I have 52 of these emails left...

Dear Family,

Well this week was okay I guess. It was kind of a drag up until Christmas, when I was able to call you all! And this keyboard works! Woo! So After the call, we actually went straight home, because our schedule got changed. IT was supposed to be that we had the class thing first, and THEN the baptism, but it got flipped, and so we had to go and get our candidate and the bishop and then get everything ready and then take a picture (woo.. picture) AND then we had the class, and that took forever, but it was cool because we did it like it was the MTC, so yea awesomeness!! But after that it was just work as usual. 

So other than that I will get pictures going... Somehow the baptism pictures got erased or something... Seriously angry about that... But it's okay. I can get it from someone else next week.

Love 

Elder Archuleta

PICTURES!!!

My gingerbread house, dinner, and one time like half the ward worked with us (in that order I think)

Where are you fools.....

i'm waiting for your emails... 

so this keyboard is slightly broken, so expect no capitalization at all. 

last week as i was waiting for your email... i waited.. and waited.. and waited some more... emailed some friends.. waited some more... and then all of a sudden boom time was up. still no email from you guys... so i spent the whole past week thinking you guys didn't love me anymore. it made this week hard. but hey, you did eventually email me, i read them earlier. yay family..

so in the past 2 weeks, i got stepped down. i was a trainer, but now i'm a district leader. everyone said it's hard being a trainer or a district leader or even a zone leader.. but I've been both a trainer and a district leader, meaning i was a dlt for like 2 days, and i had no problems whatsoever. hopefully things will just keep going as it is. 

well i really don't have much else to say for now, i get to call you guys on Thursday, Wednesday for you all. probably in the morning here, so late-ish afternoon for you. i love you all

elder archuleta

Picturessesses!!

boom awesomeness

Dearest Family

As I write this, there is a baby crying. Profusely. I will probably make a few baby-eating jokes somewhere...

SO anyways, time for my email! Woo! 

So the super typhoon. That was fun! I don't know what the outside world called it, but here it's name was "Ruby." I saw Dad called it something else. It did affect the work, we were stuck inside for like TWO WHOLE DAYS AND IT WAS SO BORING!!! SO we did what they advised: Cleaned the apartment, updated teaching records and the area book, you know, missionary shtuffs. In some areas it was storming hard, but for us it was just rain and wind.... well a LOT of rain and then some wind. Which was nice, made things cold :D But anyways, last week was zone training, and I was like "okay well HOPEFULLY at least one is here..." So were going through the training, and all of a sudden, some Elders show up. I was like, woo, mail! Then the party starts. One package walks in, relatively small. Then another, some stuff I ordered from the LDS store (a big pmg and some more g's), then yet AGAIN another package, some stuff from the office (pamphlets). I was like "WOOO!" 

But that's not the best part.

They come back like 3 minutes later, HUGE package. They set it on the floor. BOOM. You can feel it hit the ground. "Elder Archuleta, one more." I go to pick the thing up, first thought is "Well great, how am I going to carry this thing home? They probably sent me like rocks or something..." (because I love my family and is the first thing I think of). So we head home, and the party keeps going. Opened up the small one, BOOM. LAFFY TAFFY'S FOR DAYS. Then BOOM. CAMERA! CAMERA STAND! CARD READER! C.O CONTAINER! Best part: 

"From: yo mamma"

Still laughing. Oddly I miss 'Murican jokes. They don't make sense sometimes. Especially pick up jokes. 

I am going to kill the computers here... this one is freezing so I will end here and send some pictures.

Love

Elder Gwapo (Archuleta)

Only one of the two pictures he sent turned out, but I will include both because it shows his smiling face!

Me in my current area.  (Apparently his area is black and gray.)

Brother, me, Brother and Elder Liqurian.

That's all because I'm almost out of time. I'll get more next week.

Everything is fun here!!

