Mabilis na naman! (15)

Mabilis na naman means Fast, very fast. Which is a perfect description as to this transfer and it's time...passing...rate. Basta...it went by ridiculously fast. soooo where did we leave off?

Christmas Zone Conference Attire

Ahh... yes... after my long rant about conference heh heh. Well, yea. Elder Trebas and I became companions. And words cannot express or explain how much I have learned from and with him in the past six weeks. It has been on an entirely different tier and level then I have had prior in my mission. It's that line upon line thing. Yea, it's way cool to be put with a friend on a mission, but this is different. I have a solid testimony about people being placed in areas and with companions for a reason. But I could never have comprehended what happened between Trebas and I as the transfer progressed.


(explanation of Lopez area omitted)

 With Trebas, the first few weeks was like meeting up with your bro you haven't seen in a long time. And then getting used to being comps. That is normal, but it was such a smooth transition. It felt like I had been his comp for 3 months already. When we taught, we were unified. We would pick up right where the other left off. We would often complete the other's thought and often referred to the same scripture or principle unknowingly. We then had our leadership training meeting, which gave us a spiritual amplification of tutor, revelation, and drive, with which we used to alter our teaching and try to become the best possible teachers we could be. I feel we accomplished a progression. We began teaching so specifically to needs, so much more about teaching people instead of lessons. We went into one house expecting to teach Enduring to the End, but came out not mentioning it once and taught about the weaknesses of man, the Natural man, and how humility brings us closer to God with an emphasis on repentance. Our weekly planning sessions became my favorite part of the week. It would take the required 2-3 hours, most oftentimes past 3. Planning, discussing, sharing, edifying, and helping one another. We opened up to each other about what we wanted to accomplish, how we wanted to change, and what weaknesses we have. Through these companionship inventories, I found answers to questions I had been asking my entire mission (which has been sixteen months so far). I have grown so much because of the things he has advised and helped me with, and I can humbly assume he would say the same. That is textbook edification.

 [I want to make mention of how this was literally the higher law I learned from my time in Pagbilao with Elder Lotima. With him, I learned open communication was needed and healthy for a companionship to function, and to ensure that no problems existed; but this... this was most definitely the next level. This kind of communication was raw, unfiltered, pure, and uncensored. It was truth expressed one to another without the hindrance of fear. Fear meaning; the vulnerability that comes with talking about the weaknesses that darken us, the fear of being judged, or the fear of being misunderstood, insecurity, and the fear of offending the other person. When we were able to be entirely open and honest, it opened up a new level of trust, friendship, and love between us. It was gaining a true understanding of one another, and the unconditional acceptance and love that followed made all experiences that happened, whether they were good or bad, enjoyable ones. True open communication led our companionship to a higher level of living, and we were able to help our zone, area, and even mission (eventually) through that relationship that was formed through the Holy Ghost.]

 One particular planning session took the entirety of a day. For reasons I do not feel appropriate to write in such a general mass e-mail. Let it suffice to say, that God has a reason that he puts people in our path, and upon rare occasion, you meet someone you knew from before. So, as the weeks continued, our investigators progressed. We saw increased unity in the zone. Life couldn't be better right? We had a Halloween party for the zone, and started to cook Philippino dishes from a cookbook we bought.We wrote songs on the guitar, we even made Christmas Zone Con outfits (see above). So life was pretty much the happiest, and most successful and revelatory it has been on my entire mission. And, as is the pattern, it has been taken from me once again.

After 6 weeks, Elder Mace is transferred.


When the text came in I was devastated, confused, and frustrated. Much like my past reactions to changes in my mission. Why, when everything is so perfect...that everything has to be speedily taken from me once again? Sister Smith texted me and said that I should be used to the frequent heartbreak of leaving companions and areas. Out of the 10 zones in my mission, I have been assigned to 5 of them...soon to be 6; and of those 4 remaining, I have spent significant time in two of them, leaving only two zones in my mission I have yet to travel to. One of which might be my next area. I also thought of the fact that I have no children. Never had the chance to train. And as far as companions go, lets just say, out of the eleven transfer days that have passed on my mission, I have been to nine of them (and it should have been ten because of Sudaria getting sent home). I could murmur, complain, but nah. I've been out here too long, I've learned this lesson.

<3 o' gratitude

I turned from my sour feelings as quick as I could to my knees as I prayed out sincere gratitude for the time God has given me to be with one of my closest friends. We became brothers, and I was so grateful for that bond we made because of the spiritual experiences we went through. I was grateful for the happy times I had, as I'm sure you saw in the pictures I've been sending home. I was so grateful for all the things I had learned, the people I had met, the lessons that were taught. All of it. And as I rose from my knees, I knew that this was right. That even though, the natural man screams injustice, and how this is seemingly so unfair. (It's unfair I was put with him to begin with =P ). I know that wherever I'm going, whoever I'll meet next, and whatever I'll do. It's what, who, and where God wants me.






     I will be sure to inform you where I am assigned next week, as transfer day is only four days from now.

Attitude of gratitude baby. It is the answer to any bad feelings you may encounter.

 God is good.

I love you all,

-Elder Charles Mace