Capalonga!

Hey.

Wait for it...

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HAAAAPPY BIRRTHDAAAAY MOM!!!!

AND

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY TO MY LOVELY PARENTS!

Without my parents (especially my Mom) I would be literally nonexistent. But luckily my mom gets to celebrate another fantastic year of life and my dad gets to celebrate another fantastic year of being married to my mom! (Because I love my mom a whole lot. Sorry, Dad. This just isn't about you, okay?) I hope you guys have an awesome day! You're the beeeeeessst!

So this week was AWESOME. Let me tell you all why. SO this week Elder Cortez and I got to do a little bit of adventuring. We got to take a two hour bus ride to another bayan in our area called Capalonga. This place has been untouched by missionaries for years now, so we figured it would be a good idea to see what was there and if it had any potential to progress. Literally every person we met showed some interest in us or were just nice enough to let us in and share a message. Such a blessing. We've seen so many miracles in our work this week. And I know the same will happen next week. 

Anyway, this week I had the chance to ponder about the idea of empathy and how in order to know and really understand someone, we must put ourselves in their shoes. It's hard sometimes, especially here in the Philippines. Coming from the other side of the planet, it is sometimes difficult to really understand what someone is going through. But that key trait is necessary in order to become a successful teacher. Christ was and is the perfect example of a perfect teacher. With kindness and love, he taught doctrine and counseled all his disciples how to become better. He even comforted the weary and healed the sick. So to some degree, we should show sincere love and empathy for those we meet and love. Through that they just might feel our love for them and more importantly Christ's love for them. 

"A new commandment I give unto you, that ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another" John 13:34 

This week we adventure in new territory... Santa Elena! It's another city in our area that is right on the border of a different mission. I'll let you know all about it next week. Thanks for the emails everyone! You're the best! Until next week!

-Elder Bondoc

Capalonga. (It's a play on words. If you understand Tagalog, you'll get it...)

Me, my companion, and the ward mission leader. 

It was a windy day, thus the rockstar hair. But I was stoked to find out that the ocean is in our area. 

​L A B O missionaries. Sorry my face looks... well... not normal.