Elder Fisher

Hey everybody! Lets see, what's to say? Not a whole lot actually, just going through the routine now of being an assistant.  It's weird that I'm finally getting the hang of things now that I only have 2 more weeks... weird. Lately we had a Mission Tour with Elder Ardern from the Area Presidency here in the Philippines. We even had a short private meeting with him. One thing I learned though is "It's not how much you go through The Book of Mormon, it's how much the Book of Mormon goes through you." Anyone can just read The Book of Mormon but it's a whole other matter when you take the time to prayerfully ponder the messages that lay within. I testify yet again of the truthfulness of The Book of Mormon being the word of God and encourage all to take a moment to listen to the words He has prepared for you.

Another thing that's been happening lately is preparations for the upcoming transfer, yet again Elder Yambot and I went through with President Tye on the potential of the Cavite Mission and it's missionaries. I'm super excited for the future of this mission, President Tye is an amazing leader! I on the other hand have 2 weeks to train my replacement as Assistant to the President, his name is Elder Oakden and he his 3 times the missionary I am! 

In other news my Cousin just returned home from his mission! It's so weird that he is no longer "Elder Kasten". Weird to think that likewise I'll be the same, I just hope that my Stake President decides to take a vacation so I don't get released.. Anyways I'll upload some more pictures from our day in Tagaytay last month, Elder Oakden is the one wearing the "Beaver Football" shirt btw. Well till next week! (if there's time)

Much Love! 

Elder Fisher

Elder Derek Fisher

Sorry! Sorry sorry sorry, I know it's been a couple weeks since my last email. Just want you all to know that I'm alive and doing well. These last couple weeks have been an adventure! I don't know where to start. For one thing we had our first batch of new missionaries come in so we've spent a ton of time planning/preparing the transfers. Not only that but because only 6 missionaries went home and 24 came in we had to prepare to open a ton of new areas. In our ward we have 4 Elders, 2 Sisters, and the Office couple (8 missionaries in one ward). I anticipate within 6 months each ward will at least have 2 elders and 2 sisters. The work is truly hastening, with this many missionaries though it's going to call for more member missionary work to be done. Thus I believe we had the Work of Salvation broadcast not to long ago. Lets see what else has happened? We found a day to go to Tagaytay with the Bacoor zone the other week, It's nice to have a half day off every now and again. What else? Oh for the last 2 days we've had very heavy rain, good thing I'm driving now haha. The other day it was an adventure to get home driving through thigh high flooding. Sorry my camera is broken so no fun pictures. Today we went to the rescue of some missionaries who's apartments have flooded though. Lets see, oh one bit of good news is despite the business of the Assistant lifestyle we managed to have a baptism this week! I love this family. It started as we found ourselves riding in a Jeepney with a member on her way back from church in our first week in the area. We asked her if she knew someone we could teach and she mentioned how her mom is less-active and her father and brother aren't members yet. We felt the need to change our plans and visit this family. In the first month the mother returned to activity. After that things seemed to fall into place for that family, the father and son started going to church. As they prayed for a way the Father managed to get Sundays off of work despite the fact that he hasn't been able to get Sundays off for years (he works at the Philippines Airlines). In so many other ways I witnessed how living the Gospel has blessed this family, sure they made sacrifices, sure it is hard work, but nothing can compare to the feeling of living the Savior's teachings. Just the other day they made the decision to follow the Saviors example and be baptized. It's days like this that I love being a missionary (not that there are any days I don't). I love this work, I may not be the best at it, I may not be the most skilled, or the most fluent in Tagalog, or the most well versed, but I love it. I fully plan to end my mission the way I started. Thank you all for your love and support. Until next week! 

Elder Fisher

Elder Derek Fisher

Hey Everyone!  Today I was looking back as I was emailing my mom and seeing just how much has changed in my life in the last 2 years.  I only have about 15 more minutes of email time, but I just wanted to share some changes in my life since then.  In essence, I’m very much the same person, but the biggest difference is a great love and personal closeness to our Savior Jesus Christ.  I remember back when I was 13 and my mom brought the missionaries over to teach me.  One time they taught me that the Telestial Kingdom is better than the world we now live in and I remember telling them “well if that’s true, then that’s good enough for me.”  Since becoming a member, I’ve come to realize that Heavenly Father has so much more in-store for us than “good enough.”  He has given us the potential to become whatever we set ourselves to be.  It depends upon our diligence and faith to see those things through.  Before my mission I sold myself short a lot, I didn’t fully understand how this life is a trying ground to do our best.  Since I’ve come to that knowledge, I’ve come forth with a commitment to do my best.  I know that as we exert all we can in righteous actions, the Lord will bless us with His grace (temporal and spiritual power) to fulfill the things that normally aren’t possible. 

