We Wish A-Meri-Cano and a Happy New Year

So folks, your favorite missionary in the Cayauan Philippines Mission has survived the first half of the Christmas season gauntlet, and he's actually in the middle of the second half as we speak. That's right, Christmas eve and Christmas Day have past, but right now, for a certain Elder Menzie, it is currently New Year's eve, and who even knows what's gonna happen next.

It's been a pretty great week this week! it started off awesome, because last Monday, after emailing, Elder Anderton and I went over to this Guy called Brother Pete's house. He's an American 'Nam vet living here in the Philippines with his Wife and 22 dogs and 5 puppies. Anywho, he made us a nice 'ole steak lunch, with mashed potatoes and chicken parm and everything. It was probably the best meal I've eaten in six months. After we ate, he treated us to a whole bunch of 'Nam stories which was almost as good as having a big 'ole steak right in front of me.

Us at Brother Pete's house

Tuesday was Christmas Day, and we went to Roxas for District Meeting, and after that we watched the Christmas Devotional from the 1st Presidency. By the time we got home, it was already curfew though, so nothing too crazy happened after that.

Wednesday was interesting, because that's when I thought I was going to make my Christmas skype call to my family, except the only problem was we didn't actually have power, so all the wi-fi and the computers were out of commission all day. It's okay though, because There was power on Thursday, so I got to talk to the fam then, which was great.

A very bad picture of the very nice family who let us video call at their house

On Sunday, we were discussing changing the starting time for church in the new year. President Mora suggested a 7:30 AM start time, which was met with some resistance, so he offered 2 other options: 8 AM or 8:30 AM, the latter of which is our current starting time. He put it to a vote. 11 people voted for 7:30, 5 voted for 8, and 15 voted for 8:30. Sounds cut and dry, right? Nope. Turns out, 4 people didn't vote, so their votes were counted for 7:30, which tied things up between 7:30 and 8:30. The branch presidency decided to compromise and make the new starting time 8:00 AM.

I love democracy.

Love,
Elder Menzie

The Prisoner of Tagalog:
Ako ay nakikita ng isang haligi ng liwanag -- I saw a pillar of light

And now a safety message

Pics from the Mission Christmas Conference

Week 25: It's a Christmas Miracle(s)

So, as the subject line indicates, this week has been a week full of the Filipino brand of Christmas Spirit, and more than a fair share of miracles, big and small.

The first biggie miracle is that this last Tuesday we got a McDonald's in Aurora! Oh my lanta I didn't know how much I missed that sweet sweet McDank's, or as they call it in the Philippines, McDo [pronounced Mac-Dough]. So on Tuesday, Elder Anderton and I walk into McDo, we go to order our food, and I notice that they have a new nugget sauce and it's cheddar jalapeno flavored. I bite and order some nuggs just to try out this sauce, and let's just say it was 110% worth it. Tuesday, December 18th was the day that I learned that in the Philippines, McDo decided to make Queso sauce for McNuggets! How wild is that!? I need to know if this is a thing in Ameriaca or if this gem of an idea is reserved for southeast asia specifically. 10/10, would recommend. can't eat nuggets any other way now.

Another pretty good one that happened this week, is that the Garay Family, who we've been teaching forever, it feels like, finally got baptized! It was awesome to see J.R., Lyn, Jamella, and Janna all enter into that baptismal font and then get confirmed the next day. It's been so humbling to have the opportunity to share the gospel with them, especially because I'm sure they would've accepted it no matter who shared it with them. They're so solid and I love them so freaking much.

Missionary work is great, and even though obviously it's pretty darn hard to be away from my family on Christmas for the first time ever, I just know that I'm exactly where I'm supposed to be right now. I'm so grateful for all the innumerable blessings that I don't even feel worthy to receive. I love you all, and Merry Christmas, every one!

Love,
Elder Menzie

A Charlie Brown Tagalog:
Walang niyebe dito -- no snow here

A couple more pics:

manna from heaven

Sister Lyn and I

Week 24: Green Christmas

Hello folks, this is Elder Menzie, back with a weekly update on this crazy thing they call serving a mission. This week has been kinda crazy, so let's just jump right into it!

On Tuesday, we had district meeting, like normal, except right after that, we had interviews with President and Sister Hiatt, which just meant that we were in Roxas for a little while longer this week. While we were there, Sister Hiatt noticed my cough, and told me to go get some Robitussin and these extreme cough drops called Fisherman's Friend. Long story short, Robitussin is just as gross as you remember, and cough drops are dope.

