Participation Produces...

Family and Friends,

Same area. New Companion. His name is Elder Aro, and I already love being companions with him!! He is so humble and just willing to try new things, I learn so much from him. He is from Bulacan (near Manila) and he is the oldest in his family! He is awesome, and we are enjoying the work together. 

The work... wow. It is progressing like crazy. The Lord himself is pushing His work along, i have no doubt about that. We are literally seeing the miracles of the gospel take place in people's lives. 

"Fast Car"- Tracy Chapman

Even after being out here for however many months, i still see things that just blow my mind. haha. Like a guy walking around with no pants on.. talking to himself... luckily he had a shirt on that said city police. hahah... classic.

Really though... the work is legit. The members here are alive and awake to the Lord's work. They are excited to help and very willing to help us as missionaries, what a blessing! They feed us... way too much.. hahah.. im getting fat! patay!

Homework. Can you all email me (even if its short) and tell me the blessings you have seen in your life from living the Word of Wisdom. Thanks :)

Study Note. Preach My Gospel Pg. 200. Follow up. This is something that has actually come back to bite me this past week. We can never assume that people will do all the things they say they will.. it requires a follow up. Following up is essentially just those little reminders that we all need to stay on the right path. I realize that us as members of the church, that is one reason why we have home and visiting teaching.. to follow up with our fellow members. Are you a 100% home or visiting teacher? It will bless those families for the long and short term aspects of their lives. We also must remember to follow up with ourselves.. but how? For me its simple... reading the scriptures. It basically is our self check as to how well we are following the Savior and living His gospel. Without the scriptures it is as if we start reading a map on a long road trip, then at about the halfway mark... throwing the map out the window. Sure... you might remember the path... but lets be honest, we are people. Our brains do not retain information very well, we must constantly be refreshing and relearning the matters of the Kingdom. The stories in the scriptures... aren't they great? I mean... its much better that our kids know all about Nephi and Moroni than just about cartoons and TV, right? Its all about a good balance. Daily contact with the scriptures is a great balance in our lives.

I learned much about testimonies this week. It is not just the classic "I know...". Its a conviction. Its simple phrases of truth that invite the Spirit. This is not just for me... I know its good for our families to hear these things often as well, straight from our own mouths. And remember.. live according to your testimony of the Atonement.

Coffee is something used by the adversary to lull us into more serious sins. That little brown drink is a little devil in disguise, trust me... I see it grasping kids as young as 5 or 6 years old. 

I love my Savior.. I know He lives. I know that as we strive to come closer to Him...He truly does come closer to us. What a beautiful promise that is!

Did you know that when we pay our full tithe we are actually fulfilling 2 commandments. 1. The Law of Tithing. 2. Commandment #8 of the 10 Commandments; Thou shalt not steal. Ponder that. Its not your money... it is the Lord's. I personally have seen the blessings of this commandment in my life. I have experienced the college grind without the Lord's help from tithing and i have experience the college grind while paying a full tithe.... man the second option is so much easier!

I love you all... so much!! Please read your scriptures.

Palangga,

Elder Stagg

I Know Thy Works

Family and Friends,

What a week... when you put your heart and mind into something, you reap rewards. Things are lining up nicely here in Minoyan. We are being proposed for a branch within the next month, wow!! The Lord truly is hastening His work...! People's hearts are being prepared by the Spirit, I truly have a testimony of that.

95 days na lang!

Wanna know an amazing blessing? When your companion is a master teacher. I love it. Elder Juco is a boss (and his look alike is Rufio from Hook, i lvoe it). Our lessons are short, powerful and chalked full of application from Preach My Gospel. Speaking of Preach My Gospel... are you reading yours? It is not just a missionary's book... it is a study tool and guidebook for members of any age, calling or spiritual level. It has changed the way I study and how I teach. Really though... its one of my favorite books. It was written mostly by the apostles of the Lord Jesus Christ!