Hello! SO the computer I'm currently at is RIDICULOUSLY slow, so this may or may not be relatively short to save my sanity. :D

So This week has been okay. Not a whole lot happened, just baptized a few more peeps... The usual stuff. :D Not a whole lot has been happening, but then again it is only the 1st of December... So we will see.

Other than that, I think that's about all I have for this week. Bu I do have a surprise! I did borrow someones camera for the weekend, SO I HAVE PICTURES!!!! :D I will be getting those out soon. 

Questions:

Have you received your packages yet?

Not yet. We have Zone Training on Wednesday, so if it's here, I'll get it then.

Tell us something that's fun.

Fun? I work all day every day! But in the PHILIPPINES! Everything is fun here.

How is the work coming along?

The work? I kind of feel like it's leveled out a bit. IT doesn't get exciting or exhausting anymore... It's kind of the same. But that's what I get for finally getting to just halfway. 

Do you have a funny story?

Funny story? Earlier I saw a 90 year old lady pull a knife out of no where, scream like crazy, then put it away and acted like nothing happened. Old people.. :D 

Share a spiritual experience.

Spiritual... Well this week We've been working with a few members, one about to leave for his mission, and the other just got back not too long ago. It's kind of cool to see how much things change... Even though there really is no change. From what I've come to understand in the mission so far, your understanding increases. So you're still the same person, you just understand more. Not sure if that counts.. but I think it does. Other than that, that's about all that's happened to me this week.

I will be emailing the pictures in a bit. I love you all!

Elder Archuleta

So the computer won't read my card... It's very frustrating. I will see if I can move to a different computer or something.   And then there was nothing.  Sad face.  :(

Kamusta sa Pilipinas!

You start your email in Spanish, I'll start mine in probably one of 3 languages. :D

Please tell me what happens in said meeting. I want to know if I'll be coming home to Lincoln 6th (or by the time I get home like 27th). 

SO I always make the joke that I will write my emails to you in my Mission language, And I've got the time today so I think I will give it a shot:

SO sa sinning nga semana, medyo ayos lang ang obra namon. para sa naligad nga duha ka semana, nubo ang numbers namon, kay may kulang nga adlaw sa semana. Pero, sa sinnig semana, wa'ay na! Nakaobra kami sing maayo! Wa'y na nagabot ang package ko. Nagtawag ako sa opacina, kag magfollow-up sila kuno. Tani ara na sia. Mabal-an lang, eh? So napaminsar ko sang Biyernes, parte sa pagpuli ko. Medyo weird, kay indi mechado ang Ingles ko subong. Magturo ako kay Zoe para makasabi ko sa kaniya. (Haha, that last sentance was Tagalog..) Pero luwas sina, ambot lang. Gusto ko nga magkadto kamo diri agud sugaton ninyo ako, kag mapakita ko ang PILIPINAS sa inyo. Sadya gid katama diri. Guro magplan kita para sa ina. 

Indi siya nagahulan diri, pero naghulan siya sang last week. Okay lang ang obra namon diri, amo man gihapon. Nagistorya ko parte dira kagina. May tatlo? Palagpat. Guro sadya man na! 

Oo! Kag nag-email siya sa akon parte sa blog niya! I-forward ko ang address sa inyo. 

Nagapangita ko para sa isa ka nativity set para sa imo, wa'ay ko nakita isa. Pero magpadayon ko.

Guro amo lang na ang akong email sa inyo. Maglubad ko dugay-dugay. Mahal ko kayo! (Again, Tagalog...)

Elder Archuleta

Email translation:

So this week, our work was fine. For the past two weeks, we've had some missing days. But this week we didn't have that! We worked pretty good. My package hasn't shown up yet. I called the office, they said that they will follow up about that. Hopefully it's there. We'll just find out, eh? So I was thinking last Friday, about me coming home. It's going to be kinda weird, because my English isn't that good now. I'll teach Zoe so I can speak to her. (Haha, Tagalog na..) But other than that, I don't know. I want you to come here so that you can come get me and I can show you the PHILIPPINES! It is seriously so much fun here. Maybe we can plan for that. 

