Sweet is the WORK

Dear Mom and Dad,

 - The apartment is great!!! The other missionaries that live with us are good roommates.
- Can you tape the Romney debates ? I know this is a weird request.
- I'll be going to the mission home this week so maybe I'll get some mail.
- Elder DeYoung (my last companion) is leaving for home in the next couple of weeks and he is going    to mail my ballot when he gets home. I am afraid if I mailed it here it would not get there in time.

We won't see General Conference until this upcoming weekend, but all I can say is WOW. The announcement that 18 year old young men can serve missionaries and that 19 year olds young women can serve as well (the age use to be 21 yrs. Old) That's really going to shake things up. I will say that I’m pretty surprised at the drop in age for young men, but not as much for young women. The sisters never have a maturity problem!  I'm so excited for this weekend though to see General Conference. Here in Lopez they show English in the Relief Society room, but from what I hear, it's easier for the Filipinos to understand the English because the Tagalog translation is so deep. As usual, I can't wait for Elder Holland talk!!

 Well, I heard that Mitt rocked it! A number of local members watched the debate. They didn’t understand much of what either said but they just went off of the nonverbal. They all agreed that Romney killed it! A member invited me over for the Vice Presidential debate and I had to decline the offer! I told him I didn't want my disobedience being the reason if Mitt doesn't win!

 We had a good week in our area and are seeing some good progress. The White Rabbit investigator was in Manila all week so we didn't get to see her. Our service project with the single mother and her 5 children went well! We were cutting grass with an itak, which is like a small sword for doing yard work kind of stuff. It gave me a nice blister on my hand! We're going to go back again sometime and do some work on the siding. The houses here are made of pawid, which is pretty much leaves, so after a while, it needs to be replaced. Sister Ereno's husband (she was baptized last week) is doing well, and hopefully should be baptized in a few weeks!! He's doing awesome!

 I don't have much time this week, but I wanted to share a quick story. Elder DeYoung and I taught a Less-Active a few months ago, and after teaching her many times with little progress, we stopped visiting her because she was not interested in listening or coming back to church, or keeping commitments. A few weeks ago we stopped by her house, and learned this elderly sister was in the hospital. We just felt like we should go and visit her. The hospital was a little ways away, and when we got there, she was in her bed and was all alone. When she saw us, she was shocked, and we were probably lucky she didn't have a heart attack. We visited with her, and I could tell she was really touched. When she recovered, she came to church and has brought her whole family the last two weeks.

 I was thinking about the Savior this week, and how in all he did, all he taught, he always made time for the one, for the individual. He was never too busy to pause, and heal the leper or bless the sick. He was never too preoccupied to miss those who were in need of love and comfort. Sometimes I'm so busy, and I'm trying to run around and teach as many people as I can, and I miss these great opportunities to offer simple, yet priceless service. Loving service truly opens up and softens hearts. May we be as the Savior, and always remember the one, and the lost sheep. As He has always left everything to find us, let us be His true under shepherds, and bring His lambs safely back to his fold.

 Love, Elder Yost