The weeks are going so fast. Even the months. Christmas is coming up fast... who will you invite to church or give a Book of Mormon. I invite you to ponder that. We all love giving out sweets and baskets to our neighbors for Christmas... whose basket could best use Another Testament of Jesus Christ? Give it some thought. Let's make a deal. You do that, and I will prepare someone to be baptized on Christmas day... conversion on both sides of the globe #teamwork.

My life is hilarious on the mission. We have super awesome experiences all the time. I can't even remember them... luckily they are mostly in my journal or on video journals that I make!

I am slowly but surely getting addicted to rice. Sad part is, I hate rice.

PMG note. Pg 195. Helping investigators make and keep commitments. Any RM knows that this is one of the most important things you do as a missionary, and the most difficult! But why is it so important? Simply put, it creates repentance. Asking someone to read a chapter in Alma, or pray about Joseph Smith, or stop drinking coffee... you are "declaring repentance". That is ultimately why I am here in the Philippines. I cannot begin to explain the feeling you have as a missionary when an investigator does not keep their commitment. Especially when they made it seem so sure that they would do it, then they do not. Let down central. Another important aspect of commitments is to "prepare... to make and keep covenants". Isn't that basically what our Father in Heaven does with us when we make covenants. He asks us to commit to live a certain way... we accept... and then what? Do we disappoint Him? Do we have excuses as to why we did not follow through on our commitment (I have heard every excuse in the book at this point in my mission). I am grateful for covenants. From baptism, to priesthood, and all the way up to the temple. They bless us. God has "always required his people to make covenants". I love the Savior and our Father in Heaven. I love that Heavenly Father is bound when we do what He asks. Covenants lead to salvation. Also, the feeling when my investigator does keep their commitment is heavenly.

One note of encouragement for all of you. Be Positive. I am way far away from perfect on this... but it helps. The Lord despises pessimism. I am guilty of it at times.. but what I am learning is this... what does negativity really accomplish? Nothing. 

I believe in the power of the gospel. I believe it can bring peace. See 2 Nephi 21:9. There will come a day when "[none] shall hurt nor destroy...". How can that thing called 'world peace' really happen? Through the knowledge of the gospel. It is the only way. The gospel transforms people... I see it daily.. in myself and in my fellowman. 

Read your scriptures.

Tudloi ako nga magdougie.

"Nobody said it was easy" -Coldplay.

I love you all.... the time is starting to fly by. haha!! weird. I miss you all, even though i can barely remember you!! haha. This is a bit advanced, but if you are planning on sending me something for Christmas or what not, don't. Take whatever money you would use to send me a package or what not, and put it in my bank account. College, sports, and real life is gonna hit me real hard in a few months here. haha.I can survive just fine without american candy for another few months.  I love you all :)

Palangga,

Elder Stagg

Difficulty: Expert

Family and Friends,

In regards to my subject title... sometimes life just feels like a video game. haha.

"Tammuz"

"Keep you from falling" 

Good word of advice... try to think real long and hard before you speak. Especially before speaking of negative things or faults of others. #learninglessonsthehardway. My companion was pretty sick for most of the week... thats a challenge. I never thought sitting in a house all day could be so boring. haha. But he is better now and this week we will be able to hit the ground running. 

Today, I have been shaped and formed by my experiences this week. Many of them good, many of them difficult and challenging.. but all for my betterment. I actually had exchanges with Elder Schow this week.. he is from Alpine. Crazily enough, he worked at the car wash right next to Mr. Mac in AF. Wow. We found out that we actually had a conversation or two before the mission, not knowing that one day we would eventually be enjoying a hot and sweaty bus ride together up into the mountains of the Philippines. #smallworld. We had some good talks about life and of course the deep doctrine excursions (no exchange is complete without it).Good times. 

Quick note about something that Elder Schow and I talked about this week. Prophets. I have heard much of the concerns regarding people going against prophets.. guess what, its been like that since Day 1. The whole concept of prophets and following them truly is just a test of our faith.. do we realize that? I am FAR from perfect at heeding every word of every prophet, but i know its important. For any more enlightenment see 2 Nephi 25:9. We will never be destroyed or hurt by something, unless it is foretold by a prophet. Wow!

