teach and it has been a great blessing!! We will be trying it with our district first then introduce it to the mission!
So far the people we've been teaching are doing well. It is just talking time to get some people progressing to the point of baptism which is okay. They are reading and learning and growing that is more important.
We did meet this brother, Richard who is in his 50's and is really nice. We just started talking to him one day while he was playing pool, and we started asking us questions about us as missionaries. He said that we could come back some time and share a message with him. So this last week, on exchanges, we were able to go back to him, and he had questions for us about our church. So we were nice and answering them. He was curious about aspects of the plan of salvation, so we testified, and left a Book Of Mormon with him, and he was more than happy to read it. He then brings us into his house, we meet his wife, and had some snacks with them. They were really interested and hoping that continues!! We will be going back on Thursday hopefully!
Spiritual thought for the week:
This week I have still had some amazing personal studies with questions being answered left and right!! Truly, I am blessed for the change that has taken place in my life! One topic that I prayed about while I was reading the scriptures was about honesty and accountability to the Lord. I don't want to say too much because I want you to study up on it too, but one thing that I have always loved, is the question "Do you fear God more than Man?" This is a serious question that we all need to evaluate sometime. Are we being 100% honest in all things, meaning we are letting them know 100% of the truth too, and not just 99% of it. Are we doing things to make us happy, make others happy, or are we doing things to make the lord happy? What is it that the Lord needs us to do? Once you receive that, you need to then act on it AND REPORT IT TO HIM. That is the key to true JOY!!! There is so much I would love to say, but I will leave that to you!!
Happy Halloween!!
Elder James Dunyon
Monday, October 28, 2019
Monday, October 21, 2019
Fun and interesting to say the least
Yesterday I got to leave mission boundaries and go on a special assignment to meet with president Wakolo for news about light the world!! There will be the Giving Machines again like there was last year, but we were given fun insider information that hasn't been publicly announced yet, and we get to be part of taking care of the giving machines, which means people will be going out of the mission to Quezon City for it which is cool!!
Other than that, this week has been a good week. We have been dealing with almost all the area's struggling in the whole mission so we have been trying to figure things out. There are some particular struggles in our zone that we are prying about and trying to help to, it is just a work in progress.
This will be a little bit of a spiritual thought for this week.
So a couple weeks ago we talked with this Nanay through a Tindahan (a store) and she was willing to hear our message. Over the last couple of weeks we have gone back to her and she has told us that past missionaries of other religions have come to her and tried to force her to join their church. So she was willing to hear our message, but didn't want to change her beliefs. She is the Bible reader at the Catholic church, and she goes out with the priests all the time and hears them speak on the bible.
So as we have been teaching her, we have been simply sharing restored truths and challenging her to pray and read but not forcing her. She didn't really do it at first but gradually started. As we continued to teach her she started to gain an understanding of the Plan of Salvation and started to get really curious. She started noticing things in the bible that don't match up with their beliefs and was expressing those to us. As we testified to her about baptism she started to get interested in the proper way of baptism. We Shared Mathew 3:13-17 with her then 2 Nephi 31: 1-12 about why and how Christ was baptized. This last lesson we shared about the changing effect the atonement of Jesus Christ can have on us if we repent. At the end of the lesson she looked like she had a question, so we turned the time over to her. So she asked "How can I be baptized? What do I need to do?" We testified about baptism and what she would need to do to get to that point, and she set the date herself for December 21, we are hoping to get her daughter ready to for that date who is in her 20s and loves our lessons too!
Thought for this week - I have really been praying for guidance for our area, district, and zone in what we need to do to help. As I have begun every single study in sincere prayer, a question comes to my mind, and that is what I ask and try to focus on as I open the scriptures, thinking about my question or concern, The Lord unfolds my answer to me through the whole chapter I read. I have really felt the changing effect of powerful studies. I have felt so much love and heard so many answers to prayers, I can not say them all! I have loved the change that I have made as well in my life, and how much more Christ like I have become, looking back, I am so happy now and I love it!!!
The baptism pictures - The one that is older is Florentina who was baptized Oct 5. And the other one is Diane who was baptized this last week. Florentina is probably the most active member in the whole ward here and she just got baptized. The street with everyone was a bunch of teenagers we bonded with so we took a picture with them all and told them to contact us. Just some fun thing to do with them all. The hair cut, hahaha, so I was getting my hair cut and he started it different than a normal haircut so my comp to a picture and we were laughing so much!! I did not leave my hair like that I promise!! The red thing is DRAGON FRUIT!!!!! The one in the street with a ton of stuff on a truck was us helping a member move to their new house
Other than that, this week has been a good week. We have been dealing with almost all the area's struggling in the whole mission so we have been trying to figure things out. There are some particular struggles in our zone that we are prying about and trying to help to, it is just a work in progress.
This will be a little bit of a spiritual thought for this week.
