What up What up !?

Hmmm what to say about this week! Well on Wednesday we had our follow up training meeting with the President and Sister Tye. I got to see Elder Christensen which was dope! I miss that kid. We got to vent a little bit! Turns out all Filipino trainers are hard. I also found out mine is one of the hardest. And my area is the most run down areas haha oh well:) I still love it. Well ya so me and elder Col Col are still on the same level. Pretty sure he still hates me, its funny he talks to literally everyone BUT ME!  He is soo trunky, cant wait to go home! He makes me lead the area even though he didnt train me on how to. When I mess up he just gives me a dirty look, and walks away! So he makes things hard! But.... I really love everything else. I love this country, I love these people and their kind hearts, I love this language that I dont know yet , I even love the exotic dirty food they give me! haha Its just that one struggle, and of course the language:) But im trying to break him! My migraines and stomach pains are starting to go away! But of course I developed a rash on my arms! haha oh I love it! Well this week we had to push back a few baptisms which was rough, but they needed it! Also we taught a few new investigators which I found and that was way cool! But it stinks cause everyone makes appointments then they do not keep them and sometimes I wonder why they don't , probably cause of the Taglish missionary that doesn't make sense haha, but I'm studying everyday. Well yesterday we had an awesome baptism! Brother Viscarra and his family who we reactivated last week baptized his son! It was so cool to see a whole family come back to Christ. The daughter who was about 20 who was also inactive gave from what I understood the most awesome testimony! So cool. We also have a progressing investigator named Vina Diaz, and if every thing goes well, she will be my first baptism this next month! Well we had a zone activity today, we played basketball and volleyball, pingpong, and watched a movie. That's why this email is so late sorrrry! Well im starting to love these little things. Ive come so close to my Heavenly Father and have realized how important prayer, studying, the sacrament and all these little things are. I love this gospel, I want nothing more than to preach it in this native language. I need that heavenly virtue of patience :)haha And no they do not celebrate Halloween here! Its Christmas time! And no Thanksgiving turkey haha:0 Love you all, especially my nanay and tatay and kapatid!

Elder Collins

 

                                                              Pics Of The Baptism

                                                                

                                                                  Sunday Pics

                                                                     My Rash?
                                                                      

Yo Yo Yo from the big PH

Hello! Hows it going? Well this week was good ol normal week here! We taught like 20 lessons this week which was pretty sweet! No big highlights! So here in the Philippines we focus a lot on Reactivation because, people are always willing to be baptized into the church, but then after that they are done. I mean we still teach investigators but our big thing right now is LA's. So we have been teaching a bunch of less active families! One including the Viscarra family! They are a family that we visit every Wednesday. The mother is active but the father and kids arent. The father was offended by one of the members so he stopped going and didnt force his kids to go. So he's been a LA for about a year or more. We share lessons about the importance of the sacrament and church. With the Bishops help we were able to get him to come back! It was way cool we were all just sitting in sacrament as it was just starting and we turn around and him and his WHOLE family were walking in! It was so sweet and they stayed for all three hours! Also we are teaching a few investigators too, and I got 2 more Baptismal dates! It was sweet! One is Brother Roberto Bobares he's the Uncle of one of our priests and he is a Born-Again Christian, so he had a lot of wierd questions, We were able to teach him about the restoration, well mostly Elder Col Col, but I asked him to be baptized and he accepted! Dope! Then the other is brother Richrd Ford, we were actually going to do a family home evening at their house because his wife and daughter are less active. She told us we could come over yesterday and share a quick message. So we get there and she ends up ditching out on us like she always does! But her husband was there and agreed to listen. We taught him lesson one and he was interested, so at the end of the lesson Elder Col Col turns to me and I invited him, and a little hesitantly he said yes! So if our investigaters progress we are scheduled to have 7 baptisms in November, so thats exciting! Well some sad news one of my good friends from the MTC goes home tomorrow, he had some things that he needed to take care of. Oh man it really makes you think! Well as far as me and Elder Col Col go.... its still the same, we dont talk, he gets way frusterated when I dont know what to do, he has me lead the area, which im fine with but when our appointment cancels and I dont know what to do.... thats when the flipping training should come in! Instead he just gives me a dirty look and just walks away and leaves me. Its super discouraging. So yeah things are still hard here. really hard, but im going off one of my favorite quotes from conference from Elder Jeffrey R. Holland, he  said, " If the bitter cup does not pass, Then drink it, and be strong! And trust god."  Man I love it!  Im going to keep working on him, I think the more I talk with him in Tagalog the more he responds. Cause he just doesnt like English! Or me!!! haha Well thats sweet, I bet Reggie's homecoming talk was better than my farewell talk! But thats cool he's got 2 years on me! haha Hes looking for a job too eh? Well hopefully he finds one so he can buy his own clothes and not wear mine! haha And what the heck? no email from max anna and sam?! My host at the MTC emails me more than them! haha well love you all! Miss you like Crazy!  Didn't eat any crazy foods this week! Other than Everything haha! MAhal ko Kayo!

This Is Russel My Favorite Little Filipino!

                                                        I Love The Acosta Family!      
                                                     

                                                                  4 Filipinos :)

Welcome Home Brother!

