Wednesday, March 30, 2016

No egg salad sandwich for Easter = semi- bummer

Hello everyone!!! I'm so happy you are all so happy! haha According to the photos I've gotten it looks like you're all just having a ball!!! I too am doing pretty awesome! 

I had a super awesome Easter, because it was just like every other day of my last 5 months, and they have all been super awesome. :) You can tell whoever it is that won the Annual Fawson Family Easter-egg Hunt "CONGRAZZLES!" Unfortunately for them, I won the hunt that was most important. The 1st Annual Fawson Family Soul Hunt. That's right. New tradition! haha We found 12 new investigators this week, and 5 of them are a family, so it's super exciting. 

This week, I was in a lesson with one of our less-actives, Brother Chance (he's only 12 yrs old) and I was like, "ngayon, magbahagi kami sa inyo tunkol sa isang Easter message. (Now, we're gonna share to you about an Easter message) and he was all like, "What's Easter?" I was so surprised! He had no idea about what Easter was! How sad is that? We explained it to him though, so now he knows. Don't worry. :)

Last Wednesday was our zone conference. That's when 3 or 4 zones all get together and receive training and stuff from the Mission President and it's super great, so that was awesome. We learned about how to be "The One." Not "the chosen one," (although I already have that one down. people call me Harry Potter for some reason. haha) but the one that stands alone in temptation, and stuff like that. It was really great and inspiring. President Ostler talked about the Grand Canyon. We are all on one side of the canyon (which was labeled as "Justice") and we want to get to the other side (which was labeled "Mercy") Fortunately there is a bridge (the atonement). Unfortunately, there is a toll to get across the bridge (repentance). The bridge is the only way for us to get from the super hot dusty uncomfortable side of justice, to the nice not so hot and dusty and more comfy side of mercy. I think at the grand Canyon, both sides are super hot and dusty, but it was a good analogy. :) Magsisi kayo, magsisi kayo [repent, repent] !!! haha 

Philippines Manila Mission North Zones
Anywho, the most memorable thing about zone conference was what happened on the way home.  We were at a cross-walk trying to flag down a taxi, and a lady came up to me and asked if I was an ambassador of Christ. I replied, "We're missionaries from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints." Then she grabbed my hand, put it on her head and said, "Heal me! Heal me!" shocked, I stepped back and then she prostrated herself on the ground and bowed down to me calling me a god and stuff. I was really freaked out. We told her to stand up and helped her to her feet, then she just started talking really fast in Tagalog and was sobbing. I had no idea what to do. A traffic director came over and made sure she was okay, so we just speed-walked across the street and found somewhere else to catch our taxi. It was quite possibly the most awkward experience of my entire life!!!

[Rob wrote a letter to his mission president explaining the event and asking him for advice on how he should have handled the situation more appropriately, in the event that anything similar happens again in the future.]


Yesterday I was giving someone a high five, and they wanted to do a knuckles, so he knuckled my palm and it reminded me of when at school we would always give each other turkeys, and then I lost The Game, so that was lame. hahaha

Yup. I can't really think of anything else to share about that would be worth telling. everything seems so insignificant compared to being a god. :) I never got to eat my egg-salad sandwich, so that was a semi-bummer. Hopefully I will have time later today!

 I sang Come Unto Jesus in church yesterday, so Dad, if you sang in church for some Easter program, you can know that I did the same thing and feel some sort of fatherly connection. haha Happy Easter!!! I guess it's still yesterday for you all. :) Ingat!!!

Elder Fawson

Wednesday, March 23, 2016

The members here are so fun

I'm Atlas

"CHOOOOCOLAAAATE!!!!" 
-Crazy guy from Spongebob


"It's a party in my tummy. So yummy. So yummy!"
-Yo Gabba Gabba

Elder Lumanta and I are learning about the power of torq! 

Just chilling' with Neil Armstrong
"Space. The final frontier.... To go where no man has gone before."
-Star Trek

We're going to steal, (pause for effect) THE MOON!!!!
-Gru


"It's the moon stone!" 
-Seymore the Scientist
Hello family!!! 

