One fine P day (e-mail 5-28-12)

Howdy thaar!

Today I'm commin' atcha from Cabanatuan city! We have a DL- ZLC tomorrow, so we came down early. My companion for the Day is Elder Banguis, my fearless zone leader. Elder Banguis and I were both assigned before in Rizal,  so today on our way to Cabanatuan we stopped in Rizal and said "hi" to some members. It was really awesome to go back to my first area and walk around. 

Here is a picture of my mission posterity. My son Elder Cenon, and my 2 grandsons! 

Here is a picture of me and two young men in the Cabanatuan ward. I saw them this week when we were at the church in Cabanatuan.  Notice my fine new tie I bought for ten pisos. 

Here is my Batch (the missonaries I came into the mission with).  There's only 5 of us now. 

When we were in Rizal, we went to the Reyes family and it was really fun to talk to them. Everyone I saw there told me I had gotten skinnier and that I know how to speak tagalog now. Even the kids. Haha. 

The week went like this: 

Monday: p day

Tuesday : work

Wednesday: exchanges with batch Elivera; work

Thursday: x-ray in Cabanatuan

Friday : mission conference in Angeles and many hours spent in transportation

Saturday: work

Sunday: church work

Monday: Cabanatuan p-day

Tuesday: DL -  ZLC (zone leader conf.)

On Thursday we were informed that the bus left at 10 am, so we left the apartment at 9:45 to walk across the street to the bus terminal.  As we walked out the door, we saw the bus driving away. So we waited till 11:30 when the next bus left.  The next one was going to Baguio City, which is in Baguio mission. So we took it and rode until Rizal, then got on a jeepney. Then we got our x ray! It was pretty interesting. All missionaries get an x-ray here before they leave, so Sister Martino knows if we have TB or not. It went like this:  We went into the hospital, paid 220 pisos, and then went in a room with 3 nurse-like people who were pretty young. 2 boys and a girl. They were speaking English to me. It went like this:

"Please sir. Take off your ..polo and neck tie"

"Not stand here and .....embrace the machine Yakap!"

It made me laugh.  Then they had a lot of questions about our religion,  so we let them know and gave them pamphlets.  Then went on our way. The next day we hitched a ride with the Cabanatuan Zone on their jeepney and Elder Go (my first companion in Gapan) was who I got to sit next to. It was fun reminiscing! Then we got to the Angeles stake center and saw a ton of missionaries, and went and said "hi" to all the old compadres! It was really fun. Then we listened to Elder Nelson. This is the Apostolic blessing he gave: 

(or this is the e-mail President sent us this week) 

Apostolic Blessing

Dear Elders and Sisters,

                We all sat in awe in the Angeles Stake Center at the end of the zone mission conference having been filled with the spirit.  We had been spiritually fed in abundance from a prophet, seer, and revelator.  The blessings were beyond description as we feasted upon the words of an apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ.  Below is a brief synopsis of his teachings and the apostolic blessing he gave to all of the missionaries present.  This is not to be used as direct quotes but rather a guide to give you comfort:

                We experienced direct revelation at the end of the question and answer period when Elder Nelson said, “There is someone here that has a question, that hasn’t been asked; and I will answer that question now:  Your families and loved ones will be blessed as you are here serving your missions. Then he referred to D&C section 31:1-7 where it says “…, my son, blessed are you because of your faith in my work.  Behold you have had many afflictions…nevertheless, I will bless you and your family, …they will believe and know the truth and be one with you in my church…the hour of your mission is come; and your tongue shall be loosed and you shall declare glad tidings of great joy unto this generation.  You shall declare the things which have been revealed to my servant, Joseph Smith, Jun.  You shall begin to preach…to reap in the field which is white already to be burned.  Therefore, thrust in your sickle with all your soul, and your sins are forgiven you and you shall be laden with sheaves upon your back, for the laborer is worthy of his hire.  Wherefore, your family shall live. … Yea, I will open the hearts of the people, and they will receive you.  And I will establish a church by your hand.”  Count how many missions and how many temples there are in the Philippines today and then when you have grandchildren read to them from your journal entry and count at that time how many missions and temples there will be in the Philippines and you will be able to say, “I helped establish the church.”

                Then Elder Russell M. Nelson continued by pronouncing an apostolic blessing saying,  “the authority I have in my calling allows me to give you a special blessing. I bless you that you will have a deep and burning desire to know the Lord and his doctrine, and a desire to share that feeling with Heavenly Father’s children, and the message of the restoration. And that you will apply it in your life.  I bless you with wisdom and obedience. And when you return home that you will always be a missionary. To teach and testify to bless the lives of others. We are his people, his disciples, and we get to play a part in this great work. I bless you that if any of your family is sick they will be healed and have health consistent with the Lord’s will.”

               

 I challenge you to be exactly obedient and serve diligently so that you might claim the rewards of this apostolic blessing.  May you add to this any thoughts that you wrote down; so that as you read this account in the future, the spirit might fill your soul as it did when you first received the instruction and blessing.

Mahal ko kayo,

President Martino

It was a fine experience! After the conference we got mail and the package! I opened it then and there, and all the Philippinos took their share of seed book marks and flashlights. Haha, 

The work is going onward! I am excited to get going into another week. Thanks for all the stories and fine pictures! Bishop Reyes earlier was asking me when he can come to the US and work at the shirt shop. I told him any time. He is what I would call a true pinoy squeegee warrior! 

Sure love yall!

Elder Hill