December 29, 2013 -- Email #10

Editors note-- We just returned from San Francisco where we traveled to watch Michael play in the bowl game.  I attached some pictures of our trip in my email to Elder K-- Knowing this, his first comments will make more sense :-)



December 29, 2013
Cabarroguis, Diffun, Cagayan Valley, Philippines

Kumusta Pamilya ko!

San Fran! That looks so fun! Ah, Full House, What's up Doc, Princess Diaries... Yeah that is a city of many childhood memories of mine. Even if I never went there. Oh well, you've done it for me. I'm making some memories of my own over here in the Pilipinas! You only talked to Sister Missionaries, though? I think I know of at least two Elders there who went to Maeser... Elder Adam and Rindlisbacher. I think? That's really embarrassing if I'm wrong. Oh well.

What happened this week? Oh yeah. Pasko. Christmas. Here in the Philippines, they stay up to midnight on Christmas Eve to celebrate. They have a huge fair, people get presents... It's pretty similar to here other than the temperature difference. We didn't get to teach nearly as many lessons because people were very busy with the holidays. But it wasn't that bad. We were very productive even though this season is crazy. 

The ward Christmas party was very fun. I won the game "It's So Fluffy" or as we call it in the states, "Chubby Bunny". 23 Marshmallows in my mouth. It was delicious. Oh yeah, and I got to try the Filipino desert Halo-Halo. It's everything I've ever loved in my life stuffed in a giant bowl. Ice Cream, freshly shaved coconut, flan, gummies, jello, and yes, even beans. So that was amazing. 

You know, I haven't really told you much about the people we're teaching. Lemme tell you about a few of them:

Brother and Sister Mercado we're being taught by Elder Manabo with his old companion before I came. My first lesson with them was my second day. They have been coming to church, always listen well, and always ask good questions. It's apparent that they want to know if what we are teaching is true, and even though they seem hesitant at times, they are finding out for themselves, and that's a good place to be. We've invited them to be baptized, and they said they would like to do it after they've finished building a house next door. So talk about a service opportunity! It kind of equates to the more we can help them on this house, the faster they'll be baptized. Really, in all honesty, the best missionary work is service. Even the smallest services we are able to offer go a long way. It's putting actions behind our faith. The example and positive aura of service, especially along side investigators, brings an excellent medium for the Spirit to be received and for truths to be testified of. 

I'll talk about another set of investigators next week, and so on, but I don't have a lot of time left.

Most people here are Christian. The schooling here is all bible-centered, although some things have been altered, which is funny. I was looking in one of kids school-books, and they show a picture of Jesus being baptized by sprinkling. They also, ironically, take the time to tell the story of John the Baptist not allowing the Pharisees to be baptized because they had not brought forth fruits (repentance) that they were worthy of it. Hey, that's right, isn't it? So, why do you baptize babies again?

I also would like to stress the importance of why I was called to teach in the language of Tagalog. 

People here are schooled in English. The prayers offered during school(memorized with crossing the chest) are in English. The road signs are in English. Most advertisements on T.V., billboards, or at the grocery store here are in English. Prices for things are repeated in English. They understand English very well! But, I was called to teach in the language of Tagalog, because Tagalog is the language of home. When a child comes home from a long day of school, and tells their parents about their day, it is in Tagalog. When the family gets together in the evening to talk to each other, it is in Tagalog. When we teach them the restored gospel, it is in Tagalog. Because this gospel, especially emphasized in this dispensation, is for families. It is for families to come closer and be strengthened in this time of great familial and relational destruction. It is not a vain, repetitious, "religious" thought. It is a tool for us to use; to hold close to those people we cherish most, and to stay away from things that might separate us from them. I know we have a living prophet and twelve apostles today, and that their counsel is not given indirectly. It is given to us directly, for our very real and moving lives, that we might be obedient. Obedience is how we learn what the fruits of faith are. Through obedience, we can find out for ourselves if this is the true church, if Joseph Smith is a prophet, and if the Book of Mormon is a true record of the people of Ancient America, and the word of God. So, try your faith out. "plant it in your heart," and "try the experiment of it's goodness"(Alma 34:4). And the Spirit, whether in a sign, or in a feeling, or in a still, small voice, will confirm. And always will. May we have such faith! In the name of our Divine Redeemer, Jesus Christ, amen. 

