"There’s one responsibility which no man can evade, that’s the responsibility of personal influence. It’s what you are, not what you pretend to be, that matters." David O. McKay
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Wednesday, March 14, 2012

Photos!


This was a csp we did for members in Siaton. We planted rice.
So smelly, but really fun!!
This was a csp we did in Amlan.
We built a wall so when the school floods the classrooms wont get too wet.

Just throwing around the pigskin after the csp... haha


This is how i look after losing Filipino games,
if you make a mistake you get stuff put on your face. Super fun!

Elder Plandiano, myself, and president Schmutz after our last zone conference

We hiked to this waterfall for a district activity which was way sick.
It would have been so nice to swim there :P







maayong hapon

Good Afternoon.

so the culture here is that usually when you pass someone on the street or something you say good morning, good noon, good afternoon or good evening (in Cebuano), but it always happens that when they see me (an Americano) they speak English. the funniest part is when i reply in visayan and they are shocked. haha i love it because Filipino's are so funny when they get shocked or surprised. well this week has been very successful, we have reactivated a good amount of members here in the branch, and there were 88 people who went to church last week. i am so happy because the number keeps going up. hopefully we can break 100 before i transfer. transfer calls came earlier today and i am staying here for another 6 weeks. it is so great that maybe, hopefully i can actually reach my goal. that would be such a miracle. we had Exequil and Marykris, two investigators attend church, and i knew they felt the spirit, and like they were at home. we are going to teach them again on Saturday and i am excited to see how they felt about church. we also had two referrals come to church that we did not know before so that is super great. i am so happy here, and i love everything. it is going to be difficult leaving my first area, but i still have some time which is good. haha i think we are going to roast a whole pig when i transfer. that will be fun. haha well the work is great, and i am still learning more and more everyday. my companion is great.he is so funny, when he gets a little irritated he speaks English to me, and Tagalog to everyone else. but it is fine. i love him, and tell him every night, but he still has not said it back to me. but he is great,. and we love this time we have. well yeah i love my mission and would not trade it for anything else in the entire world. this time goes so fast though... :( but it is good i know my time is short so i will try to make it the most effective as possible. well thank you all for the support, and the love. stay sweet.

Much love, Elder DeSchepper

Tuesday, March 6, 2012

6 months human na... walay claro

hello there. thanks for tuning in to read this email. if you are currently reading this know that i love you and am so grateful for everything that you have done for me. every one of you has had an effect on my life and mission.

WELL... i am kind of sad right now because i am already 1/4 done with my mission, but am happy with the success and the blessings i have received until this point. the work is so great here in Siaton. the members are all so supportive of the missionary work here and are always willing and ready to help with referrals and being present for lessons to investigators. i really love all of the people here!! last night we had a family home evening/birthday party for a tatay in the branch who is a convert of one year. it was so much fun!! the food was so yummy that we ate and we played some games that were super fun too. the best part though, was that we taught a lesson about the temple, and how we always need to have our focus pointed towards it. i was also able to exhort tatay Romero and his wife to prepare now to be sealed for time and all eternity so when his wife hits her one year mark (july 2) they can enter into that covenant. so special and exciting!!! it was also great because their son, who is not a member, was present for the lesson and the whole activity. it was so much fun and the spirit was really strong as well. my life is so great being a missionary. it is really hard at times, but i know in my heart that the reward is indescribable and so much greater than the sacrifice. it is so awesome having the many promises directly from heavenly father to us through the Book of Mormon, and other scriptures. i love the fact that the knowledge i have gained through the holy ghost concerning the eternal welfare of us all can be a motivating factor in being diligent and obedient as a missionary. i really love this special time i have here, and with only 18 months left to go it is crunch time to teach and preach to as many people as i possibly can. thanks for all of the prayers and love i feel that keeps me going every day. stay firm in the faith. i know god lives and loves us all. Jesus Christ is the redeemer of all mankind. Don't ever forget that.

much love, Elder DeSchepper