Week 22

I'll be real, I'm super kapoy(tired) right now, super busy, and I'm tapulan(lazy). So I'll just send some pictures and some videos today!

But don't worry, I still love you all and I hope you are all doing maayo gyud!!!!!

E Dumanhug and I

Bacayan Pic

Bacayan Family pic

Journey with E Dumanhug

Bacayan vlog

Week 21

Maayong hapon!!! Kamusta man mo?

This week was packed. So I got my new companion....... Elder Dumanjug!!! He's pretty great but he's really pushing me to become a great missionary, which is good but tough. He's pushing me to learn the language, improve my teaching skills, and he's having me lead a ton! Luckily, his English is really good so he can answer my deep questions which I love. We have been trying to get in contact with lots of members in our ward so we can hopefully get referrals through them because our area is pretty difficult finding new people. Nevertheless, we have been trying our best to bring others closer to Christ. 

This week we dropped two PBD's (Person with Baptismal Date). We are still teaching them and visiting them and they are super receptive but they just aren't solving their problems. Elder Obena and I had been working with 3 less active families for probably 4 weeks or so and they never came to church. But last week, all three came!!! It was so amazing to see that hard work has paid off haha. 

Getting a new companion means it was transfers. So a new batch of missionaries came in and I don't want to lie, but it's sooo nice not being a full-on newbie anymore haha. And it's super nice to talk with them in Bisaya because I really get to see the progression I've made! 

So yesterday night, Dumanjug and I stayed over at the ZLs' place. But getting there was a full-on journey! So I'm used to Eugene Oregon where there isn't too much traffic especially late at night, but here, oh my gosh. We walked over to this massive mall called Ayala and waited at the Jeepney terminal for a straight two hours! We were walking back and forth trying to find the right Jeepney and when we did, it would be crammed full! Eventually, at like 9:30pm we just got a taxi. We would've gotten one from the beginning but they are just super expensive here. So we finally arrived at 10:00. 

Kana lang! I love you all and I hope you are all doing maayo GYUD!!!

My address for mail:

Temple Complex-CJCLDS

Gorordo Ave
Lahug, Cebu City
6000 Cebu
Philippines

Love, Elder Kasden Grasse

Elder Dumanjug and I

60% of the best district in the mission

Good ol' service

Biggest spider I've seen so far!!

Week 20

Hello everyone!!!

Well I have to type on the phone again so I'm going to make this short. This week was really good. It was super busy but good. 

Thursday I went on exchanges with one of our Zone Leaders, Elder Andreasen, and that was a ton of fun. We had a dinner appointment in there area and it was by far the best food I have had in 3 months! There were TWO different types of pastas, chicken, and they had ice cream for dessert!!! I was in heaven and I ate soooo much. There apartment is also the best in the whole mission because they have A/C in the bedroom!!! That was also the first time in 3 months that I had a blanket on haha. It was glorious. 

Friday was Zone Con so I got to see my Batch and a ton of other missionaries. It was a ton of fun but it's like the whole day so it gets a bit boring after a while. However, on our way home there was a man selling... BALUT!!! I asked him what the oldest day he had was, day 19. So I got a day 19 and Elder Obena got a day 16. This was my second time eating balut and it is really good. You just gotta trust me. So enjoy the two videos below haha.

Today, probably in like 30 min, I will get a call about my new companion!!! I've officially completed training and now I'm on to my follow-up training. I'm kinda nervous but I'm really excited for something new. 

That's it! Love you all and I hope you are all doing maayo gyud!!!

My address for mail:

Temple Complex-CJCLDS

Gorordo Ave
Lahug, Cebu City
6000 Cebu
Philippines

Love, Elder Kasden Grasse

Batch mates

Batch mates

Elder Andreasen and I

Balut

Eating day 19 balut (part 1)

Eating day 19 balut (part 2)

Week 19

One more week of training!!!! Next week I will have my new companion and I will be leading the area! Super excited but nervous. Elder Obena has been such a good trainer. He's always so patient, kind, and obedient. He really makes life easy for me and it's sad our companionship will end next week:( This next transfer is only going to be 5 weeks long because if it would be the normal 6 weeks long, transfer day would fall on Christmas day so President Pajaro decided to make it 5 weeks and then extend the next transfer after that to 7 weeks. Two days ago was also my 4 month mark of being on my mission. Time has really flown by. Just thinking that I left home 120 days ago is insane. 

The work has been going good over here in the Philippines! Elder Obena and I have been trying really hard to get new people and really progress the work before he leaves. Sadly, 3 of our PBD's are really struggling with figuring out their problems. We've been trying to be as supportive as possible but it's so rough not being able to solve their problems for them.  

Two days ago we had workers from the church come down here from Salt Lake and they held big interviews with the missionaries here. We were separated into two groups and they asked us about our missions, why we chose to serve, any changes we would make, Sister missionaries, and if we've been enjoying the mission. It was really cool and interesting. And then right after, we had interviews with President and Sister Pajaro. President Pajaro gave me a bit of info about my next companion so that was cool hearing. But interviews always take so long because we have to go through our whole zone and Sisters always go first and elders with assignments usually go last. Since Elder Obena is a district leader we were one of the last companionships to go. We finally got home at like 8:00pm. 

This week I got sick AGAIN! Luckily it wasn't anything too bad, just sore throat, runny/stuffy nose, and a headache but it just sucks not being able to stay healthy but I know these are just small trials for me to improve my faith and my desire to serve, since we had to take it easy for a day. I've really loved my mission so far and I'm becoming a better missionary every day and I'm becoming a better person every as well.

I love you all and I hope you are all doing maayo gyud!!!!

 My address for mail:

Temple Complex-CJCLDS

Gorordo Ave
Lahug, Cebu City
6000 Cebu
Philippines

Love, Elder Kasden Grasse