Oct. 25: An epic week

This epic week began by giving me a slow day or two, but in one day the week turned around! Friday was probably the best day to date.

We had a member who is preparing for his mission work with us most the day. We found this bright looking man who had heard from the missionaries before and knew he felt the spirit; unfortunately, he ended up not coming to church. We will paint a black and white world for him next time so he know what he is choosing by not coming to church, because it turns out that he has been taught about five times.

We randomly visited Bro. Heliado again after dropping him because he would not pray and convinced himself that only faith is needed. He apparently had a freak accident in his garden a few days earlier that really messed up his face. When he told us about it, he began by saying that we had worms in his garden and told the story in such a way that could lead us to believe that the worms did that to his face; a scary idea. He appears to become more humble during our absence so we will get him to get and answer from God. We visited him again yesterday just to have his wife say he is too unwell to received us, although we had an appointment and he went to a birthday party the previous night! I am sure he just did not know we were there. He did say that he will be coming to church next week, and he will.

We had district conference last Sunday were the Mission President spoke. The other talks were either quite or in Tagalog so I had a hard time. President’s was great though. He told some simple stories explained a common parable and was just with the hearts of the people. We had Bro. Jumauan come who is an inactive that we are working with. We were not even able to visit him last night but he came to church to strengthen his spirit.

Unfortunately, Bro. Constantino did not come to church this week, and next week he will be in Manila. He did say that he went to bed early to keep from drinking, then awoke early to goes jogging – he works out like a maniac and consequently is stronger than most Americans which is amazing for a Filipino – but fell asleep again after which cause him to miss church. He does the Book of Mormon is from God and wants to follow that peace he has been feeling. The gospel will help his family so much! He had a hard to understanding why the king, King Benjamin, was lower than the people and serving them. The wife is not so interested in us so much as what it is doing to her husband.

We meet that awesome old man, Jess the DJ, last week who is diehard Catholic, but has the charity of a saint. He English is great, which make it fun and different to teach in English, but funny because my companion sounds like a robot when he speaks English to anyone other than a missionary as if he was talking to a child that can’t understand, but maybe even more than that. So we teach him and naturally he cannot accept the Apostasy. We returned again to teach him of Christ Original Church and the Apostasy again, but were unable to finish because of his passion in his beliefs: the creeds, the history of his church, and even the twisted doctrine. We may give him the “Our Search for Happiness” book because the Apostasy is so nicely explained there, and so is the important of the spirit and prayer.

My mission is ever trying and ever progressing. There are so many people walking this earth with not perception of how close God is if they would only open their eyes and soften their heart to his work. My mission is clear and this week as been delicious to my senses and souls. The blessings are more than visible to those that would look.