One thing I’ve really developed a testimony in, is faith unto prayer.  So many times I have received spiritual witnesses to truths otherwise unknowable.  Often times, as I’ve read or learned about doctrines in this church I stand confused with a “?” over my head, but each time I’ve wanted to know the truth of one of these doctrines, I turned to the source and the first thing I do is ask Heavenly Father if it’s true.  After that I exert my own effort to try to understand these things.   As I do so, with “faith”, a “sincere heart” and “true intent”, meaning you believe you will be answered, you really want to know, with the commitment to follow that knowledge once obtained, I have felt the Spirit testify the truth to my heart. (Moroni 10:3-5)  That’s a truth I can never deny and I know unless you have those 3 things you will never know the truth of these things.  Concerning prayer, I know Heavenly Father has answered my prayers in so many other ways as well for “whatsoever ye shall ask the Father …which is right, believing that ye shall receive…it shall be given unto you” (3 Nephi 18:21).    These words really have played a part in my life as I’ve had family members become active, including my best friend and cousin who is serving a mission as well, but that’s just the tip of the Spiritual Iceberg.  Hindi busta-busta nangyari ang mga bagay na ito.  Anyways I think I’ve been a bit too preachy for today (kinda hard not to be when all I do is preach every day).  But I just wanted to express who truly grateful I am to have the Gospel in my life, I only wish I had

found it earlier.

I just want you to know I’m doing great, stressed but great.  Lately I’ve just been preparing a lot of trainings, meetings, baptism interviews, etc. etc.  Oh and also we moved into a new apartment that I found.  It’s pretty dang nice.  I never expected to live in an apartment this nice during my mission, tender blessings haha (pictures will come when my camera is fixed).  Things are going pretty great, which scares me because usually when I’m happiest, that means I get transferred and given more trials.  Anway, I love you all.   I’m out of time, but hopefully I’ll find some more next week.  Take care!

Elder Fisher

[a lady] has been coming to church for months, has a testimony of the church and The Book of Mormon, and really wants to be taught and baptized, not only that but she’s been bringing her children with her.  I can’t help but wonder what it is that I’ve done to deserve such a blessing?  I truly know that He has been listening to my prayers and is answering them.  I LOVE THIS WORK!

The only downside is that I’m fast approaching my 6 month mark in Paranaque, which means I could likely be transferring in the next couple weeks.  I’ve loved working here.  I hope I get another 6 weeks because I’m pretty sure 5-7 of the investigators I’ve been teaching for the past 1-6 months will be getting baptized next month.  No worries, though, planting the seeds is just as important as harvesting.  If I do transfer, I’ll feel satisfied with the fact I’m doing all I can here in this part of His vineyard.

Aside from that, things are going great!  Held a great zone meeting this last week, coordinated really well with the stake and started a lot of ideas into motion to get the work to go better in the Stake. (random fact: the 1^st counselor of our stake has the coolest voice ever, don’t ask, it’s just cool).  Outside of that, I’m getting pretty decent at cooking.  This week I made Chicken Asado, Bicol Express, and Fried Chicken (Filipino style).

I learned something though, when it rains hard in our area, it floods.  I had one very wet day this week.  Aside from that, not too much to report…I did some interviews, went to a baptism in our zone (which we sang at), attended a couple of birthday parties, the usual.

That’s about it for this week.  Hope everyone is doing great!  Much love,

Elder Fisher

Elder Fisher waiting to teach a family of eight at their home.

