Sunday, March 26, 2017

Nasa Bundok....Ulit.

Hey.

So my new area is great. My new companion is great. And work here is going great. I have no other way to describe it. My companion is Elder McNabb. He's straight out of Idaho. He just finished his training and is really good at speaking Tagalog now. Our area is literally in the middle of the mountains. We walk about 30 minutes up a super steep hill/mountain thing just to get to the church. But it's great. The members here are awesome. The people here are so nice too! No matter where we go people are super willing to listen to us. Super thankful.

Something I learned this week... Ummm... OH! The importance of the Book of Mormon. I've read it. A lot. Literally every day for the past two years, I've read some portion of it. It's true. Read it. You'll find out too.

"I told the brethren that the Book of Mormon was the most correct of any book on earth..." -Joseph Smith

Hope you all had a good week. Have an even better week next week. Every week should be better than the last, now that I think about it. Anyway... INGAT! Until next week! 

-Elder Bondoc

Me and my heritage. I've trained three of these missionaries, and they've trained two more. 
The new area.
My companion dipping an oreo in milk because he's just that much cooler than you. 



Sunday, March 19, 2017

The Last Transfer

Hi all. 

First and foremost...

---

I'm being transferred! I'm going to be spending the last six weeks of my mission in Cotnogan! This is the farthest area south in the mission. It's literally all bukid which is completely different from my current area here in the city. My companion is going to be Elder McNabb! He's from Utah and going to be my first foreigner companion, last foreigner companion, and last companion overall. Crazy right? TIME FLIES. He just finished being trained by one of my trainees. So I'm going to be his follow-up! I'm so excited. Our area is part of the first district that I had on my mission. I even get to visit my first area for exchanges before I go home! AAAAAH. 

But alas, as you may have read in the title, this is my last transfer before I go home. I have six weeks left to buck up and do as much as I can before taking off the name tag for good. Something that I've learned to really relish on the mission is time and how sacred it is as a missionary. The Lord provides guidance and help for us, we just have to willingly accept it into our lives, especially as missionaries. I've seen so many miracles in the past couple of months and I've learned so much. I still have so much to learn. I CAN'T WAIT!

"But to be learned is good if they hearken unto the counsels of God." (2 Nephi 9:29)

Missionary work and just life in general are all just a big learning process in which we should all be open-minded and willing to submit to the counsels of the Lord. I love being a missionary. I will cherish these next six weeks with all my heart and soak in everything that I can. Until next week!

-Elder Bondoc



​This is Hungry A's, a new restaurant in our area that has probably the best American-style hamburgers that I have ever tasted here in the Philippines. SO GOOD!

Sunday, March 12, 2017

The Book of Mormon

Hey.

This week was super busy. We had Missionary Leadership Council on Tuesday. All the missionary leaders were able to gather together here in Naga and discuss the needs of the mission. Then we had Zone Training on Friday where President Zapanta was able to attend. Then we were able to have a service project on Saturday morning. We helped someone cut a whoooole lot of grass in his front yard (if you can even call it a yard. It's kind of like a lot I guess.) Anyway it was super fun and busy week. Loved it. We also had a district activity this morning. We just spent time together as a district at the local institute building. Good times!

This week I learned about the converting power of the Book of Mormon. Of the times that I've read that book in the last two years, I've truly felt just how important it is. God lives and continues to guide His children through living prophets and apostles and through the Book of Mormon, Another Testament of Jesus Christ. Over the past two years, I've realized that the book really is true. I know it. God knows it. Because of that book my life has changed, and so have the lives of millions. Read it. Pray about it. You'll see what I mean. I love being a missionary. It doesn't get any better than this. Talk to you all again next week!

-Elder Bondoc

Our district activity this morning.
MLC!
After the service project!

Sunday, March 5, 2017

Have Ye Inquired of the Lord?

Hello.

This week was AMAZING. Sister Marilou and Sister Desiree were baptized on Saturday! And our recent convert, Brother Rexon, also got to baptize! It was such a special moment, and something that I'm never going to forget. We also met a whole lot of people this week that are really interested in the gospel. We'll see how everything goes next week.

So something that I wanted to share this week was something I came across during my studies this week. I just recently finished the Book of Mormon again, so I started all the way back at the beginning. Here's a verse that I probably shared a loooong time ago, but it's totally something worth sharing again. 

"And I said unto them: Have ye inquired of the Lord?" 1 Nephi 15:8

Prayer is a powerful tool. Every second of our lives, we have the opportunity to convene spiritually with our Heavenly Father to express every concern, emotion, and thought that we have ever thought or felt. I know that He listens. Through prayer and our faith, God works miracles in our lives. I've seen that here on my mission. I'm super blessed and couldn't be more grateful. I hope all of you had a good week. I'll catch you again next week.

-Elder Bondoc


Sister Marilou and Sister Desiree!
Everyone who attended the baptism!