I had a great week.
I can sum it up
in one word... TAGUMPAY (Success)!
Here is my journal entry yesterday:
After church we started running from
appointment to appointment trying to teach people and meet our goals. We got
punted from 5 straight lessons. It was terrible. At that point I wasn't certain
that we would meet our goal for the day. This caused us to stop and think of
where we were and who we should go to next. Our first thought was to go to a
member and ask for a referral. Elder Legarde immediately thought of the D---
family, so we went there. It turns out that Brother D--- had just gotten home
from working in the rice fields. I saw him though so he came and shook our
hands. With a little bit of nagging and prompting from his children he finally
let us in the house. The D--- family is a mix of active members, less active
members, inactive members and nonmembers. They cover everything on the
spectrum. Him just shaking our hands and letting us in the house was a huge miracle
(#1). For the past 7 months if we came to the house he just hid from us. Not
only did he let us in, he also let us share a message with him and his son.
That's miracle #2.
After the D--- family, we walked to
our next appointment, Sister L---. L--- is a referral from family members in
the next branch over. We have taught her several times now, but when we got to
the house this time she wasn't there. We texted her to find out where she was
and if we were going to be able to teach her. While we waited for the reply we
talked to her family. I felt that I should concentrate on talking to them,
especially to L---'s older brother, M-----. We got along well. M----- is 21 and
we have some of the same interests. After a couple of minutes, we got a text
from L--- that said she was working overtime and wouldn't be able to make it to
the lesson. We told her family her reply and asked if we could share a quick
message with them instead since we were already at the house. Nanay agreed. M------
had gotten up a minute earlier and had a cigarette in his mouth that he was
trying to lite. Before he could get it lit, I called him over and asked if he would
like to sit in while we share the message. He hesitated a little but then
agreed. As we were teaching I could see that he was really thinking about what
we were saying. I started to ask them some questions about what we had shared
with them and this brought out some of their questions. The Spirit was really
strong in the lesson. At the end of the lesson we told them that we couldn't
answer all of their questions at once, neither could we teach them or they
learn this lesson in a single sitting, so we began to ask if we could come back
and share more and M------ just blurted out, "Can you come back? Is that
ok with you? When can you come back? Can you come back tomorrow?" We were
able to set a return appointment with him. It was a great lesson. Miracle #3.
Lastly, we had previously felt a
prompting to go to the A--- family as our last appointment for the night. They
are a less active family that I have taught for the past 6 or so months with
little to no progress. This time we went they were all at home. I knew that
their son E----- had turned 9 this past February and had not yet been baptized
so I decided to use that to be able to teach the family. We started teaching E-----
the beginning of The Restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and challenged
him to be baptized. He said yes. Then I saw something I had never seen before
with the A--- Family. They all got a little giddy that E----- was going to be
baptized. They kept saying it over and over. We then challenged the family to
help E----- get ready for baptism. Miracle #4.
Earlier that day I brought the A---
family up to the Branch Mission Leader as the LA Family we want to focus on and
got a good response from him. They have a family member in nearly every group
at church.... Primary, YM, elder’s quorum, relief society...
After we had gotten back to the
apartment a member texted us and asked for the A---'s phone number. It looks
like the Branch is going to jump in and help! :) (Miracle #5! hehehe)
I'm just super excited about
missionary work in this area. I love this branch. No matter where I go, I will
leave a part of my heart here in Bagabag. I won't ever fully leave.
I learned an important lesson from
this day. You must be ready to step off your planned schedule. Only when you
stop and ask Heavenly Father in honest and pure prayer will you find those that
He has prepared for you. Only then will you be a help in building His kingdom
on earth. Miracles happen. I just experienced 5 rights in a row. You must be
obedient to mission rules and beg Heavenly Father in humble fervent prayer with
real desire, asking for the things you really need. You must be specific. Above
all, you must ask that you will be guided to know His will and how to
accomplish it. After all, His will, His work and glory is to bring to pass the
immortality and eternal life of man. If you are humble enough to follow Him,
you will be a successful missionary for you have been an instrument in His
hands for the salvation of your brothers and sisters. Yesterday was a great day.
1. Please tell me how
you are doing.
- I am doing ok. Overall I am much
better. My shoulder is healing very slowly as long as I continue to exercise
it.
2. Have you had any
spiritual moments this week?
- See letter
3. I didn’t realize
that you were going to the rice terraces last week too. Do you always have to
go when your zone goes? Are you kinda like a chaperone as the zone leader?
- Rice terraces- I just go to be a
chaperon and tour guide. Tour guides cost a ton and I know the place like the
back of my hand.
4. How hot is it there
right now?
- It’s super-hot. As in I sweat no
matter what I’m doing or where I am.
5. Are you getting
trunky? IF so place one hand firmly on your back pat it and say after me “I am
not done with my work yet. Get over it and get back to work. My Mom Loves me and
understands, but wants me to endure faithfully to the end.”
- Not anymore. I am doing the work and loving it.
I love you guys a ton. Keep it up.
Oh, and I have decided that we need to do a Mexican night when I get home. I
miss that a ton. I haven't written president yet though. I gotta write him. I
was just excited to share my journal entry with you. J
Love you! :*
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