Desire.

Written 6/22/14

Hey friends.

It's been a super, weirdly fast week. I feel like yesterday I was sitting here emailing you. Monday was absolutely crazy and exhausting, but sooo good. Zone Conference at the mission home is like Christmas. President Lopez is definitely the reason I'm here in Bacolod.

The funny things this week:

All my nieces and nephews are "called" by my recent convert children and their friends. They always argue about who gets Laila and Charlotte and Sophie to be their brides when they grow up and come visit me in America. (Don't worry Heather and Sarah, they are only like 6-9 year old boys. They mean no harm ;) )

I got asked by a very drunk investigator this week, (roughly translated here) "If you met a man who looked like Jesus, and then he told you he loved you, and you weren't a missionary, would you fall in love with him?"

Talk about stumped.

Also:

You all failed in sending me your personal conversion stories but I guess I just need to follow Elder Ballard's advice and be diligent in my follow up :) I really do want to hear them!

Alright. We had a more rough week this week in terms of numbers. F. (my 72 year old investigator- his baptism is on the 5th) biked to church again because he had no plete. He's the coolest.

I've learned a few things this week.

1. The R.'s are my favorite family in the whole Pines. I think they've found out that the pathway to my heart clearly also makes a stop by my stomach. I wish you could all try the dried fish in spicy vinegar here. Manapla's specialty, and Sister Luke's favorite.

2. I've gotten to know Satan a lot better. The Book of Mormon is cool like that. Take Alma 30 for example.

3. Covenants and promises are crucial to our salvation.

In regarding number 3... Yesterday was my 1 year anniversary of having gone through the temple (shoutout to Janine and Megs. Happy 1 year to us!). In light of that, this week I have been studying and reflecting on temple covenants. I had an interesting experience with a less active this week. We'll call him Brother O. Brother O is a good example of many of our less actives and even investigators. We commit them to come to church and they tell us, "Indi ko pasalig, Sis" which is basically, "I can't promise, Sis."

What I've learned, however is that what they are really saying is, "I have other priorities, Sister." (which is already breaking the first of the 10 commandments.) In the gospel and in our salvation, there's no room for disarranged priorities. Mom always taught me that you always have time (or make time) for the things you really want. Our desires dictate our priorities.

Brother O. also shared that he had the opportunity to go to the temple, but said he didn't go because he was afraid to make promises he couldn't keep. How sad! I've really learned this week that our covenants are the very thing that enable us to keep the commandments more easily. I looked up the word "Salvation" in my dictionary, and it says words like "preserve, deliver, rescue." Looking at real world use of those words, all those things require some sort of price. Preserving fruits and veggies requires you to buy the cans, the materials, and spend time canning. Deliveries of packages to your doorstep require an extra fee and a signature. Calling an ambulance in times of emergency is expensive. In all these situations, there is a price expected; so it is with Salvation. The price has many aspects, but part of it is making covenants with the Lord. It may not be as simple as signing the FedEx guy's delivery paper, or writing a check to the hospital; it requires a pure desire to gain exaltation. Like Elder Holland said, "Salvation is not a cheap experience." It requires that our priorities are in order and that we cling to the promises the Lord expects and requires of us.  

I would encourage you all to read Elder Oak's talk "Desire" from a couple conferences ago. Such a lovely talk.

Well, time is ticking. I love you all bunches. My camera is being funky so no pictures this week... Just imagine a happy Sister Luke, eating dried fish and looking super haggard in all those Zone Conference pictures from last week :)

Love,
Sister Luke

Jokes! I got it to work.
1.This is the inside of a tiangge. They are just these tiny stores full of wonderful junkfood. There's like 10 on every street. Most of the time they are just at the front of people's houses. This is the Romero's tiangge. (chung-gee)

2. They have these fabulously colorful paintings on the walls here lining the highway. This one is my favorite because of the green. I love Manapla.

3. This is one of our less active sisters. HAD to get a picture of the shirt. A Potter fan's love never dies.

4. I just had to attach this one. I mean, how can you not? My Friday nights are probably better than yours cause I get to spend them with these kids :)