The #Lighttheworld Giving Machine

Hey family and friends!!

This week we were able to get some solid work done in our proselyting area which made me very happy!  I feel that God is continuing to keep me busy by giving me new people to teach and lots of things to focus on!  

Something awesome that we were able to do this week was participate in the Light the World Giving Machine campaign!!  The Giving Machine is a vending machine in which instead of buying items for yourself, you can buy items to donate to local charities!  It is a fantastic idea and we had an awesome time participating.  

Our family with the Guillermo family!  (featuring 2 of the coolest Nanays that you will ever meet!)

Ward FHE!

SQUID LIFE!!

Love you guys!  Don't forget to think of ways that you and your loved ones can have a part in this years Light the World campaign!  Have a good week :)

Goodnight from the beautiful Makati City.

ELDER BURDEOS

"T MINUS 3"

2016 - 2018

PHILIPPINES MANILA MISSION

Coron Days

This week was insane! 

Exactly a year from this last week I was on an island on Palawan called Coron helping them start a branch in a remote part of the island called Busuanga.  Well now we have Coron under our stewardship and that gave me the opportunity to go back and work with the missionaries currently on the island!  I learned so much from them and I could really feel the love that they have for the people they serve in my time working with them.  

This is Elder Boyce, a brand new missionary who recently arrived here in the mission on Halloween.  If there's one thing that motivates me more than anything else it's working with a brand new missionary.  Their desire to preach the gospel and courage heed to the promptings of the spirit is beyond measure.  Sometimes we as missionaries get caught up on the physical aspect of the mission such as proselyting hours and numbers but new missionaries always remind us what this work is really about, inviting others to come unto Christ.  They bring fire to the mission field and we love being able to work with them.

This is Sister Rose, a member in Busuanga!  She was recently baptized in April and she has been a great help to the missionaries :)

On Wednesday morning, the morning before we left to catch our flight, we climbed a mountain in Coron that they call Mt. Tapyas and boy let me tell you I got a feel for just how out of shape that I've been on my mission while trying to climb that mountain hahaha.  721 steps has never been so difficult haha!  When reaching the top of it I remembered a quote shared by one of the members in Sampaloc stating that the nicest views always come after the hardest climbs.  We may not know why our life gets difficult or why we are experiencing the trials in our life but if we hold tight and stay faithful, God will make it known to us.  

Yes I do love my mission.  Wouldn't trade these experiences for anything.  

Love you guys have a good week!!

ELDER BURDEOS

"T - 4"

2016 - 2018

PHILIPPINES MANILA MISSION

T Minus 5 weeks

To those of you currently reading this, you are awesome.  Thanks for the support :)

This week we had a lot of time to work in our area with the only event being or MLC this last Thursday.  We talked about the importance of setting goals and having companionship study!

I realize that my pictures send out of the order that I intend them to so at this point I'll just tell you that these pictures came from a combination of a fireside we held at the mission home on Sunday night, our Leadership Council on Thursday, and Elder Codina's birthday in the office.

Nice week!  Love you guys thanks for everything!!

Elder Burdeos

ELDER BURDEOS

2016 - 2018

PHILIPPINES MANILA MISSION

Mission XXIII: Last Transfer

As mentioned in my previous email, we had a nice, spooky transfer day this last halloween :)  It was the last transfer day that I will get to experience in the mission and I would say it was one of the best!  This transfer I got a new companion!  His name is Elder Lucero and he is from Samar!  My last three companions have all been from the same region of the Philippines and it's awesome hahaha!  Elder Somosa will be serving this transfer as a travelling Assistant meaning he'll be working a couple weeks in Palawan then coming back here to the mainland where he will end his mission two weeks before I do.

We were able to do a temple session with President and Sister Fermanis and the departing missionaries on Tuesday.  That night we had to say goodbye to a solid group of 5 missionaries.  We are grateful for the service they rendered here in the field and for their dedication to gathering Scattered Israel here in the mission. 

On Wednesday we had our new missionary orientation meeting where we trained the trainers and gave tips on adjusting to the new missionaries.  We taught them about the culture that we have here in the mission and also about the culture in the Philippines which they seemed to find as their favorite part.  Also something new that we implemented this orientation meeting is we gave them opportunities to practice teach other companionships and practice skills that we've been emphasizing here in our mission such as: Teaching with Plainness, tying every principle into Jesus Christ and the Restoration of the Gospel, and effectively extending baptismal invitations.  I had a spiritual experience during the practice teaching portion of the orientation.  I was walking around observing and as I listened and overheard the teaching I continuously heard the name Jesus Christ repeated throughout the room of the companionships teaching.  Believe it or not, we missionaries tend to overlook the most important part of the gospel which is of course, the Savior.  There is a certain power that can be felt in hearing two representatives testify of the Savior and bear witness that He really did atone for the sins of this world.  It was a powerful moment for me and it reminded me once again that the foundation of which the doctrine of this church is built upon is Jesus Christ.

Pictures:

1) We attended a fireside held in my old zone in Manila!  It was amazing because I was able to see some of my good friends from Sampaloc! 

2) Here is one of the departing missionaries from this transfer, Elder Pehacek!  He's been an awesome friend and I will miss him!  We have the same tie so we decided to match on his last day.

3) This is my new companion, Elder Lucero!!  He is the man!

4) While we were at the temple I saw one of my good friends from the earlier portion of my mission, Elder (Brother) Sanchez!!  He was my very first district leader here in the field!

Pretty crazy to think that this is the beginning of my last transfer.  Be assured that I'm pushing hard every single day to make sure I end my two year service on a strong note.  I love this church and I'm grateful for these last few weeks that I have to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ as a full-time missionary.  

Love you guys!!!  Hope that you have an incredible week :)

Elder Burdeos