It hasn't rained here, but it did rain a bit last week. Our work here is okay, it's the same as always. I already talked about the package. There's going to be 3? Dang. Maybe that'll be fun too! 

Yea! He emailed me about his blog! I'll forward you the address to that to you. 

I've looked for a nativity set for you, but I haven't seen one. But I'll keep looking! 

So maybe that'll be my email to you. I'll translate in a little bit. I love you all! (Liwat, Tagalog...)

Elder Archuleta

Dear Dad,

What were in their letters? If possible, I want to read them. 

So nothing has really changed, I'm still in Tapi, Same companion and everything. Mission tour was awesome, Elder Ardern is ridiculously smart. We have nothing really, just Christmas call, Christmas, and New Years. 

How is Jakob's PMG reading? Or the Family Scripture study? Or Family prayer? Do you all kneel together as a family at night (or in the morning) and pray?

Elder Archuleta

57 weeks left....

Dearest Family,

Aloha!  Totally Hawaiian, but then again that's how President always greets us. I am really tempted to not write in English. But the only problem is that I would have to translate for y'alls.. And I don't have the time. Next time na lang! 

SO this past week has been interesting. We had Elder and Sister Ardern speak to us and give us some training.. And MAN was that a lot. Seriously, I'm still trying to process everything. I ended up taking 4 pages of notes, 3 of them are just of what Elder Ardern taught. Although this week on will be different. I will be applying EVERYTHING that I learned to my work. 

SO You area all going to Spain! That's cool! Oddly I'm jealous, despite the fact I'm living in a tropical island for the (almost) past year and for another. I think it's more you're-doing-it-as-a-family thing and I'm not there. Basta! (Whatever!) You should all come here. It's crazy awesome. (But please don't come while I'm still serving.. More like when I'm coming home, come get me :D Yay) It'll give you a chance to experience what I had to do for 2 years! Plus IT"S THE PHILIPPINES SO WHY NOT? :D Awesome, thanks for deciding to come get me. (I used your agency for all of you). 

SO as I am writing this to you, someone is blasting "Let It Go" from Frozen.. And I will not say if I am singing along or not. 

So I found out today that I can call on Christmas! :D The only problem I have with that is that I call on Christmas for me, so Christmas Eve for you! D: At least it's a holiday this time so you will all be awake. If anyone else wants to be there, they have their agency :D 

SO this is probably the longest letter that I've written, and I have to do something for Dad, so I will end it here.

Palangga ko kamo! Tani nahibal-an ninyo ina. Kamo ang pinaka nami nga pamilya. 

Love,

Elder Totally-not-trunky Archuleta

His dad asked him to write a letter to the youth for a combined activity he was in charge of.  This is one of those amazing letters that you can't wait to get from your missionary! We are so proud of our Elder!  This letter brought tears to our eyes as we read it.

Dear Lincoln 6th ward youth, (yes, all of you, even the one hiding at the back of the group..)

So I don't really know where to start with this. Bro. Archuleta kind of didn't give me much to work with, but that's my dad :D I think I will make it specifically to the YM and YW.

To the Young Men:

First and foremost, how is your reading of the Preach My Gospel? You should ALL have a copy. (if not, go complain to Bishop or President Shaffer.) If you have one but aren't reading it, SHAME ON YOU! START READING IT! D:< Also, one thing that I wish I would have done: START TO PREPARE NOW! Especially the Geek-ons (I meant deacons...). But that also goes for you Teachers and Priests! Start today! 

So we all know what I was like before the mission, I mean come on, it was me. But looking back, I regret a lot. So my other point I want to get across to all of you- live your life in a way that you can look back and SMILE and be PROUD of what you've accomplished. Other things: Be nice to the YW (I said be NICE, you don't have to LIKE them), Respect your leaders, Honor your parents, Serve the Lord, and don't go after super-charged creepers without the proper equipment and armor (Someone laughed at that, Probably Kevin or one of the Jake's).