Elder Derek Fisher

Hey everyone! To start off I just want you to know I'm doing great. Having a challenging time with "shotgunning" the area but it's been a real growing experience to be sure. This is the 2nd time I've transfered into an area with no idea where to go, a very poorly updated area-book, and next to no investigators left behind to teach.
Regardless I love it, The difficulties we face are forcing us to do things out of our comfort zone, thus making us stretch and grow. Sincewe have no investigators we've been doing a ton of finding on our own efforts, Bahay-bahay (house to house tracking). I can really understand why people say it's not that effective, even though I have the american factor going for me I've had a lot of doors closed in my face lately. Despite the disappointment I feel a real rewarding
experience knowing I'm giving it my best to help everyone come to a knowledge of the gospel.  
Since coming into this area we've been lead one way or another to some really great Part-member/Less-active families. Despite being new to the area, we've already got a lot of progress in the works.  This last Sunday we had 7 of the Less-active members we taught this week come to church (A lot of love with a touch of boldness goes a long way). Not only that but we had 3 Investigators at church as well.  I have to say most of it is due to my companion Elder Yambot.  He is a MACHINE! He is working me to the bone.   Not only that but he is amazing at inviting the Spirit in a lesson. With companions like this it is really a humbling experience for me seeing all the spots that I can improve on. Elder Yambot is probably the most dedicated missionary I've ever met when it comes to the work.  I've learned so much from him in these past 2 weeks. Despite him being the only member in his family, suffering from epilepsy, and having his mom pass away while he was in the mission field, he truly understands his purpose and goes forth each day like it's his last. It's a true inspiration to me to take this work just a little bit more seriously despite the efforts I'm already making.
This week has mostly been about the work though.  Our mission president wants us to establish a model area for all other missionaries to reference off of this month before our New Mission President arrives. It's been a challenge but the Lord has been giving us a lot of tender blessings along the way. 
Lately I got some good news as I found out that one of the "Seeds" that I planted in my 3rd area (San Pedro 3rd) finally got "Harvested."  It's such a good feeling to know that your efforts weren't wasted and that all that we do really does help people grow closer to the Savior. 
Last new bit of info.   We (Cavite Mission Assitants/Office Elders) have been borrowing the extra Manila Mission cars(two 2009 Toyota Corolla's) for a week while we waited for our new vehicles.  On Wednesday we went in to trade in the cars, the office Elder got a sweet 2013 Ford Ranger. I was super excited to see what we'd be driving, I got an interesting surprise, a 2013 Toyota Hiace Super Grandia!  That thing is not a van, it's a freaking TANK!  It's been a blast trying to drive it around the Philippines(No casualties yet).  I've decided to name it "The Fishtank". 
Well that's just about it for this week, we just finished up some last minute CSP for the new Senior couples moving in so our P-day is cut a little short. Gotta get washing some clothes! Hope you all have a great week, Sorry if my emails aren't the most spiritual messages ever haha.
Love you all!
Elder Fisher

Quote of the week from a 12 year old investigator "Do you know the prophet who gave the 10 commandments?" "... um Moises?"(tagalog for Moses) "That's right, what about the one who built the Ark?" "..." "Nooo..." "Noises!!!". I don't know if you find that funny but we had a great laugh.

Elder Derek Fisher

I don't remember how many times the word "binyag" has been the subject of my email but by now i'm pretty sure I don't have to translate for you it's meaning, Yup this week we had another baptism! This has to be one of the most rewarding experiences for me personally because for the last 6 months I've been teaching Brother Ticman, needless to say it's been a challenge. Brother Ticman is one of the most intelligent men I've ever met, especially when it comes to Spiritual matters, every single time I taught him for 5 minutes he would spend another 20 minutes trying to teach me and my companion. Luckily his heart was never closed off and his ears were always open to listen. He has been a part of the catholic church, Jehovah's witness, born again, and when we met him after "proving those church's to be false" he was a member of 7th day Adventist "being the closest he found to follow the doctrine of the Bible". Time and time again we would meet concern after concern, whether it be the meaning of 7th day worship,to the Resurrection, even down to the First vision of Joseph Smith. I can truly testify now though that it is not me who taught him, it was the Book of Mormon combined with the Spirit. Every single time he would bring up a concern we would spend 2-3 lessons trying to resolve it but it would always end in frustration due to a firm belief in something else (even President Stucki had a hard time convincing him of sound doctrine when he would work with us) in the end we felt to just leave him to read certain passages in the Book of Mormon/Bible and pray and ponder about it, and each time he did, his concern would resolve itself. I've really loved teaching this man despite all the hardships because each time I could see he found an inner peace and excitement as he found answers to questions he didn't know he had. Another really amazing part about this is about 15-20 years ago most of his family was baptized by another "Elder Fisher", I know the Lord has placed me here to be the one to help him come unto a knowledge of this restored gospel though I take no credit for his conversion. Not only that but I've develop a much stronger personal testimony as I had to deeply study doctrines to be better prepared to teach him and answer any questions he would bring up.

There is another really interesting spiritual experience I had this week that I'd like to share though, one day in the Parañaque 1st ward, Elder Vang (a missionary in my zone) was walking through his area when a young woman said she had met a missionary on a jeepney a while back and how she's really interested in learning more, she has turned into one of their most progressing investigators. As it would turn out I was the missionary who talked to her on a jeepney over 4 months ago, It really goes to show that no effort is wasted and no matter what we do as the Lords servants we have an true impact in peoples lives.

Asides from that it's always such an amazing experience to witness general conference as a missionary. Since I've started my mission every general conference I've watched has been a true spiritual feast. I'm also really looking forward to quoting the general conference talks in future visits to members to get them excited about doing more member missionary work. Well I encourage us all to try and study and apply the counsel from the leaders of the church, they are inspired of God, never forget that. I love this work, I love this church, Most of all I love my Savior. I hope you all had a great week, I know I did.

With Love, 

Elder Fisher