WEEK 7-MTC

hey mom and dad,

i am not going to write a mass email today so if you would could you just send a nice little email and update them saying i am doing great. i feel so horrible that i forgot your birthday mom. i think about you every day and i hope you can feel my hugs even when i am not there. you know that i love you, and i am trying so hard to focus on the little time i have to serve a mission. i have realized that this will be the only time i have with just me and the lord so i need to make the most of it. there are times where i struggle and feel the pressure of being a missionary, but i feel like the more i focus and strive to be the best servant i can be, our family will be blessed in abundance. i just hope that you know that i am not wasting my time here like some other missionaries, and i really appreciate the love and support. i am ready to go to the Philippines with this message of love and forever families. our family will be forever and i am looking forward so much to the day when our whole family in standing in the presence of our father saying that we had done the best we could. i am constantly striving to improve myself as a son, a brother, and a missionary through applying the love that Christ shows for me, unto other people. my job here is to focus on the people i am serving, and there will be times that i forget about the family, and forget birthdays. but i feel like that is truly when i am focused the most on my purpose. my purpose as a missionary is on page 1 of preach my gospel, and i think for one family home evening you should teach about what missionaries really do. the whole first chapter is exactly what i will be doing for the next 2 years. so if there is ever a time when you are sad that i am gone, remember what i am doing. i feel so lucky and blessed to be part of our family, and i love you all with my entire heart. it is sad that i will miss some key events in the boys lives like Isaac's baptism, Adam receiving the Aaronic priesthood, and Sam graduating high school. along with Joyce's new baby, and just everybody growing up in general. i hope that you know and feel the prayers that i offer for you all. mom i am trying so hard to be an example for my younger brothers, and to show them that what i am doing is required for our salvation, because before we came to this earth i covenanted with heavenly father that i would serve a mission. all of your sons did. inspire love and care into their hearts. read the scriptures, pray, and feel the spirit together. i know that i have felt an extreme amount of blessings through such. keep our home wholesome, and make sure that it is a sanctuary from the world. i love you with all of my heart. i wish you and Isaac a happy birthday, and i just really want the best for our family. i feel your love daily, and i know without a doubt in my mind that i am here because of my parents. you helped me figure it out on my own. you didn't try to shove the gospel down my throat, and i was able to gain my own testimony because of that. be strong through all of the trials throughout this life because there is always a way. Jesus Christ is the way, and i promise if we look towards his example, our lives will be so much happier, and in turn, easier. i love you all and hope everything is well. i will represent our families name with dignity and respect, and will not let you down.

your son, Elder Jake William DeSchepper

Very First Letter from Elder DeSchepper sent September 7, 2011

I'm just getting around to posting Jake's very first written letter to us. Enjoy!

Familia!
Greetings from the Provo Missionary Training Center! I am writing a letter so soon because in our "get to know the presidency" meeting, the MTC President asked all of us to write a short letter to our families. Well today started off super great because while waiting for my shuttle in the SLC airport I met pro-skater Bucky Lasek. It was pretty legit. But now to the more important stuff. I have felt the spirit so strong here especially when we sang the "Army of Helaman" song and the part that says "We are NOW the Lord's missionaries." I have 2 companions, Elder Parkinson from good old Rexburg and Elder Seumanutafa from Brisbane, Australia. They are both super cool and we are all going to Cebu. There are only 5 Elders and 1 sister in our District, which is very small compared to the other Cebuano district which has 17. Anyways, I am so happy (ma'ayo ka'ayo in Cebuano) to be here on my mission preparing to serve the Lord in any way that I possibly can. I love and miss all of you but know this sacrifice is so small compared to the great sacrifice of our Savior Jesus Christ. I have a testimony of this Gospel and am thrilled to share it with the Filipino people. I would challenge the family to read at least one verse of the Book of Mormon everyday because it has changed my life, and I know our family will be blessed because of it. I need some pictures to put up here, so boys draw me some sweet drawings. Miss you and see you soon.

