Loving & Serving in Cebuuuuuuu!!!: Rescuers

nindot ang semana!

my family is the best ever i love them I just am so grateful for their examples and love and support and the way they are disciples of Christ no matter how busy, they are just so service minded and I get to call them my family and share a last name AHHH love them, here's just a small shout out but anyway

at our zone conference this week we talked about a ship that sunk in Korea and how so many of the passengers were told to stay where they were, life jackets on and everything and that so many children and passengers passed away and weren't rescued in time. They said the ones that jumped into the ocean were the lucky ones. It was very intense and heart wrenching and then they related it to our work as missionaries, that there are people that don't know what the next step is, they are searching for answers and guidance and the restored gospel of Jesus Christ is what will help to save them.

How much more important is the work that we are doing as missionaries everyday because those in need far out number the rescuers, but we felt inspired to be more urgent in the work and to do it following the Spirit and in the Lord's way. THEN we got on the bus to ride back to Toledo, feeling slightly overwhelmed with the great task ahead of us and with people beat box performing and selling eggs and peanuts all on the tiny bus, we couldn't help but laugh when we fit 3 people on the tiny 2 person bench. The brother that squeezed in next to us, his name is Rey just happened to be holding a LIFE JACKET!!! What? He had been working on building a big bridge in Cebu but as we got to know him we learned he has so many questions about life and the purpose of it and why we have trials, and ALL of these questions of course can be answered through the Book of Mormon!!! We gave him a copy and were able to read with him and feel so much peace despite our yelling over the wind and (actually really talented) beat boxers and just like how it takes courage to jump into the ocean, not knowing what will happen next. It takes faith to learn about and then commit 110% to living the gospel but it is SOO worth it!

We met a sister named Erlinda who had a tiny baby, so of course we stopped to give a sticker and when we went back to teach her we asked what she wanted to learn from us as the missionaries. She asked how we get baptized and told us her husband had been baptized when he was young as a member of the church and she wants her whole family to be one and to be members. Such MIRACLES!

There is an implementation from the first presidency and quorum of the 12 apostles here in the Philippines called Linking Arms, that really focuses on finding part member families and helping them become one and ministering to one another and we already are seeing His hand in helping us do that.

I got to see part of Balamban this week!!! I saw sister helen who we had met way back in March and now she is a baptized member with her family and she just shared a plate of bulad and rice with us and gave me leaves to help get rid of a cough. It was so incredible seeing that God has a perfect plan.

We got to hold baby goats yesterday but they said its not allowed to take pictures with baby goats, so we respected that.

The Intes family. I feel humbled to even be in their presence. I think a whole email just about them every week would still do no justice but we were there on Wednesday and reviewing the priesthood and prophets and they started talking to each other about how it was like with Jacob and Sherem in the Book of Mormon and asking for a sign and the power of God. On Sunday it was Charlie's birthday (never seen a child so excited to eat chocolate cake) and we just discussed priesthood and Brother Julan is so excited to be worthy to help bless his family. LOVE THEM!!!

It's incredible that we don't need to worry about the little things. We were running to church from trying to pick up people we were teaching that live by the ocean and get there just in time but no one was with us and then they announce that we were the speakers and the Elder before me had just testified of everything i was thinking about and only left about 5 minutes. That was just enough time to share about how we are called to serve or maybe God asks us to do things that we think we can not do, but of course by small and simple things are great things brought to pass and Christ Himself called His apostles on the sea shore even though they had only been simple fishermen their whole life. He really does make us more and I love getting to serve and get to know and hopefully become more like Him. have a good week!!!!