Week 2

Subject: Week 2

I am a changed man people, a changed man!! I did something I am not proud of but it had to be done.  This week I bought an umbrella and used it when it was not raining.  AN EMBARRASSMENT. but it had to be done!! just way to hot here.  This one will surpise everyone though.  I now enjoy walking more than sitting.  It is a miracle!!  When I just sit I think too much about home so I am glad to be walking so much! it is hard but so worth it. Another, caffeine is banned in my mission and I am feeling it big time. All a man wants is a coke and he cannot even have one.  The STRUGGLE.  but other than that, life is good here peeps! It is getting so much easier!!  I love this place and I will explain why in this week email. so stay tuned and enjoy!

So I am now adjusting a little better.  The first week was tough not gonna lie.  I missed everyone! It is just me and my comp here in Vinzons and it is a struggle.  We seriously walk more than I thought possible. Seriously, our area is huge so we walk for DAYS. but so worth it.  We get Sister Missionaries the end of August so us elders will have the privilege of working in the farthest part of the area. Yay! So we have been kind of focusing there to set up teaching pools so tons of walking. But it definitely is getting so much easier. I am starting to act myself a little bit more and the members here are awesome! Kenneth is probably my homie here.  He was just baptized last month but his testimony and knowledge of the gospel is through the roof! Here is the cool part, he is only 12! so sick. But more about the ward. we have only about 50 that showed up to church this week that  out of 200 members so that part is hard.  It was pouring yesterday big time though so that might have been the problem! It was the sickest rainstorm ever! just pouring. I love the rainstorms here. but they say those numbers of attendance is average. We struggle getting lessons because of no members present or we need priesthood in a lesson because we are teaching ladies.  But we have a problem with priesthood.  of the 50 that are active about half are old ninays or girls. the about 20 are  kids and we only have about 5 priesthood holders.  One being the president and he can never teach with us because of his job! so that is a big time struggle. The member who usually comes with us is Ace.  Sick name huh? but he leaves for his mission in Angeles on August 30 so that is going to hurt big time. 

This week was a struggle teaching because of all of those reasons! but we got some good lessons in and actually got two new investigators!  one is Japp-Japp.  he is 14 and a way smart kid.  he is really open and wants to learn more.  He does not ahve a big religion background so we have to break down everything, even Jesus Christ! so that is fun and a challenge in a different language but he is awesome.  Gave us some fresh coconut and it was delicious! I love this place.  Then we have Ninay Lonita.  We were walking back one night and I just had the strongest feeling to go down this one street, so we did.  We went to about 5 houses and straight got rejected. One guy wasn't having any of it! so me and Elder Manaois prayed for some help and about 4 doors later we ran into Ninay.  This lesson was in English! The lord knows.  But it went so well. She believes that faith is what we need and really enjoyed our message so hopefully we can make progress with her! The spirit is amazing when you can listen to it.

That is all I got this week! sorry it is so long haha but life is good people! oh ya one more thing, yesterday in sacrament meeting we sang did you think to pray? hahahaha I couldn't do it. I think I have the chorus down for the prayer song and I will keep you all updated! But it brought back a ton of memories and I loved it.  So don't forget to pray peeps or the song will come out!  Love you all and have a great week huh! Keep partying or working or whatever you are doing and dominate.  Mahal Kita and see you guys on the other side.

Elder Finneman

Oops!

Family,

I thought I'd share ... Randy & I were checking out Kyle's blog when I stumbled on a few blogs of some of what other missionaries have shared about Kyle.  So here it goes... Enjoy....

The Best Missionary!

This is just to keep anyone interested in Elder Oberg's mission updated

Sunday, July 21, 2013

Oops!

I forgot to share with you Elder Oberg's e-mail from last week, so these are from last week and this week!

Magandang Umaga everyone!

On Wednesday I was having a really hard time, but I had a good chat with Elder Finneman, one of the zone leaders. He leaves to go into the field on Monday which is awesome. Since then it's been pretty amazing. 

Mahal ko kayo!

And remember, whatever it is: Kaya mo iyan! (You can do it!)

-Elder Oberg

Kumusta!

Ts week has been pretty crazy.-!  I absolutely love it!  The MTC is wonderful.  I haven't been homesick yet and I am having a blast!  I love home, but right now I am completely happy to be at the enough of my district!  I love every single person that is in it.  We have such a range of people.  Everyone is so unique and I love all of them.  We help each other through the hard times and with the language and we laugh and laugh...and laugh.  We are a really strong district.  We love being together.  We always sit together at dinner and study together.  Our district leader is Elder Finneman.  He is part Filipino and has been to the Philippines several times.  He can understand the language so he has quite the advantage.  He doesn't speak it but it is a lot easier for him to learn.  He spends most of his time helping us with learning and pronounciation.  I love him dearly!  He is the most selfless person I have ever met.  He is such a natural leader

My companion is Sister Carr from Huntington Beach CA. She is soooo amazing. Really she has made me feel so much more comfortable here. I instantly loved her right when we met. She is going to be a great missionary. My district is great as well. There are 4 Sisters and 6 Elders. We all compliment eachother so well and make things easier for eachother. My district leader Elder Finneman did a great job at calming me down yesterday when I had a melt down over not knowing the language. It is nice to have them all as a family while I am here in the MTC. (BUT that doesn't mean you guys don't need to write me! WRITE ME! PLEASE!)