I just got out of the temple about 45 minutes ago, so I am doing super great right now. Seeing that beautiful chandelier in the Celestial Room always makes me feel happy. Or maybe it's just being in the temple. How about both! hahaha

Elders Fawson and Delacruz at the Manila Temple
I hope you all have a wonderful Easter!!! I most certainly will. Maybe I will hard boil some eggs and make me a delicious easter-egg-salad-sandwich. What is Easter without an egg-salad sandwich after all? I probably won't be participating in any egg hunts, or dying any eggs, but I will be on an Easter soul hunt. haha That's right! While you are all spending time with family, and playing and stuff, I will be helping people to be with their family for eternity through the atonement and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Are you jealous? 'Cause you should be!!! haha

I have to tell you about the Mind Museum! It was super awesome, and I got some fabulous photos. There was a space/astronomy section that was way cool. There was a moon and we could choose which phase we wanted it to be, and I knew all the names of the phases and everyone was super impressed (Thanks dad!). haha Also there was a T-rex and he had bigger feet than me. :( I guess that T-rex's are super big, cause I was not even as tall as his femur. hahaha

We had a really busy, but successful week! Yesterday was wild! We had 7 lessons! 4 of them were member present, and the other 3 were with recent converts and less actives. And to top it off, 3 of the people we visited fed us. We had 2 FHEs, so that was fun! The members here are so fun. haha I was too full to eat my Crunchy Way when I got home. haha Yup. Super awesome day. 

A bummer thing that is happening is that Elder Leota (my house mate that is from my same batch) is having an emergency transfer and won't live with us anymore. He will be sorely missed! I like him a lot!!! In the words of Bill, "Bogus. Heinous. Most non-tranquil!" But all is well. Life goes on, and souls are being saved. :)

That person at church that asked if I'd been gone an entire year probably was just wishing that so I would be coming home sooner because they miss me so much. haha! Actually exactly 5 months ago I was on a plane flying to Tokyo, so that's crazy. October 22 is the day that I skipped because of the time difference. :) 

A few days ago during my personal study the people across the street were blasting their radio so loud and just so happened to be jamming out to "Highway to Hell". hahaha It was sort of Ironic! Naturally, I couldn't help but hum along as I read my scriptures. haha

So yeah. Super awesome day to top off a super awesome week! I love you all, and have a "most excellent adventure" of an Easter! 


Elder Fawson
We can't endure our weekly planning sessions if we don't get some pizza delivered to our house!!! Thanks Papa Jons. You saved us!!!!!


The following photos were forwarded from an email from Brother  Wilmar Jovaenir who said...
si Elder Dela Cruz at si Elder Fawson also kung makatawa Wagas halos mapupunit na yung pisngi at don't smile lalo at wala na yung mga mata hahahaha:

This appears to be a glamor shot. haha

Elder Delacruz and Brother Jovenir

Elders with Brother Jovenir for FHE

Tuesday, March 15, 2016

Lizards on the walls make me think of home

Hello! Sorry for not E-mailing you yesterday. Hopefully no one freaked out too much! I actually didn't go to the temple... yet. That will happen next week, so I'll e-mail on Tuesday next week too. The reason for the delay this time is that we have a district activity of going to the Mind Museum in Global City, Makati. It's supposed to be super awesome, but it's closed on Mondays, so today it is. We are leaving to go there in just a few minutes. You should see if there is anything about it on google or something. I'll take lots of photos for you, 'cause naturally the photos you see will be so much better if I am in them!!! haha So I am super excited to do that!!!!!

Makati Museum of the Mind
All is well here on the mission! My investigators are all doing well, and we've been having loads more member present lessons lately!!! The members ask us if they can work with us. hahaha We had 5 investigators at church on Sunday, so that was super awesome!!! I am pretty sure that at least 2 of them will be baptized in the coming month or so. Exciting stuff!!! 

Sorry I don't have a lot of time to E-mail a gigantor e-mail today 'cause of the museum, but I do have one thing to share with you before I go. It's another awkward hand-shake experience. I was OYMing a nice old lady that had had a stroke, and so when she talked it was like when you breathe all the air out of your lungs and then try to utter a word. Anywho, I went to shake her hand and she took mine, and started to caress the top and said to me in her old lady voice, "You have beautiful hands." hahaha It was super weird! I didn't know what to say. I just was like "salamat po." (thank-you) and then stood there for a few seconds not knowing what to do. hahaha So weird!!! haha That's all. 

In reference to our report about our whale watching adventure, Robert said, “I go cockroach watching sometimes when they run across my scriptures during personal study. hahaha” 


He also says, “I see little lizards on the walls of buildings some times. It makes me think of home.”

