Latest letter! 1/17/12

It is helping SO much to have a native companion. I have noticed my language skills improving much more rapidly. Plus, we get along really well so that helps everything. 

I am so thankful to be here. I feel I have learned and grown so much. But I also feel very inadequate at times. My knowledge and strength in the Gospel isn't up to par with a lot of the other missionaries here. I am trying my best not to compare myself to others and just focus on improving. But I also feel that I have been able to make a fairly significant impact in people's lives while being here. I'm thankful to have that opportunity to use my strengths and share the Lord's message. 

Our church is very close. It's a little over 5 minutes by jeepney. Pretty convenient. There are two other chapels within 10 minutes of us too.

I just finished reading the BOM. Sadly, this was the first time I have read it cover to cover. But that's ok. I have learned so much and have felt of it's truthfulness very strongly while reading. My testimony of it has been greatly strengthened. It is amazing to have such a powerful guide in our lives, like it says in 1 Ne 19:23 (I think...maybe it's 32. I'm doing my best to memorize them). It has helped me with my reading speed as well. I'm still slow, but I've noticed an increase in my speed and retention rate. Learning from the scriptures and sharing from the scriptures has been such a blessing for me. 

It absolutely is the correct decision to be focusing on the less-actives. 22% of all members in the Philippines come to church...there are 659,000 members total. No more explanation is needed. 

It is a pretty hard job, but I agree, this is the best job in the world. So happy to be here.

Thanks for your continued love and support. I miss you guys!

Elder Stallings

The War of 2012

The War of 2012

It was the day after Christmas. The Peace was nice, but not long-lasting. The battle was on their doorstep. The troops were making their preparations. There was food to be cooked and drinks to be drunk. Nobody had time to listen to The Men In White. The fateful night was on approach. 

Then fired The Second Shot Heard Around The World. The skirmish began prematurely. The children recruited as small infantry started their gorilla warfare, exploding melons littering the street. They call for back-up. "NAY, TAY!" they call and their parents step onto the battlefield, heavy artillery in hand. The TV makes the signal... "3, 2, 1....FIRE!" 

The skies erupt and the streets go up in flames. Yells and screams come from all directions. Deafening explosions pierce every eardrum. Peaceful Servants are startled awake, their prayers a necessary supportive procedure. The chaos continues for what seems to be hours. Then it's over. The wounded line up at their respective local hospitals in anguish from their missing fingers. The nurses and doctors are overwhelmed at the multitude of soldiers now filing through the front door and down the road.

They long for a break, but the next fight has already arrived and is bound to be just as challenging as the last.

Their endurance will continue to be tested. The End is still a ways away, but it is closer than they expect.

The Chosen Mercenaries respond to their charge to bring strength to the troops of the world.

Now on to the war that is the year 2012.

I hope and pray for the best for all of you in this new year. May the strength of the Lord be with you.

From the Philippines front lines,

Elder Stallings

Aftermath

Ding Dongy Dong Dogg

Maligayang Pasko!

It was an interesting Christmas. Good, but different.

People seem to have the spirit of christmas. They have a different kind of open-ness to the message of Christ. Especially here where people have a strong belief in Christ (although it's sometimes slightly skewed). The hard part is finding people who aren't busy. A lot of people leave for their provinces to spend Pasko. The people still here are very busy. Plus you have the constantly blasting karaoke coming from next door. The merry-making and alcohol drinking definitely makes it harder to share the Gospel. That is if you are lucky enough to survive the explosions from the bombs they set off that they call "fireworks." New Years is supposed to be far worse...some missionaries liken it to a war zone. Pray for me as I go to battle. 

 People tend to be a more generous. We went caroling as Priesthood holders two days before Christmas. As the Elders, we suggested most of the names of people we should visit and bring gifts to. This was a great opportunity to help people out that we care for so much. A lot of times I want to give people money or food or something, but we aren't allowed. The members purchased a lot of food and someone bought 16 leather-bound triple scriptures and put everything in grocery bags. It was great to see the gratitude on the people's faces, especially the people whom I know needed it the most.

