Gettin down with the sickness!!

Name that band!! lets see who catches on to that... haha

Hey!! Its so good to be able to e-mail you guys again, it seems that it comes and goes so fast! Well I just get straight to things because there really isn't much to tell...

I was SICK this whole last week!!!! I got slammed with dual Ear Infections! at the same time! ahh man it was a pain in the butt! so long story short, I got two ear infections, I couldn't leave the apartment for entire week! ahh it was terrible, the pain was so consistent haha I couldn't eat, sleep, or read! and most return missionaries especially from the Philippines can testify that when you that getting sick in the mission is the WORST because it is so boring! I mean you can only study effectively for so long before you get bored, and you have no tv or anything like that, so you literally end up just staring at a wall for hours everyday! so it was a interesting few days, Elder Pepa and I did a lot of talking, lot of laughing, and a lot of sleeping (when I could). 

The good news is that on Sunday I was good enough to get back to work, so we taught a few investigators, and we FINALLY got to visit with the Branch President and his family, we had a Family Home Evening because they were to busy on Monday. It was really fun, we had a good time, and I think we really built the trust with him so I think things are really progressing there and hopefully we can meet with him personally to know his visions for his branch.

so because we were not able to get out and work this last week, I will just share about the things I have studied. well, I really just want to share one thing, and I actually gave a talk on this last Sunday and it turned out to be a very spiritual talk. 

I was reading in 1 Nephi 16 and most of us are familiar with this scripture where nephi's family and others are complaining because of the loss of Nephi's bow. I read in verse 22, and the word Complaining caught my attention pretty strongly. I probably talked about this before, but I am going to talk about it again! because its so true! I started to think how often I complain and why I complain, turns out I tend to complain a lot! I think its only natural for all of us to complain because of challenges, and things not happening according to our desires or wants. Then I thought why didn't Nephi complain? The Spirit taught me that it was because for one Nephi trusted in the lord, and two that Nephi understand the will of god, or was submitted to the will of God. He knew if he was to keep doing what God has told him (keep the commandments) God will provide for all things, and fulfill his promise that he gave to his Father.  

I started to think about myself, and the reasons why I complain and how I can submit myself more to the will of God that I may be humble and follow his commandments, and then I started thinking about the members, and the Less actives we visit all the time and how they complain all the time about so many different things, and all the excuses the give us for not being able to do different things, and thats when I started to think that this should be my topic for my talk last Sunday. I came to know that if we can really understand the will of God, or submit ourselves to His will, we will never lose hope, we will never complain, we will always have a purpose, and we will always know where to go, and what to do. Because we know the Promise in D&C is true, which says "... I the Lord am bound when ye do what I say..." When God makes a promise he plans to keep the promise, all we have to do is our part. Thats it, sometimes its a hard thing to do, but if we will just start to exercise more faith we will see the miracles of God, but we have to act now, and not tomorrow and the next day, and the next day, and the day after that, we have to act now, and we will see God's hand in our lives and recognize that he does now our problems, or challenges, and our weaknesses, because sometimes He is the one who actually gave us those, to help us, to strengthen us, and to prepare us for greater things. 

This really helped me to be stronger, especially these last weeks of my mission come to a close to keep working, and to keep a smile on my face no matter how hard it gets. Sounds like the Kikel style to me;) 

Well hope the encourage someone to start complaining less, and start trusting more and act on that faith that you have! I ready to get back to work this next week, and hopefully we will have something good to report!

love you all!

--

Elder Kikel

-on the Lord's errand-

San Pablo Philippines Mission

The Last Sprint

I just want to say that I can not believe it has all ready been 3 weeks since I have been in my new area, and that the transfer is all ready half way over! each transfer is 6 weeks by the way.

This last week was another rough week! phew! We spent most of the week just tracting because we still don't have any progressing investigators! We are still trying to find new investigators, especially through the members, but we are really struggling, we are still not able to work with the members. Because of recent events between missionaries, and members. The trust between the members and the missionary is gone... so yeah, now Elder Pepa and I are here to fix that, and hopefully we can do some good in these last few weeks of the transfer! 

I will give one example: every Monday since we have been here we have fun punted from every single Family Home Evening appointment we have set with the members, every single one! ahhhhH! why!!! hahah its so frustrating, we are trying to teach, and help these members, and build a trust with them and they keep punting us. sigh... and we still haven't had a meeting with our Branch President, he is just so busy! so at times things get really frustrating, and after tracting all day everyday for a couple weeks, its starts to really test your Faith, and thats when the testimonies come into play. 

