Oh what a Beautiful Mornin'!‏

November 17, 2013

That tagline is for you, momma dear :) Although of course I'm not singing Oklahoma in my head because I am a a missionary.... :) I can't send pictures here, but I'm getting some printed later today that I'll send home, sige?

Kamusta, friends!

This week has been a great week. We set new zone goals at our zone training last week before the storm, and they were pretty high, so during our weekly planning this week we really got down to details about how we would go about reaching those high numbers. We planned in good detail (and we had plenty of time during that storm....) and had a lovely week. We found 16 new investigators and our cutie companion Sister Dean went with us all week (hence her sending all those pictures to you mom...)! We saw a lot of success and it's an amazing feeling to see the gospel making a difference in people's lives. I had a lot of growing opportunities this week, and the more I grow the more I see where I need to improve, no?

We had exchanges with the STL's on Thursday, and I was a little nervous about it. Sister Sanders is going home in a week and is sagad gid at the language. (Very good.) But it was the best! I had to lead in lessons and in the area since she didn't know anything about where we were going or who we were teaching, but it showed me that I know more than I thought about where places were and how to speak this crazy language. We definitely got lost a few times, but the kids here are super willing to help. I learned so much about teaching from Sister Sanders and after exchanges I was just way more pumped to go out and work. The two really bumming things about that day was that we found out that Sister C. (we've been teaching her since I got here) has a baptismal date set.... WITH THE BAPTISTS. Agh. So that was a blow. We've gone over priesthood power with her so many times, and pleaded with her to pray about her decision before she sets a date. Darn. We also found out our amazing, golden little 13 year old investigator cant be baptized right now. Her grandmother supports the family and is totally against it. J. is so ridiculously prepared though. When we ask about her reading she tells us with excitement all about Nephi and the stories she's reading, and she understands SO much about the gospel. I love her and I learn from her every time we teach her.

Sister and I went back to Sister C. on Friday to follow up with her about her other baptismal date (*facepalm*) and went back again to teach her on Saturday. On friday night she had had some concerns about people actually seeing Christ and God anywhere else than in a dream, and claimed that nowhere in the bible does anyone see them as physical beings. (I'm not sure where this idea comes from. Like... What?) So we went back on Saturday and talked with her about Stephen, Moses, and a few others in the bible, and shared Matthew 5:6. She asked some good questions and we were starting to resolve her concerns when her husband entered. Goodness. He started going round and around in circles, and had a lot of weird ideas about mormons. He took out his Ilonggo bible and started reading from the very beginning and checked to see after every verse if ours was the same. Ahaha. We tried to get our lesson back on track and out of Bible-bashing land but to no avail. I've never felt the Spirit withdraw from somewhere as apparently as I did there. Sister C. kept trying to defend us, and when we finally got a word in edgewise we just left a pamphlet with him about the restoration and left. Sis C. was worried we wouldn't ever come back after that, but she asked us to return next week when her husband wasn't there. It was sad to see that her husband had such dominion over the home, but I really feel that she has faith in our message and in the restoration. Pray for her and her family, will you?

Our other positively GOLDEN investigator T. is just more proof to me that the people of the Philippines are so prepared for this gospel. The other sisters in our apartment, Sister Davis and Sister Smith met him where he lives, right outside our neighborhood, and referred him to us. He had read the whole restoration pamphlet by the time we got there later that week, and said he believed it was the word of God. I think I told you this in my other email.... Anyway... We've been teaching him and he is eating it all up. We gave him a book of mormon and he's been keeping all his committments, which, if you've been a missionary, is the MOST BEST thing ever, no?! Ah. I love when we come and they've read. Most of the time we hear, "Oh, indi ko nagbasa, Sis...." combined with what I call the Filipino Pouty-Face. Ahaha. I love it, but I don't at the same time, because if they're doing that face that means they know they didn't do what they were supposed to. Anyway, sorry, tangent. We taught T. last night and committed him to be baptized on Christmas!!!! White Christmas here in Bacolod. It's the most amazing, joyful feeling to see someone being taught by the Spirit, being led by the Spirit, and accepting the gospel in their lives. I can't even explain the joy and happiness we all feel during those lessons with him. He got so excited about being baptized on "Christ's birthday" as he called it. (Maybe we'll let him get away with that one...) We're doing a "Stake Baptism" that day, and our goal is to have 20 baptisms. White Christmas, indeed :) 

One funny experience from this week.... We were teaching SJ in his bamboo hut that's pretty far above the ground. Sister Fitz, Sister Dean and I went to go sit on his couch, and when Sister Dean sat down with the two of us on the couch, the bamboo floor broke! We nearly fell through the floor on the couch. Ahaha. It was definitely one of the scariest and funniest things all week. SJ laughed with us and said it was okay.. We felt pretty bad, but he said it would be okay to fix. It was like a movie. 

Anyway. I'm loving it here in Bacolod 2nd ward. The ward was so welcoming to our investigators at church on Sunday and are great fellowshippers. My hope for all of you is that when less actives, recent converts, and investigators come to your wards, say hello! Introduce them to your friends, the leaders in the ward. I never realized how much help a simple smile and interest in their lives can be. It's so disappointing when investigators or others don't want to come back to church because they didn't have the experience they could have had, if they had felt more friendship there. I love that no matter where you are, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is always the same. You always have a family there, and what a privilege we have to be there for each other. Christ said in D&C 81:5 ,  " Wherefore, be faithful; stand in the office which I have appointed unto you; succor the weak, lift up the hands which hang down, and strengthen the feeble knees."

It's my prayer that we will do so. I love you all so much, and I think of you often; of your examples, your love, your prayers, and how awesome you all are. I am extremely blessed to have a family like you. Keep sharing your testimonies, they have a profound effect on others. Much love!!

XOXOXO

Sis Luke

P.S. I LOVE that everyone here calls us Sis. The kids, adults, whoever, and I love it. It reminds me of my calling, and that I get to be here as a missionary :) I'm the luckiest in the world.

Also, this email is a hot mess. Sorry. :)

This is a picture of the little lizards that are all over our apartment. 

For Hunter and Aiden especially!