Week 12: Tuesday August 27, 2013

Family,

   How the heck are you! Great, I'm sure. So. . . transfer day! Before I tell you the results I want to preface it with this: As you know, I have been having a really tough time with my companion I have not known how I was going to get through it all. So, I have been trying my very hardest to try & get along with him. Because of this effort, & through much prayer, these last few weeks with him have been great! It's amazing what can happen if you try to have a positive attitude. This is one of many lessons I have learned thus far. Now, the results! My companion is transferring to the island of Negros where he will be a zone leader. I'm excited for him, but at the same time a little bit disappointed. I never thought I would say that. My new companion will be Elder Walker. He gets here tomorrow. I have met him & he seems super nice so I am excited. Seeing that I am staying, that means that I, only being in my 2nd transfer here, will be leading the area. I am a little nervous, but I know the people pretty well & where they live so it will be fine I think.

   Man, things have been great the last few weeks. I don't know, maybe it I'm just getting used to it. I'm just sick of being miserable all the time. Like I said, this is my 2nd transfer here & I did the math & figured out that I only have 14 more transfer days until I come home! That makes it sound so quick! Whoa, it's kind of crazy. I've been out for 3 months now. Weird.

   Hunter is now a missionary! I'm so excited. He's going to be amazing.

   I LOVED the videos & voice memo! I get them so keep them coming! Not really sure how to do that dropbox thing Starr... Oh well. I love all of your letters all the time. They make me so happy. Fun fact, when I arrived here I weighed 190. I now weigh 170! It's going fast! I do think it's partially because I seem to be having a hard time eating things here, or at least eating large quantities. Hopefully it will pass soon. I will have to hit the weights hard with Chad when I get back.

   It looks like you had fun in Orlando, Casey & Chantyl. Love the pictures! Grandma, sorry for my spelling error. It won't happen again. That's cool that you got a new car! Thank you Seager & Chad for the words of encouragement!  I also like how Seager signed his letter with "Swag & Jazz". Dad, I have heard the Elder Glines is here. I'm not sure where, though. Also, Elder Rainey is in Cebu East now so I won't be able to see him. Mom, thanks for the copy of my patriarchal blessing! I've been wanting to read it.

   Oh! This is mostly for Chad, but it's for all of you too. I learned to make the BEST dessert ever! It's called a mango float! It is nothing like a root beer float so don't think that. Anyway, I will make it for you when I get home & you will thank me because it's AMAZING! So good.

   Well, we're going to hike up to some waterfalls right now, so I will take some pictures for you all. Love you & miss you!

-Elder Staheli

8.22.2013

8.25.2013

8.27.2013

Week 11: Tuesday August 20, 2013

Family,

   Great to hear from you all! I'm so happy that you sent me pictures! Maddie, the yard looks awesome! I haven't seen the grass yet; I can't wait to see it in person. Quick question! Are those shoes Krue is wearing the new Addidas? Because if they are I am super jealous! I wanted to get them before I left but they weren't out yet! Maybe, if you love me enough, you would want to get them for me so I could have them when I get back? Awesome, thanks. Dax is so chubby! He looks absolutely nothing like when I left. It's crazy. I miss him so much! Dad, I never heard of the boat that was hit. Also, my scriptures haven't arrived yet. I'm sure they will soon. Grandma, I am getting your e-mails so no need to stress. Also, I appreciate you putting the picture of Jesus on the packages, I'm sure this will be very convincing to anyone thinking of stealing them not to do so.

   Oh, that girl we "cast a spirit out of", has gotten worse. All she does is lay in bed all day & listen to music & cry. I really think that she has some mental problems & needs to go to Cebu & see a doctor. We suggested this to the mother who said that she would, but they don't have any money. Well, it's kind of funny because it only take 200 pisos to get to Cebu (honestly we could have gotten her a ride for free) & right after we suggested this she turned around & spent 500 pisos to have a Catholic priest come over & "bless her & the house". To her amazement...nothing happened! Weird. Well, let's just say we aren't going back there anymore until they come to their senses & request us.

