6/22/25 ANG PAGLALAKBAY NG PANANAMPALATAYA

Magandang araw sa inyong lahat! Another great week in Philippines, with so much that happened. Said goodbye to Aduas, Cabanatuan, and my stud of a companion & friend Elder Johnson, and arrived here in San Jose this past Thursday. This place is beautiful, and so is the work! The Lord continues to bless me so much with experiences that allow me the most space to grow! My companion is Elder Palamos from Mindinao, and he's also a stud of an Elder. The experience I want to to share happened this past week as I attended my first Sunday here in San Jose 1st ward. A family weʻre teaching, walked through the door and sat down. We talked to them really quickly, as the mother invited us over for dinner that night. Finishing our day, we began the journey to this familyʻs home. This being my first time, was expecting the trip to be short. Such turned into an about 30-40 minute tryke ride, through rocky trails and through the mountains. Pouring rain made the road slippery and flooded. Arriving at the house, there the family was waiting, welcomed us in with smiles, and after we shared, they fed us an amazing meal. I sat amazed as I realized this familyʻs sacrifice to attend Church the past few Sundays. When asking the why, and the how she met missionaries, she simply explained that a friend she met in another part of the Philippines, simply invited her to try it. She moved here, and came the first Sunday, being consistent ever since. This sister shared the different feeling that she has while in this church, and knows that she needs to be baptized into it with her children. She continued to lead us out, but insisting first that we meet her neighbors and family members living close to her, as we set appointments for them this coming Thursday. Everything about the situation, testifies of a loving heavenly father, who has specific plans for all of his children. The member who decided to invite, possibly an awkward, or nervous situation but followed the spirit and invited anyway. Sister's desire to try, and her faith to travel such a distance for her seeking for truth & happiness. Sister's willingness and excitement to share what she has learnt and felt with her neighbors and friends. This is what the gospel is all about. We learn that sacrifice, truly brings blessings, and the blessings are priceless. None of it being possible without the Atonement of Jesus Christ. A water that if drank, one will never thirst, even a living water. Those who hunger for truth and light, can only find so in Jesus Christ. He is the only way, if you no kno? Kno! If you kno? Share! Yan lang pow🤙 Jahs trahs, ELDER ISHIBASHI

6-15-25 Hauʻoli lā Makuakāne

Because its fathers day back home I wanted to take this opportunity to talk about my dad. As I thought back to all the unforgettable memories, I realized how blessed I was, with the smartest, most loving, funniest, and most humble father in the world, and anyone who's met him will agree. Thank you dad! I remember a time in middle school, where I got to get out of school for a day. Dad took me to the beach, to teach me how to throw net! We made our way to the coast and began looking at the different spots, to see where the fish were. Dad taught me the importance of "KILOHANA", or observing first, the current, the waves, and looking for little tails sticking out of the water on the shallow reefs, to make sure that I threw in the right place. Dad taught me everything, from being a master fisherman, and the best father. In the way he carried himself, I feel one of the biggest reasons why I got into fishing, is because of how big of an example he was for me, and how proud I knew he'd be of me, if I began to do it. He would tell me the fishing stories of his parents, uncles, and aunties, which would inspire me to keep fishing, looking intently at the waves. I couldnt get it. I couldn't see the fish tails, I couldn't see what my dad pointed at, all I thought was wherever I threw, the net was big enough, that I knew I had to catch something! Dad continued to be encouraging, and loving. Impatiently, I went to the tidepool, in which we noticed a small kūpipi, doing circles around a shallow rock, so excited, I set up, and threw the net! Jumped in the water, picking up the net, realized it was stuck under the rock, and reached under to untangle it. Pain shot through my hand, as I pulled my hand out to see blood running down my arm, from the morey eel that bit my hand. Long story short, my shredded finger got me to the hospital, and got me 9 stitches, which came out to an almost 1000 dollar hospital bill 😇 sorry dad. Sorry mom. For a month I couldn't touch the water, which was torture for me, but I used that time to figure out what I'd do better next time. Dad stayed, telling me stories, and making fishing a lifetime practice for me. My dad is the best, and he can beat up yo fadda. His kindess, thoughtfulness, genuiness, and class, makes it so easy for us siblings to love him, and do our best to emulate him. I was blessed to have an example, of a father, that emulated our father in Heaven. HIS kindess, love, and example, became easy for me to understand, and do my best to emulate, because of my father here on earth. Our father in heaven shares stories of ancestors, through books like The Book of Mormon and the Bible. We gain a stronger relationship with him through reading and studying their words, which keeps us striving, intently looking at the coming waves. Sometimes we don't get it, sometimes we get bit, by sin, doubt, or life circumstances that we cannot control. Sometimes consequences can be very expensive (sorry dad again), but our Father in Heaven never gives up on us. Continues to inspire us, through living prophets and apostles, and the sacrament. He is the master fisherman. Elder Strong visited our mission this past week and told us that "the BEST form of worship is EMULATION". I am thankful for my dad, for teaching me this principle in a way that made sense to me. Both he, and my Father in Heaven taught me to JAHS TRAHS. In a way that I could never forget. Love you dad choken, no be stressin out and goin hospital no more, as nuff aureddeh dat. Aloha aku nō, ELDER ISHIBASHI

