Monday, December 20, 2010

Restless Week

This week has been rather a restless week! I am not sure if I was just having a hard time getting a good nights rest this week because of maybe a sickness or if just thinking A LOT about concerns and situations of our investigators and our area. Trying to find investigators is just not working for us. We can’t get return appointments or we have conflicting schedules that we can not make it to their houses. There were two very uplifting things: The Domingo family came to Church on Sunday even though they might not be baptized anytime soon because of their situation they are specifically in right now. They have committed to continue to come to Church and wait until they can be baptized. Also Nanay Lydia actually committed to a Specific Date for baptism! So we are very excited about that and as she will continue reading, praying and going to Church, she will for sure be ready to make that special Covenant to Heaven Father through Baptism. I read in Mosiah Chapter 18 which I shared with Nanay about a part of the Covenant we make with Heavenly Father when we are Baptized, which talked a lot about becoming one people (or a Zion people). I used the same question Alma asked to the people to Nanay and she shared how she would love those blessings and Covenant to God. We talked a little more and Extended a Date to her. She was a little hesitant because she was worried about not being Worthy and we talked about how all you need is a desire to want to change then afterwards make that change. We talked about a new life as being part of Christ’s Sheep and how after baptism you will receive that new life to start over. She finally agreed that Jan. 15 will be her date. We told her to pray about this date and if it feels right then that is your answer and that this is your time to Prepare. She was very happy after we ended our lesson with her which was great to see. On Sunday I felt just a huge weight upon my shoulders not really sure why maybe exhaustion or maybe just the weight of the missionary work on my shoulders. Later I was asked to share a lesson in Gospel Essentials. I liked the talk that was given earlier about Talents and based our lesson about Talents, Weaknesses, and Blessings. We talked about how we all have talents, God Given Talents, which we should use in our lives; we also have weaknesses in our lives. We talked about how our Weaknesses can strengthen our Talents or how we can make our Weaknesses turn into a talent and making it a Strength and Grow from them. I asked a question to the Class about Weaknesses, “Weaknesses… If God gives us Weaknesses, are they a Trial or a Blessing?” The Class had a split decision between the two. We came to that decision that after we overcome the trial of our weaknesses we receive blessings from the Lord. We talked about how our Faith will grow and we will increase in eternal progression. We came back to Talents for our close about how we should always share and use our talents because they will be strengthen and become better and help others as well. That is the purpose of why the Lord has given them to us. Every missionary has talents that have appeared here in the mission that they might not have known they had. They should not bury their talents, or hide them and not share them. I know that I have seen talents appear since I have been out here and how I can use them afterwards and I am grateful for that. I do not want to lose them or hide them that is for sure! Anyways I love this work even when it just gets tough and tiring, but nothing like asking the Lord for help and receiving that Comfort! Anyways love it here for the most part! hahahaha oh I ate DOG adobo style... IT WAS DELICIOUS!!!! I have heard that Cat Adobo is apparently way better! soooo Duck (Check), Balot (Check), Frog (Check), Dog (Check), Snake ( ), Rat ( ), Cat ( ), Bat ( ) not sure if i am wanting to eat bat yet... anyways Love ya all

Monday, December 13, 2010

No Complaints

my day is good... no complaints! had an awesome district meeting in the morning lots of laughs and improvement in our teachings. Went to the mall.. ate good food filippino bbq...

Monday, December 6, 2010

OYM - Open Your Mouth

Well this week we enjoyed the work. We have seen how much control Satan can have over people that are so close to finding their answers. Our investigators are struggling with coming to church but understand the importance and have even followed the words of Moroni “… Doubt not, but be believing…” They started to realize how these things they have been learning and studying are true but the feeling of how it all cannot be true. Each investigator believes that the Book of Mormon is true, and with the explanation that if they know that the Book of Mormon is true, then Joseph Smith and the Church have to be true hands down. They understand this and then when they get so close to making big commitments Satan comes and just tempts them with things that seem so small and insignificant and they end up becoming further and further away from their answers. This is hard and tiring because we don’t have much control over this and we constantly encourage them to come back to the right path. I have gone back recently and studied Lehi’s Dream and just looked at that Dream as if you were a missionary. You would be Lehi and everyone around you would be your investigator, you have partaken of this fruit (which would be the Church or Baptism) and you are waiting for the others to come as you beckon for them. There are those who have partaken and felt embarrassed from those laughing and pointing from the building and fall away. They become lost in that dark mist and end up worse then before. As missionaries we stand tall holding our light for those to come and partake or return to that warmth and comfort that was felt when you partook of the fruit. I also had a new insight or a testifying moment in the mission work about being in the right place at the right time. I testify right now that as missionaries you are PUT or PLACED not just in your area but in brief moments, to OPEN YOUR MOUTH. We had a horrible afternoon the area we worked in had a party going on so no one was home. So we went to our back up area to re-contact some OYM’s we had. No one was home as well so we circled about and stopped a at recent converts cell phone load booth thing to check up on how things are going. Her “boss” is a very nice lady but kind of quiet. Elder Gregorio pointed out the Book of Mormon that was on the desk and asked “Have you been reading it?” She replied “No, well sometimes, just a little here and there.” We asked a series of simple follow up question which lead to her asking a lot of perfect questions about the Book of Mormon. We then had a great opportunity to share about the Book of Mormon to her. She like immediately understood that this is not a new Bible, that these were Prophets called to teach the gospel and write down the things that are happening in their lives. We introduced to her The Restoration briefly so that we can come back and talk more about it with her. We then immediately met this Nanay who was looking for lotto numbers and had an immediate contact and shared briefly about what we do as missionaries and explained the pamphlet to her. She agreed to a return appointment and just seemed really happy to have met us. As missionaries when you get depressed when basically all of your appointments fall through and you tend not to open your mouth because you are just so depressed, but this is the time to just find new people even if they are not interested right now about the message because you did your part by inviting them, they need to choose to accept. As long as we do our best our garments are clean, don’t miss good opportunities to Share the Gospel! So guess what the next time you are randomly somewhere or doing something just think how can i share something about the Gospel to someone and invite them to "come to church, read the book of mormon (that you just gave them, hahaha) or pray to know that what you shared is true" Just think about how many missed opportunities you have had in your life. Anyways last Christmas in the fillipines! Enjoying it while i can! Love ya all!