Me and Sister Carr taught our first investigator yesterday- Julio. He is so amazing and really wants to know about this gospel. Unfortuantely, he only speaks a little English and I barely speak Tagalog so I am really relying on the Spirit to get my message across. It is hard here but I know it is what I need to do right now. At times I think- If I didn't have to learn a language then I would be having such an easier time here but I nope. I have been called to preach the gospel in Tagalog and I need to remember that. I am trying my best to learn it because this is what Heavenly Father needs me to do.

It is hard here but worth it. Everything goes by so fast. It has been 4 days but feels like 4 months because I have been taught so much. I am really missing family and friends so I hope people write me letters. My address is on Facebook so pleaseeeee write?!

Sent from my iPhone

Pictures of 1st week in the Philippines

On Jul 21, 2013, at 11:29 PM, "Alran Kyle Finneman" <alran.finneman@myldsmail.net> wrote:

The struggle is real people,  it is real and it is here and don't even listen to anyone who says different.

I had to start my email like that!  I am here in the Philippines and just living!! Life is good peeps.  What a Week!! man it has been crazy.  So I am in the Daet zone and in the vinzons area.  You should be able to find Daet on the map.  Farthest place from the mission home! It is an awesome place.  Only tagalog here so I don't even have to worry about bicol!!  so it helps out a lot!! I have not yet been made fun of for not knowing tagalog! so life is good!!  they all think I am Somoan. my own people don't even know I am one of them.  So that is awesome.  the struggle.  But they are all surprised by my tagalog! they all say good job so it is a HUGE confidence booster! oh ya, my companion! his name is Elder Manaois and he is from the Urdenetta mission! i don't think i spelled that right, sorry RI guy! but he is 27, crazy!! he is awesome and helps me out a ton.  

A little about the area.  it is HUGE!! seriously I have never walked so much in my entire life, Combined!! I could compete in the Olympics for most miles walked probably.  but it is so beautiful here!! we have about 200 members in our branch but only about 60 show up to church. and half of them are kids  so the biggest work here is working with less actives and trying to bring them back to church.  so this Sunday, I had the wonderful opportunity to speak during sacrament. hahaha oh the struggle.  I found out that day!! what the heck  so it was tough! but I think i did alright.  Also committed someone to baptism! I got pretty lucky there  she is 13 and basically our only investigator! her grandma is a member so it helps having her there!! first lesson I teach and I have to commit someone to baptism..  talk about nerve racking!! but other than that, most work is with Less Actives.  it is tough  most don't come because of money or offended my members.  we just have a huge area and we can't see them all! we get some sister missionaries though in september so that will help out a ton!  

That is all from week one I believe and I will include some pictures.  I miss you all and I hope life is treating you awesome.  See you on the other side peeps.

Mahal Kita

Elder Finneman

From: "Philippines Naga Mission" <2012545@ldschurch.org>
To: "aline_finneman@hotmail.com" <aline_finneman@hotmail.com>
Subject: Elder Finneman

Dear Brother and Sister Finneman,

 

We were happy to welcome Elder Finneman here in the Philippines Naga Mission. Your son is excited about his mission and enthusiastic about entering the Lord’s service in this area, as is evident in the enclosed photograph. He has had an orientation meeting and is now serving in his first assignment with a prayerfully selected trainer. 

 

Your son is assigned in the Daet Zone, to labor in the Vinzons area. His companion is Elder Manaois. We hope you will write Elder Finneman each week. Include encouraging news of family events and achievements, spiritual experiences, and other matters which will bring joy and deeper commitment.

 

This is a wonderful mission, and your son is in for one of the greatest experiences of his life. With your support and encouragement, he will mature and progress beyond your expectations. He will develop a great love for his fellow missionaries as well as for the people we serve and bless.

 

We appreciate the opportunity to work with Elder Finneman. Please let us know if there is anything we can do to help you. We love your missionary and want this mission to be a great experience for your entire family.

 

Picking up your missionary from the mission field at the end of the mission is discouraged due to problems it has caused in the past. If you are considering picking up Elder Finneman from the field, at the end of his mission, please send me an email at least 6 Months prior to his release date to discuss your options.

 

 

Sincerely,

Airport Pictures

 

 

 

Date: Sat, 6 Jul 2013 09:08:13 -0600

 

 

Kumusta Pamilya ko!

 

how is the Philippines?! let me know how it is?! and alandra congrats!!!!! that is so awesome and i am proud of you. keep it up and get a scholarship!! congrats to you too curtis keep it up!! love you guys.  so i got my travel plans. I get to fly delta but i go to hong kong and my flight is at 3! so i wont see you mother but the people in my district leave at 11 so youll be there for them!! ill give you more details next week about it! just try to help them out.  I have an 8 hour layover in LA!!! grabe. i dont know what i wil do during that haha just probably talk to you guys! so i will need a phone card. should i buy it here or what?? let me know!! ill give you the whole details next week since i dont leave until monday next week.  will my passport be here? 

other than that life is good!! i am ready to go so i can just learn the rest of the language there.  i dont think i can learn the language anymore here.  but i have some bad news haha i broke the sony camera.  oops. so i will probably just buy a new one there and some sd cards so i can take lots of pics or im not even sure yet but no more pics until the philippines!! hope you guys are having fun!!  mahal kita and i will talk to you guys soon!!

 

Elder Finneman