The Christmas party... if you can even call it a Christmas party. It was more of a giant hip-hop dance performance. There were several different numbers in which the youth or single adults would do routine dances to inappropriate hip-hop songs. It was a riot. The title of the party was Our Ward's Got Talent. Like the tv show. The word Christmas wasn't even written anywhere. No Christmas colors. No tables to sit and eat food. Just a cultural hall and stage with lights, 20 inch speakers and a couple rows of chairs along the edges of the room creating a dance floor in the middle. The four of us elders planned to sing a Christmas song...then we saw what was going down. We had to fit in just a little or else we were going to be booed off the stage. 10 min before we performed we decided to interrupt Hark The Herald Angels Sing in the middle of it and have Elder B sing I'm Dreaming of a White Christmas while the rest of us interpretive danced. This went over well. The crowd loved it. We saved Christmas. After the party, the second counselor in the bishopric asked us about the music choices and asked us if they would have been used at our wards in the States... the truth had to be told. He was worried that was the case. Also, since the damage was already done, I performed a beat-box version of Santa Claus Is Coming To Town. This definitely earned me some street-credit with the ward members. It was a roundabout way of building relationships of trust...but it worked!

We also had a Christmas conference as a mission on Christmas Eve. President, his family and the APs spoke. There were musical performances. We watched videos from lds.org. We had a tie swap. They prepared a delicious meal for us. It was good. 

I also want to thank everyone who contributed to the box of thoughts on note cards that my family sent to me. The messages you have shared with me have helped me during times that have been rough. I am thankful to have such good friends as you all. Thank you!

I sincerely hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas and I wish you all a Maligong Bagong Taon!

Elder Stallings

"Stay focused through Christmas!"

The new areas are great! We have had a good amount of help from the members in starting our footing there. Our focus has shifted entirely to less-active members. This is because out of the 650,000 members in the Philippines, 500,000 are inactive...not okay. We now consider ourselves the "rescue mission." This change in direction was the decision of the Area Presidency. Good move. Absolutely necessary.

We just had a good amount of rain this past week. Nothing really out of the ordinary. Although we haven't had rain in quite some time. It was refreshing to me.

Things are getting more and more rowdy here. Miniature bombs are going off all over the place ("fireworks"). On xmas and new years we usually get called in early because it is too dangerous for us to be outdoors. Too many wasted pyrotechnics. Elders have told stories about getting bombs thrown at them and having to reflect them with their umbrellas. Pasko (Christmas) means war-time. 

As for the phone call.

You don't have to worry about anything. I will make the call to you guys. I will be calling around 7pm Christmas night, your time. I will call the house number so you all can be on an actual phone. Only 30 min. Pretty short, but I'm excited.

Now I would like to sing a 'lil ditty for ya. It's the christmas carol that all the kids sing.

"Sa maybahay, ang aming bati

Merry Christmas na mal'walhati

Ang pag-ibig pag siyang naghari

Araw-araw ay magiging Pasko lagi

Ang sanhi po, ng pagparito

Ay hihingi po ng aginaldo

kung sakaling, kami'y perhuwisyo

pasensiya na kayo't kami'y namamasko!"

Translation:

"To the householder we greet

A glorious Merry Christmas

When love doth reign

Every day will always be Christmas

The reason we have come

is to ask for gifts

if it so happens that we bother

forgive us as we are soliciting for Christmas!"

So funny

They travel around in packs singing this song at any door they can find. They usually have someone on a makeshift tamberine and someone else pounding on a plastic tub as a drum. But they don't come bearing gifts, they come asking for gifts (money). It's trick or treating Christmas style. I've heard this song at least 10 times a day for the past 5 days.And since we are big, rich Americans wearing the nicest clothes we own, we get swarmed even though we aren't in our house. We have memorized it so we can sing along with them. They get a kick out of this. We also performed this as part of our number at the ward christmas party. This party was wild. More on that next week.

Attached is a picture of The Fantastic Four and one picture of the Manila Temple Lighting.

Maligayang Pasko sa inyo lahat!

