Week 53: In the Hollow of His Hands, Holy Ghost, and Tatay Nestor's Gratitude

The story that Elder Watkins refers to happened on the way home from celebrating Daniella's birthday (the little girl in the first picture) with a spaghetti dinner and Family Home Evening. Elder Watkins, Elder Ofiana, their room mates, and others traveling with them stopped to aid a blood-covered man they thought was injured in an accident. It turns out, the blood wasn't his, he was drunk and carrying a gun, and threatened to shoot Elder Watkins. Fortunately, none in their group was hurt, and the man was escorted home. He did not remember their encounter the next day. I am grateful for a loving Heavenly Father who hold His missionaries in the hollow of his hands. 

Hey Family :)

So this week was a superrr exciting week! I'm sure Mom and Dad have shared the story with you about the crazy dude already, so I'll just skip that  :) but it was a way good experience for the memories and journal entry haha. How many people can say they have been asked, "if they've wanted to be shot?"  probably not very many :)

Anyways this week is transfers... So this Wednesday I will find out where I am going and then Thursday I will either be staying the same or traveling somewhere new in the Philippines! I am really sad to leave if I do.. I really am close to the people here, and especially a lot of the investigators and people we've baptized... I'm going to miss them a ton regardless of leaving this week or in 6 more...

One story that was a cool experience for me:
So we have been teaching Robin for like 3 months now! and the first 1 1/2 months his wife Jeraldine would always leave and go hide in a different room when we came over...she is crazy shy. I could never even get to the point of shaking her hand. One day randomly she started listening and letting us teach her, and now we are like best friends and she came to church yesterday! She even let us know of her desire to be married and baptized... Well, yesterday at church in class, the lesson was the Holy Ghost. She was asked by another Elder who was teaching the class is she has ever felt the Holy Ghost in her life. She responded yes, and shared her experience. She was say how she was super shy and whenever Elder Ofiana and I would come over, she would always listen in the next room over. She said, "every time they came over, something told me to listen to them. I was scared to join them in the room, but I would just listen. I knew what they were teaching wasn't bad, because when they taught I felt good about what they were teaching. I finally got the courage to talk to them and now it has changed me. And now here I am at your church."

Yesterday, as well, we went to Tatay Nestor's house after he attended church. We had a lesson on daily scripture study. At the end of the lesson I asked if he had any questions, and he said no, just something to say. He went off and cried about how grateful he is that we teach him. He said I see your efforts coming to my house even when it is flooded or rainy. You came even when I couldn't come to church. He then talked about how he is praying for his health to get better so he can go to church and be baptized...

I think the Lord may be revealing stories like these to me because I may be leaving the area this week...The more I think about it, the more I want to stay...The more I think about missing the people, it just makes me more sad, but I will go where He wants me to go.

I am so grateful to be a missionary and share the Gospel of Jesus Christ with the people of the Philippines. I am a first had witness that it changes lives. I love being a missionary.

Love you all,
Elder Watkins

Celebrating Daniella's birthday with a spaghetti dinner and
Family Home Evening. 

This is me and a grandma that we taught.

This is what part of our area looked like after the storm. The area flooded and those
are trees submerged in water...It's like 10- 15 feet deep.

This is Robin and his family after going to church. In a letter to me, he wrote
that he wants his whole family to be baptized and go to the temple.
Super cool family! Love them to bits :)

This is Tatay Nestor and some of his grandkids. He is prolly one of the cooler people
I have met in the mission. In this little city, I'm like the barkada leader of all the little kids.
Barkada is like a gang haha. All the kids here know me :)

Week 52: Little Acts of Service, Acting on Promptings, and Preparing to Receive Blessings

Hello Everyone!

