The Time Is Far Spent

Time is really getting warped up in my brain (is that even correct English) so I can't recall everything that happened this week. We travel so much I forget where we are and what day it is a lot of the time.

Seventh, eighth and ninth devotional!  

A huge blessing was going back to our first areas up in the mountains in Baguio!! We practiced the devotional with the missionaries there, and before we did the second run through we felt to show them a couple Mormon messages about Jesus Christ to help them feel the importance of the songs. Then it turned into such a touching testimony meeting and the spirit was so strong- the second time through was really amazing to watch all of them sing Come Unto Christ, some with tears in their eyes, all of us bearing testimony of how Christ is the source of real happiness and truth.

President let Sister Bleak and I go visit our old areas and converts after the practice and I will attach pictures later!

Sister Bleak's old area in Naguilian!

Our first chapel!

It was SO weird to walk those streets I walked as a fresh missionary and reflect on how much the Lord has taught me in these 18 months.

Sister Apilado- the wife of the Patriarch that experienced the fire I mentioned a couple emails ago. We love her!

(Soundcheck for one of the devotionals...)

Another tender mercy was hearing the recent convert's testimony in Baguio's devotional. We leave a spot after a song called "Will He Really Answer Me" for an RC to share how the Lord answered their prayers upon joining the church. In Baguio it was Brother Jun Cases!! The Cases family were so close to my heart, no matter what the ward said we never gave up on them and watching him bear his testimony of his baptism was another testimony of how the Gospel can reach and change anyone. The whole family has been baptized and the eldest is thinking of a mission.

Cases Family and Millanes family from Baguio

Old picture of Pascua family and then this week when we visited them! Can't believe that's over a year ago. 

This week will be the craziest yet with 5 upcoming devotionals, one in a stake we have already been to but they want it again so they can invite more people. We will be praying for extra strength this week and that our voices don't blow out hahaha.

You Know You're in the Philippines When: 

They are so. touchy. It's not weird to meet a member for the first time and they are holding your hand, playing with your hair, repeated tight hugs...everyone is family. At first, it was way weird though. So sorry mom if I just hold your hand all the time when I get home.

My beautiful singing companions :)

Missionaries Can Laugh Too: 

Went to wash the dishes the other night and found something crawling on the left overs...even slugs eat rice here.

Also, my comp got a laugh out of me trying to lead the Filipinas in Zumba to EFY music.

Tagalog:

 Musikal na Pagtatanghal (Musical Presentation)

Spiritual Note:

With some extra reading time, I had the goal to finish Jesus the Christ and the Book of Mormon in Tagalog which I was able to accomplish this morning actually. I cannot express how much the Book of Mormon guides me. I know it is true with my whole heart and I feel the presence of the prophets who wrote it as I read. I will continue to read it and ponder it and apply it my whole life because I know the Lord guides our living prophet in his counsel to read the Book of Mormon every day. If we are not- let us repent :) I was especially touched by some of Moroni's last words

32 Oo, lumapit kay Cristo, at maging ganap sa kanya, at pagkaitan ang inyong sarili ng lahat ng kasamaan; at kung inyong pagkakaitan ang sarili ng lahat ng kasamaan, at iibigin ang Diyos nang buo ninyong kakayahan, pag-iisip at lakas, kung magkagayon ang kanyang biyaya ay sapat sa inyo, upang sa pamamagitan ng kanyang biyaya kayo ay maging ganap kay Cristo; at kung sa pamamagitan ng biyaya ng Diyos kayo ay ganap kay Cristo, wala kayong dahilang magtatwa sa kapangyarihan ng Diyos.

33 At muli, kung sa biyaya ng Diyos kayo ay ganap kay Cristo, at hindi itatatwa ang kanyang kapangyarihan, kung magkagayon kayo ay pinabanal kay Cristo sa pamamagitan ng biyaya ng Diyos, sa pamamagitan ng pagbubuhos ng dugo ni Cristo, na siyang nasa tipan ng Ama tungo sa ikapagpapatawad ng inyong mga kasalanan, upang kayo ay maging banal, na walang bahid-dungis.

English :) 

32 Yea, come unto Christ, and be perfected in him, and deny yourselves of all ungodliness; and if ye shall deny yourselves of all ungodliness, and love God with all your might, mind and strength, then is his grace sufficient for you, that by his grace ye may be perfect in Christ; and if by the grace of God ye are perfect in Christ, ye can in nowise deny the power of God.

33 And again, if ye by the grace of God are perfect in Christ, and deny not his power, then are ye sanctified in Christ by the grace of God, through the shedding of the blood of Christ, which is in the covenant of the Father unto the remission of your sins, that ye become holy, without spot.

Mahal na mahal ko kayong lahat.

Sister Walters