Turn with me here to 3 Nephi 18. This is one of the most powerful discourses we have about the sacrament and its importance. Yesterday, after a long and hard week of trials, mistakes and concern... i pondered hard about the sacrament. As my companion passed the sacramental water to the 43 people present at our special sacrament, I had the opportunity to read the prayer on the water. How simple. How meaningful. How lucky we are. The promise (found in the last sentence of verse 7 of chapter 18), "And if ye do always remember me ye shall have my spirit to be with you." So simple... yet we are so quick to not do this. We forget. We are people. Our brains get so wrapped up in the daily grind of life (even missionary life) that at times we forget the bigger more important picture. I am guilty of it daily. I know that as we just remember our Savior more often, we truly will feel the Holy Ghost more abundantly in our hearts. I am grateful for this promise. So hey, do not forget to do the time-tested things that will remind you of our Savior. Prayer... Scripture Study.. Service.. Laughter.. Forgiveness.. Temple Worship... Church Activities.. Your Home and Visiting Teaching.. and of course, the sacrament. We are so blessed to know our Savior in the depth that we do as members of His church. Harness it!

My Preach My Gospel study this week has been out of Chapter 10. More on the parts about addiction recovery and repentance. Its an interesting section in Preach My Gospel. The concepts in there are actually applicable to each of us. We all have mini "addictions". Some of them truly are small and maybe of insignificance, but you should read this part of your Preach My Gospel. The main ideas that I pulled out is that its a life long battle. It never ends. The road to addiction recovery leads right up to the grave. Once an addiction is started, it stays within our soul until the day we die. It does not mean that we are still addicted, but the effects, memories and feelings at times still linger. We must be careful. The best antidote for addictions, is faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. There are 1,000's of programs, tools, tips, tricks, etc.. but the only one that has an eternal and deep lasting effect is our faith in Christ. It is what will lead us out of darkness and into the glorious light of hope and optimism. You can do it!

I hate dust and sweat and dirt... it leads to nothing good. haaha. But i love bananas!

I love you all... keep doing good things. Also.. go study and ponder Hymn #29. The message is what this world (and you and I) needs!

Palangga,

Elder Stagg

Wandering Stars

Family and Friends,

Well... hard work pays dividends. 67 people attended our special sacrament meeting on Sunday. 

One thing i really want to hit on right now is the Law of Sacrifice. I am learning daily what this really means to me... and why the Lord gave us this law. Luke 17:33. That is so difficult. So why does the Lord expect it of us? Why are we expected to give up all things we have... just to follow the Savior? For me... it comes down to this, because He so willingly sacrificed everything for us. Even His life. It makes me feel a little unworthy when i think of it that way.... i am barely willing to give up small things, to use His eternal sacrifice. But that's okay... we all have space to improve. I know that God wants us to return to Him. I have no doubt about that... but He also doesn't want it to be easy. Truly. He does not want it to be a walk in the park. He wants us to struggle.. and fight.. and grind... and honestly... get to the point where we want to give up... but why? Because He wants us to learn how to rely on HIM! He wants us to realize that giving up our own will is what will bring us closer to Him. PS... this idea is a work in progress still.

Dad... I used the phrase "peanut gallery" in my training this week. haha. Even though i still don't know what it means. 

Life is really about better learning how to use the Atonement. 

Stress relief is roughly equivalent to repentance. "All that seems unfair in life can be made right through the Atonement of Jesus Christ and the mercy and love of our Heavenly Father. The Atonement is the central point in the plan of salvation." (Lesson 2 pamphlet). I know we all have stress and challenges... there really is no other way to be healed except through the Atonement. I have experienced it in SO many different situations and ways.. and i know that we can be forgiven.. even of the small and simple daily mistakes we make. 

"Christ can be individualized in ourselves" -President Lopez

Guess what.. its now September.. which means, its Christmas season in the Philippines! Merry Christmas to all!!

I love you all so much.. i really do. Keep praying and fighting on. Through our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, we will see miracles in our lives. 

Palangga,

Elder Stagg