   Dad, it's funny that you said you have been listening to those songs. Here in the Philippines, I think it's hilarious/great, all they ever listen to is American music. Everywhere you go you will here America's top 40's. I hear that Fun. ft. Pink song all the time. Also, the other day I heard Secondhand Serenade playing. I've heard Dashboard Confessional, some 90's music, etc. Really amusing however, is that they LOVE oldies music. I constantly hear old 80's ballads just jamming so loud! It's hilarious. Even when we are out in the jungle. For example, I was on splits & we are way in the bukid, & just BLARING is Thrift Shop (unedited I might add) by Macklmore. So funny. Anyways, I like it honestly because I get to hear music.

   So, it's a weird feeling knowing that school has started & I will never go back. I have college of course, but that's different. I'm going to miss going to football games, playing basketball, talking after school for hours in Jeff's truck. I know I complained a lot, but high school was so fun.

   Yeah, I live in a regular apartment. We have regular beds. One thing though, is that there is NO carpet here. I miss carpet... It's all tile or dirt. Kind of a bummer. I write a lot of people. Well, mostly just Hunter, Jeff, & Chipper (obviously) Noelle, Maitlyn, Brooke, Josh, & today I got a letter from Mckade which I'm WAY excited about! Even though he moved & we didn't hang out all the time, Mckade is & will always be one of my best friends. Honestly, he's the first friend that I remember having.

  I know that I am helping the people & I'm doing a good thing. God is just putting me through trials to build my faith & strength. I didn't mean to make it sound so depressing. I think that as I keep working hard, the love will come. Like I said, it's hard but I just need to have faith.

   Well, like I said, not much to report. Things are just hot over here & I'm always fall-on-my-face tired. Seriously, I don't even understand it. All I do is walk around & talk to people & I have never, not even during hell week in football, been this tired in my life. I'm seriously disillusion half of the time. Anyways, I'm excited for Hunter to leave. He wants to be a missionary so bad & he's finally doing it so I am so happy for him. Brad, too! They will be great missionaries.

   As always, I love you, miss you, & wish I was with you.

-Elder Staheli

8.20.2013

Week 10: Tuesday August 13, 2013

Family,

   I finally have some pictures to send! Hopefully you get them & everything works out alright. I have some pictures from the MTC as well as pictures from here in the Philippines. 

   It sounds like everyone is doing well! I love all of the pictures that you have sent me! Krue's invitation is awesome & it sounds like his party was likewise. That picture of Dax is also awesome. Where were you? I don't recognize the place? Not super important, just curious. I'm glad that I am not forgotten & that I am talked & thought about often. I appreciate your words of encouragement. Chad, that stick ball game sounds rad. It sounds like a good way to keep entertained also. Maddie & Matt, it sounds like the family has kept quite busy with fun things this summer! Jazzy & Seager, too! It all sounds awesome & I can't wait to join you when I return. 

   So, an update regarding our companionship. Mostly we're just quiet around each other & keep to ourselves, but I am trying to do better at the things he has complained about so that he is happier. I realize that there are probably going to be situations later in life where I will have to deal with many different kinds of people, maybe in my job or whatever, so I figure it's better to act rather than be acted upon.

   Let me just say that the picture book that you made me has been the best thing that you could have done. I look at it every night & even though it in some ways it makes me miss home even more, it really helps knowing that eventually I will be able to return to you all & that what I am doing now is hopefully benefiting you all as well as myself. In all honesty, my motivation to stay out here is because I hope to help my family, present & future. I know that the purpose of this work is to help the people of the Philippines, & I am excited & grateful to be doing that, but knowing that I am blessing the people that I care about the most, as well as receiving personal growth, is what makes me really want to stay out here. 

