Amazing Week

This week was amazing! The Lord blessed us in so many areas of our work from finding a house, to three of our investigators passing their interview, etc!

To start off, last Monday was so busy with looking for houses and ..nothing! That we had only enough time to go to the market, etc..no free time.

Tuesday was District meeting and I got tons of letters..thank you so much for everyone who is writing me and I found a post office sign pointing to a little hole in the market, so I am going to check it out and see if I can send some letters, but if not transfers are in two weeks and I'll send some then! Please don't think I forgot about you all! I love reading what is going on in everyone's life--and it seems like the common news I've been getting lately from everyone is "so and so...is getting married!" Congrats to all the love birds and I hope I receive some pictures! After we went out and worked and had a lesson with a less active who is having problems in her family.  We taught her about the Gospel of Jesus Christ and she asked us so many questions. She thought Jesus Christ was Joseph Smith, Mormon was our religion and didn't understand that the Book of Mormon was about Jesus Christ...just another missionary convert.  We have tons of those here which is why only 1/6 of the Philippine members are active.  We are treating her like an investigator and trying to strengthen her because when I asked her how important her family was she couldn't respond and looked embarrassed because they weren't to her--mind you she had her kids all surrounding her in the lesson.  I asked that question assuming her answer would be IMPORTANT and I could feed off of her answer, but my heart broke when I found out otherwise and that the kids heard her reply as well.  I give all the kids here candy and crackers in every lesson.  I gave a piece of candy to the daughter that I could see and she took one little bite and then secretly passed it behind a wall, where the other daughter was.  The feeling I get is heartbreaking as I see the conditions here in some of the families. I just want to give them everything I have for them to be happy so every time I go there, our goal is to get them to smile and little by little they smile more and more with us. A smile is worth a million words and the feeling is incredible.  We also taught another Less active Bro. and Sister Sebua who listen to us but never act.  Our goal was to get them to act. Brother was drunk when we came to visit him last time, so we felt the need to teach Word of Wisdom.  He accepted the commitment and the next time we came he was so excited to tell us he hadn't broken the word of wisdom and continues in all our lessons. He reads his assignments we give him and everything and we committed him to go to church...and to our biggest shock, he was there Sunday all dressed up and even an hour early. Blessings!
Wednesday. Thursday, and Friday we continued the teaching as our investigators were all doing really well.  We have been sad that our investigator Amile has had to be postponed for baptism for a while now because each week sister never comes to church.  Every night I pray for something, some insight on how to help them and one night in my prayers, I felt the need to ask sister if she will just come at 11am for Amile's interview.  We feel that Amile will influence his mom after he is baptized and be the source that they return.  She agreed after she hesitated for a while and we asked Amile if he was excited and he said "Dili, dugay dugay".  Which means: "No, because it's been so long"...another moment when your heart wrenches as a missionary.  We kept our fingers crossed that this would get her to church. Friday, President invited Sister Boncales and I to dinner with the Assistants to the President because it was late and he didn't have time to check our appt and do interviews with us, but we always love the time we have with President and Sister!
Saturday we went to Lupa and finished preparing our two investigators for their baptismal interviews Sunday and they are so awesome! Erwin will be 18 on Sat...the day of his baptism and May Ann is 17.  They didn't really talk to each other before they found out they were both investigating and now I think they are really hitting it off! ha ha
Sunday Sister Boncales and I were asked to speak in church.  What an amazing day! We both had been praying to know what to talk on and we both received revelation and our talks couldn't have supported each other better! Her's was on Testimony and mine was on "Never Leave Him" a talk in the 2010 conference by ..my mind just went blank, but it's about not becoming offended and ashamed and leaving the church.  It's exactly what they needed to hear because here 80% of the members who are less active are all offended by the members.  Even as a missionary, I have been offended by a husband and wife twice, but if you have a testimony of the gospel, if you know why you're here at church, then you simply forgive, forget and in return you feel the Saviors love more abundantly! We both got tons of compliments and said it was what they needed to hear, etc.  We walked away satisfied with our talks.  We also had one of our less actives that Sis. Lopez helped us with, Sis. Empase return this Sunday.  Lots of less actives are coming back little by little and we had three investigators pass their interviews for their baptism Saturday: Erwin, May Ann, and yes...AMILE! Sister came and when she came in, she listened to the gospel principles class until Amile's interview started and was talking with the members.  I am hoping that her heart continues to soften and little by little she will make it back to the church as an active member.

The Lord is blessing this area so much and I didn't feel like it was time for the missionaries to be pulled out..and I was correct.  The Lord blessed us with a HUGE house that President approved the price, and the couples approved the house this morning.  The Escalante sisters will remain in Escalante and hopefully Sis. Boncales will be together next transfer!

I love you all and I know that if we have true, sincere hearts, according to our faith the Lord will bless us! This week strengthened my testimony so much and am grateful to be a missionary, watching these hearts change!  Stay faithful and you will receive blessings that "there won't be room enough to receive them!"

Have a great week!
Sister Arnold