He made it safe!

Mike made it to Naga in one piece! He was so nervous traveling because he was in charge of all 50 missionaries traveling to the Philippines! haha It was a default but last name! It was so amazing speaking to him on the phone! He sounds great! He speaks Tagalog every well and fluently! The last we talked to him was when he was in Taipei and then it was only for a minute because the calling cards dont work there! I was SO sad! When we found out about the Typhoon I was so worried cause I didnt know if it had hit his area or not! But we got an e-mail today and he had this to say. "Holy Smokes!!!! Thats all I have to say about the Pines (Philippines) it is nuts here! My new companion is so sweet! His name is Elder Dewey! He is from Saraques, UT. It is so crazy here! Me and Elder Dewey just tract all day because we opened up a new area! So we just tract and talk to everyone its way fun but hard! Oh wel I love it!!! :) It is so so so so HOT! and about the Bagio (Storm) it wasn't bad here nothing really happened just rained alot! And when you aren't wet from the rain you are wet from sweat! Our area is way cool because we are just in this little town but then we have jungle in our area and a city! Everyone here is so nice I dont really talk much and they always get mad and tell me to speak up and they all understand english, but I tell them to speak Tagalog so I can learn! They say they will if I will speak up! Yesterday at church we had to introduce ourselves and I was so scared! Everyone tels me I speak way good Tagalog but I dont think so! When we were in Sunday school this lady that was teaching was talking about people understanding the gospel and she knew I was new here so she made me stand up and was like " You are a very attractive young man and girls here will just want to listen to you because you are very good looking" I was so so so embarrassed! It was so funny! My companion has been her for a year. He was teling me the first day we went out that there are some crazy people and girls will always stare at you and I didn't believe him. The first girl we saw was like " oh dang amerikono" I busted up laughing! The traffic and the "jeepne's" are nuts! Sometimes when we have to take one they are so full you are just holding on with one arm. Our house is crazy! It really is lke a 2 year camping trip! We have a mouse that we have been trying to kill for a couple of days, but its to fast! We has to fill up this barrel with water and then pour water on our heads witht his pitcher thing. Its only me and Elder Dewey so it is pretty fun because he is like one of the bro's back home! They have these belts that are pretty sweet that they make in my area so I am going to get some! Love and miss you all!" He is already having so much fun it sounds like! Can't wait to hear from him again!

Sa Kanyang Paraan (On his way)

So Mike writes often and lets us know he is doing well and that the Tagalog is coming better everyday! He has told us lots of amazing missionary stories so I will write a few on here. He tells us about a missionary that left for the Philippines a few weeks ago and how he will never forget the talk he gave. He said, " This mission is not easy. In fact I can guarantee you it will be THEE absolute hardest thing you will ever do in your life, but Elders and Sisters if it was easy it wouldn't even be worth it, because anything that is easy isn't worth it." Mike thinks the same thing! He tells us how him and Elder Fine were supposed to teach a lesson in Tagalog one night and then were told they had to teach it in English and totally couldn't remember how! Cause they were so used to the Tagalog! Its so funny how things can become what you know and you forget! The last story I will write about he says is his "first real" missionary experience. He tells us that Elder Fine had to go to the Doctor so they were at the hospital and I will just write the rest in his own words. " Right when we walked in the doors of the hospital a lady and man stopped us. they asked if we could give their Father a blessing. We told them we could after my Companions appointment. After we were done with the appointment we went upstairs. Just before we went in the part of the hospital to give this man a blessing a lady that spoke little English came up to us and asking if we spoke Spanish? We said we didn't, she then asked if we could still give her sister a blessing. We told her we could and would speak with her and her family after blessing the first man. We went back to his room and he had already had a blessing. We went out to the waiting room and spoke with the second ladies family. They told us that her sister had been in a car accident. She had had almost the same things wrong with her as Christian did. It was about 6 and I knew the last shuttle came at 7. They told us we couldn't go back and bless her until 7! I told Elder Fine that I didn't care and that we could walk back if we had to. we sat and talked with this family for an hour and a half. The woman's little boy spoke both Spanish and English so he translated for us! After we talked with them for a while the lady told us that she had said a prayer and when she had finished and looked up we had walked through the doors. She said she knew God has sent us! I told her that I agreed. She went on to tell us that her and her Family were LDS but they hadn't been going to Church or praying. Her and her husband said that they were going to change that. i was so happy when they said this. It was the coolest thing ever to just sit and talk to this family! When 7 rolled around I was so scared cause I had never given a blessing before. We went back and Elder Fine did the first part of the blessing and I did the second part. When we finished the sister was crying and told us she knew everything was going to work out! It was the best experience ever! I couldn't believe that you could fall in love with a family in that amount of time!" I cried when I read this because I can see the love that he is finding for people! He leaves for the Philippines tomorrow the 21st! but wont actually arrive in Naga until the 24th. He flies out of SLC to LA then from LA to Taipei Taiwan. From there to Manila then I am not sure how he will get to Naga on plane or boat. He is so excited to get over there! But he says he is scared to! I cant wait to talk to him and let him know how proud I am and how much I love and miss him!

It's been fixed!!

Ok, since I've received about 15 emails saying that stripling was spelled wrong in the URL, I've fixed it! So, update your blogs to www.scstriplingwarriors.blogspot.com!

Keep Following! We love our Missionaries!

Welcome Home Elder Frei!!!

We'd like to welcome home Elder Mitch Frei! He JUST flew into the Salt Lake City airport, like, 30 minutes ago! I was emailed this picture so I thought I'd share it with you!! Welcome home, Elder! We can't wait to here about your adventure!! Mitch will report his mission this coming Sunday, September 6 at 9:00 in the Santa Clara Valley Chapel.