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!  :)