The Final Weeks

It is crazy how time seems to be going faster and faster as the weeks go on. this week was particularly fast because we has so much going on. We had exchanges with our District Leader, and also with the Ap's which was insane, and I will explain that in a second.

First off I our week was so good! you could say numbers wise we did 4x better this week, and Elder Pepa and I both have changed for the good especially after the exchanges with the Ap's. So we dug deep, set some real deep goals, and worked hard, and we were blessed for it. We found two families to teach last week, that seem pretty promising, just from tracting, and talking with people, we also had a few solid referrals that are really interested! It was a fantastic week, and I felt like that Hard working missionary again that I always longed for! Elder Pepa is doing a lot better he is starting to work a lot more, and take more  of the lead on our work which is fantastic! It is such a relief hahaha. Also our one investigator who came to church last week came again! yay! She has such strong faith, coming to church even though they don't have any money, and dealing with two kids under the age of 2! with one being only 3 months old! That was pretty exciting, we set a goal to have a lot more a church next week if we work really hard, which is what we are planning to do. 

Okay so one reason why the week was so good was because of our exchanges with the Ap. First off I thought the exchanges was mostly for Elder Pepa, but I was totally wrong hahah I was the one who got chastized! I worked with Elder Bryson who i know pretty well, and I thought it was going to be a chill day just working really hard, nah I was wrong, We had a 3 hour companionship study (its usually 1 hour) and he just chastized me the whole time!! hahaha what the heck!!! But it was really good, and it really helped me. He told me after our exchanges that he was so bold with me because he knew I could take it. So basically he just walked in, punched me in the face and left haha. It was really good though and it really did help me a lot. Before the exchanges I had an attitude of just working until the end and not really trying really hard, just as long I was still working but know i am back in the attitude where I was back in the day where I want to try my best to do the best that I can until the last day, even though I won't get a baptism before I leave or really seen anything else happen, but the desire is now there and It makes me feel a lot better about myself, and I will be more able to help Elder Pepa. I was afraid I wasn't going to enjoy these last couple weeks, but now I am really going to enjoy them and its going to be great! 

Well thats it for this week, and just FYI I only have two more times to e-mail before I come home, I don't think we get to e-mail home that monday before I go home, so I only have two more! what!!!!??? so insane!!!!  I lo0ve you all and I will see you in 3!!!

--

Elder Kikel

-on the Lord's errand-

San Pablo Philippines Mission

what do I even say anymore!

Hey everyone! i just don't even know what to say anymore in these e-mails! haha we had a few good things happen this last week it was great!

first of we actually had an investigator come to church! it was awesome and such a blessing, it was an investigator we have been teaching since we have been here! Her faith and testimony are so strong, she just has so many obstacles to get over, she pretty much says that what ever it takes or how long it takes she will be baptized eventually haha. Even before the sacrament meeting started and as she was sitting down listening to the prelude music she told me that she felt really good, and she was feeling the spirit really strongly! and this one sister in our Branch just did the best job fellowshipping her!!! it was perfect! I was very happy at that moment, just seeing a smile on her face made everything worth it!  it was great!

We had a couple more referrals this week which seem really promising, and we plan on visiting them this week, we also have exchanges with the AP's this week, which I am really excited for, I have never worked with the Ap's yet in my mission. For those who don't know, Ap means Assistant to the President, so they pretty much run the mission with the President, so they are really good missionaries, and I look forward to learning from them. 

Members keep asking me if I am trunky! ai hate that questions! NO!! hahaha I am still thinking about the work, members, people, and investigators, and my companion, and praying for all of them. I may not be doing the best work, but I still think about them all the time, so i don't think you could consider that trunky. i still don't really think to much about home during the day, and It will be like this till the very last day! I mean cmon its only 4 weeks! i can still work for 4 weeks longer, its not a big deal! hahaha

but yeah thats about it, i think next week is going to be a great week for us and I am excited because its going to go by fast!

Well I love you all and I can't wait to see you all, its going to be insane!!!

--
Elder Kikel

-on the Lord's errand-

San Pablo Philippines Mission

Skype!

Hey everyone!  This will be short but I thought I wanted to write an e-mail home just to say hello! hahaha

So first off, I just got done skyping my family, and friends which was awesome! I can't believe I am going to see you all in 5 weeks! it is so quick, and so insane! I all ready have my flight plans and things are rolling down hill. 5 weeks for you guys is long, but 5 weeks in the mission goes by so quick, we all know I have been struggling lately but, this last week was great! We got double the lessons we usually have been getting and have been improving more in our work, and our weaknesses. I am excited for this week, because after last week, I became more motivated to work harder this next week, and to keep that ball rollin! So things are getting a lot better, and I am getting more excited to come home, but I am also feeling a greater responsibility to do as much good as I can before I return home! So lets pray and exercise some faith!! That statement was mostly for me haha

Well but thats about it I hope all of you are doing good! and Just hang in there and good ol' kikel is comin home!

--
Elder Kikel

-on the Lord's errand-

San Pablo Philippines Mission

Shepards pie and Strawberry Cheese Cake!

Hey everyone! Today we find out we we are transferred, and I am not transferred!!! hahah it was almost obvious because I have only been in this area for 6 weeks. Things are going all right, its about the same as when we arrived hahaha so its kind of a bummer but I am not losing hope in this area or in this work, and I plan on doing my very best these last 6 weeks of my mission, no matter how hard it gets. As long as the Lord knows I am trying to do my best, I will feel good about what we have done here no matter what! 

Something epic happened to us this last week which totally made up for the trials we have recently been dealing with, you may think its some awesome spiritual experience, but its not... its pretty close tho, and it has to deal with the title of this letter! 

Believe it or not Ladies and Gentlemen I had something I never thought I could get in the Philippines! Strawberry Cheese Cake!!!! the kind my mother only makes once a year! It was INSANE!! then I had Shepards Pie for the first time in my life which just blew me away, and also baked maccaroni and brownies! it was amazing and greatly appreciated. There is Member in our branch who is American, and he works for a month and is off for a month, so every time he says he is home they only cook american food, and his wife is really good at cooking american food, and she is Filipino by the way. hahaha so I kind of scored on that part, he invites us over for dinner all the time so he can continue to watch me freak out when I eat the food, he thinks its crazy how I forgotten how good American food tastes, and is suprised at my reactions when I eat it.  

That about it, nothing else exciting happen last week, hopefully this next week will change something around. Please pray for us and this area because we are really struggling, and we could use all the help we can get! Thanks everyone for your love and support, and I can't believe I will see you again in almost 6 weeks! 

--

Elder Kikel

-on the Lord's errand-

San Pablo Philippines Mission