It is DENGUE-ROUS

 Hello Po,

Well the email is short this week, but here is the run down:

1) After I recovered from Dengue, everyone in my apartment came down with dengue as well. My companion was hit the worst and spent 4 days hooked up to an IV at the hospital. This entire past week I spent running back and forth between the hospital and the appointments we had scheduled. All in all, we all lost some sleep, but we are all recovering now. Elder Burton came home from the hospital yesterday, and is now resting up as I go on exchanges with the zone leader and district leader in order to get work done.

2) Even with all of the chaos, we had the baptism of Maricar (17) andMarjorie Emata (18) last Friday. We found these two sisters about 9 weeks ago, and after introducing a few members to them they began attending church. Even before they were members they visited the other people we were teaching, and they would invite them to church. Ultimately they like to have fun and enjoy sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ to their friends.

Elder Hemmert

Smile: It's all for your good

Kamusta ka na?

It's More Fun in the Philippines:

• So you know how I got sick? Well, now the other three missionaries in my apartment are sick!!! Dengue is typically passed because mosquitoes bite people affected by dengue, and then that same mosquito bites someone that is not sick. However, I bypassed the middle man and just went ahead and bit each of the three missionaries, so now they have dengue. JUST KIDDING!! THEY DON'T HAVE DENGUE!! It's just a fever, and they are recovering very well.

I have a lot I want to talk about, but not a lot of time. So for a short email this week, I just want to let you know how much fun being a missionary is. I seriously love serving a mission. Don't get me wrong, it's no vacation and definitely has its ups and downs; however, it's all good stuff. Every day brings new experiences, or in other words, new opportunities to grow. I find that most days my cheeks hurt from smiling by the end of the day, and here are the reasons: (1) I have met so many people that I have come to love. I desire the best for them and it makes me concerned when they get into hardships, but even in their struggles they often find time laugh. They are a reason for me to smile. (2) I have a wonderful companion, Elder Burton, that is not afraid to work hard. He laughs at the simplest of my jokes, and is always by my side. My trials are his and his are mine. Without my companion I would feel incomplete. He is a reason for me to smile. (3) This area in GMA Cavite is VERY HILLY. Each day I lose my breath to the hundreds of stairs that I have to walk and I without fail I sweat through my clothes before the night hits. I've gotten used to it, and now just laugh through the sweat and hills. Another reason why I smile. (4)  But most of all is the message that I am sharing. It was provided, outlined, and highlighted as important hundreds and even thousands of years ago, and continues to be circled, underlined, expounded, and explained. It is the message of a Father's plan for his children to be happy and is centered around one son that was willing to sacrifice ALL for his brothers and sisters. That sacrifice is the GREATEST reason why I smile, and is why I am serving a mission.

WEEKLY CHALLENGE: There are hundreds of reasons to smile. I only shared 4, but the list is without end. This week, find reasons to smile even when you want to frown. When you see the stairs that you have to climb or the sweat you have to endure, think of that son that climbed to Calvary and endured the "sweat" of Gethsemane.

Elder Hemmert

I SURVIVED DENGUE!

Kamusta na Kayo,

It's More Fun in the Philippines:

First Sign of Dengue- Elder Hemmert thought they were
cockroach bites as this is common in the Philippines.

• THATS RIGHT!!!! I SURVIVED DENGUE!! First off, I just want to say thank you to everyone that sent prayers my direction. As I was recovering I can absolutely say that the prayers helped and I recovered much quicker than we were expecting. For those of you that are interested here is how it all happened. Exactly two weeks ago I was bit by a mosquito and my eyes began swelling rapidly. The following day rashes broke out, and a fever of 105 degrees hit me like a truck. We made many visits to the hospital to watch my white blood cells and platelets which continued to drop each day. I tested positive for dengue, and was told that I must be confined in the hospital. Instead of sleeping at the hospital I chose to go home and for over a week I did not leave my bed. Each day I just slept and avoided itching the rashes that were getting increasingly larger and more itchy. My body and joints ached from exhaustion even though I wasn't exerting energy. However, after much rest, hundreds of prayers, and a miserable two weeks I am feeling much much better. We are now leaving the house and I  m back to work with a BIG smile on my face. Ultimately, here is the summary of dengue in 6 words: Tried it. Do NOT recommend it.

