The Attributes of Christ

Hello Family and Everyone!

This week I would like to call myself the king of problem solving!  being the financial secretary gives me the opportunity to solve problems on a daily basis, and this week I have never seen so many new unfamiliar ones since I got here!  I quite enjoy it though, it reminds me of computer programming, always trying different solutions until something works!  Its also helped me to improve on my patience and to think outside the box!  Anything can be fun if you see it that way!  

This week in terms of work, we are trying to get Brother Randy's family to come to church!  We are making progress but aren't quite there yet but we won't give up!  Brother Jack has recently been having some problems but we were finally able to see him and I expressed our love and concern for him and how much we would love to see him at church again!  I hope that he is able to straighten things out and find the true happiness that only our Heavenly Father can give!  

This week I began to go through the attributes of Christ from the beginning again and something I noticed with Faith, Hope, Charity and Love is that it all begins with Trust and Belief!  There is really no other way to start those attributes unless we have Trust in our Lord and Savior and believe in his teachings.  I noticed that within the first couple of sentence with each section that both of those words were written.  It all leads up to love.  Love requires trust.  Without it, we can not have love.  Any relationship that is not founded on trust will fail, because Love feeds of trust.  In order to have trust we must believe in the individual or object.  We must have the Faith that he, she, or it will help further our lives in the right direction and have a positive influence on us.  That was just a little something I learned in my personal study that I thought was really interesting.  It also really helps me to see where I have to start in order to build myself as a successful missionary and member to our Church.  It all starts with belief and trust.  If we are lacking in either of those two, we must immediately find a way to fix that.  Those two attributes are vital to remaining faithful to Heavenly Father and reminding us daily of why we do the things we do.  Why we follow Christ, why we are here on Earth, why we have commandments that advise us from not following the rest of the world.  Trust and belief is where it starts with everything, so let us start having trust in our Savior through the good and the bad, and when it gets bad, let us have the Belief to know that things will improve!  

So as for those hamburgers, I have no idea whether or not it is actually beef, but I do know this, anything that gets me 4 burgers for $1.50 is the greatest hamburger joint ever!  At least when I am a missionary!  Haha.  So basically the only holiday left now is Christmas, we had all souls day on November 1st and after that it is a straight shot to Christmas.  The Christmas decorations were being set up a month ago, almost everywhere has lights now haha.  They are nice to see at night time when we are going home but I always like to tease my companion and tell him how there is still over a month until Christmas!  But I don't think I can contain his excitement.  

Well, I don't know how much more I have to say about this week.  I am doing well, I love my companion, couldn't ask for anyone better, I love my kabahays, and I love the work.  May we all have trust and believe in our Savior and Redeemer!  

I love you all and until next week,

Elder Warren

Mashed Potatoes and Teaching a Treasure Hunter!

Hello Family and Everyone!

It was a good week here in Cauayan! Elder Schmootz and his wife came and had a mission tour in our mission.  Elder Schmootz gave us a lot of great advice that I will take with me through the mission.  Throughout the meeting I could feel the spirit soo strongly and I couldn't help but smile.  

I feel like since I have been in the office i haven't smiled as much because I am always so busy and don't really have anyone else to talk to in my small cubicle, but I still find ways to have fun every once in a while.  Elder Schmootz taught us the importance of our calling and told us about how we need to review the commitments we made as a missionary and renew our vigor in the work. I felt more joy enter my life as I remembered again the most important reasons why I went on a mission.  

Another favorite part of the meeting was having mashed potatoes and pasta but that is another matter entirely ;).  It was quite a busy week in the office!  I had to do many reimbursements for missionaries as well as order some stuff for the mission, but I always have fun while I am there! I also believe that I am an addict to burgers now.  Any burger joint I see, I try and get my hands on a burger.  I may be at a point in my mission where rice won't do it anymore!!!! Haha. 

On a sadder note, I think my American investigator may pass away soon.  His health hasn't been doing well and he has started to rely on other sources to relieve his pain.  I have been praying and fasting that he may get well soon.  He was a great man to have discussions with. I could always tell he had a desire to change, he just never knew what path he should take.  

We have been reteaching our Recent Convert and she is awesome!  She is really helping the family she is staying with.  They have been less active at times, but now they are becoming more and more active as she comes closer to Her Savior! Its amazing to see the change that has gone within the family.  Every time we come over they seem more genuinely happy and just a little more silly! Hahaha. I love them and hope that they continue to grow in the gospel together.  

We have our other American investigator and his family who we are really trying to start pushing to come to church.  We hope that we will start seeing them.  He has a very strong background in religion and has a good understanding of who is Savior is and the importance of him.  On top of that, he is a treasure hunter!  How many Americans do you meet in the Philippines that are treasure hunters?!? He told me a little bit about it but basically he is hunting Spanish bullions that the Japanese hid all over during World War II I believe.   I may have already said this but its just soo cool!  Now I just gotta get his family to church!  

