Monthly Archives: October 2013

Good morning from Lucena City folks! It’s a breezy, sunny, hot, sticky, late-October Monday here and things are going well!  It is interesting to know that life is going on like normal back at home and that things are so different here!  I had a strange thought this morning- I’m on my mission and I only get one chance to have this type of experience. I’ve already been out on my mission technically for two months and it feels like I’m still trying to understand that I’m here!  It makes me think that I only have 20 or so months left and it freaks me out because I feel like I’m running out of time!  I know that doesn’t make sense, but oh well.

Like I said, things are going well here! We are struggling a lot with getting our investigators to come to church, as they need to attend four weeks in a row before they can be baptized. I get pretty down about it sometimes, but then I remember that there are reasons behind everything and that EVERYTHING is planned out that way for a reason.

At the top of a hike looking out over Lucena.

Other than that, the language is coming along better than I thought it would. I’m definitely not even close to satisfied with my language skills, but I’m becoming more confident in just going with what comes to my head. Instead of worrying about what people may think of me when I speak, I just do it whether it is right or wrong. I know that they’ll understand one way or another, and If I don’t speak, how can I share what I know???

Dinner at the end of the week: ham, egg, liver spread, spicy canned tuna!

I’m starting to get more comfortable here. I love taking cold showers out of a bucket. Doing laundry is a challenge, but it keeps me busy. P-days are pretty stressful, but I understand why we only get one day to do these things! The work is so important and the people here and all over the world need to hear it. It seems really overwhelming and I feel insignificant at times, but all we can do is keep going and press forward.

Thanks for all of your love and support!

Love,

Elder Tyler Burbidge

Elders Burbidge and Ano-os after companionship study time!

Good morning everyone! Life in the Philippines is hot, sticky, and wet. However, it is getting better. I’m enjoying it here more and more every day. We killed our first spider, almost as big as my hand, about a week and a half ago. It was super fast.

I’m having the opportunity to learn and grow every day as I speak to people here. I’m learning more Tagalog than I thought I would ever know and I’m growing stronger myself. I’ve learned to have confidence in myself and in God that I will get through any trial that I am handed. I know that we can always receive help if we ask for it.

I had the privilege to baptize a sister last Saturday!!! What a great experience! It is also a completed family and they plan to attend the temple and be sealed for eternity in one year.  Following is a picture of us before her baptism.

Elder Tyler Burbidge and members of the Lucena 3rd Ward prior to Janine’s baptism.

Elder Burbidge and his companion prior to Janine’s baptism.

I’m excited to learn and grow more, and although it is extremely hard to be away from all of you, I know that what I am doing here is right. I’m supposed to be here now and to help the people that I’m helping now. It hurts to see some of the situations people are in here, and it hurts to know that I probably can’t help them temporally, but I know that the things I can teach them about will help them.

I love you all very much and I’m glad that I have this experience to grow! 21 more short months! 1/12 of the way there!

Love,

Elder Tyler Burbidge

Elder Tyler Burbidge playing Harry Potter?

Lucena is the Capital of Quezon Province. This is the capital building and grounds.

Kumusta po kayo!!

Week two was easier than week one for sure. I am adjusting slowly but surely. I’m beginning to have a great love for the people here and a desire for them to receive happiness in this life and after this life. I’m growing a lot. We are given trials so that we can grow, and I can say that these last two weeks or so have definitely been some of the hardest times of my life. I’m finally adjusted to taking a bucket shower with cold water. I actually kind of like it.

It breaks my heart to see some of the poverty that is here. I can’t stand it, but I know that I can’t do anything temporally to help them. What I can do is share our message with them and let them know that there is more to their existence.

Tyler’s room – very sterile!

Mostly everyone here does construction, runs a little store, or drives a trike or Jeepney for a living. It’s weird how different it is here. I miss you all back at home, but I know that I’ll be back in several short months. I’m counting the fast Sundays, so that should be okay. I know that this is difficult, and it’ll get harder at times, but I also know that I will experience great joy, probably some of the greatest joy I will ever experience. I have the opportunity to baptize a sister this Saturday and I’m extremely excited. It will be a completed family too. That is why I’m here, to help others understand that they can have the blessings of being with their family for all of eternity. That’s what’s getting me through this, is knowing that I can be with my family forever. I love all of you!

Elder Tyler Burbidge