6-9-25 NASA GITNA KA NG KANYANG PLANO!

Huuuii aloha mai me ke aloha! https://photos.app.goo.gl/eHDB8BrMq5Bve6rVA Another awesome week in the Philippines! This week was sofer stretching, but in so many ways miracle filled. I am thankful for the experiences, that over the time Ive been blessed to have here has built my testimony, and I am continually grateful to the Lord for the blessings I've recieved in my own inadequacies. Out of the experiences this past week, I thought of one that I wanted to share! For the past few weeks, we've been teaching nanay Aida Evangelista! We found her walking away from her home, and after introducing ourselves and talking with her, inviting us into her home. Nanay Aida's experiences are some of the hardest that I've heard, since being on my mission. Stories of blood, and tears, trailed through her pain filled life. We sit, listen, and are able to give her commitments, that opens to her access to Gods blessings in her life. The past few weeks have been awesome, as we began to see changes, and see her happy. She's been coming to church, and loving it, having dreams of the messages we share. However the story, comes with one of our recent lessons with her. There was her son in-law. A younger man, at about 25 years old. We talked with him, and asked him where he was from, in which he mentioned LiCab. Which is part of my last area, Quezon, Nueva Ecija. It was a far area, but we went there consistantly to teach two families. One found home to home, the other found Preajeepin! Or what Elder Bohman and I called teaching on the jeepneys when no one could leave:) The nanay we met there, allowed us to find her house, and she loved the messages we shared, especially the Plan of Salvation as her husband passed a few years ago. There came a time, in November where a storm flooded LiCab, and we were never able to get back, until I was transferred here. Back to the story, as missionaries, making connections is absolutely critical, especially on first meetings! Only knowing two families in LiCab, asked Reniel, if he knew a nanay Evelyn from LiCab, and said her last name. His eyes lit up, asked how I knew her, and said that was his dad's sister! Elder Johnson and I were able to make this connection, and talked to him about the messages that brought his family members peace, and was given the opportunity to share the same with him. It was crazy to me, the odds (divine plan) of meeting this young man. The things that had to have happened. Elder Bohman and I opening our mouths in a jeepney months before, finding this home, and teaching this nanays family consistently. Moving to Aduas, and going to a street in the middle of no where, following a prompting to go to an uninterested friend, and stopping nanay as she was leaving. Ultimately, meeting Reniel after a few teachings. I know the Lord truly has plans. For each and everyone of his children, the questions comes from our readiness to follow through and do our part. I am grateful for the Lord, using an individual as imperfect as I, do be a part in his perfect work. Jahs trahs, youre right where he needs you to be. ELDER ISHIBASHI