August 18, 2014 (Elder Blackham's Last Letter Home)

This last week was great and teaching went a lot better. I am really learning in this last week that things don't always happen the way we want; but that does not mean that they are not happening the way they are supposed to. As much as our investigators are God's investigators we too are God's investigators and in every aspect of life He is trying to teach us and help us grow and learn and become what we want to be.  As we submit to His will we will become as He wants and that is much greater than what I can ever ask or want. I will just love and give my all to my investigators for this last week  especially to the Lord. Then when I go home I will not have any more investigators and my whole heart will then go to God and my family:) 

Love, 

Elder Blackham

August 4, 2014

This last week I was in Manila in order to get finger prints and also for MLC. I was there from Mon. thru Friday without a companion; but I went on exchanges with other missionaries. I love going on exchanges, it helps me learn so much and also gives me a chance to help the other missionaries. I also was able to go through the temple twice while I was there:) It was amazing!! On exchanges we had so much success we found 20 new investigators in 2 days. That was fun:) We found 2 families to teach and just it has been awesome. I am so grateful for the chances I had to work. On Tuesday I got to teach a few workshops for the incoming trainees and trainers and I just jump at every chance to teach and to strengthen the work here:) It has just become so apparent that nothing else matters than this work. We must not be casual with this, this is the truth and the way and light:) Even through Jesus Christ:) Elder Hart and I are so excited to teach this week. Our goal is to have 10 people prepared for baptism before I go home:)I know the Lord will help us do this and even more than that :)

Love

Elder Blackham

August 26, 2013

The floods are a lot of fun. I walked through really high water this week. What I thought was a river was actually Leguna Bay, haha. I don't know this area very well yet, haha. 

We have some pretty amazing investigators and we just found a few more so that's great. I really wish there was more time in a day to be able to reach everyone. The investigators are very sincere and that's all a missionary could really ask for is desire. It's interesting how almost all concerns that come up when teaching someone, are almost all resolved through praying to know if this is true, if the Book of Mormon is true.  If this is the truth, then  when they get the answer almost all of it is resolved. If they have a concern about one principle or another you can ask, did you get a confirmation that this is true? If they say yes then it's solved. There is not much to worry about if you get a confirmation from the Holy Ghost that something is right and you are doing it then you really have nothing to worry about. "There is absolutely nothing in this world that will provide more comfort and happiness than a testimony of the truth." - President Thomas S. Monson. 

I am so grateful for my companion Elder Fisher he is so much fun and is teaching me so many things. He is so absolutely calm all the time. We are still just getting the area down but its so cool meeting so many different people in one day. My new mission president is awesome. We just had stake conference. I met a 6 foot 3  African American man there who said he prayed and God told him to go to the stake center and meet the men wearing white.  So that was a testimony building experience; totally random but cool.

By the way I am learning a Filipino dance from an elder in the same house as me. He is from Cebu and they have a tribal dance called the "Dance of Death". It's a dance that is also a martial art so that's cool, we just do that as our morning exercise. Also I am learning how to use nun-chucks so that's cool too.

Well I am excited for next week I hear there will be 15 more typhoons coming so that will be interesting.  We will probably be able to do a lot of service. 

I am memorizing a scripture every morning to help me keep my baptismal covenant to remember Him always and it helps and makes my day so much better and amazing:) I highly recommend it because then I get to have the spirit with me always and I feel more in control and just see so many things and mercies throughout the day and I am much more in control of my mind which then means I am in more control of myself:)

Love,

 Elder Blackham 

August 19, 2013

So far things are going totally awesome.  I am excited to serve the Lord in this area. The new house I am in is huge, well small to American standards, but enormous to Philippine standard. We found two giant spiders today and made them fight. Each of them were as big as my hand so it was pretty cool. The brown one won in case you were wondering. I really don't like that I have been out for a year already its going by way too fast. 