Well I love you all, and btw I have now been here 16 months in 3 days!  Remember to show your love to others and be of service to all of those around you!  Oh how great is the work!!!!

Much love,

Elder Warren

Finding Charity

Hello All!

So this week was busy busy busy!  I was stuck in the office for a long part of the week.  Sister Zeena, the newest member in our branch is doing well.  She has some great influences around her.  She has been accepted into an active member family who has been a great example to her.  I love seeing them every week and being able to teach them.  I have to say they may be one of my favorite families, like every family I meet in the field!  Haha.  

It was a little bit of a stressful week this week.  We received over a hundred boxes of supplies at the office yesterday!  We were just about to go out to work when we were bombarded with the shipment and it took an additional two hours just to stock half of the new supplies we got.  Some of the stuff we didn't even order, actually I mean a lot of it haha.  It was a moment though where all you could do was laugh it all.  I mean somehow we ordered over 300 White Handbooks!  For those of you who don't know, a missionary usually only needs one handbook their entire mission, and we just got around 400 of those... 

One of the greatest things I have had the opportunity to study while I have been in the mission are the attributes of Jesus Christ.  Any one who knows me knows that my attitude at times throughout my life hasn't been the greatest.  My favorite area to study in while I have been in the mission field is charity.  I feel like I have talked about this before but thats because it is such an important concept to understand.  

If we have charity, we have everything.  If we don't have charity, we are nothing.  Charity is the pure love of Christ.  In it, all things are made perfect.  It is impossible for a man to achieve perfect charity while we are in this life, because it is the PURE love of Christ.  In order to obtain more charity, we must think more like Our Savior.  This requires understanding where another person is coming from.  Not judging them, but trying to understand there past, who they are as a person, and the struggles that they have gone through.  Doing this takes A LOT of work.  It is so easy to judge someone instead of actually trying to understand them as a person.  Understand there thoughts, feelings, and actions.  But one thing I have noticed is that when we view someone as a child of God, our ability to have charity increases exponentially.  

If we see everyone as a child of God, then we understand what our Heavenly Father ultimately wants for them and their families. Eternal life.  We understand that they need to know the plan that their Father in Heaven has created JUST FOR THEM.  Charity, is by far on of the most interesting concepts to understand.  But it is also one of the greatest.  

As I continue to work daily on having more charity, I continue to become more happy, more friendly, and less angry, less frustrated, and less judgemental.  Let us all become more charitable this week.  Lets try to think of someone else for a change and do something kind for a random stranger.  Because I know its what Christ would do.  

I love you all, and I will inform you next week of how the mission tour with Elder Schmootz was!  

Love you,

Elder Warren

Typhoons, Car Accidents and First Baptism!!

Hello Family and Everyone Else!

So you would not have any idea how crazy of a week I have had.  The week started off like any other.  I knew I wouldn't be having a preparation day, so I just got into my work schedule.  Everything was all fine and dandy, until out of nowhere, Typhoon 2 in a row appears on my screen!!  

One of my duties in the office is to keep track of typhoons on the way to our mission.  When I saw what was coming, I knew our Mission Tour would have to be postponed.  It was a category 5 typhoon.  Anyone who doesn't know what that means, it means that the winds exceeded 156 mph.  To be honest,  at one point in time the winds were 170 mph.  

Our 3 North Zones had to be emergency evacuated, which led to my appartment housing 8 Elders total!  Haha it was a little crazy, but was also fun to see familiar faces!  We ended up not having water for a day, and were without power for 3 days.  The wind was pretty bad and there was some flooding, but it wasn't too bad.  The storm only lasted for about a day and a half, then we could begin working again.  

When I went out to work was when things got even more interesting.  On my way to work, I was on splits with Elder Alecha, one of the Elders sleeping with us at the appartment.  Now, usually I sit on the outside of the tricycle, but this time, I was in the inside, so I faced the right side of the road, saw everything just off the road.  About half way to my area, I saw something that didn't quite register in my head.  A car that was on its side.  Suddenly, and quite shockingly, I realized I had just witnessed a car accident.  And a pretty bad one.  After I saw the car on its side, I saw the top of a mans head underneath the car and to my horror, I saw his crushed tricycle wrapped around a telephone pull.  

Now I knew I needed to stop.  Instinctively, I yelled at the driver to stop.  And before he had even stopped I was out of the vehicle running to the scene.  I was the first one there, so I grabbed the first Filipino I saw and told them to call the police.  Then I called over other Filipinos to help me push up the car, so I could pull the body out from underneath the car with his clean hand.  After that, I went and checked inside the vehicle.  I could make out 3 girls in the car and tried to open the door from the top, but something was wrong with them.  We grabbed a tricycles seat and used it to smash the back window out and I helped grab the three little girls from the car.  