This has really been effecting me this last week because I only have 2 months until I get home, and with this difficulty and magnitude of work, satan just likes to keep throwing the thoughts in my mind " its okay, relax.. work here a little bit, work there a little bit, and just enjoy the last little bit of your mission stop trying to so hard!" NO! its not going to happen, this is my time to shine, and use all the skills that I have acquired before I go home! I could go on and on with this subject, and my thoughts and feelings about it, but it would take to long, lets just say Im still striving to sprint till the end! 

So nothing super interesting has happened work wise, we are trying to follow up with those we have talked too, and trying to get member cooperation in our work, help, love, and support them in everyway. 

So fun little fact, last night while Elder Pepa and I were walking, some guys drove by on a motorcycle and threw a flippin softball sized rock at me! It hit me square in the chest and almost knocked me over! I didn't really feel anything at first because my adrenaline was going, and frankly i was quite angry, and Elder Pepa and I both almost sprinting after them to get them back, but then I thought that we are missionaries and we can't be like that so we didn't. hahah I got over it pretty quick because I am not really one to fight anways, but Elder Pepa on the other hand could not just get over it, its in his polynesian culture haha he kept wanting to hunt them down and beat them up, he had the same rock in his hand too hahah I had to keep forcing him not too. He was so angry. It feels kind of nice that when you have a huge poly that has your back haha Those guys really got some nerve considering the fact the just threw the rock at the two biggest guys in Siniloan haha but we aren't looking for any trouble we tried finding that guys house today to talk to him, or who ever knows him, and why he did what he did, but he hid, and we were told he was drunk and under the influence of other drugs. My companion says if he sees him again at night he is going to scare him hahah so hopefully we don't see them again! 

well thats it for this week, we are just keeping on and endure to the end like bosses! Don't give up anyone, because Christ has never given up on you! 

--
Elder Kikel

-on the Lord's errand-

San Pablo Philippines Mission

General Conference

It is sad know that this last General Conference was my last General Conference in my mission! it is such a weird feeling! its coming way to fast!

I absolutely loved General Conference this April, probably because It was the Conference I was the most excited for! I tried really hard to prepare for it, and seek for revelation! I said this last time about General Conference but it just seems to go by so fast now, and its almost just not enough! I can't believe i wouldn't watch Conference on Saturdays back at home, what a wasted opportunity.  For all you youngins or those who just don't really enjoy conference i got a little advice for you, I was the exactly the same way back before my mission, conference for me was a waiting game, and because of that I never got any of the messages shared, and I was only counting down the hours until I could play xbox again! but take my words when I say you can make conference an enjoyable experience, and a blessing in your life, you need to do what King Benjamin asked us to do in Mosiah 2:9. We need not trifle with the words that the prophet and apostles speak as well as with all his servents, and we need to open our ears to hear, our hearts to understand, and our minds to be enlighten, and as we do these things he promises us the we will come to know the mysteries of God. As i have done these things I have received so many blesses, and as we taught members this principle these also came up to me and told me that they were bless as well! so try it! its not to late, watch them online, in a private quite place, and just listen to what they are saying and something they say will apply to you i promise! 

I don't know if Conference has always been like this but I love that fact there is some humor involved, especially when President Uchdorf "accidently" spoke german that killed me hahahaha  for one it keeps the listeners more attentive and entertained, and also it makes me feel more like these people are actual people and not these perfect robots that have no personality or lives. Of course General Conference a sacred ordeal in its self but its nice to see this sometimes. 

I could go on and on about how good each of the Talks were, and as always Jeffrey R. Holland never lets us down with his powerful teaching skills. but one thing I want to share the really pressed upon me as I was listen was something I was taught at the beginning of my mission that I didn't really understand at first but now understand a little bit.

Sometimes as missionaries we refer to the life that all you life as the "real life' and our life as the "missionary life" and I remember a leader in our mission told me, maybe it was the President, or AP, but he told me that the missionary life is the "real life" and your life is the "Babylonian life" and after this recent Conference the Spirit just testified of the truthfulness of that statement to my heart. This really is what the real life is about; serving others in the Name of Jesus Christ. Think of the Prophet and Apostles, that is what real life is, and thats where I would like to be after my mission. and not do what one of the general authorities talked about by "swan diving into Babylon!" when I get home, I want to strive to maintain the spirituality that i have obtained in my mission after I return, home its going to be really difficult, and might take some time, and maturity but i konw the Lord will help me with those things.  

I am grateful for everyone who commits to life the "real life" and devote themselves to god always, those are the real men and women on earth. haha Also i just love how many talks were given about families, fatherhood, and eternal marriage! hahah 2 months left!!! and thats meeeee!!! hopefully... haha anyways thanks everyone one for you support, and keep on keepin on! 

