Twas The Night Before Christmas……..

Twas the night before Christmas (in the states) and all through the world, so I decided to try to set up our family Google Chat, and forgot to tell Mom, oh well.   

As she slept all sung in her Hotel room bed, dreaming of her long awaited call from me is what was in her head.  

When along came a text with a Verification Code, 

yep it was from me on her cell phone.  

Away from her bed she flew like a flash, checked her email and then thought….

"Wasn't he supposed to call later tonight, not last"??  

As I sat in front of the Computer I realized….

OOPPSS this went right to her phone.  

Not knowing all of this, my mom in Utah and my sister in Texas 

both couldn't sleep, 

they had a feeling I was on a computer, yep they felt the spirit so sweet.  

Christmas Day in California came, and as I tried to wait I could no longer…

 so I began my Christmas Gift to my family and emailed mom with the following..

"Hey its me and I want to Skype"!!

 Mom gathers the family and friends all around the computer, 

and for a good 30 minutes

 a Comedy of Errors ensues, its ok it wouldn't be a 

Sarmiento Family event without some laughter and tears too.  

The internet I was on was super slow, so I had to switch computers….OH NO!

 I tried to Skype and Google+ & then realized….. 

Oh great, I forgot all my passwords I wrote down at home!!! 

 Mom looked at Dad and They then said "we need to have a quick prayer" 

& within 5 minutes  Janessa & Austin had me on Skype,  

it was our Christmas Miracle right there!  

After a few minutes of this I was able to get my Google+ group to work and we were all on together, including Elder Broc Thompson, one of my Companions who is now an RM, Kumusta my brother!  

Blessings come in all packages, this I can testify to….

Merry Christmas to all, and make sure you say your prayers to.  

Love-Elder Sarmiento

Elder Sarmiento is in need of some items so we will be sending him a
Birthday "Balikbayan Box" around January 15th,
if you wish to send him something let us know.

Our fist Attempt with Skype…Then Onto Google+

Elder Sarmiento Telling All His Stories 

Elder Sarmiento hearing that his little Sister Makayla turns 16 in 2 days…Yikes

Elder Sarmiento Realizing his little Sister will be able to date…….

Only 5 more months until his mom can do this again…and the countdown begins.

Here we are all round the Lap Top taking pictures of Elder Sarmiento, such a fun night.

Make Sure Your Ready & Waiting For My Skype Christmas Call…….

So the day of Christmas the time for you will be at night!  I will email you before we Google Skype.  So make sure you are all ready and waiting for the email.  I don't have time so I will just wait to say everything in the Skype Call.  Just be prepared cause I can only talk for 30-45 minutes.

Well I got to go but, take care everyone LOVE YOU!!!!!
-Elder Sarmiento

Accept It, Before It Excepts Us…..

ANO BA YUNG?!
For STARTERS Kacy Morris I give Congrats!!!!  Hopefully you read these..ha ha.  It's hard to realized but, even when I am not in America, life still moves forward.  Ha ha just kidding.  So this week has been a great week!  We have been teaching the ex-Mayor of my area and this last week he committed to Baptism!!!!  The area has been a little rough but who says the Salvation of souls is easy!!!

This last week with my companion I have really had a great learning experience.  With a lot of people they look for the SECRET or for the BEST THINGS in a Mission.  Honestly there isn't really just one thing here that makes a Mission a Mission.  What makes a so amazing for people is the fact that the Lord, through the holy ghost, teaches us what is the SECRET or the BEST THINGS for us, not for the Mission.  In a Mission it truly is more of a learning experience for yourself than anyone else.  What makes a Mission so unique is where you are assigned, is where the Lord wants you to go.  Now I have also learned that it is never easy nor should it ever be easy on a Mission.  I have felt as if I have missed so much but, when in fact the things I need for my life I have learned here on a Mission.  This to the point of my Mission now is what makes my Mission so great and memorable to me.  I love it here so much!!!  I have learned so much also not only for the time now and here, but for the times that are to come!!