Afterwards, I knew it was time for me to go out to work and that my help was no longer needed.  Before I left, we found that the driver had just left the hospital and still had the IV in.  I don't know all the details but sadly it seems that the driver was definitely not fit to drive and something had happened to the driver while driving, either they passed out or passed away.  Now although it was a very saddening situation, I was thankful I was able to help those girls who were trapped in the car that was stuck in D3.  

That day I was able to teach both of my American investigators and to testify with more power about the Plan of Salvation and how great it is that the people who passed on were now in a better place.  On Saturday, I have a surprise for you...  I GOT MY FIRST BAPTISM!!!  Now I was sooo shocked that it really was happening.  I mean, I had never seen the fruits of my labor until this point, so it was very amazing.  Now, I have to be honest,  I was definitely a litte awkward with my investigator before I baptized her.  Haha I just didn't know what to say to comfort her, because I myself was beyond nervous, I was sweating up a storm!!!  But it was a very spiritual experience.  

As I baptized her,  I felt the joy that she must have definitely been feeling from her Father at the moment.  I was so thankful to share in her special experience.  She looked especially happy at church yesterday.  It has been so great to watch her progress and become happier through my time as her missionary.  She will become a great strong Sister in the church and I am excited to see where her life will go!  

Overall, I have to say I had a pretty crazy but good week.  Its a great day to be a missionary!!!!  

I love you all,

Elder Warren

Like Father Like Son...

Hello Everyone!

I am now back in Cauayan Zone! I am now the new Finance Elder for the Philippines Cauayan Mission!  Wow this is a big jump for me.  Just a week ago I was a regular missionary and now I have been called to be the Finance Missionary.  I am a little nervous for such a big position, but I know that if I really on the help of the Lord and try my best always that I will be able to fulfill this position successfully.  You know, I had always never planned on being an accountant like you dad, but I guess it was destined to be because here I am now, going to be handling money and taxes!!! 

My new companion is Elder Estuaria. It is going to be a great couple of cycles.  I learned that I could be here for quite a while so I am glad I get to serve with him!  We are reopening our area so we have lots of contacts and new investigators.  We bore our testimonies on Sunday, and like always, as soon as they saw me lean over to talk into the microphone, they started to laugh.  

Well I am happy to be back in the great Cauayan Zone!  I did honestly kind of miss it and I am in the district of Naguilian, so I may get the chance to see my old branch again!!!!  I am super excited to be here, to have the opportunity to fulfill this position.  I dont really have much more to say except that I am happy to be back, and to be healthy!  

I love you all and will talk to you again next week!

Love,

Elder Warren

Member Missionary Work

Hello Family and friends!

Well it was another good week this week.  We had our Stake Conference this week, so I got to attend that on Sunday.  It was inspiring to hear more thoughts from my mission president, President Hiatt. He really stressed the importance of members getting more involved in missionary week, because this is a missionary church.  

Members are not just members, members have the same responsibility as missionaries in that they need to invite all to come unto Christ.   In fact, members are just as if not more important than missionaries when it comes to the week.  They have the responsibility in fellowshipping the investigators, recent converts, and less-actives so that they may retain what the learn.  That is a very important phrase right there.  Retain what you learn.  

The problem with many recent converts is that they have no one close to them besides the missionaries to help them retain the importance of following the commandments of our Heavenly Father.  Missionaries constantly move around, so we depend on the members to make sure they fellow ship those we get to church.  We work as hard as we can, but we need the strength of members more than you know.  Members are key in helping progress the work.  That is why this Church is called a missionary church.  

Anyway, this week we did a lot of walking, like every week but I felt it more because, lucky me I split my heel open!!!  Haha only in the Philippines.  It's alright, what happened as when I was coming into the house, we have two steps, followed by a steel screen door and a wooden door.  The problem with the steel door is that the hinge is broken. So it closes fast sometimes,  This time it closed fast and happened to be right where my right heel was coming up the step.  It left me with a pretty good gash.  Shoes were not my best friend this week, but that wouldn't stop a stubborn guy like me! ;)  

I am already transferring again!  It was so fast here.  I was just really starting to form good relationships with the members here.  I am a little sad to be leaving, but I am also excited to help progress the work in another area!!  Apparently, transfer day has been pushed to Thursday due to a holiday, so I have an extra day here to solidify those relationships I have with this people before I leave!  

