A Jeepney and a Baptism!!

(See new Photos!)
So I will start this off with part 2 of the Aswang saga. I learned this week that it actually was not the son of our investigator, he was sleeping. So I was right!!! Sweet little Angel has been more of a Devil this week, because she's been trying to sneak up on me in my lessons and scare me!!! Oh well, I really hope that Aswang isn't out there…..!

We had our first baptism here this week! We were going to have it here in the ocean but because they had District Seminary we had it in Calapan. They rented out a Jeepney and we thought that they'd have plenty of room. Well...we were wrong. This was the first baptism in the area in like 8 or 9 months so the branch was pretty excited. Pretty much the entire branch showed up! So they literally stuffed that Jeepney to capacity. They stopped at the church and put those little nursery chairs in the isle and fit as many people in there as they could. There were even young men on the roof and hanging on the back for the hour and a half ride! We had to stop off in a another area to pick up baptismal clothes so we just met them there. The Baptism was very nice, and I got to baptize him in Tagalog! Pretty awesome experience. We had 9 investigators go to the baptism too! They really felt the Spirit, and they were all really motivated to get baptized themselves. We were then up in Calapan for the rest of the day and were able to teach a few lessons to some investigators in the church. We then went to the mall to get some things we can't get in Pola. One of our investigators wanted to come with us because, "Everyone will think I'm cool if I'm walking with an American!" He also wants me to set him up with an American girl, so if anyone back home wants a boyfriend, just let me know!

We had 7 investigators at church this week which is pretty good for us. We have one investigator that is 12 years old, and has a really strong desire to be baptized. He was about to go to church on Sunday morning and apparently his dad started yelling at him because he hadn't washed his school uniform yet. Some members saw him washing his clothes with his tears on his face! He was so devastated!

We've had a good week as a companionship. Neither of us are being transferred this week, there's another transfer in two weeks for the missionaries that get to go home early for Christmas. I've really been trying to share more which sounds kind of stupid because I'm 19, but it's hard when you receive 2 Reese's cups and 2 bags of Fritos in a package and you give away half of them (By the way the chocolate was kind of melted but still very very good)! It’s actually easy to share because he doesn't get packages from home and I'm so blessed to get things from home. He got his first letters from home in two months and he was so happy! I really am so blessed to get letters and packages (By the way I love those fruit gummies[ Florida Naturals] I've been meaning to write that for weeks)!

One of the blessings of obedience is the Lord always provides. I am really missing my Taylor Swift. Like really. And some missionaries in this mission have T Swift but I've decided that I'm going to be obedient and be an eye single missionary. Well every morning for the past week a tricycle has parked in front of our apartment and played a different Taylor Swift song at 6:15 in the morning. I got to listen to my Taylor Swift and I was being 100% obedient!

What a great experience it was to be able to baptize someone this week. I thought a lot about it leading up to it. I was reading in Mosiah earlier this week about King Benjamin's sermon and Abinadi's teaching to King Noah and his Priests. Their teachings are so simple and yet so powerful. Abinadi did not baptize a single person, yet his words converted Alma, who as a result of many others, the Nephites and the Lamanites were brought to a knowledge of their Redeemer. I'm not sure what long term effects my labors will have, but I know that no effort goes un-wasted! No act of kindness, sacrifice, or small conversation goes un-wasted. I know that this work is truly the work of the Savior. Everything can be judged by the fruits it brings forth. And are our fruits few? No, they are many! I know that Jesus Christ is the Savior of the World, and it brings me so much joy to serve him, and alongside him in the Vineyard. And even as Ammon said, I may serve here all the rest of my days (Sorry Mom!)!!

I love you all so much!

Love,
Elder Yost