6 Months !?! - Week 26 - April 27, 2015

Hello Everyone! To start off...contrary to my last email when I said I was probably going to transfer...Well I am still here in the one and only beautiful San Miguel. Haha

How ever I have another companion. So if you are keeping count that is 4 companions now. I asked President if it was because I am doing something wrong. He responded like this "Elder Frandsen, will you be the new district leader?" I was so confused! So I answered him like "um uh sure President..." haha I was shocked. 

So my new companion is Elder Lazo. He is Filipino. He is 20 years old. He just finished his training. He is one transfer behind me. He doesn't know ilonggo. But he know a little bit of English. He is teaching me Tagalog and I am teaching him Ilonggo, Karay-a, and English. He is awesome. He is super hard working! We are going to do great things this transfer. He is very good at planning which is one of my weaknesses. He is going to help me be better at it. So I am very excited to work with him. And plus he is an awesome cook!! :D

This week we had Stake Conference and it was all about missionary and member missionary work. I learned a lot. It is so important that members do all they can to help the missionary effort in the home wards and stakes. For an example there is a ward here and the members are always working with the missionaries and giving them referrals and fellow shipping the people the missionaries bring. They have the highest attendance percentage in the whole stake they are the highest baptizing in the mission. Some of you might think its the missionaries but it is the ward. So I challenge you all to work with the missionaries. To bring friends to church and introduce them to the missionaries. I know that when you all do that your each individual testimonies will be strengthened.

This morning for p-day we went to the mission home and played rugby, soccer, and basketball. It was so much fun. You know you have a good mission President when he plays rugby with you haha.

Well that's all for this week. Love you all. Hope all is well and have an awesome week! Don't be afraid to send a letter or email. I am always excited when I get letters and emails. Even if the letters don't get to me for a couple months. Like this week I got a letter from mom that was sent in January haha but its ok. Its the thought that counts ;) Love and miss you all! 18 MONTHS PA! :P 

    

-- 

Elder Jake Frandsen

Philippines Iloilo Mission

Ambot haha - Week 25 - April 20, 2015

Well this week we worked really hard. It feels great to come home from a day and be able to tell yourself you did everything you could today. I am trying to help my companion feel the same thing. So this whole transfer I have been trying to get him to oym at least once a day. I think this transfer he has had 1 partial oym all by himself. I don't know why its so hard for him. I think its just because he is really shy. On Wednesday we came home at the end of the day and we were closing and going over our numbers. And I asked him if he had any oyms and out of no where he took off his badge and said he didn't want to be a missionary anymore. He then asked for the phone and said he was going to call President and tell him he wanted to go home. I was so surprised. I couldn't believe he would just come out of no where and say that. It actually made me kind of mad. I turned my chair around and faced him. I tried to kindly talk to him about it. I asked him why did you come on a mission? He quickly responded and said I don't know. And then he said I came on a mission to change myself. As kindly as I could I told him even if that's the only reason you came on a mission you haven't done a very good job at it. I told him he has so much more potential then where he is right now. He keeps telling me that he feels like if he went home right now he would feel like he had a successful mission. I asked him are you out here to help other people? He said yes. I asked him are you doing everything to help the people we meet and teach everyday come closer to Jesus Christ. He said No. I told him if you want to go home, go home. And I handed him the phone. And I told him you have your free agency but I never want to hear you say "I don't want to be a missionary" ever ever again! 

I hope I didn't hurt his feelings or cause any problems. But para for me being here on a mission is something that is earned and its a privilege. It is an opportunity to be a representative of Jesus Christ. They're are so many people out there that would do anything to go on a mission that can't because of different reasons. I'm not perfect by any means. I am awful at the language, but I know that as I do my best here that through the spirit, prayer, and love I will be able to help and serve these people. 

This week on Friday we went to the bukid (mountains) to go do some service for some investigators. It was AWESOME! We cut down bamboo with machetes from 7am-3pm. The bamboo is for them so they can fix their home. I have lots of pics. This little girl took my camera and took tons of pictures haha. Every week I grow to love these people more and more. Every time I teach them and serve them they become like family. 

I was told that I will probably transfer this week which i'm not looking forward to. I am kind of nervous to leave this area in the hands of my companion. But I guess I just have to have faith. I am still praying I don't transfer haha :D 

I love and miss you all so much. Hope all is well back home. Keep up the awesome work! Have a great week! :) 

You will notice my companion refused to do the service because he didn't want to get dirty...so he just sat the whole time...

