Just Call Me Wendy

Written 8/10/14

Sister and I sang "The Time is Far Spent" in our companionship study this morning. Happy 11 months to me, and happy 10 months to her! Time is a devil.

This week I got chased by a straight up crazy man in the market, while he's laughing maniacally and yelling "Manika! Gwapa ang Manika!" or, translated is "Doll! The doll is beautiful!" ...Which sounds stupid in English. I want to say it sounds better in Ilonggo, but it doesn't. But don't worry, Mom, Manapla is safe :)

L.O. was baptized on Saturday, and he bore such a sweet testimony. He told us he remembered what promises he was making to God, and he was so grateful we taught him. I LOVE SEEING PEOPLE BAPTIZED!! It's the best feeling ever.

Also, shoutout for the Clark family. I found out my zone leader, Elder Brady Meek, lived in St. Cloud for 4 years and knows you all! Small world. He says hi to Tanner :)

In case I didn't realize how prepared the Lord can make people, I was reminded again this week. In teaching A. the word of wisdom he told us that he'd quit smoking out of the blue 5 months ago, and he doesn't have any other vices. Then we came back and he showed us the notes he'd taken on his Book of Mormon reading and everything he'd learned from the pamphlets.Then he told us his friend called him (from Silay!) and told him he should move back to Silay. His response? "I can't, I've become a Mormon here in Manapla!"
He's not even baptized yet. But F. will be baptizing him on August 30 :)

On Sunday I saw F. paying his tithing. Turns out that's one of the greatest feelings ever.

Tidbit from our Zone training this week:
"Consecration is the only surrender that is a victory."

Sister and I now call Punta Salong "Neverland" because of the amount of young men and YSA aged boys we're teaching right now. And they all seem to have no mom and no home. They are the Lost Boys from Peter Pan and Sister and I feel like their "Wendy". But these guys are the coolest. 11 of them came to church yesterday. We're really working on helping them with Word of Wisdom- it's so heart breaking to see 9 and 8 year olds smoking and drinking. I already love all these ragamuffins.

I've been reading in Ether lately, and this morning I read Ether 12:36, which says, "And it came to pass that I prayed unto the Lord that he would give unto the Gentiles grace, that they might have charity."

I thought, What does grace have to do charity? But as I thought about it more, I realized how crucial grace and the Atonement is to developing charity. I dunno about if you all feel this way, but not all people are easy to love, especially for me. It makes so much sense that we must gain access to and be worthy of the Savior's grace in order to be able to love all people, no matter what type of person they are. I've really felt that in my mission, that even as frustrating as these people can be sometimes, they are the most wonderful people in the world, and I would never, ever choose to be anywhere else than Bacolod.

I love the Filipinos, with all their crazies and scary food and naked babies running around everywhere. I love them even when they don't come to church and don't read their assignments and even when they hide from us and yell to us that there's nobody home. My love for them is not perfect, but it is augmented and magnified because of the Atonement of Jesus Christ.

I know that the more faith is tested, the more faith is realized. Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ is the antidote for all things and all trials.

Thank you for your prayers for the missionaries. We need it. We pray for you always.

Love,
Sister Luke

1. L.O.'s baptism

2. Neverland

3. Cake. Always cake.

4. Our "Lost Boys" :)

5. Happy 11 Months!