Philippines Mission--Week 11(8 new investigators; 4 baptismal dates!)

Kamusta mo! Just 1 1/2 more weeks and it's already going to be transfer week. And I will get a follow-up companion and have to lead the area! Eek. I'm nervous. That means I really got to get this Bisayan language down so I can understand people more clearly.

This week has been pretty good! There have been small little miracles, and many investigators progressing towards baptism! I'm just going to tell you all about some things that have happened to me certain days that I really liked.

On June 18th, Thursday, Sister Lagan and I traveled to Garcia (about 20-25 minutes away from Jagna) with our recent convert, Sister Jessa, to contact the many referrals she gave to us. We first visited Carolina (Sister of Jessa's father) and her husband Rodriguo. They let us come in and share a short message with them. When we first started teaching them, Sister Carolina said, "I was born a Catholic, I'll die a Catholic." But then the more that Sister Lagan and I taught her and her husband, the more their hearts were softened and they started to be more interested in our message. We then committed them to read and pray and they didn't hesitate to say 'Yes.' After teaching them, we walked over to the Galis family, (Sister Galis is the other sister of Jessa's father) and they let us come in and share a message as well. They actually seemed really interested and had a lot of questions. Sister Galis asked how baptism works and so we showed her a picture and explained how our baptism works. She even asked about little children being baptized and we explained that little kids don't need to be baptized until they the age of 8 because they don't really know what sinning is when they're really young. After we explained that to her, she just looked at us and said, "Well, that actually makes sense." I was really nervous teaching them, but they were so awesome! They had many questions and were interested in our message.

After teaching the Galis family, we then walked over to Evangeline's (her husband is brothers with Jessa's father). We started talking with her a bit and found out that she had already taken lessons with the missionaries, but her husband wasn't very happy so she stopped. So we decided to just share our testimonies and a bit about how this gospel can bless her family's life. She ended up asking us, "Why don't you guys believe in wearing the cross or worshiping the cross?" We explained to her that as members we don't believe in wearing the cross or worshiping the cross that Jesus died on, because instead we're worshiping the living Christ. We're focusing our minds and hearts on the Jesus that lived. We remember the Atonement of Jesus Christ, that he came here to spread His Gospel and atone for our sins so we can return back to our Heavenly Father.

It was a pretty fun day being able to meet Sister Jessa's family. I know Sister Jessa is thankful that we went and visited them, because she's the only member in her family, and she really wants her family to know the peace and joy that comes from this gospel; the peace and joy that she has in her life.

On June 19th, Friday, Sister Lagan and I found out that one of our investigator's (Diana) daughter, Claudine, was in the hospital because she has a really bad fever, and huge rashes all over her body that hurt really badly. Sister Lagan and I decided to call the Elders in our area and have them come with us to the hospital and bless Sister Diana's daughter. When we got to the hospital, we talked to Sister Diana and she told us that her daughter has been in the hospital for 5 days and isn't getting better, and won't be able to leave soon. We then explained why we brought the Elders, and we explained the priesthood and how it works. Sister Diana is one of our investigators that has been having a lot of trouble with faith. She says she really wants to have faith and really wants to believe that this church is true, she just can't. We told her that priesthood power is strong, and it can really only work if you have faith that it will work. The Elders gave her daughter a blessing, and I could just feel the Spirit strongly in the hospital. I know that the Lord will help out Sister Diana; she just needs to show her faith in Him.

Then on June 20, Saturday, it rained! Finally! It was not so hot like it usually has been these past months. But because it was so rainy, it was really muddy too! Yuck! haha.

Sister Lagan and I went and visited one of our investigators Sister Julianne (a 12 year old) and taught her about the Book of Mormon. Last time we visited we committed her to read the Book of Mormon and pray to know if it's true. When we visited her this time, she told us she read and prayed and she feels that it is true. We then committed her to be baptized, and when we committed her she just looked at us and kind of shrugged her shoulders. She said she wants to be baptized, but she needs permission from her father (who isn't taking lessons) in order for her to be baptized. Her family (other than her cousins) haven't been taking lessons from us, but they want the kids to take lessons and listen to the missionaries. Sister Lagan and I are praying for Julianne's father to say yes to her baptism. I really hope he lets her.

After teaching Sister Julianne, Sister Lagan and I went over to the hospital to visit Sister Diana and her daughter, but they weren't there. When we noticed nobody was in the room, we looked at each other and just said, "The blessing!" We then hurried and ran out of the hospital and took a Rela over to Sister Diana's house to see if they were there. When we got there we saw her daughter was sitting on the "couch" (wooden bench) and Sister Diana was sitting next to her. Sister Diana said that her daughter still had a little bit of a fever, but was feeling a lot better than she was yesterday.

On June 21st, Sunday, Sister Lagan and I dropped by one of our investigators, Ristituta, and were going to teach her, but ended up just talking with one of her helpers, Josy. About 2-3 weeks ago, Sister Lagan and I gave Josy a pamphlet to read, and then when we visited her this time, she told us how much she really liked the pamphlet. She told us that her husband was muslim, but she had him read it, and they really liked what they read. We then invited her to come to church with Ristituta and if she didn't like what she saw at our church she didn't have to return. Sister Josy then told us, "I like what I read in the pamphlet, so why wouldn't I like what I see in your church? Of course I'll go!" She was really excited to talk with us and is very excited to come to church this Sunday! Oh man, we didn't even teach Sister Josy a lesson; all she did was read from a pamphlet and is now wanting to come to church. Ahh. It's so awesome! I can see Josy's family being a golden family (which means they're all interested/wanting to be baptized) if they start taking lessons from us! I hope they start taking lessons!

Also, the exciting news for this week: Sister Lagan and I have 8 new investigators for this week, and 4 investigators with a baptismal date for July 18th and July 25th, and we're going to commit another to baptism later on this week. The more Sister Lagan and I strive to be obedient to the mission rules, the more blessings the Lord has bestowed upon us. I love it!!

Lately this week we've been teaching a lot about Priesthood and why it's so important. Sister Lagan and I even taught the youth about the priesthood in church on Sunday. And I've been thinking a lot about the priesthood blessings I've received from my father and how lucky I am to have grown up with a worthy priesthood holder to give me blessings when I'm sick, or when I need comfort. I'm so grateful for my father. I never realized how important he is to me until being here on my mission. I never knew how important/powerful the priesthood is until I got here on mission. Fathers/sons, always strive to be a worthy priesthood holder, and mothers/daughters, always strive to help the men be worthy priesthood holders so they can bless your families. Without the priesthood, we wouldn't have this church! Don't take the priesthood for granted.

P.S. Happy Father's Day all you wonderful fathers out there! Don't forget to watch the Father's Day videos on the LDS.org website!

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY PAPA! I miss you more than words can explain.

I love and miss you all and hope you have an awesome week!!

Love,

Sister Johnson