-- 

Elder Jake Frandsen

Philippines Iloilo Mission

Week 24 - Another Busy Week - April 13, 2015

So I would just like to start by saying how excited I am that on Thursday we went to visit Manuel but he wasn't there again. We have gone there everyday since he was admitted. As Elder Chapman and I were walking away from and balay niya (his house) we both decided to go to the hospital where he is and visit him there. So we took a jeepney and headed to the hospital, we took his kids with us. We got there and much to all of our surprise our prayers were answered!! He is getting so much better. Doc says he will return to his normal health and he will be able to leave the hospital sometime this week! He told us the reason why he is getting better is because of us. He told us if he never met us and if we never invited him to be baptized he wouldn't have gone to the hospital. When he met us it gave him hope and something to live for. Through this experience my testimony and his testimony of prayer, faith, and priesthood blessings have been strengthen so much. Thank you everyone for all your prayers. 

This week we had an opportunity to do service for an investigator it was actually a lot of fun! I have set a goal for myself to do at least one service project a week. This one included me having to climb a SUPER TALL coconut tree for this kind of elderly woman because she was is not able harvest the coconuts herself and my companion couldn't do it (he isn't very athletic). And then after he raked her whole yard and burned the leaves. Then she gave us buko juice! (Coconut juice) And sandia (watermelon)! Well worth it! 

This weekend we got to watch General Conference finally. I loved it! Being able to listen to the Prophet and Apostles speak is such a blessing! I noticed a lot of the talks were about Families,Missionary Work, and the Atonement. Those three things are so important and I've noticed it even more since I have been serving a mission. 

I love this gospel and my Heavenly Father so much. I love all of you guys and hope y'all have a great week. Feel free to email me if you want. :)

-- 

Elder Jake Frandsen

Philippines Iloilo Mission

Holy Week Week 23 - April 6, 2015

So this week has been quite interesting...they put a whole new meaning to Easter. The week before Easter is called Holy Week. Monday Is Palm Sunday. Tuesday hasta Thursday are Holy days so they go to mass all day everyday for those days. Good Friday is crazy! I saw things this week that I wish I never saw. People will pay money to carry a cross through the streets and then be nailed to a cross and hang on the cross for everyone to see. Then after they hang on the cross they take the person down and bury then for like 10 min and then they dig them back up. So they don't actually die but they do all that and I guess it shows their dedication to their religion. Then there is Black Saturday. On Black Saturday at night everyone brings their motorcycles, cars, jeepneys, and all their vehicles. To the Banwa (town plaza) and at night a Priest will come and bless every vehicle by sprinkling holy water on it. And then Easter is the same except wala (none) Easter Bunny or eggs haha. So as you can imagine trying to proselyte and talk to people this week has been very difficult but also we have had a few opportunities to learn from the people and share the similarities of our beliefs. 

Sometimes its so hard to stay motivated to keep going back to these people that we teach. The thing I am struggling with so much right now is getting people to church. Because its a small group a lot of people get the idea that is a cult. Its so frustrating. And if you don't already know here in the Philippines you have to go to church 4 consecutive times before makabuyag mo (you get baptized). So for me right now all I can do is love the people, keep teaching them, praying for them, and fasting for them. The key to missionary work is truly Love and the Spirit. With out those two things it makes things budlay gid (very hard).

This week I had an amazing opportunity to serve. So I think in a previous email I talked a little about Manuel. He is the investigator that I extended a baptismal date to and he said yes. Well we have been teaching him mga (about) twice a week every week. He has a liver problem and has not been able to attend church because of that. He has almost no money. He has four kids. Two of them live with him (2 boys ages 10 and 3). This past week he was admitted to the hospital on Thursday. He left his two kids at home with no money or food. Their mother works in Cebu and has left them and ran away with another husband. So we went to their gamay nga balay (little house or shack) on Friday night. That is when I found out that he went to the hospital. I couldn't believe it I didn't know what to do. I love those two kids and Manuel so much. So that night we went and got them food and just stayed with them for awhile. We have gone back everyday since and bring food. Their father is still in the hospital and there is no way to contact him. So we don't know if he will return or maybe pass away in the hospital. I don't know what to do. I want to give this kids everything. Life for people here is so challenging. No matter what happens those two kids always have a smile on their faces and have so much faith. The older boy just wants to go to school. I have never heard those two boys complain about anything or ask for anything. If I didn't ask if they had food they would have never told me. I don't know what to do for this family but I know that through prayers and faith that everything will work out. Every time I ask them what I can do for them the answer is always the same "polihog magpangamuyo para sa ang tatay namon" (please pray for our father) If you will please pray for this family. I know that through prayer they will be able to get through this pagtilaw (trial).

