Hello
Everyone!
Well
I had another great week this week! We went to Cauayan this week for my
companion to do his English test. It was fun to be back in Cauayan for a
little bit. After his test we got banana splits which is always a
bonus! My favorite part was the bus rides though. I bought so many
peanuts. The peanuts they have here in the Philippines are amazing.
The people who sell them on the buses have just cooked them so they are always
warm and the flavor is just the best!!! I think I bought 4 bags of
them. Anyways, it is so weird that another cycle has already almost gone
by! The time is really going by so fast now it is ridiculous!
Really though, I thought that by now I would be adjusted to the heat but that
is just not the case. I am sitting here sweating like always. When
I get home, I may construct a freezer and live in it until winter arrives!!!
Well this week we had a family home evening with a family who is visiting from
America. The are Filipinos but they mainly understand English. Let
me tell you, I never realized how the Sister missionaries in our Ward used to feel when I
wasn't paying attention until this week. During the entire family home
evening, everyone, including the little kids and some of the adults, were on
their phones the entire time. It got to the point where my companion
would ask someone a question and they wouldn't even hear my companion because
they were so focused on their phones!!!! Man, at that moment, I am
thankful I built up my patience because I was not very happy with what they
were doing. Really only 2 adults were paying attention to us. The
rest were totally focused on other things. After our pretty unsuccessful
lesson we tried to play a game with the family and that was worse. We had
to explain the game rules basically to everyone individually. We would
teach a person then when it came to the next persons turn we had to teach it
again. After we finally got around the circle, which took about 20
minutes, we switched games and it still wasn't working so we just closed it and
had dinner.
If there ever was a sad point in my mission, this would be
it. The fact that a family could be so obsessed with their phones
literally sickens me. They couldn't take 10 minutes of listening to us or
30 seconds of instructions for one of the simplest games ever invented. I
honestly left that family home evening a little frustrated but even more
sorrowful. It is honestly sad to see the way families are changing.
Now I know I was definitely never enthusiastic about family home evenings, but
we need to give people more respect. Family Home Evenings are an
important thing to have very week. Its a time to come together, feel the
spirit, and bond. How can we bond if we are so enveloped in our world of
technology? My challenge to all of you is to value your time together
during family home evenings.
I am grateful that my parents invented the
electronics basket for family home evening. Now that I remember that, I
might install that rule when I go to the next family if it is permitted by the
parents because that was just sad. I know I am not a perfect missionary, I
still have many things to work on, and I am not even close to the best teacher
or at speaking Tagalog. But I know as I continue to try my absolute best I can
become the tool the Lord needs me to be. Lets try to spend a little less
time coming closer to the screens of our cell phones and a little closer to our
Savior. I know I can do it because I have been living without a phone for
over a year now!
Anyways, the rest of the week went pretty well. We
are really working with our investigators but they just stopped coming to
church. Hopefully we can pull them back! My companion is still
working with me to finish strong and I am happy to see him working with
me. I love all of my companions and I try to make them laugh as often as
possible, because who wants a serious companion?
Well, I love you all and
will talk to you next week!
Love,
Elder
Warren
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