Hello everyone!
So my Mom has informed me that I have been a little light on the details in my emails, so I will try to do better in including more experiences.
This week was pretty busy. We had District Conference and Interviews with President Andrada this week so we had to travel a lot and not a lot of work was done. However, I do have some things I would like to share.
First off, I have a miracle investigator. I was on exchanges with Elder Nichols (from Utah), the companion of our district leader, and we were doing some finding. It was the time of day where no one is outside but we had no appointments, so we were getting a little down because tracting here is not very effective and we didn't want to do it. So, I said a quick prayer and asked God where we should go to find someone. I immediately felt an impression to go and try this one house behind a tindahan (look that up). I came to this house and there was a bunch of ladies playing bridge or something, but there was one girl sitting off to the said and she looked at us as if she was surprised to see two white people wearing white shirts and ties in her home. We asked if we could share and she said yes.
We shared the entire lesson 1 and were about to close when she stopped us and asked us if we had a small, blue book to give her...
We were shocked, we hadn't explained what the Book of Mormon looked like but she described it, telling us how thick it was, the color of the words on the front, everything. We pulled one out and she pointed at it saying (in Tagalog) "Yes, that's the one!". We asked her how she knew about this book and what she said next amazed us. She told us that she had had a recurring dream about two white men wearing white shirts and ties bringing her a blue book with gold lettering on the front. She had that dream every year around Holy Week, but she could never figure out who the men were or what book it was.
So, we gave her the book and she said she would read and pray about it. We extended her a baptismal date in April and she accepted. The only problem is we haven't had a chance to come back because she has been in Manila with her spouse these past couple of weeks, but we will be returning this week.
Next, an insight from the Priesthood Session in District Conference. We had an area seventy come and teach us how to honor the Priesthood. He gave a great talk on how to honor and magnify our callings as priesthood holders, and while he was teaching I realized that Priesthood work is no different from missionary work. The work of the Priesthood is to Perfect the Saints, Proclaim the Gospel, Redeem the Dead, and Care for the Poor and Needy. The work of the missionaries is the exact same, but full-time. So, missionaries are simply doing the work of the priesthood. However, you don't need to be called as a missionary to perform this work. Of course, missionaries are called to do this work on a full-time scale, but members of the church are given the same duties as missionaries. We are to strengthen our wards/branches. We are to share the gospel, find people for the missionaries to teach. We are to perform family history work to find those who need to have ordinances performed on their behalf, and then perform those ordinances. And, we are to care for those who need through fast offerings, service, and home/visiting teaching.
So, brothers and sisters, let us not forget our duty and privilege as members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Let us remember whose name we bear.
Finally, I would just like to share my witness of the truthfulness of the gospel. I know without a shadow of a doubt that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is the one and only true church on the earth. I know that Christ is the head of this Church. I know that God the Father and Jesus Christ appeared to Joseph Smith and though him the Gospel in its fulness was restored on the earth for us to partake of its joy. I know the Book of Mormon to be the word of God, and I know that it is the most correct book on the earth. I love this gospel and this work. I love my God, and I know that He loves all of us. In the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
