THE POWER RANGER KID

I'll make this a quick one. Sorry, I've done a lot of quick ones lately. Ha.

Random stuff....

So once upon a time, Elder Cortez and I were walking down the street and to our right, we saw this kid wearing a red power ranger costume (mask included) from head to toe just chilling in front of his house. Then later than same day... we walked by that house again, and the kid was still there. Same position, same costume, just chilling. I'd like to think he was on a mission to guard his house or something. Anyway, that kid is a legend.

More random.

Cockroaches are a normal pest in the house. And I found a big one in the bathroom yesterday, but it was on it's back and it was still alive. So naturally I got rubbing alcohol and a match and had a little bit of fun... Hopefully his friends won't be returning soon because holy cow they're annoying.

So yeah, i have bad news, and good news....

So one of our investigators that we've been teaching for like, a month and a half, started to avoid us and has started to literally hide from us, so that was extremely discouraging because we had to drop her... Not going to lie, that was a frustrating evening.

But BLESSINGS! One of our "golden investigators", the Augustin family, came to church this week! Some of their relatives are members too, so they also have some solid support here in the church! I'm so excited to see how their progression goes. I know that if they diligently seek and search with real intent, they will definitely find.

Anyway, that's all I have to report. Sorry, not a lot... And I keep saying that I'm going to put pictures, but then I don't, so. Yeah. One of these days. Hyehhyehhyeh.

Love you so much, and keep moving forward with a steadfastness of faith! Don't give up because that's what the adversary wants! Don't give him what he wants. Keep looking up. :)

-Elder Ahn

Mission President - The World Needs Heroes

Dear Elders and Sisters,

Stop for a minute and think about the huge importance of your  calling. You have been called to invite others to  come to Christ. Why  is this so important?

--With your help, they can be cleansed from their sins so that they will receive the Savior's mercy on the day of judgment.

--With your help, people can experience a true change of heart, and   can have a "sincere, lasting change of thoughts, desires, habits and   actions."

--With your help, people can find peace in this difficult world.

--With your help, people can learn to live in love and harmony with their families.

--With your help, the doors of the celestial kingdom are opened for them. They can live with God again.

What could be more important than your calling? Nothing. The work you   do is of highest importance. Your work is sometimes difficult. It   sometimes takes more courage and patience than you have ever imagined   before. The work you do is a hero's work.

In Brandon Mull's   book, "A World Without Heroes," young Jason is setting off on a   difficult quest. In his conversation with the king, he expresses his   doubts about himself:

"Can I be honest with you? I'm not sure I'm cut out for something   like this. I'm a pretty regular guy. All this stuff you've been telling   me has almost scared me out of my mind. I don't think I'm what you are   looking for. You need a REAL HERO."

The king teaches him:

"So many misconceptions surround the notion of heroism. Far too many   categorize a hero as a champion on the battlefield, a commander of   legions, a master of rare talent or ability. Granted, there have been   heroes who fit those descriptions--but many men of great evil as well.   Heed me. A hero sacrifices for the greater good. A hero is true to his   or her conscience. In short, HEROISM MEANS DOING THE RIGHT THING,   REGARDLESS OF THE CONSEQUENCES. Although any person could fit that   description, very few do. CHOOSE THIS DAY TO BE ONE OF THEM."

Thomas S. Monson: "Courage comes in many  forms. "Courage is not limited to the  battlefield...or bravely catching  a thief in your house. The real tests  of courage are much quieter.  They are inner tests, like remaining  faithful when no one is  looking...like standing alone when you are  misunderstood." I would add  that this inner courage also includes doing the right thing even when we  may be afraid, defending our beliefs at the risk of being ridiculed,  and maintaining those beliefs even when threatened with a loss of  friends or social status. He who stands steadfastly for that which is  right must risk becoming at times disapproved and unpopular."

The Savior said: "...Whosoever shall confess me before men, him shall  the Son of man also confess before the angels of God: But he that  denieth me before men shall be denied before the angels of God." (Luke  12:8-9)

Peter said: "For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation..." (Romans 1:16)

My dear elders and sisters. You are my heroes. You show your faith  and courage every day by doing what is right, even when no one else will  know. You show your faith and courage by talking to many strangers  every day, inviting them to learn and sharing your testimony with them.  You are my heroes because you allow nothing to stop you from your sacred  mission--neither heat, nor rain, nor rejection, nor homesickness nor  laziness--none of these stop you. You move forward day after day,  putting your faith in God and in His promises. You keep your covenants.  You are my heroes. The world needs heroes like you.

