The Books Work Together

-No packages yet, I could get some tomorrow at Zone Interviews
-I got letters from Mom, Dear Elders, and a letter from Bishop Forsyth!
-Just bought an umbrella today that'll be really good
-Thanks for the pictures!!
-The Calderwood's are going to NYC! Please tell them congrats! Weird thing, a few days ago I thought about them and asked myself, "How is he not a mission president yet?" Pretty funny. They will do so so well up there!
-The BYU Lax Twitter should be titled, "The Ted Ferrin Show"
-Mom keep teaching the 4th graders Tagalog! Sabihin ninyo sa kanila, "Magandang umaga!"

Well, I didn't have dog for dinner last week...we got to our Branch President's house late and it was all gone!

I feel like this week went by so fast! After this week we'll be halfway through the transfer! Holy cow! I'm coming up on 10 months, and with 14 months left I thought about where I was 14 months ago...I was playing lacrosse at the Y! That seems like yesterday. Then a random thought came into my mind, that in 14 months I'll be wearing that baby blue seer-sucker (“seeeeer suckaaa as Coach Funk would say”) suit! Dad I hope you're looking around for it! You think they'll let me wear that before I get released? Doesn't hurt to dream!

We are working so hard here and our work is so so so hard! We had a day this past week where we taught 4 lessons, and went to 8 other homes and weren't able to teach them! We're truly flying around all day long. It's honestly amazing that I have any energy because we are working so hard. Priesthood service truly does bring physical strength and rejuvenation.

Brother C., the father we have been teaching,is continuing to progress and should be baptized soon! He's so ready! His 17 year old daughter (I think she has a crush on me) is doing well. We'll have to make sure she's REALLY converted before she gets baptized, but she's making progress.

As for the 29 year old man we have been teaching...the greatest potential investigator I have had in the Philippines may have just turned into the greatest tragedy. His family belongs to another prominent church and his family they are so so so mad with him. They pretty much all live together so we can't really go to teach him. He's only sent us a few texts telling us how mad his family is and that he's really sorry. We have another Less-Active member that is close to this man. Last week we saw this brother's mom on our way to an appointment. She at first tried to be nice to me because she wanted me to buy a halo-halo (is a popular Filipino dessert ), and when I said no thanks she said "Why don't you just go and take my son back with you to Ancient America with that Mormon guy." Woah. Well at least it sounds like her son was trying to get us some referrals! We honestly are going to need a miracle with this brother. His heart is so ready, but his family, and the adversary are doing all they can to stop him.


Elder Jones is doing really well. The language is still a work in progress. We had an awesome lesson with a Less-Active this week. I've told you about this brother before and how we've opened up the scriptures with him and how it's been so good. Teaching him has really forced me to use the scriptures effectively in teaching, because he won't believe a word from the “Gospel of Elder Yost”, but if it's in the scriptures, it's true. I've learned that the hard way in the past with him, trying to reason with him and it's not turned out well. He is having a hard time believing in the Book of Mormon and the Prophet Joseph Smith. He just can't bring himself to believe the Book of Mormon is true because he thinks the Bible is it and nothing can add. We put together a lesson plan focusing on how they witness of each other, and how they truly are one in purpose in testifying of the Savior. We read with him in Ezekiel about the stick of Judah and of Ephraim, and then we read in 2 Nephi 3, pretty much the same thing, and how the two books work together to confound false doctrines. We closed with a verse in Mormon, I think Mormon 7:9. These are Mormon's last words before he delivers the plates up, and he says the one was written to help us believe the other. We read it again, but substituted in "Bible" and "Book of Mormon". He sat there and thought and bore his testimony to us that he now knows the Book of Mormon is true, and that it is completely in line with the Bible. He then rhetorically asked, "Howe could you deny such a witness of Christ as there is in the Book of Mormon?"

I went on exchanges with Elder T. this past week. We had a good time and I learned a lot from him. He's been out in the field for about 3 months. He opened up to me about some companionship challenges he and his companion were having, and he wanted some advice. At this point I was so grateful for the experiences I'd had with some of my companions, because I was able to help this Elder.

Also this week I got to translate for President P.in a baptismal interview. That was such an awesome experience. He just has such a spirit and presence to him. The young women he interviewed is such a sweet person. She gets up early and walks by herself with her baby to church, and the church isn't exactly close. President said, "Sister, are you sure you'll be able to go to church every week? You walk quite a ways with a baby. That seems pretty hard." Without a seconds hesitation she said, "Oh no, it's not hard at all. It's what the Lord has asked me to do."

May we have faith as this young woman to follow Christ. In that interview, it was hard for me to keep my eyes dry. As I sat there and marveled at this Sister's faith, something the Savior said to the Nephites came to mind, "Such great faith have I not seen, no, not in Israel."

Love,
Elder Yost