On a better note, on the first day of dengue (before the fever hit), we had the baptism of Edmond Monzales and his two kids Edzekiel Monzales and Angel Kate Monzales. They are such a happy family, and always put a smile on my face. Edmond's wife has been a member for a very long time, but only now has Edmond and his kids decided to join the church. Edmond began reading the Book of Mormon, and he quickly came to love the Gospel and the church. He changed his work schedule so that he could attend church, and we got him married to his wife Geraldine one week before their baptism. They are a wonderful family, and they are now preparing to enter the temple to be sealed for all eternity.

Elder Hemmert

Painful rashes cover the entire body w/ Dengue Fever, but Elder Hemmert
is still smiling....melts a momma's heart. 

Dengue News...

Hello Sister Hemmert,

This is Elder Burton, your sons companion. He gave me this email so I could let you know that we went to the hospital today and that he has Dengue. He is doing well. I am taking good care of him. He is currently resting at the apartment with three other Elders. I am here to email you and my family. Sorry you had to find out this way, but I will do everything I can to help him recover. 

I have to go. I hope you had a great week and are doing well.

Elder Burton

This was the letter we received letting us know that Britton was ill. It was very scary and upsetting. Luckily we were surrounded by family as it was the 4th of July. As the week progressed, we asked for fasting and prayers, and our boy had a truly miraculous recovery. The following are pictures we would get as updates from the mission nurse who kept in touch with us daily as he recovered.

We laugh, because this felt like a POW picture!
"NO, really Ma, they are treating us great, I am healthy!" haha

THUMB NAILS: WALA NA

YouTube link to Elder Hemmert's Thumb debacle. He says it is a "Filipino thing, we are just glad it finally broke! haha! 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iwtz5LS89j4

YouTube link - a little life in the Philippines:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yr9XnZaQoO4

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=USCYNPWb3dU&feature=youtu.be


Kamusta Na Kayo,

It's More Fun in the Philippines:

• MY THUMB NAILS BROKE. 
• Avocados are in season, so I have been eating SOOO MANY!!
• We helped two of the people we are teaching get married, and they will be baptized on Sunday.
• We have set some insane goals for the following months in the San Gab ward. My area was not very alive when I walked in, but we are kicking it into shape very quickly. The other missionaries in our ward have been having success for quite some time and they are keeping it going. Between us four missionaries we have set a goal to have 10 baptisms in June, 10 baptisms in July, 10 baptisms in August, and a whopping 40 baptisms in September! These are HUGE goals and extremely difficult to obtain. However, we have faith enough that if we will simply open our mouths to share the gospel, then God will put us on the path to find those people that are ready to accept the gospel of Jesus Christ. We are working as hard as possible.

My message this week begins with a question: Do you believe Jesus Christ is our Savior and Redeemer? If so, why do you get afraid to share about Him to others? Often times people get afraid to share their beliefs about God or how the Gospel has helped their life. Why is this? Why do we take the great light of Christ and hide it where it cannot be seen. Instead, we should raise it for all to see. "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your father who is in heaven." (Matthew 5:16)

WEEKLY CHALLENGE: Let your light so shine, and share how the Gospel of Jesus Christ has helped you in your life.

Elder Hemmert

HE KEEPS HIS PROMISES

Hello Po,

It's More Fun in the Philippines:

• A very great blessing occurred on Sunday! We had stake conference which basically entailed traveling an extra 30 minutes to go to church on Sunday. This is a very extremely difficult trip for the people we are teaching, especially because no one here has cars and has to pay the travel fees. As a result our church provided a very large jeepney that could fit 24 people. This jeepney would take the people we were teaching from our church building all the way to the stake center building 30 minutes away. Well, we invited all of them this past week to join us for church and when Sunday came around we witnessed a miracle. Even though we had to meet up bright and early and the travel time was long, 31 of the people we are teaching ended up showing up (between us and the other companionship). We filled the jeepney to the brim and still had to pay the fee for a few people to travel by other means! See video of this here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fHeWHB0K7U8
• Today is transfer day, and Elder Burton and I are together for another transfer!!

