Elder Logan Spackman ~ Philippines Legazpi Mission

 Hello everybody! Mahal ko kayong lahat! It was a good week so let's jump right into it.  -We met our new president, President Advencula. He is super kind and was actually born and raised in our mission. His voice kinda sounds like Optimus Prime, so I be getting hyped whenever he talks to us haha. -We were teaching our friend, and her husband comes in mid lesson, drunk, and shakes my hand and then says, ''Sorry Elder, I'm drunk'' in english and then walks away. The word of wisdom is going to be a fun lesson to teach!! -We had new friends come to church this Sunday, so in total we've had a lot of success with the area these last 2 weeks. The friends we have right now are awesome, keep praying for them and I know they will progress! -We were at the sea wall and this Ate told me that I look like I'm 23, Guess I've put on a couple years here in the Philippines. -I was talking to this family, then this little kid walks up, stares at me, and proceeds to pu...

This week started off pretty fire with exchanges with my guy, Elder Garcia. Since our district is only the four of us in the same area, we both pretty much knew the area which made it all the more fun. Here's what happened with the aforementioned title of my Email. -We go and knock this house that is quite literally in the middle of nowhere, It's kind of like a hobbit kind of vibe from Lord of the Rings. All around us are just miles of flat rice fields. So I say ''tao po'' (People here) and we see this tatay walk out. He then tells us to come in, so we do. There's this other lolo (old guy) and the first tatay who lets us in starts saying, "Benete'' or 20 in english to the lolo. We were really confused and then the Tatay proceeds to walk over to the lolo, rip the wallet out of the lolo's pockets, and give us money. Of course, that was not allowed for us to accept it, but he kept on insisting so Elder Garcia took it. We then promptly returned ...

So I forgot to write an email last week because I thought that nothing interesting happened but then I remembered that we got a gun pulled on us. What Happened: Elder Pedegloria and I were just having a grand old time finding here in Pio Duran, When we knocked this one house (Middle of the jungle pala). The Nanay says to us ''Patuloy na'' or in english that we can come in. So of course Elder Spackman is excited, getting ready to preach the gospel, and all that fun business. Then we enter the house and there we see the tatay. The Tatay has a gun holstered in his belt and screams at us while grabbing his gun ''Bawal Muna''. Crazy Naman talaga we got outta there and i didn't realize it was a gun but Elder Pedegloria luckily filled me in on the details late. Good old story!!! One of the Lord's friends and my friend got baptized in Daraga!!! (Don't worry Daraga I haven't forgotten about you). I received news on the PMG app and Masaya ako talag...

I was finally transferred out of the city of Daraga, and into the small town of Pio Duran. The thing about Pio Duran is the people here are super kind, and they usually will at least let you talk to them about Jesus Christ. Although committing to invitations is a slight concern here.  New companion: My new Companion, Elder Pedegloria, is the DL and has been in the mission for about one year and five months. He is super nice; like on my birthday he made me breakfast and ironed my white shirt.  He is from Quezon province, so pretty much Manila in my mind. Miracle on Fast Sunday: What had happened was It was a fast sunday and we didn't have any food at home, and also I was super hungry. Our dinner appointment had also fallen through, so we were left with no choice except to find people to teach. Luckily, the first person we find invites us in and borderline forces us to eat their food. (Here in the Philippines it's polite to offer food, but usually you decline to also be polite)....

I'm getting transferred! I am going from the biggest cities in the Albay region with a ward and a stake, to one of the smallest areas in the mission, Pio Duran. The population there is about 44,000 people compared to close to 500,000 people in Daraga. It's also right next to the sea, I've heard the views will be beautiful. I'm going to miss Daraga, I have learned so many lessons here. I've learned patience, the language, and many other things. The members here are so awesome and I will definitely miss them. I've had so many crazy stories happen to me here that were beyond my imagination when I first put in my papers. I love my companions, Elder Solidum and Elder Bul-an. They are great missionaries. Pio Duran is going to be different, because from what I've heard the church is not really established there. It's also pretty much the jungle over there and I've heard that it's a lot of missionary's favorite area so I'm definitely excited. Hav...

You read the title, My emails are about to get a whole lot longer. Mainly because I obtained a keyboard. But anyway, now I can more fully express myself over email! We were able to put one of the people that we are teaching on PBD. It's this old Nanay that we have been teaching for awhile now, ever since I got here. She has been a great example to me about faith and going to church. Because even though she isn't a member, she always comes to church. She is also 80 years old and has to walk down a hill, pay for a tricycle, and do all this at 9AM. She is quite literally a saint and her example I will never forget. Fun fact about Nanay, She and her husband got married when she was 16, and he was 28. It's built different here, that's for sure. My experience in the mission field has been wild, because I learn so much about people and more importantly about myself. I have seen that as a missionary you can objectively see people in two ways. The first being the way that God se...

Happy Mothers day to all the Nanays (Mothers) reading my email, I know that you all have sacrificed so much for your children and the Lord is proud of you!!  I think of my own mother and growing up sometimes I thought I was right, and I didn't listen to her. Welllll, turns out she was right 99% of the time and she still loves me. I think a mother's love for her children is the closest thing that can represent Jesus Christ's love for us all. (Sinabi iyan ni Elder Holland, iinisip ko) - Elder Holland said that, I think. So I think as sons and daughters it's important we take a step back and treasure that love we've been given. For you men out there, the only unconditional love we will receive is our mother, make the most of it!  PASM Mayon Volcano It's Kermit