Manila and the Temple

Dear Family and Friends!!!

So this week has been like the craziest busiest and trunkiest week ever... in a good and weird way!!!  First off, sounds like everything back home is going well!!  I can't believe Quinn sprained his wrist also playing football.  That's funny.  Hopefully everything will be okay.  I'm looking forward to going back and playing with him!! (:  Sounds like whatever vacation we do it will be fun!! I would love to come back here but I don't know.   hahaha   It would be so fun but family vacation sounds better!!

Well this week first off, we had a meeting with the mission president and all the other zone leaders in the mission.  So that was fun because we got to discuss things for the mission and what really needs to change and other things that would help us in our teaching and how to become better missionaries.  So that was really great!!  That was all in the house of the mission president which is a really nice house.  So that was really fun!!  Also a lot of my batch are still zone leaders so it was cool getting to see them all again!  So that was basically Tuesday and Wednesday!!  Then on Thursday we actually got to work like a normal day!! And then near the end of the day, I got a call from the assistants telling me I was going down to Manila on Saturday to get some finger printing down with some of the other missionaries!!  So that was kinda exciting getting that call!!!!  So then on Friday,  I had to prepare to get ready to get my stuff, because we were going to sleep in Tarlac (where the mission president's live) on Friday night so Saturday morning we could go straight to Manila!! So that killed the work for Friday.  We didn't get to work because in the morning, me and my companion had to have zone training and we trained the other missionaries on things that happened in the meeting with president!!!  Then after that me and some other missionaries from the zone headed down to Tarlac!!! It was super fun though because our whole entire batch was there and we all got to see each other so it was basically like a zone reunion!!!!

Elder Hedman and President Clark

Then on Saturday we headed down to manilla to have our fingerprinting!!  It was super fun because we headed back to the MTC to have our finger printing done!!  It was so weird being back at that place, it brought back so many memories!!  It was cool though because we got to see the temple!!  It was closed so we didn't get to go in but we got to see it and I took some pictures!!  I took a lot of pictures this week.... haha your welcome.... but it was so fun!!!

Another way cool thing that happened was there were other missions there also getting finger printing and I  saw people that I knew that were in other missions!!!  I saw a couple people from school!!!!  I saw Koa Wilson, he's in the Manila mission.  We played basketball against each other all the time!!  I Saw Mckay Jenkins, we were pretty good friends in middle school!!  But he's also here in the Philippines!  And then I  saw Weston Rindslisbacher, or however you spell his last name.  We played football all growing up on Brian Gepharts team!!  And he played basketball at Riverton, so when I'd play with James, we always played together!!  So that was super cool.  I got to see a lot of people that I knew!!

So that was basically the week.  Just traveling after traveling.  I think I spent about 28 or 30 hours of the week literally on vehicles traveling.  So that was no fun!!  But we still managed to have 2 investigators at church even though we got 2 days to work.  So that was good!!!   My companion and I get along okay.  I'll probably be killing him next transfer.  Oh this week is transfer week.  But I"m 99% sure I"m not transferring because president told me I was probably be finishing his mission for him.  So I'll be here a while!!   But it's fine.  It's a good area and I'm super close with the members and it's so fun here!!  We should be having 2 baptisms coming up in the coming weeks!!  So that will be good!!  Remember that I love you guys!  Keep up the great work in all your doing!!!

Elder Hedman

This could have been one reason for the excitement to go to Manila...Burger King and Dairy Queen!

Jam Packed

Dear Family!! (: and friends!!

So it sounds like you guys had a pretty jam packed week!!   Hahaha  That's funny about Sydney. (: hahaha That's funny.  But it sounds like everything is going good back home!!  That's good!!  I can't believe you didn't tell me about the surgery and how serious it was until after it was done.  That's so messed up.  But I'm just glad you guys are okay there!!  I'm glad nothing was found that was super suspicious, so thats great!  I'm glad quinn is still doing football.  I can't wait to come back and be with you guys again.  I'm looking forward to it.  But I'm loving it here in the Philippines!! 