-Elder Kocherhans

December 22, 2013-- Email #9

December 22, 2013
Cabarroguis, Diffun, Cagayan Valley, Philippines

Well, this week was swell! 

There was a funeral in the house next door to our apartment (and by next door I mean that we're kind of in the same house in a separate sort of guest house area). Traditionally in the Philippines, after someone dies, they set up a huge pavilion in front of the house, invite all the family members to come into town, and play poker and get drunk every day for about a week. Once they get tired of this, they decide they should have a funeral, because the body is usually just lying somewhere in the house. So they have a funeral service. With very loud music. Including brass bands. And karaoke. That play music. All. Night. All night. So that's great. Because you don't get sleep.

I also found that I will refer to moths as birds here. Because they are about the same size. I'm not kidding. I'm walking in the apartment one night and I see a large animal on the wall.

"Oh, that's a funny looking bird. Wait..." O___O. No. No no no no no no. Elder Manabo says the biggest he's seen is about two feet long. *Puke*

And the spiders. I'll call them dogs. Or hellhounds. Or Aragog. Or Shelob. Savages? (Air-fist to those who got that reference). Whichever works. 

VIDEO CALL: 9:00 AM here is 6:00 PM there. So I'm thinking I could call you, for me, on the 26th at noon or so, and that would be Christmas Day at around 9:00 PM for you. Would that work? And yes, Google hangout will work, I might need to use my personal email account to access it though. Which is approved, as long as I just use it for the hangout. 

Be grateful for good, clean hospitals. 

We visited a hospital here to give a sister a blessing of healing. I'm surprised I was able to maintain my composure while walking through that place. It was... absolutely tragic. I can't really explain exactly how tragic it was, but I can tell you that America is an amazing country, and our hospitals are among the best in the world. So be grateful for that; that you have access to such a thing in cases of emergency. We are truly blessed in that land. Among other things you can be grateful for are toilet seats, toilet paper being acknowledged as a necessity(which it is not here in the Philippines), hot water, authentic Italian restaurants, Coneys, J-Dawgs, traffic laws, clean strait teeth, and many other things. Which I will be fine without while I'm here, but that I will be grateful for when I return. 

I found an interesting parallel this week between the words of Jean Val Jean during Epilogue and Mormon/Moroni at the end of the Book of Mormon. This part in particular I like to see Moroni saying while closing the book and urging people to read it: "On this page, I write my last confession. Read it well, when I at last am sleeping. It's a story, of those who always loved you. [and many] gave their life for you and gave [this] to your keeping." I thought about how Moroni and Mormon must have felt, while compiling the records of endless wars and contentions and sins and righteousness which had fallen, and how deeply they must have wanted us, the future generations, to learn something from it. Can we please? Listen to the voices of those crying from the dust. They have been through much. They know. We ought to listen to them, if we are to maintain happiness on the face of the land.

I pray for you guys every night. I hope you know that. Family is so central to Gods plan, and it has been especially emphasized in importance this dispensation for a reason. Don't let anything come between. I wish for this Christmas that all families everywhere could become a little closer, and as I have learned here, it is so easy to get close to your family through the restored gospel. SO easy. So take advantage of the blessings and resources you have there, and use them to make Christmas about families, and about Him who came into the world to save us all, through His simple yet profound gospel. Maligayan Pasko! Merry Christmas!

-Elder Kocherhans

Ya know, just walking through the suburbs.

Photos from President and Sister Rahlf

December 15, 2013 Email #8

December 15, 2013
Cabarroguis, Diffun, Cagayan Valley, Philippines

Fun times here in the Philippines! We're teaching on average about 6 times a day, and Elder Manabo says that this is the most productive time on his mission he's had thus far, and he's been here 8 months! So it's been really fun. Now it's just a matter of not getting burnt out. Teaching is absolute fun. When we're teaching, and the Spirit is on our side, it is just pure joy.  

