Handumanan

Hey Family,

The work is finally good; its just nice to see things are finally coming together for us.  Elder Simmons and I  feel that we are trying our best and now we are seeing the results.  Of course, we can do so much better but now that we have seen the results so that want us to be better and trry to do the best we can.

Mom, can you write a letter to one of our investigators.  She is 17 and is way smart but her family is broken and she is always fighting with her mom.  She wants to get on right terms with her mom but she doesn't know how to get on right terms because she has no trust in her mom and her mom has no trust in her.  Your assignment is to write and tell her how she can get back on right terms with her mom and what moms want to hear from their kids.  She is awesome girl but is pretty much alone.  She lives with her mom and she wants to get baptized but she feels like she has to fix her relationship with her mom before she gets baptized.  That's what you write about. Thanks mom, you're the best.  Can you write me back by tomorrow or today so we can show Kata what mothers think.

OK, I sent some pictures because I feel bad that you are sick:

Me and elder Simmons mixing cement for the outhouse we made for members

primary activity they are way cute kids maybe in the future adopt one hah no joke

me and the elders president he as only been a member for 1 year but he is the man

just a meeting with some elders there are 3 from Arizona and yes that is elder Potts, Parker

the cutest little girl and the picture is not even good; it doesn't give her any justice you got to pick her up and hold her then you will realize how cute she is

 well love you lots also
elder heywood

Handumanan

How is everyone?

Dana, no kissy kissy with Augie.

Sounds like you guys are doing good and are having fun and having a lot of great experiences so that is good to hear.

The house is good here and the reactivation is good, can you believe it?  We had a good Sunday,  A bunch of people came back to church this week.  Hopefully they can continue and progress.  We have some great experiences with these families here and are starting to get a good relationship with them.  It was a problem when I got transferred here to ward 1 because the filipino that was with elder Simmons when we lived together, and I was in ward 2...he kinda talked bad about Americans.  So when I got put here in the ward 1, they didn't have any trust for us.  It was rough earning their trust and to show them that we actually could work hard.  We had to prove we're just not big lazy white people.  It was hard to follow up the filipino because he didn't do anything his last transfer and then he talked crap about us.  Now the Bishop can see that we are actually fun and hard working.  Sometimes people here are a little racist because they think all Americans are way rich.  Yes, we do have a better life then them in monetary ways, but gosh sometimes i get sick of everyone thinking, "Oh you're American, your life is so easy".  They just don't realize but its all good and I do love these people.

About the photos, you guys don't get any photos because I don't get any photos from you sorry haha its the way it works.
Good luck Mom on the young women calling, you will do great just whatever you do...don't set me up with any of your laurels.  Not really interested and besides I don't even know how to talk to girls anymore.  Dad keep on feeling better.  Katie don't get too fat.  Aaron enjoy your sleep as much as you can right now,  Parker, BYU Hawaii it's on!  Luke keep on having fun and work hard.  Dana namian mo itum halong ka da , Chris don't be a girl, suck up... the dentist is so much worse for kids here.

From Dave's letter:  (Jared writes a note to young men in the ward)

Tell the young men they don't know what true happiness is because they haven't served a mission.  They will be such a better person after and they will have true direction in their life.  They don't know what is really out there in the world; all they know is Gilbert, Arizona right now  When they go on a mission they can see the world and see the lives of others.  Because of the things they see and their experiences they will appreciate how good they had it back home.  They will also realize that the church is a blessing; they can't possible know how much until they serve.  Their family is a blessing that they take for granted too.  They will never realize how important those things are until you take it away from them for a little while.  I also think if they don't go on mission they are telling Jesus Christ and our Heavenly Father that their life is more important then others.  That is straight up selfish and they will regret it their whole life.  Of course they don't know whats out here and what they can learn, because they are just in their bubble right now.  The mission prepares you not only for life but also for eternity .


elder heywood

Handumanan

Thank you so much for the tops.  Oh man, the kids in the house with me are making fun of my huge yellow pit stains.  My tops were all fine until I bought this new deodorant and I bought it because it was cheap.  Did it ever leave the biggest yellow stains and those stains don't come out.  Thank you Mom!
So this week was better.  We are coming off that low.  I sure miss the other ward they just were so much more helpful and fun.  These people are good too but they don't help to much and they don't have any action.  We are trying to push the ward in a nice way but they just have no action whatsoever. It is really    its up to them; I am sure they will figure it out.  Lets just hope they will figure it out soon.  We had this one family that is way awesome and they finally came back for the first time to church in awhile.   The father used to be a high council man in the La Carlota stake but then they moved up here and they had some problems.  He went back to his smoking and his kids are all in there twenties and they are great and way fun.  One of the girls has a live in but other then that they are doing good.  A spark is in their eyes again.
 
Tell Scott congrats.  Also tell Dana congrats too for asking aiono he will probably be way fun.  So what happens to the surfboards after the dance?

Haha Parker congrats on that call, that just reminds me of the singles ward about the elders Q president. haha but yeah, have fun with that one.

