Transfer week again?!

So this last week flew by! I can't believe that it is almost February!!! It feels like we just had Christmas! I just need to keep taking advantage of this time I have because it is starting to really fly by! 

So today, We received the Transfer list from our Zone Leaders, and both Elder Maagad and I were hoping that he will just stay here for his last cycle, so that I can send him home... and when we opened up the text, our wish came true! :D I was so happy!!!!! This next 6 weeks is going to literally FLY by!!! But I am so excited to make the most of this time, to learn and grow and have a fun time with my companion :) 

This last week we had 2 baptisms, and they were amazing!!!! I was so happy for both of our investigators!!! It was Tatay Galla (Gallia) And Mary Joy.  Tatay Galla is a 54 year old and Mary joy is a 9 year old girl.  It was so great to see them enter the waters of baptism! They were so happy!!! And especially Tatay Galla.  His wife has been trying to have him join the church since they were married 12 years ago.  It is such a great blessing to see them both strong in the church and starting to prepare to go to the temple together to get sealed for eternity! I am so happy for them :) 

I am so grateful for this chance I have to be serving my Heavenly Father and that I have this time to devote 100% to getting to know him better.  As well as strenghening my relationship with Jesus Christ! I am so grateful for this blessing of the Gospel in my life and that I am able to bring the people here in the Philippines that blessing as well! 

Remember how blessed we are all to have the gospel in our lives :)

Stay True!

Elder Walstad 

Nice and Cloudy!!!!

This week was pretty great.  It wasn't really hot ever. So that is always a plus! We also worked pretty hard, and even though we weren't able to teach TOO many people, the lessons that we had were fantastic!!! We have 2 baptisms this week as well, so we are incredibly excited about that!!!

A scary story for the week... We were driving back on a TRICY from a dinner, and the guy was DRUNK!! :O He almost ran into dirt hills, other cars, tricys, dogs, etc. It was insanely scary, and all 4 of us were praying HARD!!!! We were definitely blessed and protected... even if we were inches from hitting things! Haha 

We also made a lot of super good food this week.. But probably the best would be the homemade Cheeseburgers that I made!!! They were so good!!!! And what's funny is we had a Black out half way through cooking everything... but luckily we have a gas stove. So I got my flashlight, and we finished cooking AND eating it in the dark. Hehe. That was fun :)

I am really growing in the language right now, and I really feel like I am starting to understand MORE and More Every day! I am so grateful for the Gift of Tongues, and as I continue to study and work hard, I can see the blessings flow!

The Church is True, and my favorite color is Blue... and I love to eat Food. 

Stay True!!!!

Elder Walstad

Elder Maagad

In front of

 the "spider house"

Look!  Matching watches!

A cool week, full of fun and Food!!!!!

So the weather has been quite chill this week! It has been really cloudy, so there hasn't been any sun. Which is great! When the sun is out, it gets insanely hot!  I am just lovin' this cooler weather.  

So this week was fantastic! We made a lot of food.. and I learned how to make Chicken and/or Pork Adobo! It was super yummy!!!!.. Of course, it wasn't perfect, since it was only the first time. But practice makes perfect :) So I'm gonna have to keep making it.  We also made a Graham "cake," which is just Graham Crackers, sweet and condensed milk, evaporated milk and mango's.  Super healthy huh? ;)  It is insanley good! One great thing about the Philippines is the food! MMMmmmm.

Elder Maagad and I are working really hard.. and it is hard because here in the city, the people are more prideful, and they aren't as willing to listen to us.  But we push through, and we have seen little miracles and blessings.  When we run into Less-Active's on the street, or people call us over just randomly,  It shows me that I need to always strive to have the Spirit with me so that I can be open to recognizing those little "goodies" placed in our path.

We also have 2 baptisms coming up soon! One is quite amazing... So the man is not a member, but his wife is, and both of his Children.  He was really into smoking and drinking, and then about a month ago, his son passed away, without much warning.  His heart was then softened enough to begin listening to the misionaries again, and, though he was VERY VERY hard headed, he eventually softened enough, and with the help of the Holy Ghost, we are so happy to say that he has accepted the Gospel into his life, and he is very excited to be baptized, and eventually go to the temple with his wife and be sealed to his family for eternity!

I am so grateful for the Gospel in my life and for all of the many blessings that come from living it faithfully!  I am so grateful that we have a living Prophet today, who helps lead and guide this church, through revelation from God.  

Stay True!

Elder Walstad

.... Sorry, my pictures this week are just of food. :P Hehe.  Ill make sure to get some of me for next week!

A Crazy New Year's in the Philippines!

So much has happened this last week, I almost don't even know where to begin. We celebrated our New Years Eve at our bishop's house, and we had a great time there! We watched The Son of God... which is an odd movie; then we ate a TON of super good food!  Then we jammed on some of the instruments that our bishop has.  It was super fun! 

Then, about 11 p.m., the fireworks began.  The fireworks here are insane!!! Definitely not anywhere near being legal in Utah. Hehe. They were going on from 11 p.m.... and when 12 hit, the sky lit up, almost as if it were day! It was incredible. Then we went to our Zone Leaders apartment, and we had to stay there.  We weren't allowed to go out. It is literally like a war zone out there! There are so many things flying everywhere. Cardboard. Sticks. Ashes. You name it, it was probably exploding.  But it was super fun! And I cannot believe it's 2015!! Time flies!

This week was a great time to reflect on the past year, and look at how I can make this next year better.  I made a bunch of really great goals to help me grow and continue to become the best that I can be.  I want to take advantage of this time, and I know that when I set goals, I am helping myself to achieve those goals.  So I encourage you all, if you haven't yet, to sit down and take some time to make some goals that will help make this year the best yet! 

I heard a great quote at Church yesterday. It goes "A saint has a past, and a sinner has a future."

Speaking of church.. I have 7:30 a.m. church here! Can you believe that!? Of course it isn't hard for me, since we are supposed to be up at 6:30 erryday.. but I couldn't imagine that back home! 

My companion, Elder Maagad, and I, have been working really hard, and we are enjoying every second of this companionship.  I definitely have been blessed to have him at this time as my companion.  I have learned a lot from him.  It is awesome!!

The language is starting to come along.  I am able to understand... I would say... about 75-80% of everything people say.  There are still quite a few words that I don't know.. but sometimes I can figure out what the words are if I understand the rest of the sentence.  I am just trying to catch up my speaking with my understanding. That is one of my goals this year :)

Finally... I had a zone activity today (on P-day) and we went and visited some falls in a place called Madella.  It was a really pretty area, and it was up in the mountains, so it kind of reminded me of Utah.  I would say that the surrounding was better than the actual falls... but hey. It was an experience :)

I love you all, and Happy New Year!!!!
Stay True,
Elder Walstad