Remember: "Your calling gives you authority; keeping your covenants gives you power." (Preach My Gospel)

May  the Lord bless you to stand boldly and courageously as "a witness of  God at all times and in all things, and in all places that ye may be  in..." (Mosiah 18:9)

Mahal ko po kayo,

President Creg Ostler

Umma I Love You!

Mothers day! What a happy day! Yesterday.

Umma I always talk about how adorable you are and how you're 5 ft. and how much I love you. So I think everyone here knows that I love my mom.

Don't worry Appa, I love you too. You and your strange garden in the backyard.

But family it was so good to see your faces! I'm so glad you're all doing well and I think I'm glad that things are pretty much the same there? Haha!

YoungTai and TJ, I'm glad that "FAKE" will soon be a part of our family. It warms my heart. -_- You're the worst. Love you.

Mia, congrats, like really. I'm so glad you made it into the Illustration program and that your hard work has paid off! Don't drown too much in your art.

HyunTai, don't watch too many movies! Haha just kidding, do what you want. Movies are great. And keep learning at NES (?)!

IanTai, don't drown too much in tests. And I hope you'll actually be able to communicate in Korean when you guys go there. Best of luck!

OH Yeah and about those mangoes.....

Sayang yung mangoes. Or it's a flippin waste.

So Elder Zeyer has been the one who usually goes outside and picks the mangoes, but he started getting these weird rashes all over his body from from the mangoes, so he can't pick the mangoes anymore and the rest of us either don't have time or are too lazy to go out and pick the mangoes, so now we have lots of fallen, broken mangoes sitting in our backyard. SAYANG.

Oh well, mangoes seem to be in an unlimited supply here so I think I'll survive.

So I can't recall anything out of the usual from this week.. so hopefully I'll have more stories next week.

But I would like to share this! So yeah, I finished the Book of Mormon a few days ago and I had the chance to do some good pondering and thinking on it... and honestly I can just say that it all makes sense. The Book of Mormon perfectly supports the Bible. It is literally another testament of Christ, and there is absolutely no way that it could be just some made up book. Jeffrey R. Holland talked about how no good man would create such a book with the intent to destroy, and no evil man could possible create such a beautiful book. The Book of Mormon HAS TO BE and IS and inspired work that was destined to come forth at this time.

It's just like what it says in PMG... The Message of the Restored Gospel could be true, or it could be not true. But if it is true, then that means Joseph Smith was a true prophet, that means he saw God the Father and Jesus Christ, and that means that through him, the true church, The Church of Jesus Christ, was restored to the earth in these Latter Days. And the Book of Mormon is a shining light that proves this.

So that's what I want to share. The Book of Mormon is so awesome, and everyone ought to read it.

Not just read it, but study it with real intent.

Anyway, I'm out of time.

Mahal ko kayo! God is Good!

-Elder Ahn

SLOW INTERNET RAWR

Hi Family.

Internet is really slow so it's hard to get a decent email in while also trying to send a letter to President Ostler and do all these other things... yeah.

So I emailed Umma, but I'll just tell you all again.

I'll be calling Sunday evening! So don't be busy then. Because I know how badly you want to hear my voice ha ha ha ha ha mhm.

Anyway, I'm very exacted to talk to you all and update you on whats been going on here. I hope I won't dissapoint. XD

Anyway, I'm making this a short one because there isn't a lot of time. And internet is still slow. Sorry.

But the work is still moving forward, slowly but surely here. The Lord is at the head.

Take care until Sunday! Love you!

