December 2015

December 6th.....First off my comp is pretty cool he is from Figi and speaks english too but his native language is different. We are enjoying the work and its been fun to show him the new things and show him around in the Philippines I am teaching him Tagalog which is weird because it feels like yesterday I didn't know how to get around. my comp is huge me and him want to find a gym here and work out so we can get in shape and look good for the girls and the work hahaha jk. Rossette is doing well from what she says its cool to watch the people you baptized grow in the church.....

Since this is the last christmas on the mish I want to help as much people as possible and do lots of service. So since we have baptized a lot in this area we don't have much investigators now but we got a miracle this week and had a whole family attend church and a few others so it was way cool. Then also we have had people start talking to us about our church and they said we could come back and teach them so the lord is watching out for us and taking care of us. Oh momma mia also I get to skype in like 18 days or something like that. :)) Love Elder Herrin aka Tarzan

December 13th....So first off a small typoon is hitting tomorrow so don't worry we are prepared haha. I miss Christmas in America its the hardest time of the year in the mission hahah but its okay.. and with skype I will try to skype you christmas morning here so it will be a little earlier on christmas eve for you guys. :) I hope all Computer shops are open if not I might skype you on your christmas but I will update you before hand. :) Me and my comp are good a really busy week this last week but its been good and its weird and hard trying to teach a someone tagalog but its also fun haha. We had a whole family attend church we just need to get them fully converted and we brought back some long time less active members so that was cool. :) anyways love you guys I will try to send pics, Love Elder Herrin aka Santa Claus haha I miss Christmas Vacation. :)

 

December 14th......You are probably already aware of Typhoon Melor, locally referred to as Nona, which is off of the coast of the Philippines and headed our way. We have been tracking the storm for the past few days and have been working to prepare our missionaries for its arrival. The latest projections show it is tracking directly toward our mission and it will arrive sometime early our Tuesday morning.

All of our missionaries have been alerted to prepare for the storm and have been given very specific instructions about how to prepare. We are working to relocate missionaries from coastal lines and areas that might be prone to flooding, mudslides, etc. We are being overly cautious and conservative in the approach we are taking to protect your missionaries.

Please continue to keep our missionaries and the Philippines in your prayers. Our hope and prayers are that the storm will weaken as it reaches us and all of our preparations will have been unnecessary. We are preparing for the worst while praying and hoping for the best.  Once the storm has passed, which should be by Wednesday late evening  I will send an email providing a update.

Thanks for the amazing sons and daughters you have consecrated to the Lord’s service. It is Sister Mangum and I’s great privilege to serve them and serve with them!

President Mangum

 

 December 15th....just had a feeling to stop by and say I am fine, Love you guys wasn't bad just lots of wind and rain haha. Love you all I am okay.. Love Elder Herrin aka The Hulk

December 20th...So I thought I would just write you... I am doing well the typoon wasn't bad we just didn't have power for a long time. there are some people or members that got flooded in my area but nothing to bad we offered to help them clean up but they said its okay its just water because there floors are all cement and dirt so theres not much we can do..  ...Anyways we had the whole family attend church again this last sunday so that was cool and we also have them coming to the christmas party today so that should be good as well. :) I am thinking of different ways on how I can help my comp learn tagalog its pretty tough job I feel bad for my trainer but am glad he put up with my crappy tagalog hahaha. :) Me and my comp have been working out a lot at the house doing pull ups and pushups and using one 5 pound dumbbell so its good. :)) what else happened this week umm... there was one day we where walking I think it was on saturday and we weren't having any luck we got punted a lot and soaked the rain got me and my comps clothes and shoes soaked because the umbrella broke haha but it was okay we still talked to a few people then headed home because it was freezing haha. :).....Love you guys Love Elder Herrin aka Elf 

December 27th...It went really well the workshop... I hope it helps the members get motivated for the work. But we are doing good, thats cool for mekenna i am excited for her to be out i am sure she will do tons of good for tons of people. :) Christmas is hard but its always a happy time as well, it feels like a regular day here but its still fun. :) anyways doing good glad i got to skype you it kinda sucked i couldn't talk but thats okay at least I could see you guys haha its almost awkward seeing you guys and talking to you guys but its always fun forsure. :) glad everyone is doing okay and I know a lot has changed but I am excited to get back and use what I have learned on the mission. :) ...we are working on getting new investigators but need the members help. I am getting close with the members in this ward they all treat us with love and respect so I am grateful to of had my last christmas here in Balayan Batangas and my last new years in the mission. :).. we had our whole family attend church and a baptismal goal date set for our investigator for the 23 of january so i am excited for her and her whole family to progress. :) Much love From this elder, take care always love you try to send pics.. Love Elder Herrin aka Santa claus... the difference between santa claus and tiger woods is santa claus stops after 3 hoes hahahhaha 

 

November 2015

November 2nd....We have a family I love here one of our investigators reminds me of Hector and a kid there reminds me of Taylor when he was younger around 17 haha. We have lots of investigators attending church and everyone is so nice here and welcoming. Sometimes its a little annoying but its okay haha Filipinos are super honest people.. My comp is the nicest kid ever super quiet but hes cool.  I miss the temple but have been doing good with the book of mormon I am going to start the new testament soon. Man we had a curfew on Halloween because lots of people where drinking and having a great time haha. I am doing good getting skinny....love Elder Herrin aka Barbra walters haha

   

November 9th....-in my mission I see more ran over frogs than  alive ones haha. but thats good It sounds like a fun season for you guys congrats. anyways we have more baptisms coming up the day after my bday so that should be fun. Great present. I  like the area its cool area and a nicer apartment we have a shower head but the water is cooled haha. I went on a hike and Wow it was beautiful but too far haha i felt like I was standing on top of the world it was beautiful. anyways I am sending pics soon and love you guys and hope all is well. Love Elder Herrin aka kim chi hahha. "We may settle for less but the lord knows what great beings we can truly become so he won't settle for less."

