This week has been really good, we really didn't get to work in our area too much because we had ZLC and we had a few problems with some missionaries here so we had to deal with District Presidents, President Anderson, and Branch Presidents...yippee! Other than that...the news is that I am transferred...my buddy Elder Trebas is also going home soon.. so that's a bummer...If i told you I had no idea where I was going that would be a lie haha..I have an idea...since the AP's are all my close buddies in the mission the word on the street is that I am going to be assigned in Lopez! Which would make Grandpa and Grandma Maw very happy! I still have the piece of paper with names on it with the people I need to find in Lopez. I really couldn't be happier with where I am supposedly going! It's out in the middle of no where 5 hours from any big city...but the best part is I'll still be Zone Leader over there and I'll move into the apartment with 5 other elders..and one of the elders there is my boy Vandermyde! So I am really excited! My supposed companion will be Elder Darang! He's a beast at drums so I am really excited to rock out with him! It's gonna be really hard leaving the Island, I've grown very close to the people here and this was by far my most succesful area...last saturday we baptized Sister Rachelle and it was a really spiritual experience..I was grateful that she asked me to baptize her..I need to upload a TON of pictures but I am always forgetting my card...perhaps I'll go home and grab it soon.
The Lord really has blessed me with so much success and learning in Mindoro...despite the really nice perks of having a car...I learned a ton about myself and what I need to do in this life to be happy. I really cannot explain all that I have learned in my mission...I hate the fact I'm coming home but I know it's been a very long time. I've met some amazing people here, some I will never forget, some I cannot wait to forget, and some that will unfortunately forget about me and the message I tried to share. I love being a missionary. I love serving the Lord. Although I have a ton of weaknesses, I have felt and seen His hands in my life shape me and mold me, through bad experiences, tough decisions, pure joy, and the most fun period of my life. I've been thinking a lot about what I want to do when I go home, where I want to go to school, what I should be....don't worry I'm not that trunky...we just have a lot of time to think on the boat! and these are the few things I have realized. My life would suck If I wasn't close to my Heavenly Father, If I didn't read the scriptures everyday,If I didn't have my family, If I didn't enjoy conversation, If I didn't love listening and making music, If I didn't serve others, If I didn't make bad jokes on more than just an occasion, If I didn't help people figure things out and be genuinely interested in them, If I wasn't a book worm, If I wasn't obsessed with studying religions, If i didn't constantly ask questions, If I never served my mission, If I never learned Tagalog, If I never stepped out of my comfort zone, If I didn't make stupid horrible decisions, If I didn't do every single thing that I have done....because it wouldn't have led me to where I am today. I guess what I am trying to say...is I have realized here because of the Love of the Lord and how much he helps me..what I need to do to be completely happy and successful. I am probably the happiest person you know, because the Lord lives, I am his servent, and I have the best family! and I'll see them in 4 months! I love life, I love the church, I love my mission, and I love filipinos! The Lord is continually blessing me and I don't really understand why but I suppose I wont question it.
I do this everyday when I meet people but I suppose I just want to bear my testimony, these last 20 months...I've grown more than I could in any other circumstances, to say my mission was easy would be an outright lie, to say that I enjoyed every minute of it would be a lie too...but I can say that I have had a very succesfull mission so far..I've learned to be spiritual mature and self relliant, I've also come to know that the Lord lives, I've come to know who really Jesus Christ is in a foreign land and the Tagalog language, I know with all my heart, it's not a matter of debate nor is there any doubt. I know that Joseph Smith is His Prophet..and what that means is the Lord restored His church in our time today...and to find true happiness in this life we need to be obedient to His commandments, To find ever lasting Joy in our families we need to live the Gospel and evetunally be sealed in the temple for time and all eternity. and Lastly I know the book of mormon to be the word of God. It completely consumed me here in my mission and I can honestly say that I know anyone who reads it with a prayerful heart will feel the same way. I love my AMAZING family, my mission president, and myself...but most of all His majesty. Thank you for everything..I'm like a rough stone rolling...eventually I'll become smooth and polished but I gotta hit my head on a few more rough stones and roll through the mud...I hope you all will be along for the journey.
Love,
Josh