To the Young Women:

Well... Yea! Woo! I honestly DON"T know what I'm going to say. Write the missionaries, don't antagonize the YM, Read your Book of Mormon... You know, the typical missionary things we missionaries say. Even though it is not required of you, I do encourage those who want to serve to DO IT! The mission has taught me a lot, and I know it will help you all. But if not, Go to School! Get a Job! Be Proactive! Be a GOOD EXAMPLE, not a PRIDEFUL ONE. Remember: [YOU} ARE DAUGHTERS of our Heavenly Father, who loves us, and we love Him. WE WILL “STAND as witnesses of God at all times and in all things, and in all places” (Mosiah 18:9) as [you] strive to live the Young Women values, which are: Faith, Divine Nature, Individual Worth, Knowledge Choice and Accountability, Good Works, Integrity, and Virtue. [YOU] BELIEVE as [you] come to accept and act upon these values, [YOU] WILL BE PREPARED to strengthen home and family, make and keep sacred covenants, receive the ordinances of the temple, and enjoy the blessings of exaltation.

(No, I did NOT use copy and paste for that...)

TO ALL:

Something that Sister Archuleta would always say to me (and I literally do mean ALWAYS... Ask Jakob or Even Sister Archuleta) is this:

"REMEMBER WHO YOU ARE AND WHAT YOU STAND FOR." -Sister Archuleta, in various times talking to Elder Archuleta before he would leave for anything... 

Why: One day, maybe tomorrow or next week or sometime in the unforeseeable future, you WILL have those values challenged. You will be pushed back to a wall and forced to make a stand.

I know that this is the true church, being led by a living prophet and living apostles. I know that as long as we continue on the path we stepped on when we got baptized, We WILL return to him. I know all of these things are true, and I know that my English grammar is probably wrong or horrible... So sorry about that. :D

-Elder Archuleta

Philippines Bacolod Mission

First official week training

Dear Family,

How is Grandma now? Hopefully she will get better. Prayers to her! 

So this week has been my first official week training. It's actually not as hard as most people make it sound like. I let him be in charge of the area, but other than that it's all on me! Woo! Senior missionaries!  Also I figured out I have these cool things so I WILL USE THESE!  

Woo! Baseball! Finally a sport that ISN'T BASKETBALL. I never really liked basketball, and I still don't. But that is that.  

YAY! That meeting has been planned for like the past 2 weeks. How is Jet? He still hasn't emailed me back. I will send him another. 

YAY CAMERA!  I miss my camera. Hopefully it comes soon. Mission tour is this Thursday, and we are NOT allowed to bring cameras. We will have a photographer though, so expect them on presidents facebook. 

That literally has no meaning. I just wanted to use them :D

My area is up in the mountain. It's called Tapi.

Elder Liquiran. He's from Pangasinan, he goes home in 2 years.

I will send a picture of the house when I get my camera back.

Investigators? Still the same stories. They commit but the don't follow through. 

Funny stories? Not much has happened.

Church? It goes Sacrament, Sunday School, Priesthood. 

Anything? I've started to eat a lot of sugar cane.. It's actually pretty good. 

EVERYTHING?! I don't think that's possible.

Well, that's all I got for this week. I love you all!

Elder Archuleta

PS

What does that mean?  Are you being threatened by a tsunami? 

No. I saw it and thought it would be funny...

So this is going to be interesting...

Dear dad,

Happy Birthday (on Wednesday)!

So the field has been pretty much the same.  Now that I'm going to be follow up training, I think things will start to be fun.  We will see how that goes...

Mission your is on the 11th, and for mission tour, a general authority comes and speaks to the whole mission, and sometimes they tour the mission (hence the name).

The way the celebrate Halloween here is actually on November 1st and they spend like all day at the cemetery remembering all the people they know that have died.  It's kind of cool actually.

