Beautiful Country!

Hello Family and Friends!

So this week was really really busy! We just had a ton of events happening this week that really made it go fast! So last Monday we had some orientation for driving in the Philippines! In case you dont know, driving here is a lot different than driving in the states. Sister Rahlf described it as like playing Mario Kart in real life! And in some ways, it really is! Then got to go get a license and all that jazz. Wednesday, we had to go all the way to Tuguegarao with some stops along the way to deliver some things... Tuguegarao is a little far so it took the WHOLE DAY! Haha I thought about it, and it was like driving from Nampa to Salt Lake City and back all in one day! So that was interesting! But I did get to see my old area in Tugue! And then we got to teach some new leaders at the new leaders training for the District Leaders.

But one of the coolest things that happened this week was we got to go to a school for special children to donate 2 air conditioning systems for them! The school put on a little program for us including ribbon cutting, kids dancing the Cha Cha, and some food. But it was so cute to see the kids! I became like an official photographer for the event haha!

This week we were able to see a lot of Less-actives come back to church! The branch is just awesome! The people are really really nice and fun to be with! One of our investigators really inspired me! Her name is Evangelyne Lago and she lives in our farthest area! Probably 45 minutes away by tricycle and her family is just dirt poor... Her mother wasnt educated as a kid and cant read and because of their situation, she has to stop school... Public schools here have expenses. So we heard her pray the other day and she asked if there was any way that she could hopefully continue schooling. Got me thinking of all the times I didnt want to wake up early in the morning and go to school... that feels like a selfish, ungrateful act now.. But she has a strong testimony of the gospel! We watched the Restoration video with her and her mom, and the spirit was POWERFUL! Her mom afterward kept telling us how good a feeling she felt! In our next lesson with them, we gave her mom a Book of Mormon, and she said that that was the best gift ever given to her. Its even more amazing when you think she cant even read it. But we're working with them a lot. Last sunday, they somehow found the means to come to church! Seeing her walk up to the entrance with a big smile on her face MADE MY DAY!

I know that this is the true Church of Jesus Christ! He lives. We have a living prophet today on the earth and how important it is to make it known to the inhabitants of the Earth! There is no better calling! :)

Mahal ko kayong lahat! Sana'y magiging maganda at maayos ang inyong mga week :)

Elder Navarro

 

New Area, New Adventures

Hello family and friends,

I'll probably keep this one a little shorter just because of time constraints, but this week has been crazy! Said goodbye to all the people I knew in Santiago and got ready to meet my new area. Even though I really wasnt in that area for too long, it was still sad to say goodbye to some of them. But my new area is... Cauayan! Yup, finally got assigned in the middle of the mission and get to experience the actual Cauayan! Excited for this new area and a new assignment with housing!!

The work has already been going really really well! I love all of the members and the investigators in this area! The people are very very nice! We have an investigator named Evangeline that has a huge testimony of the gospel! She reads the Book of Mormon every day, and is just doing great! The only problem is that her house is so far away from the church that they have a really hard time making it on Sunday's. So we're trying to find members that live really close that can help her with transportation.

My new companion is Elder Treyes from Bacolod. He's an awesome Elder who really has a gift of seeing people as they are! He's cool and excited to work with him!

My personal studies have really been focused on Prophecies and the fulfillment of them lately. Its been a testimony builder to see how Christ used ancient scripture to show that he was the fulfillment of the coming of a Savior. Prophecies He used to show that he would be betrayed as "the stone that the builder's rejected." It seems to be a pattern through all prophets, including those in the Book of Mormon. The book of Mormon and the Bible being the Stick of Ephraim and the Stick of Joseph. The prophets realizing that they were the fulfillment of the "voice crying out of the dust" I know that all the prophecies made by the prophets WILL BE FULFILLED!

Love you all and hope you have a great week!

Elder Navarro

Proselyting with a Ford Truck was a big change

New companion Elder Treyes

with Elder Villalon, Santiago area companion

 

Mission Tour with Elder and Sister Schwitzer

Hello Family and Friends

This last week was an awesome and spiritual week! We had a General Authority come and visit our mission! Elder Schwitzer of the Seventy spoke at the last general conference and is over all the health of the missionaries in the whole world! He came to our MLC and talked a lot about a 12 leadership principles list that he's made and learned from the Apostles and from his own personal experience! It was an awesome meeting with him! And then at the actual mission tour, he talked all about repentance and its role in the conversion process. Its amazing what he did with it! He drew on the board a picture of the Plan of Salvation and then he said it was a wonderful and useful "road map" of the plan, but it doesnt include the things we need to do to eventually receive Celestial Glory. He then drew a different version of the plan of salvation that included conversion as having the gospel, or faith and repentance, etc. And then after receiving that ordinance, sanctification is the next step, including the temple... That probably didnt make a whole lot of sense but it was awesome!

