No Effort is Wasted

Highlights:

So many amazing things happened this week and I couldn't be grateful for the miracles the Lord sent our way that started out by "small and simple things" 

- The Macabuag couple had been on vacation all last week but we stayed in contact with them through the phone giving them reading assignments in the Book of Mormon (they are so awesome). Then they surprised us by inviting us over the night they came home and they brought 5 of their 6 children!! We were able to meet and teach the whole family, with the help of our bishop and his wife who came as well. The spirit was so strong as we taught the Plan of Salvation for families and they would like to be baptized as a family :) We just have to get the missionaries to their kids in Leguna! 

- Brother Omar was a referral for sister Aurelio and I about two months ago. We were able to teach him and saw how much potential he had but then we switched our areas around and the Elders now had charge over that barangay (neighborhood). We let them know where he was and on Saturday he got baptized!! His testimony was so sweet- He spoke on how he used to send missionaries away but he was touched when Sister Aurelio and I came to him and he felt God telling him to try the gospel and so he did! 

- The old old bishop of this ward had gone less active for a couple years but Sister Aurelio found him one day and just spoke to him of God's love for him and how he isn't forgotten. Then he came to church the past few weeks and bore his testimony yesterday, mentioned how much it meant to him that the missionaries stopped by. I can see the old bishop in him returning..good ol Brother Socrates :) 

- Our investigator Lyn came to Omar's baptism, and LOVED the feeling of the church when we gave her a tour. Omar actually worked with us missionaries yesterday and was able to testify to Lyn of the change in him and why he was baptized, then sister Lyn accepted a baptismal invitation! (We actually want to get them together because they are both in their 20's but we can't actually initiate it so...just in our prayers haha) 

- We have this couple we teach who we love so much but they need a lot of prayers because the mom has breast cancer and her husband just recently had a stroke which leaves him almost paralyzed, and bed ridden. We brought a member with us last week and she was able to find out that sister Espiritu needs a blood donation to be able to do her chemo therapy and so she volunteered to donate for her! It was such a sweet moment to watch Sister Espiritu's tears by wiped away by the comfort of this member (who had perfect timing coming with us that night) and from her readings in the Book of Mormon

- JULIA PASSED HER INTERVIEW WITH FLYING COLORS AND WILL BE BAPTIZED THIS SATURDAY! 

Missionaries can Laugh too:

Yes mom my accents are coming back..particularly the mexican one...the members dig it. 

You Know You're in the Phillippines When...

Taking the time to heat up water on the stove, to pour in a bucket, to take a hot shower is a reaaaallll treat. You really just get used to fresh cold showers 

Tagalog :

Itago mo and isang piraso ng mais para sa akin para mamaya "Save me a piece of that corn for later" - Nacho Libre 

Spiritual Truths:

Okay so after all these things I typed i had this little voice of the brother of Ammon in my head that said "I fear thou carest thyself away in boasting" (okay I don't have the exact right words memorized). And all that happened this week was awesome but "I do not boast in my self...as to my strength I am nothing...but I boast in my God.." or something like that is Ammon's response. We know as missionaries any success that happens on our mission is not because of us because, ourselves, on our own, are just some teenagers who are trying to figure out how to preach the gospel in another language in another country, and we have way too many weaknesses for this to be possible… BUT when coupled with the spirit and strength of the Lord to guide us where to go, what to say, miracles can really happen. It is my favorite feeling in the world being an instrument in God’s hand to reach those of his beloved children that have strayed a little from the path, or just didn’t know where to find it.

“I get to wake up..at 5:30 in the morning..and [preach the gospel], it’s the beeesstt” – Also our very wise Nacho Libre

Sister Walters 
(from Michelle:  okay the video works until about 50 seconds in, than goes crazy...sorry!, but still fun to listen to the first part!)  

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