Alam ko po na ito ay totoo!!  Alam ko po na ang abanghelyo ni jesuCristo ay para sa ating.  All we have to do is accept it before it excepts us!!! MAHAL KITA!!!!!!  INGAT PO KAYO!!!!
-Elder Sarmiento

Mission Tour Week!!!!!

So this week was a great week!!!! Tuesday we had a Quorum of the 70 come to our mission and talk to us.  He taught us about the Atonement.  It was interesting because he pointed out something most people don't see.  That is the atonement is so that bad me can become good, but it's also for members so that they can become from Good to Better to Best to Saint.  That is something I never thought about.  As we learn in scriptures we can understand that we are given the ability to repent and be baptized becoming clean from sin.  Now after that we can even become better.  As people on this earth we are not perfect.  So if we are not perfect why should we try?  The Savior has set the path so that we can follow it.  Now no one is perfect, but as we follow the path at time we will be led off of it.  The things we need to do is be led back.  Now as we do this it is sometimes tough.  We can learn through the Book of Mormon that we can ask for strength to be led back.  As we do this we can learn and become better people.  Now the reason why we should try is because as we try, as we ask the Eternal Father, we can improve our lives in ways that can bless us now, later and even Forever.  This concept for me was really just what seemed unreal before I left the mission.  I heard this life after death and well it seemed a little unreal.  As I have been on the mission and live this gospel every day as close as I can I have realized that it is true.  For many people it's hard to understand this, but the way I know this is because I have felt the spirit touch me in a way that nothing and no one else could.  I know that we can be strengthened in trials and as we use the atonement in our lives we can become from bad to Good to Better to Best and even to Saint.  I know that this is true, I have seen these trials and these blessings in my life.  I know that our Father is always here with us and all we have to do is ask for help and guidance.  Well I don't have a lot of time but I hope this all makes since.  I love you all and know these things are true!!!!!!! In the name of our Savior and Redeemer Jesus Christ, Amen.  - Elder Sarmiento

It's My 6th Month Mark…...

So 6th MONTH MARK!!!!! ANO BA YUNG!?! NOW IT'S BEEN 6 MONTHS AND WELL. BUHAY PA!!!!!  I put the part I don't know the language but, alam ko po na!!!!

Can't wait til Christmas!!!!  The Ultimate Test!  My father.  I cannot wait to have the chance to speak to my father in his native language.  When I had my mission call, all I was excited for the most was learning the language my father knew and my grandparents.  I didn't expect the trials and experiences that I would get with learning the language.  All I can say is that the gift of tongues is real.


Through this gospel I have been able to get to the place that I am at now.  The language is pretty good.  At least people can understand the point I am trying to get.  Anyways, Thanksgiving is almost here!! All I can say is well the things I could say that I am thankful for is never ending.  What I will say is that I am thankful for God the Eternal Father and his Son Jesus Christ.  Through them I have been able to receive this chance to serve the people of the Philippines, along with that I am so thankful for my family now when I say this I mean everyone.  People think families are just the families you are born into.  The actual correct family is everyone.  The people here on this earth are all brothers and sisters and the ones who has crossed paths with me have blessed my life in ways that they don't know.

Thanksgiving is an amazing Holiday we can remember of the things we are grateful for.  For me on that day I will not only thing of the things I am grateful for but I will also look for the blessing I will receive on that day.  I know the Lords blesses our lives every day, every min., and every hour.   The problem is that we focus so much on other things we may feel rushed, may have a bd day, and feel depressed.  All I can say is the Lord blesses us every day.  I know it because I have seen the blessings.  Most are small but , can effect your day so big.  I encourage all who are reading this to maybe try this on Thanksgiving.  As you can see these blessings not just on Thanksgiving, but on other days if not every day your life can feel so amazing.


I know the Lord is always with us.  We are LITERALLY HIS CHILDREN.  Like any other father here on the earth he helps us and guides us every day.  As we can notice these things we can have happier, better lives.  Alam ko po na ang ebanghelyo ni jesucrist ay totoo.  Alam ko po na nagdusa si jesucristo upang po kami magsisi at susundin niya.  Sana ito ay tama.  Kung hindi pasensyia!!!!  Ingot po kayo- Elder Sarmiento

We again see Elder Sarmiento's english and grammar a bit more broken…..we love it!!! 