My area right now?  I really won't know until Wednesday.  I will make sure to let you know next week.  Any plans for your birthday?

Well I have to go figure out what's going on later today, so I will get to you next week.

Also, President said last week that the Philippines Bacolod Mission is (as of now) the #1 Baptizing mission in the world.  When I got here it was just #1 in the Philippines.  The work is hastening!

Elder Archuleta

Philippines Bacolod Mission

From Dad:

That sounds exciting that a general authority will be speaking at you mission.

No big plans for my birthday, I chose sloppy joes for my birthday dinner.

That is big news to be top baptizing mission in the world.  Keep working hard, and you're right, the work is hastening.

From Elder Archuleta:

It's the area President for the Philippines, Elder Adern.  It's awesome, but it means so much is required.  You literally have to give more than you know you have to the mission, that's how exhausting it is.  But on the bright side, I've gotten tan, skinny, I'll come home knowing 3 Filipino dialects, and having served The Lord with everything I had, which makes it more worth it than anything.

From Dad:

Serving a mission is very valuable and will benefit you forever.  Keep up the good work.

From Elder Archuleta:

Which is why I'm glad I served.  The only regret I had was not being as prepared as I should have been or wanted to be.

Dearest Family of mine,

So this week has been... Fun? I really don't know what to say about it. A lot has happened in the past few days which makes life crazy. So Elder Agbuya transferred, I got a new companion (Elder Pineda), we were companions for 3 days, then I got transferred earlier this morning. So guess what? I'M FOLLOW UP TRAINING! My companion (Elder Liquiran) has been here for about 6 weeks now... So I'll be here in Bacolod until tomorrow. 

But on the good side, I had some baptisms! I will send those right away. :D 

Other than that I'm not really sure what's going on right now, It's almost on a need to know basis kind of thing right now. It's whatever. 

That's pretty much all I got for now. I loves you all

Elder Archuleta

From Mom:

What?  Are you kidding me????  That's it?  I don't even know what follow up training means!

From Elder Archuleta:

It means I will basically be a trainer. Training is 12 weeks, so I will be finishing up this Elders Training.  Which reminds me of something President said, to be a trainer you had to have been a Zone Leader, And I haven't even been a District Leader yet. 

From Mom:

So are you staying and living in Bacolod now?

From Elder Archuleta:

Until tomorrow afternoon, I will go to my assigned area. There is follow up training tomorrow.

From Mom:

But you don't know your assigned area?

From Elder Archuleta:

I do, I just don't go to it until tomorrow because there is training here in Bacolod tomorrow. 

From Mom:

Ok.  It's so crazy how you get transferred a lot.  Where is your new area?  Or are you keeping it a secret?

From Elder Archuleta:

Tapi. (pronounced Tah-pee). It's in Kabankalan Zone. Southern area.

Pictures!

September Arrivals and Trainers Follow Up Training  (It's a version of "Where's Elder Archuleta"!!)  Thank you President Lopez!

President Lopez 

PIZZA!!  

Note that there are two tables under this pizza!  :)

Well... Not much is new.

Dearest Family of Mine,

Yo! How is Cali life? How is Fall? How is not hot or rainy or both weather? I love it here! :D

So in the past couple of weeks we've been on exchanges with a few of the other Elder's here in our district. Last-last week I was with Elder McWhorter, last week I was with Elder Christensen, And tomorrow I am with Elder Warnick. Elder McWhorter is in his 2nd transfer, while the other 2 Elders are just hitting their month mark.It's kind of fun to watch them talk to people. They all 3 can talk, but occasionally I would get the what-did-they-just-say-that-is-not-the-language-they-taught-me-in-the-mtc-elder look. It was pretty funny to think that that's how I used to be. Now I struggle with English.. Which is hard sometimes. But at other times it's still pretty easy. It really depends on what I'm talking about. But it is what it is.