-Elder Ahn

Mission President - Aspiring to Honors of Men

Dear Elders and Sisters,

One day, as Jesus and his disciples were walking to Capernaum,   the disciples were having a private argument. When they arrived, Jesus   asked them: "What was it that ye disputed among yourselves by the  way?"  They were embarrassed to tell him because "they had disputed  among  themselves, who should be the greatest." (Mark 9:33-34)

The desire to have praise, recognition  and worldly power is a  natural human weakness, but it is a  dangerous trap. It is like walking  down the streets of Manila during a  rainstorm. When you step in a  puddle of water, you don't really know if  it is a centimeter deep, a  meter deep or two meters deep. If the  puddle is a centimeter deep you  can keep walking with no problem. If it  is a meter deep you can suffer a  serious injury. The trap of worldly  praise and power is 100 meters  deep and can wreak destruction on your  soul.

During the Council in  Heaven before the world was created, Satan  fell into this deep hole. He  rebelled against Heavenly Father, saying:  "I will do it; wherefore give  me thine honor." In contrast, Christ  said: "Father, thy will be done,  and the glory be thine forever."  (Moses 4:1-2)

As you study the life of Jesus Christ you will see a remarkable,  consistent message. It is remarkable because Christ was the most pure  and powerful person ever to be born on the earth. If anyone had the  right to receive praise, recognition and worldly power it was Him. But  He consistently rejected it every time:

-After fasting for 40 days, Satan came tempting him with food, power,  worldly wealth and worldly glory. Christ humbly resisted, saying: "Get  thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy  God, and him only shalt thou serve." (Matthew 4:1-10)

-When He healed the sick, He often asked them to keep it quiet. Even  after raising a young woman from the dead "...he charged them straitly  that no man should know it..." (Mark 5:42)

-He was approached by a man whose son son was possessed by a terrible  spirit. As he was talking to the man, a large crowd began to gather. He  quickly healed the boy "And they departed thence, and passed through  Galilee; and he would not that any man should know it." (Mark 9:17-30)

Jesus not only set the example himself, He also taught against the trap of seeking praise and power:

"Beware of the scribes, which desire to walk in long robes, and love  greetings in the markets, and the highest seats in the synagogues..."  (Luke 20:46)

"Moreover, when ye fast, be not as the hypocrites, of a sad  countenance: for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto  me to fast." (Matthew 6:16)

"Behold   there are many called but few are chosen. And why are they  not chosen?   Because their hearts are set so much upon the things of  this world and   [they] aspire to the honors of men..." (DC 121:34-35)

"And  also he [William W. Phelps] hath need to repent, for I the Lord, am not  well pleased with him, for he seeketh to excel, and he is not  sufficiently meek before me." (DC 58:41)

How Does This Apply To Us?

Of all people that should NOT be affected by this temptation it  should be missionaries. You have give up everything: school, work,  family, popular music, friends. You work hard, 7 days per week, for 18  months or 2 years. You spend your days studying the gospel, talking to  strangers, being rejected, walking hour after hour, giving selfless  service.

However, it applies to you just like it did to the disciples of  Christ during his life. Even missionaries are tempted to think that  being called as a  leader should one of their goals. Even missionaries  can think that being praised or respected by others is important. Even  missionaries can, from time to time, lose sight of the fact that it is  God we are serving and no one else.

Sometimes our families make this even more difficult. It was the same during Jesus'  time. "Then came to him the mother of [James and John] with her sons,  worshiping him, and desiring a certain thing of him. And he said unto  her, What wilt thou? She saith unto him, Grant that these my two sons  may sit, the one on thy right hand, and the other on the left, in thy  kingdom." Sometimes your family or friends set expectations for  recognition and success that are false. They equate leadership  responsibilities with success. It was not true at the time of Christ and  it is not true now.

We need to resist every temptation to fall into the hole of aspiring to the "honors of men."

When his disciples were "moved with indignation" because of the  request of the mother, Jesus taught: "Ye know that the princes of the  Gentiles exercise dominion over them, and they that are great exercise  authority upon them. But it shall not be so among you: but whosoever  will be great among you, let him be your minister; And whosoever will be  chief among you, let him be your servant."

Then He uses himself as the example: "Even as the Son of man came not  to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom  for many." (Matthew 20:20-28)

I invite each of us to follow the example and teaching of the Savior. When asked what is the greatest commandment, he taught:

"Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with  all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind...And the  second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets." (Matthew 22:36-40)

This is how He lived His life: loving God and loving us. He followed  His Father with exactness and devotion and He gave everything, including  His own life, to save us.

We will be blessed as we serve only God and our fellow men, not our own desires for praise or power.

