February 17, 2015 - Talisay City, Cebu

Yeah, I realized I don't have a forever left on my mission yesterday, because yesterday my birthday was announced and I got candy. For the Second and last time! 

We had zone Conference yesterday, which was a very large meeting of everyone assigned on Cebu (in Cebu mission.) President taught about the life of WW Phelps, the AP's taught about teaching, and we watched a movie! Yay, we watched Meet the mormons, the new church movie. I loved that, because I learned a lot. I learned about being active. All these people it showed were people who were happy and active in doing what they love. (Including a section about a father and son skiing at Snowbird. That was weird. And you've got to watch that dad, if you think you've got knee problems. That was Primrose they were going down, and I'll let you watch it to see why I say that, it's in the last section, "The missionary mom" if you end up watching it.) 

But I really liked that, that they were all super active for what they loved. And I really learned yesterday, as we were sitting and watching this, about what I need to do.  I've learned of myself this last week that part of my character is that I like to learn. And so all of my mission, I've been striving to learn more, being worried I don't know enough, and such. But I've learned that's not what I lack. I don't lack knowledge. I lack doing. I lack making things happen. And this is what I want to strive to gain. I want to learn to be active. Even before my mission, I went to church, and I had a good testimony, but I wasn't active, because I didn't know how to be active. And that's being active in anything, I didn't really know how to be active. And so now in my mission, I've found I know what to do a lot of the time, but I lack the confidence to do it because if i do something, then I'd have to be actively engaged in that thing. And generally, it's a good thing to be actively engaged in something good! So I learned yesterday that I need not to be so concerned in what I'm going to do, just that I need to do it. Sister McCurdy said something I really liked, a one liner: I'd rather see a sermon than hear one.

But other than that, this week was Talisay Stake Conference! We went to the Saturday Evening and Saturday sessions, where President McCurdy, a member of the Cebu Temple Presidency, and a Seventy as well. The focus was on the 2015 Philippines Area Goals, which are made to help peopel follow the Work of Salvation, as found in Handbook 2, ch. 5. It was super cool.

I love you all a ton. I've learned a lot about myself this week. And yall need to go to the temple, you've got like 20 within walking distance or something.

Love you,

Elder Dunford.