MISYONARYO

So one of the members (who is also preparing to enter the temple with his family) is totally a rapper. His "rapper name" is "Brother Ammon", and he wrote a rap about missionaries. And I now have it on my flashdrive (YES). Ah it makes me so happy.

Other things from the week:

ZONE CONFERENCE! Those are always lot's of fun! We received training from President and Sister Ostler and the AP's. Twas a spiritually fulfilling and uplifting experience. Every time we have meetings like that, I just want to be like Dan Jones and tell everyone "I'MMA COMIN' TO TOWN TOMORROW AND Y'ALL ARE GON' BE CONVERTED." But sadly it's not that simple sometimes. Either way, it was nice seeing the other missionaries and being together and knowing that all of us are 1 in purpose.

We had another baptism this last week! And now they are a completed family! Sister Tanola has been investigating the church (and actually going to church) for like 10 years.... and countless missionaries have taught her. I just feel blessed that I happened to be in the area at the time she got baptized, because it was definitely the work of all the past missionaries and the spirit working with her these past years to bring her where she is today. They're an awesome family.

I think this is all that comes to mind.

Yup.

It was a good week! I know this upcoming week will also be a good week.

Mahal ko kayo!

-Elder Ahn

DADDY!

Everyone kept telling me that yesterday was Father's Day.

So even if yesterday wasn't Father's Day....

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY! I love you Appa! I miss you and your accent and singing Korean karaoke with you and the fam! I also miss you and your random garden of unnatural plants in the backyard! Thank you for all that you do and for being such a supportive father!

Some of the random kids here have started calling me "Daddy" now (I don't know why..) so I think this is just a foretaste of what Fatherhood will be like. XD They're adorable.

Well, I can't recall a lot that happened this week. We had Zone Meeting.. that was fun. These meetings always motivate me to be better and to work harder so it's always a blessing.

We watched a little movie called "The Go-Getter". Really interesting and very motivating. As missionaries, we need to have the attitude to always move forward and give our fullest effort, even when faced with trial and adversity.

I guess it's not just for missionaries, but really for all.

Anyway, I'm almost out of time. Sorry this is a super short email.

The work here is moving forward and we're all doing great here. We have another baptism (COMPLETED FAMILY WOOOOT) coming this weekend, and we also have Zone Conference on Friday, so it's gonna be a bomb week.

Anyway, that's all for now.

Much love.

-Elder Ahn

Thank you Elder Ahn!

You are my P son, proud son!

I am glad that you are doing great in your new area. You are doing so great that kids are calling you Daddy!

I assume that you look mature and great!

We love you and I love you!

Love,

Appa

Family History

Hey, I'd like to request information on... well first, both of you.

But then I'd also like information on my grandparents and even great grandparents if we have that info.

Also, Appa! Do you know my Priesthood Lineage??

Thankyou so much! Love you!

Oh yeah, I bought kimchee at the store and it didn't taste good. I'm sad.

Love you love you love you!

-The best Son you've ever had (hahahahah) Elder Ahn

**************************************************************

I requested the priesthood lineage to the Church office. I will send it to you as I receive it.

Love you,

아빠

Grandfather life:

He was bone in July 12, 1933 (Lunar calendar) as the first child in Korea during WW II.

Korea was liberated from the colonization of Japan when he was in the second year of an elementary school.

He went to a traditional school (서당) for about three years because there was no formal schools after the liberation.

He had learned Chinese characters and literatures at the traditional school.

He shared one instance that his parents had to provide many bales (가마니) which were made out of rice straws manually by certain deadlines.

During Japan annexation of Korea, they took rice, wood and all other precious mine materials to Japan.

Korean war took place when he was the fifth year of the elementary school. Korean war lasted about three years with war casualties, 2.5 million people killed and wounded. During the war, communist people came to grandparents’ house (복흥리) and stole a big pig, 133 pound weight big pig.

Raising a pig was like a saving account to get better off for the family at that time. After all, the whole village, including his house, was burn down and had to find a different shelter for a while. I heard that great grandfather was so depressed and stressed by the lost big pig and war distress that he got sickness and he passed away eventually.

His father passed away when he was 19 years old. He became the head of the family at that time.

He was married at age 23 years old and he had to do mandatory military service for three years at age 26 years old (1958, April 10 to 1961 April) even after he was married. When he was discharged from the military, he had managed farming works, taking care of his mother and his siblings at 복흥리. He had lived there until 1979 Spring, then the family moved to Seoul, Korea to provide better educational opportunities for his children.