--
Elder Kikel

-on the Lord's errand-

San Pablo Philippines Mission

The Last General Conference

Its just that time of the week again! its just goes by so fast!

Things here in Siniloan have been going by way fast because of being in a new area and all trying to figure out where things are, and getting things going! so lets begin!

So first off after reading my last e-mail i wasn't very careful on explaining some things that you might of mis interpreted haha, my comment about the "flirt to convert initiative" was more of a joke meaning that we will have the sisters in our branch flirt or shall we say attract there guy friends t come to church or even be taught by the missionaries. You should of seen our church attendance last week... there was maybe.. 15 or 20 priesthood... and then rest females... we literally only had 2 young men came to church! with about 20 young women ! its crazy, so ELder Pepa and I are seriously trying to figure out how we are going to work with the sisters in or ward to find more priesthood referrals haha. THere ya go. 

Honestly pretty young women wether members or not haven't really been a temptation for me in the mission, unlike other missionaries. I mean cmon we are MISSIONARIES! and i am not about to go out and try to find a pretty filipino to come back for after my mission, what a waste of time, talent, and service. Yes, on occasion I will admit i catch myself flirting a little bit with the sisters in the areas I have been a assigned in, but more just the friendly kind of thing, but its still not an excuse and I have seen what happens to a missionary when they are not careful. they get sent home! and that is not happening to me haha, YEs, sometimes this stuff happens in the mission field, and satan is stronger then we think he is, and missionaries are still people, and 20 year people at that! recently there was a missionary in the area I am serving in right now that made-out with one of the Branch President's daughter, and set a whole plan to come back for her and get married. then right before he left he dropped her, and their plans... so yeah now i know why we have been having such a hard time trying to get a meeting with the Branch President! hahahaha Hopefully we can change that view he probably has for missionaries now. Why am I even talking about this?! haha

I really do want to serve these members, and continue doing the work of the lord.

we had a pretty great week, we got a lot of referrals from members that we have been trying to work with, and we have been finding some new investigators to try and get that teaching pool increasing. Serving and living is all that we can do haha

Here in the Philippines we are going to be watching conference on the 11-12th, I am so excited, like i am going on a vacation excited! I wish I could of had this look on General Conference a long .long time ago. I just enjoy so much feeling the spirit, and receiving revelation as I listen to the spirit, and the speakers. Its jst amazing how much knowledge and power these men and women of the church have because of their faithfulness in the church. I love it, adn I am sad that this will be my last General Conference in the mission, but kind of glad because nex time I can watch in a big recliner, with good ffod, and some real clothes! I am at the point where I almost literally just sleep in my slacks.. . haha I hpe you were all able to get something out of General conference, and re-read or re-watch the great messages given to find inspiration, and guidance in life.

We had a zone p-day this week, it was awesome, went to some falls again, it was pretty intense, but not as intense as the last trip we went on! I send pictures next time! 

I am sure most of you want to hear abut the whole easter or holy week here in the philippines. Elder Pepa and I avoided most of it for safety reasons but we did see some of the action, its pretty scary haha. They literally whip themselves! until the bleed! they do it weird so its not as intense as it sounds, but still something i would suggest. Also I heard that someone actally nailed himself to a cross! these people are crazy! 

Thats it my friends, Ill try and have something more spiritual next week, Please pray fof this area, and these members. I love you all, and I will not see yu next week haha.

P.S. this keyboard is dumb, some I sound like i am dumb..

--
Elder Kikel

-on the Lord's errand-

San Pablo Philippines Mission

Siniloan Begins!

Wow, so much to tell today, I don't know where to begin!

umm... lets see... traveling was a pain in the butt! When you white, and have big expensive looking luggage, you just get ripped off the whole way... i probably got charged double everywhere I went, and no matter how much I would fight (knowing the real prices) there little Filipino friends will gather together and force me to pay.. ugh.. we call this in the mission the "American Discount" haha.

after traveling most of the day we finally arrived in Siniloan! and when I saw WE i mean Elder Pepa and I. Elder Pepa is the man! He is my first poly companion, and he is from Tonga! He is huge! I always looked forward to having a Poly companion, because they are always so nice, and so loving, and always likable haha. Elder Pepa and I get a long pretty well, and I would say a good companionship match. He is about 10 months in the mission, and is super humble, super nice, and pretty funny. he is all ready teaching me how to speak in Tongan, and we have a fun time all ready. He is so nice he iron'd my clothes yesterday before church, and he actually cleans!!! yESS!! and is just down to do whatever. I think we will have a great companionship, and honestly something I have been praying for for a while... He is willing to work hard, and to do missionary work, and that is what I need!