So a couple weeks ago we talked with this Nanay through a Tindahan (a store) and she was willing to hear our message. Over the last couple of weeks we have gone back to her and she has told us that past missionaries of other religions have come to her and tried to force her to join their church. So she was willing to hear our message, but didn't want to change her beliefs. She is the Bible reader at the Catholic church, and she goes out with the priests all the time and hears them speak on the bible.
So as we have been teaching her, we have been simply sharing restored truths and challenging her to pray and read but not forcing her. She didn't really do it at first but gradually started. As we continued to teach her she started to gain an understanding of the Plan of Salvation and started to get really curious. She started noticing things in the bible that don't match up with their beliefs and was expressing those to us. As we testified to her about baptism she started to get interested in the proper way of baptism. We Shared Mathew 3:13-17 with her then 2 Nephi 31: 1-12 about why and how Christ was baptized. This last lesson we shared about the changing effect the atonement of Jesus Christ can have on us if we repent. At the end of the lesson she looked like she had a question, so we turned the time over to her. So she asked "How can I be baptized? What do I need to do?" We testified about baptism and what she would need to do to get to that point, and she set the date herself for December 21, we are hoping to get her daughter ready to for that date who is in her 20s and loves our lessons too!
Thought for this week - I have really been praying for guidance for our area, district, and zone in what we need to do to help. As I have begun every single study in sincere prayer, a question comes to my mind, and that is what I ask and try to focus on as I open the scriptures, thinking about my question or concern, The Lord unfolds my answer to me through the whole chapter I read. I have really felt the changing effect of powerful studies. I have felt so much love and heard so many answers to prayers, I can not say them all! I have loved the change that I have made as well in my life, and how much more Christ like I have become, looking back, I am so happy now and I love it!!!
The baptism pictures - The one that is older is Florentina who was baptized Oct 5. And the other one is Diane who was baptized this last week. Florentina is probably the most active member in the whole ward here and she just got baptized. The street with everyone was a bunch of teenagers we bonded with so we took a picture with them all and told them to contact us. Just some fun thing to do with them all. The hair cut, hahaha, so I was getting my hair cut and he started it different than a normal haircut so my comp to a picture and we were laughing so much!! I did not leave my hair like that I promise!! The red thing is DRAGON FRUIT!!!!! The one in the street with a ton of stuff on a truck was us helping a member move to their new house
Tuesday, October 15, 2019
Finally got to watch Conference
Just watched conference this weekend and WOW!! IT WAS AMAZING!! It went by too quick to be honest! We were at the church for 8 hours on Saturday for all the sessions but it felt like 2 hours!!
I WANT MORE!! There were so many that I loved but the over arching theme that I found was about Families/Temples, Conversion, and trust in the Lord. I LOVED IT SO MUCH!!
We had a good week to with some new investigators that were found. One family we are working with is a part member family that had moved to our area about 3 years ago, but don't really know where the church is. They approached us a couple of weeks ago asking if we were the missionaries, and we said YEAH WE ARE!! We received her number and have been able to go back to them a couple times. The husband wasn't super interested at first but then after we had shared about the restoration, he started to get more interested. We have also been able to share to their two nieces that live next door and they have been progressing well too! They also introduced us to their friends just around the corner who have been wanting to change, improve and help their family but didn't know what to do until we arrived at their door. They are all loving the messages, and this next week they should be all coming to church! So we are excited for them too!!!
It’s amazing what can happen with just one contact. Then, on top of that, last night they introduced us to some other members who have gone to church once or twice, but haven't been in a LONG time. They don't really remember a whole lot as well (just like the first family), but we met and shared a lesson with all of them last night too!! Really hoping that this whole area become a progressing area and they can all support one another coming back and joining the church! Even though the members haven't gone to church, they are more missionary minded than most the members in our ward and it is so cool to see. They really do want to come back, they just lost their way.
This week for me will be a pretty none crazy event filled week, nothing planned except for special exchanges with an area that is struggling. OH AND A BAPTISM ON SATURDAY!!
Thought for the week:
I reflected this week on how much I have changed from the beginning of my mission and it is unbelievable! One thing that has really stood out to me is how much more receptive I am to spiritual things, and how much more love I can feel from the savior. I remember before the mission, I never understood anything the Prophets were talking about, now I can pick out their topic, motivation, emotions, and love they have for all of us! I have looked back on my personality and what it was a year ago, and I love what has happened. All of it I know is thanks to the Atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ. He has allowed me to become a better persona and still keep growing each and everyday! It reminds me of one of my favorite activities, WORKING OUT!! At first, we may feel like we aren't doing a whole lot, or not making a whole lot of progression, and that can discourage us, but if we look back and realize all the things that have happened, we see that amazing progress that we have made and want to keep going and working even more. You look back and your progress inspires you to make even more progress!! I hope that I can continue to make progress through my whole mission and make those right decisions!
Sorry - no new pictures this week...maybe next week.
Love, Elder James Dunyon
I WANT MORE!! There were so many that I loved but the over arching theme that I found was about Families/Temples, Conversion, and trust in the Lord. I LOVED IT SO MUCH!!