Nope I haven't got my travel plans yet but thanks for putting that thought in my head.  By the way, I played basketball in a prison last week.

love

Handumanan

Yes, the earthquake was pretty cool.  Our whole east side got cracked pretty well ,but from Cebuano and south of there on the east side is Cebu mission.
My new ward is good but ward 2 is better really.  We have been working our butts off to get some less actives back to church and we don't have too many investigators but we have a couple.  We have a new filipino in the house that is pretty talkative; but he doesn't smile and he doesn't laugh and is not fun whatsoever.  Really he is a Debbie downer about everything and that isn't too fun so we try to be out of the house as long as we can to tell you the truth. My comp Elder Simmons is good but we feel bad for Elder Jennings.
Wow, how about Jacob, glad you all had fun at the wedding.  Tell Ben and Jamie congrats they are perfect for each other.  Sweet the budda; tell Parker to take care of him! 
How is everyone?  Is Katie looking different?

I'm just thinking I was the last of my friends to leave, so all the other friends will be back in no time wow!

well mom. love you guys and sorry my emails short but love you all,
elder heywood

Handumann

So a crazy thing happened today, we had a good 6.8 earthquake just 2 hours ago.  I guess a lot of earthquakes hit the Philippines.  Today though; wow that was a crazy feeling.  Kinda cool but scary.  A lot of the people freaked out here.  Some people were fainting and it was like Godzilla was coming with all the people running out of stores.

My transfer was kinda crazy also.  I was transferred over to Ward 1 but this means I will stay in Handumann.  Jennings is now a sr and I'm with Elder Simmons.  So I work with new people but still get to see the old ward also because Handumanan isn't too big.  That is it for the today though I might email you guys later.  Sorry, it is just that today has been kinda weird with the whole earthquake.  The electricity keeps on going in and out so i will just try to get this email off.  I will email you later this week.
elder heywood

Handumanan

Hey Momma bear and family,

This week is transfer announcements...I hope I get to stay with Elder Jennings.  I am really having a great time, to tell you the truth I am not getting trunky but maybe just a little.  I mean I have 6 months.  The filipino goes home in 3 days so in the house we have been talking about when our time comes and it makes me sad.  But it also gets me thinking, I will miss these people but I'm ready to see you guys.  I'm ready to have a sunday dinner with the family again.  I'm ready to make a homemade christmas present.  I'm ready for the swimming.  I'm ready to go hang out with all the rm's and Parker.  I'm ready to go to school but not ready to decide what to take.  I'm ready to see you all again. but I'm not ready to leave these people.  They have got my heart wrapped around their fingers.  So in some ways I can't wait til July comes but then I don't want it to come at all.
We are really focusing on less actives, the area authority came out and said all missionaires, "All hands on deck with the less actives".  I enjoy working with the people that are kinda lost because its awesome to see the light shine again in their eyes.  We are working with some great investigators also.  I enjoy this area a lot and yeah we have a real shower in the apartment.  I made a little christmas tour of the house during christmas time and I was going to send it to you guys but the computer wouldn't let me.  I guess you will have to wait until I get back to see everythin.

Oh and yes, I'm liking fish.  I just eat the bones now because I'm  to lazy to pick the bones out, haha just kidding, but seriously.

Today for pday I met a lady here from Gilbert Arizona she lives on Riggs and Val Vista.  She wasn't a  member but it was just weird to talk to someone from the big AZ.
Thanks for the good story about the tongans.  Tell Dana good job on morp, great theme and sounds like the Tongan men were a hit at the pep assembly.  Also tell her and Luke and Pops thanks for the emails.  Sounds like just a normal relaxing week, but thats cool sometime you got to just relax and enjoy everything around you.  Well this my email for the week, sorry I'm no story teller like Parker, you will just have to wait...

love you all

Handumanan

Hello People,

This week was good and our baptism was awesome!  They are awesome members now and that was only 2 people out of their family.  We are still focusing on the family trying to get them to church.  Some of the kids come to church but the parents are busy and they are a little afraid to change.  I can sympathize with that; to tell you the truth I would be too if I hadn't grown up with it.

I had so much fun with my last comp and now I'm having a lot of fun with Jennings and Simmons.

How I wish I could be at those parties and the weddings; dang I would not expect those two to get married first; they were always the most crazy.

Mom you get suckered into a lot of weird things.  Let me guess one of your tennis buddies got you in the miss whatever its called pageant.  You want to hear something funny; here in the philis they have a lot of contests like that.  My favorite is macho gay contest; its awesome...as you can probably imagine.

Chris, hope you are not a baby when you are sick and remember no watching movies when you're not at school!  When mom is gone watch them and then when you hear the garage open you got that remote in the hand and turn everything off.  Just remember if you do, do that you probably have 25 sec to get everything shut off so remember you got to be quick!

Parker and Troy happy birthday.

Tait is a smart man, filpina girls are the way to go.  Tell him congrats for me.  Tell jake to sell that smart car and get two matching baby blue blazers thats where its at!

Everyone take care love you all and halong kamo sa mga koripnut ninyo,

elder heywood