This last Saturday we went caroling to less actives, and investigators! Ace, Ivy, Jane, Sister Pedres, Brother Franco, Sister Ranosa, and Ariel came with us and we were able to go to many houses in one of our barangays. It was so amazing! Turns out people carol here for money all the time. Children have caroling all over the streets with hand-made drums following people for pesos, but people realized we were just doing it for fun. It was successful, and we were able to help them meet faces of people in the ward, so when they come they know people. I never thought I could sweat so much while caroling Christmas songs in December. It was a very humid night, but so fun (: People here are very Christmas spirited and so happy. There are Christmas lights all over and many home-made decorations (: That is one thing I love here, is even if people don't have the money to buy things, they get very crafty, and make decorations with what they have (: It's awesome!
One really neat experience is we were in the right place at the right time. We were visiting with a recent convert, and she has been having some really hard times lately. We visited with her, and had a Priesthood holder in the area come and give her a blessing. I have such a strong testimony of the power of the Priesthood, and if we have faith, like the people Christ healed with the Priesthood when He lived on the earth, we too can receive blessings of comfort and sickness today.
This week we had exchanges. I was with Sister Sanft and we were in their area, which are people in our ward also. We taught many less actives, which we have very few in our area so it was weird to teach a lot of less active lessons again. One of their investigators that we went and taught is Reynold. He has been an investigator for some time now, and when we got to his house, one of the members in the ward had come over and drawn a very detailed picture of the Plan of Salvation, so we had him teach it to us. We pretended we were students and had him teach the whole thing to us. Sister Sanft may have recorded a lot of it... I will try to get some of the video. It was awesome! He knows it all so well, and has been coming to church more so hopefully he will be baptized soon. PS. His son, the cutest thing! I always give him candy on Sundays (:
Another lesson that stands out to me was one with one of our investigators we have been teaching for some time now. They have not been really keeping the commitments, but we felt we should go to them. The mother just had a miscarriage, and her husband who is usually gone, was there. We were able to sit down and share with their WHOLE family. All 6 kids and the parents. The father quoted the 1st Article of Faith, and then went to his bag and pulled out the Articles of Faith card with Christ picture on it we had given him. He said he takes it with him always and reads it while he travels! It was amazing! And I know we were there right when we needed to be.
I know there are some people I will teach in this area, who may not accept the Gospel now, but Sister Roderick and I strive to do our best to help this become their time, or prepare them for when it is their time to accept the fullness of the Gospel. I love each of them so much. That is one thing I have noticed so much this week is how much I love the people here. Even the random padyack drivers who always yell out to us, and our security guard friend at the gas station. Every one of them is a brother and sister of ours, and we must see them for how God sees them. Each person has a divine potential, we are here to help them see it, and recognize their divine worth as Children of God.
We got to watch the The First Presidency Christmas Devotional and I loved it! It was so good, and if you were not able to watch it you should! It's on lds.org.
We had 4 investigators come to it, and it was perfect. We also found out our neighbor is a member and she came with us to church yesterday. We had 9 less actives/ or recent converts at church, and we normally have 3-4. I love this work. I feel so blessed, and loved here. Merry Christmas to everyone, and may the time of this season bring you light to your soul, and bring the desire to bring the light to other souls as well.
"If we drop the last syllable in 'Spirit of Christmas' it becomes 'Spirit of Christ'
- President Thomas S. Monson
Love to all of you,
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| Merry Christmas |
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