Elder Head in the Philippines - Happy New Year!!

Happy New Year!

As we started coming up towards the new year, I saw it as a time for reflection. To see where I have improved and where I must keep improving. One area that needs improvement is in my goal-setting, being that I can't seem to remember my goal from last year..

So I'm hoping that will change this year. Haha.

A few days before New Years, we were given deep fried pork leg to eat from some members, and naturally, I chose to play with the pig foot afterwards. Haha.

We were able to watch one Disney movie as a zone for New Years because the streets aren't really super safe for us at New Years, so we watched the Good Dinosaur. A cool part of that movie for me was when the dad said to his son, "If you can find the river, you can find your way home" and as a missionary I found a spiritual connotation for that in a sense, that if we can find the Living Water, we can find our way home. If we don't find the Living Water, we don't have hope. May each of us search deeper for the river that leads back to home this year. I testify that Christ is that river that can take us home. There is no other way there, but through Him.

Happy New Year!

-Elder Mitchell Head

Elder Head in the Philippines - Too busy to write last week- Happy Birthday Mitch! #skypein5days

Thanks for the all the pictures. Yikes. The kiddies...they're all so darn big now! Jeeze, that snow looks absolutely beautiful. I can't believe it's been 15 months in the blistering heat. Haha. Right now it's rainy/bagio (typhoon) season so it's so unbelievably humid. I've been doing my own hand washing of my clothes lately because it's easier to just do it myself than find a ride to the mission home with all my laundry in tow each week, but it's so humid that my darn clothes just won't dry! I've been donning damp clothes for the past few days. Haha. They get more dry after I iron them but there's still a kind of sogginess to them. Haha! I walked by a poster in the mall for the new Star Wars movie and it was super sakit. It looks so cool. Haha. So last week was SO hectic. We had the Christmas Conference in the mission which I didn't get to stick around for the whole time because we were doing this or that or running this errand or making sure we had enough chairs and then buying tickets for every missionary to return to Bohol. I took some pictures, but the majority of them are in Elder Bayot's camera. And he just went home. So I'll hope for an email with some of the pictures from Christmas Con. I took a few of the set up which was also fun. We set up a Christmas tree, but it didn't turn out very American looking, which is sad because the only ones who worked on the tree were the two Americans. I was actually kind of proud of how it turned out even though we were rushed! Haha.

So for Christmas Conference, we started on Wednesday night, gathered the entire mission from Bohol, Cebu, and Camotes to watch the Christmas Devotional with everyone staying over in the houses close to Lilo-an afterwards. This meant I needed to make up a list of where the entire mission was going to sleep for a night, making sure all the zones are still relatively close together so they could easily coordinate to get everyone to Lilo-an again the next morning by 9.

Check.

We then set up right afterward, getting everything decorated, which was super fun. I'll send my pictures. The next morning was a mission devotional with 4 speakers. President Tanner chose 2 missionaries who were relatively new and 2 missionaries who would be going home in the next week. It was so cool to see that even though 2 had considerable less bags under their eyes than the others, the same fire for the work and love for the Lord was constant in all 4 talks. There were musical presentations from each zone, some being better than others, and I performed a solo for our zone, O Holy Night (that being the reason the others were better...Haha) Just kidding. We did well too :)

After Christmas Conference ended, we had to get everything ready for the departing batch of missionaries, so Saturday I really didn't get a P-day. The Filipino missionaries will take an English test, just like grammar and stuff. It's not really a big deal if they don't pass, but it could help them a lot with getting a job after the mission if they get a good score on it. I was proctoring that last Saturdays I wasn't able to do much else because we had a batch of 16 missionaries going home who were all Filipino. Each test takes about an hour. There's a practice test the missionaries will take too. We spread it out for Friday and Saturday. So kana. That's why I couldn't email last week, I'm sorry. But thanks so much for the birthday wishes and the cute pictures!

On my actual birthday, we were pretty busy with the departing missionaries and some other vehicular things, so for like 2 hours, I sat in a Filipino DMV and just worked on the computer for most of the day. After that we had to do a coordination meeting with the Assistants to plan for the ACTUAL departure home for the out-going missionaries the next day. To be honest, I was not jumping for joy, which was really selfish of me. I thought to myself, "Worst birthday ever", but it was truly needed and I got over it quickly....in the same day, even.

The next day, we had some missionaries miss their flights. Yep. We were super blessed to have one of the workers at the airport be a member though who offered to pay for their tickets on the very next flight out. Nindot tender mercy.