I've had balut twice now! It is so good! Oh, and it is not what we all think it is. They don't bury it underground at all. All it is is a hard boiled egg that just happened to include a duck fetus in it. Super masarap(delicious). The rice cakes here are really really good. And they do have a MacDo in Santiago City, so we eat there on p-day. They have big macs and stuff, but they also have rice and chicken stuff. Pretty funny.  

Sometimes I catch myself thinking of home, and thinking about talking to people at home after I'm home, and Slick, and many songs have come to my head while I'm here, and I've come up with many songs... But I remember the words of Peter when he responded to Jesus: "To whom shall I go? Thou hast the words of eternal life." It's great to be in this work, and when I'm fully focused in it, there is nothing on this earth I'd trade it for. 

I've felt the spirit of the Book of Mormon especially this week. It is true. It is a record intended for our day; that we may read and gain from it. More than once this week I have welled up with tears and choked up when testifying to people that I love the Book of Mormon, and that I know it will bless their lives. Read it! It is unlimited in its teachings, through the power of the spirit!

So, this week I have a few stories about how awesome the Spirit is, and how if we use it, we can do all sorts of really good things!

Tuesday last week, I felt an impression that morning to bring an Ilocano Book of Mormon with me. We didn't have any Ilocano investigators, and rarely ran into people who only spoke Ilocano, but I brought it anyway. Later that day, we came upon an old man splitting wood with a machete, and he had a piece of wood with a huge knot at the bottom. So, it was really difficult to split. I offered to help him. So for the next five minutes I wacked this piece of wood as hard as I could against a rock with the machete, trying to split it. I eventually took the machete out of the wood and ripped the log in half with my bear hands, which was pretty fun. He was pretty amused with the whole ordeal; this random white kid helping him split wood. Afterwards, he started speaking Ilocano. So I pulled out the "Ti Libro ni Mormon" and gave it to him. He looked at it with surprise, like he could hardly believe we printed such a book in Ilocano. He thanked us graciously and we took a picture.

I wrote an enormous story here, but then I deleted the whole thing accidentally, and I'm going to take it as a sign that I was not suppose to tell you it. Because there are a few good reasons as to why I shouldn't disclose this story. So yeah. I guess I'll wait. I will testify that this is the true church, and that a prophet of God receives revelation today for us, to guide us at this time. I've been reading the conference talks again, they are so full of amazing counsel! Read up! I know the Book of Mormon is true, and that it is a powerful testament of Jesus Christ, and that it is powerful evidence that Joseph Smith was a prophet of God, and that Jesus Christ established this Church for these latter-days through the prophet Joseph Smith. I testify that this church holds true priesthood power, and true priesthood authority. 

I feel very inadequate sometimes, and I suffer with feelings of being forgotten by all those I've left behind. Like I will slowly fade out of existence there. But I can't let these feeling eat me, for they do not matter. I am a Filipino now. It will be a very very long time before I'm American again, and I just have to accept that. I appreciate all of your letters, one and all!

-Elder Kocherhans

December 9, 3013 - Philippines

December 9, 2013  
Cabarroguis, Diffun, Cagayan Valley, Philippines

We shall begin right after I got off the phone in Detroit. 

I sat down with Elder Peterson. He leans over and says "listen behind us". We were waiting for the flight to Manila, so naturally, the family behind us was speaking Tagalog. One of them said "bagsak?" and the other replied "bagsak." and then they both started laughing. That would be equated to someone saying "Fail?" "Fail." 

So I lean over and say "Kumusta! Taga saan po kayo?"(Hey! Where you from?) The man responded in English and explained he was a teacher at the University of the Philippines. We talked, he recognized us from the Broadway play he had seen, apologized for the mockery it made of us, and then I gave him a Book of Mormon. So that was cool. 

Then we had the extremely long flight to Nagoya. The person in front of me was watching some wacked-up Boliwood movie and then the person next to me decided to watch The Conjuring. That was a great desicion for them because it was just a little SEVERELY EMOTIONALLY SCARRING DUE TO HORRENDOUSLY SATANIC IMAGES but you know. No big deal. I had my head in the game so it didn't get me down.

I can say I've been to Japan now! On our way to the gate, a Japanese officer saw that we were all Americans and started leading us to a creepy gate titled "quarantine" where another Japanese man waiting with a mask and gloves. We told the guard we were going to Manila and his face relaxed. "Oh. Ok, nevermind, just keep going strait." The Japanese don't care if the Philippines gets contaminated with American germs.

