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

Week 49

Hey everyone,

Its flooding and my feet are currently soaking wet because I've been walking back and forth in Dagupan City running errands for people. Its a party. 

Elder Notarte and I are having fun working and learning together. We're just trying to help people have the spiritual experiences they need in order to come unto Christ - because thats why we're here. We're teaching by the Spirit of God and loving life even in the storms (literally and of trials). 

We had the really cool experience of getting to teach this 73 year old Filipina who was here staying at her vacation home. Her real home is in... West Covina California! We talked about California and her life there and she has had a lot of really cool experiences. She's actually the lady we met with President Espinosa, who we got the chance to go teach again. She prayed and believes that Joseph Smith is a true prophet of God and she's reading the Book of Mormon. The Gospel of Jesus Christ really is for everyone, and if you haven't yet, I invite you to meet with the Missionaries of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints - even just once - to hear what we have to say. If you're interested let me know.

I love the work and the life out here and the people! Its all going great!

-Elder Collier

The first picture is me standing in the flood when the entire highway was under 6 inches of water.

The second picture is our zone

The third picture is us with some random girls who needed to interview a foreigner for school

The fourth picture is Elder Seve who was my zone leader until he went home today

Week 48

Hey ya'll,

This week was a fun one and some pretty cool things happened. First, last night I got fed red velvet cheesecake so that was pretty good. Also, puttanesca which was super good and I'd only ever heard of in "A Series of Unfortunate Events."

Second, President Espinosa (my mission president) came and worked with me and my companion on Wednesday. He said he'd be working with different companionships that week and apparently we were one of them. He just called us and said he'd be there in an hour. We went to an area I'd never been to before (because that's what we'd planned before we knew he was coming) so I was a little nervous at first. We went tracting and found this super cool lady who lives in LA a lot of the time, but is here for a few months. We taught a powerful message on the Plan of Salvation together. It was a cool experience.

I also had the opportunity to work with Elder Martinez this last week. He's new as well and I got to take him to my area and try to teach him some stuff. We had a fun time and taught a message about how you (in the royal sense) are never alone and Christ is always there to support you. No matter how hard it gets, no matter how sad or alone you might feel, Christ has felt that and is there to support you. I shared some personal experiences with her and she decided she wants to get to know Him better. It was awesome.

We also got zone shirts and played billiards.

thats all folks

-Elder Collier

Picture 1 is the zone 

Picture 2 is the district

Picture 3 is Billiards

Week 47

Hey Everyone,

The Elder I gave a shoutout to for keeping me good on what week it was just got his P-day changed to a new day of the week, so he's no longer keeping me on the right week. But its all good, I'll do it the old fashioned way and just check last weeks email I guess.

So its been another week and time is flying by out here. We had zone conference this last week and it was great to see old friends from other places again. We had a really good workshop on asking questions, and another one on our commitment to following the Savior and how important covenants are in our progression as people trying to make it back to the Father.

Elder Taysom and his companion had two baptisms this last week. They are some of the most prepared people I've ever met. Its been amazing to see their progress and sacrifice as they've come to know the Gospel of Jesus Christ. 

Love

-me

Picture 1 is my district bowling last week

Picture 2 is the baptism of Leo and Lalain

Picture 3 is President Espinosa my awesome mission president in the middle of a workshop

PS Its week 47 

PPS I was bowling left handed because it was most of these people's first time and also for fun

Week 46

Hey Everyone,

Hows it going? This week was a pretty fun one. I saw a horse. That's different.

We had zone interviews this last week. Its fun having so many new people here, both native speakers and foreigners. Its a lot of teaching and learning and questions.

We had a lot of people come to church yesterday and it was great! It's so amazing to see people taking the steps that they know they need to to come unto Christ. That's really the reason why we're all here, and it is an active process we all need to be engaged in.

I just want to add something I've learned this week: the importance of remembrance. we need to remember the experiences we have. we need to remember the love that we've felt for us and from us. we need to remember all the goals that we're working for and the things we need to do. Satan tries to get us to forget. his whole thing is to make us forget who we are and who our Father is. We cannot forget. The people in the scriptures (namely the book of mormon) are repeatedly called to remember again and again, and sometimes we even have trials to make us seek Him again. But, because God loves us, He gave us the Holy Ghost to "bring all things unto [our] remembrance." God gave us a gift to help us with one of the most important things we need to do because it is exactly that important. He gave us the Sacrament to remember the sacrifice of His Son every time we go to Church. He gives us so many ways to remember and we just need to try our best to remember Christ always. To remember His sacrifice and His Love. To remember who we want to be and who He knows we can become. Don't forget the love God has for you. No matter what he's there for you.