   So, last Saturday as well as this coming Saturday, we have been teaching an English class at the chapel. We have an alright turn-out & I really enjoy it because finally I am the one who is teaching them how to speak. It's really funny, too. The way that some people say things are hilarious. Generally the younger people are better at speaking in English because they are being taught in English from the first day they start school. Also, if you want to go to college here, you must know English because that's the only language they teach in. It's funny though, because they don't have some letters that we do, for example, they don't have an "F". They use a "P" instead of "F" so when they say "Philippines" it really sounds like "Pilipinas". That is just one example, but it's pretty funny.

   Also, I am able to play the piano for about a half hour to an hour every week. It is incredibly relaxing & allows me to calm down & feel happy. I get to do this on Sunday's after church because we usually have records to put into the computer but since it doesn't take two people to do that, I just go & play the piano while my companion does it. It's super nice.

   Some days, I feel like I am almost fluent & other days I feel like I know nothing. Sometimes it just depends on the person because some people speak super fast & others speak slower like English. I just have to start learning the vocabulary now for things other than words pertaining to the church & gospel. Even though I need to keep improving on those, I know most of them so now I just need to start learning everyday things & practice using those. The other day I was speaking to someone while on splits & I was having a full conversation with her, not about church, & she asked how long I have been out & I told her that I have been here for one month. She was incredibly shocked, so that made me feel good because that must mean that I am learning pretty quickly.

   We go on splits almost every week. I love it because I get to spend a day with someone else. I get along great with all of the other missionaries! Transfer day is in two weeks I think, so we will see what happens. 

   It's so weird that school is already starting up again. It seems like I didn't even have a summer (because I didn't)! That makes me feel good though because summer went by fast which hopefully means things will continue to move quickly! It's kind of a bummer, though. I miss school shopping. You guys will just have to take me when I get home since I gave all of my clothes away!

   Chad, I have an assignment for you. I know how much you like movies, so I want you to start writing down any movies that come out that are worth seeing! I miss movies... Sometimes when we are waiting in a house for someone they will have to t.v. on & I will get to watch a little bit. I caught about 20 minutes of basketball the other night! European basketball, though. It's funny because they are all so terrible. Also, the most popular show over here is a show called "Anneliza". Everybody loves it! It's just a drama but it makes me laugh because if it aired in America, it wouldn't last past the first episode. It is by far the cheesiest soap opera that has ever been produced. It's like they watch an American show & try to copy it, but they just made it terrible. The people here love it though so it just makes me laugh. 

   Alight! Time for the crazy story of the week! So, on Friday we are at a birthday party for our Branch President's daughter, & there is this girl sitting at a table all by herself, crying. So we go over there & ask her what's wrong & she tells us that she has just seen a spirit. She said the spirit was a dark figure holding a knife. Well, we were in a hurry to go to an appointment, so we told her that we would come back & talk to her. We go back that night & she seems to be doing better, though still a little shaken, so we give her a blessing. Thinking all is well, we return to the apartment for the night. So, the next day we are out working & it's about 6:00 which is when it starts to get dark here. Our Branch President rides up to us & asks us if we can go back to the house because something is going on there. We agree & start heading back. It's almost dark when we get there & we go in & at first I didn't notice anything crazy. There were about 20 people in the small one room house, so that was a little weird. All of a sudden I hear a shriek, look on the bed & the girl we gave a blessing to the night before is being held down by 4 people! She is screaming, trying to get free, & she was screaming things like "Magkita ko sa akong lola!" (I see my grandma.) & she was saying how the spirit told her to get a knife & kill her neighbors. Not knowing what to do, we got the oil out & gave her a blessing. As soon as the oil touched her head she started freaking out! But, we pushed through it & gave her a blessing, "casting out" the demon that was inside her. After the blessing she calmed down a little bit. She didn't speak the rest of the night. Upon leaving a few hours later, I told my companion that I'm not so sure she was possessed. He thought I was crazy because he said that he was scared out of his mind. I told him that I don't think there was because from the second I walked in & throughout the entire time, I didn't feel a dark or bad presence or feeling at all. I know that our family has the tendency to be very sensitive to those kinds of things, so I just didn't think that there was a spirit. We was convinced otherwise. However, the next day we learned that she was just having a mental breakdown. Apparently she came from a very abusive home & her neighbors were quite mean towards her. It's a very sad story, but just as I thought, she was not possessed. She is receiving help now, though I'm not sure how good of help. I hear she went to a witch doctor so we may be actually casting out a real spirit here in a few days!