Much love,
Elder DeSchepper

WEEK 6 Email

MTC
COMPANIONS: Seumanutafa, Parkinson

Hello all who read this,
Well this has been a very good week for Elder DeSchepper. I have become very comfortable with speaking Cebuano only for long periods of time. I imagine that the sooner i forget all of my English the better. I am preparing the best that i possible can so upon my arrival in the Philippines there will not be any reason for me to not be able to teach. It will definitely take some time getting used to the culture, and being fluent in the language, but i have full confidence in my ability to speak through the Holy Ghost. This week has been very eye-opening for me, and i have received answers to prayers through diligence in seeking the spirit. It is true that all missionaries should have the Holy Ghost always, but recently i have had some experiences with some certain Elders where that has not been the case. I feel so honored and proud to wear the name of the savior of the world over my heart all day every day for two years. There was a story one man told in a devotional a while back where a man from Ecuador was baptized into the church, along with his family. Over the years this man and his wife were finally able to serve a mission, and that day when he pinned that tag onto his lapel, he never felt closer to Jesus Christ. It is amazing how this statement is only true if all of the missionaries heart, might, mind, and strength, is put into this work. I am happy to say that I feel worthy to wear this name tag and there is not a day where I take it for granted. It is really true how missionary work blesses the lives of missionaries along with all of those around. There was one day this week where my companions and I taught our teacher, Brother Morrey, a lesson about repentance. The spirit of the Holy Ghost was definitely apparent throughout the lesson, and it turned out to be a very emotional time for me. I am so grateful for the atonement of Jesus Christ in my life where I am able to repent and forsake all of my wrong-doings. Our Savior Jesus Christ has already suffered for the sins of the world, so there is no reason why repentance should not take place in each of our individual lives. I know that throughout all of our lives we will all make mistakes, and feel the sorrow that comes from sinning. Our father in heaven knows and loves each one of us so much that we have this wonderful opportunity to live our lives here on this earth. To learn and to grow in the ways that the Lord has asked of us. I testify that through all of the trials and the burdens we each face, there is a way. Jesus Christ is the light and the way for us to return to live in the presence of our father in heaven once again. I know this to be true for I have felt the love of God in my own life. I pray that we all find this in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

with all of my love, Elder Jake William DeSchepper

WEEK 5 Email

MTC
Companion: Elders Laxton, Seumanutafa, Parkinson

Kamusta pamilya ug mga amigo!!

So this week has been very good. Elder Laxton and I worked very hard, and our lessons were all very good. Throughout this week, we went to many meetings and doctor appointments for him to finally get cleared to leave. It was not looking to good, but just yesterday he was called to a district presidents office and was told to go get cleared by the doctor so he could leave. He is leaving today at 4:30. It has been good working with him and getting to know him, but i am so happy that he is finally getting to Cebu!! so I'll be back with Elder Seumanutafa and elder Parkinson until i leave which is good. well being a missionary is so hard, even here in the MTC. I cannot imagine how much harder it will get in the field, but i believe that is why lives are blessed so much by those serving missions. I am so proud of every single one of my friends who are serving missions, and setting an example for those around them. It is crazy how this is it. During the mission is when life changes and will never be the same. I'm scared and excited at the same time, but for now i know what i need to do, and what my purpose is. So one of my good friends from school was called to Brazil, but his visa didn't come, so he was reassigned to Long Beach!! I was super pumped to hear this from him, and so i hope he loves it there. There is also another Elder who was supposed to go to manila, but he has back problems so he was reassigned to San Diego, Tagalog speaking!! It is so exciting being here at the MTC meeting missionaries from all places, and all walks of life. Yesterday i met an Elder who is from Mexico city and is serving in japan!! It is so cool because in the span of talking to him for 5 minutes he was speaking 3 different languages. I miss you all, and I am struggling at times, but i feel the extra strength come from your prayers. I am so grateful for this once in a lifetime opportunity i have to forget my whole life, and just go to work. I am already surprised with how much i have grown since being here, and i cannot imagine how i am going to be in 2 years. it is going to be weird, but a good kind of weird. I really don't have much more to say so i am just going to share my testimony in Cebuano.

