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".