HELLO SA INYO LAHAT!!!

So this week has been probably one of the most spiritually uplifting and PUMP up week of my mission!!  So that is always good:)  Even tho our success was actually way down this week for some reason... we only had 1 investigator at church when we were hoping for 6... and we really did not teach very many lessons because of lack of priesthood workers.  But besides the medyo mahirap (hard) things that happened, I learned a ton!! And I loved this week!! 

First off this years theme is Consecration, i think I already told you that, but anyways... this week I read two amazing articles for missionaries about Consecration.  And I would so recommend these to any missionary!! The first one is Becoming a Consecrated Missionary, by Tad R. Callister.  And the other one is The Fourth Missionary.  And WOW let me tell you there is so much that I can do and change and improve to become more of a consecrated missionary!  But I LOVE the fact that we can Improve! EVERYDAY!!! We can change our desires to accept God's will no matter what happens to us, or what we are facing...  It is so exciting that we can work towards that goal, to become consecrated, by losing ourselves in serving others. 

I have also really come to love the members our investigators more lately!  They really are amazing people, and are supportive of us!  We hope to keep that support so the missionary work here in Vargas we become even stronger!!

We had Stake Conference this week so that was super good! Except around half of the meeting was in Ilocano so I had no idea what was going on;)  But the Tagalog parts were so good and uplifting!  

This week a lady in our ward passed away, Sister Lolita Agustin.  And I could tell by how the ward reacted that this lady was an amazing example to all of them!!  She fed us once last transfer and has been in the hospital basically since then.  Then Brother Barcelonia, one of my favorite people in our ward, gave a talk at the service at her house. He talked about his mission and how he baptized Sister Lolita way back when, and how he moved back to Vargas because of Sister Lolita.  His story is amazing and the Spirit hit us all like a brick wall!! Definitely an amazing Spiritual Experience!

We had a Worldwide Missionary Training Broudcast, and it was so cool!! With Elder Oaks, Bednar, and Andersen.  Lots and lots of way cool direction and counsel. And also they announced some HUGE changes in the missionary schedule!  So that will take some getting used to!!!

So anyways, a great testimony building week!!
Keep up the good work, and please help the missionaries when you can:)
I promise they are so thankful to you if you do!!

LOVE YOU ALL!!!

Thanks for the prayers!

LOVE, Elder Alldredge

Me and Elder Sumalpong in the bukid

Straight and narrow way

Some of the members going to Stake Conference

We witnessed a huge raging fire on a house near the church office building.  It was crazy!

HELLO EVERYBODY!!!

I hope ya'll had an amazing week!  This week has been super good for me, because it was transfers this week... So I thought nothing would happen, our whole zone thought me and Elder Canoy would stay and nothing happen to vargas.  And then the Zone Leader announced that we have 2 more missionaries in Vargas!!! And then he announced that Elder Canoy was transferred to Portal.  So that was a huge surprise!! So I was literally the only one who knew where anything was, that was a little bit of a struggle;) haha jokelang it was fun!!  

So the first day I took the Vargas B elders and gave them basically a tour of their area for them to know where the investigators and members live in their area.  Because before it was only 2 of us for lahat or all of it!  So the only problem with the 4 missionaries in Vargas is that more than half of my investigators last transfer are in their area now!!! So we have very few investigators, but we can focus on them more so hopefully they will all progress!

So we still have Carl Jay Ingasalo in our area and he will be baptized on February 25 for sure!!  He is so good, he reads the BoM and prays everyday, he goes to church every week, and he is strengthening his testimony every day, because he wants to be taught everyday, but of course we only do it every other for him to have some time for himself, but he is AWESOME!!!

Also we got 2 new investigators who already went to seminary 2 times and they went to church on Sunday, I really hope they keep with it! They have a ton of friends at church and it looked like they enjoyed it...  All in all we had 5 investigators at church... BOO YAA!!!

This week we taught a Methodist minister.  He kept interrupting us and saying a bunch of things. Then he said before we said the first vision "If Jesus really did come down and called a prophet to lead his church, I would believe it."  Then we told the First Vision, and he totally did not believe it...;)  hahaha It was really cool because we kept testifying what we know to be true, even though he didn't except our message, it was a big testimony builder for me... We really do have the ONLY true church on the earth.  And we as missionaries get to share it!!! OH MAN thats just plain AWESOME!!

