mom, i'm so sorry for being such a slob in the past

hello po nay,

not much to say bc they area is doing soo well! we taught edwins people and one can't wait to be baptized.  hahaha! problem is she's not from this ward so we will see how that goes. we have a chance to get around 4 more baptisms in the next like 4 weeks. feels way good! things are really moving here in Baluarte. 

A LA guy gets sealed in the temple on Dec 1 and a different member is going to get his endownments, my man Ernesto. feels good. Edwin will be baptizing his daughter on Saturday.  President will probably be interviewing an investigator whose been to prison for us the following saturday and we can finish the lessons for a recent converts mom (named julie :) ) she's so funny and we crack each other up. and lastly, in 4 weeks, a wife of a LA man with some crzy ADD kids can be baptized after 3 more weeks of church. life is good.

I'm also getting some pretty big mom vibes in the house. mom, i'm so sorry for being such a slob in the past.  I've gotten way too anal about cleanliness out here and my roommates aren't really on the same level. feels a little 3 vs 1 at times but they are my best friends, so i get over it instantly.  I'm converted now tho to scrubbing.

Alma 37:45  And now I say, is there not a type in this thing?  For just as surely as this director did bring our fathers, by following its course, to the promised land, shall the words of Christ, if we follow their course, carry us beyond this vale of sorrow into a far better land of promise.  

Love,

Elder Kearl

not a mean bone in this country

all of edwins friends and family he invited

Hello po nay, 

it has been a stellar week!! we were able to score 16 new investigators and get 30 minute lessons down! we're bagging like 8 lessons a day which is also good. since wednesday we have literally been timing our lessons to see whats been going on because performance measured improves (Thomas S. Monson) so it takes 4 minutes from when we sit down to chat a bit, sing a hymn and say the opening prayer, 3 minutes to tell them what we are and why, 12 minutes to teach the first lesson about the restoration and then 7 minutes to leave them with a commitment, ask for referrals, teach them to pray and then close with prayer. feels good. all my comps idea. hes a thinker.

another highlight was Edwins Baptism! so we got to our chapel to get it ready and we prepare everything and mop and everything then bishop says theres no water even tho the font was filling up so we run over to the stake center and start preparing that one but because the water was crazy weak (don't know why tho bc this place rains like everyday but it never has water) so we start cleaning and the facilitates guys don't know what to do so for 3 hours we haul water from so many inconvenient locations in the building to dump into the font. things were getting muddy, the baptism was about to start, we gave some desperate sweaty prayers and than last minute after i have changed and Edwins crew shows up then someone like breaks a pipe and the font doubles in volume just in the knick of time. President and Sister Hiatt arrive to attend but things were still hectic. i was not too hyped. anyway, the fonts ready to go with a really browinsh and yellow colour we take some pictures and start the program. it was an amazing experience baptizing this man. He showed up with a crazy smile on his face in the midst of chaos and goes: "how can i help?!?!?!" he gets baptized and i will never forget the feelings which filled that room. tears were shed and he bore a powerful testimony. i would've never thought he would've been baptized. He is one of the most special people in my life. 

a separate paragraph to explain this last point bc its not over yet! so he brought 13 friends and family to his baptism! 4 were some who have hidden from us telling us they are not interested and then he brought 10 to church! incredible! also his wife in hong kong went to church over there! in 2 weeks he will baptize his daughter. Guys.... Be like Edwin Quibuyen.

also a nanay cut us off one lesson to tell us in good english that she couldn't listen to us bc she needs to help her busy husband. we asked her to close with a prayer which she then asked Jesus to understand us and make sure we knew nanay loves them. she than told us again while we were leaving that she loves us.... not a mean bone in this country.

Love,

Elder Kearl

my pulido boys :):):) 

the kid himself 

the grind 

5 months ago I hit 1 year....doesn't make any sense

with Edwin and Zam and Elder Galindo

Hello po nay, 

hey first things first.... HAPPY ANNIVERSARY MOM AND DAD and HBD JOEY!! miss all 3 of you so much. have not yet found a derek and julie here and the dogs here are all gross and disobedient.

5 months ago i hit 1 year. doesn't make any sense. 

excited to write the big nasty :):):)

its been a really neat week! so something happened that i thought never would...... i got an american companion! Elder Brockbank from lone peak, utah (no he does not know any rosenvalls)! yeah, it's gotta be the weirdest thing ever but this elder is a really good guy. he's a really bold, sporty, and bright american. huge athlete and just knows who he is. He loves learning anything and everything so we just talk and talk and talk about all sorts of stuff which is very different than when i had filipino companions. its been an adjustment tho that's for sure. but its been nothing but sunny and up hill! he taught me a cool parable:

so the sun and the wind were having a contest to see who could get this one guys jacket off. just a regular joe who was walking down the road so the wind goes first just blowing and blowing and blowing on the guy trying to rip this jacket off. the guy obviously fought because he was cold and frankly just frustrated. the guy ends up putting another coat on. not very effective. then the sun just does what he can to heat up that area slowly. it gets hotter and hotter until the guy gets so hot and with his own free will just takes it off. 

because last week our district leaders got released and Elder Galindo went home :( i had the oppurtunity to teach the whole zone in a district meeting and it was good. really some great elders in this zone! some transferred which is too bad ): 

Edwin gets baptized on saturday!!! im stoked! and he is even more stoked! 

hey thats such a cool trip of you went on to california to see emily and eric! me and my new comp got pretty homesick just day dreaming of the day when we will sit down at a good restaurant with our family. i really think thats all i want when i go home. earls or something. sounds 11/10 superb. did dad drive the boat? were you in the ocean? thats pretty cool! 

thats about it, but i will sign off with a quote:

"there are few things so dangerous as a fallen lighthouse" 

Elder Kearl 

philipe my fav..... 

he has scoliosis so this is Elder Brockbank relieving the pain

it's also cooling down in the mission

guess i was really sad to see my trainer go :(

hi mama,

i'm feeling like danny and natasha are having a girl but i hope its a boy!! 

it's also cooling down in the mission! its been cool and rainy everyday which feels good but the showers are soo dang cold.

it has been a crazy but super fun week! so the district leaders in our zone got released so my companion and I for this past week (Elders last week) :( (wala na siya) have taken over the district leader responsibilities. We went on exchanges on tuesday after teaching the 2 district meetings for our zone, we went on exchanges with a different companionship on wednesday, we went to Cauayan for our monthly leadership meeting on thursday, went on exchanges on friday with a diffrent companionship as well! all work in our area :):):) 

on tuesday, it was a hoot teaching district meeting and i definately miss being a district leader.  i worked with elder West from arizona! hes pretty new and was born in the cauayan zone while i was over there and he is a good friend of mine! 

wednesday i got to work with Elder Mebulos! my second companion in bambang again! super good guy. just a ball of kindness. 

Thursday i saw my trainer and companion of 4 months for the last time..... he is an amazing elder and a person i will miss very much. really wish you could meet him. Elder Briones. 

Friday i worked with a new american, Elder Anderton from Blackfoot ID, and had a truly powerful day! we worked hard and had a blast. his tagalog is next to mine and hes been here for almost 3 months. i've been here for 14.... he is amazing at the language and my testimony of the gift of tounges went up big time. 

President now has 22 new assistants (all the zone leaders)! he has gave us Zone Leaders lots of responsibilty now for our stewardship. we take care of 95% of the zones problems now he said.  The assitants now focus on making their area the model area. i still cherish Elder Uy and love seeing him :):):)

"sin doesn't like to be alone"

love you all,

Elder Kearl