And one of the coolest parts of the Mission Tour, was that it was held in... SOLANO! Or my first area! It was sooo cool to go back to that area! I've already seen some things that have changed and was able to see a lot of things that I did every Pday in Solano! Needless to say it was very reminiscent!! Brought back a lot of memories.

This last week, we saw a miracle with 2 men that seem to have been prepared by the Lord! One was Brother Estabillo! We were a little reluctant at first to contact him because his house was gated and had a bunch of signs from another religion that isnt so nice to us haha, but we felt like we should and we did! So we started yelling out, "Tao po" and he came out and we were shocked to learn that he was like excited to see us! He let us straight in and were able to teach him. When we came back for the follow up, we taught him about prophets and the restoration. When I mentioned to him that we have a living prophet, he was like, "Wait a minute... you mean to say theres a living prophet today?" I happily responded "thats exactly what we're saying"... He had a really puzzled look on his face as I could tell he was pondering on what we had said. He repeated the question over and over to us. And then finally said, "How can you say you know?" Oh that question brought a smile to my face! I said, "let me tell you how we can say we know!" :) At the end of the lesson we left him a Book of Mormon with an invitation to read. He's a awesome brother!

Another was one guy we just saw on the street... I wont go way too much in detail, but we both felt a prompting to talk to him and it turns out he was the father of our Ward mission leader that we hadnt met yet... he wasnt a member but he straight up told us he knew the church was true, but he couldn't get rid of his drinking and smoking problem. We testified to him that he could with the help of Christ. I'm so excited to teach him... oh wait.. i forgot...

I'm being transferred this cycle... That stinks. This has been my shortest area, but its gonna stink saying bye again. But I'm excited for a new area and new experience! I'll let you know where next week!

But I know that this is the Church of Jesus Christ! I have a new witness that the gospel of Jesus Christ and especially the Book of Mormon. That's something I've been focusing on in my personal study lately. There is a purpose and a reason that there is suffering and trials in this life. 2 Nephi 2 talks all about how there needs to be an opposition in all things or the purposes of God would be thwarted. Jesus Christ live and we have a loving Father in Heaven!

Love you all and have a great week!

Elder Navarro

 

 

Damages from Typhoon

Hello Family and Friends

Well this week has been going well. I love the opportunity to serve God in such a unique way in serving a mission! The work has been going well. Elder Villalon and I really work well together and its also fun to talk about some of my family that I haven't met yet! (His family is a family friend of my uncle in Quezon City). And I dont know if she'll see this but Sister Navarro or Popo Navarro, CONGRATS FOR STARTING THE BEST JOURNEY SO FAR IN YOUR LIFE! :)

So this last week we had our stake conference here in Santiago North Stake and it went really really well! President and Sister Rahlf came and spoke about the power that our hands have... that WE are Christ's hands in this work. And President Rahlf shared about the importance of inviting... that "success is in the tao po! Success is in the invitation." My testimony has been forever strengthened by the power of an invitation. Such simple questions, such as "would you like to learn more" or "we would love to have you over at a Family Home Evening" can have quite literally an ETERNAL consequence!

In our mission we are also preparing for a mission tour with Elder and Sister Schwitzer of the Seventy! Elder Schwitzer actually spoke in this last General Conference so we are so excited! He gets here tomorrow and will be checking apartments and hospitals and we get to meet with him on Wednesday and Thursday! Its going to be amazing to have a "vessel of the Lord" come and visit with us!

The work has also gone well. We've been working really really hard this weeking trying to help people come to know this message! It is rare that this will ever happen in the Philippines, but I was on splits with a new american Elder named Elder Warren and we went and knocked on a persons door to offer him the gospel, and he straight up yelled at us before we could even speak a word just saying telling us he didnt want to hear anything we had to say. As we walk away I realize that I'm not super disappointed or discouraged because we got turned away, but rather because that brother that said no to us has no idea how happy he could be! I know with my whole heart that the gospel of Jesus Christ is for us! Its God's plan for Happiness... I just wish I could "open my heart and show them" as Brother Mortenson would say.

