Week 32- Rat wars

Hey Family and friends!

I hope you are all enjoying the nice weather in the states cause it is SO hot right now here in the Philippines! We are right in the middle of our dry season and it hasn't rained all transfer! I am getting a really nice tan though, sure you are all jealous of it! It's really funny to see the reaction of Filipinos when I tell them that in America we pay money to become tan, here they spend a lot of money on lotions and soaps to make their skin more white. It really shows that we want what we don't have :)

So as you have heard we have an on going battle with rats in our apartment. It has been gross, but on the brighter side it is kind of funny in some ways. One day this week, I woke up to rats again, but this time it was in between the screen and the window right next to my bed. It managed to chew a hole in the screen and was trying to get out of our apartment. It was so big, almost as big as a cat. My awesome Filipino companion took my flip flop and just started hitting the rat. Man those things are tough, it didn't do much but after about 15 minutes of smacking the poor creature we managed to kill it and put in a plastic sack out for the stray dogs. Sorry for the graphic details hahaha.:) We also have been putting poison in our apartment to kill them and it has been really effective, as the smell of decaying rats has been lingering in our apartment. All is well, I haven't seen a live one since! :) But I occasionally hear them crawling above the ceiling.

Enough about rats, I am excited to tell you all about the good stuff that is happening in our awesome area!

 We are teaching a young couple whose names are John Rey and Roda. They are so awesome and are so hungry for the truth. Every time that we teach them they have so many questions and read the Book of Mormon assignments, their faith is amazing and they recognize the Holy Ghost teaching them the truth. 

The best part about it all is the amazing support of the members especially in fellowshipping and helping them feel welcome at church.

That is honestly one great talent of Filipinos, being a friendly and kind people. I really appreciate how much love fills the sacrament hall. It may be really noisy, with people talking and children running around, and we may start 25 minutes late, but the spirit is there because of the goodness of the people.  The greatest part is the investigators feel welcome which is honestly most important. 

I am so glad that I have the opportunity to learn from a happy, kind, and selfless culture and for the wonderful people I have to work with. God is blessing us with great and prepared investigators and I know that he loves each of them dearly as he loves each of us. 

I know that the Savior is Jesus Christ and he is the Son of God. I know that the Book of Mormon is from our loving Heavenly Father. He really loves us and knows our needs, I pray for all of you!

tandaan mahal kita!

ELDER MURDOCK

Week 31

 Hey Family and Friends!

This week we were blessed with a really amazing baptism of one of our amazing investigators! It was an amazing experience and one of the most powerful baptismal services I have been to so far on my mission. JR is so converted and the best part of it all is that he really told us that this not the end of his journey but the beginning. I am so grateful that I have had the opportunity to be apart of his conversion process to the Gospel.

The crazy part of it all was finding a place to hold the baptism, as the water pump in the chapel here in Padapada was broken.It all worked out the way that it was supposed to and we got permission to hold it in Santa Ignacia so we all loaded up into a jeepney and traveled to Santa Ignacia for his baptism. The water was way low because they forgot to fill the font until we got there and the water had a nice yellow tint to it but regardless it was wonderful and I could feel the Holy spirit as my companion baptized him.

This week we were blessed to teach this really nice man named Reynaldo, His story is kind of unique and was an interesting example of a member opening their mouth:

When we went to his door for the first time he let us in without a word, which only happens when we meet pastors of other faiths who like to bible bash or when we find the miracle golden investigators. He told us that he used to work next to the temple and a member gave him a Book of Mormon. He at first had a lot to say and wasn't really listening but as we shared his attitude began to change and he listened and asked more questions. The most amazing part is he came to church!! Most investigators here in the Philippines will commit to almost anything but never follow through. But the great things is he is really interested and came to church yesterday!

This man is a true seeker of truth and it is amazing to see as he is recognizing that the message of the Restored Gospel is indeed true! He has investigating many different religions but told us that he still fills like he is missing something, We testified that what he was missing in his life was the restored Gospel of Jesus Christ.

I know that the message I share everyday is true and I know that it has real power.

The best thing way we can help any of other brothers and sisters in this world is sharing the Restored Gospel with them, Why should we keep it to our selves? 

I love you all so much! :) 

My invitation for all of you is to go out and share you light! :) You never know whose lives you can change until you open you mouth! God has promised that we don't even have to worry what to say, it will be given to us! I definitely have experienced that many times out here on my mission!