Monday, March 7, 2016

This week almost 30 lessons and 9 new investigators!...190 OYMs (open your mouth)

Just Elder Leota and I. We went through the MTC together and are now in the same apartment. He is super cool. He is Samoan, but lives in Australia, and has a pretty awesome accent too. Heidi would love it. Sorry dad. He doesn't sound at all like you when you try to speak Australian. hahaha 
Just us after our weekly ward coordination meeting. :) 
Me, Elder Delacruz (left), Brother Ezekiel (ward mission leader [middle left]), Elder Lumanta (Middle right), Elder Boshard (Right). Elder Lumanta and Boshard and the zone leaders, and in our district. They rock!!

Hello Family!!! (and anyone else who reads this)

I am doing just dandy today. this was a good week! We reached our OYM goals of 190, we had almost 30 lessons, and found 9 new investigators (hopefully they progress!!!) It's been going great with Elder Delacruz so far. We work pretty well together. Yesterday was super great. 

We had 2 of our investigators come to church for the 1st time. It was really awesome. They are a mom (Joan and dad (Antolin) with a little baby that is so cute! They missed the passing of the sacrament 'cause they came late, so that was a bummer 'cause that's the best part, but all is well. They said they would adjust their time next week so they can be there on time. That means they intend to come next week too. WOOHOO!!! Hooray for the Holy Ghost! He the greatest! 

I also have to adjust to being the house mouse. Everyone in my apartment is really great! Elder Leota is new to the apartment and he is super awesome. We are in the same batch, but we never associated all that much. I like him! I'm sort of hyper sensitive to any stray spoon that isn't washed and stuff like that now. haha 

Robert’s answer to “What is a house mouse?”...I've lived in our apartment the longest, which means I'm in charge of making sure everything is in order. Dishes are washed, bills are payed, etc. :) Paying bills is fun. haha We had to pay a whoppin' 700 pisos for our water bill this month! That's like $15. Good thing we split that between the 4 of us. haha


I don't have any wild food that I ate this week, but yesterday was fast sunday and it was the most hungry I've ever been in my life. I'm pretty sure if we had come home any later I would have died of salvation. OOPS! I meant starvation, not salvation. I guess it's good though. The more you suffer during your fast the better. That's sort of the point of fasting is to show the Lord your devotion to him by depriving yourself of those basic bear necessities of life for just a while. By doing so, he says, "Wow. This person didn't eat breakfast, or lunch and is walking around in the hot sun for hours and hours teaching the gospel all for me. I think I'll bless him." Then he blesses you with whatever it is you are fasting for. :) In my case, the gift of tongues. In an investigators case, to know the truth. In Old Man Jenkins case, to be able to eat a hamburger without having a heart attack and dying. :) Really you can fast for anything. "Pretty grand eh?" -Chris Kringle

This week in my personal study I was reading about when Christ started his ministry and said to people, "Come, follow me." As I was expounding this to Elder Delacruz that we too must accept his invitation, a perfect analogy came to my brain. In order for us to come unto Christ, we have to follow his trail, like a lion tracking a gazelle. The lion has to follow the exact trail of it's prey in order to find it. If he gets distracted and wanders off the path of the prey, he must backtrack in order to get back on the right path again. He cannot take a short cut, lest he lose the scent. He needs to go exactly the same way the gazelle went. We too need to do the same things that our savior did in order to come unto him, because we can't come unto him, if we don't go the same way he went. "Straight is the path, and narrow the way that leads to eternal life." There is only one way that leads to Christ. If we ever leave that path, we had better backtrack (repent) and find it again, or we will never receive that bread of eternal life. Good analogy, di ba? (right)

Any who, I was folding my garments this week and a spider climbed out of one of them. It was really cool. It was brown and not very big. smaller than my pinky nail. I tried to snap a photo of him though, and guess what. He jumped away every time he was about to get documented. He is so fast. He is more unphotogenic than Heidi. hahaha I couldn't get even a blurry photo of him before he jumped off my bed. haha Sayang (too bad)!

We have access to a washing machine!!!!!! The land lordess has one down stairs, and we asked if we could borrow it and she said it was okay. We just man handled it up the stairs and away we went. "So clean, so good!" -SOGO

Let's all sing the hot dog song for this! 

Hot dog hot dog hot diggidy dog. Hot dog hot dog hot diggidy dog. hot dog, hot dog, hot diggidy doooog. HOT DOG, HOT DOG HOT DIGGIDY DOG!!!
You can ask Heidi for the tune. :)




It's so nice to have that. Now washing clothes will be a cinch! :) 

That's all the excitement for this week. :) Toodles