Hello! sorry this is later than usual! My day consisted of 8 hours of jeepney riding walking miles, and more jeepney rides just to go to the Dentist with my companion!!! So I didnt get to email till now! Well this week was pretty much the same as last week. Hot weather, Taglish ( mostly english ), my companion disliking me, and lots of studying! Haaha but im slowly getting used to things! Well not gonna lie, seeing Reggie come home was the hardest thing ive ever seen. Im so happy for him, but I wish I had him here with me! I feel alone now that im the only missionary out there! Why do every time I open up my email on P day I start tearing up?! haha well this week was pretty busy! We had a zone meeting, and interviews with president which you already know about! haha it was nice to talk to them and your right sister Tye is theee best! Shes so caring! And I finally got to watch conference! AMAZING. My favorite was President Ucthdorfs talks. I felt like everyones talk was just for me! It was great!. And I realized how much we take advantage of those things. I am used to watching conference on my nice warm couch, and falling asleep. Well now it takes an hour ride to get to a chapel that plays it then you have to stay there all day. But so worth it, haha I took twenty pages of notes! Well when it comes to me and my companion things arent going the best. I feel like he truly dislikes me. We do not talk unless we have to, he gets frustrated when he has to repeat himself or I cant speak Tagalog, and our comp studies are just awkward. He's got 4 months left and he is already trunky. He always watches peoples cell phones and tries to watch TV when we are around them. I mean he's a great guy and all its just hard, but something that Henry B. Eyring said really hit me, he was talking about an old lady he knew who had a grandson who was a criminal and ended up in jail, when she was driving to visit him in prison, she prayed to god and said, "why me?" "when I have been so good why me?" and the spirit eventually whispered to her these distinct words... " I gave him to you because I knew you could, and would, love him, no matter what." Man that hit me so hard, I felt like it was for me. I can and will love him, no matter what.:) Well on the bright side, I extended a baptismal invitation and they said yes! It was sweet! Its this sweet old lady, we dont know her name so we call her "nanay" which means mother. But it was way cool, and I am planning to extend another one tonight to so wish me luck. This language is so hard, but occasionally I can understand when people are talking. Well whatever I say just remember that I love this work. I always try to keep a smile on my face no matter what happens, these Filipinos are good at that! Tell Reg that I love him and glad he's home! love you all! Mormon 9:27 is my scripture this week!

Mapagmahal,

Elder Collins

 

                                            My Brand New Shower and Washing Machine

                                       My Weight Room, And Yes I Use It Every Morning

 

                      I Ate Balut! Worst Thing In The Entire World! (Fertilized Duck Egg)

 

                                                         Slammin It In A Jeepney!

  

 

 

 

"HEY JOE!"

Well.... this week was pretty much the same as last week. haha I thnk im slowly slowly slowly slowly getting used to things. I think the mornings are the hardest for me because me and elder colcol don't  talk a lot. He aways tells me to not to be afraid to speak the language even if its wrong! But he is always afraid to speak English to me!  And my other to roomates same dealio. So thats the most hard part is I get left out a lot. Being in the streets is a little better cause Filipinos are HILARIOUS,  except for when there making fun of me and I dont know it. When we walk on the street everyone stares!!! everyone! Haha the gay guys hit on me. And there are a lot of gays here! haha all the older guys call me Joe! They go... "HEY JOE!" Everyone with white skin is Joe haha. And the little kids go hey! "What your name is?" haha everyone wants to know my name for some reason! The kids are the best they always run up to me and give me high fives and wave and stuff! And no one here has seen red cheeks before! haha they think its fake or that im just really hot! which I am!! haha temperature here is hot! Well we teach a good amount I just hate it though cause Filipinos can never keep appointments! We usually schedule aboout 6  or 7 lessons on a normal day, but only end up teaching 2 or 3 because so many people say that they dont have time or there "not home" haha I was able to give my first baptismal invitation on Tuesday! he said no... haha so you know shake that one off... welll he said he will think about it? We are teaching him again soon so well see! We do not tract, my companionn says it doesnt work so we dont. And everyone has a smoking problem here. We are  teaching this 17 year old kid who smokes! I mean come on! On saturday we were able to teach at a Mini MTC that our branch was holding. It was actually a way cool experience! I was suprised at how many future missionaries there were! I taught them how to study effectively! In english of course! haha But it was fun! Im still having problems with the language. I cant speak it at all! Im able to participate in the lessons more but its only things that ive memorized before hand! And its usually still wrong! Whoever told me that grammar didnt matter in the MTC, im gonna kill them! One mix up on grammar and you could be saying "jesus has no gospel" instead of "jesus has a gospel!" haha So yeah its still very hard, im looking forward to conference next week! Its only a week delay which is nice! I lost my Ipod charger so im gonna need a new one! haha sorry! Lindsay Dixon is going on a mission? whaaat? thats sweet! If you have her email I want it!  Well im going to keep working This is hard, really hard.  I think something that I keep forgeting is, I signed up for this. I knew it was going to be hard when I accepted this call. Its tough but its not about me anymore. its about others, its about The lords work, Its about becoming a disciple of Christ. Thank you mom! I love you so much and I miss everyone like crazy! GO EAGLES haha mahal kita!

ELDER COLLINS

 

 

 

 

The Streets Of Bulihan

 

 

 

Home Sweet Home

My Apartment and My Street 

 

 

 

 

 

Cutest Kids Ever! 

 

 

 

 

 

                                                         Basketball Anyone?

 

 

                                                 Just A Few Goats Passing By?
                                                       

  

Swaged Out Mercedes Benz Jeepney!  Nice!