We landed in Manila midnight the 4th, waited at a hotel for a few hours where we got zero sleep, then got into a van to head to the airport again for the flight to Cauayan. Yes, we flew to Cauayan. First of all, the traffic in Manila... HOLY AWESOME. So chaotic, and everyone is on the verge of crashing into the one next to them, yet somehow it all works. Jeepnees look like ghetto war vehicles. They are so gansta it ain't even funny. You don't mess with the Jeepnees. Basically all of the vehicles here are Tricees and occasionally a Japanese car. The Tricees are awesome too, I want to make one of my own when I return to America.

At the Manila airport, we ran into the batch from the Manila MTC going to Cauayan. There were several urgings from us to Elder McCausland to not say anything stupid. It's funny, when the Filipinos see his name, they read the first two letters and then exclaim "Elder MacDo!" (Elder McDonalds!)

On the flight to Cauayan, we began descending through the thick fog into the valley, and I was consumed with love for the place I was. We saw endless rice fields and rolling jungle mountains all around us. I stepped out of the plane and immediately felt "Oh my. I'm home." I haven't felt uncomfortable here. Even though it is so different, I haven't felt one bit of longing for the first-world home of America. We greeted the mission president, had lunch at his house, and then we were assigned to our Tatay (Fathers). Elder Manyabo is his name(Take out the Y and add the N with the little squigley over it). He is about half my size. All of the Filipinos are tiny. He is so awesome, though. 

So much has happened the past week here in the Philippines, I don't know where to start. My area is Santiago South, and the district is Cabarugis city. It's a beautiful place. It really is. Our apartment is pretty rough. But there is a shower head. There's a gas stove on the balcony thing and there's some manner of sink with a water filter from the mission. It's all concrete. We have a couch, and mattresses, and lots of cockroaches. But the cockroaches here are kind of... stoned? Or something? They move way slow and fall over and die all by themselves. So they haven't really been much of a problem. Mosquitos have been eating me but I have TerraSheild and Purify. The poverty here hasn't bothered me, strangely enough. The cold showers, the bugs, the lack of hygiene... Really hasn't bothered me. I find it a powerful testimony of me needing to be here right now.

After my first night of sleep that I had had in about three days, I awoke to my first morning in the Philippines. We taught about four lessons that day, and I actually had a large part in it. We also talked to a lot of people on the streets handing out pamphlets about the Restoration and sharing brief testimony. Tagalog is way fun to teach in, and they understand mixed English very well because English is taught in all of the schools here as a required course. It is also the language of pretty much every advertisement here. The second day we taught like six lessons. Everyone here lives in essentially camping conditions. Concrete slabs stuck in the mud with a few wooden benches here and there. There is jungle everywhere, especially my area. All appoinments we have after 6 are done in the dark, as we hike through the jungle with often only a cell phone flashlight. I've used my headlamp the past couple of times, though. It seems like I've been here forever. It's not like I did anything like this in America, yet I find everything so natural. We've had a ton of lessons everyday. My Tagalog comes with the Spirit, so it's a pretty fool-proof method. 

Lets see, I've taught a few severely drunk people(one of which showed us some surprisingly good kungfu), we've taught a few breast-feeders, we've taught some naked kids, we've attempted to talk to some farmers who only speak Ilocano(which is WAY different from Tagalog), we've taught a guy walking with him as he rode his Karibau(for you VeggieTales fans... It's a Cebuuuuuu) down the street dragging various sticks... We've had a lot of fun. 

I think the most simple testimony I bear here every day is being a random white kid with a name tag trudging through the mud and fields of Cabarugis, smiling and saying "Kumusta!" to everyone. I've never smiled more in my life since I've been here. And not like a fake smile. Truly, genuinely smiling all of the time. That isn't really like me. But it is here. Everyone notices I'm white. Even the goats here look at me like "Wha?" Whenever I tell whoever it is we're talking to that I'm from America, they laugh a little and I know they're thinking "Oh really! I couldn't tell!" (To quote Bugs Life). The popular thing to do here is to call out at the white people and say "Hey Joe! Whatsurname?" So that's pretty fun. All Americans are "Joe" here.