My new area is right by a big river which is cool, but its pretty city like. To be totally honest  really don't like big cities, I prefer the smaller cities.  But, I Iove the Lord so that means I love the city too haha. I Love the people here too they are so much fun to be with and I love to make them smile. The ward is absolutely amazing and I am blown away at their understanding of missionary work.  

Elder Fisher, my new companion, is totally amazing. He is going home this transfer and he is not trunky at all and I am learning so much from him. He is an amazing man of the Lord and is absolutely hilarious. 

We are white washing our area.  That  means that the last two missionaries are both leaving and we are opening it up again so that is intense. I still haven't unpacked from getting to the house. It did rain a lot here and flood but not too bad just like a foot deep by the river.  

As far as my studying about Jesus Christ specifically I am finding his attributes and what He does in certain situations, so I am going to look up in the topical guide all the scriptures that have Jesus Christ. For example, "Jesus Christ, exemplar"  etc. for that 15 min. of every day. This week in my study I learned more about what it means to minister unto others and the meaning of mercy. When Christ ministered he would stop and give all His attention to the person whom He was ministering to, also it seemed like such a personal thing and was always directed to what would the person need most, in a loving and merciful way.

Every blessing we ever receive is a form of mercy because we would not receive it if it were not for the atonement of Jesus Christ and mercy of God. We are definitely unprofitable servants but yet He still seeth fit to bless us. Kindness is a form of mercy and forgiveness, gentleness. I still cannot comprehend how meciful the Lord is. It is too great for my mind to wrap around it. But I can give thanks with all my heart and still strive to learn and eventually wrap my mind around it. 

Love, Elder Blackham

August 12, 2013

This week was amazing because of the change of heart that has been taking place in the family that we reactivated and also the referral that they have given us. Her name is Jazmine and she loves the gospel and knows that this is her 2nd chance in life.  (That is what she said in her own words.)  She understands and feels the miracle of repentance and really wants to be baptized because she understands that being clean and having the companionship of the Holy Ghost is the joy and peace and happiness in her life and will connect with great power and clarity her with Her Heavenly Father, so that she can be led and guided throughout her whole life until she will return to live with Him again. 

The family's house is way up on the mountain through bamboo and lots of mud and banana trees and mango trees. I love that family a lot and I can't tell you how many times we have hiked this mountain to teach them. They have been less active for two years or more but in the teaching record it shows they have been taught for the last two years.  We were about to drop them because we were sick of hiking the mountain to have nothing happen haha. We prayed what to do and decided to give them our all and if that didn't work we were going to drop them. We decided that instead of hiking up their twice a week like we had been doing; that we would hike up there four times a week.  Well now they are active and have brought many others into the church.   Now, I love hiking that really sweaty hike to their bamboo house.  

This is the best work ever, you cant even choose a better job, because this job as a missionary changes you just as much as you try to help others change. I can think of no greater payment than treasures in heaven and a change of my own heart as I consistently strive to serve the Lord:) 

Things are going great. I am getting transferred to the Taytay Zone  and I will be white washing the area. The zone has 25 missionaries in it so that is scary.  But there is no sense in being scared because I am going to do it whether I am scared or not haha. 

This week I found and felt the change in  my testimony as I bore it. I felt the peace and power enter my heart. I focused on saying I know by the Holy Ghost that it is true every time I testify so that the people I teach will understand that they cannot know without the Holy Ghost and more what it means. Well I can say that I have been a big benefactor of saying this and have felt an increase level of the Holy Ghost and joy as I do so:)

I will really miss my trainee Elder Gako, He has really become my friend and has taught me a lot on how to be a friend and all the little things that help someone become friends.

 As I was studying and praying for what I should study for. I felt prompted to get to know Christ better. I realized that if we take His name upon us and make His example the basis of all our decisions, how are we going to be able to do what he does and become like Him if we don't know what He would do in some situations. So I am devoting 15 minutes of my personal study every day on who is Jesus Christ. Then the rest of the 45 is for my investigators. 

So yea life is like the best, today I jumped off a water tank and fell and it hurt but it was fun and I laughed. Its been raining so so so much here. But I love it:)

Love.

