Selah

Family and Friends,

"Give me your eyes, i need sunshine!" -Wolfparade

"Sometimes my life feels like the movie Bad News Bears" -my own thoughts

Asking for referrals from a 75 year old lady... "Sister Jan, oh wait she's dead.... Sister Kim, oh wait she's bedridden" #everysoulisimportantinthesightofGod ahahha!!

Wow. What a week. When you pray for miracles, and do your part.. .they happen. I will relate a quick story. We have a mother who works with fellowshipping in one of our barangays. Sister Flores. She is great, always inviting people to church and finding us referrals. Her son.. is going deaf. Another church (which I wont name) was offering to give her son a hearing aid if she would join in on their "caravan services" on Friday. She felt very threatened by them. On Tuesday i gave her son a blessing (he also had a terrible fever), and i felt inspired to bless him to be fine once nighttime came. That was the first time in my life that i felt inspired to give a specific time of healing. Next day, we showed up... he overcame his sickness the previous night, just as he had been blessed. She had no more need to join the "caravan services" of that other faith. Her faith was tested, as was mine. it was a literal miracle that i saw. I dont relate this story to give any glory to my blessing or anything like that, promise. I want to glorify our Father in Heaven... especially the Holy Ghost for putting into my heart what to say. Our Heavenly Father is very very concerned with our day to day concerns and problems. We have to come unto him and ask for the divine guidance... but when we do, he will put miracles into our lives. I testify of that. 

Also. Fasting brings forth miracles. Not always right away... but always. 

I also love seeing things in my patriarchal blessing coming forth on a day to day basis. Heavenly Father loves us all. 

I love my mission. It is crazy how much its just... my life now. Nothing else seems like... real. Its weird... daily you love it more, but also miss normal life more. Its an interesting dynamic. Im getting fat... but im trying to drop the Kgs... pray for me there. haha.

I love you all.

Palangga,

Elder Stagg 

Captain of our Salvation

Family and Friends,

"No sister thats a business ad" -Crishalyn Flores

What a week... miracles happen when we do what the Lord asks.

Our companionship has improved a lot. We have found a lot better unity in our teachings. This week we saw miracles with new families that we have found!! we had 2 of the wives come to church, still workin on the husbands. Our baptism hopefully for this week (Clydine, 15 years old) has been pushed back because she is not yet being allowed by her father. We are trying to teach and get to know him but he wont give us time. We are praying fervently to see a change in his heart. Clydine has such a strong testimony but is scared to disrespect her father. Her mother is 100% okay with her being baptized its just still waiting on the father. Through our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, i know her father's heart will be softened. 

Had exchanges with Elder Morgan this week. He's from Australia (but is from new zealand originally). He is a huge rugby player, and a stud missionary. He is just full of energy and hope.. loved our day together. He has had some crazy experiences with evil spirits and what not... some of which may have transpired during our time together. Remind me to tell you about it once i get home. 

I really do love my area. It has so much potential and the ward is great. Always things to try and improve, but thats what life is all about!! 

My mission is wonderful. Its going fast, thats for sure. Once next week comes i will have 3 companions who are home now.. crazy. I feel like there is still tons to do here, im excited about it! 

I love the scriptures. I have been studying a little bit about Job. He is an amazing man... go read his book in the Old Testament, its full of many great insights. The scriptures really do soften hearts. Mine included. I love my personal study. I hope you are reading your scriptures. I know you are busy, but i also know it will help with your inner peace and happiness. 

I love the gospel.. mostly repentance. It really changes the way we see the world. Most of it changes the way we see God. We learn through repentance that He really has the best intentions for all of us. Heavenly Father is my best friend. I hope you can all say the same. That's something that happens on a mission. You start to put Heavenly Father's wants first.. because you grow to love Him. Love. There's that word. Its interesting huh? That's another thing the gospel of Jesus Christ has done to me... helped me better understand love. Its like, back then in high school... people threw that word around like it was nothing. But it had no backbone. It had nothing behind it. Whereas Christ's love... its full of everything. Its complete. its what the world needs. it's what will increase your love for; yourself, Him, your spouse, your children, your companion, your investigators, your parents, your boss, your neighbor, your lazy home teaching companion, and even your dog (maybe.. thats just kind of a joke). But really. Charity is awesome. We should all try to develop that more. 

