Philippines Legazpi Mission: Elder Feraer

BAGAMANOC | Day 35 to 36 |

MAY 20, 2014:
Today is my 5th month in the mission field. We did the usual things that we do. We also taught the Gonzales siblings, Elijah, and the Ara Family. Elder Bacalso and I also helped "Nanay" Ara in wood chopping. 🪓


To celebrate this day I cooked spaghetti macaroni. It's my first time to cook pasta and I also shared it with my companion.



MAY 21, 2014:

BAGAMANOC | Day 32 to 34 |

MAY 17, 2014:
Nothing special happened today except for the never-ending story of washing my clothes. We also clean our apartment.


MAY 18, 2014:
It was my first time to have a talk here in San Vicente Branch. My topic was about missionary work and I hope they learned something new from what I said earlier. 😌 We proselyte in the afternoon and we taught 6 lessons including our new potential "progressing" investigator. The Interior Family invited us to eat dinner at their home. Bro. Ronnie and Sis. Roselyn prepared a delicious dish for all of us and it is good. Elder Bacalso and I are thankful for their kindness. On our way to our apartment, we helped Bro. Villamartin in lifting and carrying the copra.

Left Picture: Sis. Roselyn and Bro. Ronnie (our BML) | Right Picture: Sis. Daisy (one of the Recent Converts)

MAY 19, 2014:

BAGAMANOC | Day 30 to 31 |

MAY 15, 2014:
We left early in the morning. It was my first time to ride on a boat from San Vicente to Bagamanoc Proper. Then we rode a bus after that and it was a long 3-hour ride to Virac. 😑 There is a Zone Training tomorrow and it is a must that we arrived in Virac a day before so we can attend on time. It's automatic when you are assigned to a far far away area like San Vicente. We ate dinner at Blossoms Resto. The food there is delicious!


MAY 16, 2014:
It was my very first Zone Training here in Catanduanes. I was assigned to recite Diligent in CLA. It's been a while since I saw my trainer and first companion, Elder Nielsen. He loses a lot of weight, maybe because of stress or something. I also saw my batchmate, Sister Abasanta. I'm happy that she is a trainer now. She's a good missionary. Sister Erickson is also here in Catanduanes. It's always nice to see my fellow batchmates. 😀

(L to R) Sis. Lapuz, Sis. Abasanta, and Me.

BAGAMANOC | Day 28 to 29 |

MAY 13, 2014:
I commend my companion. Elder Bacalso did the right thing. I'm glad that we did proselyte instead of other things. Finally! I fixed my broken glasses. I can wear it again. 👓 We are blessed with seven people to teach today. Bro. Bernard, Sis. Gina, Sis. Gleziel worked with us. They're energetic and crazy. Haha. 😅



MAY 14, 2014:
There was an activity in S.V. branch today, it's called One Day Mission. It's my first time to experience this kind of activity and it was fun. 😊 I felt like I'm an MTC teacher because I taught the members how to do missionary work as a full-time missionary. Many members joined this activity and we're all divided into groups. My groupmates were Bro. Juan, Sis. Princess, and Sis. Gleziel. I had fun working with all of them. They are all good and hopefully, they will go on a mission someday.

Practice Teaching (I'm one of the investigators)

(L to R) Bro. Calderon, Sis. Lenie, and Sis. Princess

(Front) Sis. Rose and Sis. Daisy | (Back) Bro. Calderon, Sis. Melissa, Sis. Nini, and Sis. Princess

Lunchtime! 🍛 | (L to R) Sis. Myrna, Bro. Bernard, Bro. Sonlie Mark, Me, E. Bacalso, and E. Moran

My group for this activity (L to R): Gleziel, Princess, Juan, and me.

(From L to R) Princess, Gleziel, Verly, Vergie & Juan

San Vicente Branch members who joined this activity. 😃

All in all, we got 6 lessons including Elder Bacalso and Pres. Lopez groups. This was a fun day of missionary work. We all enjoyed it. 😃

BAGAMANOC | Day 27 |

MAY 12, 2014:
It's P-Day today. The Lopez Family invited us for Sis. Shane's post-homecoming celebration. At first, I respectfully refused to go because I'm still sick since yesterday. Bro. Ronnie and Sis. Shane persists that I should go and told me that I'll feel good when I go out. So because of my respect for the Lopez Family, I joined all of them.

It was a long walk from our apartment to Sabang. I was really exhausted because I'm sick. As soon as we got there, I laid down to rest at the nipa hut and I slept for about an hour or two. I felt good when I woke up and they also took good care of me. They are all really nice. It was a fun day together with the Lopez Family and some of the members.