-Elder Collier

PS sorry if that doesnt make sense, I dont have time to proof it.

Picture 1 is us hanging off the back of a full jeep

Picture 3 Drug sign

Picture 2 is our new Beach Church

Week 45

I'm gonna open this email with a quick shout out to Elder Shakespeare for always letting me know what week it is in his weekly emails.

This week was a pretty good one actually. A lot of fun little things happened. The prime thing to mention is that we made tacos. I mean we still used plain white rice because we really made taco meat for ulam, but we used real spices such as cumin, cayenne pepper, chili powder, and others. It was pretty good. We had tacos as ulam.

The second thing is that we got to go on exchanges with the zone leaders Elder Seve and Elder Sau. They are both great missionaries and it was fun teaching together. We were able to teach some really powerful lessons and help people.

I also got to help bail water out of a flooded house.

We went fishing earlier this morning and the first one I cost was a fish valued somewhere around 25000 Pisos so I just let it go before we got a picture. The others made pretty good ulam though.

Lastly, the family who feeds us every Sunday granted our request and fed us Dog. We didn't think they'd actually do it, and we thought they were joking when they told us one of the ulams was dog, but it totally was. It was actually super good. So just remember that. Also, dog meat is really expensive here because i think it might technically be illegal. Fun stuff. 

Love you all and I love the work out here

-E Collier

Picture 1 is Tacos

Picture 2 is me and Elder Taysom with lunch by the river this morning. 

Picture 3 is us all up on the roof while we were just waiting to start

Picture 4 is my district plus the zone leaders

Week 44

Hey everyone,

I'm a tatay! I just went down to Urdaneta to pick up my new companion. His name is ELder Notarte and he's from the Manila area. He's fresh out of the MTC and even though he definitely speaks the Language better than me its fun to teach him how to do missionary things. 

We are having a good time out here and its always a party in the rain. I get to wear boots a lot now because otherwise I get very wet feet. sometimes though we gamble on it not raining and it doesn't, and other times you wear just rubber shoes and then fall in a deep puddle up to your shins. I wouldn't trade it for anything. 

This week I also got to work with Elder Taysom as we were waiting for our mga anak and we had some really good lessons and fun times. He's from St. George and says its a cool place, but I'm still saying California's better.

Hope you're all doing well!

-Elder Collier

Picture 1 is Elder Notarte standing up on the seawall 

Picture 2 is me and Elder Taysom with our new companions, fresh from the MTC

Picture 3 is us doing face masks while there were just two of us in the apartment

Week 43

Hey everyone,

Elder Borejon dipped out of Dagupan 3rd ward and transferred over into Mangaldan Zone, not that very many of you know what that means. Its not very far though. We had a fun 6 weeks together and were able to do a lot of good work out here. I don't have a new companion yet, he should be here on Thursday.

We had two baptisms last week, one was someone we'd been teaching, and the other was a family we'd been helping out. Always amazing to see. 

This week I want to just write something about the stuff I've learned recently. I've learned that God is infinitely merciful and is constantly extending His arms to us, welcoming us with a loving embrace if we will just accept Him and do the things He commands. If we will just live His gospel. I've seen God answer the prayers of his children just trying to find the truth in this chaotic world. I know that He'll answer you too. Ask and ye shall receive, knock and it shall be opened unto you. I've learned to focus all things I do and teach and say on Christ's Atonement, and I've felt the power that comes from testifying of the most important truth in this Universe. The truth that our Lord and Savior, our older brother, felt all of our pains, paid for all our sins, and died for us, just so that we could have the chance of making it home to him and the Father. I invite you all to learn more about Jesus Christ and apply those things to your lives. You will see the changes as I have.

I love you all!

-Elder Collier

The first picture is us with Helly-Jane (right) and Orly (left)

The second picture is Dane with the only Bunny I've seen in the Philippines (the first one he's seen)

The third picture is my district, half of which are now gone, but they're still doing good work out here in other zones

Week 42

Hey everyone, 

Sorry this is gonna be a short one but its been a good week out here in Dagupan 3. We had a baptism on Saturday and it was awesome. Seeing people change and commit to living the gospel. To commit to following our Savior Jesus Christ is amazing. I've started reading the Infinite Atonement this week and its a great book. I've already gained a greater appreciation for what the Savior did for us and I would like to invite you all to study Christ's Atonement - to come to know what he really did for you. 

