We went to Laoag for Zone Leaders conference. For our
activity, we went to the beach again and I loved it. It's possibly the most
beautiful beach I have seen - nice sand, the Pacific
ocean , bahay kubo (cottages) everywhere.
I am feeling great and am very happy but the week was a tough one. Monday, we got home a little later than we would have liked and had some laundry to do (remember that it's all done by hand in a tub.... I miss the washing machine). During the laba (laundry) session, we had another brown out (yay). So we couldn't rinse our clothes for a while. luckily it came back on but the prospect of sleeping without a fan and getting eaten by mosquitoes was not very inviting. Then after the brown out, (and don't ask me how) I managed to shut my EAR in the door!!!! It hurt so bad, I grabbed my machete but I couldn't find anything we could afford to cut. So we got to bed way later than we should have.
The next day is where things started unraveling. We went and talked with one of our less active ladies. Then, on the way back, we took the wrong path and got lost briefly and had to double back and walked for a VERY long time and were exhausted. We taught our only lesson of the day and rushed to the palengke (market) to catch a trike and saw the last one pulling out with a woman in the back of it. We stopped them and she asked, "Where are you going?" When we answered she said, "No, it's too far.", and got the driver
to drive off (nothing is that far here in a trike). So we walked all the way back and were wiped! We ran into a really nice young less active girl who we have been working with. She decided to tell us that she is getting baptized into another church. Her friends were all there laughing at our reaction like it was some sort of game and they had just scored a goal or something. On top of that, we were preparing for a zone meeting and the apartment is infested with ants.
Many other things happened but one day will suffice. Anyways, it was a tough week.
Then things started to turn around. On Friday we had our zone meeting. I met with the president and he shared some gems of wisdom as he usually does and I got a priesthood blessing. I realized that the reason I have been most upset is due to the pains I feel from seeing the people I serve suffer. It's a good thing that I feel that way, is what the president said. It's love. I felt that same love for all of those at the zone meeting. They are each so special and amazing to be around.
I got to work with the new Canadian elder in our zone. He is already much better at Tagalog than I was at that point.
On Saturday we had a baptismal interview for an investigator lady and she is very much ready. She is amazing. Sunday we had 27 less active members attend church - amazing too! It warmed my heart to see them walking up to the church doors. Another family will be baptized on the 28th and on may 5, the old gentleman we've been teaching will also be baptized.
Yesterday we played volleyball at the beach as well as rugby and I felt so attached to the missionaries I serve with.
We taught one of our investigators with Sister O. She told us she's having a hard time with the Book of Mormon. We asked her why and she said she always starts crying whenever she reads it. The spirit just overcomes her. The young less active girl who told us she's getting baptized into another church, as it turns out, is being pressured and she says she knows it's not right and she feels it.
One of the elders put it into perspective for me on the bus yesterday and it really hit me. He asked, "What did Christ have in his hands feet and side when he appeared to the Nephites?" (marks or scars). He then asked me, "Do you not think you're going to have marks from your mission?"
I guess it wouldn’t be fair for Christ to suffer the pains of the whole WORLD and I, as his servant, were to feel nothing. He also didn't complain once when he suffered. I learned a huge lesson this week.
I love my Saviour and He loves me. He will ALWAYS help me and there is nothing - no power in the universe, that can stop him. There is no depth I can sink to that he won't go to get me. All that could stop me is my own poor use of my agency. I wish I could find better words to express what I feel.
I love my mission. I love my Saviour and I love all those I serve and serve with because of Him. I love you guys too. Do all you can to use the atonement every day.
Elder Dustan
I am feeling great and am very happy but the week was a tough one. Monday, we got home a little later than we would have liked and had some laundry to do (remember that it's all done by hand in a tub.... I miss the washing machine). During the laba (laundry) session, we had another brown out (yay). So we couldn't rinse our clothes for a while. luckily it came back on but the prospect of sleeping without a fan and getting eaten by mosquitoes was not very inviting. Then after the brown out, (and don't ask me how) I managed to shut my EAR in the door!!!! It hurt so bad, I grabbed my machete but I couldn't find anything we could afford to cut. So we got to bed way later than we should have.
The next day is where things started unraveling. We went and talked with one of our less active ladies. Then, on the way back, we took the wrong path and got lost briefly and had to double back and walked for a VERY long time and were exhausted. We taught our only lesson of the day and rushed to the palengke (market) to catch a trike and saw the last one pulling out with a woman in the back of it. We stopped them and she asked, "Where are you going?" When we answered she said, "No, it's too far.", and got the driver
to drive off (nothing is that far here in a trike). So we walked all the way back and were wiped! We ran into a really nice young less active girl who we have been working with. She decided to tell us that she is getting baptized into another church. Her friends were all there laughing at our reaction like it was some sort of game and they had just scored a goal or something. On top of that, we were preparing for a zone meeting and the apartment is infested with ants.
Many other things happened but one day will suffice. Anyways, it was a tough week.
Then things started to turn around. On Friday we had our zone meeting. I met with the president and he shared some gems of wisdom as he usually does and I got a priesthood blessing. I realized that the reason I have been most upset is due to the pains I feel from seeing the people I serve suffer. It's a good thing that I feel that way, is what the president said. It's love. I felt that same love for all of those at the zone meeting. They are each so special and amazing to be around.
I got to work with the new Canadian elder in our zone. He is already much better at Tagalog than I was at that point.
On Saturday we had a baptismal interview for an investigator lady and she is very much ready. She is amazing. Sunday we had 27 less active members attend church - amazing too! It warmed my heart to see them walking up to the church doors. Another family will be baptized on the 28th and on may 5, the old gentleman we've been teaching will also be baptized.
Yesterday we played volleyball at the beach as well as rugby and I felt so attached to the missionaries I serve with.
We taught one of our investigators with Sister O. She told us she's having a hard time with the Book of Mormon. We asked her why and she said she always starts crying whenever she reads it. The spirit just overcomes her. The young less active girl who told us she's getting baptized into another church, as it turns out, is being pressured and she says she knows it's not right and she feels it.
One of the elders put it into perspective for me on the bus yesterday and it really hit me. He asked, "What did Christ have in his hands feet and side when he appeared to the Nephites?" (marks or scars). He then asked me, "Do you not think you're going to have marks from your mission?"
I guess it wouldn’t be fair for Christ to suffer the pains of the whole WORLD and I, as his servant, were to feel nothing. He also didn't complain once when he suffered. I learned a huge lesson this week.
I love my Saviour and He loves me. He will ALWAYS help me and there is nothing - no power in the universe, that can stop him. There is no depth I can sink to that he won't go to get me. All that could stop me is my own poor use of my agency. I wish I could find better words to express what I feel.
I love my mission. I love my Saviour and I love all those I serve and serve with because of Him. I love you guys too. Do all you can to use the atonement every day.
Elder Dustan
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