Okay, this is very long and I'm sorry, but our mission president asked us to write one of our greatest spiritual experiences we have had on our mission, so here is mine:

To simplify all of the many spiritual experiences of my mission down to one event is seemingly impossible. However, if I had to summarize all of the miraculous conversions that I witnessed in God's children, all of the times I followed the Spirit and was led to a situation divinely set up by our God in heaven, or all of the times that I planted a seed of faith in someone even if it never took root, then I believe I would go back to November 11, 2018. This was a hard night for me. Still young in the mission, I remember feeling extremely inadequate. I was giving all of my energy, and yet my language skills lacked, and I was too scared to open my mouth. Each time I opened my mouth to testify to someone I felt terrible because my language skills were horrid, and  those I spoke to could not understand me and I could hardly understand them. Finally, this November night I decided I needed to truly express my concerns to God. As my companion retired to his bed I knelt in prayer. In the center of the room I began offering my thoughts and feelings. I began by expressing thanks for everything I have been given as way of blessings, from family to clothes to a roof over my head. I offered thanks for the little and the big things. Concluding my thanks I expounded my concerns; I struggle understanding and speaking the Tagalog language, I get scared beginning conversations with strangers, and I feel that I am an inadequate representative of the Lord Jesus Christ. With that I asked that God would bless me with one thing, and that is to fill my mouth with the words I must speak. I offered in some way or another a deal with God. I promised that I would fight the fear to start conversations with strangers if God would just fill my mouth with words. With that I told him that to show my faith and desire for this blessing I would speak to the first person I saw in the morning. Feeling content with this promise, and knowing that God would honor my desires, as they were desires of righteousness as well as promises clearly outlined in the scriptures, I retired to bed. In the morning I woke with a smile, and as sure as I had promised I spoke to the first person I saw on the street. I was scared to approach him, but I knew God would fulfill his promise as long as I fulfilled mine. Thus, I walked straight up to that man and shared with him that we were missionaries and desired to offer a prayer for his family. The man accepted and we prayed for him and offered him a small lesson. In concluding the lesson and walking away from that man I smiled as I knew that God had fulfilled his promise. My mouth had been filled with words, and the man I spoke to understood my words as I also understood his. Though my Tagalog was still very rough and nowhere near fluent back on that day of November 2018, I saw a mighty change. I noticed my fears began to shrink as I relied on the Lord. I trusted him and I trust him to fill my mouth with the words that I must say. Each person I talk to and teach is an outcome of the November night where I made a promise to the Lord of which I still keep this day. Though the fear to talk to strangers has not left completely, I have learned that having just enough faith to open my mouth is one of the largest tools in missionary work. The Lord will pick up the areas I lack if I will just give it all that I have.
I have faith in the Lord Jesus Christ as my Savior. I am grateful for his sacrifice, and now I am trying my best to give back to him. I love him, and I know he loves you.

Elder Hemmert

Video of the Piggie Roast:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G6-5THblTLY

SMILEY BAPTISM

Magandang Hapon po,

It's More Fun in the Philippines (Highlights):

• We're holding a competition this week between our roommates to see who gets more Lessons and Testifying Contacts (to new people). It's been absolutely crazy, and we're working extremely hard. Each night I come home completely wiped of energy, and I fall asleep so quick! On Monday, the first day of the competition, between both companionships we totaled to 30 lessons and 205 testifying contacts in one day. It was INSANE!

June 8 was the baptism of Anthony Fernandez. Anthony is quite an interesting situation. At 17 years old he lives on the street even though his family is not far from where he typically stays. A few years ago he stopped going to school, and now finds work wherever he can. Anthony tends to be a big joker and always puts a smile on my face because of his goofy attitude. At one point while teaching him I remember him playing with his finger nail which was obviously dead. He gently tugged it and all of a sudden his entire nail TORE OFF! We were all extremely surprised, but rather than being concerned, Anthony just began laughing super hard. Apparently it had fallen off earlier that day and he wanted to scare us so he shoved it back on his finger haha! See video of this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=seMCmduTPUg&feature=youtu.beAnthony has very little as far as temporal or worldly items go and yet he can still find reasons to smile. He has taught me that joy is found in the little things and not necessarily in clothing, cell phones, or money. Ultimately, he has hope for a better tomorrow, and that helps him smile today.

WEEKLY CHALLENGE: For each of us, Jesus Christ and the sacrifice he made for us can give us hope for a better tomorrow. He suffered for our pains and knows how to lift and support us. He gives me hope that no matter what my trials are right now I can feel joy in that fact that everything is for my growth and benefit. That at the end of the day I can still smile because there is always hope for a better tomorrow. My challenge to you this week is to find reasons to smile. Smile in your pains and hardships with the hope that whatever comes next will only be better than what you are currently enduring. I want to remind you that you have a Father in Heaven that loves you, and as his child, He will support you in all that you do in righteousness.

Elder Hemmert