I am now officially over my year mark and it was great :) I received the package and than you very much :) My kabahay (roommates) and I have already plowed through the M&Ms, Sour Patch, 2 bags of jerky, 1 mixed berry jam, and a jar of Biscoff :) You could say life is sweet :) On my year mark we made some bomb french toast, and topped it with the jam, Biscoff, and of course syrup. Everyone was a big fan :) Thanks Mom and fam! You're the best! Speaking of food, I learned how cook chicken curry this week. It was the bomb. This week I'm learning how to cook sweet and sour chicken and tinola. I'm pretty pumped! Elder Drake and I are into cooking and learning new dishes now :)

I just want to tell you how much little acts of service mean to people. Specifically me. Sometimes you wake up and it is not under ideal circumstances. Sometimes you feel like poop and are not in the best mood haha. Well, I had one of those days this morning. I went to work out and when I came back, my companion made my bed and cleaned the kitchen! I came back in and just could not continue my mood! I was instantly happy! I'm not sure if he know that I woke up not happy or what, but he served me and now it totally changed my whole day. He probably to this second doesn't even know he changed my mood for the entire day :) He's a great companion.

The Lord always has blessings for us. Most of the time he tries us before they come. As a missionary, your blessings are way different. Blessings are new people to teach, when others read the Book of Mormon or go to church. It is really cool as a missionary that much of your happiness is derived from others living the Gospel. Anyways, one day this week we had been walking for who seriously know how long without even talking to a single person or teaching anyone. It was absolutely pouring rain and since my umbrella broke, we were sharing my companion's...We were SOAKED. It's very difficult here to find people to talk to in the rain because, of course, everyone is inside. It would have been really easy to say, "Oh let's just take a break and wait out he storm under that pavilion" or some kind of excuse, but we just kept walking. Not really knowing where to go, we decided we would go to a less active family that is never home...  Turns out they were home and actually let us in to teach them! We taught a lesson on love, then at the end I felt prompted to apply what I read earlier in my personal study "Ask everyone for referrals" So I asked. Turns out they said they would look and get back to us on Thursday. Well, we returned and boom! They had two super prepared investigators who were ready to receive the Gospel. Even yesterday they came to church, and then invited us over to teach them at their house after church again. Way cool.

I just think what if we took a break, and didn't continue? or we didn't ask for a referral? The Lord always has countless blessing for us, but we need to ready ourselves to receive them.

Love you all! Hope you have a great week!
Elder Watkins

This is Barangay Santiago!! haha family!

Elder Ofiana and me after a rainy day

Elder Ofiana and Elder Watkins enjoying some Hump Day french toast.
Elder Watkins is holding an adorable camel that makes a hilarious noise.

Elder Drake and Elder Watkins 

Jhan Jhan and Elder Watkins doing work

Week 51: Year Mark!, Reflections, and Testimony of the Book of Mormon

Well, first a shout out to Mindy for her birthday!! And again I'm not in town to celebrate it with ya... :( sorry. I swear I am always gone when it happens :( But I'm sure you had a good one :)

Also secondly, I just received the package this morning! I'll be opening it later tonight :) So thank you very much!

What is going on in the Philippines...Well, this week, September 13, I will hit my true year mark!! What?! That is so fast! I only have 10 months left...  :( I like the way Dan put it earlier in my mission... "Only 10 months left to change people's lives" So true. As I reflect over that time, I can't help but think how much I've grown. I am still a solid 5' 8", I've actually lost weight and still don't look a day over 16...(and I turn 20 in 2 months LOL). I have grown so much in other ways. Learning to speak to people how to teach how to study, how to work hard, clean, money living on my own, getting along with others, integrity, love and patience, the lost could go on and on...But of all these thinks I am most grateful for my spiritual growth and growing closer to my Savior. What a blessing it's been and is and will be. I am also so grateful for each of you. Without you, I wouldn't be on my mission. Specifically Mom and Dad. Thank you so much for the support you are giving to me. I feel your prayers and love. Thank you for raising me in this church and teaching me correct principles and letting me govern myself. Thanks to your teaching and example, and of course I wasn't perfect, but I was able to avoid the big pitfalls of high school and be here on a mission :) Thank you.

