October 28, 2013

 Things are going great being here in the vineyard in the Philippines. This last week was a really rough week because we were not able to work hardly at all, Elder Afu was sick on Tuesday and we still pushed in 4 lessons but went home early, then I was sick on Tuesday and then he was sick again on Thursday.  Then on Friday we went to the mission office to take care of some business and that's so far away, and then on Saturday we went to TayTay and then had to weekly plan because we weren't able to on Friday.  Sunday we had tons of meetings with other wards too. Only got in one lesson, so... yea not being able to go out and work is every missionaries night mare. The weight on your shoulders as a servant of the Lord even though your sick just seems to get heavier and the things you need to do just add up. Then it's hard not to get discouraged if someone was not able to progress because you weren't able to visit them and well... you get the point. But the good news is that the church is still true and the atonement was performed for all of us and when you think about that there really is no reason to be sad:). 

I am so excited for this week and all the possibilities. Every day is another chance to meet a new person or maybe even a family that wants to hear about the gospel and come unto Christ and be perfected in Him:) I always say to the new missionary in our apartment "There is nothing better than being a full time missionary, you meet random people you have never met every day and try to get them to change their lives completely" That just sounds so much fun to me, it is a great honor and no greater a cause than this:)

Love Elder Blackham

October 21, 2013

The earthquake in the Philippines wasn't close to me at all so I am totally fine:) Two of our investigators with baptismal dates are from that island so their home is totally broken now. but they are still happy and fine and loving the gospel and all that they are learning:) They will be baptized in two weeks and are totally ready right now. 

During sacrament yesterday we confirmed Bro. Lopez a member of the church and gave him the Holy Ghost, it was amazing!! When my companion started the blessing the spirit descended upon us like a thick vapor of light and joy until it filled our entire souls and was one of the greatest witnesses I have felt piercing my soul that this is the true church with the priesthood power on the earth right now. I asked Him how He felt because I was curious if I was the only one and he smiled bigger than I have ever seen with his eyes and soul and said AMAZING!!!:) It was such a blessing to be a part of his conversion.

During my study this week I learned a lot about the effect on us when we remember. Many times in the book of Ether it talks about how the entire kingdom prospered and they grew in favor by remembering what the Lord had done for them. When just a verse earlier it said they were about to be destroyed from off the face of the land.  As we have a mindset of remembering the Lord throughout our day, our actions have such a dramatic change. The same thing happens in marriages when they remember the original love they had for each other they change, and marriages are saved. When we remember all the things our parents do for us, we do not disobey. When we remember the atonement we are blessed with the Holy Ghost and our very natures change as we align ourselves with His will and get rid of the things that separate ourselves from Him. Every time I look at a tree I hope I think about the tree of life, or see things in a much more beautiful way as I remember the Lord and it changes our view of ourselves and of the world. I feel that that is one reason that the sacrament is such an essential part of repentance, because we must remember and recommit and then little by little our natures change:)

Love, Elder Blackham

October 14, 2013

The storms keep coming but they are smaller than they were before.

At this moment I am jamming to BYU Mens Chorus "I love the Lord" right now, because in internet cafe's in the Philippines it's always a competition for who can play whatever they are doing on the computer louder and right now I am winning and its church hymns; haha!! 

We had a baptism this week for a new brother. He is so cool and really has changed his life through the atonement of Jesus Christ. I scrubbed the baptismal font for 2 hours to get it ready for the next day because it had rust stains in it. But the baptism was great, and the spirit was there.  This new convert is born again and so so so happy he keeps saying. It is so interesting what he said when he was bearing his testimony; that his greatest regret in life is that he didn't do this sooner. It really shows how urgent and important this work is. The sooner we get it to people; the less regrets they will have because they can repent and feel the Lord in their life sooner. I feel so blessed to be able to teach him.

The next couple baptisms are coming up on the 3rd of November and they are doing so amazing too:)   They are two sisters that read their scriptures together on a daily basis and at first they were shy and quiet and now they are loud and talk about how the gospel has blessed them in their lives. Wow there just isn't anything better than this.

General conference was absolutely amazing!! I had a spiritual feast every single talk!! My spiritual stomach exploded and then I grew 3 more stomachs kinda like a cow and then I filled all those full, haha. I kept a column on the right side of my note book for spiritual promptings of things I must do/study during the talks and I made sure in my notes I didn't write down what they said like a history of things but what the spirit spoke to me because of what they said. It was amazing!!!!!!!!!! I also looked back over my notes and tried to find patterns in the talks to find what the Lord is trying to say through all the speakers. I came up with 5 main things that were repeated most and what I prayed and came to find 5 things that he wanted me to improve on and understand for the next 6 months of my life. Then I wrote bullet points under each of the five that state the actions I will take and how I will achieve the things the Lord wants me to do. It was so cool to see so clearly the patterns, search and ponder with full purpose in heart to do something more because of what I learned:) 

I love studying the scriptures.  That is the thing I want my children to do the most, gain a love for studying the gospel and feasting on the words of Christ. They will always be lead to Christ and peace in their life no matter what:) 

Love,
Elder Blackham

October 7, 2013

We have general conference this weekend because of the time difference:) I am so excited for general conference though. Absolutely stoked not only for general conference but also because we will be having a baptism on that Saturday:) So I am pretty pumped about this. Teaching has just been so awesome:) The spirit has been so strong in all of our lessons and I just feel so happy:) I know that I am doing all that I can for their salvation:) 

As far as teaching and lessons go there is nothing better than letting the spirit teach and getting out of the way. We started teaching an investigator who is a lady in her 40s who seemed that she didn't want to hear what we had to share at first.  But then I gave her the list of questions that people often ask and she chose the one about what Jesus Christ expects of us. I shared with her Matthew. 5:48, which is the one that commands us to be perfect; then she was like how do I do that? Then we shared 1 Nephi 3:7 how God provides a way for every commandment. Then we testified of the Atonement and that as we share the gospel she will be able to feel the acceptance she is looking for through the gospel, and then she started crying and said she had been looking for that for her whole life and then we bore testimony and are excited to go back:) 

Teaching repentance is awesome too! We taught about repentance to these two sisters who will be baptized soon also, and they are progressing so well and rejoiced and felt so much peace from the message as we asked inspired questions about what they feel the blessings of repentance are and the effect it has and will have in their life. Also with another two investigators we taught them how to avoid sin and to constantly build upon the rock of Christ:) Wow, good week:) 

This week in my personal study I was reading in the 3rd chapter of Ether and verse 18 stood out to me because it talked about all that the Lord had showed unto Him and ministered unto Him and such great things "all this that this man might know that He was God." We can say the same about almost everything that happens to us. So that we might know that HE is God. If it takes reading the scriptures everyday and keeping all the commandments, trials and pains, repentance and forgiveness than I feel that it is worth it. If suffering allows me to know the Savior better, then I consider it a blessing:) I think it brings God so much joy when we remember our relationship with Him. I do not know exactly how well I knew Heavenly Father before this life but that must be so frustrating to Him, to not be known or recognized by His own children. I know that if I could not be recognized by my children that would break my heart. It must bring Him so much joy when we turn to Him and remember Him and strive to know Him again:) All this that we might know that He is God:) 

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