In the World But Not of the World

Man I can't believe what is happening to all the crops! I've never even heard of anything like this happening! Before I forget, with the package can you also send those 4 books that mom likes? Our Heritage, Jesus the Christ, and the other 2 books with it. Thanks. Alma 26:37 is the one I want for the plaque. I forget to email it each time then I remember later in the day. Also another thing I forgot to email or do before I left is you know the hatch over the left ballast tank with the stripped screws? When I was boating they all came off so I put the screws and the plate part either in the glove box or one of the cup holders, can't remember. But be careful opening the hatch because it will flip all the way over since there is no hydraulic thing holding it back. You'll see it when you go down there. But hopefully it warms up so you can go out a couple more times! I also can't believe I'll be flying out soon, feels like I just got here! Not a whole lot of new things happened this week. We have two investigators and they are way harder than our first investigator. I teach one of them alone and the other in a trio. Hosting this week was a ton of fun. After I dropped people off at the class I ran back to the curb to get another missionary to try and get as many as I could! We get to host again this week so I'm super excited! The only missionary I knew that I saw was Riley Kinghorn (I think mom knows who that is) but I wasn't his host. My teacher is amazing, she always knows what to say and when to say it if we need some uplifting when we get discouraged. One elder in my district is amazing at soccer from Nashville and turned down a huge scholarship to come on a mission but he had is mom send a little size one ball and we play soccer in the halls. So much fun. Normally just happens on p-days but it is a blast! Can't really think of anything else that has happened this week. Just mainly the same thing every day. I like getting the dear elders so I can know what's going on back at home. My teacher was giving me updates on the BYU game last night in class so I was pretty pumped on the 35-10 win for the opening game of the season! Next up is Texas so we'll see how it goes! It's nice to hear about things like that cause we don't hear about anything here. My branch president, President Howard, (He knows G&G Haacke), was at the classroom the other day and we asked him if he was going to stick around and he's like, "I would but Boise is playing Ole Miss right now so I got to go" haha he definitely got a reaction out of everybody. He's a great guy though and we all love him a ton! But yeah I guess he knows G&G Haacke pretty well so we talked about that for a while! I don't have time to type one in the other group so just forward this one to those who want it. Hope all is well and warms up soon! Love you all.

Elder Haacke

 

 

Tagalog Tagalong

I am no longer in class one on one with the teacher. Thursday was my first day staying in class with the rest of my district. Most of them are still a little ahead but just on vocab which is something I can study and catch up on. Also something that started on Thursday is having two three hour periods of class after lunch instead of just one. Sure does get hard to stay awake in but we stand up every once in a while so that helps. Lessons in Tagalog are getting better each time. We get a new investigator on Monday. Teaching by myself still isn't very much fun though. I can understand what she is asking for the most part but have no idea how to answer her in Tagalog. That is where some help from a companion would come in. So normally I just tell her that I'll come back tomorrow to answer her questions haha. Our district was asked to host this week so I am pretty excited to do that this Wednesday. I have seen Kelton twice, Chris Sanders once, and Caleb Sanders once. They all seem to be liking it here and having a good time. I forgot to tell you in my first email but we play volleyball every gym time with the zone. It is so much fun playing in the sand as long as it doesn't rain. Other then that nothing much has happened. Just the daily wake up, study, play volleyball, lunch, then class schedule. Do the same thing everyday it feels like. Letters and packages have been nice to get during the week. Those are always uplifting. Sad to hear about the grain up there. Hopefully potato prices are on the up side to try and make up for some of the grain loss. Also, hopefully you guys can start to get some sun so you can still have a little bit of summer! Hope all is going well! The picture is of our district and a few Elders from another district that were leaving for the Philippines the next morning. We woke up at 3:30 in the morning to say goodbye to them.

I Need Candy!

First Couple of Days

Well my p-days are on Saturdays just for you guys to know. I only have one hour on the computer so it will normally be in the morning. After drop off, I was only with Jake for about an hour and then I was off to my first lesson in Tagalog. I didn't understand anything she was saying to me. Finally she said a couple words in English so we could talk a little bit. It is easy to get frustrated learning the language. Last night I gave my first lesson to an investigator and it had to be in all Tagalog. It was the shortest lesson I have ever given. I greeted her and I said the opening prayer then we talked a little about how God loves us and we are his children then I had to teach her how to say a prayer so she could say the closing prayer and then we ended. I have another lesson with her tonight that will probably be even worse than the first one. It is even harder for me because I am a solo missionary so I don't have a companion to teach with. In class, I am 1 on 1 with the teacher to try and help me learn faster. All the other elders in my district reported August 6 so they are a week ahead of me. Their calls all said to report on August 13th but then their stake presidents later asked them to report August 6th. By this Thursday I am supposed to be caught up with them and join them in their class. I love the elders in my district. They are some of the funniest guys I have ever met but also are very obedient to the rules and know when its time to be spiritual and reverent. None of them are going to the Cauayan mission but some of them are going to go to BYU-I when we get back so hopefully we can meet up then. Every time we came back to the room the second day we had another mattress in there so Elder Strader decided to sleep on three of them. When we woke up in the morning he had one mattress on the ground and was sleeping on it. Apparently at around one in the morning he woke up because it was the most uncomfortable thing ever. The picture is from yesterday in the classroom after everyone had taught the investigator.

Even though this is only my fourth day, if you count Wednesday, it feels like I have been here for a month. I leave September 18th for the mission field and as of now return home around July 27, 2016 but maybe that will change while I am out in the field. Hope all is going well at home!

 Elder Haacke

MTC Day

Elder Bryan Haacke entered the MTC today.  They stopped by the Provo Temple to take some family pictures:

I am sure Bryan's Dad had plenty of last minute advise to give him.

Elder Jake Koplin, one of Bryan's best friends, was the missionary host that met Bryan at the curb:

 He had to run to catch up with the car so he was able to be Bryan's host.

 Elders

Saying good-bye:

 

Off he goes!

Welcome!

Welcome to Elder Bryan Haacke's mission blog.  Stop by here to keep up with Elder Haacke's latest letters and pictures.