Hope all is going well! We have really had another great week. We have been spending a good amount of time in Basay (the area of our group). We have met some great families, one specifically called the Baylon family. The dad is a fisher and goes out to the ocean every single morning at 3 until 8 am fishing. They are very new still but we have high hopes for them:)

It was E. Ellis's birthday this last 27th. It was also our zone interviews that day. We woke up at 5 AM to get ready and drive down to Dumaguete. While driving we hit/killed a chicken. I guess the question continues to come up, why did the chicken cross the road??  I guess it'll remain a mystery. 

The last couple weeks I've had some nose problems. The medical nurse thought it was a sinus infection so I took some antibiotics. It helped a lot but my sneezing and coughing continued. Yesterday we heard some "meowing" while we were doing our personal study and we thought it was outside but we later realized it was in our room. We found 3 baby kittens inside. We had seen a cat jump in the window a couple of times as we walked in and were a little confused. Our house is actually really clean, but we have a cupboard section where we keep our of our materials (books, pamphlets, liahonas, etc.) and they were behind them so we never saw them. Today we are going to be doing a deep clean so hopefully that will be able to help with my allergy problem:) 

It has been a long time since we have posted any photos or text regarding Jacob.  He continues to be doing great.  He served the prior 6 months in and around an area called San Carlos City.  It is on Negros island just west of Cebu island.   He really enjoyed that area, and in particular having a vehicle (a truck) which was necessary to get to some of the areas he was responsible for.  Just this past week (July 1, 2015) he was transferred to an area called Bayawan, which is southwest on Negros island.  He was particularly excited that his new apartment will have air conditioning, which is a first for him.  Below are a number of photos (not necessarily in chronological order) over the prior 6 months.

Those who know Jacob knows he loves snakes.  He was thrilled to hold this burmese python.

I think they call this breadfruit

P-day hike to waterfalls

Jacob mission truck along with hitchhikers

Missionary "service".  Check out Jacob's tongue (some things never change)

Baptism in a creek, Jacob is a witness on the far side

Makeshift umbrella

Check out the missionaries' shoes (all too common with the rain and dirt roads)

A form of transportation?

Love that smile

More missionary service - check out the T-shirt

Christmas Time and Transfers!

 January 6, 2015

Things are going soo well! I did get transferred, I am going to ...... San Carlos Zone!!!! I was soo excited!! That was one of the zones that I really wanted to go to! I am in Dumaguete right now and then will drive up to san carlos tomorrow. I love it so much here on the mission, especially here in siquijor. Its a little bitter sweet. I am so sad to leave that island, the people are truly sooo amazing, but I am really excited to go to a strong branch and meet new people. So heres the story about the rain.
    We had a storm that came. Everyone was inside and it was just pouring! It was around 6pm and we walked to the road where we always catch a ride home. The problem was, there was no one out driving, it was dark and there was no one on the road. Nether of us had an umbrella as the storm came quick and it was pretty nice in the morning when we left. We got cover and just waiting as it was too far to walk. We went to houses and asked them if anyone had a tricycle, the motor with a side kart on it and we found one guy. We went and asked him but he said no since it was raining... So we just kept waiting.. And waiting... we saw some motors and tricycles but they were all just going home and weren't picking anyone up. Finally we saw car lights. I walked out to the road to hitchhike home and it slowed down and stopped. It was a police car so I went to talk to the drivier to ask if we could get in the back. ( it was like a pick up truck but with benches bolted down and a frame to hold people in.) I looked in the back of the front part, It was 4 guys with m4 machine guns and then the shotgun seat, ironically had a shotgun and were fully dressed out. They said we could get in so we got in the back and went up. No charge :) I love the Philippines! Only here could you do that!
Hope everyone is doing well!
Elder Crandall

Pig!!