I love all of you.

Ps... i love vegetables and oatmeal, not together though.

Palangga,

Elder Stagg

Food Overload

Family and Friends,

"I'm not perfect. I'm far from it, I'm still a little bit salawayon (like childish/a punk) but im grateful that my mother nurtured me the way she did" -My awesome one liner in my talk on Sunday

Well. I just skyped my family. So you know im about as giddy as a little child. hahaa. 

I love you all...

This week was awesome. Great trainings. Great week of work. Had a baptism. Some new awesome finding opportunities. I love my area. It's legit. 

I dont have much time to write cause i went over on my skype time... repent ye repent ye. haha. but life is good. Because of Jesus Christ. It's that simple. His teachings and his doctrine is wonderful.

Palangga,

Elder Stagg

Open Windows

Family and Friends,

"I'm glad they could see my birthday" -Drunk guy's prayer 

"German. Impossible. Exclusive." -drunk guy #2 haha.

"Stay true to my testimony" -Me

Well. Now in my 4th area. With my 9th companion. Time never stops right? 

First off... need some ideas (especially Jay and Phe)... i still need to make a soccer jersey for the area called Hinigaran and now for Masville... help me out for a cool jersey idea there. 

Second. Good ab & leg workouts that dont require weights of course. I already talked to Cass about this but would love any good ideas you all have... gotta start getting fit again. haha. Also, if someone could shoot me some stats... how many calories are burned doing jump rope, jogging in place, push ups and pull ups as well. thanks a ton. 

So... the mission is crazy. Already been in my new area for a week... feels like a day. My companion is Elder Nery. He is just a super jolly Filipino! He has been out about 11 months and this is his 3rd area. He is funny! My area is a branch but a very strong branch at that. There are awesome people here. We have some good investigators.. and lots of recent converts to reteach. Wooh! 

Side note for Jay. I have 1 sandbag in my new area.. heaven help me. 

So... an interesting thing is happening to me. Its called conversion. The thing i look forward to the most every day (besides sleep) is personal study. The scriptures truly are an amazing tool in our lives. We need to use them. I hope you all know and are applying that. I love my scriptures. I am almost done reading the New Testament.. and am now in about section 20 of d&c going page to page. What amazing stuff. It all leads us to change and be better people. Why wouldn't we read it? Why wouldn't we ponder it?

Also.. fasting is so powerful. We truly can receive revelation in our church attendance if we go with the right mindset and spiritual preparation. I experienced that on Sunday. Wow.

You are all awesome people. Doing awesome things. I love the fact that my family is doing iron man races.. getting married.. having children.. and growing and learning!! Yay for us! haha. Life is an adventure. 

Jesus Christ lives. He is our Savior and Redeemer. We must do what is required of us if we are to enjoy the constant companionship of his Holy Ghost. Heavenly Father is our literal father... he is in the intertwined moments of the day to day grind. Look for that presence. 

I cant believe that i have been on this island for a year now. Wow. Time flies. And by the end of this month i will have 3 companions who will be home now. Wow.. that makes me like an old missionary or something. Weird. 

I wish i could explain how my life is to you.. but i cant... cuz i cant even explain it to myself.. one word does some justice... fulfilling. The gospel of Jesus Christ is about living a fulfilling and happy life. If you dont feel that... and i dont mean 24/7.. but if you rarely or never feel that, do something that leads you closer to Christ.

Come unto Christ. Its cool.

I love you all... and i get to see my family's beautiful faces next week. 

Palangga,

Elder Stagg