   Well, only 92 weeks to go! Or you could say that there are only 15 transfer days left! Yeah, I've figured it all out. Oh, just to clarify, the address I sent you is the address of the mission home. It is not the same as my call letter says. It was changed. Trust me, just send whatever you need to that address. Love & miss you all like crazy! I hope you get the pictures!

-Elder Staheli

Week 9: Tuesday August 6, 2013

Family,

   KRUE! HAPPY BIRTHDAY! I miss you soooo much, buddy! I hope you have the best birthday party ever! I can't believe you are turning 5! You are getting SO big! I want to see so many pictures of you at your party! I want to see what you got! I hear it's a turtle theme, that's awesome! It's going to be so much fun! I love you & miss you, buddy!

   Before starting I just want you all to know how much I appreciate your letters, thoughts, questions, concerns, etc. When I am having a bad day or perhaps a rough week, it always makes me feel so much better reading your letters & it gives me the strength to keep going another week. Now, having read that, you may have guessed that I had another hard week this week.

   Things here are becoming more natural & normal to me, but they are still very difficult & often times very inconvenient. Casey, in your letter you mentioned that you didn't have a hot shower for the duration of your mission, even in winter. I can't imagine how you did it, especially in the winter! I, like you, will also not have the luxury of having a hot shower until I return. Granted, I do not have to go through a winter when there is snow on the ground. Taking a cold shower here reminds me a little bit of working at the pool, specifically SHAC during the winter time. The leisure pool is warm, but the lap pool is always freezing & whenever we had in-service we would have to get in & do our laps/training. I would always dread it because it was cold outside & then we had to get into the cold pool. Well, my showers are a little bit like this. Even though it is hot outside, once we get into the apartment & turn the fans on, we cool down a bit so by the time I get to the shower, I am back to "normal" temperature.  Getting in the shower is like getting into the cold pool. You are hesitant, but once you "man up" & just go for it, it feels great once you are in. I just wrote a paragraph on how my showers are. That's awesome. You can tell a lot has happened this week. . .

   So, let me just tell you a little bit about my companion. Well, he, like myself, is a pretty quite person, especially around people he doesn't really know. Therefore, there is not much conversation between us. The most we talk is when we are teaching or doing companionship study. One thing that is good about him is that he is a very hard worker. We teach many people each day & always have over 25 lessons a week & over 100 people contacted on the street. The couple I told you about last time came to church on Sunday! They are really progressing, but they still have to get married before they can be baptized. The language is always improving, little by little. I feel like I can find a way to say pretty much whatever I want, & even though I still don't fully understand them, I am starting to pick up & understand more & more.