 December 30, 2014

Hello! I loved the photos so much! Thanks so much! It was so fun skyping yall! Im so happy that things are going so well! So our Christmas was pretty good, pretty simple. We had a group Christmas party which was really fun! We did lots of activities and had some investigators come too. Afterwards we elders cleaned and mopped the whole area after the party. That was basically it  for our Christmas. We didnt get any dinner appt that day, but they following 3 days we had tons of food from everyone's leftovers which was awesome. Most times it was at investigators homes that just told us to come in and eat. We ate and were able to get to know their family better. The weeks have been so slow as everyone is ether out of town or so busy getting things ready for the holidays ( as everyone here procrastinates). It should be getting back to normal pretty soon. Its so crazy how fast time flies by! The next monday is transfer calls, its so crazy! Things are still going so well! We had New Years Eve in Dumaguete. In the mission we have permission to watch 2 disney movies. Our whole stake went to the church and watched Rio 2 and wreck it ralph. They were both very entertaining. It was just so fun being with the zone having dinner and watching the movies.
       It sounds like it was a pretty quiet christmas, but sounds really fun. I loved all the photos. Thats awesome about the uchalali. In the MTC one of the missionaries had one and we loved singing hymns while he played though now I dont think it was allowed as i look back. That is something I am wanting to learn a little bit after my mission.
     We keep working very hard. We really take pride in obedience here in the mission. I have really seen the importance of it. Believe it or not I am actually very obedient and also very strict about the rules, but in a very loving way. So many ppl ( members) always try to break the commandments and justify their actions but they only break themselves on the commandment. It doesnt change, its a commandment of God so whether a missionary living a little higher standard, or just a member, we have committed to be obedient. One thing Elder Bowen the General Authority said that I really liked is " I will not go home early because I am not a covenant breaker". Though I never planned on going home early, it is very applicable to our lives. We already made the promise and we must endure the promise and enjoy the blessing through the rest of our lives.
   I love it so much here in the mission! Its amazing for me to look back and see the last year and the incredible growth I have made. I am so excited for the new year to be able to really continue to grow. My understanding of The Gospel so much has really exponential. There are so many things that you learn but you just cant really put it all into words. I love yall so much! Thank you so much for the Christmas package, we loved it soo much!
Elder Crandall

Many Miracles

Its been an amazing week! There honestly have been so many miracles, just so many people that have really progressed.  Things are going so well! I love it so much, such a good week! Its so true that the secret to happiness is hard work. Everyday we wake up tired, but are still so excited to go out. As we understand the magnitude of our calling here on earth (missionaries and members) we literally change to conform with the will of Christ, of what he wants us to become. We have Zone conference so I'm excited to go and see the rest of the zone in Dumaguete (since we really don't see them much)! 

A New Companion

Things are still going super good! 

My new companion is Elder Cabaccan from Luzon. His language is a mix of tagalog and another dialect, so english is pretty tough. We  speak bisaya 80% of the time which is really good for both of us! 

In our apartment Elder Asuro is training. He is training a missionary from Tonga named elder Fonua. Its super funny how everyone communicates but it all works out. Yesterday elder fonua ate balut (boiled duck embryo) for the first time. Its so interesting, he has eaten dog a lot before, but he was super scared to eat it but we got him too! He didnt really like it.... I have to be the middle man a lot since we can all speak english but sometimes with the accents its hard for them to understand each other.Its super fun, i love the spirit in the home! We have had a good week! I love it so much! Hope things are going well. Love yall all!

Elder Crandall

More Sleeping "Photo Bombs"

More photos for Jacob's collection of sleeping "photo bombs"

Rat Attack Oct 14, 2014

Things are going very good here! Im sad about Grandma but am so glad that the funeral went to well. I loved seeing all of the photos. Im sure its been a crazy couple of weeks. Transfers are not out yet, we will find out this monday what will happen. We had zone interviews  and conference in Dumaguete so spent 4 days on the island of negros. It was super fun as I was able to go on splits with my batch Elder Ioane, although tough since that was 4 days of no work in our area. Things are going really well! We are finally seeing people really progress from our first transfer. We were also able to watch general conference since its a week delayed here. Elder Bigornia and I are really working hard! Im so grateful for him, I dont feel like im training him but rather just companions as he has progressed so much.
    I loved conference so much! Its so interesting as how we grow and mature how conference begins to mean so much more. It was truly amazing, I loved the saturday talks! Though the Sunday were good too ( I dont think anyone would ever say any of them are bad hah). A couple stuck out to me though i dont have my notes with me right now and dont remember all their names. I really liked Elder Oaks and the one "which way do we face?". I feel that this is a challenge in the church. We must always reevaluate and face the Lord. I am going to download all the talks and listen to them again during the morning when we get ready. 

 Im glad all is going well! I love you all! Also I killed my first rat yesterday. He has been eating lots of our food and putting holes in lots of stuff. 

   Another funny story is we were watching the district ( the missionary video used for training here) with elder bigornia and it was so funny as we would point out all the differences. We would see the carpet floor ( we have cement) cushined chairs during study, microwaves, lamps, nice wooden desks for study, washers. It was kind of funny seeing the differences of difference missions. Sometimes i feel like i would want so of the other convenient stuff but seeing what others have here, im soo grateful for our apartment and love living such a basic life. Ive grown so much, its so amazing! I love yall all! 

Elder Crandall