Elder Stallings

Pre-Christmas

We got to see the Christmas devotional yesterday. It was fantastic. Their talks were great and those new videos seem really well done and powerful. I am excited to see the other videos. I especially enjoyed Eyring's talk. And when President Monson goes up, you can just feel the love oozing out of him. The Spirit was very strong indeed. Of course, I always love Silent Night. It reminded me of singing it with the whole family as the last song we sing on Christmas Eve. I am already missing being with you guys for the holiday season and I am going to miss spending Christmas with you.

I just got the package before coming to email you, thank you for sending it! I am excited. I am going to do my best and not open it until Christmas. This will prove to be difficult, I am sure. We'll see if I succeed. Sorry I wasn't able to send very much. I hope you guys enjoy what I was able to send.

I can call you either 2 days before, xmas eve or on xmas day. I am thinking I will call you Christmas night. How does that sound?  I am very excited to hear all of your voices! If anything changes, I'll be sure to let you know.

Like I've shared in the past, I've been celebrating Christmas since I got here. It's starts in September. A little ridiculous. So you can say I'm in the ZONE for this holiday season. I'm ready for it. Hit me!

I hope that everything is going well and that you guys have a great holiday season! What is your plan for Christmas? Who all will be celebrating together? Where? I miss my family.

Much love,

Elder Stallings

"Crowded House."

That's always fun taking our guests "town-town" to all of the cool sites. I kinda miss the big, developed city. Everything is slums here. That's cool that her friends flew out all that way to visit. I'm glad that she had a good time at college. I knew she would like Idaho. You really are a tour guide. You could guide people around town with your eyes close. You're that good. "GALING!" (as we say here) "talented".

So tell me a little more about this job with the church. It's a job but it's also a calling? That's great. Help the Lord's work progress and get paid for it. Sounds like a deal to me. You get paid money and blessings. Score. I hope everything goes well.

The rough days can be very difficult, but I have learned so much from them. Having good days really depends on the Spirit. In order to have a good day, you absolutely HAVE to have the Spirit with you. There is a stark difference between when it is there and when it's not. I am thankful for the companionship of the Holy Ghost.

I am really missing you guys this holiday season. I am really going to miss all of the Christmas traditions with the family. But I hope it is a great one for all of you! I wasn't able to put that much in my package. I just got your package at our district meeting before this. I haven't opened it yet. I am going to try and refrain opening it until Christmas day. We'll see if I am successful. Thanks for sending it! I'm excited.

I love and miss you guys!

Elder Stallings

"HOLLA at ya bro!"

Ah, I am so jealous that you all were there for thanksgiving. I miss going to G-unit's (Grandma's) with everyone. Our celebration of Thanksgiving amounted to a pot of mashed potatoes and a pot of gravy for lunch. Tah-daaaah! (spoken like Roz in Monsters Inc.)

I'm glad you really enjoyed your first semester! I believe that it was awesome. College is sweet. And you had a really unique experience actually living in the mountains. I'm a little bit jealous. Nature is where it's at. God's creation. Where are your two friends from that are visiting? 

I understand. I feel like so much has already happened since I left. I am going to miss so much by the time 2 years is over. All of our relatives are getting married and soon enough all of my friends are going to be getting married. Then you. Grabe talaga. Shiempre masaya kung magpapakasal kayo, pero magiging malunkgot ako dahil hindi ako doon para sa lahat mga gawain na ito. Sorry (pasensiya). I am starting to think naturally in Tagalog. It's pretty sweet actually. Good sign. I need to be immersed in order to learn quickly. That sucks about your job. Just bust down the doors to the store like the angry mob in Beauty and The Beast and demand your promised blessing! 

I've been here for almost 2 months. Crazy. The time passed so quickly. I am finally getting a better hold of the language and gaining confidence in speaking. I really need to expand my vocabulary now. We have been focusing on finding new investigators to teach. We have found several new people who look pretty promising. It can be very frustrating because it ultimately comes down to their agency. We can't force them to keep commitments, read, pray and go to church. The last thing you want your visits to turn into is a bible study. When they keep their commitments, that is when they are considered to be "progressing." We have a little bit of a shortage of these right now, but we are focusing our efforts on gaining more. Of course, like always. But there has been a big focus on less-active members this past year because SO many people go inactive here. Retention is the biggest issue within the Philippines. 8/10 members are inactive... Terrible. Sad.