Thomas asked him "Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way?

This is a question all of us should ask.

And for all of us the answer is the same: "I am the way, the truth and the life." (John 14:5-6)

Let us humbly serve God and our fellow man, without the desire for  recognition or authority. Let us love them as He loves them, with a  selfless, pure love.

Mahal na mahal po kayo,

President Creg Ostler

Mission President - You Are Always Teaching

Dear Sisters and Elders,

Congratulations on a wonderful harvest of souls these past few weeks!  Thank you for your
obedience, hard work and dedication. I thank the  Lord for sending you to this mission.

Thank you for being great teachers of the gospel of Jesus Christ.
As  "Master Gospel Teachers" you have demonstrated your ability to teach all  five missionary 
lessons (a total of 40 gospel principles), including all of the doctrine as well as supporting 
scriptures and personal  examples. Thank you for taking the time to prepare yourself so well.

Today I want to remind you of another kind of teaching you do. This  teaching is even more powerful.

This teaching reaches many more people  than just those you sit down to teach in their homes. 

This teaching  starts the minute you wake up in the morning and ends the minute you go 
to sleep at night.

YOU ARE ALWAYS TEACHING.

When you wake up in the morning you are teaching your companion and  apartment mates
when you are out of your bed by 6.30am, praying for the  Lord's help in your day. You are 
teaching as you faithfully exercise and  then start your studies promptly at 8am. You are 
teaching when you take  companionship and language study seriously. You are teaching 
as you  realize that you serve the Lord IN your apartment just as you do OUTSIDE  your apartment.

You are teaching when you leave the apartment and go out on the  street. Are you smiling
and pleasant with your companion and those you  meet, or are you shy, embarrassed 
or focused on yourself? You are teaching when you greet people and Open Your Mouth 
to share the gospel.  Do you treat them with kindness and like a child of God and not "just  
another person who will probably reject me?"

You are teaching by how you walk. Are you walking WITH your companion  in unity?
Or do you trudge through the streets like you are sweating  through a death march?

You are teaching with your humor. Is your humor uplifting and cheerful or is it making
fun of someone?

You are teaching by the respect you show to older people and women and children.

You are teaching when you are watching and praying for your companion
while he/she teaches rather than watching TV or gazing around the room.

You are teaching when you show only love and patience
with your foreigner companion learning Tagalog.

You are teaching when you NEVER say anything negative about your companion
to members, investigators or other missionaries.

You are teaching by taking a daily shower and keeping your clothes  clean
and fresh-smelling, even though every day you sweat and are  covered with dust.

You are teaching by asking questions of others that show your true love and concern.

You are teaching when you refuse to go home early, even when you are tired
and none of your appointments have worked out.

You are teaching by what you say in your relaxing time. Is it  uplifting and spiritual?
Is it focused on your investigators or is it  focused on the things of the world?

You are teaching by your obedience to mission rules, whether you understand them or not.

Elders and Sisters, YOU ARE ALWAYS ALWAYS TEACHING. You have the name
of our Savior Jesus Christ on your chest. You are always teaching about  what it means to be 
a disciple of Christ and a member of His Church.

Please make sure that you never fall into the condemnation that  Corianton received
from his father Alma: "Behold, O my son, how great  iniquity ye brought upon the Zoramites; 
for when they saw your conduct  they would not believe in my words." (Alma 39:11)

May it be said of you, as it was said of Moroni:

"And Moroni was a strong and a might man.; he was a man of perfect  understanding...
Yea, a man whose heart did swell with thanksgiving to  his God for the many privileges 
and blessings which he bestowed upon his  people; a man who did labor exceedingly 
for the welfare and safety of  his people.

Yea, and he was a man who was firm in the faith of Christ...Yea,  verily, verily I say unto you,
if all men had been, and were, and ever  would be, like unto Moroni, behold, the very powers 
of hell would have  been shaken forever; yea, the devil would never have power 
over the hearts of the children of men." (Alma 48:11, 12,17)

May your teaching, through your words and through your actions, be powerful,
clear and righteous.

Mahal ko po kayo,

President Creg Ostler

Mission President - Multiply the Miracles!

