I felt so much joy as we helped the Intez family of 8 come to church for the first time as a whole family on Sunday!!! Brother usually has work but committed to do his best and to see all of their tiny little kids lined in the pew reminded me of what this gospel really is about; the uniting of families for time and all eternity!!! We do not yet have a phone in our area so it has been a little trickier keeping up with appointments or reminding people when we are going over, and contacting the sisters in Balamban, but they seem to be doing good and so selflessly serve wherever they are.
Sister Nelson has been so patient in trying to remember the people and areas here and just is so patient in teaching and really listening to and responding to the concerns of others. I have much to learn from her and so many people to serve and love! We talked about serving out of lust/ fear/ or out of love and it helped me to realize how it starts with the right intention and desires. Just like how Lehi chose to obey the commandment to leave Jesuraselm not out of fear of what man could do, but because he loved God and desired to obey all His commandments. Also how Nephi didnt want to go back to his father without obeying the commandment to get the plate, not because he was worried about "how the zone leaders would respond when they looked at the stats" (putting this into a missionary perspective) but did it out of love for obeying. Love in obeying means doing it joyfully and I realized I may have been lacking in doing missionary work, sharing the gospel, and even tcing for the right reasons. It really is because these are my dear brother and sisters and I love them!!! I want them to be happy and feel peace and joy and understand why I feel that in my life because it is all because of this perfect gospel!!!
For some reason I have been feeling far from the promptings of the Spirit, or in other words I have been expecting to receive thoughts or impressions or words but haven't been recognizing them. This was such a good opportunity to take a look at my personal prayers and if i really do ask in faith, knowing that God will give and bless and help these people through me if I am sincere, but also that He won't always answer or prompt me in the ways I expect. I love the example of Nephi in desiring to know if things were true so he asked for himself through prayer and the Holy Ghost bore witness. I am so grateful for the holy ghost and just am continually working on seeing how it is trying to speak to me. I LOVE SERVING AS A MISSIONARY it feels like pasko everyday. And I am so grateful for the example of all the sisters here if how they love unselfishly.
Sister Miller and I after getting hit with endless smoke from the fire and chopping onions for an eternity! Haha they say a mission requires blood sweat and tears and I think we have the tears part checked off now!
Eating the food that we helped cook at the Christmas party!
Tatay Dela Cruz having the time of his life stirring rice with a stick he chopped off from a banana tree
Nany getting ready to cook some amazing fried chicken!!
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