Bernard and Elder Moran

Elder Moran and Bro. Ronnie

(L to R) Sis. Hermaine, Elder Moran, and Bro. Ronnie

(L to R) E. Bagaoisan, E. Bacalso, Me, and E. Moran

(L to R) E. Bagaoisan, E. Bacalso, Me, and E. Moran

Sis. Myrna and E. Moran

with Elijah

BAGAMANOC | Day 23 to 26 |

MAY 8, 2014:
Day one of the fiesta in Sagrada. There will be no missionary work for today and in the next few days because of the fiesta and the tradition of Sagrada and San Vicente. The members also invited us to eat so we will feast and pig out for 3 days! 😁 This is also a good day for me. All is well right now, district inventory fixed everything. 😌 I also found out that my former housemate and ZL will be the next AP. Elder Yu deserves it. He is a great missionary.

There's a lot of people in Sagrada today. They are all having fun. There was a parade, food contest, dancing, singing, and other entertaining things. We went and ate first at Toltol Family, then at Bro. Ronnie, then to the Lopez Family, and at night we went back to Toltol Family. We are so full! It's hard to walk back to our apartment. Haha. This was a fun day! 😃

(From L to R) Elders Bagaoisan, Moran, Bacalso, and Me.

Yep! That's an eel, snails, and frogs. These are some of the rare delicacies here. I don't think that I can eat the latter. 😅

The Toltol Family, one of the families that invited us.

Here are some memorable dish and delicacies in day one:

Ginataang Adobong Pusit/Pugita - This is my favorite dish for today! It is so delicious!

Ginataang Sigarilyas - A delicious vegetable dish.

Balisungsong - Kinda similar to Suman but it tastes more coconut milk.

Adobong Pato - It's like chicken adobo but the duck fat is different. I'm not a fan of this one.

Pork Humba - It's really gooooood! I like the sweetness of this pork dish.

MAY 9, 2014:
Day two of the fiesta in Sagrada and today is also the first day of the fiesta in San Vicente. Yep, double feast today! Food overdose! 😝 From morning until eve we ate and we ate a lot. 🐷 We went to Interior Family, Candelaria Family, Vecina Family, Lopez Family, Molina Family, Lanon Family, and lastly with the Garcia Family. There are so many foods to eat and there comes a point that I can't eat anymore and I tap out. Haha. 😂

Here are some memorable dish and delicacies on day two:

Cocido - a fish stew tangy with calamansi. It's good.

Ginataang Suso - I tried it a little bit and it's not bad. I'm starting to like this one.

Tinilmok -  It is a steamed coconut meat with cut shrimp. The taste gets along pretty well.

Eel Adobo - It tastes fish-like but different. It's hard to explain.

Dinuguan with Gata - Uhm, it is really different from the usual dinuguan. I'm not a fan of adding coconut milk to this dish.

MAY 10, 2014:
The second day of the fiesta in San Vicente. Day 3 of all fiestas overall. It comes to the point that we're all tired of eating meat. It's a good problem to have. 😅 Today we ate with Molina Family, Lanon Family, Garcia Family, and Villamartin Family. Elder Moran also helps cooking the liver dish. I helped with cutting it. I also experience grinding coconut meat in a traditional way and crushing it to produce coconut milk.

Here are some memorable dish and delicacies on day three:

Adobong Atay (Liver) - It's really good. I like it.

Nilagang Kalabaw - Kinda similar to bulalo but different.

Carabeef Tapa - I like this one compared to nilagang version of Carabao.

Adobong Pugita - This is also a good one. I love seafoods.

Laing - Classic Bicolano taro dish. Catanduanes version is not spicy compared to Albay but I still like it.

I am really thankful to all the families that invited us. I appreciate all their kindness to us. These past three days is one of the memorable moment in my early mission days. It was fun. 😊


MAY 11, 2014:
Oh. I feel sick but this is not an excuse to not go to church today. In the afternoon we proselyted. Many members worked with us today. But people in Sagrada are probably tired because of the feast that's why we didn't have many lessons. One of our recent converts (Kristine Joy) is also sick and I gave her medicine and we blessed her afterward. Hopefully, she'll get better soon.

BAGAMANOC | Day 20 to 22 |

MAY 5, 2014:
A normal P-day. Same electricity shortage scenario. More often than not, there's always no electricity from 5pm to 3am. So sleeping at night is challenging because of mosquitoes and it's really hot. There is also something that bothers me right now. In my personal study, I read about Psalms 37:8 and this is a good verse for me in everything that's happening around my "surroundings" right now. I also need to work out on my Christ-like attribute of patience again. I'm also reading Gospel Principles and I'm in Chapter 12. It was about the atonement of Jesus Christ and I really like how Elder Boyd K. Packer illustrated the atonement to us. It will help me in my understanding and teaching.



