November 19, 2012

The people here are so giving:) They don't eat until after you have eaten when they give you food and they just eat the left overs. I am so impressed with their willingness to give. I am so grateful to be here in the Philippines, I am so happy!!! I am too blessed really. I am so grateful that the Lord does not hide from us:) I feel the Spirit testifying that I am doing whats right as I walk and speak with others about the Gospel. Transfers are tomorrow so I will have a new companion tomorrow. I am so blessed to be doing the most important work in the World and I am learning to rely on the Lord more. I learned a ton more about grace this week and relying on Him:) The language is coming better and I am more able to connect and love people. If anyone calls me a name I make it a point to go and speak with them:) I learned that most people are intimidated by me, and that was something I didn't understand before. Its very important to be sincere and share your heart, look them in the eyes and be there:) I love the Lord and I cant wait to start this next transfer and work even harder and do even more!! I refuse to give anything less than my best, which really is so insignificant but the Lord is perfect when He is my strength my strength is infinite:)

Happy Thanksgiving:) 

Love,

Elder Blackham

 

P.S. Oh by the way my mission is being extended two weeks because of the change of ages.

P.P.S. I am grateful for the desire the Lord gives me to serve Him and to learn. I am so grateful for the discernment He gives me:) For flowers:) Clouds:) smiling. The Holy Ghost:) My feet:) My companion:) My savior:) The priceless gift of salvation:) The plan of salvation:) Repentance and gratitude:) I am grateful for Nonnie:)   I am grateful for Mom and that I am in the covenant:) That I wake up everyday and I am a servant of the Lord:) This is the best:) I am grateful for rain, for the sun for the Filipino people, for food, for water, for cold showers in a hot and humid place, for filters so we can drink water, for clothes, for prayer:) for the Love of the Lord:) For my name tag:) For music... May the list go on:) Poppie who is a righteous example:) Guidance from the Lord:) opportunities to serve. For the Mysons and all my family and friends and for being able to e-mail you:)

November 12, 2012

This week was awesome and hard as always:) Everyday is an even more beautiful gift than the day before:) There is a homeless lady that I always smile at and she smiles back so big at me, I love to smile at her. 

The other day a guy was falling asleep on my companion in the jeepnee. That was funny because my companion was lookin at him with the weirdest face, haha. 

This week I learned a lot more about having faith in the Lord that He will fulfill His promises unto His people. I read Alma 26 and I am also reading the Isaiah chapters in the Book of Mormon and the Lord always keeps His promises. Also Enos said that his guilt was swept away for he knew that the Lord could not lie. When we truly trust and have faith in the Lord's timing and promises then our optimism becomes wise and our fears and doubts are swept away. I have been called to serve here and nowhere else and the more I trust in that the more I worry not about my inability to speak the Language and feel the spirit burn in my heart and proclaim the gospel with the spirit. 

I also learned a ton about the spirit this week and how we must know things by the spirit for true conversion. As I looked back on my own life and really thought about my feelings, I recognized that the spirit has been every feeling of joy, every feeling of comfort and love. When I feel your love mom, I feel one reason it pierces me so deep is because the spirit testifies to me that your love is sincere and true. The spirit testifies of all truth and sincerity and I felt you really love me and always have:) 

I want so badly for this feeling to pierce the hearts of those that hear my words because then they will know that they are true. You can not deny the Holy Ghost, it is so simple and pure and true, I wonder and am amazed at how wonderful it is to have this gift, to know that the Church is true. People can say they know the church is true by experience but really they can only truly know by the spirit. The spirit is was causes faith to grow and hearts to change, it is what purifies us and makes us more fit for the Kingdom and feel closer to the Savior as we do what's right every day, and as we pray. I want the families I teach to recognize it and receive revelation then they will have more faith in Christ and that will lead to repentance which leads to a change of heart and of baptism or going to church and partaking the sacrament if they have already been baptized and then they will strive for that spirit and closeness to God to be more cleansed for the rest of their life until they enter in to live with God again:) Wow so that's one reason why the spirit is so amazing:) With out it we would be lost forever never knowing the truth and the light or where to find it.  I truly believe that the field is white already to harvest, because the Lord cannot lie and I will thrust in my sickle with all my might:) !

We have two investigators with a baptismal date; so that's awesome:) They are two little girls and they are absolute geniuses, their simple understanding overpowers almost all adults I have ever talked to, haha. My heart breaks though at the families that do not keep commitments, I can't stand to not make a difference. I can't stand wasting time, truly I am so weak and so inadequate, oh if I could speak with the tongue of angels but I do sin in my wish because I ought to be content with what the Lord has alotted me. There is such a great work to be done here. I know the Lord hears my cries, every day is a roller coaster of emotion. If only I could follow more closely in my Savior's footsteps I would be a better servant. But when I say this I do show that I must have more faith that he can make me more than I am.

I work out every morning especially because everyone says that is the hardest rule to keep in the white handbook and if I can keep that one then I can keep em all. I like that my companion is leaving, not because he's a bad companion, but because all the members are throwing big feasts for him and I get to take part in all of them! Haha:) I am learning a lot from him this week probably because I prayed to know what I need to learn from him:) 

Well mom this was my week, tell Brother Mclaws thank you so much for the letters he sends me every week. I still get dear elders. I love you and I am praying for you all the time, and the Lord keeps His promises, I promise:) 

Love,

Elder Blackham

November 6, 2012

November 6, 2012 

Well yeah, it rains here so randomly, one second its sunshine the next its raining. The pollution here is pretty bad, when I blow my nose it comes out black like as if I was around a campfire all day, haha. Yeah, we are in a rich area and poor, its the best of both worlds. Some have like 5 cars and some can't even cloth their children. We aren't supposed to proselyte to the poor class because we are setting them up to break covenants cause they won't be able to make it to church and lots of stuff like that but they are the only ones willing to listen. I love spreading the gospel, it is my absolute favorite thing. The more people I talk to about it the better my day is:) There are 2 scriptures that I love.  Mosiah 4:11-12 or Mosiah 5:13:) My rash has gone away, and I am doing great:) I used toilet paper for the first time in a couple weeks today. (Most people don't have toilet paper.  They just use water).  It was weird, haha.

