BAKIT???

Hello Everyone,

Welcome to the latest installment of my life. I figure at this point I have learned around 330-350 Tagalog words in the last 11 or so days not including around 40 or so phrases that I can say about different things. Maybe a little more than that but it is around there.

I feel like I am learning a ton, but I know that there is so much to learn. My biggest accomplishment this past week has been the memorization of the following scriptures/passages in Tagalog: The Missionary baptismal invitation, Moroni 10:4-5, 1 Nephi 3:7, and My missionary Purpose. We have progressed a lot with our Roleplay Investigators and I love the lessons we get to teach.

     

I have learned that a lot about being a missionary is about relating to people's lives and SHOWING them, not TELLING them, why the gospel is so important. A direct relationship with God is pretty much the most important thing you can have in this life, and no one is kept from that. No one at all. 

     

The People here are fantastic. They are really loving and they always want to help you out. Even if they don’t want to hear your message, they will help you with the language and they will talk to you. I think one of the most important things I am learning here is something that is said a lot the first week: "The people do not care about what you know, until they know how much you care." That is a huge thing for me because I want to show how much I know but I also understand that at some point it is mostly unimportant.

This week has been mostly the same as last week except I am learning the importance of obedience and also the importance of making eye contact and establishing a relationship with the people I teach. I think I will have a hard transition from the MTC to the field, but I know that I can do it and that I will be able to do good work as a missionary.

     

The lesson in Tagalog today in this email is Moroni 10:5 which in English reads: "And through the power of the Holy Ghost you may know the truth of all things." In Tagalog it is "At sa pamamagitan ng kapangyarihan ng espiritu santo malaman ninyo ang katotohanan ng lahat ng bagay." This is the truth and many go about without answers because they don't stop and ask. How can we know but through our own experiences and the spirit manifesting the truth of it unto us? I would have written down Moroni 10:4 as well but it would have taken around an hour to type in Tagalog ;).

I hope you all are doing well. I am doing my best to get back to all of you that email me personally. I am doing very well and having a great time here. I love you all and keep on keeping on.

Love,

Elder Faulkner

Ps: The Tagalog word "Pamamagitan" means by/through, so every time you want to say "by" you get that mouthful instead.

Pps: "Bakit" means "why" I have made a friend here (Elder Nelson) who loves to scream "BAKIT".