Elder Blackham

August 5, 2013

This week was awesome!!!! You said you want to know interesting things that happen. Well, in one of our lessons a kid walked right in front of me and Elder Gako and started peeing. That was interesting. Also, I farmed and planted vegetables for one of our investigators this week. Also I got a huge knife thing called an itak and chopped down really tall grass, and boldly taught lessons by the spirit. The thing I like about the rain is that when it rains it floods and it gets colder and I just enjoy the sounds and the cool air and how all these weird animals and bugs come out when it rains.  

So as far as this week goes that new idea for finding has helped people search more and get more serious in the lessons because we are teaching based of the individual's desire to learn. The increase in attention and seriousness is amazing when they find a question that they want to know. Imagine how much more we would learn ourselves if we asked more questions. For example the difference between reading and studying is when you read you wait for knowledge to fall in your lap; but when you study you seek and ask and reach and actively gain knowledge and understanding. If you ever read the scriptures and  feel like your not going anywhere, then  ask a question like what does it mean to have full purpose of heart and then immediately you mind will be enlightened as you search and you will gain so much learning, and you won't want to stop. I keep learning this lesson over and over again. 

Also this week when we did service it really opened the door to teach the mother of an investigator we have.  The investigator wants to be baptized but the mother doesn't want that for her daughter. So, because of the service we did she invited us to sit and speak with her and now she likes us coming over.  That is really cool because her daughter is scheduled to be baptized in a month. By the way her daughter is in her thirties but when you live with your parents you still have to do what they say. That's part of the culture here because most families live with parents and relatives in one house.

Another thing that touched my heart this week is when we help a member get food when they needed help to get food. They cried because of their gratitude to eat one meal in one day and it really touched my heart that someone would cry so sincerely for gratitude that they have food to eat. It is a hard thing to take in. Also that family shared many experiences of miracles this week where they know the Lord is watching over them in order to live. I know we say we are thankful for food and life in our prayers but now I know a deeper level of gratitude for those things with which I have been blessed. Gratitude is such a huge part of happiness. It really is one of the biggest keys to happiness.

The 3 keys to happiness I found in Mosiah chapter 2;  serving others, gratitude, and obedience. We also had tons of investigators show up to church.  That always scares me, haha I should have more trust in the ward and members and fellow shipping but I have no control over that so it always scares me when people go to church to what their experience is going to be like as far as how the ward loves them and stuff. That is such a huge part of missionary work is just having a nice accepting ward that's friendly and reaches out and doesn't always sit in the same spot or have their little groups of friends. Fear is the opposite of faith so I need to just trust more that the Lord is watching over them.

As far as my apartment it's great, we keep it super clean. My shoes are great. My health is great. Oh and I discovered this bear brand of powdered milk that's so awesome. I love to double the powder so its super creamy and I love to drink out of my Tangled cup.

Love, Elder Blackham

(Note from Elder Blackham's Mom:  Disney's Tangled is Elder Blackham's favorite movie so I sent him a Disney cup with the princess from Tangled on it in his package to commemorate his half way through the mission package)

August 28, 2012

I am so grateful to be here. I am trying so hard to totally forget about myself. I love praying a lot, because I get to ask for help, A LOT of help. I feel His strength and His guidance and I also feel when I cant feel it so then I pray again. Heavenly Father loves us so much and so many blessings are so conditional on our asking of them. If we truly believed He loved us I feel we would pray a lot more knowing that we would receive help. This week has been had many many trials, but the Lord does not cease but to carry me when I am too week to stand. The District is doing so great, I am constantly crying for them on my knees and praying for them by name one by one.  I also learned a ton this week about listening deeply to the things the District says, and loving them. I learned that people and their problems are like ice burgs and that you only see 10% of people and that the rest is under water and it takes discernment and listening with love and seeing with spiritual eyes to know someones true emotions and truly help them. I have asked and begged for that this week. I even asked to feel what they feel to understand them better so that I could love them more even if it was painful. Any way I love you guys so much. I pray for you all the time, I cry unto the Lord for your behalf and I love to hear from you:) Thank you so much for being my family I truly am too blessed and life isn't fair in that I am given too much.

