"Transfers"

Well this was a exciting week! we went to transfers and i got my new companion! Elder Mortel, is he from mindoro, haha yeah i dont know where that is either but he is pure tagalog so i will be learning a lot more with the language! The baptism was one of the neatest experiences ever! i felt so blessed to be the one to baptise her and she has truly been prepared by the lord! she was confirmed yesterday, she also has lots of friends so we are teaching them as well and got some more baptisms lined up for the 16th and march 2nd! this week was the last week with elder terry, it was a bummer to see him go because we were best friends but i know he'll do great. i'm way excited to be with elder mortel, we already get along good and have had some good laughs. the area is doing ok, we got two new elders in the house and so we had to split the area again and lost some of the progressing areas but that's all good, just got to work harder in our non-progressing areas! we had some investigators come to church and one is doing really well, sis aipi, she is way excited for her baptism! things are going good we get to move apartments this friday! we got a nice one picked out and it will be a good change the we live in now is pretty bad haha, i love and thank you guys so much for all the support, Dad you letter bout made me cry today! thank you for all you do and know i am happier then ever doing the lords work, Con man sounds like he is doing good, i sent him a little something so he should get it here soon cause i sent it a few weeks back. tell joni and family i love them and thankful nothing happened to them. Mahal kita Elder Machen

"I'm Pregnant....again! hahaha 1/20/13

Well sounds like this week was good for you guys, send my love to gramps and know im praying for him. as for things in the good ole pilipinas it was a week full of blessings for elder and i, and more for our investigators! the lords hand is really in the work here and it drives us to push forward and take advantage of this. well i got the call this week, i'm training again. everybody was joking around with me saying "ay buntis ulit si elder machen." translation, elder machen is pregnant again haha. (its a joke in the mission that if you train you have a (anak) or kid, so since this is number 3 for me the elders were joking around saying i was pregnant again.) i feel blessed the lord is entrusting me again to train a new missionary and i have to say im very surprised but know i will do my best. so this week was full of traveling to meetings and fitting in as many appointments as we could. our investigator sis liway passed the baptismal interview so this thursday she will be baptized, its amazing the story that goes behind her. i would like to share it with you this week, so we met sis liway back in november, she joined a lesson we were teaching to this other family, she didnt seem interested at all and after the 1st lesson she was the last person i thought would progress out of the family of 6. well two months later she is the only one left out of that family, she quickly gained a testimony of the book of mormon and has been faithful in church attendance. elder and i knew we had to give her a ibd (baptismal date) but we didnt know when, so we did the only thing we knew, pray. we got on our knees and maybe where there for about an hour praying for what day the lord would have her to be baptized, after much pray and talking it over with my companion, we felt through the power of the holy ghost she should be baptized on jan 24. we had little time to teach her all the lessons and get her prepared for such a sacred covenant, but we trusted in the lord and went forth with faith! all i can say is she has truly been enlightened by the spirit of the lord! it has been amazing to see, she has made sacrafices and has been blessed where i have been left jaw dropped with what the lord has done for her and her family. i want to testify with all my heart that the heavens our open! The lord answers our prayers and prepares the way. Sis liway asked us the other day who would be the one to baptize her, we told her whoever she wanted, she thought for a second then looked up and me and asked "elder machen can you baptize me?" i was taken back and it truly touched me that she wanted me to do that. family this work is truly the work of our Heavenly Father. elder terry and i are bummed this will be our last week together because we have become best friends, i have learned so much for him and will truly never forget the work we did here in little santa maria. this work is inspiring and i absolutly love it, i love you family and know you are in my prayers and trust in the lord with all your heart! mahal kita Elder Machen