Missyonaryo ako, nga ang simbahan ni jesukristo sa mga santos sa ulahing mga adlaw. Nasayud ko nga, mao kini sa buhat ug sa himaya sa Dios. Ang pagpahinabo sa pagka-imortal ug sa kinabuhi nga dayon sa mga tawo. Ug akong katuyuan mao ang sa pagdapit sa mga tawo ni pilipinas sa pagpangutana sa Dios kon tinuod sa niining simbahan pinaagi pag-ampo, ug kanusa mobasa Ang Basahon ni Mormon. Nasayud ko nga manluluwas ug manunubos si Jesukristo. Siya nahigugma tanan sa mga katawhan, ug nasayud ko nga ako anak sa Dios. Mga anak kita niya. Makabalik kita sa iyang atubangan pinaagi mga pakigsaad, ug kon magpuyo atong mga kinabuhi mas maayo. Ecsited ko sa pagtudlo mga gamay pilipinos. Mao kini ang tinuod nga ebanghelyo. Naghubad si Joseph Smith ang basahon ni mormon. ug salamat ko para niana. Nagpasalamat para tanan sa inyong mga ehemplo kanako. sa ngalan ni Jesukristo, Amen.

WEEK 4 Email

What is up family!!!

I am having such a great time here at the MTC learning and growing exponentially every day. It is just so awesome thinking that just about a month ago i had no idea what Cebuano sounded like and now i am teaching 40 minute lessons in just Cebuano. that is the spirit right there. i am so happy because i get to see my homie Elder Carpenter all the time when we have devotionals and i run into him at the bookstore from time to time. He is just great in speaking his Spanish and it is awesome seeing him and i go through this awesome experience. This morning my companion Elder Laxton had a dentist appointment, and we shuttled there with two other companionships of elders. Through talking I found out that one of the elders was from star valley and was on Elder McDonell's soccer team!!! it was so crazy and special to tell this Elder about Ian and his mission. I am grateful for Ian's example in my life, and this morning, my testimony was strengthened exponentially of examples.

Well General Conference was amazing this weekend, and it was crazy how much they talked about missionary work, and how there is a need for many more missionaries. I support the General Authorities, and I am so grateful to be fulfilling a wenderful thing in which my father in heaven will be so pleased. Elder Laxton and I have a method of teaching that really works, and in just this past week of being his companion i have learned heaps from him. We taught about Jesus Christ and his life/atonement yesterday using pictures, and it just went so well. I was asked such a difficult question during the lesson by our investigator(teacher) which was, "So you say Jesus suffered for all of our sins... how do you know that. i don't believe that he suffered for my sins..." At this point i was freaking out on the inside like ummm what do i say. I said a prayer in my heart that the spirit would guide my words, and through the spirit (and in Cebuano) i told him that i was not there that night in the garden to see Christ suffer for my sins, but i know in my heart that he did this for you and for me. The room went quiet for a bit, and i knew the spirit was working in this man's heart. (even though he is not a real investigator, the spirit will still do its part while we are training here at the MTC, and maybe even strengthen this specific individual.) we then challenged him to read the book of Mormon, and promised him of the blessings that will come of it. With Elder Laxton, we have started to read the book of Mormon and basahon ni mormon side by side in order to learn more Cebuano. i know this is helping so much, and through our efforts we will be blessed with sa gasa sa pinalongan (the gift of tongues). Doing this has helped us learn more vocabulary, and also speak with a better Filipino accent.

I just want to say thanks for all of the love and support i have received, and for the many prayers. I feel like I am part of the army of Helaman serving my god and bringing others unto Christ. I LOVE BEING A MISSIONARY. i know i am where the lord wants me to be at this time in my life and I have been promised blessings if i put forth all of my efforts. I would exhort my younger brothers and all family and friends to remember what Elder Holland said and remember that "In this family, we serve missions." well i am just so happy and tired and am feeling all of the emotions of being a missionary. I miss and love you all, and will see you soon! Kini mao ang akong kinabuhi. Ang kinabuhi sa usa misyonaryo.

much love, Elder DeSchepper