But there are a lot of good things going on here in Antipolo. We have urged the members to become more active in the missionary effort and it has paid off. Things are picking up speed and Elder B. and I are opening up 2 new areas this week. We are excited about the fresh crops in this new field. We see a lot of potential in these areas. Who knows how many thousands of people live in these two areas. Countless. It's chaos. But we like it. Life on the wild side for the missionaries. 

That's all for now! I miss you guys and I miss the holidays with family. Love you!

Elder Stallings

Umpalaya. A vegetable. THE most bitter thing I have ever tasted. I'm not a fan. But meals are like a box of chocolates here. Shakes things up.

The grocery store we shop at every p-day. There is so much in there. It's a little overwhelming at first. And mostly brands I've never heard of.

Thanksgiving meal

Two new elders in our house

11/22/11

The winds have settled now. But the winds in my head are still bustling. Tagalog Tagalog Tagalog. I have become far to frustrated. I need to relax and be more positive. When I become negative and frustrated, it makes it far more difficult to learn. It's hard hearing about how well the language is coming for my good friend Elder Br. I can't help but compare myself to him and feel behind. Ugh.

I included a picture of the outside of our apartment in my Christmas package. I am sending the package right after we are done emailing here. I hope that package makes it there without any problems. 

For Thanksgiving we are either going to order 4 larges pizzas from Pizza Hut (this is luxury dining) or throw in the best food item that we have and share it all. Either way, we will be sure to eat like kings on that day. That's one thing that we are very talented at...eating.

We went to the temple this morning. Woke up at 3 am in order to get the entire zone in the jeepney and there on-time for the 6 oclock session. It was great. Going to the temple is such a spiritually boosting experience, every time. Now I need to keep my spirits up and not let the language get me down anymore. 

I am learning so much. About the Gospel and about life in general. I thank Heavenly Father everyday for my opportunity to be here. I still have a lot to learn and I plan to learn as much as possible

Thanks for your continued support and prayers! You are in my prayers as well!

Elder Stallings

"A Change in the Winds, Says I"

Alriiiiiight.
So...change. This has been the theme of the Quezon City Mission thus far.

The Quezon City Mission was just split in half this past July, creating the Quezon City North Mission. There were 10 million people, but now we only have 5 million. Only... We also received a zone and a couple missionaries from the Manila Mission. Most of the areas in each zone have been split in half. The number of missionaries in the mission has nearly doubled. This means that we have a very "green" mission. Many young missionaries. President is stretched thin and has been pulling strings to assign trainers for the newbies. Many of the trainers are very young themselves, some having only been here for 4 1/2 months.
This past Thursday was transfer day. President D basically took his deck of missionary name-tags, threw them into a Philippines typhoon and played 120 missionary pick-up. Clearly he's never been to Vegas before. He "white-washed" or "shot-gunned" or "pulled-out" several areas. (There is far too much mission lingo. Jonny Lingo would even be surprised... "80 code words?!" More difficult than paying 8 cows.) This means that the two missionaries assigned to an area are both brand new, neither of them knowing the area or the investigators. Elder B and I stayed in our area, but we received a new tri-panionship as our housemates. 2 new and 1 veteran elder. All American. So now we have 5 white guys in one house. This rarely happens. I have a feeling that this is not going to benefit the progression of my Tagalog speaking. So our entire zone is fresh. Elder B and I were the only companionship in our whole zone to stay together. AND the zone was split in half. "A whole new zoooone" -Aladdin

I was able to attend the transfer meeting because my companion is a zone leader. I was able to see my batch-mates from the MTC. Elder Br and I were able to talk for over 2 hours. He is the man. Every time I get to see him we have great discussions and swap our stories. It will be great to kick it with him after our missions in Utah. After transfer meeting I got to eat at McDonald's with my MTC companion Elder M. It was a momentous occasion.

