Not our Best Week!!!

I've been thinking about learning another language after I come home. But I think I will probably learn Tagalog or some other Filippino language maybe spanish? I guess I have time to decide right. 

Things are OK here actually to be honest our week was not a good week. We had a lot of our appointments fall thru, or in ilonggo Pantid gid kami! I didn't get to ride on any buses this week but I still have 19 months to do it! But the highlight of my week would probably be our baptism! We baptized Ray Angelo Vergara! And on Sunday I confirmed him and gave him the gift of the Holy ghost! I got nervous so it was short and the Ilonggo wasn't my best stuff! And speaking of Church we literally had 4 members attend our sacrament meeting. 6 including us. 

I would have to say that this was my hardest week in my mission so far! But I'm not beating myself up over it. This whole week was a challenge, or a mountain I needed to climb. And I climbed by not focusing on the hard sad times but on the happy good times we were able to have this week. Like our baptism, and how much the Lord has helped me with my language. I have actually made improvements, or I should say the Lord has helped make those improvements! 

We had a baptism goal but he is not ready so we pushed it to the next week hopefully by then he will be ready!

Elder Rivera

PS for the first time in forever I'm happy I'm sweating rather than being cold!

This Week in the Philippines....

Riding on the bus was way fun! 

At least we don't have to walk all the way behind me!!!

Finally Halton got their act together and gave you guys a snow day! Probably helped you finish report cards and stuff. And that is cool that you get to go on the winter trip mom. The last trip I went to for school was the BCP winter trip. I actually have a picture of it, Meredith sent it to me... good times! And I hear that you have another storm on the way! Fun, fun, fun! 

To answer you question about the DoE award.... Unless my daily walks that take up about 2 hours of my day combined count as exercising then... No I don't exercise. But I would have to say that my walks are more like hikes I will send some pictures this week and next of our daily Lord of the Rings like hikes.

This week... I taught the gospel principles class this. I spoke for the full 45 minutes and gave a lesson on sacrament. I thought it was pretty cool! As a matter of fact I have made improvements with my language. Elder Ballesteros says I am now a 4 out of 5! But I know I wouldn't have been able to do this with out hard work, and without the Lord being with me every step of the way! 

Creepy Abandoned Factory

A crazy thing that happened this week was these kids came by our house. They usually do around lunch time and they wanted candy because missionaries in the past have given them candy. We had none and they left to go do something but when they came back they knocked on the door we just didn't open it. So they surrounded the house and banged on every part of it and screamed for us to open the door and for us to give them candy. It was a weird crazy and once in a life time experience! 

Elder Rivera

SLEEP SO HARD!!!

Riding on to of the bus with my companion
Elder Ballesteros

Well my new area is Sagasa. I love it, my apartment is not the best though but it is still cool. Actually we have been told that we need to find a new apartment or we are getting pulled out. There are no apartments so I guess we will see.

The weather is still hot I feel kinda sorry for you guys and all the snow! Hopefully the schools close!

Something awesome happened this week I got to ride on top of a bus! It was so scary but definitely worth it! I hope I get to do it again. Our area is huge a lot of walking and I mean A LOT. My legs are killing ME!!!

Church at our apartment

We are in Bago 1st ward and there are 4 elders and 2 sisters. But all of the missionaries do not attend the sacrament meeting,they all hold special sacraments in other parts of their areas that are far. Including us, we actually hold sacrament in our apartment. We teach the lesson, conduct and bless the sacrament. So all in all it is a busy day.

I work hard, Play hard, and SLEEP SO HARD!!!

Elder Rivera

President and Sister Ferrin
Interim Mission President

Sister Ferrin and I are so pleased to introduce ourselves to you and thank you for your missionary's consecrated service in the great Philippines Bacolod Mission!

We are thrilled to serve with your missionaries here and we look forward to their miracles.

We add our faith and testimonies to yours as we pray for the recovery and health of President and Sister Lopez. They are our dear friends and we have served with them here in the Philippines for the past two years. We spoken with them several times this week. He is out of the hospital and they have been given an apartment in Salt Lake near the Church headquarters. His body is weak but his soul is full of faith. They feel your prayers and express their gratitude. He will begin his full time employment with the headquarters CES department in March. She will return to Bacolod the last week of February to retrieve their things. They are optimistic and hopeful. Please keep them in you prayers. They are marvelous saints!

When we arrived here in Bacolod on January 28th we bid farewell to the departing batch. Elder and Sister Echo Hawk of our Area Presidency conducted the departing missionaries final interviews and blessed them with their testimonies.  Your  missionaries will long be remembered and appreciated. Their experience and success will inspire us all.