love, Elder Blackham

August 21, 2012

I see Josh, Kenden, and Rizek and I talk to Nate a lot. I could write like 3 novels now on what I am learning.  I am teaching an investigator and its so amazing to study for others because all of your spiritual needs get met. I can't stop smiling everywhere I go! I love it so much to be serving the Lord and the revelation flows like Niagra Falls. I am learning a lot about individually helping those in the District as Christ did. I look back on my life and I am so overcome with gratitude that I can't help but to fall on my knees and thank the Lord for preserving me and preparing me to serve Him. I realize, though, that I am not different from others and that He does the same for others everyday, but they just don't realize it. I love the temple so much!! I learn so much in the temple every time.

 

Yeah mom, I am eating good.  I eat more than my companion from New Zealand and yeah I eat a lot.

 

The language actually makes more sense than English but it's so hard to make the switch.

 

Elder Bednar invited us to start a new Book of Mormon on one question that we have, so I went and bought a new one and started it on a few questions haha. 1. What are the attributes and Characteristics of Christ. 2. How can I more fully apply the atonement in my life and put off the natural man. I am learning so much. I was being super hard on myself in the beginning. My goal for my mission was to unyeildingly give all of my heart, might, mind and strength. Then I realized I can't even give Him my all without His help, even in giving myself to Him I need His help, and that myself without Him is not giving Him very much at all. But, yeah, so I can go on and on. I also learned that setting goals allows the Lord to help us in our strivings to be better than we are, and it helps us hold ourselves accountable and use the atonement, and repentance regularly.

 I am in the choir and its totally amazing, I love it so much!

 

(This paragraph is a response to a question about if it annoys his companion when Bret starts talking with the New Zealand accent. ) When I mimic my companion's accent he doesn't even notice.  Sometimes he will say that I should be a New Zealander.

 

I love you guys and I pray for you always, thanks so much for helping so much in my life and for loving me.

 

Love,

Elder Blackham

August 14, 2012 (First Letter Home)

I do miss you guys, don't be silly. I love the MTC a lot!!!!!!!!!

 I am learning so much. I am learning so much about listening and about Christ. I am also learning so much from my district they are good Elders and I am so proud of them. My companion is a professional rugby player from New Zealand and I actually started picking up his accent and I can't help but talk like that. Tagalog is going pretty well. I can bear my testimony and say prayers and my companion and I have been doing teaching an investigator in Tagalog. The gift of tongues is real and I felt the spirit 100% guide my speech the last lesson, it was amazing!!!

The food here is good, I eat a lot, but it does not affect your bowels well at all. I am giving the Lord my whole heart and inspiration comes here so immediately. The Provo temple is amazing and I just love being here so much!!  I love you guys so much!!!! There are not words that describe how amazing it is and how much I am blessed. The best talk I have ever heard is called the "Character of Christ" by Elder Bednar. Everything I have been learning here has been testified immediately in my heart and feels and sounds so familiar as if the Lord has been telling me these things all along. I am sorry that I was mean entering into the mtc, I just could not wait to go inside.

I have learned a lot about how different people are, and how to attend to their individual needs. I have learned a lot about how important repentance is. I love it when I continue to realize that I have an immeasurable amount of things to learn, because I get to learn them with the Lord, and He is with me and I feel Him so close to me. The Lord has been preparing me for this the whole time and I need to completely forget about myself. Its not about me, at all. I must turn outward and through the atonement put on His Character and His love. Wow I have so much to work on, but I love it so much!

I pray for you guys and I love you so much. I am so busy and I love it. My companion is amazing and, wow, I don't know what else to say. I see Elder Vance a lot and he likes to talk. There are so many pretty sister missionaries here and they are glowing but I stay far away from them, ha ha.

Love,
Elder Blackham