Pioneers

Dear Mom and Dad, 

-I'm assigned in the Lopez 3rd Branch. We live in the town of Lopez in the Province of Quezon. We live on the upper floor of the Alano Maternity clinic

Well, I'll start this off with some really good news. On August 25th, our mission will be having a mission tour meeting with Elder David A. Bednar!!!!!! Elder Teh will also be there, along with a member of the Presiding Bishopric. Pretty awesome! Sister P in the office told me at ZLC last week that he was coming, but I'd been sworn to secrecy until they announced it today. We're the only mission in the Philippines that Elder Bednar will be visiting. Now the bad news is that because the meeting is on a Saturday and in the afternoon, the two zones on the islands aren't allowed to come! It was a decision made by the Area Presidency, so about 26 missionaries or so can't come...I'm praying I don't get transferred to one of the islands. I should be fine though because our transfer day is on August 10th and my companion  will probably get transferred, not me. The new Elders will come on August 10th, (Note: they are trying to acquire an apt for the new Elders coming in)..the problem is there is nothing!!! We looked so so so so so so so much this week and couldn't find anything. The Senior Couples are coming down tomorrow to look with us and drive around. I hope we find something very soon!

Well, we had a baptism! Our 16 year old investigator from a Part Member family was baptized, along with an 8 year old boy from the branch. We showed up at the church on Saturday morning for the baptism, and the baptismal font had been emptied, and there was no water in it!! It would take hours to fill it up, so we just went down the street to the ocean! Elder D. did the baptisms, and cut his foot in the ocean and came out bleeding!

We contacted a referral this week. This family investigated the church about 7 years ago, but the missionaries got pulled out, and and no one ever went back. We found them through a member that randomly met the mother, and somehow they started talking about religion and when she found out she was a member, she said, "Send those missionaries back to my house!" We've had two really good lessons with them this week and they're awesome. The best part is...they're married. They have 5 or so kids, and seem really interested. What a blessing for the Lord to work through a member to help this family be taught again!

Just a quick shout out to Nana and Grandfather and Pat! Please tell Nana I appreciate her efforts in the Potomac Ward very much! They are very welcomed, especially considering going home will be like opening up a new area with no area book or former investigators or Less-Actives! If there's anyone I trust as my advocate, it's you Nana!!

We taught the White Rabbit investigator the Word of Wisdom this week. She's a smoker, and had told us that "there was no scripture talking about cigarettes." We just smiled and said there was and we'd all read it next time! She thought we were lying...and then we showed up and opened up D&C 89, and had her read it. After she read it I thought her eyes were going to pop out she was so surprised. She said "I'm sorry God!!" She knows it's right and she needs to follow it but of course it's hard. We gave her a Priesthood blessing to bless her with strength.

I think tomorrow is Pioneer Day right? We watched Legacy last night with some investigators to really get across what real faith is. I love the last lines in Legacy, when the grandmother says to her grandson something like, "Carry on this legacy of faith." You don't need to pull a handcart, or sail an ocean to be a pioneer. You don't need to be related to the pioneers to feel like you're a pioneer. We all have come from a legacy of faith, and it's our job to carry it on, keep it burning. May we all be true pioneers, and continue our legacy of faith, that has been shown to us by Jesus Christ. May we follow him, have faith in him, and trust in him in all things and in all places.

Love,

Elder Yost