Family,
This week has been really interesting..I had to email early because we have an early appointment today so I didn't get to catch your email oh well next week na lang. This week has been busy! Half the week we spent it in Lipa at Zone Conference..It was Christmas Con so we got to all get together with a lot of my friends in the mission for a nice dinner! We had roasted pig! and of course knowing me...I made a fool of myself by taking the pig head and shoving my hand in it's neck and turning it into a puppet. I thought it was really funny...President Anderson just gave me a strange look, Sister Spjute and Smith laughed, I took pictures with Elder Perry, but some Elders and Sisters thought it was disgusting when the grease and it's fat was dripping down my hands...you'll see pictures soon and I'll let you decide for yourself! This week has been long and sleepless. We had interviews in Pinamalayan on Friday so right as we got back we had to travel all the way on the other side of the island to interview people and then I worked in Pola with Elder Michaels and we just got back to our area on Sunday morning at 8:29 and walked in to Church just on time! The only day I got to work in Calapan was on a sunday! That's why I am so grateful for the Sisters here! If it weren't for them this branch would suffer. Other than that we've been getting a ton of referrals from the Branch it's amazing how much they are helping us find people! I'm really impressed with all the amazing investigators we have, Like Brother Gil...he's the cousin of a member and every since we gave him the book of mormon and taught him he's wanted to get baptized...He's sort of a strange fella and insist on speaking to me in english constantly and then ask me if i understand tagalog words...to which i respond "yes brother gil i've been in this country for 14 months" and he says "Oh yeah I forgot about that!" He's moving to Los Banos but says he wants to be baptized before he moves so we really need to start teaching him more. The Garcia family this week we stopped by but they were leaving so we decided to give them a ride into town and went and worked in an area that was just closed called San Teodoro. We went back yesterday and had an awesome lesson about the book of mormon. I've so thoroughly convinced if someone will read that book with a prayerful heart and ask God the Eternal Father if it's true..they will come to know...it doesn't matter how well I speak tagalog, or if my lessons make sense, or even if i ever speak a word...that book is powerful! that's what the focus elder montesclaros and I have decided on for our zone! We are going to flood mindoro with books of mormon....invite people to read. It's simple when I am teaching investigators here I always say " Brother...Hindi po ninyong kailangan matitiwala sa amin, ngunit maari po ninyong itanong sa diyos,,,,kapag sagotin po kayo ng ating ama sa langit....malalamin po ninyo para sa inyong sarili na ito po ay kaniyang salita...at kami ay tinawag ng diyos." Or in other words less tagalog...it's simple you don't need to trust us or the things we are saying..just ask our heavenly father... you will be answered...and you will come to find out that this book is His word...and we are servants of him. that's why I find it amusing when we come in contact with missionaries with other churches...ever since marinduque i promised myself i'd never debate or throw out any bitter phrase at any other religion.. They like to quote scripture and tell us how we are wrong...If they have questions I answer them, but it really all comes down to this book. If it's true that means Joseph Smith was a prophet because he translated it with the Gift and Power of God and that God called a prophet in our day and age like in the time of Moses or Abraham and this is His Church that he restored......if it's not that means The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is one of the biggest Hoax in the whole world, they are one of the biggest and richest corporations that are stealing millions and millions of dollars every week from it's members and that I should personally burn in hell for teaching and baptizing people into this lie. I'm willing to take this gamble. I've come to know for myself how true this book is. I've come to know that Heavenly Father does call Prophets, that Thomas S. Monson is a prophet of God...because I feel the fire of testimony that burns in my soul when I tesify of the truthfullness of it, I feel the sweet spirit speak peace unto me when I am exhausted at night and only want to sleep but i make it a point to read my scriptures, when I'm tired and angry at my brothers here and only to punch them in the face or run them down with the truck...I remember how I need to be more Christ like because although it's hard to live in this imperfect world, it's hard to live a perfect life, it's hard to be hardworking day in and day out and see no resultes, it's hard to be away from family and the ones you love, it's hard to say good bye to your friends in the mission knowing you may never see them again...everything is hard....but why do i do it? Because I could lay my life on the line for this Church. I could lay my integrity and honor on the validity of the Book of Mormon. And I plan on helping as many people as I can find this truth. It's changed me completely...it's helped me realize how much Heavenly Father loves us all. I love the Lord so much, I LOVE His word and the scriptures...honestly I get giddy like a school girl during personal study, but most importantly I love my family and miss you all so much! This week I'm really striving to be humble.. My patience is drained...I need help... I keep thinking of the Prophets story and it helps me get by..
After turning against the Prophet in Missouri which brought additional persecution, William W. Phelps wrote a letter and begged the Prophet to forgive him. "Inasmuch as long-suffering, patience, and mercy have ever characterized the dealings of our Heavenly Father towards the humble and penitent," Joseph wrote back, "I feel disposed to copy the example, cherish the same principles, and by so doing be a savior of my fellow men. . . .
"Believing your confession to be real, and your repentance genuine, I shall be happy once again to give you the right hand of fellowship, and rejoice over the returning prodigal. . . .
" 'Come on, dear brother, since the war is past, for friends at first, are friends again at last.' "3
I hope you have a wonderufl week! Too bad we didn't make it to state championship but it's okay! We'll live to fight another day!
I love messing up and realizing I could have done better...the greatest lesson i learned so far from my companion right now is this
Yesterday's Defeat Is Today's Lesson, Today's Lesson is Tomorrow's Victory!
always seeking to become better and improve,
Josh
