Monday, May 18, 2015

Going Finding

Sorry we missed posting last week. We were able to skype with Zach for Mother's Day. It was wonderful.


Hello

Well this week was semi uneventful... Haha We were finding a lot and we actually received a couple of referrals! We tried to contact them this week but a lot of people were busy or not at home everytime we visited. We had the Yu family attend the temple this last Saturday but I didn't go because of some stomach problems. But they are really an awesome couple. They are both maybe in their late 60's. They were both very catholic before and it took a long time for the missionaries to be able to teach them but they are really some of my favorite people here. they always argue over doctrine and so when we come they have a lot of questions for us! Haha something way funny. So they have been members for about 3 years and we were talking about some of the simple doctrines and We talked about the Godhead for a minute and we said that Heavenly Father, Jesus Christ, And the Holy Ghost are all separate beings. And the Father goes.."Wait What?!?" He was rally confused but we showed him a bunch of different scriptures to help him understand. Glad we cleared that before going to the temple though!

Drinking Coconut water


Well we are doing well here in Mabalacat. So big news. they just split our Zone! I am now a part of the Mabalacat Zone instead of Angeles Zone. Nothing really changed with us except for the name and some people were added to our district. Pretty cool though. Means the mission is growing! 

With my stomach issues, every time I eat a native food here my stomach goes crazy. So I think what I am going to do is just ask what they put into their food everytime I eat. I am taking a medicine called Buscopan and its for stomach pain and it seems to be helping. Other than that I am just going to look into my diet and see if I can find anything that helps. Well yeah all is well here. Thanks for all that you have done for me. I appreciate. it! Love you all


Elder Checketts
To God Be The Glory

Sunday, May 3, 2015

Finding

Hi!

Well this was an interesting week! I don'y even know where to start. Maybe from the medical side of things. Oh man. So. I went to the hospital and I had like 4 blood tests taken, luckily they only had to take 1 sample for all those tests because that needle was gigantic. Anyway. I had another ultrasound done and yet again, no baby. So then I had a Ct scan. Oh my goodness that was like the most painful experience of my entire life. So that morning I already had to down a liter of water for the ultrasound, then I had to drink another liter of water with some weird chemical in it. And they told me that I was not allowed to use the restroom after I drank it, and they said I had to wait until I had to "go" really bad so that the test was effective. So once all is ready... I get in there and they scan me once and it was fine. but then out comes the doctor with a catheter. Yikes. This might get a little graphic. But the doctor turns me on my side and says breath in! Yeahhhhh so then all that is going on and lo and behold. behind the glass window of the room are 5 nurses all sitting there watching this go down! I don't know if they just want to learn about the procedure or if this was the first time they had seen an American rear end. Either way it was awful. Anyway. They inject fluids where they arent supposed to go and all the while I am in extreme agony because i need to relieve myself. So they get ready for another scan and they are all yelling at me to relax and I can't for reasons past explained! Then after that scan they hook up some weird fluid into my blood system and I was literally begging them to let me go to the bathroom but they said no. So I get hooked up to this machine and they inject something into me. And I dunno if my body just wasn't used to this but I am pretty sure I started going into shock. Like my arms went numb and I couldn't open my mouth and my vision went blurry. I don't know. It was weird. So they scanned me again and then finally let me go. So I was in full sprint through the hospital to the comfort room . Awesome. I never want to go back to that place. I thought I was going to meet my Maker. Yikes. Anyway. They still didn't find anything so I am just going to take medicines of my choice and pray. So that was my experience at the hospital.

 Now on the more spiritual side of things. That very same day! After the hospital we had nothin goin on and I had been humbled sufficiently, so we went finding! We were knocking on doors and nothing then we walked past this brother and he was sitting there smoking and smiled at us. This is how the conversation went down. Word for word.
Elders: Hey
Grandpa: Hey
Elders: Whats your name?
Grandpa : Jim
Elders Hi Jim, can we teach you?
Jim: Yeah
Elders: Okay where?
Jim: right here
Elders: Sweet!

Boom! Taught the restoration and he accepted a baptism date. Proof that Mariah Carey taught doctrine when she sang There can be miracles when you believe! Haha Pretty cool Then on our way to the next appointment and talked to a man named Conrad. He spoke wonderful English. He told us he was busy working but he gave his number to us and asked us to come visit his family. Too bad he doesn't live in our area. So we had a referral for the Sisters serving in our ward! Solid. Well yeah We had 2 investigators at church which is way cool,  we are teaching a recent converts sister and when we went there she had a friend visiting so we taught her also! She was way cool and very receptive but again, doesn't live in our area. Thats okay though! I am fine with that! Planting seeds for future elders to harvest! Also we had a wonderful number of 98 people in sacrament meeting! I think thats like the highest its been in a while! In this area we mostly work with less actives but there are only like 8 families in our area that are members and 4 or 5 of those families are completely active. Pretty sweet. Not a lot going on here but We will keep working hard to get things moving. 

No word on the visa. I miss India. but I will serve where the Lord wants me to serve. I am learning a lot more Tagalog but still am handicapped when speaking it. We are going to the Temple on May 16! I am so excited! It will probably be in Tagalog so I will have no idea whats going on but I am still pumped. Well yeah. Those were the main events of the week. Hope all is well at home! Love yaa!


Elder Checketts