Recent Pictures from Guimaras - March 21, 2016 - Prepping a Garden in the Philippines :)

Thought these would be fun to share.  Looks like a project was organized to prepare a garden plot.

Easter! - March 28, 2016 - Week 74

First of all Happy Easter yall!!

Okay, so I thought this week would be a very challenging week because of Filipino traditions. So last Sunday I fasted that we would have success this week. Especially with me being brand new here. So long story short we went out and worked hard...like really really hard! We found new families and many other people that are more then prepared to receive the gospel! We extended 11 baptismal dates and 11 were excepted. And out of those we had 5 at church. So I have set a goal this past week. I have about 7 months left in the mission and starting April 23 I am going to do my best to have a weekly baptism. This week my testimony of fasting and prayer has been strengthened enormously! 

That's about it for this week. Hope yall have a great week! Love and Miss yall!!

-- 

Elder Jake Frandsen

Philippines Iloilo Mission

Expect the Unexpected - March 21, 2016 - Week 73

This week was an awesome week until I got a text from President on Thursday. When I read the txt I felt like I was hit with a bullet! It said Elder Frandsen thank you for everything you have done for Roxas and your service as a zone leader. Pack your bags you will get on a bus tomorrow morning and be transferred to Guimaras. Please do everything you can to help the branch there. It needs you there now. And you will be serving as a District Leader again.

Right after I got the text I went straight to the Alejaga and Lago family's to say goodbyes. It was super sad to have to say goodbye to them. I wasn't expecting to be transferred this transfer, and its not even transfer day yet. So it was a very unexpected and random thing.

 But I will go where the Lord wants me to go. So after a bus ride, taxi ride, boat ride, and tricycle ride I am now here on a completely different island called Guimaras. 

So just a fun fact, if you go to the store and get mango jam 90% chance the mangoes are from here. This is a way different area then the others iv'e been in. It will take a little adjusting and lots of Faith and Prayer. There aren't really any stores or anything here, just a lot of jungle and beach. 

I was super sad to leave my friends in Roxas but I am even more excited to see what Guimaras has to offer. I will do my best to serve God and his children here. There is a good chance this could be my last area in the mission but we'll see how it goes. That's about all for this week. Hope ya'll have an awesome week. Love and miss ya'll guy's. 

  
-- 

Elder Jake Frandsen

Philippines Iloilo Mission

Busy Week - March 14, 2016 - Week 72

This week was another busy week. I have set a goal to try and write every week even if nothing crazy happened. So sorry if I bore yall a little bit. 

This past week I had the opportunity to go on splits 3 different times. On Wednesday I went with Elder Smith, one of the APs. I learned heaps of things to better love and serve the people. Then on Thursday I went on splits with Elder Andeo. He is a little bit newer missionary. He has been in the mission for about four months now. So I took the opportunity to teach him a little bit but also learn from him. Then on Saturday I went on splits with Elder Faamoe from New Zealand. We went to his area which was super far and we walked a ton to teach the people. It surprised me that people really came that far every Sunday just to come to church. We visited a couple members and I was blown away by how strong their faith is. Splits are so awesome especially if you go into it with an open mind and try to learn something from the person you are with. No one is perfect at missionary work they're are always things we can do to improve. 

Then to close out the week we put together a zone activity at the beach where we just hung out, played volleyball, rugby, football, capture the flag, and ate really good sea food. We all had a blast. And now its time to get back to work and see what the next week brings.

Love you guys and have a great spring break! :)  

-- 

Elder Jake Frandsen

Philippines Iloilo Mission

Successful and Eventful Week - March 6, 2016 - Week 71

So this week on Tuesday we had another zone training. We changed it up a little bit and decided to have a testimony meeting. It was super cool to hear testimonies from the missionaries especially because a lot of them are from all over the world. But it doesn't matter where we came from or our background our testimonies are simple and strong. We all know that we have a loving Heavenly Father and that he has a plan for each and everyone of us.

 The testimony helped a lot of missionaries remember their purpose and why they came out here to serve the Lord. Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday were pretty normal. We just worked hard and taught a lot of people. Then Saturday we had a meeting with the stake leaders and bishoprics. President Aquino showed and we were able to go over a lot of goals and plans on the stake level. So now us as missionaries we know how to better help the wards and units meet those goals. Then after the meeting President took us out for lunch at a super classy restaurant. On Sunday we had church and we were able to see the effects and blessings that came from our home teaching the week before. We added a solid 30 people to the average attendance. Which is a huge deal. So we are continuing to make plans to have more effective home and visiting teaching. I just want to testify that every member in the church needs to have a friend in the church. It is essential to have fellow shippers for every less active member and investigator. Also this week I was able to pass the sacrament with Rohan.

 And last night I got a text from bishop recommending Rohan to go to the temple in Cebu for the temple trip! That might not be a big deal for people in the states but people here sometimes save money their whole life to be able to go to the temple just once in their life time. Because he was recommended by bishop he will be able to go with everything paid for. So getting that text was such an awesome feeling. It really makes missionary work awesome when you can see the people you taught really progress and grow strong in the church!