He was really interested in Ahn family genealogies and family records. He purchased Ahn family genealogy books (Five volumes) for me when I left Korea to go to America for my education. He said that “you are going to America and you will start a new Ahn family branch in America. You will be a founder of Ahn family in America”. The genealogy books were expensive purchases for him but he just did it for me. I was young at that time and did not anticipate the value of those books, but I am very grateful for his wisdom and integrity now. He was a great pioneer for me and you all here in America!  

Another Good Week and BAPTISM

I don't know what else to put as a title. I need to keep a better track of what happens in the week. Because so much random stuff happens all the time.

Anyway, one of our investigators, Mitch, entered the waters of baptism. YES.

She has such a strong testimony, especially on the topic of repentance. She made a mistake in the past, and people kept telling her (friends, family, etc.) that she would never be able to repent of what she did. Ouch. But now she knows that all can change. Clean slates, new starts, everything is possible through the Atonement of Jesus Christ. And she understands that. It's awesome.

Hm. Random thing:

Like I said before, the kids here are hilarious. There's this group of at least 5-6 kids that run to us everytime we walk by... and they all grab on to Elder Leota and call him "DADDY DADDY". Ha it looks and just sounds really weird..... but I just laugh at him. He's great.

Oh  yeah, Elder Leota is the man. Did I mention that before? He's awesome.

To be honest, it was just another good week in the Lord's field. This work is moving forward little by little, and it won't be complete until everyone has heard the gospel in their own tongue, hence, we have missionaries. Yay for missionary work!

Oh yeah, this Tagalog thing has finally clicked in for me. I can finally have conversations and just talk to people without worrying about what I need to conjugate or what the meaning of this or that is. It feels so nice. This box that I've been in has finally opened up.

Of course my language is not perfect and I still have a lot to learn, but my confidence has increased and the trust of members and other people is definitely there because I am able to communicate with them in their own tongue.

The Gift of Tongues is real people. No jokes.

This about concludes what I have to say.

I'll end by sharing a short passage from something I read the other day. It's called the Ricciardi Letter. It's a letter containing a bunch of experiences that an "Elder Humphrey" had on his mission in England, and all that he learned from his experiences. Especially with his trainer, Elder Ricciardi. If you ever get the change, google it or something.... It's amazing.

But I'd like to share this passage that helped me this week. This especially applies when faced with rejection or discouragement.

"The mission experience is to do what you are told, when you are told, to go where you are asked, and know that the blessing comes from enduring what I ask of you. This is not about you, it is about opening your mouth at all times in all places. Doing my (the Lord) will without thought to the end result or consequence... this is what serving a mission is."

Success on a mission is not measured by the baptisms. It's not measured by the numbers.

Rather, it's measured by our obedience to the Lord; to keep going and to keep giving it your all, even when you feel like the work is going no where. The mission is like a test: a test to see if when faced with adversity and discouragement, that you will still go about preaching the Gospel to all people.

It's an awesome letter. You should all read it.

Well, Until next week.

Mahal ko kayo.

-Elder Ahn

THE CITY LIFE

Well I finally got transferred.... tooooo the city! The area is Paranaque, or that's the name of the city I'm in.

I feel like I'm in a completely different mission. This place is so confusing.

Some Random Stuff:

The kids here are really funny... They all like giving us high fives, and the other day, my new companion Elder Leota got them all to start chanting his name. Imagine two missionaries walking down a crowded street with a group of 20-30 children chanting a Samoan's name. Yeah. It was pretty funny.

Oh yeah, Elder Leota is Samoan. He's super cool and crazy crazy nice.

More random.... so some kids were doing flips onto an old mattress outside and we went to go talk to them, and so just for fun I decided to show them a quick easy flip. That was fun. Later that night, some of the kids were asking me to teach them more and I was like "nah I can't, I don't know anything".

Spiritual experience!

So one of our investigators asked for a priesthood blessing because she was feeling sick. When I consecrated the oil and laid my hands on her head, I felt this immense, but peaceful power, and a sure faith that she would get better. Later that day, the member who was also there at the blessing told me that the investigator said that she felt "power" when we gave her that blessing, so hey. Priesthood power and priesthood blessings. Pretty awesome.

Well, I'm not familiar with the area and neither am I familiar with the ward or our investigators... but I'm so excited to see what will happen in the next few weeks. We have a baptism next week and we have a lot more planned for later this month!

This church is true. The book is blue.

-Elder Ahn

I'm Transferring.

And I still don't know where! HA. 

I literally found out like an hour ago, and the zone leaders will inform me tomorrow I think.

So that's that.

Anyway, it was an interesting week! I think.

