This Week

August 10, 2016

This week was rather a good week. The trials that hit last week are starting to alleviate a bit and we are finding success. I interviewed a girl for baptism this past week so the other companionship in Siquijor will be baptizing this Saturday.

As far as our gators go, we did end up dropping 2 people who weren't really doing anything but then extended an IBD to a Sister Mae for Sep 24. When we talked to Mae she told us how she did pray and she did receive an answer! That is the number one thing missionaries want! She is excited to continue to learn and boy am I excited for her! She is only 19 too so maybe a gold mine for referrals?!?

Juvy and his wife came to church last Sunday for time #3! They are still doing great but the one is still having W.O.W issues so slowly but surely!

We have found a couple new people who may have a great chance of progressing. TBH, 2 teenage girls from the local college and a part-member family we found last Monday. The part-member family is new and no one knew they were there! Soooooo....... GOLD MINE!! The father is the member and has a lot of family in the area and not to mention they live like 5 minutes from the church - right on the edge of the two areas here!!!

The work here is going great; a lot of seed planting but other than that we have high hopes! We have a family we are working with to get them sealed here in December. They are fantastic and could really use your prayers! Trials have been hitting them so hard! Family all of a sudden started arguing with them about Joseph Smith and the "Mormons" etc. We shared with them the first vision but we focused on the start of his prayer. Some of you may remember that as soon as Joseph started praying that Satan did everything he could to stop it. Elder Jeffery R. Holland points out that right before we do something so spectacular (sealing in temple, baptism, mission, etc) that the trials will come and they will be bitter. Satan will do everything he can to stop you! He wants you to NOT be happy. Let it be a witness unto you that when the trials come right before these huge spiritual events you are doing the right thing!

Elder Artajo and I are doing great. Still no issues (10 weeks!), two more weeks to go! The district is doing great. My workshops are the bomb BTW.

We did have an unexpected death in the branch last Saturday. Laurena Branch has been a branch since January and the previous Group Leader is who died at age 46. He has a son two months into his mission too. It has been a very sensitive week for the branch here and especially for the missionaries! Dumaguetti Zone (my zone) has 7/21 missionaries that have served on Siquijor and they were very close to the Group Leader, si brother Solis. The scriptures 2 Nephi 9: 16-18 is some of the most amazing kasulatan ever because it teaches that death is swallowed up in the resurrection of Christ- or in simpler terms we ALL will be resurrected and not remain dead, that our loved ones will be with us!! Remember that always.

Now the last thing I would like to share is a huge revelation that hit me this morning. For all those RMs and missionaries out serving or preparing to serve, let this help you understand. We teach in lesson one the Restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It teaches first that God is our loving Heavenly Father and Jesus is the Savior of the world. Next is that the gospel will bless your family. Third is dispensations; about prophets, how they receive the priesthood and learn the gospel to teach it to the people, the people go through individual apostasy etc,. Then about the Saviors earthly ministry, the apostasy, Joseph Smith, Book of Mormon, and lastly to pray to know. Sigi here is the revelation. Lesson 1 of the missionaries is outlined in 3rd Nephi almost exactly!! Ch 11. is about Jesus comes then testifies of the Father and that he is the Savior. The people then rejoice and cry in unison (Unity of the family through the gospel). He then calls Nephi (calls a prophet) gives him authority and teaches him how to baptize (authority and teaches him the gospel). He says that He does this because of disputations among you (apostasy). The next few chapters are from the Sermon on the Mount (Saviors earthly ministry). Earlier he taught about the apostasy as well as called a prophet so now we move onto 3 Nephi 24 (Malachi scriptures). He gives them NEW SCRIPTURE (new to them)! The Book of Mormon for us; Malachi scripture for them. He also teaches them how to pray and commands it. The people desire the Holy Ghost (or for us a witness from the Holy Ghost). So I thought this was pretty cool. The Master Teacher taught all of Lesson 1 before any latter-day missionary did! Well that's all I got on my mind right now!

Oh yeah! So this week marks my official 1 year in this country! Aug 8 is when I arrived in Manila. And Aug 12 is when I got to Cebu. It also marks my last few days as a teenager. I will no longer be 19 as of Friday. We had B-day cupcakes at District Meeting.