Nov. 9th...But its been a good week. we had 5 investigators attend church and the mom really wants to get baptized she is hilarious her personality is like shes super sarcastic haha. So we haven't been playing basketball in the morning I have been super tired lately and my sleep sometimes I wake up at night because its so freaking hot. We went on a long hike today and It was super pretty like...... I am just grateful I was born into a good family and that I was born into the religion. I am lucky for sure.  With our investigators we have had some spiritual lessons but some people are stubborn I will try to write more about our investigators next time but my mind is honestly blank right now. I am going down hill sometimes fast sometimes slow but I am loving the experience and everything I am learning. Love Elder Herrin aka Ralph from the simpsons  oh and P.S. that hike we walked through cloud and rain and it was like wow god created this it was beautiful like my pics don't do justice what so ever. but P.P.S Rossette Nunez is the girls name I like she is super cute and super funny. anyway love you sending pics now.

 

November 17th.....So I am doing good this week. last week I gave a talk in our district meeting about the book of mormon and it went pretty good. We have a baptism this saturday and then the following saturday so that should be really good and another spiritual boost. I am liking my area and ready to find more investigators to teach and spread the gospel too. I am doing good so no worries and loving the mission so far and the work. So this baptism this week is going to be in the ocean so that should be really cool, I am excited for that....thanks for the birthday wishes i don't wanna turn 20 tho but I guess thats how it works.. i am twenty years young or twenteen haha. I will always pray for you guys and hope all is going well on the home front. Loving the work and the people. keep up the smiles back home oh and this is thank you in tagalog... "Salamat Po." the Po means sir or ma'am and salamat means thank you. so practice that or listen to it on youtube it is pronounced different then american words... Love you all very much and thanks for the Halloween cards. Love Elder Herrin aka Captain Ron haha

November 23rd.....So first off I got to baptize a kid of 12 years old his name is carlo and it was in the ocean and then got to confirm him a member the next day which was sunday so pretty cool... now for the biggest news I AM TRAINING... which means a new elder from the MTC.. its pretty cool and I am excited and nervous. my comps name is Artates, he is small reminds me of a mouse or something haha but his english is okay not super good we talk in tagalog pretty much all the time.. except if i don't know a word. I will send you some pics which are pretty cool pics haha but thats awesome I want to go to the salt lake temple soon.....the first 6 months of my mission I learned so much about life and the gospel.. And yes my comp is Philippino again i have had two tongans well one tongan american and 5 philippino companions. so i am excited to see who my new comp is. :) Tell the ward members who are asking about me I am fine and doing good love serving the lord and tell them the philippines is crazy. I am pretty sure I should be dead by now haha joke. but Me and my comp have tazers and we tazed eachother and it hurts pretty bad haha but its pretty funny. We have another baptism this saturday her name is Ellanore Cahoong or something like that I don't know how to spell her name but shes a super nice and funny lady. My birthday was alright pretty much a regular day but i bought cakes for two families and just had a good day. what else is cool that happened umm... oh the girl Rossette her family isn't members but they are the nicest people ever.. really poor people but are happy, her goals are she wants to find a job in manila and then try to get a job in the U.S. she needs a passport and visa and needs to study english thats what she needs haha, but shes a nice girl and funny.... her family is catholic i am pretty sure but i will continually tell missionaries to go visit them often. anyways love you guys and i am doing good loving life and working hard. Love Elder Herrin aka Willy wonka

 

 November 29th....So I get my new comp this december 3rd. :) I am  nervous for him but excited to see who it is. I did the baptism my comp confirmed her she is about 40 and super funny i really enjoy her. The ocean we baptized in was disgusting and just I didn't want to get in the water haha. but I will send pics it was in a pretty area tho. :) I miss snow its so hott here and hasn't really rained here much which is nice but kinda sucks too haha. Thats crazy about Mekenna that she leaves so soon but is probably excited time will go by super fast but she will love it. it has been a hard mission but worth it. I am going to send pics of the baptism and what not.. the people here are pretty annoying a lot of times and are super disrespectful but i just tell my self to not hit them and ask myself what would jesus do hahaha.. like example when a little kid coughs in your face or spits on you just little but annoying things like that haha. but its okay and there is a lot of drunk people here and i just want to knock them out haha. but its all good I like the area just hard at times. I am sending pics soon hope all is well and enjoy time cause it flys by. :) Tell everyone I love them and miss them but am doing well.. miss you guys lots. Love Elder Herrin aka Wilson from that movie a while ago who named the ball wilson haha. :P P.S I miss pecan pie like crazy. love you guys