On Friday, we came past a Tricee station where a few guys were playing an Electric guitar. So, I decided to show them my stuff. We became real fast friends, and many Tricee drivers came by to watch. I then swiftly taught them about the Restoration, gave em a pamphlet, and arranged to return and teach. So that was fun. We also found and taught a family that basically lived in the middle of nowhere. I mean, like, middle of nowhere even by Filipino standards. We gave them three pamphlets with our phone numbers.

The ward here is way nice. I have been dubbed "Elder Kokokrunch". Kokokrunch is the Filipino brand of Cocoa Puffs. So yeah. That's how it is. We went to a baptism on Saturdaywhich was really awesome. She was ten years old, and began bawling as she bore her testimony about Joseph Smith. 

The weird foods I've had include: Fresh whole Squid on rice, grilled whole chicken head, grilled whole chicken feet, grilled whole chicken intestines, grilled cubed chicken blood, sauted whole chicken livers, milk fish(National Filipino fish in vinegar), packaged ulam(rice topping), and various other packaged Filipino snacks. They have all been delicious. Truly, they have. No Balut, yet. Just hasn't been on sale.   

So, somebody was a smart Elder this morning and forgot the card reader for the camera at the apartment. I'm about an hour away from it now. So yeah, pictures next week, I guess.

I can skype on Christmas, but details will come later.

NOW SIT DOWN AND LISTEN TO THIS PART BECAUSE THIS IS WHERE IT BECOMES IMPORTANT. THIS CHURCH IS NOT JUST ANY OTHER CHURCH. IT IS THE TRUE AND RESTORED CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST. THROUGH THE PROPHET JOSEPH SMITH, THE PRIESTHOOD HAS BEEN RESTORED TO EARTH, AND WE HAVE IT. DONT YOU FORGET THAT. 

THIS CHURCH IS NOT A UTAH CHURCH. AN OVERWHELMING MAJORITY OF ITS MEMBERS RESIDE OUTSIDE UTAH, AND EVEN STILL THE MAJORITY IS OUTSIDE THE UNITED STATES. ALL NATIONS, KINDREDS, TONGUES. INCLUDING THE PHILIPPINES. INCLUDING TAGALOG. DONT YOU FORGET THAT. FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT STRUGGLE WITH THE CULTURE HERE IN UTAH VALLEY, STOP. THIS IS THE KINGDOM OF GOD, AND IT IS UPON ALL OF THE EARTH, UPON ALL KINDS OF PEOPLE. NOT JUST MOLLY MORMON AND PETER PRIESTHOOD. THE MEMBERS HERE IN THE PHILIPPINES DON'T HAVE A WHOLE LOT, BUT THEY HAVE THE GOSPEL, AND THEY HAVE THEIR FAMILIES, AND WITHOUT MISSIONARY EFFORTS, MANY PEOPLE HERE WOULD BE ALL BUT LOST IN THE WORLD. THE FILIPINO MISSIONARIES SERVING WITH ME HAVE GIVEN UP EVERYTHING TO BE HERE, BECAUSE THEY KNOW THIS IS THE TRUE WORK OF GOD. THIS IS A GOSPEL OF CHANGE, AND I ADD MY WITNESS THAT THE ATONEMENT IS REAL, AND SAVES THOSE WHO IMPLEMENT IT IN THE WAY IT HAS BEEN INTENDED.

I KNOW THIS MORE THAN EVER BEING HERE IN THE PHILIPPINES, AND I HOPE YOU NEVER FORGET IT.

Ok, phew. Got that out of my system. This is a great work, and I am so glad to be apart of it! My english is already starting to deteriorate, and even now I'm typing with an accent! I have no idea how to send packages, but I want to cuz I have a lot of cool stuff! 

This letter is really scattered. Sorry. Just let me know where to fill in next week.

Oh, congrats Kara and Michael, for the whole time and eternity thing. But really, welcome to the family! I'm so excited for you two! Awesomesauce! 

Ok. I think I got everything. Ingat po, pamilya ko!

-Elder Kocherhans (Kokokrunch)