   Grandma at Lagoon sounds HILARIOUS! I can just picture her in my mind, riding the ride, & I can't help but laugh. It sounds like you all had such a fun weekend together. I wish I could have been there! But I couldn't. I'm here. 7,000 miles away. In the Philippines. Chantyl, your awkwardness also sound hilarious. I laugh just thinking about you trying to teach & play with the little kids. But don't worry, you'll get the hang of it! I'm sure they love you! Chad, California sounded awesome! I remember playing sand whiffle ball with dad & our cousins when we would go & I too always enjoyed that more than the game itself. Starr that picture that you sent of Dax is crazy! He doesn't even look the same from when I left. He's getting chubby! He's so tall, too! He has his eyes open! I bet he does all the time now. I miss the little guy.
 My most missed food is probably. . . I don't know, I miss everything! I would say sushi, but I am sick of rice. I really miss Cafe Rio. I miss good old American food like mashed potatoes & gravy with ribs, chicken, meat, corn, etc. I miss Coldstone! OH! I miss MILK so much! They don't have milk here, only in some places & even then it's not fresh milk. I really miss Dr. Pepper. I miss my chips so much. My potato chips. If you send a package send me like a family size of those Ruffles. & every other kind of chips you can think of. My favorite snacks here. . . We have this bakery outside of our apartment that is way good! They have like cinnamon buns, bread with sugar, just a bunch of different things that are way good. Unfortunately, I  haven't seen any Belut yet. I want to try it. If you don't know what it is, google it. But yeah, I'll probably come back weighing like 125. I was 190 when I left, there's no way I am keeping that. Chad, I want to start working out with you when I get back. I have to get buff again & look good for the ladies. Also, I have consistently kept a total of about 30 mosquito bites since I have arrived. The worst part is that you can't feel them land on you like you can a fly. I don't know how, but they somehow get to my legs as well. It "bites". I'm hilarious! I always forget to send pictures. Sorry, I will try to next week. But in return I would like some pictures from you guys! Especially at Krue's party!  By the way, I want to see the finished backyard! Jazz & Seag had their grass put in right? I bet it looks awesome! I can't wait to play some football on it.

   If everyone could send me their address's, that would be awesome. Just in case I need/want to send something, then I will have it. Well, I guess that's about it from me. I miss you all very much. I can't wait to see you all again. I love you.

-Elder Staheli

8.1.13

 8.5.13

 8.5.13

8.5.13

8.6.13

Week 8: Tuesday July 31, 2013

Family,

   Well, there's lots to say about this week! I'm not sure where to start. Oh, let me tell you something crazy that happened a few nights ago! I will get to the spiritual stuff later...

   So, we are out teaching & we are walking up to a home. It's dark outside & all of a sudden there are a ton of people running down the street. Elder Woods asked what was going on & someone answered saying that someone had been killed! The people of the house we were about to teach at came out & we started talking. We talked for a little while, went & taught a lesson, & then our branch President came & drove us home. He explained everything (if you have a woozy stomach, maybe don't read this): So apparently there was this family, a mom, a dad, & three children. The children are all grown up though, like 30 or whatever. Anyway, apparently they were mad at this person, I don't know why, so they all got drunk & went & found this person. After arguing, one of them pulled out a machete (very common here, everyone has one) & stabs the person in the stomach! After that, they stab him in the head, (here comes the messed up part) then they "butchered him like a pig". How crazy is that! This is definitely not America anymore. They caught the parents & daughter, but I don't think they have found the two sons yet. Anyway, I just thought I'd let you know. I wanted to go look for the two sons, but my companion was too scared. Whatever.

   Good news! I finally adjusted, or am in the middle of adjusting to, the Philippines! In other words, I'm sick as a dog. I knew it would happen eventually. I guess it's better to get it over with soon. The good thing is, when we went shopping at the supermarket last week, I found toilet paper & stocked up! Just in time. Well, I'm getting a little better, but my stomach still occasionally feels like it is in knots. It sucks! I've started eating a little again though, so that's good.

   Alright, on to some spiritual stuff. We have been teaching many families.Unfortunately, all but one family are in-active. In-activity is an incredibly big problem here. In the Philippines, there are about 600,000 members, but only around 120,000 active. Therefore, we are considered a "rescue mission". We spend just about all of our time bringing people back to activity. Just as I arrived however, mission president re-emphasized that we still need to find & baptize. That is our purpose. We have this couple investigating right now that are such great people & seem so excited about the gospel. Her name is Rina & his name is Jun-Jun. They have a baby boy & are living together. Here, if you are not going to college, you have a baby & move in together. That's just how it is. I would say almost every single girl by at least age 20 is either pregnant or already has a kid. Anyway, this couple seems way excited, we just have to get them married before they can be baptized. Marriage also is not very common so that is hard. People don't see why they need to be married. The people here are generally very kind, but let me just say that the Philippines is a very wicked place. There are all sorts of crazy & sinful things here. Everyone smokes & drinks. Nobody lives together. Just everything, it's very hard here. 