Random thing: So Filipinos are SUUUUUPER hospitable people, so if they're outside eating or drinking, and you walk by them.. they say "Uminom na tayo!" or "Kain na tayo" meaning, "lets drink!" or "Let's eat!" Ha it's awesome. Of course we have to turn them down, but still. It's interesting. For example, two nights ago, some people outside their house were like "Ah, shots!" and we were like "meeeh we're okay, but thanks!"

So the Augustin's!

They didn't go to church the last two weeks..... Nooo...... but the first week they had an interesting reason. So a lady from "Iglesia ni Cristo" has been visiting them occasionally as well and that sunday, as the Augustin's were getting ready to leave to come to OUR church, this lady shows up and literally started crying and was telling them that they HAD to attend their church.... so to appease this pitiful woman's plea, they attended there. Aaaand the Augustin's didn't reallly like that.

So cool!

Sorry I didn't mean to send that.

Anyway, CONTINUE.

So yesterday, they didn't come to church because.... they were tired on saturday and didn't wake up on time on sunday (dang it).

But I think they'll be alright, because their understanding of the Gospel and their desire to folloow the commandments and the example of Jesus Christ is so strong. They're just awesome.

We also taught a new investigator yesterday who has been investigating perviously in another area here on Palawan, and she happened to move here to Narra! Yesterday we taught her and she was extremely emotional... so she's been having problems with her husband lately, and she wasn't sure if she should keep investigating the church here in Narra, but the night before she said that she was reading the Book of Mormon and she was praying and listening to hymns, and she decided to come to church. I think she said that she received a text from her husband and he said that he could drop her off at church, so she came to church. Then she said that the first talk was an answer to her prayers, and it was on the topic of Enduring to the End.

Her situation is hard, but she has strong faith and she has strong support from some of her siblings, so we're hoping for the best for her. The Spirit is really helping and comforting her, so we are so grateful for that.

Um I think this is all I have time to share. Or this is all that comes to mind.

Well, we're moving on to the next chapter. I might transfer to the mainland, or I might transfer to another area here on Palawan. We'll see. XD

Much love! Ingat kayo!

-Elder Ahn

I held that spider. I almost died.

Elder Cortez's glorious face.

The Elder's here think that my last name is fun.

Mission President - Show Your Love To The Lord

Dear Sisters and Elders,

This past week Sister Ostler and I were in Cebu for training with the Area Presidency along with the other mission presidents and their wives. We were blessed to be able to attend the beautiful Cebu temple and to receive instruction and inspiration.

The seminar was a wonderful combination of spiritual teaching and motivation to do better. One of the mission presidents said that  when he arrived in the Philippines in 1975 as a young missionary there were 2 missions, 20,000 members and no temples. Now we have 700,000 members, 21 missions and 2 temples. In spite of this remarkable growth, the Area Presidency said that we have barely begun to establish the Church in the Philippines. "We will see the membership of the Church go into the millions. Many more temples will be built here. You are doing well. But you can do better. There are millions of people prepared in the Philippines."

We were taught that the Lord will bless us to find many more converts if we exercise more faith. I look forward to working together during the coming months to claim the blessings of obedience and faith.

I also spoke at two stake conferences this weekend. Elder Ardern presided at one of the conferences. After observing the wonderful missionaries in that stake he stood up and said: "The Spirit has prompted me that you can trust these missionaries." He told me privately afterward that our missionaries look very, very good. He could see that you love the Lord and that you are working with all of your hearts. (You know me. Of course it brought tears to my eyes when he said this. I told him that you are not just good. You are great!)

Elders and Sister, I know that missionary work is not easy. Every day you face rejection. Every day you put your faith on the line to teach the gospel.

I don't want to sound mean or insensitive, but I am glad that it is hard. I am glad that we are tested and tried. How else can we really show our love for God? How else can we truly follow Jesus Christ? How else can we strengthen our faith?

"For if ye love them which love you, what thank have ye? for sinners also love those that love them. And if ye do good to them which do good to you, what thank have ye? for sinners also do even the same." (Luke 6:33-34)

"But I say unto you, love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you, that ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven..." (Matthew 5:44-45)

"The winds of tribulation, which blow out some men's candles of commitment, only fan the fires of faith...of special men." (Neal A. Maxwell)

"Behold, I have refined thee, but not with silver; I have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction." (Isaiah 48:10)

Enduring hard things for a good cause is the sign of spiritual maturity.

Sacrificing yourself for others is the true sign of discipleship.

Every act of obedience, every act of service, every act of sacrifice changes your soul and draws you closer to God.

Every sacrifice for the Lord is your way of saying "I love you" to our Heavenly Father.

May the Lord bless you my dear friends. Live your lives so that you will be trusted by God. Live your lives so that God can work through you to save many souls.

Mahal ko po kayo,

President Creg Ostler