Sweet is the Work

This week has been pretty great!

Big news is that the 4 Nabong kids passed their interviews. They all attended the baptism of the STLs' investigators and then were interviewed. The week after their baptism there will be another baptism so there's going to be weekly baptisms for Calbayog branch which is awesome!

Our Branch President, President Dawisan is the best! He and our Elders' Quorum President, Bro Joeboy came to us and shared with us their goals to get 4 families to the temple in December. 3 of the fathers need to be ordained to the Melchizedek Priesthood so they are goaling for September for that. 3 of those 4 families are in our area. It's going to be really exciting to work even closer with the branch members and leaders to achieve this goal.

We were unable to visit Judge Sermense this week because I went on exchanges in Catbalogan with Elder Rivas. Hopefully we can set up a time this week with Bro. Nikki to share with him and his family. Exchanges went really well. Elder Rivas is the District Leader and he is awesome! He is very diligent. I didn't think he was serious when he put dinner as a backup plan but sure enough we had appointments and lessons up until 9 and so we got home and did planning then he cooked me some Adobo. He is very humble and very charitable.

Krystel still doesn't have an answer to her prayers if the Book of Mormon is true or not. I'm not really sure what else to teach her. We've shared about the Holy Ghost and Personal Revelation and Prayer. We've explained finding a quiet place and praying aloud. Nothing yet. She's such a smart girl but I didn't think getting a testimony would be this hard. She comes to church every week. She reads the Book of Mormon daily. Maybe just a little more time and a little more prayer and fasting.

I'm doing really well. My personal study has been in Alma this past while. I've been reading about all the missionary stories from Alma 5-35. I find it so interesting to see that their converts never fell away and that the sincerity of their conversion was made manifest in their love towards God and their fellowmen. (charity) For example in Alma 27 the Anti-Nephi-Lehies were driven out of their land. They were received by the Nephites who, instead of bringing up past offences and murders, gave them the land of Jershon and promised to defend them. It says that this was a cause of great joy. I can really relate to this. After being driven from the land of my mission field I was received with loving arms and taken care of. What is impressive to me though, is that the People of Ammon aren't just all talk. When the Zoramites are cast out of their land in Alma 35, the Anti-Nephi-Lehies receive them and give the Land of Jershon to the Zoramites for their inheritance. I think the lesson we can all learn is that when we have the pure love of Christ, we are willing to give anything to our fellowmen, even if it be our own lives.

I am in love with the work! I love Calbayog. I love Waray. I love Tagalog. I love my companion. I love the members. I love my investigators. I love my converts. I love the Lord and that He has called me to be an instrument in His hands. Life is so wonderful.

It's crazy that the end is coming for President and Sister Andaya. We're having a Mission Service Project the first week of June. We're going to clean up MacArthur Park where the Leyte Landing Memorial is. I'm so stoked! Then we're going to have one last Mission Conference. I'm going to miss them so much!

Rick I'm super excited for you! You're about to start on the hardest journey of your life. Stay super close to heaven these next 2 months. You go work your hardest and be exactly obedient. You're about to experience a life within a life. It's a good thing typhoons don't really hit Canada :) (or do they? I wouldn't really know haha) You just remember that the Lord needs you there and that He will send His angels to prepare your way. Pray for miracles. Believe in Miracles. They happen everyday for those who are looking for and asking for them. Our God is a God of Miracles. Remember that Miracles Never Cease for those who keep on believing.

I love you all! Go share the Gospel. Or better yet, go make a new friend who is a nonmember and fellowship them. Then refer them to the missionaries and work with the missionaries. Go and do!