You are always in my prayers!

Mahal kita,

ELDER MURDOCK

This is from the letter that Tyler sent to Mark.  We wanted to include it in his weekly email.

We have rats in our apartment! It is so gross! I had one climb on me when i was sleeping last night and I couldn't sleep after that! My roommates are not good at cleaning up after themselves and so I think the garbage attracts the rats. They are so big! I hate rats! They actually eat them here which is insane to me! :) I wonder what would happen to you if you woke up with a rat on you! hahaha... I screamed and woke up my companion he thought it was really funny.... I hope we will be able to get rid of them soon. Filipinos don't think much of it and are used to them but I sure am not and hate it! :) hahaha just a good story to tell my future kids hahaha...

Pictures: JR's Baptism. I am so tall hahaha!!! :)

Week 30

Hey Everybody

I am so excited to email you this week as there is a lot of really great things happening right now in my mission! We are doing so well here in Padapada and have been continuing preparing Jr for his baptism on Saturday. I am really excited for him and his wife as he will be baptized on Valentines day and will be able to be sealed together in the Manila temple just next year! I cannot with hold my joy for them and the change that I have seen in both of them!

We also this week actually found a wonderful family that has great potential. It was pretty cool how we were guided by the Lord to this family. 

We were just walking along the highway when a van pulled over to pick us up, They were members that were traveling home from the temple. We were relatively close to our appointment but we decided to get in anyway because the couple was so nice. We got in an got talking to them and missed the road we were supposed to take and so we had them pull over and we walked back the rest of the way. As we were walking back to where we should have gotten out of the van I saw a house, We felt like we should try and OYM the house and so we did. When the man opened the door he told us that he was a member but hadn't been to church for many years. His wife wasn't a member and he had 4 kids. They have been really receptive and accepted an invitation to be baptized! It is such an amazing feeling as a missionary to invite someone to follow Jesus Christ though baptism! It feels me with joy to see these people become converted to the true Gospel of Christ. I myself the past few weeks have seen great joy in my life as I have been learning and becoming more converted to the Gospel.

I am learning what really matters and what my priorities are. On my mission I have been discovering who I really am and what God wants me to become. As I have said in past letters it has not been a walk in the park. But it has been in every sense worth it! All the hard stuff so far, the rejection, learning a hard language, adjusting to mission life and the culture has been all worth it for me because the worth of these souls are so great in the sight of God.

I know that each of us our divine sons and daughters of God! We each are of great worth to our Father and Jesus Christ.

I love the experiences that I am having and the joy I have felt. I know that this work we are doing as missionaries both full time and member missionaries is indeed the work of salvation.

I love you all so much and challenge each of you to go out and rescue the one, We are his children and we will have his help, if we ask! 

You all have a great week!

nagdadasal ko sa inyo palagi!  ;)

Mahal kita

ELDER MURDOCK

Week 29

Hello Family,

This week was really great and full of blessings from the Lord.  It has been great to see those blessings and the success that God has been giving us as we have been obedient and humbly trusting in him.

We are continuing to prepare  "JR" for his baptism next week! He is really progressing and so ready. It is amazing to see him and his wife as they are planning to be sealed in the temple next year! 

One thing that I am learning lately from the scriptures and from the Spirit is how to truly be happy. Sometimes I get so focused on my weakness, my short comings, and my problems that I started making it about me instead of those I was teaching. I start to forget why I am even out here really, to serve! I realized I was falling into one of Satan's traps and that I should be focusing on others needs and becoming a more self-less disciple of Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ is the perfect example of selfless service and never used his almighty power to benefit himself. One thing that I read that really hit me hard this week was:

"Come unto me all of you that are heavy laden and I will give you rest, Take my yoke upon you and learn of me and you will find rest unto your souls, For my yoke is easy and my burden is light!"

We can make a difference and find happiness as we lift others up and forget about our own problems.

As we forget about ourselves and serve that is when we will become disciples of Christ!

I love you all and know that as we forget our problems and serve, we will find peace and happiness in helping others.

I pray for all of you and am so grateful for your continual support and emails! Remember CPR- regular Church attendance, Prayer and Reading and studying the scriptures! 

Mahal kita

ELDER MURDOCK

*pictures: Me and my companion Elder Bayani with JR and his wife Gerolyn and a ward missionary.

A picture of a nepa hut or tradition Filipino house, most people live in a bit nicer and stronger houses but this kind of house is common where I am assigned.