July 29, 2012

This week was good. It was kind of hard emotionally, and a little bit stressful, but I've learned a lot. .I don't have really any crazy stories this week... or maybe crazy experiences are just so common that they don't seem to phase me anymore.  Haha but I did have a cool realization on Friday. It was kind of a hard day, because we were on exchanges and I had previously planned to visit some of the people we had contacted the week before. However, it was an area that I was extremely unfamiliar with, and accidentally took a wrong turn on the way out to the area.  When I realized it, I was way discouraged with myself, but felt that there was a reason that we had gone that way.  We saw a way off  a man walking towards us, and knew that we had to talk to him. So we met him, and it turned out to be one of our investigators, he was busy working but told us about two houses that were a little further out. We found them and taught them and that turned out to be one of the best lessons I have taught yet.  If I had given in to my discouragement, I would have turned back and been unable to find those investigators. This is the Lord's work, it won't always be easy, but we can be happy about what we're doing and find joy in the journey.

 

(This is in response to a comment I made about how it must have felt good to have investigators actually attend church with them)

Yeah! It was a great experience! :) And no, the member didn't even know that the grandma was interested! But the grandma returned this week, and brought her companion (not married yet.... there's a lot of that here in the Philippines =\).  They both seemed to enjoy church together. It's been neat working them and watching them come closer to the Savior. They have a lot to do before they can be baptized (including getting married!) but I know that they will be able to do it all with the Lord on our side :) We were blessed with 5 investigators total on Sunday! It was way tight!

I get to see the president and his wife about every other transfer (6 weeks). I love president! He is an awesome man and a great example to me out here. Haha,  him and Sister Martino are so cute together. It's really fun to be with them, and feel of their love for all of us missionaries. He's way strong spirituallly and I know I can learn a lot from him.

 

We've been really focusing on the Plan of Salvation with the people that we've been teaching lately. Every soul is great in the sight of God. He knows and has numbered His sheep, and I know that we've got to learn to trust Him.  As we trust, believe, and obey, we are sure to be spiritually safe. The Tagalog word for Salvation is "Kaligtasan" which literally means "safety" in English. That was an interesting realization to me, that Heavenly Father's plan for us is really to be safe.  When I think of Being "Safe", I think of being held, even hugged! As we follow the example of Jesus Christ, I know he is just waiting to keep us safe; just like he was with those martyred for His name's sake in the Book of Mormon.

I know the Lord loves us, is aware of us, and guides us even when we don't realize it.

 

Love,

Elder Blackham