Hello Again!!! - January 24, 2011

Happy Even In The Rain

I love you all so much! And I am grateful for the love and prayers you have for me! I know that it is helping me so much and I really feel the Lord strengthening me here. I feel like I have so much I need to learn! And every day I grow more and more! I am so grateful for my companions! They mean so much to me! I have learned so much from them and I know we are together for a reason, I was reading in the Book of Mormon and in Ether 5:4 it says "And in the mouth of three witnesses shall these things be established..." I liked it and knew that I am supposed to have two companions right now. I am sorry I won’t be able to send pictures this week but next week :)  So we went back to teach Tatay Lino and we asked him to pray about the Book of Mormon and about Joseph Smith and he said the answer he got was that he can’t serve to churches and he is "too old" to change now, but he wants us to teach his family and he wants to work with us to help us bring souls unto the savior. I love him so much! He is awesome and I am not giving up on him. So we committed him to pray again specifically and to read in 3 Nephi 11, which I am hoping, has a really big effect on him! He will be a great member because once he knows it is true he will just continue to progress.

We were able to teach the Sacueza family and they are great too.  We showed the restoration video and it went well they have a lot of questions about the Book of Mormon and I am really excited to teach them about it next time! They will benefit so much from the gospel and I know it will just make them a stronger family. We went and ate at a member’s house and the said they didn't know of anyone they could refer to us but they said if we were teaching a family they would go with us so I am really excited! They have scheduled to go work with us and be the fellowshippers for this family! I love it!

Then the Bermejo family, were brother is a tricycle driver, we were able to teach them on Tuesday and it went well so we were excited for the next lesson to talk about the restoration and the Book of Mormon but on Saturday brother was home, however something was wrong with his tricycle so we were only able to teach sister but brother said he would be home again to listen next Tuesday! So we are excited!

We were able to teach only one of the kids this week. Geno, he is awesome but he says he prayed and didn’t get an answer so we are trying to help him understand the feelings of the spirit. He didn’t come to church though and we don’t know why or what happened but his grandmother didn’t come as well so maybe that was a problem.

We are teaching Brother Jerry who will be baptized on February 6 and I'm so excited for his baptism but we had to teach about the law of chastity and it was the first time I had to teach someone who is in his late 20s and not married, plus he is a guy! I was so nervous because it is just kind of weird, but it went well and he understood and we also got to talk about the importance of marriage and the temple and I think it was a really good lesson and I am grateful for the spirit that makes everything better even when we are weak and lacking and nervous haha. 

We do tracting anytime we are punted so we have met some great new people so if they continue to progress this week I will have some more great stories! The one thing we are focusing on is getting them to come to church! It is a big help in them knowing that this is the true church! So we just keep fasting and praying for them!

I also had a great experience with the Relief Society president. My first Sunday she bore her testimony and I didn’t know who she was but she said that her husband was less active and I don’t know why but something just told me that we need to go see him. Then this Sunday she came up to me and said that she felt like we need to come over and try and talk to her husband! So we have an appointment and I am so excited!!!! She also has three sons, one is less active and one is sort of active and one is a returned missionary. haha. So hopefully we can help! Her son that is a returned missionary served in Australia!!!! I though you might like that mom :) it made me think of you! Oh we always go eat at a member’s house and she said that she would talk to you on facebook but she is a little shy to add you, Sister Owie Salayog so if you want you can add her. She is so sweet! She and her family are amazing! I love them so so much! They are a really good example to me of righteous living and following the gospel standards! She is a returned missionary! They have two little boys and I am always reminded of Kristy and Heather when we go to their house, the last time I even heard cars in the background hehe. Last time she was talking about the dreams she gave up to go on a mission and for her family. I am so grateful for smart amazing women who could do anything they want and choose to stay home with there kids and be the mother the Lord needs them to be! What a great example of forgetting ourselves and following the will of the Lord!

I love the work I am so grateful for all that I am learning in this area and I know that the Lord truly needs me here and I am grateful for his guiding hand! I love you all so so much!!!!

Love, Sister Andreasen