 

I have gotten so close to the people here.  Sometimes I'm just like well, I guess my family wouldn't miss me too much if i just stayed here with these people!  Hahaha  They are literally so nice and it's so fun here!! Being a missionary is such a great thing.  It's so great seeing the gospel influence people's lives for good!! Even though there are small setbacks here in the mission, seeing people fall through on commitments all the time.  I just try and look at the good things that are happening here!  I love it!  We had a couple hard things happen in a couple of our areas this week.  Just people being a bad example, endowed members drinking with other people and then hiding and not doing anything good at all.  That was a really rough time and it hurt one of our areas a lot!  But on the bright side after all of that stuff, one of the recent convert families that is in our area GOT SEALED IN THE TEMPLE!!!!!!!!!!!!    I asked president for permission to go but he said that our area is a little to far away so he wouldn't let us go.  So that was sad, but that was okay because I  was just happy that they got sealed in the temple!!  The Romagoza family got sealed.  Mark, the recent convert that got baptized back in December, got sealed to them as well!!  So that was so amazing!!  I was so excited for them.  I was a little sad that I wasn't able to go, but it was just a great thing!!  I got to hear their testimonies after on Sunday and it was so amazing!!  I was so happy to see a family be sealed in the Temple and to make progression here!  So that was a great thing!!!  And then also a less active return, Rosiel, she went and did baptisms for the dead!!  It was her first time going to the temple and that was so awesome!!  I let them borrow my camera and they took a ton of pictures so that was really cool!!  But it was something that they won't ever forget!!! (:  So that was basically my week!! 

 

Right now we are in a bit of a hurry because we are going to Tarlac later today because tomorrow is again our MLC meeting so that will be really fun.  We get another meeting with president and I'm sure I will learn a lot of great stuff!!  So sorry if this email isn't organized very well.  It's kinda rushed a bit but I love you guys and thank you again for everything that you do for me! (:   It means so much!!!   Remember that the church is true and that it will change our lives if we be firm in our faith and live the gospel in our day to day life!! (:  I miss you guys but I know it's for the best!!  Remember to always be obedient it will change your life! (: Love you guys!!

 

Oh by the way we are supposed to be having 2 baptisms on the 21st of March, Audrey and Michael !! (:  So keep them in your prayers that would be so amazing thank you guys!!

 

Elder Hedman

 

 

Members going to the temple!

Dear family and friends!!

So week has been a way better week!!  It was super fun and kinda a little packed.  But that was worth it!! So first off, we have been getting some good progression in one of our investigators.  His name is Michael and he is on a bgd (baptismal goal date) for March 22th.  So that should be super exciting.  We are loving teaching him because he's super smart and actually understands some stuff that we teach, which is cool!  Then the next thing that happened is we had zone conference!!  Zone conference was super good!!  In our mission we are doing a great job baptizing.  For this year, our mission has already baptized about 200 people and we are just 2 months in.  So that's pretty flippin legit if ya ask me. hahaha  But one thing that the mission is struggling with is being more consistent in those baptisms.  So we talked a lot about a pipe line effect and how we need to be constantly baptized people every week in order to hit our goals.  So we talked a bit about the conversion process and how we get investigators to particpate in that and help them realize the holy ghost working in their life!  So that was super cool!! (:  Learned how to help them a little more!!

This is a less active member who is going to the temple soon.

Then also something big, we talked about how we measure our real growth as people, and seeing if we have changed and become more converted to the gospel.   But ya there was 7 questions and I was like woah... I am not the same person at all.  hahaha  It's so funny!  One of the questions was how you approach reading the scriptures and how you study them and if you try and apply them to life.  Just seeing a change there... President said that some of you probably were like "oh ya I finished 3 pages today.  That means I don't have to read till tomorrow!!!"   And as he said that I was like, oh freak if I read 3 pages I was like oh ya I'm done for a month!!!  So that's just different seeing how much that has changed and seeing how much I love the scriptures.  I finished all of Mosiah this week and I'm reading Ama chapter 10 right now.  So that was awesome!!!  There was some other questions also.  I wrote them all down but they were all so good.  I would have to say I am a lot more converted to the gospel for sure because I'm loving the mission so much! It's so fun and I can't wait to do some family stuff and be a more involved!!  When I get back , Quinn will be my home teaching partner and ima teach him how its really done. hahaha  So that was zone conference.  I got to see some other people from my batch again which was awesome!  Gotta love that!!

Zone Conference and fellow missionaries!

