Families

Dear Mom and Dad

-Just a note, "Mahal kita" (I love you ) is used when  you're speaking to one person, but when speaking to more than one person you use the  "Mahal ko kayo" 

-Got a package from the Cooley's this week, thanks so much!!!!

-I asked President Peterson about sending a box of clothes or something, and he said that'd be a great idea, and he wishes more wards and branches did projects like that!!!

-I know we  had talked about picking me up at the end of my mission and I think it'd be awesome if it works out. 

We had Zone Interviews this week with President Petersen, and I had a really good interview with the President. It's amazing how he knows exactly what each missionary needs to hear! He told me without straight out saying it that I'll be transferred on November 2! I already thought that but now it's pretty sure. He also pretty much told me I'll be assigned in a city area, because I've now been assigned to the  two most  farthest country areas in the mission!! I feel like I'll go to one of two zones that are in bigger cities is nice to have a bit of an idea of where I might go. The Branch is going to have a Branch family home evening for me on Saturday which should be awesome!

We had a baptism on Saturday!!! It was awesome!! Tatay and his son Roven were baptized, which now means that every member of the family, over 7 years old, are all members! It's been truly a blessing to meet this family, teach them, and have them all baptized. It's such a great feeling to have an entire family get baptized together. I have learned so much from them. A few months ago, the wife fell off a motorcycle, and hurt her thumb really bad. She went to get treatment and a member of the church was the one to treat her, and as they started talking, religion came up.  The wife learned that the  women was  a member of the church. The wife  said they'd been taught 7 years ago, and had lost contact with the missionaries, but still remembered how much they loved having them in their home. She asked if the missionaries could come again. 

We started teaching them, and at first progress was really slow, because their business is to  deliver flowers on Sunday morning. The wife  really started  to want to know more but  then the couple had an argument and husband left. I honestly thought he would never come back, let alone listen to us, but he came back right before his wife was baptized. Her baptism was a great experience, and from there he took off. It's funny how a great experience at a baptism can change someone’s feelings as they feel the spirit and then they suddenly want to read the Book of Mormon!! Everything over the last few weeks climaxed on Saturday at their baptism. Afterwards, Tatay bore his testimony. He talked about how much he's changed. He even started to cry, and I think he was not sure why he was crying! He said he still doesn't know a lot about the scriptures or the prophets, but he said he knows how he's changed, he knows how he feels, and that he's never been happier. "It's true!" This is the true purpose of missionary work: Families. 

The past few days as I've thought about this precious family, I've been touched at how much the Lord quietly did. If the wife had never fallen off that bike, what would have happened? I've thought about those missionaries who have been home for maybe 7 years, probably are married and have children, and have absolutely no idea what impression they had made. “By small and simple means are great things brought to pass.”  If we only look for great miracles, we'll miss the most precious tender mercies that the Lord blesses us with every single day. I know God lives and loves us. He is always aware of us, and will always provide us a way to come unto Him. I know that the Savior's Atonement changes people. Look around you and think of the small blessings the Lord's given you, and the simple ways He blesses your life in ways you had never realized. Never forget, He loves you!! 

Love,

Elder Yost