Well that's about it love y'all and take care! 

-- 

Elder Jake Frandsen

Philippines Iloilo Mission

Always Room for Improvement - February 29, 2016 - Week 70

This week went by way to quick! Tuesday we had district meeting where we learned how to better teach lesson four about commandments. After that we got right to work. We had a member work with us like all day so that was pretty sweet. Then on Wednesday morning Elder Ramos and I headed down to Iloilo a little early before MLC. We got a bite to eat with Elder Swanton and Crichton at Zarks (an american burger joint) Then we headed over to the church to get somethings taken care of before MLC. 

The first night of MLC we had accounting which went really well. Then that night Me, Larson, Swanton, and our comps went and stayed the night at Swanton's place. We had a little bon fire and just sat there and talked and sang songs while Larson played the guitar. We also ordered Mcdonalds! We stayed up "a little late" that night. It was fun getting to catch up with those guys. Then the next morning we headed back over to the church for the second part of MLC. After that MLC I officially have a new favorite in the Book of Mormon. Moroni is one awesome leader and servant. We studied Alma 43-62. And we took out all of the cool things Moroni did with his people and armies. The goal is for all of the leaders in the mission to be that kind of leader. I would strongly encourage y'all to read and ponder those chapters. Thurday night after the MLC we headed back up to Roxas. I received a text from Bishop asking me to speak on Sunday. So I started to think about what I could speak on so I chose Repentance. Then after church on Sunday the bishopric went on splits with us to go home teach less active families. It was awesome just watching them take control of the lessons and really fulfill their callings. So all in all this week was great. That's about it though so have a great week y'all! Love you guys! 

HIGHLIGHT OF THE WEEK!!- Rohan Alejaga, From the baptism on Christmas received the Aaronic Priesthood on Sunday! And we will pass the sacrament together this upcoming Sunday!! :D

-- 

Elder Jake Frandsen

Philippines Iloilo Mission

Hey Ya'll - February 21, 2016 - Week 69

So sorry its been kinda a while since iv'e written a solid email. Iv'e just been crazy busy out here. But anyways this week was full of great experiences. Elder Ramos and I stepped up the work this week and really just hammered down on finding solid investigators. It was a success. We tracted into somebody on the street and they invited us in to teach them so we taught them and gave him a Tagalog Book of Mormon. He gave it back to us and said I want English. So he came over late on Saturday night so he could get an English Book of Mormon. But yeah besides that it is just the same. Just working hard and staying focused. We put a few investigators on date to be baptized in March. 

That's about it this week. Love yall!

-- 

Elder Jake Frandsen

Philippines Iloilo Mission

Hey, Sorry for the Short Email - February 15, 2016 - Week 68

Hey it was a great week lots of successful trainings and found lots of new investigators. Just workin hard all day everyday. Love you guys! Oh and Happy Valentines week! And Happy late Birthday Sista!!

-- 

Elder Jake Frandsen

Philippines Iloilo Mission

Ain't nobody got time to sleep - February 7, 2016 - Week 67

So it was another wonderful, crazy, awesome week here in Roxas. 

On Monday and Tuesday we decided to change things up again for our zone training meeting and it was a SUCCESS! All the missionaries came away from it super excited and pumped to step up their game as missionaries. The cool part was that us as Zone Leaders we didn't really give any super crazy awesome training but we managed to get a great discussion going between the missionaries ward missionaries, where they all came up with their own new ideas on how to be more effective in teaching and in missionary work all around.

Then on Thursday Elder Ramos and I went to Estancia to go do a Baptismal Interview. The plan was just to come straight back because we had a service project and splits on Friday. But the plans changed when we found out we missed the last bus trip gong back to Roxas. So we ended up just going and teaching a couple random people in a place we weren't familiar with. Then that night we went and slept in Estancia. 

Friday we got up at 3 in the morning to go catch a bus at 4 going back to Roxas so we could be at our service project that started at 7:30. The service project was awesome. We helped someone rebuild their house because it was destroyed by a typhoon that came through awhile back. Then after that I went on splits in Sigma with Elder Swan. We had a few lessons and met some super cool people. 

On Saturday we woke up early again so we could get back to Roxas because Elder Ramos and I had a meeting with the Stake President and leaders. After the meeting we did our best to work super hard to make up for lost time that we were in Estancia. We found a super solid new investigator family. We hope to follow up with them this week. 

Sunday we had church. After church we had another meeting with the high councilor of missionary work to figure out how the missionaries can better help their wards and stake. Then after that we worked with a member and followed up on some less actives.

So this week was awesome and even though I haven't really slept I am filled with energy to keep helping and serving. Missionary work is the BEST!!

Love yall tons!

-- 

Elder Jake Frandsen

Philippines Iloilo Mission