Woo! Excitement! We have mission tour coming up like next-next week (Nov. 11). Transfer day is next week, we move houses on the 15th, and today is MONDAY! That is about it for current events.. OTHER THAN I"M ALMOST HALFWAY DONE! Woo! Seems like forever and yesterday I got here to the Philippines... Time flies. 

Any news on my camera? I miss it.. I want's to take pictures again. And look at the GPS map whilst we are walking around the jungle and pretend to be lost or something... I'm 20 now but sometimes I really question that... Meh. :D

SO I finally thought of something that I would like. Remember when you made that secret coin pouch thingy? The one your grandma used to make? One of those :D Preferably big enough to fit like a dollar folded in half, in black and red :D 

Well I think that's really all I got this week. I have to do a questionnaire for misison tour and other missionary shtuffs.. 

WAIT I FORGOT SOMETHING! So last-last p-day I ordered new G's, and I got them last Wednesday. They is super comfy. :D 

Peace off

Elder Archuleta 

Remember the investigators that needed to be married?  Woo! they got married and baptized, but by my former companion. Woo! :D

One week of being 20 feels no different :D

Hello Family! 

So this past week was kind of weird. Nothing new happened this week, it just seemed super slow. Like seriously... it just dragged on and on and on... And then BOOM Sunday. We had a special sacrament in our furthest area. We went on splits so that we could be at both sacrament meetings (since they were both at the same time). Dad always says that he likes having church out in the forest, try doing it in the JUNGLE! :D It's pretty cool. Then yesterday we had Zone Conference yesterday, which was kind of weird since it wasn't in Bacolod... which meant no Ice Cream :( But the cool thing was it made going back to work a lot easier. But this week we have been focusing on the Atonement. So my question(s) for all of you today is this: How have you used the atonement today? What have you done today that makes you better than yesterday?

I think there's a lesson that I learned this week. We kind of take the gospel for granted. There are millions around the world "perishing is unbelief" because they don't know. Which is why we as members have a responsibility to share the gospel. It is our obligation. We need to share it with EVERYONE!

I wanted to send this one first, I will answer Mom's like 30 bajillion other emails and Dad's email shortly. Love you all!

Elder Archuleta

Tell me what you thought of your birthday package.  I want to hear how much you loved each and every detail.  Mom's like details.  You know I like all the details. 

Was it stupid?

Did you like it? 

How were the balloons for your partay? 

Did you use the plates? 

All the details.   :)

Love you more than the last email. 

Love, 

Mom

It was dorky. But that's what you do when it's a birthday. 

It was awesome! 

I only blew up like 3. The others I'll probably give to other peeps birthday, we got a few coming up. The one's at home are currently used for volleyball, soccer, or anything else when at home. 

Nope. I got a stack of 'stache plates for something awesome! :D

Dear Dad,

Questions from Dad:
Did you get to finish watching conference?

I was able to listen to the last session, I was excited for that. 

Have you heard if Dominick is getting better and able to leave on his mission soon?
He is meeting with President Perez this week about it, hopefully he leaves soon. 

Are you still working on your Tagolog?
Only a little bit, maybe a word or two a day. But it is getting better. Next year I will focus more on it. 

I pray for all of you always, and I know you all do the same for me. 

I love you

Elder Archuleta

This is how we celebrated my birthday, we bought two of these :D

Pictures from Zone Conference!

The Binalbagan Zone

Zone Christmas video practice.

Companions Elder Agbuya and Elder Archuleta

Did you see the pictures from yesterday? President and Sister Lopez picked us up and we all squished in one car. 12 of us to be exact, and I was squished against President Lopez :D

That is Elder Archuleta standing in that bike.

Getting closer.

Riding like a boss...

They see me rollin'.....

Yep!  It's Elders Agbuya and Archuleta getting a ride to meet President Lopez.

And now, he is squished in a car with Elders and Sisters!!

 Elder Archuleta is sitting right next to President Lopez.