6/8/2015 Chicken Curry and Comparing

Chicken Curry and Comparing

Monday, June 8, 2015

Dear Everybody, and Elder Wilson and Elder Hadley,

Elders Hadley, Wilson, and Thurber at our MLC station with a computer and projector

I feel bad I haven't said a word about my excellent, due to their awesomeness, companions. The three of us are always on some mad adventure or on exchanges, putting our shoulder to the side bag. This past Tuesday, they got their official Philippino driver's licenses. Elder Hadley had some issues with getting his, because his current ID from Pompeii wasn't "acceptable" to the Land Transportation Office we went to last time. But it all worked out.

They are both superb in Tagalog, and are experts in finding joy while working the hardest. It's incredibly hard not to laugh when you're around them. At the same time, they've gotten down their responsibilities of being assistants just fine.

The wonderful family who made us delicious chicken curry.

On Wednesday, we picked up two missionaries from the airport assigned in Palawan to bring to our area for exchanges. Elder Wilson, out of the goodness of his heart, made some awesome curry that we devoured. The two of us worked with Elder Yu, and had an excellent dinner appointment (see first picture), where they fed us chicken curry. It was so delicious!

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Thursday was MLC, which was the easiest MLC  BY FAR for me, as the office elders played a huge part in their role, allowing us to just work. I played an arrangement of Let Zion in Her Beauty Rise / Saints Behold How Great Jehovah by Jon Schmidt as a special musical number.

For lunch, we had chicken curry made by Angel which tasted great. Afterwords, we watched Meet the Mormons, and then the going-home missionaries bore their testimonies. After shuttling missionaries to the exit of the neighborhood, we came back to the mission home and prepared the MLC, and made notes and a training plan for zone conference. We stayed there that night, and Angel heated up the Chicken Curry for us yet again.

Me with my awesome compaions:  Elder Wilson and Hadley

This is Elder Morales.  He's from Utah, and is a great piano player!

So we ate chicken curry four times in a row. Just like a teacher who teaches one subject in two separate classes, it's easy to compare. Most of our decision making in life involve comparison. While analyzing is good for improvement, I've realized that comparison does little good, and numbs our ability to see the good in the things. For example, the numbers zone leaders submit every Sunday evening from 9-10:30 vary greatly. Sometimes it's hard not to be harsh on some when others are hitting much higher. But the Spirit, I've noticed, cannot abide with us when we compare. It's better to just be grateful and help them improve.

So, even though the different types of chicken curry I ate we differed in taste, I'm not thinking about which one is best, but continue to thank the people that fed me it. I hope more comes my way. 

In other words, stop comparing and be grateful so you'll be happy. 

--

Elder Thurber - Philippines Manila Mission

#BecauseHeLives

#BecauseHeLives

HeLives.mormon.org

6/1/2015 Personal Study on an Airplane

June 1, 2015

Personal Study on an Airplane

People, Close and Far,

I think Satan's main weapon in missionary work is the false idea (notion, assumption, reason, excuse, postulation, etc) that we are too busy. Last week, I had the opportunity to attend new missionary follow-up meeting, zone conference in Palawan, bring an elder up to the area office, and go on splits--twice, one with an elder coming back to the mission from a year and a half ago, and another, named Cameron, who has a job and served in the Philippines and just wanted to work with us while he had time.

Outside of our apartment Thursday Morning before going to Zone Conference

I've recognized there's always time. Wednesday was a roller coaster in Palawan, so I really only had time to plan during the plane ride over. Afterwords, I talked to a man who is from San Diego California, and referred him to missionaries over there. 

I thought we didn't have time to make our flight back to the mainland after zone conference, because there were some interviews President Ostler had to do. We decided to leave early and were panicking when we arrived at the airport, because the elders who had gone before us texted that they had closed the check-in gate. True enough, they had closed it when we were going through security. I ran over and put my luggage on the scale and showed my license ID, stalling the trip long enough for everybody to get through security and leave on time. Then, the Ostlers showed up with smiles on their faces; they had gotten in a trike and somehow made it to the airport in half the time it took us. We were all able to board the airplane 2 minutes before the door closed. What inspired me most was how calm the Ostlers were. The two took selfies before they got on the plane, seemingly oblivious to the close call that had taken place. 

While doing personal study on the plane, I thought to myself, hoooowwww do they do that? Perhaps some of it was just experience with being in airports, but there's more. I think there's the truth that we actually need to follow him. Mainly, I think they succeeded because they trust in the Lord, and know they're on the Lord's errand. It was a valuable lesson that they didn't know they were teaching me. They're on the Lord's time, so they rely on him. 

Upon arriving back in Manila, we met two newly married members.

Not related to missionary work, just a cool car!

I could share more, but time.... is all gone. Ironic.

Anyways, have a great week!

Elder Thurber - Philippines Manila Mission

"Our three intrepid Assistants--Elders Thurber, Hadley, and Wilson"
(Picture and caption from Sister Northrup's FB page)

#BecauseHeLives

HeLives.mormon.org