These past months my testimony of the Book of Mormon has been growing and growing I have always had a testimony of the divinity of this book, but I am experiencing more spiritual growth than ever because of it. I just think back to before the mission where I would maybe read the BoM on a Sunday and that's about it...I always used excuses such as busy, tired, entertainment, the list goes on. Sometime it didn't even cross my mind to read it. Now that I am here in the mission the 1 hour of personal study a day is not enough time! I am truly feeling changes in my life and seeing it in the life of the people I teach. The people who don't understand or don't go to church are the same people who don't read the BoM. On the contrary, the people who read are progressing and gain a desire to learn and overall become more happy. The Book of Mormon is the way to peace and joy in this life and the next. By reading, pondering, and applying the principles learned we come closer to Christ and become happy. When I face trials or hardships, where do I go for comfort or help? Internet? Friends? Family? Though these may be good sources, why not go to the best source? He, who understands us more intimately than we even know ourselves. I just wanted to share my testimony of the Book of Mormon with you all because I am a witness of how much it is helping me in my life right now. I love you all so much and want that same thing for you! I know that as we keep reading the Book of Mormon we will be blessed and guided in a that we do :) What a great promise in  2 Nephi 32:5

Again, love you all. Have a great week :)

Elder Watkins

Feeding a caribou and her baby

Mount Arayat

Elder Watkins "next to some river"

Companions!! Elder Ofiana and Elder Watkins

Caribou friends :)

Left to Right: Bryan, Jhann-Jhann, Elder Watkins, Irish, Elder Ofiana, Bryce
Front row: Newton, Sis Buan

Week 50: "Ting Ting Hevi and Gratitude", Trials of Faith, A Loving Heavenly Father

Hellooo Family :)

You are so great and I love each of you more than I could ever explain. I'm just amazed that I had to travel to the other side of the world to find out what is really important in my life.  

This week was a week of pondering and realization for  a lot of things. First you may read the title of my email and be like 'ting ting hevi' what the heck? So first just say those words out loud and see what it sounds like. There is this island by Fiji and they use broken English as part of their laguage. The word for pondering there is 'ting ting hevi' or in regular English 'think think heavy.' One thing I have leaned to absolutely love in the Mission is time to ponder. Ponder the scriptures, the lives of people I teach, my relationships with others, my own life, and my relationship with my Father in Heaven. This week I was really brought to my knees and humbled, as I was 'ting ting hevi-ing' about how lucky I am.

 ***this next part is edited: I have mentioned this family who has embraced the Gospel and is experiencing trials of faith. Their father has died and their mother lives in another country for work. The oldest son is 18 and moved to another city for work. Money is scarce. They eat rice for breakfast; flavored with vinegar or soy sauce if they have extra money. They usually don't have lunch and eat dinner if neighbors have left overs. One day I was there, I watched the two youngest, ages 9 and 2, making a fire to cook their last bit of rice. They realized they were definitely lacking fire wood to cook their meal. One of the boys picked up a machete and started to chop a wood post that holds up their house. I almost cried at the sight.***

As I went to sleep that night I couldn't help to think, Why am I so lucky? Why do I ever complain about my 'trials'? How can I not take my many blessings for granted?

At this time I was really having a hard week, one of the harder weeks of the mission. Now I am looking at my difficulties much differently. Instead of asking 'why me?' I'm striving to accept my trials as blessings and lessons from a loving Heavenly Father who wants to teach me something for my own benefit. I strongly believe God will never give us a trial that will impede our eternal progression. Everything that happens is our benefit.

I know that the scripture Ether 12:6, 12 is true "Ye receive no witness until after the trial of your faith." I love each of you so much and I couldn't have been blessed with a better family. Have a great week :)

Elder Watkins

Cool pic from a while back in the archives:
Elder Cancel, Elder Drake, Elder Soberano, Elder Watkins

Elder Drake and Elder Watkins
 "Harvesting  Scrumptious Adobo and BBQ Fried Chicken"

Dinner appointment at our Branch President's house

Bryce, Elder Watkins, Jhann Rai

Week 45: More Baptisms!!!, Finding Families, and Future Missionaries

It feels like the past weeks I haven't had much communication with everyone! Everyone is on vacation, busy and things are going on. And when we chat, it is always bad timing or for a short duration of time :(  But I have been slacking a bit on my part so I apologize :( Paki patawad mo ako :( (please forgive me)

