Week 56

Hey everyone!

Its been a good first week out here in Umingan! I missed the bukid and the bundok and the palay (rice but not the kid you buy at the store). We walk a lot and the time it takes me to get from our house to one of our closest barangays is almost the time it took me to cross our whole last area. Its fun stuff. The branch is small and I already love the members. I'm trying my best to start learning the new language and realized in my daily life I used a lot more of the Pangasinan language than I thought. Turns out people here don't speak that so I had to stop.

We're teaching this super cool couple who lived in Texas for 49 years. They actually used to be taught by missionaries over there, but they didn't understand a ton because they don't speak great English. We can teach them in Tagalog though and its been great to answer the questions they have. It really is so cool seeing God's hand in the lives of His children.

I love you all,

-it me

Picture 1 me in a bunch of trees walking to teach people

Picture 2 Elder Herrera

Picture 3 us with said old couple

Week 55

Hey everyone,

It was hard to leave Dagupan 3, but I've officially transferred to Umingan. But before I get there, let's talk about last week. It was a lot of fun. We started out by going golfing (a driving range because thats 50 Pisos and a game of golf is 700) on P-day. Its the only place in the mission to go golfing, so it was a good way to end it (even though I didn't think I was going to transfer). Elder Notarte and I had a good week of work and, because we knew Elder Taysom was transferring we got a lot of goodbyes in. 

I'm going to miss Dagupan. That was really my home away from home. But Umingan is going to be fun. I'm going to have to start learning how to speak Ilocano now though, because thats the language they speak there. I'm excited to work out here.

Its me

-Elder Collier

 Picture 1 is us with the Maramba Family who fed us every Sunday and are some of the nicest people ever

Picture 2 is the crew ft. Dane who is going to the Utah Layton mission in 22 days. We're way excited for him

Picture 3 is Dagupan district 1 before 3 of us left today

Picture 4 is us with the two Nanays of Dagupan - Nay Goleng and Nay Gipa

Picture 5 is us with the Cohen/ Gumawid Family. They're super sweet and we love sharing with them

Week 54

Hey y'all, 

I say y'all because we had a man show up at church on Sunday from Georgia. The thing is, when I talk to foreigners (not missionaries), I accidentally start to copy their accent because that's what I do when speaking in Tagalog, so it just kind of happens. Its a little awkward on my end but I really can't help it at this point, so that's fun. 

This week was great because we had the chance to listen to the Prophet and Apostles of Jesus Christ speak (General conference is a week later here because of the time difference) to us. The Holy Ghost testified to me of the truths of the gospel as they spoke. I've been thinking a lot about what it means to take up our cross and follow Christ. The things that we need to sacrifice in order for us to be consecrated disciples of Christ. 

I also this week had the chance to teach some fun people like Love and Rebecca and they're doing great and have committed to come to church, but they couldn't come to general conference which was okay because English is hard. 

love y'all

-Elder Collier

Picture 1 is us with Love and Rebecca and Nanay Goleng (she's a member)

Picture 2 is me and some other cool people 3 of which have been companions and the other 2 were roommates

Picture 3 is us with President Espinosa and Nay Rina who we taught together a few weeks ago but I just got the picture. She's super cool

Week 53

Hey everyone,

Its the first week of the downward slope and thats kinda weird. Life has been good over this past year and I've learned so much about why we're here and what we need to do. 

In this email, as I pass my year mark, I just want to bear a testimony I didn't have as strongly a year ago. Things I might not have known before- and if I did it definitely wasn't to the degree it was now. I can say that I know that God lives. That God is our Father and He knows you and me personally and perfectly. That He is merciful and the best way that we can start to comprehend that mercy, is to try and understand the gift of His Son. God sent His son to die for us, and not just so that we can be cleansed, but so that we can be perfected. So that we can return to the Father and gain Eternal Life. To have the same kind of life He does. I know that Jesus Christ is my Savior and my comfort and my strength. I know that as we need help we can pray and He is there. I can say with my whole heart that God answers prayers - that He wants to bless us and sometimes all we need to do is ask. I know that we all have things we need to do on this earth, and I have come to recognize the importance of saving ordinances by priesthood power. I know that Joseph Smith saw God the Father and Jesus Christ and was called as a prophet of God. I know we have a living prophet on the earth today and his name is Russell M Nelson. Finally, I can say with my whole heart that I know that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is God's kingdom on earth today. The one true church of Jesus Christ on the earth. and I leave this with you in the name of my Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.

-Elder Collier

Picture 1 is my batch at zone conference

Picture 2 is me celebrating my one year mark at a member's house

Picture 3 is a cool part member family who are about to get baptized (Monica in the purple is going to get baptized)

Picture 4 is the sunset from the seawall