The next day, Friday, was the new tri-panionship's first day in their new area. Elder B and I accompanied them to show them the ropes. We were an army invading enemy territory. There's no way to fully describe how badly we stood out. 5 towering white men wearing blinding white shirts stomping through ghettos and occupying way too much room. It's like playing Barbies in a Lego house. Just when I thought I couldn't receive any more gawking stares, we become 5 elephants in 1 room.

This week Francis P. is getting baptized this Friday! He has been so strong in overcoming some old habits and making sacrifices to start his progression to Eternal Life. He is a very quick, shy 30-year-old with a wife and a 1-year old girl. We love this family. His wife was a less active member and hadn't gone to church in over 3 years. Now they are fully active and are about to become a completed family. It is our goal as a mission to have 500 completed families this year of 2011. If each companionship has 2 more completed families by the end of the year we will reach this goal. It is great to see how quickly the church has grown in the Philippines. This year is the 50th year of the church in the Philippines. I am happy to be here.

Unfortunately this is a fairly short message this week. We had a service project early today so we don't have as much time in our schedule to write. We moved a family from one home to another using a jeepney as a moving truck. It was an adventure.

I sincerely hope all is well with all of you, my good friends.

Much love,
Elder Stallings

Letter 11/9/11

He (recent convert) is doing really well. The members are starting to welcome him in but I feel like they still need to do more. Member relationships are so important for new members. Especially here. People have a higher tendency of becoming wishy-washy with their activity in a short amount of time. This is because it can be difficult to come to church when they need to work and save money for supporting themselves. Just paying the 8 pesos to come to church on a jeepney is a sacrifice for many. 

The church is pretty similar to back home. There are probably around 100 members who come to church each week. The building is very nice. The bishopric is very wealthy. Almost all bishoprics in every area are because it is easier for them to be active and full tithe payers. People are often less involved in there callings. For example, the ward mission leader has never done anything. We are trying to get him more involved right now. There are also a couple meetings that aren't being held such as the Ward Council and PEC. But everyone is very, very nice. 

As far as wetness goes, it's a pretty good balance between sweat and rain. It really does rain a lot. Good thing I enjoy rain. It is nice because it cools down the temperature quite a bit.Thank you for remembering me and my health in your prayers. I definitely need help communicated with everyone. The language is so difficult. I have become pretty frustrated the past week. I'm trying to stay positive. 

This week is transfer week. Tomorrow is transfer day. That's why our P-day is late. Elder B and I are staying. We have been a tri-panionship with Elder G for the past 2 weeks. But now he is leaving. We are getting 3 new elders in our house tomorrow. 3. That's crazy. They are sending a new tri-panionship into the area. We will have to show them around because B knows their area. With all of the disobedience in our zone this past transfer, a lottttt of elders are leaving. Plus they are splitting the zone in half and making two different zones. Crazy. Missionary work has really grown here in our mission. The number of new elders in our zone right now is apparently ridiculously high. Very green mission. So tomorrow I get to go to transfer meeting down in the center of Quezon because my comp is the lone zone leader. The elder who went home was our other zone leader. He was in our house. Anyway, the dynamic of our zone is about to change drastically. 

The past two weeks have been weird. Being in a tri-pan is so different. I mean, I'm used to it from the MTC, but it is always more difficult. We worked half in our area and half in Elder G's. So our numbers for our area have been very low. Also, I have been kinda down because I am having a hard time communicating and understanding what is going on. Especially because my two comps talk to each other in Tagalog a lot. I just feel like I should be progressing faster than I am. It has been a rough couple of weeks. I can't fully be myself if I can't communicate. I become shy. "Bakit ka tihimik?" is the question I get. "Why are you quiet?". I mean they understand, but still. I'm hangin in there. I know it will come. I need to be more patient. 

But it is all good! This is all expected with new missionaries. I am still loving being here. Good things are happening. We are getting work done. We have another baptism coming up on Nov 19. Francis P. We are excited for him. Soon to be a completed family.

I gotta get moving on. Thanks for your email! Hope all is well at home and at work!

Elder Stallings