Dear Sisters and Elders,

Sister Ostler and I extend a special welcome to the 34 new elders and sisters who joined the ranks of the best mission on earth this week! We love you. We pray for you. We are grateful for your faith and testimony.

We now have a great opportunity as a mission. We have the opportunity to work together to make a great mission even better. We have 100 companionships in our mission. We received 18 new missionaries in September and 34 new missionaries this week. That means that 52 companionships (over half of the mission) are in training right now. 52 companionships are doing the 12 week training program. These last two batches have included some of the strongest new missionaries you will ever meet. We have more missionaries who have been called to serve here. As I pray for them, I feel that they will also bring great strength.

You know that OBEDIENCE in your life brings blessings. Obedience is the first law of heaven. "When we obtain any blessing from God, it is by obedience to that law upon which it is predicated." (DC 130:21)

You also know that EXACT OBEDIENCE brings miracles.

But did you know that being EXACTLY OBEDIENT AND UNIFIED multiplies the miracles?

Elders and Sisters, I am inviting you to live our mission theme. I am inviting you to make the solemn promise and commitment to the Lord today that you will be obedient for the rest of your lives. I am inviting you to do this, not only individually, but as companionships, apartments, districts and zones.

"The time has come for us to stand a little taller, to lift our eyes and stretch our minds to a greater comprehension and understanding of the grand millennial mission of this the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. This is a season to be strong. It is a time to move forward without hesitation, knowing well the meaning, the breadth and the importance of our mission. It is a time to do what is right regardless of the consequences that might follow...We have work to do. Let us get at it with a new commitment, putting our trust in the Lord. We can do it, if we will be prayerful and faithful. We can do better than we have ever done before. We have nothing to fear. God is at the helm. He will overrule for the good of this work. He will shower down blessings on those who walk in obedience to His commandments. Unitedly, working hand in hand, we shall move forward as servants of the living God, doing the work of His beloved Son, our Master, whom we serve and whose name we seek to glorify." (Gordon B. Hinckley)

I promise that the Lord will pour out His blessings on your investigators and on you in an amazing, amazing way if you will be UNITED IN OBEDIENCE.

This is not a small thing. We are not in a high school class or playing some kind of game. We are not asked to be obedient so that we can earn "points" to go to heaven. There is no such thing. We are engaged in a very serious venture. We are on the front lines of the battle between good and evil, between light and dark, between hope and despair, between eternal life and eternal misery. You are, what they call in the military, "the tip of the spear." You are like the young Book of Mormon warriors who followed Helaman. These young warriors changed defeat into victory. They changed the history of their nation. You are called to change the history of the nation of the Philippines.

As you accept my invitation, it will be said and written of you, like it was said and written of them:

"Now they never had fought, yet they did not fear death; and they did think more upon the liberty of their fathers than they did upon their lives; yea, they had been taught by their mothers, that if they did not doubt, God would deliver them...

And as the remainder of our army were about to give way before the Lamanites, behold, those two thousand and sixty  were firm and undaunted...

Yea, and they did obey and observe to perform every word of command with exactness; ye, and even according to their faith it was done unto them...Now this was the faith of these of whom I have spoken; they are young, and their minds are firm, and they to put their trust in God continually." (Alma 57 and 58)

They would have failed if only some of them had been faithful and obedient. It was in their unity...their unity of faith and obedience...that allowed God to use them to do miracles.

Do you want to change the world? Do you want to change the investigators, recent converts and less actives you work with? Do you want to become the woman of God or man of God that you have always wished to become? Do it now. Commit to the Lord. Commit to each other. Put away childish things. Put away distractions. Repent of any past sins. I invite you to do this. The Lord invites you to do this.

As you do, you will fulfill the prophecy of John in the book of Revelation:

"After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, and which no man could number, and all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb (Christ), clothed with white robes, and p;alms in their hands...

And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, What are these which are arrayed in white robes? and whence came they?...These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. Therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple... They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat. For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters, and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes." (Revelation 7)

You are here in the Philippines Manila Mission to bring souls to God. At some future day "How great shall be your joy with [them] in the kingdom of my Father!" (DC 18)

Sisters and Elders, now is the time. This is the place. You have been called by God to do this.

May He bless you with the courage and faith you need to take your place in the army of the Lord.

Mahal ko po kayo,

President Creg Ostler