We also got a new kabahay for a week and it was fun having Elder Assistant to the President Estabillo with us. I learned a lot and it was a fun experience. He was my first zone leader and it was good to see him again even though he goes home next week. 

thats it for now,

I love you all and love hearing from you

-Elder Collier

Picture 1 is my district 

Picture 2 is what I need to get to combat all that rice I'm eating

PIcture 3 is us with Dianne and her family

Week 41

Hey everyone,

So its been another week and once again we had a very important national holiday that just isn't the same over here in the Philippines. If you don't know what that Holiday was, I am sorry for your loss. The answer is 7-11. It was a sad day that I had to pay for my slurpee, but, I did get one. It was pretty good too. 

That being said, we had zone conference this last week and it was a good experience to learn from the workshops and see people I haven't seen in months. It was a cool experience enven though we had to get flu shots.

People are progressing and the work is good. I'm trying each and every day to be as Christlike as I can be and to help as many people as I can. I know that this is the Lords work and I just want to serve him every day. 

Hope you're all doing well. I love to hear from you.

-Elder Collier, or as I sometimes get called, Elder Gwapo

Picture 1 is of course my Mountain Dew Slurpee 10/10 because the machine wasn't broken

Picture 2 is of us at the Maramba Family who last night fed us American food like Chicken Alfredo and salad and baked mac and cheese. Don't worry though, I still had my rice and chicken like a good missionary. We also drank Buko Juice straight out of the coconut with just a straw. It was masarap.

Picture 3 is just a sign that informed me that I work in Beverly Hills

Week 37

Hey everyone,

Its been another week and I'm in another area. I'm in Dagupan 3rd ward and my companion is Elder Borejon. I've been in Dagupan for about 3 hours and it should be pretty fun. My area has a beach daw, so I'm looking forward to that even though I cant swim out here. 

My last week in Bugallon was a good one and there are a lot of people who are progressing and figuring out their relationship with the savior for themselves. I can't express how much joy the work brings me and how much I've learned about why we're all really here. I echo the words of Nephi in 2 Nephi 4 and I know in whom it is that I have trusted. God is great and His plan is perfect for each and every one of us without exception. We just need to work on aligning our will with the Father's and do all he asks of us with joy.

I'm inexpressibly grateful for the 4 months I had in Bugallon and all the work I was able to do there. I know that I was there for a lot of reasons and it will be the same here. Look for the hand of god and you will see it. Your whole life is in the hand of God.

I love you all,

-Elder Collier

Picture 1 is a bukid rain selfie in my favorite barangay Banaga

Picture 2 is the Navarro crew

Week 36

Hey family, friends, acquaintances, and any random people who might stumble across this on the internet. Whats new with you guys?

Its been a good one out here in Bugallon and I got to work with some pretty cool people this week. I had the chance to go on exchanges with Elder Jazmin (I'll get a picture with him hopefully this week) and we had a really productive day. I was able to learn a lot from him, because he's way good at just becoming friends with people and getting close to them in order to better help them.

It rains a lot out here and rain is pretty fun. Friday night it started pouring right before we took a trike home (trikes in the rain = not fun) but luckily we got one with a door. The street that we live on was a river and there was tons of lightning. It was way fun. We got soaked. As a side note, I'm sick, but for the record I was sick before the rain.

Its good times out here. sorry this is a weird one

-Elder Collier

Picture 1 is a picture of me acting naturally because my mom didn't want any more posed pictures

Picture 2 is the boys in the rain after getting home at the same time

Picture 3 is the boys in the rain ft. Elder Nonu

Week 35

So, it's been 8 months since I reported to the MTC.  How crazy is that? It really doesn't feel like its been that long because I still feel super new out here. Its weird to see the changes that have happened in my life and the weird gaps between what I think I can do and what I can actually do. Apparently I speak a lot more Tagalog than it feels like I do, which is nice to here, and I've actually been able to start picking up and processing the Pangasinan that I hear in the street. The gift of Tongues is real, because I know that this isn't coming from me.

I had an experience this week in teaching about the Restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ where I was so clearly able to feel the Lord guiding me it was amazing. We were sitting out in this little shack in the middle of a bunch of fields and it was raining ridiculously hard. The pounding of the rain on the metal rook and the wind made it hard to hear. It was windy, it was almost cold, and we were doing our best to help this girl answer her questions. We were teaching about prophets and why they were and are so important for us, and I had this moment where I was speaking and at the same time, realized that the words I was speaking weren't coming from me, but coming from the Spirit to help her hear exactly the things she needed. It was amazing and a powerful witness that the Lord is using me out here.

Love you all and hope you're all doing well,

-this kid

Picture 1 is us walking our workers through the bukid and they were all amazed we knew so many shortcuts like thats now what we do all day

Picture 2 is a bunch of people who wanted to take a picture with us at church on Sunday