Quite a few tender mercies this week

John Thomas McGuire

Sep 22

One of my favorite gospel metaphors has to do with cars. Humans are kinda like cars. We're on this journey through mortality. Often times, we run out of gas and we need to fill up. The questions are, who fills our tank? How can we increase our mileage so we don't run out next time? Why do we even push the gas pedal down anyways? It all comes back to Christ. He is the reason and answer for everything. He is the one who fills us up. He increases our capacity to work and serve others. He is the reason we go to such great lengths. He is the one who fixes us up when we're broken. We rely on him for everything.

I can explain that metaphor better in waray. some of the words aren't coming to me in english but anyways.

This week was a really great week. I was really stretched in my capacity to serve. We had some really cool spiritual experiences! Just some highlights. We went on 96 straight hours of exchanges with zone leaders here in our area. Since we're opening an area, we went finding a lot! And the results of it, we have 13 new investigators and 6 of them are professionals and we have 1 family of 4. 12 of them are men and the 1 women  is part of the family. 3 speak tagalog to us, 3 speak cebuano to us, 2 speak english to us and 5 speak waray to us. Ah the joy of being quadrilingual... It really fries my mind trying to switch back and forth, but I have a firm testimony that everyone should have the opportunity to hear the Gospel in their native tongue. The two english speakers are pretty great. One of them is going to be a little bit of a challenge. We're pretty sure he's paid money to have someone killed.... Aside from that fact, he said he stopped believing in God after his dad died and he really wasn't into religion. He asked us if God really does exist, why would he let His children suffer terrible things like Yolanda. We had him read from the Book of Mormon, Alma 60:13 and then testified that God has a plan for each of His children that didn't start at birth nor does it end at death. We gave him reading assignments and he has read them already. We're going back sometime this week with Bro. Viray who seems like the perfect fellowshipper for him. The other english speaker, Alfonso, is awesome! I found him with Elder Maguale on exchanges and he said he was busy but to come back tomorrow at 6. I came back with Elder Burton and we had one of the most spiritual lessons I've had on my mission. We taught the restoration in english. I was really surprised at myself that I still knew the First Vision in english. He is born and raised Catholic but he is willing to change and said he really wants to be closer to God. He was super excited to read from the Book of Mormon. 

On Sunday, the stake president, President Aban (who is the MAN!) came to 2nd ward and gave the lesson for the 3rd hour. It was amazing! He taught about the law of the fast from Isaiah. He is such a great teacher! The stake really wants to split 2nd ward but the line that they have right now has 19 melchizedek priesthood holders on one side and only 5 on the other. It's really cool to see the members more excited about missionary work. Last year the attendance averaged 130 and this year it's averaging 230! We're actually going to have a baptism in October. We picked up some investigators from the other elders and they're super prepared for baptism. The Malatbalat family. Roel is 22 and Marivic is 16. Both really want to go on missions. They know the doctrine very well. The elders really did an amazing job teaching them!

the 96 hours of exchanges were pretty taxing on my mind and body. I went with Elders Compao, Panganiban, Maguale, and Burton. I had a really cool experience with Elder Maguale. We were finding in Apitong and having no success and so we stopped and said a prayer asking where we should go. I said amen and then said "UTAP" which is the name of a barrangay. (neighborhood) We went there and were walking around and I got the impression to go visit my convert Sis. Dado. We went to go find their house. They had a new one because their old one was washed out. We found Brother Dado though. He welcomed us in and said Sis. Dado had just got back from the hospital. She had high blood pressure. Also she's pregnant again! She asked us to give her a blessing. It was a cool experience! We were able to share a spiritual thought as well. Jacob 2:8. Brother Dado said that it was great we had come by. They were talking earlier that morning wishing that the elders would come by so that Sis. Dado could get a blessing. Not a coincidence that we stopped by. Prayer is real. Promptings of the Spirit are real! It is such an amazing feeling to know that you were the answer to someone's prayer!

On Friday night and Saturday Morning I went with Elder Burton. By this point I was mentally exhausted (I had also had to take a sick break during one of the exchanges because of a migraine and fever) I told him that I was sorry if I wasn't all there for the exchange. That's always an interesting way to start off. After we set up the plan I went and prayed in the bathroom asking for the enabling power of the Atonement to help me just get through this exchange. I stood up and a feeling of peace came over me and a thought came into my head saying "you're going to be just fine. I'm going to help you out." After that, we had the most amazing exchange. We taught two lessons to our 2 professional english speakers. Elder Burton was the right missionary for these 2 investigators. I am thoroughly convinced that there are no such thing as coincidences. Everything absolutely happens for a reason. God really is in charge of this work. His hand leads and guides us. Our responsibility is to be sensitive to the promptings of the Holy Ghost so that we can be there to answer the prayers of his children. Elder Burton helped me out a ton! He got me rejuvenated and feeling the Spirit. It was in my top 5 of all time favorite exchanges. Oh yeah and then he cut my hair for free. It looks pretty good!

I just want to thank you all for your prayers. I'm praying for each of you every single night. I know that the church is true and that this is the work of God. He is at the head. Prayer and revelation are real. There are no coincidences. God has an individualized plan for each of His children. I love you all!