We took all the trainers to the mission home to meet all the new missionaries, when Elder Jimenez & I drove all the trainers that were Elders to the mission home, we saw a little boy get hit by a motor (A guy driving a motorcycle) on the bridge going to the mission home. The guy wasn't wearing a helmet and the poor little kid (probably about age 7) wasn't wearing a shirt, so they both got some gnarly road rash. The little kid didn't look both ways before crossing the street. They both were ok but really scraped up and sore.

Then, the NEXT day, we had Transfer day. Oy vey!! Haha!

We got a call in the morning of transfer day from Elder and Sister McNett around 7:30am saying that the battery on their truck died, so they had no way to get to the office because President Tanner was on Bohol with his family with one car and the Assistants were going to the port in Cebu City with the others to pick up missionaries coming over from Bohol. Elder Jimenez and I manned the office for the morning until the Assistants got back and picked up the McNetts.

I just noticed how super ridiculously long this letter was, so if you made it here, thank you. Haha!

When it rains, it pours. It was basically a tropical typhoon of busy stuff these past few weeks. I haven't even been able to work in my area for the last two weeks because of the craziness.

I've been able to see a lot of tender mercies in the past few weeks as well too, and I'm grateful for that. But, boy, AM I tired. Haha.

Yep. Love ya. Haha.

Elder Head

Hey Pops! 

 It's been raining cats and dogs here in Cebu. We've got a couple big storms coming in (Typhoons) so we're feeling the effects of it through the rain only. But it's like constant rain right now. haha. Take it easy shoveling all that snow, Pops. Just drink some hot chocolate or something for me. Or some actual milk. The milk here sucks. Just ask Ryan. Also, eat some christmas goodies too. I kinda rambled in my email, so if you and mom want to make some revisions, feel free. I'm super excited to see you guys this next week. It's super weird to me that the Skype is already here. I'll only have one more after this......  I love you Pops. Thanks for your example to me.

Today I'll actually be able to work in my area!!!!!

-Elder Head

Funny message from the Cebu East Mission Facebook page :) I sent a screenshot of this & sent it to Mitch.
He said this about it, "Oh man, I know exactly what Heather is talking about. Traffic that day was HORRIBLE and we were also in a hurry to get them to the port so it was doubly hectic. Haha."

Happy Birthday Mitch!!

Elder Head in the Philippines - Looking forward to the mission Christmas Conference....MTC batch reunion :)

MAAYONG PASKO.

So this week we started the A Savior is Born Initiative here in our mission and it's so good! The website is extraordinarily well done as well as their presentation of the message. If you haven't seen it yet, I'd suggest you all go to christmas.mormon.org to watch and learn about the true reason for the season. I especially liked the video Imagine a World Without a Savior. The church just really does such a good job with their public relations. I'm grateful to be serving here at this time where technology can be used to help further the work. It's such a blessing! 

Other than that, we've been just doing the preparations here in the office for the mission Christmas Conference next week. It's not been too hectic here, which is good. It'll be the Christmas Conference next week where the whole mission will get together to learn more about our Savior and to watch the Christmas Broadcast. That'll be pretty fun to have my whole batch on the same island again. 

I'm also grateful to get to celebrate our Savior this month. It's exciting to me to still be out here serving during Christmas time. To be turned out towards other people instead of turned in towards myself. Such a great experience.

I'm grateful that we have a Savior, that all is not lost. That we can be forgiven because He lived. I'm grateful for Him whom I represent at this time in my life. For His love. For His grace. 

-Elder Head

Elder Head in the Philippines - I Stand All Amazed :)

Hey fam!

I Stand All Amazed

As I was sitting before bed this last week, I thought of just how weak I am. I have so many shortcomings as a person, I've made so many mistakes in my life, I've had so much wasted time on things that were of no real worth. I thought of just how selfish I really am. 

I'm so grateful that the Priesthood has been restored to the earth so that worthy males may bless the lives of others around us. That through the priesthood, we may turn out of our own little, one dimensional plane of thought and focus on others. For me, I get caught in the 1st dimensional thinking a little too much. 

Earlier this morning, the sisters in the Lilo-an Stake were gathering here at the Stake Center for a Women's Conference. The Sister missionaries assigned in the stake were also invited to attend. A companionship of Sister missionaries came to the office asked if their investigator could sleep in here while they attended the conference because she wasn't allowed to sleep the night before. The office would be the quietest place for her to be during this and would be the best place for her to rest.