Also on January 28th we welcomed the 20 newly arrived replacement missionaries. Sister Ferrin and I had the blessing of traveling from Manila with these wonderful new missionaries. She and I had been serving in Manila for the past two years as the Missionary Department's In-Field Representative for the 32 missions in the Asia and the Philippines Areas. Traveling with these new arrivals reminded us of our days as the Mission President and wife in the Philippines Naga Mission in 2007.  What a treat it is to be with your missionaries! We look forward to loving them all!

We seek your support and prayers as we go forward. We know this is His work! Our prayers are with you in this great Hastening of the Work. Your support for your missionaries is essential to their happiness.

With sincere love and appreciation,

President and Sister Ferrin, Philippines Bacolod Mission

Onward ever onward!

New Area

Well I got transferred. I am in my new area Sagasa It is actually still pretty close to my old area but different District. I'm really going to miss all of the members and investigators there they were just starting to grow and starting have a desire for the message. But I can't wait to get to work here with my new companion Elder Ballesteros Filipino still. And freakin hilarious! Sorry there are no pictures we don't have alot of time to get all our stuff done! 

Ya we got fed alot in my old area. We had what is called an "Amulek" A member who always feeds us! We ate fish there yes and it was pretty good it didn't taste like fish though it was drowned in sweet and sour sauce. I have had alot of adobo and stuff like that classic Filipino food and such. I miss the snow back home alot! mostly because it is cold and not burning hot. We have entered the hot and dry season so I'm burning up!

I love you and miss you all and will send you as many pictures as I can next week! Stay Frosty!

Love 

Elder Rivera

I Finally Ate Something Funky!!!

Elder Bowen and President Lopez
We met Elder Bowen on our Priests trip to Palmyra

Well I did get to meet Elder Bowen he came to our Stake conference, I didn't know it was the same person at Palmyra. Small world, I shook his hand and everything. 

Laura wants to play baseball? That's cool, I wonder why the sudden change in sports? Make sure you teach her the basics of fielding and throwing and batting. 

I am doing pretty well I'm happy, working hard and all the good stuff. I finally had something funky to eat, but it tasted good.  I had chicken intestines.

Chicken Intestines

I can't wait to hear where all the boys are going on their missions it will be exciting! Good luck to mom and her report cards, I know that report card time is the hardest time for a teacher. So hopefully it goes relatively stress free!

Investigators

Having fun at church

Kids love their picture taken

I broke the sink in our apartment. I was rinsing some dishes and when I grabbed the faucet to turn off the water I pulled it out of the wall by accident! Luckily I was able to fix it!

Well I have some news. Last week we were suppose to have our mission president training but then we heard that president Lopez was sick. Well it turns out that he is in America and will most likely not be returning to finish his mission. It's pretty sad.

I love you all and miss you all!

Elder Rivera

Some sad news

Dear Bacolod Missionaries,

On Sunday, President and Sister Lopez returned to the United States so President Lopez can receive urgent medical treatment. It is not anticipated that they will be returning to complete their mission.

We ask that you join with the Area Presidency in prayer and faith on their behalf.

Arrangements are being made for a couple to be in Bacolod to lead the great work you are doing. In the interim, Elder Mower who serves in the mission office will be able to respond to your immediate needs.

Sincerely,

Philippines Area Presidency

I Love Filipinos!!!

Well I'm glad that I don't have to deal with that cold weather for now. I have adjusted to the heat here which means when I get home I'm going to die! That actually made me laugh when you told me about Laura sending a card in to TVO Kids! I'm still laughing! And I'm glad that they still like me there at Tim Horton's! I do miss those guys so much! Brother Nketiah will be absolutely awesome in the Bishopric! But who became the Elder's Quorum President?

I have a pretty sweet story for you guys. So, we were getting out of an appointment and as we were getting out of the house there was this old lady walking by. Now usually I don't start a conversation, but it was almost like I didn't have a choice my mouth just kinda started speaking and I was having an OK conversation with her. I got her name where she lived and stuff and I learned that she was actually baptized in the 70's, and the last time she went to church was in 1982. Now you might not think this is something big. But seriously in that particular part of our area where we were no one walks by who doesn't live there. She was definitely put in our path for a reason, what ever the reason is, I don't know but I want to figure it out and help her anyway I can! I love Filipinos!!!!!

Love Elder Rivera 

In the Middle of a War Zone!!!

New Years here was crazy! It sounded like I was in the middle of a war zone it was worse when the air horn went off. Fireworks here are more like bombs! So much fun though. 

Christmas Lights

I do miss those Waterloo lights! They had so many cool designs! I did take some good pictures of the lights here I'll send them.

Proselyting, one of the many bridges in my Area

My ward is the same still working with them and still trying to build it up as always. Slowly we will build a strong ward here. I talk to my president every week we do it through our missionary portal on-line it is like a personal email to the president only.

Awesome!!!

I miss you guys and hope that everything is going good. Don't worry about me I will always be ok! I love you all

Elder Rivera