Then another thing that happened this week, I found out that one of my recent converts is getting sealed to his family, the one that was baptized back in December.  I thought he would have to be 1 year before he can get sealed to his family, but apparently just the parents have to have been 1 year in the gospel.  So that is so awesome!!!  They are going to the temple this Saturday!!  I, sadly, can't go, we're to far away ):  But that's so okay with me.  My recent convert is getting sealed with his family in the temple!!!!  And then another one of our less active returns is going to do baptisms for the dead.  It will be the first time she has been to the temple also in her life!!  So that is so awesome!!   I was so excited when I found that out!!  So that probably was the highlight of my week!!  His name by the way is Mark, and their family just hit a year and are super active in the church.  So they are getting sealed which is so amazing!!!  So keep them in your prayers because its so incredible!!! (:

Church was a good thing also I would say.  I learned some new stuff but only Michael, our investigator, came to church.  But that was okay.  We had a meeting with President Clark and the district president here, basically stake president, but were not a stake yet, so that was good!!  We discussed some good stuff about missionary work and that was great!!  Got some great new ideas and they are loving the work that is going on here in Guimba (his zone) and Munoz (where he lives).

 

She is the child of the branch mission leader.  Holy cute! 

He said this is what Jessie (his sister) looks like when she wakes up.  His words...not mine!

So today for p day we went to the college again and played some basketball.  That was awesome.  I still am not good... but hey it was fun!  The college kids can actually play a little so they gave us a challenge and that was awesome.  Got some great exercise in but now I'm just dead tired.  But that was basically today!! It's been a good week.  Remember that the church is true and the gospel is true!!  I love you guys!!!

Elder Hedman

 

No picture week....sad mom

So dear family!!

This week has been a super crazy week!!!!  So I'll start off with the good stuff!  We have done a lot of finding this week and we managed to find 11 new investigators which was so amazing.  We are getting them to commit to baptism so that was a great thing!!  A new man that we found, his wife is a member, and he is just so nice and so willing.  He also came to church even though we just found him this week!!  His name is Brother Sansano. He has great potential and he works as a night guard at a hospital.  So his family is very important to him and he loves the idea of being able to be with his family forever!!  So keep him in your prayers!!  That would be so awesome!!  Also we taught some great lessons this week.  So nothing to new, just new finding and other fun stuff!!  This week though is zone conference so I'll let you guys know how that goes!!

So my valentines day was kinda lame.  I just ya know worked as a missionary but that was awesome!!  Haha Some members gave us some cadburry chocolate so that was super delicious and nice of them!!  But the best was I had a date with my pillow that night.  I slept so great so that was awesome.   Other then that not to much!!

No pictures, so this is one I found of a beach in the Philippines.

So this week there has been a lot of problems in the zone just as for the work wise and contention in companionship's.  So I was on the phone with the ap's (Assistants to the President) a bit and talking with president a lot about stuff.  I have been seeing and just hearing from other missionaries, so that was good we had to do some stuff to fix that.  Included there, we went on exchanges and I was with Elder S.  He is from St George.  He is a super nice guy and has a great desire to do be obedient exactly and just give his best!  So that was super fun.  I had to help him a bit because his companion doesn't wanna be obedient.  So I talked to him a little bit about stuff I saw and some things that might possibly help.  So that was good!!  We will have to keep an eye there.  But the zone did have 5 baptisms this last week.  So that was awesome.  Our branch had one and it was from the sisters, so we attended that!  Sorry I didn't take like any pictures this week so I'll send you some next week!!  (Sad mom here!)

Our companionship is doing good.  There;s small things here and there that bug me.  He just doesn't wanna lead like at all.  So I'm trying to adjust to that.  So that's hard.  But I emailed our president to see what would help. So I"ll let you know more about that next week!

I miss ya guys!!  Crazy to think that I'm like 7 and a half months away from being home.  That's so weird.  I still feel like I'm brand new out here.  So that's the crazy thing!  It was great getting emails from Sydney.  She is so funny.  I can't wait and go to baptisms at the temple with her when I get back!  It will be so fun!  Love you guys!! Also, we are supposed to apparently, according to Sydney, go on the cruise and Disney World and the Caribbean.  And not come back to the Philippines.  I think that would be cool!! (: a full family cruise I'm so down!! (: hahaha   Love you guys!! (;   A new car when I get home also just sounds awesome!   :p Remember the church is true and so is the Book of Mormon.  I'm reading it again.  I'm in Mosiah 17.  I'll give ya a week to week update to let ya know how much i read!!(;

Love Elder Hedman!! (:

MLC Meeting

So dear Family and Friends!!