We had a good week to with some new investigators that were found. One family we are working with is a part member family that had moved to our area about 3 years ago, but don't really know where the church is. They approached us a couple of weeks ago asking if we were the missionaries, and we said YEAH WE ARE!! We received her number and have been able to go back to them a couple times. The husband wasn't super interested at first but then after we had shared about the restoration, he started to get more interested. We have also been able to share to their two nieces that live next door and they have been progressing well too! They also introduced us to their friends just around the corner who have been wanting to change, improve and help their family but didn't know what to do until we arrived at their door. They are all loving the messages, and this next week they should be all coming to church! So we are excited for them too!!!
It’s amazing what can happen with just one contact. Then, on top of that, last night they introduced us to some other members who have gone to church once or twice, but haven't been in a LONG time. They don't really remember a whole lot as well (just like the first family), but we met and shared a lesson with all of them last night too!! Really hoping that this whole area become a progressing area and they can all support one another coming back and joining the church! Even though the members haven't gone to church, they are more missionary minded than most the members in our ward and it is so cool to see. They really do want to come back, they just lost their way.
This week for me will be a pretty none crazy event filled week, nothing planned except for special exchanges with an area that is struggling. OH AND A BAPTISM ON SATURDAY!!
Thought for the week:
I reflected this week on how much I have changed from the beginning of my mission and it is unbelievable! One thing that has really stood out to me is how much more receptive I am to spiritual things, and how much more love I can feel from the savior. I remember before the mission, I never understood anything the Prophets were talking about, now I can pick out their topic, motivation, emotions, and love they have for all of us! I have looked back on my personality and what it was a year ago, and I love what has happened. All of it I know is thanks to the Atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ. He has allowed me to become a better persona and still keep growing each and everyday! It reminds me of one of my favorite activities, WORKING OUT!! At first, we may feel like we aren't doing a whole lot, or not making a whole lot of progression, and that can discourage us, but if we look back and realize all the things that have happened, we see that amazing progress that we have made and want to keep going and working even more. You look back and your progress inspires you to make even more progress!! I hope that I can continue to make progress through my whole mission and make those right decisions!
Sorry - no new pictures this week...maybe next week.
Love, Elder James Dunyon
Monday, October 7, 2019
Baptism and Talking with Everyone
We have been having a great week. There was this one story to a picture that I have that you will love!! but I will do that later.
We are still working with El John and Mary lou but they are taking a bit of time. Diana will be baptized on the 19th only because there is general conference on the 12, and we are working with a referral from my former AP in San Pablo who should be baptized at the end of October or beginning of November. We are in the works for weekly baptisms here and we are so excited for all these people. I don't want to leave, I want to keep working with these people and there are so many new up coming potentials and tons of new stories. Oh we are so excited for them. We are really embracing talking with everyone and we are seeing so many miracles and great upcoming potential!!
There was this one group on men, all around 25, and elder and I look at them and say "lets have some fun". So elder Olivas is from Hawaii and is parents are Filipino so he looks Filipino ,though he is really English. So we go up to them and elder just start speaking straight English to them and I am the one doing translating. We are acting like he doesn't know Tagalog at all and so they start trying to speak in English to him. After a few minutes of playing around with them and laughing a lot they ask elder a question and he speaks straight Tagalog to them and they are all WOWED!! It was so Funny!! That is when we share that we are missionaries with a message about the word of God. "Ah yeah the word of God". That is when I made like the "west side" sign on my hand and they went crazy!! " YEAH THE WORD OF GOD!! LETS TAKE A PICTURE!!" So we took a picture with them and shared about the Book of Mormon and should be going back to them again Tuesday night to share more with them!!
Another fun story was where we built trust and relationship with one seller on the street.
I was with elder Newswander when we were walking along the street and he wanted to talk to this nanay selling booty shorts. At first I was confused but I told him for his practice to talk to everyone he felt like he should talk to and I will back him up. I won't start a single conversation unless he starts ones first. So he starts and this nanay is confused and a little weirded out. Two tall white Americans are talking to me selling short shorts. So to break the ice I get her laughing by saying that Elder would look really pretty in those short shorts and she just started busting up!!
Also, this week as well we were trying to find a new house/apartment because there will be a second set of missionaries here next cycle in my area so we have to find them their own house. We had a lot of fun house finding. And I am doing it all in Tagalog, will be interesting eventually doing it in English hahaha. This is actually my second time in the mission finding and renting a new house, I am a pro at this now!!
We did get a little sick on Sunday because we had unlimited wings on Saturday night and it didn't like our stomach....
This week we also went to a Philippines WW2 museum and it was super cool!! Here are some pictures:
We are really busy this week, work is picking up like crazy and we love it so much!! We are now teaching our Kapitbahay or our neighbor. We had an amazing baptismal service for Florentina Alvarez and she was confirmed on Sunday and is probably the most active person in the church now!! HAHAHA she is amazing!!
We should have another one in two weeks for Diane Libre which we are excited for!!
Future people we are hoping for in November are
Gracelle Cinco
Krizza Anuelo
Fernandez family
Elsa and Elma
So we are excited for them too!!
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