On the other hand, we found a very very eager new investigator! We were just walking down the street to our appointment, when we saw a guy just sitting at a store with a beer in his hand... my first thought was "oh he's probably drunk and not willing to listen" then got the impression that we should approach him...so we did! Turns out he wasnt drunk and wanted to find out why us Elders and so nice and why we're out walking all day in the hot sun. We were more than happy to tell him why :) Set up a return appointment and when we came back, he was just pouring out his life story to us, telling us how much he loves his mom and how much he wants to come closer to God. Elder Villalon and I are very excited for him! His name is Jamael.

Natividad family is doing well! We found out this last week that she has just been waiting for Brother to come to church so their whole family can be together! Long story short, we committed brother Jojo to come and we're planning on getting him a white shirt so he's not shy about coming back.

I love the Lord. Listening to David A. Bednar's talk in last General Conference about the church being run by old people, I really realized that this is so much more than just fun activities at the church, getting to know new people and new friends, or even improving life skills to succeed... but its really about coming to believe and KNOW where we came from, why we're here, and where we go after this life! I love the Savior!

Elder Navarro

 

Typhoon

Hello Family and Friends,

In case you didnt know we had a little typhoon come into our area of the Philippines this last week, but we are ALIVE! :) This whole last week we have been receiving warnings and making preparations for a storm that was coming in. So this last few days we've had a lot of rain, wind, and clouds! But glad to report that we are all OK!

This last week was awesome! Got to go on a few exchanges with different missionaries! The first was with 2 brand new missionaries fresh from the MTC. Elder McCauley (my "grandson" in the mission) from California and Elder Igleski from Arizona. We had an awesome day of splits and I learned a lot from them! They are such humble missionaries and has really really strong testimonies of the gospel! Its always humbling to be with brand new american missionaries because I can totally relate to so many of the things they are going through as a new missionary in the Philippines! Got to really get to know them and have a good time working with them. Even though what they said was very simple just because the language barrier, it was powerful and from the heart!

The next day, we got to go on splits again. And this time it was with none other than... ELDER CLAUDIO! (my "anak" in the mission) Gosh that whole day was just a blast! Just getting to talk about Tuguegarao and how the members were doing, how our investigators were doing, how HE was doing, it was just a great time! Also had a great day in terms of the work! One of the most productive days I've had! While we were teaching that day, I would look over to him and hear him teach and my mind would just flash back to when we were together in Tugue! And another cool thing, one of our investigators has had a lot of questions about the church and we've done well, I believe, in answering them, but when Elder Claudio and I visited them, they were able to speak bisaya together (her native language) and it was a divine interaction for sure!

But after the worst part of the storm, Elder Villalon and I went out to check on members and on our investigators, especially the less-fortunate ones. And thank goodness, all of them were safe from the storm... there were however some damage and many things to clean up from some trees that fell down.

The Natividad family is also doing really well! We taught them about tithing and fasting this last week and turns out that they already knew a ton about it because their active mother in law had already spent a lot of time talking about it and testifying of the power of paying an honest tithe. We had planned to share a story about an apostle's family paying tithing and receiving blessings, but after she shared that powerful story of her mother in law.... there was no need.

We as members of the church have the most important thing that we could ever obtain in this world! More important that all the wealth of the kings and rulers! Thats our testimony! The knowledge of the plan of salvation and the restoration of the gospel is PRICELESS. As the Lord said in Doctrine and Covenants: "Wherefore, I the Lord, knowing the calamity which should come upon the inhabitants of the earth, called upon my servant Joseph Smith, Jun., and spake unto him from heaven, and gave him commandments" Let us share this knowledge! As well as our testimony of the Savior... which is a "Sure foundation a foundation whereon if men build they cannot fall"! Many typhoons and bagyos come into our lives! Let us prepare for them! :)

Love you all!

Elder Navarro

 

General Conference

Hello Family and Friends

 

General Conference was the best thing ever. I kept thinking the whole time, "Gosh, this is the best time of the year!" And for some reason, this was the most spiritual conference I'd ever participated in in my whole life! General Conference, where I felt the spirit in a way that I've never felt it before! The whole conference just felt different than any other conference I'd been a part of. One thing that really stuck out to me was the 3 new Apostles. I was writing down impressions I was feeling as the conference was happening and Elder Rasband spoke, some point in the talk I felt an undeniable, powerful confirmation that he was an apostle. So I wrote it down. The exact same thing happened in both Elder Stevenson and Elder Renlund's talks. I wrote down that impression under each name. Then President Eyring mentioned that the Holy Ghost had testified to us all that they were called of God. At that moment I had an out of body experience. I wish I could describe it but it was definitely from above and a power beyond my own. My testimony has never felt stronger! And that is just one of the many very spiritual experiences I've had this week. Another when I was down and felt inspired to read the Book of Mormon and there was the exact thing I needed to see/read. I wish I could share all of it!

