9 months out

Dear Family And Friends,

So this week was kind of a crazy week!!! We had some great stuff going on but at the same time it was just really crazy because there was a lot stuff that was so short notice that we had to do.  First I'll start off with the crazy thing.  My companion found out his flight and so he left me to go to manila and fly to Australia.  So that was a crazy thing because it was so short notice.  We found on Friday afternoon and he left Saturday morning so we had to hurry and get back to the house and pack all of his stuff to get everything ready for him.  That night was a great night of little sleep!  

It was interesting too because I found out my new companion and he is way cool!! I don’t know how long he is going to be my companion but his name is Elder Emilio, and he is actually from Tonga.  So is way sweet.  He and I are the only ones in the mission that I know of that are foreigner and another foreigner.  It’s really interesting but he is really good at Tagalog also so its totally fine.  We both understand like everything perfectly well so there is no problems there at all.  It's been a fun couple days with him and it’s a blast.  He's really great! 

Clearing some of the land to build a house.

This last week we got some people put on for a baptismal date.  We have a part member family we are currently teaching and that is going pretty good!  His name is Romeo Rivas and we are having great success with him.  The best thing is really the testimony of the mom.  She is great and really wants him to do this so that they may be sealed in the temple.  That really sparked with him and how if they don’t get sealed in the temple then their marriage is only for this life.  What a blessing it is to have the temple!!  Keep Him in your prayers that would be awesome!  

We also had a great Community Service Project with a member to help build a house.  Ya it's pretty sweet.  We don’t just fix houses for service but here in the Philippines we actually build houses!  Hahaha But because of that service, a neighbor saw what we were doing and just asked where we came from and why we are out here serving people and helping.  It was a great thing.  She says that she would like to be part of that and really thinks that whatever this church is, they're producing great young men who go out and serve!!  So that was awesome.  We got a new investigator because of that and she has great potential!!  Her Name is Sister Devine, If you could also keep her in your prayers that would also be great because those 2 are doing good.  We also have 1 more that has been going pretty well and her name is Sister Nika.  Her uncle is the 2^nd counselor in our branch and she came to church yesterday.  She stayed and met a lot of new people and had some great friends.  The lessons are going great with her.  We just taught her the word of wisdom and she had great questions about it and why it is so important.  After the lesson she really wanted to understand and said she's going to start living it.  So we will make sure that goes through well!  Those are the 3 best investigators that we are teaching right now that are really progressing well!!  So make sure that you keep them in your prayers!!! 

Also this next week I'm going down to Cabanatuan or actually later today cause we have a meeting with president.  It's MLC/DLC (Mission Leader/District Leaders) so that will be good.  I'll let you guys know how that goes!!  Also earlier this morning we went to a resort of a member and it was such a gorgeous area!!  I took a lot of pictures and videos, so I'll be sure to get those sent to you guys.  But the week has just been good.  Through all the hard times remember that the Lord is right there with us and he's guiding us all the way through.  We just need to look for his hand and he will guide us through everything!  So crazy stuff with the family.  Quinn is gonna be a real boy! (started playing football)  That’s pretty cool!! Tell him good luck with football and to man up and get big! Haha, So that’s pretty much everything here! Remember that I love you guys and the church is true!! Make good choices and remember who you are and what you stand for! :p

New Companion!

Love you all! (:

First Typhoon

So first typhoon!!!  That was pretty sweet!  Just like with what you said, we weren't too affected in our area at all.  It didn't really seem like a typhoon.  But it was just a little windy and there was a little rain.  So it was more of a normal day.  But then later this last week, we had a huge rain storm which was pretty sweet!!  It rained a ton!!!  Like so much I was shocked!!  We usually cross a little stream thats like 6 inches deep, but after the rain storm it was like 3 feet deep, or around there.  So it was raining a ton!!  That was pretty sweet but it sucked because mosquito's love the rain.  And so I got bit a ton by mosquito's.  That is just never any fun!!

Having fun at the Baler Museum.

But this last week was a decent week!! We had some struggles with investigators and we are dropping a lot of our teaching pool.  So we can go out and do a lot of finding.  We want to find people who are more ready for the gospel so that's okay!  We had interviews with president Clark and that was so good!!  I just love it, really helps me I get down on not doing the best I feel I can.  But he really helped and it was just great.  I love being a missionary.  It really is the greatest thing ever.  Of course, it's hard at times, but really just focuses you on what is right and what we need to do in this life.  I've loved my studies of the gospel this week.  I read our search for happiness by Elder Ballard.  That was really interesting.  He talked about the word understanding and that was cool.  Now I really know what I need to do to make sure I help the investigators.  Not only to know the gospel, but really understand the gospel!

16th Century Musket.  He thought that was way cool!

Oh my companion leaves me this week to go to Australia.  So I have no idea what is going to happen to me.  So that should be pretty interesting!!  Nothing to crazy happened this week, just the storm.  Not really much to clean up, but it was cool, lots of rain!!! (:   Remember always, the church is true.  Don't worry, I'm doing great here!!  Loving the mission.  Greatest thing ever!!  Love you all! (: Remember to make good choices and remember who you are and what you stand for!
 

Love Elder Hedman

Still loving the Pines!

Dear Family,

So first off I'll answer all your questions.  So the Philippines is still going pretty good.  It's still crazy but it's still so fun!  I'm loving the time here even though some days its just crazy and so hard!!!  The rainy season did start, but literally nothing has happened in my area at all.  It's cause we are like right over the mountains so all the rain falls on the other side before it gets to us!  So were lucky there, cause in other areas I've heard from other missionaries that they get like 2 feet of water and the house gets flooded.  So ya I'm pretty lucky that nothing like that has happened here!! 

Baler is still gorgeous.  Wow I love the ocean.  It's so gorgeous but it just stinks that we can't get in.  But that's okay, its for the good!! 

The people are good! They love speaking English or trying to speak English.  It's kinda funny.  And I just like give up trying to understand their English.  It's funny but I feel bad cause at times I'm just like speak Tagalog please.  I understand that better then the English.  But they think it's so funny.  The people here are just hilarious and love to joke around which is really good!! 

Also the baptism did go through!  I baptized her it was so great!!  She has such a strong testimony and she wants others to know the importance of the gospel.  So she is actually preparing to serve a mission also!!  That was the greatest thing ever!!  I was just having a bad day.  Then we taught her and she talked about how the gospel is so good and wants to share it with others.  That just made everything better!!  I'll send some pictures.  

Maylene got baptized!

I still have the same companion.  We don't know when he is going to get his flight to head over to Australia.  But that's probably gonna happen pretty soon I'd think!  The Carbonel family is still doing OK.  We found out the mom has no education at all.  So that's rough.  We basically are teaching everything so simple but she just forgets it right after.  So we're still working on ways to help her out.  We have been focusing on working with members a ton here recently.  That has been pretty good.  The members really do have a great desire to work.  They are just way to shy to do anything.  We kinda have to push them into doing stuff.  But after that, they really do enjoy it!  Gotta love doing missionary work!  I really do love it.  Makes me so grateful for the gospel!!  Remember the church is true and the Lord blesses us for when we work hard!! Remember always to be a good example because you never know who is watching us and what they are thinking!!  Love you all remember to choose the right and make good choices!

Elder Hedman