I am about to finish 2 Chronicles right now and a lot of it is a different view of the heritage of David.  Its interesting to see the different levels of obedience his descendants had.  Some did not follow the Lord; others followed the Lord, but did not do away with the molten images and high places; and then others followed only the Lord and got rid of the high places.  

I feel like this is kind of like us as members of the church.  We can choose to just be ok, go through the motions and kind of follow the commandments, we can be those who follow the commandments and have meaningful prayer and scripture study, or we can be those who follow whole heartedly the example of our Savior.  They not only follow the commandments, they work on their Christlike attributes, and never hesitate to share a message of the gospel with those around them.  

We need to be like those last members, center our lives around Jesus Christ only.  We need to be actively seeking to make a change around us.  So that everywhere we go, we leave it a little more clean than when we got there.  If we want to have the Spirit with us always, that is the kind of attitude we need to have as members.  Being a member of this church isn't easy, because obtaining salvation was never easy.  Let us remember who we are aspiring to become like, Our Savior.  If we are to become like him, we need to repent.  

I remember hearing once about the definition of repentance, it is making a change in our life and turning...  The turning we should be doing is to our Lord if we would like to truly repent.  Only be relying upon Him may we become truly changed and walking more uprightly before our Heavenly Father.  

Well I hope you all have a great week and I will let you know where my new area is this coming p day!  

Until next week, much love,

Elder Warren

Stand Up for Your Beliefs!!

Hello Family and All,

Well I have survived yet another week!!!  I only was sent 9 hours south to Manila, brought to the MRC (Missionary Recovery Center) which is located in the MTC (Missionary Training Center) and given the best rest of my life!  Haha in all actuality it was a very growing experience for me to go to the MRC. 

Never in my life have turned more to Our Savior for guidance and peace.  Never have I felt the spirit so strongly then when I was with other missionaries who continued to struggle with various sicknesses and injuries.  Yet we all seemed to rely more wholly upon prayer, fasting, and reading our scriptures.  I can not express in words the Spirit that was felt during the Preach My Gospel discussions we had every night.  The testimonies literally jumped steps every night. 

With that said I am very happy to now be back in the field!!!  We have gone back to work and hard!  I am getting excited with some very prospective investigators and I have never been more motivated until now, even though I have never been rejected as much as I am being rejected by people now.  I have people who won't even answer my simple questions of where someone lives because I am from a different belief.  After attempted contacts like those, I honestly could only laugh.  

At the same time I felt sorrow for our World today.  What have people come to when they feel the need to bash on other peoples beliefs?  How mature are you when you feel like you can't answer someones question of where a person lives because my faith is different from yours?  In my opinion it is honestly a little depressing.  

But I continue to smile and laugh, because my purpose as a missionary is to invite ALL to come unto CHRIST!  What is a better responsibility than that?  What could possibly give me more joy than that?  I may be spit at, rejected, viewed at as not smart, seen as different from others, but I am still the happiest I could ever be. Because I represent the one true perfect person who has came to this Earth.  His name is Jesus Christ.  He was the perfect example, he gave us the way, showed us the plan for us, and became the mediator to atone for our imperfectness.  

So now it is my responsibility to represent him as best as I can for a mere 2 years of my life. For years, I had to answer peoples questions about our church in high school and middle school.  But I was never ashamed of who I am, I am a Latter Day Saint.  I had people tell me all kinds of things about my beliefs, but I was never disheartened. In fact, it only gave me opportunities to grow in my testimony.  

Other people aren't gonna stand up for MY beliefs because that's just it.  These are MY beliefs.  That is my advice to you mom, and to everyone else who reads this email.  Stand up for YOUR beliefs because no one else will, no one else can, not even the closest of friends or other loved ones.  

You may not be perfect, you may fall short, you may be out numbered, but you will never lack the power or strength necessary because He is on your side.  Jesus Christ.  That was what I learned in High School. That is why I would literally have to sometimes stand in front of the class and answer questions about what I believe in.  That is why I serve a mission.  That's why I continued to fight going home, even when I struggled to catch my next breathe.  And yes, I am very serious when I say there were times I didn't know if I was going to be alive to get home.  Because I know that this church is true.  Because I know that Jesus Christ LIVES, He loves us, and has prepared us all a way to come back into the presence of our Heavenly Father.  

It is now our responsibility to decide how prepared we will be to meet Him.  And because this work is the most important work I could be doing. I am not a perfect missionary, I am not perfect at Tagalog, but I can testify that Jesus Christ and Our Heavenly Father live.  They live and continue to guide me as I go throughout my mission.  I will never be afraid to testify of what I know is true because I have the strongest person on my side.  My challenge to all of you is to stand for your beliefs.  Because that is where you will find the greatest of joy and the true happiness that comes from the gospel of Jesus Christ.  Who is on your side?

Love,

Elder Warren