So this week has been a good week!! So first off I'll talk about our MLC meeting!  It was really good.  It was fun spending the day in the mission presidents home.  There are actually 6 people from my batch that are now zone leaders and 1 Sister training leader.  So that was awesome!!  We took some pictures so I'll send some home to you guys.  The zone is going okay.  We have had a lot of baptisms lately.  So what is going on now, is we are just doing a lot of finding right now.  So that was good.  We averaged as a zone 5 new investigators this week per companionship.  So that was really good!  We are having I think 5 baptisms in the zone next week.  But as for us as a companion ship, I think our next baptism will be in March.  I might not be here for that.

At our meeting, nothing really much changed.  We have to be more careful for who we are teaching and what is the purpose of our teaching them.  We are focusing a ton on preach my gospel which is perfect  because that has all the answers that we need here as a missionary.  So we are going to be focusing a lot of our finding and on finding more families to teach because that is what we really need right now as a mission.  We need to be having a bigger focus on finding more families and bringing them into the gospel.  So that is what me and my companion have been trying to do.  We are trying to find some good families.  So far we haven't found a family yet, but we are finding a lot of people who have been prepared to hear the gospel so that's really good!  So we just keep praying that we may be able to find a family that is prepared to hear the gospel and hear the message that it brings.

Sounds like a lot of stuff is changing in the ward back home.  Make sure you keep me updated there.  That would be cool to see what would happen because it has been like that for a long time if not forever!!  Haha So nothing else really happened this week.  We have exchanges with the other missionaries this next week so that should be interesting.  If you have like any specific questions, just let me know.  Remember the work is true and I love you guys!!  It's a great time to be a missionary and happy valentines day this week!!

Elder Hedman!

New companion and another baptism!

Well, it's been a good week family and friends.  First off, I can't believe it's super bowl Sunday.  Let me know who wins this next week.  I can't believe this is the last one I have to miss so.  That's awesome!! Haha But sounds like everything is going good back home!  Sorry I don't have a lot of time to email today but I'll let you know the things that happened this week.

First off,  I'll let you know that tomorrow is our MLC meeting with the president again.  So that will be really fun.  I'm excited for that.  So I'll let you know what happens with that next week in my email.  I'm sure some things will be changing here in the mission so that should be interesting. 

So this week was a crazy good week!!  It was transfer week and seeing how I "killed" my companion in the mission and I didn't have a companion, I had a feeling that I'm as going to be getting a new companion!!  So my new companion his name is Elder Magallanes.  He is Filipino but the weird thing is, he really isn't from here.  This is the first time that he has been to the Philippines.  He was actually born in Australia and raised there.  So he is actually English speaking and only here did he learn how to speak Tagalog!  So we are both foreigners I guess you could say.  So that's the new companion!!  He's a really nice guy and he's good.  He's obedient too which is great of course!  So that's my new companion.  I'm sure you will hear more about him as the emails come the following weeks!

So this week we did have another baptism which was really great!!  We finished off the family that got baptized last week.  It was good that she also got baptized.  But I was kinda sad that they all didn't get baptized together.  But hey what's important is she got baptized right.  So that was so awesome!!  I have had 12 baptisms now in this branch so that's so awesome!  And also this week we found a new person who is a referral from a member who accepted a BGD (baptism goal date) for March 22.  I don't know if I'll still be here, but hey that's awesome!!  I'm hoping the family will also want to listen.  The parents said its okay for the child to be baptized but they are catholic.  So I'm hoping as we teach her, they will open up because I  want to baptize more families.  So that's fun!!!  We are also doing a lot of finding considering we don't have very many investigators.  The ones that we do have aren't progressing very well.  So it's a lot of knocking on doors.  Or I guess since they aren't doors just screaming tao po.... so that's fun!!  Hey as long as we keep working hard, we will find some great prepared souls.  I just have a feeling it will work!!

So thats basically this week in a nutshell.  Not to much has happened, but its been good!  I'm excited for the upcoming week with the meeting with president.  So that should be really fun.  I'll let you know how that goes. Hope all is going well with you guys!!  I love you all and keep up the great work! And thanks mom and dad for the more pictures i love it.  That's how it should be each week.. :p hahaha Love you all!!

Elder Hedman