"Here We GO!" 1/13/13

Wow what another amazing week here in santa maria! the lord really blessed us and truly does answer prayers, its been the greatest to see his hand guided us out here. haha elder terry and I are doing great! we just have fun and get the work done! its been a blast! This week we worked on how we could improve our teaching and it was great to see the difference it made in our lessons. yesterday was great we had 7 investigators at church and i think 11 la's. we were pretty pumped! people are just coming out of the wood works and everything is falling into place! were having a baptism this jan 24! we are so excited cause she is doing so good! she is also very excited as well, its been the neatest thing to see the lord bless her as she has investigated his church. we also have some others scheduled for feb 16. we are very happy with what the Lord has done for us in this area, it has been amazing the change we have seen this transfer. elder and i couldnt believe how fast this week went by! it was ridiculous. I love you family and know that i am doing great, couldnt be happier! this work is amazing! mahal kita, Elder Machen

"New Year, Off with a Bang" 1/6/13

What a week! i feel heavenly father opened the windows of heaven for us here in santa maria! we got work done this week! it was incredible, every night elder terry and i would come home and just sit in amazement of everything that happened! we taught people, they actually listened! they kept commitments! they accecpted baptismal invitations and man the blessings go on and on! the 1st year in the new year went off with a bang! we have so much good things going on in our area its amazing! everyday was just a adventure where we got to be instruments in the lords hands! Sis liway is way exciting for her baptism january 24! we taught her last night and she said at the end of the lesson, "i wish i could get baptized right now!' she really understands the importance and she tells us about all the blessings she has been recieving, we also met this 15 year old girl named aipi, she is way magaling! her baptismal date is feb 16. so it should be an exciting next couple months. we just had neat experiences this week where the spirit was so strong and truly bore testimony of what we were saying is true, and those people felt it, this week i really focused on getting "out of the way" of the spirit and letting him do all the work! wow the difference it made! this week to i thought about how i could improve and one way i found is in prayer, i thought you know i think im asking to much and not thanking enough, so thats what i did, focused more on praising him for everything i could think of and that made such a profound difference for me this week! try it! well family i love you, things are going great! happier than ever, thats the secret of this life! Obedience and service! Mahal kita Elder Machen

"Maligayong Pasko at Manigong Bagong Taon" 12/30/12

Well 1st off it was sure great to talk to you guys last week! it really boosted the spirits and gave elder terry and i a renewed drive haha. So this week was really good compared to our last couple weeks! things fell together and we got stuff done! it was a great blessing from the lord! i think terry and i just laugh the whole time we are walking then when its time to teach and talk to people we have great unity and it has been a great time! It makes all the difference when your on the same page with your companion. our investigator sis liway is doing great! she continues to read and come to church! we taught her and shes getting ready and excited for her baptism which should be coming up here soon! she keeps telling us how great the church is, kasi before she didnt want anything to do with it but she really likes the feeling there, shes a single mom with two kids, her husband was a member but passed away. astig siya! we found some new people this week that are way nice and excited for us to come teach them, the lord really opened up the windows of heaven for us this week! i love you guys and i know this work is the work of our heavenly father! Thanks for everything, mahal kita elder machen

"Maligayang Pasko" Dec 23, 2012

Well sounds like things are good over in the states, its weird sounds like you guys wont be having a white christmas either! thats to bad, this was a rough week, haha i dont think i got much to say cause honestly i think we got punted from every appointment and nobody really wanted to listen to us this week! lets just say it was a frusterating one! you would think it being this time of year people would want to listen to a message about our savior but it was the opposite, haha i can tell a difference even since last year, people really dont know the true meaning of christmas anymore. but thats why we are here! this is a great season to really reflect on our savior and all that he does for us. i know with all my heart Christ lives, the closer we get to him the happier we will be! His sacrifice was infinite and atoning and without it we would be helplessly lost. This Christmas lets think more of the Christ rather than all the other stuff, i would love to challenge you family this christmas season find a family or someone that could really be in need of some help and help them! just something simple! that will be the best way you will feel the Spirit of Christmas this great season. well i love you and cant wait to talk to you tomorrow! Mahal kita Elder Machen