So the past few weeks have been sweet with the work! Last weeks we had 4 baptisms! and it was unreal! They were all so happy and I was able to baptize Joe Henson. He is 16 and the little brother of JonJon. Before we were about to go into the font, he said, "My heart is pounding so hard, but I'm not scared...I haven't felt like this before!" They all did a fantastic job on their testimonies as well :) Then last week there were 3 more baptisms! 1 child of record, 1 in our area, and then in Arayat B's area. Jayson was baptized and he is the twin of Jaycee who was baptized last month. Then Roselle from the neighboring area. She's the one that I referred to the Elders because she was in their area. She's already making plans to serve a mission... She said to me when you go home I will be turning in my papers! She is super excited!!

So now that all those people just got baptized... it is time to start finding new people again! And yesterday we were led to a family! We made it a goal on Friday to find a new family to teach...Well on Saturday night we bought some bread and then talked with the lady who owns the place. Turns out she was married in a Mormon church and baptized but her husband was not. She said she had been living here for 15 years and no missionaries had taught her and her family of  7 kids and invited us back. Then on Sunday we received a referral and taught this family of 6! So in two days we were blessed with 2 new families that we can start teaching! Hopefully they progress :)

So the work has been great. My companion and I are great and we are way good buds. With transfers coming up on August 14th, I am interested to see what happens. I'm not going to even make a guess because I literally have no clue what is going to happen.

I admit I am super pale...I always imagined I'd be black! But the reason is my face rarely sees sun. In the summer you just walk under an umbrella cause it's too blazing hot and in the rainy season you don't see the sun too much... and I'm usually inside places a lot of the day anyway! but I don't think I look skinny...I think I'm the same, if not a little bigger haha :)

Anyways, I'm grateful for my family, you all mean the world to me. I see so many people (everyone) who is less fortunate than I. Not just the circumstances I was born into, but the family I was born into. You are truly the best!!!

I love you all sooooo much and wish you the best!!!
Elder Watkins

Elder Watkins with Joe Henson and JonJon

Week 44: Baptisms!!!, Dancing in the Rain, and 1 Year Celebration!!!

Hey! I'm guessing you guys are on the plane or something..but thanks for all the emails and recordings this week. Sorry I wasn't able to do recordings this week. It was a super busy week which included 4 baptisms!!! But then Sunday came and tons of stuff in the branch happened. I've been basically typing a novel to President Clark about what happened and that's where I spent most of my time today.

Also thanks a ton for the pics and piano guys! I'm glad you like them, Dad. They sound good, right?! haha thanks for all the effort. And I look forward to listening to the recordings. I've also made up my mind about going home July 17th and getting surgery. But I'm also not sure what to do with schooling and that part yet... as far as timing goes.

Hopefully you enjoyed your tripS...Wow, so jealous haha. But sounds and looks like it was amazing. Glad you are all having a good time. And don't worry about the typhoon. It was tiny. There are like 20 a  year here so don't worry about it. I'm in good hands (hopefully you got the AllState joke there. Oh, and that's President Palmer from 24, right?). Anyways, love you all.

Dad in one of your next recordings could you hit me with some current events, like what's going on in the world? who's invading whom, who is North Korea threatening to bomb now? All that good stuff :) or anything interesting going on in America as well :) Thanks.

Love you all :)
Elder WATKINS

It as raining super hard so we decided to take pics in the rain.
I removed my tie cause I didn't want it to get wet!
He gets his jumps from his Mom :)  

Elder Ofiana, Elder Watkins, Elder Salado, Elder Drake
1 Year Celebration!!

Companions! Elder Watkins and Elder Ofiana

Week 43: A Pic of Companions, and Friends :)

So, not much from Elder Watkins this week. Highlight - this adorable pic of Elder Watkins and Elder Ofiana with some friends they are teaching :)