But some other talks I really really enjoyed these last few days was Elder Durrant's "Ponderize," Elder Hollands about "Motherhood," Elder Nelson's about "Womenhood" President Monson's "Keeping the Commandments" and Elder Bednar's "Chosen to Bear Testimony of My Name" Also President Uchtdorf's "It works wonderfully" Gosh I just loved them all! Just watch it! :)

Other than the incredibly powerful conference, the week has been going well! Went to Cauayan and got my new companion! Elder Villalon from Quezon City. He's a great Elder! Really dedicated and we've started this cycle off on a really good note so I'm really really excited for this cycle! Although its going to be short... Its only 4 weeks because there is a General Authority coming to the Philippines so a lot of missions were affected in their transfer days. And the rumor is I might get transferred this next cycle but we'll see.

Our zone is so awesome right now! We have 3 Elders training so 3 new American Elders came into Santiago this last week! Elder Howard, Elder Storrer and Elder McCauley. They're great Elders and its super humbling and reflecting to see them go through things that all new missionaries go through... its hard to believe that now I'm the missionary thats been out for over a year comforting these new missionaries! Its been a blessing for sure that the Lord gave me missionaries when I was new.... I just hope I can help them as well! And honestly the whole zone is in training! haha every companionship!

But another great thing I found out on Wednesday morning!!! I read the transfer list and found out that ELDER CLAUDIO is now in my zone!!!! Haha its so awesome! He's training and my District Leader! Haha when we saw each other on Friday, that was the best feeling ever! And I got to meet my heritage in the mission! Good times.

I know this work is the work of the Lord. We taught Geneva Natividad and her family this last week and had a powerful lessons about eternal families. Her biggest concern is that she doesnt want to go to church with just her 2 kids, but she wants her husband to come along as well. We're working on it. He wants to come but has work. We're praying to find a way to help him. But the spirit definitely testified in that small room!

I know this is the work of God! The trumpet has been sounded in this last General Conference and the Lord has called 3 new Apostles. I sustain them and know they are called of God! I wouldnt rather be doing anything on earth right now!

Love you all and have a great week!

Elder Navarro

p.s. dont forget to ponderize! :)

 

Merry Christmas

Oh wait... its still October... One of the coolest things about being in the Philippines is they LOVE the Christmas season!

This week has been a little challenging, but it's really been amazing to see how the Lord really answers our prayers! We had MLC this last week in Cauayan and one of the biggest things we talked about was the success and the growth we've been seeing the Philippines Cauayan and as a result of that, President Rahlf talked about some things that have been happening. He talked about two of the tactics that all of us see as members of the Church. The first being "counter-strikes" when the adversary attacks right after a great spiritual experience or growth. I feel like this is something common we see... or at least I see. That whenever I've accomplished something good on the mission or in my life, or had a strong spiritual confirmation of gospel truths, the biggest temptations or trials come right in there. The other is called "pre-emtive" strikes, where the adversary will work his hardest right BEFORE a great spiritual experience or before doing some great thing. President expressed that he has been seeing signs of both happening to the mission as a whole. Right after we had our Zone Conference and right before we have a General Authority coming in to visit the mission at the end of October. I know I've definitely been feeling effects of that personally!

Another great thing of MLC is being able to see a lot of my friends from the mission! Especially the ones going home... Elder Kocherhans... I'm gonna miss that guy!!!!

But its the best to have a great supportive ward and an enthusiastic Bishop! Yesterday we had a ward activity where all the leadership of the ward went to one of our areas to splits with us and find and teach new investigators! We found a ton of people and even met some Navarro's! I love the expression on people's face when they see that my name is Navarro! (in case you dont know... I look American to people here as well)

The Natividad family is also doing really well! We were teaching them the other day about baptism and obviously the impression came to give them the baptismal invitation again. Sister Geneva has really been super great so she accepted right away and expressed her desire to be baptized. I asked her why she wanted to and she expressed that she wanted to be washed clean and start over... Then Brother Jojo jumped in (her husband who was baptized as a little kid but has been less active his whole life) and said, "I wish I could be baptized again" The spirit definitely guided our next response to him. I told him "Brother, I want to show you a way that you can almost quite literally be baptized again" Then we taught him about repentance and the sacrament. The Spirit was super strong in that bamboo house!

I know this work is true! It is being led by the best man who ever walked on this Earth, our Savior and Redeemer Jesus Christ. I know He lives! He literally comforts us when we need it... And the scripture is true that He will come unto all those who come unto Him! I know that prayers are answered!

Love you and have a great week!

Elder Navarro