   Another kind of cool experience happened a few nights ago. We were about done for the day so we start walking home, but we want to do some proselyting first. We have to F.T.E. (find the elect) at least 100 people a week. It was our last day & we needed about 20 more. We see this truck with about 25 people in the back, so we head over there. It was dark & pouring rain. (It has rained here more than it has been hot, it's great!)  So we, and by we I mean my companion because I still hardly understand what people are saying to me, start teaching these people. They are all sitting there smoking, & it turns out that they were just returning home from church (ironic, I know). So we start teaching about the Word of Wisdom, naturally. It was just kind of funny, sitting there in the poring rain, not understanding what anyone is saying. I'm not sure we touched anyone's heart, but it was a fun experience. 

   I have been listening to a song a lot lately that has really helped & inspired me to try harder & keep going. It's called "Who Will be the Real Hero?" It's the main song in the Tyler Wilkinson movie. It is so inspiring & there are a few lines especially that stick out to me. "Heroes know it's when the going gets rough, a heroes made." How can I expect this to be easy if I'm supposed to grow from it? Nobody ever said "Oh, that guy's my hero - he did nothing." In order to reach our full potential & become heroes, we have to give it everything we have. We have to pay a price. The only thing is, not everyone is willing to pay it. "Heroes know the real victories in life are 1 on 1." It's when we exceed our own expectations, not those of others, that we become great. We all have internal struggles & challenges & the only time we grow & become stronger is when we learn to overcome them. I am faced with an incredibly big trial right now. While some may find it easy to serve a mission, it is very hard to me. It hasn't come easy. But this week marks my 2 month mark, which means time is passing. For you all, it may seem like the time is flying bye, but for me, not so much. Hopefully as I begin to conquer these challenges, time will move more quickly. All I know is that even though this is by far the hardest thing I have ever done in my life, if I am able to overcome it, that means that I will grow the most that I ever have in my life. I know that if I am able to achieve these next 22 months successfully, I will be a hero. I don't only want to be a hero to the people here in the Philippines, but I want to be a hero to my family & friends back home as well. I want to be a hero to my future wife & children. I believe the greatest compliment I could receive is that I was someone's hero. By doing what I am doing, I am learning to become a real hero.

   Well, thanks for your letters! Know that I read them & don't feel bad if I don't have time to respond to all of your questions. I have some time though, so let me answer a few. We meet on Sunday at a small chapel that the church built in a small burangay (basically a neighborhood) named Tutay. It's by far the nicest building here. It's a real chapel, like the one's back home, just smaller & a little different. We have about 90 people in our Branch, probably about 50 of which are active. When we don't go out to eat, we make our own food at home with food we buy at the supermarket. Spaghetti, noodles, pasta, toast, I even found ramen noodles!  Also, we hand wash our clothes. It sucks & it takes forever. I don't really mind though. I just listen to my I-pod & think. Chad, I'm holding you to that promise of going to some games when I get back - you're buying, of course. We don't really get to go onto the beach or stand in the water at all. Kind of a bummer, but oh well. I don't really like the beach/ocean that much so I don't care. I don't really remember any other questions. Sorry! 

 The address:

  Gorordo Avenue

  Barangay Lahug

  Cebu City

  6000 Cebu

  Philippines

If anyone wants to send me anything.... I do miss American chips, obviously, could use another pair of those glasses (Maddie) & whatever else you can think of! Maybe for Christmas or something. It's probably expensive so I don't really want you to send packages if it's expensive. But, there you go! 

   P.S. Jeff is now a missionary! I'm super excited for him. Hunter only has about 1 month to go!

   Love you all! Miss you! 

-Elder Staheli

7.29.13