We agreed and waited for probably 5 minutes while the Sisters went to get their investigator. When they returned, in walked the most frail human being I had ever seen in my life. It looked like she hadn't been able to eat a full meal for the past week. She looked exhausted from both lack of food, and lack of sleep. 

We offered her some food and let her sleep on the couch in the front. She stayed there for about an hour with the Sisters stationed right at her sides. After about an hour, she said she couldn't sleep. So one of the sisters asked us if we could give her a blessing. 

I was asked to give her the blessing. First we explained to her about the Priesthood, about priesthood holders, and about blessings. Then we blessed her.

She seemed to be at peace after that. She's still here in the office resting. I'm so grateful for the blessing of the Priesthood. I've seen it bless my life and also the lives of others around me. I've been surrounded with worthy priesthood holders my whole life and am grateful for their examples. The Priesthood is not a status or a title meant to lift us above others, rather it's the means by which we lift others to where we are. Just as the Savior said, "The Son of Man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister", so was man given the Priesthood to bless the lives of others. 

I'm grateful to have been given that opportunity. It was humbling to me to have been given the opportunity to work on behalf of the Lord to bless one of Heavenly Father's children. Even though, we may be weak, we still be a means for good in the lives of others if we just forget ourselves and focus on those who stand in need. If we look, we can find ways to "comfort those who stand in need of comfort" daily. Have a good week. :)

-Elder Mitchell Jeffrey Head

Elder Head in the Philippines - Happy Thanksgiving :)

Happy Thanksgiving!

Hopefully, you guys will eat lots of turkey and stuff. I'll probably just end up eating some balut to celebrate.

This past week I gave my first district meeting which was super scary, but turned out pretty well. It was based on one of the conference talks from last conference called "Let The Clarion Trumpet Sound" by Elder Gregory A. Schwitzer. We compared it to testifying contacts like how every time we courageously invite people to learn more about our Savior, we are sounding the clarion trumpet. We then discussed about techniques and we practiced. We'll see if it was effective or not when we get back the Key Indicators this week.

Other than that, this week was a whole lot of waiting. We waited on the insurance company to get back to us about whether the van was totaled, or if they can repair it. I'm thinking it'll be totaled because the car was pretty mangled.

Other than that, it was a pretty easy-going week. I'm hoping things will kind of slow down here soon. This past year has gone by so quickly.

In the spirit of Thanksgiving, I'm grateful for the time I've had here and for the opportunity I've had to come to better know my Savior. To know that He loved us enough to become the way for us to return to our Father again. I'm grateful that the Gospel of Jesus Christ was restored again in it's fullness here on the earth, that through the changing, cleansing effects of the Gospel, we can become clean. I'm grateful for a loving Father in Heaven who created a plan for us to grow, and become as He is. I know They live. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

-Elder Mitchell Jeffrey Head

Mitch the cockroach slayer - no light saber needed :)

Elder Head in the Philippines - "the BUSIEST week of my life" :)

Hey Fam!

Oh man, football playoffs. Tell the kiddies that I'm sad I won't be there for it, but tell them that I'll be there next year. Heh heh heh.

We moved out of that bed bug house, so I don't think I'll have a problem anymore, unless they follow me into the new house. I hope not. In my new house there's some super sketchy make-shift weights that I've been working out with. So we'll see if I can get a little form again these next few months.

So this past week was the absolute BUSIEST week of my life. I'll give you some background information so you can better understand why. In my new assignment here I'm covering mainly 3 aspects of the work: Missionary housing, missionary phones, and missionary vehicles.

Missionary housing: With transfers, there are a lot of people moving into new areas and looking for houses to live in and some find really nice houses for a good price. Then the other missionaries hear about it and now their house is suddenly uninhabitable and they think they have to move as well. Oh, brother.

We also recently found out from one of the landlords here that in her contract made by the old housing and financial secretaries, there was a clause that went a little something like this: We the Philippines Cebu East Mission will buy three (3) air conditioning units for the Lilo-an 3 house. We, the party above mentioned, will give the said three (3) air conditioning units to the lessor for installation. After termination of our contract, the three (3) air conditioning units purchased by the lessee will become the property of the lessor.

Well we didn't know that. So when the new senior couple got here we took one of the three air conditioning units from that house to the house of the new senior couple, thinking that it was our property because we bought it. Right? Wrong. She brought to our attention that clause that we were unaware of. I then brought to her attention the fact that she owes our mission php 20,000 because a default in our contract that she made months before. So now I'm in a wrestling match trying to find even with this landlord. That'll be my focus starting next week because..