So it was a good week this week:)

Oh and my new companions name is Elder Sumalpong.  He is from Zamboanga City, Philippines.  He is the sixth of six children, and is born of the covenant.  He is hilarious and so are my kabahay (other elders in the house) :)  We have a good time!!

So keep smiling, and having fun!! 

Mom!! (Here are some answers to questions from Nyla)

Yes I use the handkerchiefs everyday! (To wipe the sweat from his face)

We have purified water at home so I fill water bottles of that and take them.

I am the Senior Companion!!! I forgot to say that in my letter~!!! Like what!?!?  We (Him and Elder Sumalpong) are actually kabatch or the same batch leaving the mtc, but i know the area so i am the senior:)  We are basically the youngest companionship in our mission, boo yaa!!

LOVE YA'LL!!!

Elder Alldredge

Kyle and Elder Sumalpong

Elder Fresnoza

Elder Galia - He said they are way cooler than they look in these pictures :)

Hello Family & Friends!!!

So this week has been a week of fun struggling!!  If that can be a thing:)  But it was a week that I learned a whole lot about myself. and how I can improve and become a better missionary.  Nagpapasalamat po ako para ang linggo na ito, dahil natuto paano na maging mas Christlike, at maglinkod sa aking kasama mas maraming besas araw araw!!  And you all don't even know what I just said;) mwahaha:)  And the Tagalog is coming still but mabagal talaga!! (REALLY SLOW!!)

So one of the biggest things about this past week was that I got my PHILIPPINES DRIVERS LICENSE!!!! So Boo Yaa!! I am now totally legal to drive;)  Not that I'll be driving anytime soon... or probably not at all, but hey I have the license now so thats good!!  Also after we got our licenses I placed a Book of Mormon to the Officer in Charge of the License place, it was super cool!  

One day this week we had 7 lessons in a day!! This was the most I have had in Vargas so far, so that was super encouraging!  But don't you worry... Thats gonna be happening lots more in the near future;)  I can promise you that!

We had only 3 investigators at church on sunday and they are all in Primary, and 2 are Part member familes. So it wasn't the most encouraging Investigators at church, but we will just push harder this next week to get more to  come to church next week!  

It was pretty maulan at maulap, (rainy and cloudy) this past week.  It was actually super super nice!! We got a little break from the beating sun;)  But no worries, because the sun is back again today, shining super bright and hot again:)  

So this week I have learned that I ask for way too many things in my prayers and I am not thanking enough for everything that I have, so thisisfor you too!  All of us can be just a little bit more thankful in our prayers this week, and I promise that you will be happier, and more positive as you do this!!

So all ya'll keep that beautiful smile on your face:)

Thanks for all the emails!!! I LOVE THEM!!!

Have a fantastic week!!

Love, Elder Alldredge

 

Walking to our next appointment!

Now that's a caribou!

Random people had killed this huge lizard!

Both sides were about 6 inches of water, we were walking on a not so solid mud path!

KUMUSTA LAHAT?!?

So this week was not quite as exciting as last weeks letter, sorry in advance:)  But it was still a good week with a whole lot of learning, and helping to get new investigators, and get our investigators progressing.  So this week we were able to get 6 new investigators!!  It was so good!! One of them even went to church the week before, so she is super solid!  Also 3 other new investigators are in the same family so hopefully that all works out!  And the last 2 are the sons of a less active member.  So we were just visiting this less active member, and these 2 boys were sitting in on the lesson, then I asked when they were baptized, and they said we were never baptized!! So BAM right there we picked up 2 new investigators to teach!!  They also have been to church the last 2 weeks so they are so solid din!!

Carl Jay and his dad JonJon are doing so well.  JonJon wasn't able to come to church, but Carl Jay the 11 year old, came and he had a great time, with his new member friends.  They are both reading the Book of Mormon so faithfully, it really amazes me!!  They always have questions and ask upang to understand the lesson better.  

Another one of our investigators is Sister Madriaga.  This is kind of a sad situation, because she has already been taught all of the lessons, she has a super strong testimony, goes to church basically every week, but her husband will not give her permission to be baptized.  And without the consent of the asawa she can't get baptized.  So we are praying for her and are trying to build a relationship with her husband, so hopefully that works!!

