This week was great and we taught tons of lessons and
found tons of people who are prepared to receive the gospel. Jimmuel
will be baptized next week and two new elders will arrive this week to
Sanchez Mira. The Lord is hastening His work.
A bunch of funny things also happened this week:
-I
made a Tagalog mistake through text. I was texting all of our
tinuturan to remind them to go to church. It was obviously a group
message intended for many people to receive. I wrote "mahal kita" (I
love you) at the end of the text. I should have said "mahal namin kayo"
(we love you), but it was a group message so the small mistake should
have not been a huge problem. BUT IT WAS. One of our new investigators
is convinced that I am in love with him. He has texted us many times
every day telling us that he loves me too. My bad.
- We got a new fridge and the elders who will be assigned here are getting our old one. Poor elders.
-We
gave Jimmuel a good luck mango (artfully created by my fellow Americana
here in Sanchez). Then he passed his baptismal interview. I think he
passed because he was spiritually ready, but the mango may have helped
too.
Here are some questions sent to me by a friend that I am happy to publicly answer:
What language do you speak?
--Tagalog. I can pull out a little Ilocano, too. "Wen" means "yes" in Ilocano but is more often pronounced like "one."
Have you gotten sick?
--Yes. I have been sick many times. Violent fevers, actually. But I am doing well now.
What was it like to be in that big storm?
--The
big storm did not affect my area of the Philippines, but it did affect
my companion who was assigned in the Tacloban mission. She is serving
here in her home mission temporarily.
How often do you get chased?
--A few times a week. The dogs are crazy but the drunk men are crazier.
Whats your companion's name?
--Sister
Purificacion. Say it with a Spanish accent, but a "ch" instead of a
"c." Sometimes people call her "Sister Purification). Does she look
like a water filter?
Any weird food you have to eat?
--Nothing
that I have had to eat. I have eaten snails, chicken intestine, balut,
and dog. That is a joke about the dog. A lot of missionaries
have accidentally eaten it though not knowing what they were being
served. Always ask before you eat.
Favorite weird food?
--It's not that weird but I love buko. That's coconut.
Have you eaten chicken foot?
--Not yet.
What's your favorite word in whatever the speak in the Philippines that you've learned?
--"Ginagampanan"
is good. It means "role." Also "papel" mean "role" like in Spanish
but why say that when you can say "ginagampanan?"
Do you have a pet?
--Pets
are not allowed for missionaries but the next door neighbor's dog has
moved onto our property. There was a full out dog fight in are front
yard the other day. Probably 7 dogs showed up.
I
think that the best part of my week was a lesson we had with Irenio Sr.
We intended to teach all of the Ten Commandments to him, but we got
stuck on the second. He told us outright that "naniniwala ako sa mga
revulto" (I believe in engraven images). We taught about faith and the
Restoration, but he was not satisfied. We asked him where his faith was
and we taught that Christ lives so that we should not pray to symbols
of His death. We also explained that we pray to a God in heaven, not a
god in an image. I an grateful that Christ lives. God lives. The
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the living church.
Irenio Sr. will take time to believe that there is no power in engraven
images, but the power is in our faith. God commanded us to not worship
engraven images himself. The Church is true and God's commandments
give us power and strength.
Now watch this:
http://www.lds.org/media-library/video/2012-08-1240-we-are-graven-on-the-palms-of-his-hands?lang=eng
Mahal kita!
No comments:
Post a Comment