I found out the we actually are not the new Zone Leaders.. and I even got demoted... haha I am now again, back in the mud workin haha just plantin those seeds like a boss! I am no longer the District Leader. Its okay, just means I can focus more on our area, and work. and thats really all I wanted to do these last 3 months, so I guess I could so its a promotion! haha. The reason we are not the Zone Leaders is because the zone got dissolved for some reason I don't know why, but we are still in the previous Zone leaders area, and it wasn't set up very well. They have no investigators, and the area book isn't updated... no coordination meetings, and yeah... stories... so here we are again in the mud trying to build another foundation, well as of now I am no stranger of this mud, and just gladly jump right in haha

The odd thing that happen in this area, is something I wasn't hoping for honestly, and you will probably find it pretty funny. Recently, I have been getting so girl crazy! hahahaha flip! every time I go to church and see families with little kids walking in I just think, " freak, I just need to go home and get married all ready!" haha so every time I see a pretty girl, I just think to myself " man! cmon keaks you got this, 3 more months, focus!" haha and the worst part is... that this branch is "notorious" for the many beautiful sisters that attend, and I can testify to that notoriety hahahahahah dang! yeah, lets just keep it in missionary terms and say they are very beautiful daughters of god haha. The other thing is there are no priesthood, and they are all old! how are we suppose to work with the ward! haha, we are going to be forced to work with those sisters to try and get referrals. I now activate the "Flirt to Convert" initiative! hahaha nah... but in a serious note, i hope we will be able to find a way to find and baptize some young men, and potential priesthood holders. 

I have had some people ask me about what is the Easter holiday like in the Philippines, I will now continue to blow your minds! In the philippines its know more as "Holy Week" and people celebrate differently according to their location. I have been told here in Siniloan it is crazy different and I am actually scared haha so here is the scoop. Apparently next week, on wednesday and people will walk into the streets, and parade around the city, crucified to crosses, and being whipped like Jesus was! or just whipping themselves with real whips and sharp things in them, to point where they actually bleed a good amount of blood, and they believe that this will relieve them of their sins they have committed in life...  members have told me after this day, you will see blood all over the streets, and walls, houses, and stuff like that. They say there is so much blood form so many people doing it, people collect their blood as evidence of their remission of sins! This is insane!!! The members and people act like its just a normal thing. and how sad is it to know that these people have know idea that what there doing is worthless, it may give them give them greater faith in Jesus Christ in the end persay but, it does not relieve them of their burdens and sins. so I will give you an update of how that goes next week haha, I am pretty sure we won't be allowed to go outside that day.

I am looking forward to working a nice full week in Siniloan, and seeing what Elder Pepa and I can do! I love you all and may the Lord be with you always!

--
Elder Kikel

-on the Lord's errand-

San Pablo Philippines Mission

The Last Testimony

Hello everyone its been a pretty great week, I will try to sum it up for you all in a short and powerful way because I am taking to much time in the computer shop haha.

 

Like a mentioned in my last e-mail, we had ZONE CONFERENCE this last week, and as usual it was just the best because you get to see a bunch of other missionaries, travel, hang out, and of course you get spiritually fed as well as physically, which we are good at being missionaries and all haha.

 

Zone Conference was awesome, it was focused about the Sacrament, and how we help our Investigators understand the importance of the sacrament, especially after they are baptized and have made those covenants. It was taught really simply but really opened my eyes again as to how important the sacrament is, and as missionaries we need to be doing all that we can to be getting our investigators to church each and every single week, so that they can experience the renewal of the sacrament even if they are not yet members. That is something that I have learned about the sacrament this last week, is that in the sacramental prayers found in Moroni 4 and 5 it say that "to the souls of ALL those who partake of it" President Mangum expounded on that short statement. He said that even though investigators are not members of the church they are still entitled to the same blessings as they strive to keep those covenants that they will make through baptism. They can still feel the spirit, and receive revelation for themselves through the power of the Holy Ghost, I thought that was amazing, something so simple but so powerful that most of us don't really ever realize.

 

Also President talked to us about the Churches new Initiative that they are coming out with soon, I don't know if any of you heard about it but you will see it soon. but its kind of like the "I will share the gift" the Church did last Christmas, but this time it is "Because he Lives". One really cool thing president showed us is that during the Easter season The church is going to pay for the main video add that shows up on the homescreen of YouTube! I don't know if its up all ready but I think that is so cool, that when ever someone goes on YouTube they will be able to watch a 14 sec video about Jesus Christ on this Easter season. Now that is what I am talking about properly using social media, I think the Church is trying to set an example to us all.

