King of Calauag

HEEELLLOOOOO EVEERRRAAYYYY OOONNNEEE!

You will not believe what has happened this last week, so I am just going to get straight to the point!

ELDER KIKEL IS NOT TRANSFERRED!!! I REPEAT IS NOT TRANSFERRED! Can you believe that!? I still can't! The unbelievable is believable, the impossible is possible! I will being going 6 more weeks in Calauag, which will total up to 8 months! That is almost the longest I have heard a missionary being in one area! 6 months is the maximum amount of time a missionary spends in an area, and I have just broken that maximum! I am still shocked and its been a whole day. I am pretty stoked though because I freaking love these people here in the Calauag! None of them wanted me to leave, its was hard but i guess it was just a big joke all a long... so next sunday when I show up to church everyone is going to freak out, because I pretty much told everyone i was being transferred for sure, haha oops. Thats the craziest thing thats happened so far.

The next craziest thing is our Baptisms went through! Yay! its was awesome!  Despite the fact the members showed up an hour and half late, even the speakers (Filipino time) everything went well! Elder Garcia baptized them all, and it went smoothly once we got started. I love those two kids so freaking much, they are like my brother and sister now! Audrey who is 15 and Aubrey who is 12. I just want to be with them all the time! Infact after there baptism we had lunch and played scrabble, which was funny because they only wanted to play english words so they can get better at english, and so obviously... yeah... I trashed them, then we played tagalog words.. and yeah... I still almost one! ha! I am pretty sure Audrey is in love with me because she did not want me to go, haha. She wrote me a bunch of letters and stuff, so nice. I have pictures so I will try to send a bunch today! I love baptisms, here in the Philippines the surprisingly don't happen very often despite 90% of the population is christian! or maybe its just my mission but either way every baptism you get just fills your soul, and makes all the struggles and trials worth it! I am so grateful I was able to see them baptized!

Okay now for the ooey gooey part of my letter. I was thinking a lot about what I talked about last week in my e-mail about being pasaway or disobedient, and I just recently read the story about the sons of mosiah and also Alma the younger. In the scriptures it says that these guys were the vilest of sinners, seeking to destroy the church of god, and guess what they were still forgiven, with of course sore repentance and faith in Jesus Christ. There story really inspired me especially for me at this time while I have been struggling in obedience, and I thought how after the finally learned of the importance of the Plan of Salvation and the Gospel of Jesus Christ they did everything in their power to fix the things the have done wrong, and in the Gospel that is what we call "restitution" which is one of the steps of true repentance. Then after doing so the had such a great desire to serve God they were even willing to deny their right to the kingdom and go and preach the gospel to those who were trying to kill them! thats just amazing, how much humility, and faith would that take. A lot more then most of us have... sadly to say. Something that I thought about as I read this story is the fact the maybe because they knew how it felt to wade through sin, and they were once those vilest of sinner, they would know how to speak, and convert their brethren because they have been there, they know that life, and they know how to get out of it. Kind of like a missionary who has recently been baptized, those kind of missionaries kind testify so much more powerfully then some one like me could because they know what it feels like to be an investigator, or they know the questions they might have because they have been through, maybe something like this played a big role in their desire to leave their homelands and go unto those who were trying to destroy them, and as the story goes and that we all know, they were strong in faith, and were very successful! I applied this to myself, and figured if they can do it, so can i. I may not be as strong, or as faithful, but I can definitely stop what i am doing, repent, and starting working harder then ever, just like the sons of mosiah. Some might say that of course they were changed, convinced, and became men of god because they saw and angel, and the angel spoke to them. Who wouldn't be converted at such an experience? as true as that may be, it says in the scriptures that they confirmed their faith through the diligence in preaching the gospel! I love that! they received a message and they acted on that, that is so key.. action.. I don't need to see an Angel to know that this work is important, and how important the Gospel is, and to give me the Faith to go out and do everything i can to share this Gospel to those who are perishing in unbelief because I know that is what I have been called to do, and its just my faith that is lacking, but my desire is still there, and its growing and growing as I strive to become a consecrated missionary of the Lord. I want to commit to all of you and promise all of you like I have with the lord, to my mission president, and to myself. That I am going to be consecrated these last 4 months of my mission, and bring home with a home run! Kikel spaz style! 

Thank you everyone for you love and support despite my weaknesses, and trials. I know everything that happens is for a purpose and we just need to find out what those purposes are. I love you all so much, and until next week. farewell.

Elder Kikel

-on the Lord's errand-

San Pablo Philippines Mission

Okay so these pictures include first of some of the Young Women in our ward here in Calauag they thought I was leaving so they all wanted to take pictures haha also we have some of the bishop is the old looking guy that I have my arm around, and Elder Garcia is hugging. He is the man. Then we got some pictures of the baptisms! We also re baptized a member as well with Audrey and Aubrey. then some pictures at the house were we at lunch, played scrabble, and with Audrey trying to hold my arm again... haha notice how my hands are in my pockets... Well hope you enjoy! oh and some selfie action ya know, keepin it fresh..