Tracking, Dogs, Ducks and Coconuts……...

So for mom,  my companion is Ilicano....that may be spelled wrong but, he lives North of Manila.  About the Christmas package, we got an email that they charge more around Christmas.  Its fine for me I can wait!!!  About the effected Mission, we actually got new Missionaries in the Mission.  I think they are from the mission that was hit from the Typhoon.  Other than that I haven't gotten any emails from Michael Christensen.  Maybe he has the wrong email?  Do you know which Bingham sent me the post card?

So this week was in impacted week!!! This week has a lot that happened.  First I will start with the funny things.  Starting with my dreams....so my companion is Filipino and he speaks Tagalog better than English.  So with him I have been teaching him English but, explaining in Tagalog.  Because of that I have been speaking Tagalog 24/7.  Now with that my companion has, I guess, woken up a few times at night thinking I am talking to him (in tagalog) when I am actually sleep talking….ha ha.  Never thought that would happen but, it did.  Along with that all last week we had been tracking cause the investigators were a little low, so as we did this we actually came to a house last night.  All of these dogs were barking and barely chained enough, they couldn't reach us but, slobber on you.  Anyways as we noticed no one was home we were leaving and something bit my leg!!!  As I looked freaking out I found a Duck stuck to my ankle!!  My companion laughed so hard with the reaction I had…. I thought I was bit by a dog!  ha ha.  We also ran into a lady who was selling fresh cracked Coconuts.  It was so good!!!

Now other than that my companion and I , as I said,  have done a lot of tracking this week.  (tracking going to homes one a at a time)  The walking was never ending and my sweating didn't help.  But as we did this there was one point we got rejected by a less active.  As we were about to leave the street we were about to walk down continued the other way.  As I had a feeling to go and continue on this path I asked my companion if he and been there before.  With his answer "No" I asked if we could go there.  Feeling the spirit inside me I was excited to see if we were going to be led to a new investigator. As we turn the corner however, it came to an amazing scene.  The road ended with tracks from horses inches sunk into the ground.  Feeling the spirit however I felt to continue.  So I told my companion that we would and we did.  As we walked in about 5 feet there was a path of bukol (coconut) shells.  Feeling to follow it and from that it led us to a house in the middle of a bunch of trees.  Now in no other way would we have found this house.  The spirit literally pushed us into a forest to look for this house.  feeling confident we screamed, "TAO PO" (the way to call someone to come to the door).  As we waited for a few seconds I began to have second thoughts.  Then an old lady came out.  Happy as were were we began to talk with her.  She realized we were Missionaries and asked what church.  We explained then gave a plan of salvation pamphlet.  As we finished talking with her and began to leave she seemed on a little interested, maybe a good investigator.  Then she said something we didn't expect.  She asked "Elders, if I have been married 3 times then who is my husband when we are resurrected".  With me I didn't understand, but for my companion he was smiling from ear to ear and told her we will return another day and give her an answer.

As we left we realized how big of an impact following the Lord not only in lessons, but everything you do can result in many blessings.  I realize every day if I was in another place the things I learn, experience and teach I could never have done in another mission.  Already the lord not only has helped but taught me so mud that sometimes I feel overwhelmed.  That is what makes a mission so amazing to me.  The things I learn I know in any other position i would have not received.  I love this work so much.  Sometimes I feel like the lord is teaching me more than investigators.  This I know is all true.  Without a single doubt in my mind I can say these things are from the lord and through these things we can all be blessed.

Here is a picture of the sun setting here

I love and thank you all for the support and love you have given to me throughout my life.  I wouldn't be here on a mission without those who taught me these things.  I love and miss you all!!!!
Take Care!!!!!

-Love Elder Sarmiento
WHO HAS ALMOST SURVIVED UP TO HIS 6TH MONTH MARK IN THE PHILIPPINES!!!!!!