Elder Steve Brousseau in Laoag, Philippines

Guess what?! I'm getting transferred! I know I sound happy about it but I have mixed feelings. I know it is where I am meant to go, I'm excited, but I also know I will miss Pasuquin and the people that make it great. It feels like I am going to be leaving my home all over again. We good though! I think this experience will truly be for my good! Also, I can brag that I out lived 5 sisters in Pasuquin! So this week, we had our interviews with President Peterson and I realized while we were there that I feel so comfortable talking with them so I was happy to find that out about myself. It was a good interview.  We also had another great lesson with someone Elder Dagulo and I found last week so that was awesome! Sisters Autufuga and Mariano are going home and I am going to Cagayan! I'm going specifically to an area called Ballesteros. I am not only transferring but also becoming the senior companion! That is super crazy for me. Elder Dagulo is going to have Elder Peterson (a ...

Happy Mother's Day! This was a disagreement my companion and I had this week but we found out that we were both right. That was nice to hear that I am starting to be able to recognize words I don't even know yet. I know the word now though thanks to this. I say a disagreement because while we can't agree on everything, we both try to stay civil and we try not to argue. It really helps for us to listen to each other's position so maybe we can find a compromise.  Anyway, my week has been great! It's been raining a lot here in Pasuquin and some of the people we are teaching have really been engaged in our lessons. I was able to talk to my Mom yesterday which was so fun! The members are always so willing to help us with food or lessons and many other things! They really are trying to be representatives of Christ in all they do. It really is amazing to me the people that just come up to talk to us. We were eating the other day and were about to leave when this guys mot...

I promise my companion is not as crazy as my pictures make him seem. He just is a goof. Also, I'm wet in that picture because it was raining. You just can't see it. Happy Birthday to my Uncle David and Elder Kirkby! This week, we were able to find in a very natural way. Namely, it was pouring rain and someone offered us a ride to central. We found out that they lived in our area and we were able to introduce ourselves to them and share a bit before we got to central. We got so wet that day, it was easier to see without my glasses than with them! I was absolutely soaked through my clothes. Not only that but the lightning was blindingly bright and the thunder sounded like the end of days. It sounded like an earthquake! It was really fun to be a part of because I, like my sister, love rain. We were also able to find by playing basketball with some members and their nonmember friends. That is one of my favorite ways to find to be honest. You really can find using things that you li...

Time flies when you are teaching about Christ! On the 24th I reach my 6 month mark on my mission! Craziness! Happy Anniversary this week to Chris and Jess! Super excited for you! Congrats to all my friends getting mission calls for the last little bit! I'm proud of you! This week in terms of teaching was uneventful. The best teaching we were able to do was an FHE with some members but that was really fun! They do have some interesting traditions here for Easter that includes a parade with "floats"(really just carts that they pull) with statues that signify Jesus's life that they walk with on Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday. It was interesting to watch. Easter was great! I always love celebrating Jesus especially when it is about His mission on Earth. I know as we always try to celebrate Christ and put Him as the center of our lives, not only will we be blessed but people will see the change in us. People have always asked me why I'm so happy all the time and most of...

So I haven't actually watched General Conference yet sadly but I will get to next week. So as a brief summary of our week, we did a service project to help some one renovate their house, we are still teaching and some of them seem golden, and we had fast Sunday. If you are just wanting to know how I'm doing, I'm great! I'm getting this out of the way so I can tell a long story but those that don't want to read it can see how I'm doing.  So on Wednesday, we were  on our way to San Isidro but on the way there, we didn't feel like we should go that way. So, we went back to central to see if that is where we were supposed to go. We felt the way to go was Puyupuyan, which we did. Then, all the people we were going to visit were not there. So, being kind of confused, we went to Naglicuan to try to visit a member that was in the clinic recently. On our way there, we passed the house of some one we're teaching. We thought we heard some one say elder from the...

That's what I say to my companion every time he says he doesn't know. Joke lang ito talaga. But kind of real, sometimes. We keep working hard and trying to get new people to teach while still visiting those we were teaching before as missionary life is. This week we have had more wonderful people help out. Some of our areas are 4 km. away and that doesn't really sound like that much but factor in that it is mostly uphill and in the heat of the Philippines, it makes it hard to visit all of our areas. It also doesn't help that we have around 20 areas so we try to visit multiple each day. That leads to a lot of walking which means we don't have as much time to teach but the transportation to those places is expensive. The free rides that people are giving us are really helpful and usually it helps us to be able to teach them while they are serving us. These people truly are gifts from God. We taught a few good lessons and had district conference. It was all about min...

**We're going to post his last two emails in this space today. Sorry for the delay** March 3, 2019 Transfers, the decision is... Elder Tuiaki is transferring to Magapit! It's okay if you don't know where that is because neither do I. I'm getting a new companion though named Elder Dagulo! He's Filipino and apparently he's chill but I don't really know what that is supposed to mean.  We have been teaching this member's grandma this last week. She seems pretty interested so that is cool. We worked really hard this week but for the most part it seems like we just went to empty houses so that was a little frustrating but we just roll with the punches, you feel? We went to San Juan this week and we saw no people. Just good views. Tatay Ernesto is doing a lot better now. He's someone I gave a blessing to in like my first week and we found out later that he has arthritis but he seems to be doing better than the last time we saw him! I'm still ...