I am so excited for the opportunity I have to watch General Conference next week. I don't think iv'e ever looked forward to hearing from the prophet as much as I am now. Its such a blessing we have to hear the words of the leaders of the church. They are truly inspired of God.

I am struggling with my companion. I don't know maybe its just me. At first I thought he would never talk because he was shy. But he still never talks. He talks to me a little bit but never to anyone else. I give all the lessons and do all the talking when we are tracting. When I look at him he just looks off into the distance and doesn't say anything. When he does language study he only studies Japanese...I don't know why. And then he dyed his hair black so he could be more like a Filipino. Ambot sa iya (I don't know about him). haha Oh well I guess its all just part of the mission experience. :)

   

Being here in the Philippines has showed me how blessed I am. I am so grateful for the family and friends I have. I am so grateful for this gospel. And that I know that I have a Heavenly Father that knows me and is always there to help me get through hard times.  

I love you guys hope y'all had an awesome week. :)      

-- 

Elder Jake Frandsen

Philippines Iloilo Mission

Kamusta Kamo! Week 22 - March 29, 2015

I have had a pretty good week and I have learned quite a lot. Alright to start off On Monday we had a family home evening with the Camaral and Aragona Families (investigators). We told them to invite all the friends and family and when you see the picture you will see that they invited so many people! We all sat outside and had an amazing lesson and then played a ton of Philippine games. And then sister brought out this HUGE wok full of Bihon which is one of my favorite foods here! There was 7 kilos of Bihon! It was a very successful family home evening. I love their family so much.

Then on Wednesday Elder Chapman and I went right to work. It was especially hot that day and that day we worked so hard. I love the feeling of coming home after an awesome day and feeling like we accomplished a lot. Wednesday night we walked super far to one of our investigators homes sister Annalisa. We had a very spiritual lesson with her and her daughter Princess. They are golden! We plan to invite them to be baptized this week for the 25th of April! 

Then after the lesson they gave us water before we started walking home. Being from America you don't think about where the water came from you just drink it. So that's what I did. BIG MISTAKE! Here in the Philippines if you are a not from here you absolutely have to drink clean filtered water. If you don't well...I woke up Thursday morning thinking I was probably going to die here on that day. I could not move any joints in my whole body, I had the worst headache I've ever had in my entire life, I could not hear anything, and I felt like I was going to vomit. And I had that feeling till Friday afternoon. I got an amoeba from the water. We didn't work that whole time. I was so discouraged, disappointed, and didn't feel like I was fulfilling my purpose as a missionary and that's all I could think about as I was laying there in bed. So of course I did the only thing I could and said a prayer. And asked for good health and strength and most of all comfort. And Heavenly Father heard and answered my prayer. I cannot tell you how much prayer has changed me and helped me through so much here on the mission. So yeah it was pretty lame that I didn't get to go out and work for two days but I didn't die. :)

Then on Friday night Sister Theresa and here family had a massive fiesta. Because for three weeks out of the year their family is all together. After that her husband goes back California for work, her son goes to Saudi Arabia for work, her daughter goes to Houston, Texas for work and her other daughter lives in another part of the Philippines. When they all leave all she has is us the Elders. I love here like she is my family. I can't wait for the day when she gets baptized! They have an amazing family. The fiesta was great there was so much food! 

On Sunday I am happy to say we had Sister Annalisa and Princess at sacrament meeting and the speakers showed up so I didn't have to speak. It was actually a really great meeting this week. Week had 9 total at church its always better when there is more people.

This morning WE FOUND A GOLF DRIVING RANGE!!!! So My companion, some of the young men from Mandurriao ward and I went and hit some balls! It felt so great to get out and do something fun like that. Especially because I didn't think there was any golf here in Iloilo. 

So I had a great week this week and learned lots. That is it for this week. I love you all so much!  

--

Elder Jake Frandsen

Philippines Iloilo Mission