Missionary Phones: We started giving out some new phones to the missionaries just because they stopped making the style of phones we were using before. Because the other missionaries are now seeing the new-style phones (which are actually not as good as the style we had before) all their phones seem to be breaking at the same time. Weird. Just kidding. I don't think it's on purpose. I think that the other phones were just old and are going out and it was just timing is all. But we've had to buy a lot of new phones for the missionaries this past week. Also, each transfer there are normally some areas that open, and others that close. So each transfer we have to set up and reset phones, which is super kapoy (Kapoy means tiring, I also sometimes just use it as like time consuming). So that took forever on Thursday, but we got it all done. Speaking of Thursday...

Missionary Vehicles: To better talk about this, I'd like to share small parts of what I wrote in my journal from the past two days.

Thursday, November 5th, 2015. My first official day as the Cebu East vehicle coordinator. One of the cars in our mission was totaled today. No serious injuries to the missionaries and no third party involved. Seems to have just been due to a mechanical failure in the steering wheel. Still waiting on the area to learn the procedures for this.

Friday, November 6th, 2015. More insurance companies, YAY. I got in touch with our insurance broker about the procedure and it's not too crazy, just kinda kapoy and time consuming. Lot's of hoops to jump through. Talked with parents over the phone. Talked with the area over the phone several times. Missionaries are still doing okay.

We've made progress but the past two days were probably two of the most kapoy days of my life. Just coordinating with everyone on trying to get this situation taken care of.

Good news: Heavenly Father spared the lives of those four missionaries because that crash looked REALLY bad and they were fine. They directly exited the car, knelt down and said a prayer of thanksgiving. And, only 7 weeks till Christmas.

I might just make that my letter for this week

But Mom I think yesterday was the absolute most tiring day of my life. I didn't even know where to start. Tender mercy: while cleaning off my desk yesterday morning, wondering what in the world I was gonna do about that, I stumbled upon a printed out paper from May that had the email conversation of the old office couples with the insurance company that had the name and contact information of our insurance broker representative. That started getting me in the right direction. The Lord will truly provide away if you just follow what he says with faith. He will give us the means to accomplish any task that is put in our way. No matter if they all are on your plate at the same time or not. I just realized that little mercy that He showed me yesterday. I know He lives and shows us proof by His tender mercies He daily gives to us.

The only break I get nowadays is when we get to go out and work at night. It's like Heaven. I forget all the missionaries calling me for this and that; I forget all the problems with apartments, cars, and cell phones; and I just focus on inviting people to come unto Christ. It's so nice. It's really my only rest.
I haven't started my application for BYU yet. If you need reasons, please see the writing above. Haha.

Love you. I'm glad you guys have had a relatively low-key week.

Elder Mitchell Jeffrey Head

P.S. Last thing for today, earlier this week I went to KFC for lunch and they were playing the theme from "Christmas Vacation". It totally reminded me of home. Haha. Good times.

Elder Head in the Philippines - Term & Conditions with a healthy dose of bed bugs???

Hey guys!

So good news, my feet are still attached. 10 toes and all. I did, however, get bed bugs this week. Turns out I'm slightly (very) allergic to bed bugs because I woke up in the morning 4 out of 7 days this past week with some pretty huge appendages. Day one, my right hand and left middle finger. Day two, my left hand and my chin. (I kind of wished that day one and two would have been together so that I would have had some nice, numb, boxing glove-looking hands. I would've been like a skinny, allergic Rocky though.) Day 3, my right wrist and tricep and bicep were super swollen (It looked like I started lifting again but quickly went away, awe man.) and Day 4 was the smallest being just my left index finger. We made an assault on my bed, bed sheets, pillow case, and the floor surrounding it with this bug killer called permethrin. It seems to have done the trick because two days have passed and no more swelling or itchiness. 

In other news, this is the lame-duck term here in the office. The trainees are now doing all the work, and the old office workers are just looking for stuff to do. I'll be setting up the receipts and such for the housing payments and reading the contracts made with the landlords to better familiarize myself with the terms and conditions. I never thought I'd actually read a terms and conditions thing in my life. So I'm gonna train my Lawyer-Eyes for these documents. That's about it. We're just about to send another batch of missionaries home on Wednesday and pick up a new one right after. IT'S THE CIRCLE OF LIFE. 

That's about it for this week. I've restarted the Book of Mormon and just finished 1st Nephi. If anyone would like to race me to finish 2nd Nephi, let me know. I'm starting today. 

Keep the faith.

Elder Head

Bed bugs = swollen allergic hand :(