I also had my first Dubble fight this past week!!  This is where you set out 2 giant palm tree leaves, scatter the rice all over it, put some ulam on the side.  And DIG IN!!! All with your hands:)  It is super hilarious, and so fun!!

So anyways I hope ya'll have a great week, and keep a smile on that face of yours;)

You are all amazing examples to me!!

LOVE YA,

Elder Alldredge

These pictures come from the Mission blog and show Kyle and the other missionaries on the Tarlac side of the mission celebrating Christmas!

He really loved the food at the conference!

Any picture will do, even of the back of his head :-)

St. Ignacia Zone

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

2017!! What in the world happened to 2016?!?  Wala Talaga!! 

So first off Christmas Eve was so much FUN!!  We had our Christmas Conference in Tarlac and I got to see all of my mission buddies and Tarlac Zone, lahat!  It was seriously such a fun time to just chill, play games, and talk to some amazing friends.  So we had an awesome workshop from President Clark and the AP's then we ate lunch... Lunch at Conferences are the best thing ever!  It reminds me of the MTC when we could eat as much as we wanted of the delicious rice, ulam, and gulay.  It beats cooking pancit canton every meal of every day:) jokelang!! hahah mom jokes i promise, I do not eat pancit noodles every meal, huwag malala!!

So after lunch we played a bunch of games and even watched Mr. Kruger's Christmas!! Mostly we ate a whole lot of treats and food, my companion is getting fat;);)  Its the funniest thing ever!! He took a picture of himself with his big belly last night... he is proud of it, so funny!!  

Christmas was also a big partay!! We had only one hour of church, then after church we literally had so many families coming and asking us to come eat at their house, and for FHE monday night!!  IT WAS AWESOME!!! We even had to turn down a couple offers for food, which was sad;) But it was cuz we had so many offers, the members here are so nice!!  So anyways my first non-white Christmas was a SUCCESS!!!

Oh and Skyping was SO FUN!!! I think I'll try it again... maybe 3 more times?!?

Our investigators are kind of struggling right now as we only had 1 at church yesterday, but its because they were all really busy and gone because of Christmas and New Years so this next week will be better!

I went on exchanges with Elder Sam!  He is my District leader, and he is an American so it was super fun to be with him for a day!!  Its always a good break to talk to an American, for some reason its just easier, idk why, but anyways we had a good time:)  

So for the past 3 days we have had lock downs before dark.  Meaning we have to be in our house before dark.  Because New Years Eve is really big and a little dangerous here:)  So on New Years Eve i went to bed early, like 9:30ish maybe, then I woke up just before 12:00 to the sound of a ton of Bombs, Firecrackers, and Fireworks.  They are pretty fireworks like back home, its basically just whoever can make a louder sound, that's the best fireworks here... only in the Philippines:)  So I experienced 2017 way before any of you!!! mwahaha:):)  

Well anyways if there is one thing I have learned in these past 2 weeks, it is that I am blessed so much!!!!!  I was able to see families that literally had no presents to open, because they can't even get a meal on the table 3 times a day!!  It is really so humbling to see...  But the best part and most rewarding part was when we saw their expressions when we brought them meals that we bought for 5 different families, it was the coolest experience ever!!  Especially the little kids, how their eyes lit up when they saw the candy bars and chocolate, it really made me so grateful for everything i have!!  It really is insane how much we are blessed to live in Utah, and America, I'm not sure what we did to receive such an amazing gift for this life, but let me tell you, I AM SO GRATEFUL FOR IT!!!

So I love it here!! I love smiling and making peoples day as they drive past on a tricycle, I love teaching and I wish we had more opportunities to do it, because it really is FUN!!!  

So keep smiling, help people out, it will make you happy!!

Have a fantastic week!!! 

LOVE, Elder Alldredge

Elder Alldredge and Elder Canoy at the Christmas Conference!

Some of Kyle's favorites from the Tarlac Zone

Putting together meals

Yo! Prepping to hand out meals

Inside the Bishop's house, nicest home in Vargas, it's not close, like at all...

Yes, that is a goat :)

Caribou

Selfie with a Caribou,,,,he forgot to look!!

Kyle shared his beef jerky with Bro Barcelona, he's awesome!! He said he hadn't eaten beef jerky since his companion on his mission from America shared with him, so I had to give him some :)   (Not sure about the gun and whether that had anything to do with Kyle sharing his jerky :-))