Hello po sa Inyong lahat!
This week was a really great week! It was full of hard work, singing, loving, and doing our best to be better every day. I love Sister Daban! She is so much fun to work with and always ready to work hard. I loved all the people we were able to teach and we even met some new families to teach right next to the church so hopefully we can really build a center of strength around the church. That's our goal. The family we met is the Bora family. We met Sister Jesusa tracting and then met her whole family last Saturday. She has three kids: Asia (10), Alex (7), and Guillex (3). Their father isn't really interested but Sister Jesusa and the kids love us! The kids came to church last Sunday and loved it and Sister Jesusa was so happy and said they can come to church every week to hear the words of God. We taught the Restoration to them but I think we might have to teach it again for real understanding that this is the true church of God. But I'm hoping that when the parents see how great this church is it will soften their hearts and they will come too! All in God's timing of course.
The Abat family is struggling with wanting to commit to church and when we mentioned baptism again they pulled away and didn't come to church on Sunday. They've been a long time investigator family but we will keep trying to help them understand and feel the Spirit but I know that God gave them their agency. They are a sweet family they just have some concerns right now.
Sister Daban is such a sweet blessing in my life. She's so kind and is willing to work hard and listen to my ideas too. She does the greatest service of letting me run in the morning, either at the beach or on the street. She is so understanding and so much fun. We were singing the Baguio mission song in the rain last Saturday as we got soaked trying to get to our investigators in the rain. She has the best attitude and always is smiling. Every night we get home so tired but we always plan, evaluate, give each other compliments, and do the area book before we are too tired to do anything else. We met some less actives and prospective investigators last week.
Funny Story:
When I'm not running on the beach, I run up and down the kalsada in front of my apartment. Filipinos think it's hilarious to see this tall white girl running so they all just laugh and laugh and yell "Kaya mo!" the entire time I'm running. Sometimes they pretend to jog with me haha Filipinos are the best people in the entire planet. One time it started pouring while I was running and so I got completely soaked and then President drives by, sees me running, and just laughs, so surprised to see me running in the rain. He thought it was pretty funny.
Something I realized this week is the POWER of the RESTORATION lesson. Seriously if everyone understood this lesson, I truly believe everything makes sense in its light, about the gospel of Jesus Christ, the plan of salvation, commandments, temple preparation, and any other concern people may have. We taught the less active Sanchez family this week and shared the Restoration and made a plan to make it to the temple. It was so powerful to me, and even though they didn't come back to church this week, we will keep trying and I know the Spirit was in the room. I believe with all my heart that Joseph Smith is a Prophet and Jesus is our Savior and the gospel was restored. We truly live in the most incredible time in the world. I hope in everything through Him.
When I'm not running on the beach, I run up and down the kalsada in front of my apartment. Filipinos think it's hilarious to see this tall white girl running so they all just laugh and laugh and yell "Kaya mo!" the entire time I'm running. Sometimes they pretend to jog with me haha Filipinos are the best people in the entire planet. One time it started pouring while I was running and so I got completely soaked and then President drives by, sees me running, and just laughs, so surprised to see me running in the rain. He thought it was pretty funny.
Something I realized this week is the POWER of the RESTORATION lesson. Seriously if everyone understood this lesson, I truly believe everything makes sense in its light, about the gospel of Jesus Christ, the plan of salvation, commandments, temple preparation, and any other concern people may have. We taught the less active Sanchez family this week and shared the Restoration and made a plan to make it to the temple. It was so powerful to me, and even though they didn't come back to church this week, we will keep trying and I know the Spirit was in the room. I believe with all my heart that Joseph Smith is a Prophet and Jesus is our Savior and the gospel was restored. We truly live in the most incredible time in the world. I hope in everything through Him.
Favorite Scripture right now: Moroni 7:41
41 And what is it that ye shall hope for? Behold I say unto you that ye shall have hope through the atonement of Christ and the power of his resurrection, to be raised unto life eternal, and this because of your faith in him according to the promise.
41 At ano ito na inyong aasahan? Masdan, sinasabi ko sa inyo na kayo ay magkakaroon ng pag-asa sa pamamagitan ng pagbabayad-sala ni Cristo at sa kapangyarihan ng kanyang pagkabuhay na mag-uli, na ibabangon tungo sa buhay na walang hanggan, at ito ay dahil sa inyong pananampalataya sa kanya alinsunod sa pangako.
Sister Walters and Sister Bleak are leaving today for America. They just came back from singing in Carino and are officially the first white girls ever there. That place is hours away in the mountains and all of the people there do not know Tagalog -- only their native Ilokano. The last musical devotional was in Lingsat. The musical devotional is such a blessing. I love to sing, even if I'm not the most talented. I especially love to sing about the Savior and uplift others and and I am thankful for the opportunity that I had to sing. It was wonderful. It was a little disheartening when the investigators that we invited didn't come, especially after following up on them by texting, invitations, and walking to their house 3-4 times this week didn't work. But Sister and Brother Madrid brought a family member that could definitely be a prospective investigator, and I know everything is according to God's will and I know we did our best and I know this uplifted the ward and everyone who was able to come.
New favorite food:
Turon -- A sweet banana with jackfruit wrapped and fried in a lumpia wrapper. Best ever!
Turon -- A sweet banana with jackfruit wrapped and fried in a lumpia wrapper. Best ever!
Cultural note:
When you go to a party -- it's seriously a feast. Like 10 different main dishes and 10 additional desserts. You offend if you don't eat all you can hahaha. We went to the Stake President's house after the musical yesterday.
When you go to a party -- it's seriously a feast. Like 10 different main dishes and 10 additional desserts. You offend if you don't eat all you can hahaha. We went to the Stake President's house after the musical yesterday.
Salamat po talaga for the prayers and the emails!!! I love you all and appreciate all your support and prayers more than you know!
Sister Porter
No comments:
Post a Comment