In district meeting, we talked about Resurrection, and the difference between being saved and receiving Eternal Life. I like this scripture in Alma Chapter 41 about the subject:

12 And now behold, is the meaning of the word restoration to take a thing of a natural state and place it in an unnatural state, or to place it in a state opposite to its nature?

13 O, my son, this is not the case; but the meaning of the word restoration is to bring back again evil for evil, or carnal for carnal, or devilish for devilish—good for that which is good; righteous for that which is righteous; just for that which is just; merciful for that which is merciful.

14 Therefore, my son, see that you are merciful unto your brethren; deal justly, judge righteously, and do good continually; and if ye do all these things then shall ye receive your reward; yea, ye shall have mercy restored unto you again; ye shall have justice restored unto you again; ye shall have a righteous judgment restored unto you again; and ye shall have good rewarded unto you again.

15 For that which ye do send out shall return unto you again, and be restored; therefore, the word restoration more fully condemneth the sinner, and justifieth him not at all.

We will all be resurrected, but we will still be the same person. There's not some mighty change of heart that comes just because you've got this nice immortal body. Everything you are, the good and the bad, will be restored back to you, because even though God wants us all to receive Eternal Life in his presence, he will never take away our freedom to choose.

We did a lot more stuff this week, like splits with the zone leaders, baptismal interviews and more, but I think that the idea of restoration is a good one to end on. We need to be constantly filling our life with habits, and characteristics that we want to be restored to us. Like Alma said, we need to be good, righteous, just, and merciful to everyone around us, and above all, we need to follow the example of Jesus Christ in all of our actions.

Love,
Elder Menzie

The Sorcerer's Tagalog: 
Pasko -- Christmas 

P-p-p-pictures:

Me wearing a hat

Me and Elder Anderson with some kids from a family we're teaching

Week 23: Christmastime is Here... Happiness and Cheer...

So, it's still Christmastime, which I'm sure all of you are well aware of at this point, but things are still ramping up here, and I'm kind of scared as to what it could possibly be leading to. I'm thinking a couple riots. It's all good though, I've heard Easter is even crazier, but I'll be the judge of that.

We had our branch Christmas party this week, which was tons of fun. Everyone brought ulam and we had a big ole potluck. There were games, candy was thrown, and the Filipino version of Karaoke. It's basically just karaoke but with a special machine that plays a filipino polka cover for the song. Yes, I listened to their version of "Africa" by Toto, and in case you were wondering yes, they did misspell "Olympus" as "A Limbless" in the lyrics. It was great. I love the Philippines.

I've been sick for what seems like forever, by the way. For pretty much the whole week, my head has been trying to tell me that it's got far too much mucus inside of it. It's a really humbling thing to try and speak a foreign language when you don't really have a voice, but somehow I've been plucking along. I'm plucky like that, or so I've heard.

Solo: A Tagalog Story:
Ulam -- the food that you put on top of your rice

Love,
Elder Menzie

The mouse that I couldn't let escape, and the broom I broke trying to kill it.

Me with Manuel D. and his nephew posing with me for a pic.

Bonus pic of Elder Menzie sent to his parents by the branch president

Week 22: It's Beginning to Look a lot like Christmas

It's December! I bet everyone is starting to get in the Christmas Spirittm! Well you're late, because they've been in the Christmas Spirit here in the Philippines the entire time I've been here, and I got here in August! I kid you not, my first P-day here, I heard Christmas songs playing in the supermarket. These people really love baby Jesus.

But now that it's actually the Christmas season, things went from about a 6 or 7 on the Christmas Spirittm scale, right up to 11. On Saturday, Elder Anderton and I were answering some questions that one of our referrals had while we were walking to a December 1st celebration, where they lit up this big ole Christmas tree they've got set up right in front of the municipal building in Aurora. To put it simply, the size of this Christmas tree is very much disproportionate to the size of the tiny little town of Aurora.

The celebration was pretty crazy. there were fireworks, McDonalds, the works.

Also, on Sunday, we went out to this Barangay called San Rafael, which is further than I've ever gone in this area, which was super cool. Got some pretty awesome pictures from that.

Other than that though, it's been a pretty normal week. nothing too crazy, except the fact that I ate 10 cups of cooked rice at this place called Mang Inasal.

The Last Tagalog:
Barangay -- no direct translation, but pretty much just the big neighborhoods that municipalities are divided up into here in the 'pines

Love,
Elder Menzie

Me holding a large stick with a knife on top 

San Rafael

Last 2 pics: San Rafael with Elder Anderton