 

A very awesome addition to our Zone Conference was we got to watch "MEET THE MORMONS" I was so stoked! it was soo good! Most of us were laughing pretty hard, and I just love the stories that it tells. The Candy Bomber was probably my favorite.

 

Also hence the title of my E-mail today, this was my last Zone Conference in my mission, I will return home before the next one, and as tradition in our mission all missionaries going home have to bare testimony to all the missionaries at their last Zone Conference. So I had to bare mine, and it was so surreal. I remember being a new missionary sharing their last testimonies, and even though I still have 3 months left, I feel like the time is so near, so much to do, and not enough time to do it! It was a good feeling though, and I was grateful for the opportunity.

 

Also, I have been transferred! FInally! haha, as much as I love Calauag, I needed to get out! the crazy part is that Elder Garcia is transferred as well! We are pulled out of the area! I am not sure why but they will be replacing us with other missionaries, one of them use to be my old companion! Elder Bituin from Mindoro! I love him! I will leave him a little surprise at the Apartment haha. I am transferred to the Siniloan Zone, and I have been told by other missionaries that I am the Zone leader now over there, but I don't recall being told yet by President, but I am going to the Zone Leaders last area so who knows what will happen. I will be grateful to serve in that capacity to help other missionaries, and also to help keep myself focused! I can't believe I literally only have 3 months, and I feel as though I don't have enough time to do everything, its not really about how much time is have left, but more about how much time i still have to do as much as i can! Its so close! I am going to keep working hard, and striving to do the Lord's will to the very end. There isn't anything else I would rather do at this time. It has been such a blessing, more like an undeserved blessing, and I am so grateful for everyday that I am here. It is truly going to be tuff to return home. Good thing its going to be like an 18 hour flight home haha.

 

Well I will leave it at that for now! I love you all, and I love this work, and I hope i will have other missionary opportunities to serve when I return home! See you in 3!

--

Elder Kikel

-on the Lord's errand-

San Pablo Philippines Mission

My Heart Yearns for Consecration

Hello Everyone! Another week has gone by, faster and faster the days and weeks, and months go. I remember before my mission, thinking 3 months was a long time, but in reality it is such a short time.

Well there isn't much to share today about our work, its been pretty simple, just the daily missionary life. Nothing special really happened, but still learning everyday. Which is something I would like to share with you now.

So lately I have been reading Jesus the Christ! I am almost done with it I am on chapter 36, and wow! I have learned so much! I think its so cool how James E. Talmage totally explains the background, and history of everything to help us understand why things happened. I just feel so much closer to my savior, and feel like I know him better, and understand his purpose, and I have gained a greater understanding what my father in heaven expects of me... Consecration.. 

As I have been reading Jesus the Christ I have been noticing something. As we surely all know that everything Jesus did, was to teach, and to edify, especially his apostles. Everything Christ did was to teach them and to prepare them for there apostolic missions, and to bring the gospel to the world. in that course, it is noted several times that to do this, they have to give up absolutely everything, and literally give theirs lives to follow Jesus Christ. I think that is amazing. They were consecrated, and because they were consecrated they enjoyed blessings beyond their comprehension. It gave me a great appreciation for our modern day apostles, and their consecration to their life time callings, as well as the Prophet. My little part of the Vineyard I have to take care of here in Calauag is exhausting and the most challenging I have done in my life, let alone the whole world, and the entire church haha those men are men of the Priesthood, and power. To be able to do the things they do at the age of 80+ is insane. 

I really tried to relate this to myself, and how I can strive to apply this principle of exaltation to myself these last 3 months in my mission and for the rest of my life, and I am blessed with opportunities to serve those within my reach. I am so grateful for knowledge of this gospel that has blessed me with the desire to serve, and to bless the lives of others. Once we have found our way in the Plan of God, I believe it is our duty to try and help as many others as we can to find their way as well. I frequently have these feelings as i go about doing missionary work, and I hope I will be able to continue and practice these feelings as i return home.

I hope we can all strive to apply this principle in our lives, and strive to become perfect like our father in heaven who is perfect, and remember, that God doesn't expect immediate perfection, but he does expect immediate progress. line upon, line, precept upon precept we will learn how to become like our Father in Heaven. 

Thanks for all your prayers and support the each one of you give in my behalf, I really appreciate, and I have been feeling those prayers and support lately as well. Let us all yearn for Consecration that we may have eternal happiness with the ones we love. 

--
Elder Kikel

-on the Lord's errand-

San Pablo Philippines Mission