 

Love Elder Blackham

October 29, 2012

The mission gets better every day. They are really hard but are so sweet!!! I am learning so much about others and love and light and wow I just... am so blessed.

 I am almost done reading Our Search for Happiness which is a wonderful book:) I love the plan of salvation so much and I just wish I could do more. I feel like I should be doing more and my heart is weighed down because of the decisions of others and the wickedness of the world. I feel like I should be better, I know that according to faith we are blessed but I feel like more should happen in that case because I believe we can do so much. These people could just.... be so happy if they would just follow the commandments, read their scriptures, pray and such. Why is it so hard? 

The blessings are so much greater than the effort, they are 100,000,000 fold the effort needed, actually, infinitely because these are the decisions that affect eternity. I see their kids just waiting and needing to be reared in an eternal loving family. I picture what they could be and I feel joy and hope but then comes the pain. I am teaching about 4 families and 5 people on their own. Most of these are in-actives. The others are referrals and hopefully we get 4 new referrals this week.

 As far as the language goes I have a long way to go but at least I can pray, teach, and testify. I really feel that understanding them at all is a gift from God. I write down what I feel they are saying even though I can't understand them and it is always right!! The Lord has blessed me so much. Most people can speak a little bit of English but not enough to mean anything.

Thanks for all the letters!

October 22, 2012

This last week was so much fun!!! I feel the Lord with me, continually telling me that it's going to be okay. I need to be more patient with myself. I am having the best time of my life ever:)

My companion says this is the hardest area he has ever been in and that he has never done this much tracting in his whole mission.  But I don't know any better and I don't think we are doing enough.

Haha, baby powder is my best friend and everything isn't so bad with that. The food isn't having a bad affect on me at all yet. I think its great.

I have an awesome companion though he is not a very get to know you kinda guy or explains anything to me. But I learn so much because he doesn't, I just have to figure it out, haha. Once you know that you are where you are supposed to be without question then miracles and great faith and works happen rather than thinking about other things. It's really hard to do that, but knowing that you are where you are supposed to be makes everything okay. You trust the Lord and know that everything will work out and then lose yourself in His work:)

Thank you for your e-mails:) A physical letter would be awesome but I don't know the address.

(THIS NEXT PART IS RESPONSE TO THE FOLLOWING QUOTE FROM ELDER NEAL A. MAXWELL:  "Life in the Church soon teaches us that the Lord does not ask us about our ability, but only about our availability. And then, if we demonstrate our dependability, the Lord will increase our capability.) 

Thanks for the quote that is really profound, I feel so inadequate but it will all work out. It's hard to love the people. I cry over them all the time. We went on a temple tour the other day and my heart was broken for all those that have not entered. The restoration is sinking deeper into my heart and I love testifying of it to people everywhere:) I love testifying as a missionary its one of my favorite things:)!! I feel it burning in my heart. The other night I yelled out how much I love the Philippines and my companion was prolly embarrassed but it was awesome:) 

I love you thanks for your love.

October 22, 2012 (pictures)

Elder Blackham switched places with a good friend whose parents came to pick him up. These following pictures are pictures that they took of Elder Blackham.

October 15, 2012

I am in Pasig City and I actually am opening up an area for my first area so I have a ton of work ahead of me.  But I wouldn't have it any other way:)

I have never been so out of place in my life, I am literally the only white person in Pasig City. I am stared at by everyone and I think I am the first white person anyone has seen in person. Whoever said they treat white people like celebrities was wrong. I am told I should go home and everyone points and whispers when I get on a jeepnee (which are totally awesome by the way haha) so its pretty crazy.

 I smell about 200 different weird smells a day and it all looks like the movie I Am Legend because vines and green grow everywhere except there is 20,000,000 people haha.

I have never seen such poverty in my life or dreams and imagination. The fact that anyone goes to church is a testimony of its truthfulness. Haha, I was pretty shocked my first two days but day three and four are awesome. The Language is hard but coming well. I can give all the lessons in Tagalog but I can't understand anyone. I can speak way more than I can understand, haha. I wish I understood people more, I want to help them so much. I picture people walking into the waters of baptism or getting sealed in the temple and it makes it so awesome.

I know I complained a lot at first but I was just venting. I actually love it so much I can't stop smiling and greeting everyone. The people that are kind are really kind:) When I teach I am floating I feel so good. I open my mouth a lot on the jeepnee and everywhere. I am so happy and people smile back when I smile at them:)

My companion is going home next transfer so I will lead the newly opened area in six weeks. I am for sure rolling up my sleeves:) He is quiet and kind. He is awesome.

I will not talk about the slums because that would freak you out, haha, or the traffic or a lot of stuff, I sometimes say to myself, "What would my mom think?"  and  then I laugh. I can't take pictures because I will get robbed so just look it up on google, haha. Yea I got your package I love it and love the pictures.

I broke out in a rash on my back and arms and legs, probably from the humidity and pollution. I am in the very heart of a city.  Think of  New York City with more concrete and jungle growing out of concrete. It's pretty cool actually. I feel pretty awesome just walking around like I should be in a music video with church hymns:)

I saw the Stovers and it was so awesome!!! My apartment is nice but small, but that's okay. I love it, it's perfect. I know I am supposed to be here.

 Love
 Elder Blackham