December 30, 2013

Happy New Year to all!!!
This week seems so long because so much has happened. I lost one of my anak or sons. He got emergency transferred to another companion. I miss him a lot :) So I only have one companion again, Me and Elder Balane.  Christmas was amazing here, so many fireworks going off :) I missed my family but I really felt the love of Christ this Christmas :) We just went out and tried to spread the joy of Christ on Christmas :) We walked around and just said Happy Pasko (Christmas) to as many people as we could :) It was way fun :) Thursday was the Christmas call home :) It was nice to talk to my family!! Friday we had a service project where we helped to harvest Tilapia and then we helped to prepare the pigs for the wedding of one of our investigators!! Her name is E and her baptism is this Saturday :) She is 18 and is marrying into an active family :) She has really changed in the last couple weeks :) She was really receptive to everything that we taught. It was way fun to teach her.  :) Saturday we had her wedding and also looked for more investigators. We really felt the hand in the Lord as we were looking :) We found a man who we thought was already a member but instead is an investigator!!! So he is really progressing and just going to get baptized soon :) We also have been lead to others while looking for referrals. We found a less active part member family that we are going to start teaching :) It should be great :)
Even though all our investigators are baptized we are still progressing in the area. Finding is the hardest but also the most rewarding part about missionary work :) I miss all of you :) I hope you all had a great Christmas :)
Have a maligayang bagong taong :) (Have a Happy New Year!)
Love Elder Bigelow :)

December 23, 2013

Merry Christmas Everyone :)
So I am just going to start off by saying the truth it does not feel like Christmas to me :) I guess I say this because Christmas for me is everyday :) I am always thinking of Christ :) Its just a season of different music and well here in the Philippines fireworks and very few Christmas lights :P Anyway, I have been thinking a lot on what Christmas really is and why its important. Its not about the gifts you can give to your family but the biggest gift that you can give to your Heavenly Father, your will. You have to give it, He gave us everything so why can't we, especially this time of year be like Christ :) That's my sh peal about Christmas :) I just want to let everyone know I had Mexican food for the first time in 9 months and I loved it :) I have kept up a family Christmas tradition and watched a Christmas movie, "The Polar Express." I guess it wasn't on Christmas Eve but I still watched one at our Christmas Conference for our mission :)  It made me believe in Santa again :)  We also had 2 baptisms :) TB and Brother A :) I will put pictures on next week, I forgot my camera :) This week has been amazing :) Its been really rainy so it has been a wet December for some reason :) I love you all may we all remember the real reason why we have Christmas :) Our Savior and King Jesus Christ :)
I love everyone :)
I promise I will tell you more about investigators and stuff next week :)
Love Elder Bigelow :)
And Merry Christmas :) 

December 16, 2013

Kumusta Everyone :)
Its the hottest time here so it really does feel like its Christmas in July :P pero I am doing great with my kids. I am going to be honest, it is a bit of a challenge with 2 kids :P So my thoughts go out to all my aunts and uncles who have twins :) You are amazing :) I would name you all out but I am short on time so I hope you know who you are :) The work has been relatively hard this week, but as a missionary you look at trials like this in a different perspective for growth, not to take you down. I like the quote, "Heavenly Father doesn't drag you through deep water to drown you but to cleanse you" :) I don't know who its from, but it is good. I have grown closer unto to him because of my trials :) I always just keep a smile on my face :) I just think of Jesus Christ :) I don't think you really have feeling towards holidays while on a mission. It doesn't feel like Christmas to me because everyday is parang (as) Christmas :) It is sometimes hard not to get a little homesick :p I miss everyone, I do :) I hope everyone will not focus on the presents and gifts but the true meaning of Christmas, Jesus Christ :) Merry Christmas to everyone :)
Oh I almost forgot, we are having 2 baptisms on the 21st :) I am so happy for them :) Brother A and Brother B :) Brother A is already the best fellowshipper :) I am excited :) Well I love you all :) Makaroon isang maligayang pasko chaca isang magandang bagong taong :) (Have a merry Christmas and a good new year!)
Love
Elder Bigelow 

December 9, 2013

So Kumusta Everyone :)
I have so much to tell you and so little time :) I am training! Not only that but 2 at one time. I am in a trisome. My computer does not have picture capability so I can't send a picture... But one is Elder Balane from Quezon City, Philippines. The other Elder Taniera from Kirabus in the pacific islands. It's funny because no one here knows where that is. Its been an amazing experience to train already. Our lessons have been way powerful and my teaching has just changed so much to becoming Bold For the Cause of Christ. Its amazing the difference. I also killed my first companion and that was really hard for me. I loved him so much but I am excited for this transfer. I know who the Lord Calls he Qualifies. I feel like I am back home just being the older Brother again. Its amazing to look back on myself and say I was once there. The time when I didn't know the language or the doctrine. I have grown so much. This week was probably one that I have grown the most, in just 3 days :) I love all of you :) I pray for you every night :) Thank you for the kind words in my Christmas package from my family. They made me cry. Sorry this letter is short I am out of time :/ Anyway paalam(goodbye) :) Till next week :)
Elder Bigelow

December 2, 2013

Kumusta po Kayo sa lahat :)
This was the last week with my current companion, he has shown me how to Endure to the End. But the Best Part of the week, 2 BAPTISMS :) The Celerio Family. The wife and her son :) They have changed a lot since we started teaching them.  I was really excited for them even though everything didn't go as planned. We still had great success and I really felt the spirit at the Baptism :) I really have been able to feel the spirit these past few days as my companion and I have been just teaching people not lessons. That is so key for anyone preparing for a mission. Learn that people are people not just people you teach. They have real problems that only Heavenly Father can fix :) All I can say right now is that a mission is starting to become all I wanted it to be. I have always had high expectations for my mission and they are finally starting to come to pass. It has just taken patience and hard work to get to where I am right now. But I can never look back and just look at the work I have ahead. There is a lot I can still change if I even want to become anything near like the Savior was. Which should be all of our Goals. We take that journey one step, one day at a time. Sometimes I still haven't figured that out :P I have been reading the Book of Mormon and looking for how it points to Christ and what I have found out is amazing. That's the whole point and it does it well. I am out of time or I would write a lot more. Next week I have some news for everyone din :) I love you all :)
Elder Bigelow
Elder malaki na mababa :)