MAY 6, 2014:
I initiated doing WPS because it's really important to always have a plan ahead of time. I also shut down the unplanned idea of another "CSP lite (not in our area)" because I know that we should be on our own area working, teaching, and helping the people out there. That's our priority and responsibility. It turned out good and we are productive today.


MAY 7, 2014:
This day didn't start well. I focus my attention on reading and studying all day. I felt the comfort of the Holy Ghost. It is really stressful today but I know Heavenly Father will always help me through these things.

There are also no teaching appointments today because all the people in Sagrada are busy preparing for the start of the traditional feast for tomorrow.

BAGAMANOC | Day 18 to 19 |

MAY 3, 2014:
We had a District Meeting in our apartment because all of the leaders are on a temple trip with some of the members. That's why the meeting house was closed. Haha. Elder Moran forgot to borrow the key. It was a unique experience. Even though we're doing it in the apartment we still follow the same routine and we can still feel the Spirit the same. I think this is the best DM so far since I arrived here. Elder Moran shared his knowledge and experience on how to teach the gospel of Jesus Christ (L3) effectively.

In the afternoon we had exchanges with the San Vicente Elders and my companion was Elder Moran and we proselyte in my area (Sagrada). We did well. We had five lessons. He is good at teaching calmly. My memorable moment today is when we taught Sis. Lydia Ara because it is my first time to teach her whole family in Sitio Tondo. Bro. Juan worked with us and I can see his willingness to help and share the gospel. I hope he will always work with us if he has free time.

with Elder Moran

with Bro. Juan

MAY 4, 2014:
First Sunday of May. It was an unusual morning. We went outside to take a shower because there's no water today. Usually, there's water around 6am to 7am and we fetch water nearby. The SV Elders decided to go to Villamartin Family and they asked if we can use their poso (an old-style water pump) or well. Thankfully, they let us use the one in their backyard and we showered outside. This is a new experience for me. 😅 

Sunday School and Sacrament Meeting went fine. All of the leaders and some of the members just arrived from Manila on their temple trip. I like the topic in the Priesthood class. It's about family. I'm still hoping and have faith that my parents will join this church someday when the right time comes. We had a coordination/correlation meeting afterward. Gosh! There are so many leaders attended unlike in my previous area or even my homeward. They are really dedicated to missionary work here in the San Vicente branch. Today was also the second day of exchanges and I'm still with our District Leader, Elder Moran. We worked in his area (Minaili and Bashad) together with Bro. Lanon, Sis. Verly and Sis. Vergie. He's good at teaching and mingling with people. I still learn something new from him.

(From L to R) Me, Bro. Lanon, Sis. Verly, Sis. Vergie and Elder Moran

BAGAMANOC | Day 14 to 17 |

APRIL 29, 2014:
In my personal study, I started reading Luke in the New Testament. I also update my "Paris book" and put the standard of truth and other stuff there. I also found something interesting and it is about the 17 points of a true church. I read it one by one and all of that is in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. 😊

We also had 8 lessons today including our new investigator. The father and stepmom of our new recent converts. Sis. Shane referred them to us. Hopefully, they will progress also like their daughters.


APRIL 30, 2014:
My very first camera (GE X5) is probably broken because of the incident during our P-day last Monday. I tried to fix it but I think it's really broken now. Goodbye Roxy... It's been 4 years. 😢 I think I need a new camera.

My very first camera, GE X5 (Roxy). It was a gift from my parents when I was in college.

MAY 1, 2014:
We all woke up very early (4am) to catch the rare bus ride to Virac. We run out of supply and it's already been two weeks since we shop for groceries and other things. The bus is called "Mr. Suave", it is an old type of bus. Oh... it's opposite to its name, it's not a suave (smooth) ride. It broke down at least 3x along the way because of the rough road. It also feels like your soul is separating from your body. It was a really bumpy ride. Haha. 😂 Traveling via a small boat is better.

We arrived in the afternoon. Yes, it takes a lot of time to get to Virac because of the delays of unfortunate events. We got a haircut, did e-mail time for the first time since I arrived in Catanduanes, shop groceries, and I also bought a brand new camera. I withdraw the personal money my parents gave me. They are sending me one to two times a month aside from a package so I'm fortunate that they are all out supporting me during this journey.

It is a Canon Ixus 185, and I'll call it Shannon. It's not that great or expensive like my previous one but as long as it takes decent pictures I'm okay with it. I also have a DSLR back home but it's too risky to have it here.

MAY 2, 2014:
Today we went back to San Vicente, Bagamanoc. We arrived in the afternoon. Traveling/transportation is really challenging in this area. It is also time and energy-consuming. It is also really hot today. I'm still adjusting and I know I'll get used to this.