Week 77: Tuesday November 25, 2014

Dear Family,

   This has been one of the best weeks of receiving letters that I have had my entire mission! My heart is so full. The pictures that everyone sent made my entire week. Everyone looks the same, but so different. I guess it's just weird for me to think that people are still living their lives and growing up. I can't believe that I am now officially under 6 months. It kind of feels like I am never going to go home. Anyway, thank you so much for your letters and pictures. Nothing makes me happier.

   This week has been awesome. It amazes me to see that even though I have been out for such a long time, there are still so many ways to learn and grow. I feel like I have grown so much in this past week. Lately, I have felt pretty tired and somewhat weak physically. In fact, on Monday I was having some stomach pains and struggled a bit throughout the day. Though it was difficult, I told myself not to complain and not to be negative. During my time of sickness I thought about the atonement of our Savior. My suffering at that moment in time was so insignificant compared to the suffering that He took upon himself for all of us. During this thanksgiving season, I have thought about all of the things that I am grateful for. I am so grateful for all of you. My family is the greatest gift that I have been given here on earth. I am so grateful for the gospel which provides the only way in which family can be together throughout the eternities. But most of all, I am grateful for the atonement of Jesus Christ, which allows us to repent, change, and progress each day. It's something that I cannot fully comprehend, but something that I know to be real and true. 

Transfer calls are on Monday, by the way. Does it not feel like that were just last week? I'll let you know what happens. I'm sure that I will be staying right here in Escalante.

   Happy Thanksgiving! I love you!

Elder Staheli. 

Week 76: Tuesday November 18, 2014

Dear Family,

   Happy Tuesday! Wait, don't I usually write on Wednesday? Well, we have a conference tomorrow in San Carlos which means that our preparation day is today this week. I'm excited to write regardless! This week has been exciting. Every single day in the mission is a new adventure! We have a family of 4 who is scheduled to be baptized next Saturday, the Ortaliz family. They are great! I am so excited to see them be baptized.

   Although we have had an awesome week of service among the people in our area, we have also spent some time serving the missionaries in our zone. We have spent a few days this week in the hospital assisting a sister missionary who is experiencing some health problems. She has had some trouble breathing and hives have broken out on her entire body. She has not been admitted into the hospital over night, but she has been going back each day for treatment. We did have a scary situation on Sunday night. After eating at a members home, the Sisters left to the hospital. Since we had not planned to go with them, we spent a few extra minutes at the members home. As we were eating and talking with the family, a young boy ran to the door screaming that the sister missionary had stopped breathing. Me and my companion jumped up and ran to the road where they were waiting for the bus. As I reached her, I found that we was still breathing, but with great difficulty. She was holding her companion in tears, inhaling and exhaling very quickly. Seeing that our areas are out in the middle of nowhere, public transportation sometimes takes 30 minutes or longer before anything passes by. We had no car and the hospital was about 10 miles away. After a few other things, a truck luckily passed by. We were able to flag it down, put her in the back, and head to the hospital. I don't have enough time to write down everything that happened, but needless to say we didn't get out of the hospital that night until around midnight. Right now she is fine. She did not even end up needing to spend the night at the hospital. She still has hives and pains, but she is currently doing okay. It's a miracle.

   There's your story of the week! It's been tiring, but enjoyable. We have an activity planned for today that I am excited about. We are just going to go to the chapel and play some games and relax. I will take pictures of all the fun! I love you!

Elder Staheli.

Week 75: Tuesday November 11, 2014

Dear family,

   Thanks for writing! I always love reading your letters, especially on weeks like this where I don't have much to write. Not much has happened this week that is out of the ordinary. It's been a pretty normal week. The work is going great and the ward is progressing so much! This past Sunday we had a record attendance of 126! The ward has never broken 120 until this past week, so everyone is very excited. We have so many awesome investigators in our area, many of which are preparing themselves for baptism! If everything goes well and works out the way that it should, we will be having some baptisms in our area in the next transfer or two.

   I am excited to see pictures of Axezelle's birthday party! That will be fun to see everyone dressed up so nice. Be sure to send lots of pictures!

   I wish that I had some fun stories to share or something, but I really don't! I took some awesome pictures this week! I began to upload them all, but then the computer froze and I had to transfer so only a few were uploaded. I will try again right now to upload some more. I know that you all love pictures just as much as I do...just be patient!

   Well, you will have to be satisfied with a shorter letter this week. Not much has happened. I'm really tired so that might have something to do with it as well. But just know that I love and miss you all!

Elder Staheli.

Week 74: Tuesday November 5, 2014

Dear Family,

   Happy Halloween! The pictures were so great and I loved everyone's e-mails. I loved the kids costumes as well. Good job! I hope Krue and Axzelle didn't get sick from all of the candy they got! My Halloween was fun. It's different here in the Philippines. There is no trick-or-treating. Halloween is a time of year to remember and celebrate the lives of those who have passed on. Actually, it's very religious and big amongst the Catholic and other Christian faiths, but in general, it is mostly just a cultural tradition. Halloween here is called "kalag-kalag". "Kalag" means "soul", and if translated to English means "all souls day". It actually takes place on the 1st and 2nd of November. Families go to the cemetery and just spend time with one another. For me personally, my day was no different than any other day. It was a great time to share the gospel, especially the plan of salvation.

   There's a small background as to what Halloween is in the Philippines, but the highlight of my week was our Missionary Leadership Council. This is the first time that I was able to attend MLC when I wasn't assigned 5 minutes away from the temple. What an experience! We have been traveling and having meetings for the last 3 days. I can't tell you how tired I am. It will make for some good journal entrees. The travel to Cebu was crazy. We ran into some...unusual circumstances and had to change our travel route. Needless to say, we arrived to the temple in Cebu at 4:00 am on Tuesday morning and had our meeting at 9:00 am. I have probably had about 12 hours of sleep in the past 2 and a half days. Today is our preparation day, so I  think that I am just going to go home and sleep for the rest of the day so that I can have some energy tomorrow. Despite the craziness of everything, MLC is still one of my very favorite things about my mission!

   It's been another awesome week. Things only get busier and there is not a day that goes by that I don't absolutely love. Thanks again for all of the pictures! Pictures are the best thing that you can send! I love you!

Elder Staheli.