Great Faith

Dear Mom and Dad,

It has been an absolutely crazy week with transfers. I got my new
companion! His name is Elder R. , and he's from Pangasinan which is
in the Baguio Mission. I'm also the new District Leader in our
District here. There's a lot I could say that happened this week, but
due to time I'll just share this experience.

On Saturday we got a call from our Bishop while they were at the Ward
Temple trip in Manila telling us that one of the families we've been
teaching's house had burned down while they were up at the temple.
Because most of the members were at the temple, they asked us to check
out the house. We went over to their house, and when we got there, it
had been burned to the ground. This family had found an abandoned pig
stall and had put up banners and other things as a roof. Their house
had caught on fire, and it had burned the whole house and everything
they owned. Their kids were playing at a neighbors when it had
happened, but when they got home it was all gone. The oldest boy, a
twelve year old had pulled out what he could, and even though the fire
was completely out when we got there, he was sitting on the ground,
crying to himself and covered from head to toe in soot. We decided the
best we could do was just start cleaning up. So we started to pull all
the rubble out, sweep it clean, and as we did so, all the neighbors
came out of their houses and gathered together food and whatever else
they could. By the time the family got home that evening, the
neighbors had put a new tarp roof on the house, and the inside of the
stall had been cleaned out. The family was able to sleep that night in
the very house that had burned to the ground hours earlier.

The timing was certainly interesting that while this sister was at the
temple, such a tragic thing happened. And yet the very next morning
there they were, dressed in Sundays best, sitting in the seats for
Sacrament meeting a half hour early. At the end of Sacrament as I
walked to Sunday School, the whole family was lined up against the
wall paying their tithing. This is a family that had nothing before,
and lost everything they had after. Yet they understand the Plan of
Salvation, they understand the why and are truly converted to the
Gospel. I feel blessed I was able to help this wonderful family. As
the Lord said, "Behold, I have refined thee, but not with silver; I
have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction." May we rise to our
best when trials come, and prove through our actions how steadfast and
immovable our faith is in the Savior.

Love,
Elder Yost

Missionaries - Comings and Goings

Dear Mom and Dad, 

- I got a great package from the Bob Davis family!!! Thank you so so much!

Well yesterday was a pretty busy day! We had to take two beds to an apartment, do some stuff at the bank and post office, do some other office work, all in time for the final dinner and family home evening with the missionaries who are going home. After that I had to drive some senior missionaries home. Needless to say, there was no "P-Day" or rest time!

To answer your question it is transfer week! This is my second transfer week here in the office, when I got called in before it was right before transfer week. This morning we just sent off the missionaries going home, and tomorrow afternoon the Provo MTC missionaries come in, on Thursday morning the Manila MTC missionaries come, and Friday morning is transfer day! I know that I'll be getting a new companion this transfer day. I know I have three more transfers left here in the office, and then I'll get one more in the field before I go home.

The picture I sent last Sunday is Sister Lyn and her family. She came to church on Sunday for the first time in months!!!! She looked so happy and the members were so happy to see her. Her husband is the only one in their family whose not been baptized. He's so nice and always listens to us,. I think he was a bit turned off by some of the gossip he heard, so he stopped going to church. Sister Lyn only brought one of her children to church, so our goal is to have them come as a complete family!

I think I've told you a bit about Sister Sharon, the part-member mother we're teaching. She's the one that's had a bit of a rocky progression. She's come to feel that the Book of Mormon is true, but still has struggled keeping her reading commitments and praying to know about the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon and the prophet Joseph Smith. You know it boggles my mind sometimes because it seems like it is the most simple invitation. Here's a Book that will bless your life. Please read it, think about the message and it's witness of Jesus Christ, and then pray to God to know if it's true. So simple! Yet it is so hard for people to do! We followed up with her the other night before our lesson. The other evening we taught them and she started to share with us an experience. She said that for a long time she had never really had the faith that her prayers would be answered. She said she didn't really believe that God would answer her, or that anyone could for that matter. However she said that one night before she went to bed she decided to pray, and at least try to ask like we've been inviting her to do. She said that as she began to pray, she asked "Is this Book of Mormon true? Is Joseph Smith a true prophet?" She said that immediately after asking the question a feeling came over her that was unlike anything she has ever felt. She had difficulty describing it, and said that ever since then she's just had peace in her heart and has just been happy. We were able to help her understand that what she felt was the Holy Ghost, and that this was a direct answer to her prayers. This was such a strengthening experience for me personally, to know that he truly does answer. It can be a bit discouraging sometimes as we constantly extend Moroni's promise and so few truly and sincerely do it. But experiences like this really do strengthen my faith that he always will answer the humble. As I said before, he will tell them if it is true. The Lord has requirements for blessings, and if we meet those, he is bound in giving us those blessings. If we want blessings, we need to be exactly obedient and keep the commandments.

President Peterson shared with us a great scripture I'd like to share. It's in one of my favorite sections in the Doctrine and Covenants, D&C 19. It's Jesus Christ himself speaking, and the only place in the scriptures where the Savior personally speaks of exactly what he felt in the Garden and on the Cross. In verse 2 he says:

2" I, having accomplished and finished the will of him whose I am, even the Father, concerning me—having done this that I might subdue all things unto myself— "

Whose I am. Do you think there was any doubt in the Savior's mind whose he was? He always deflected all glory and praise to the Father. He said that he could do nothing save he had seen it or received it from the Father. Christ knew who he was. He knew his identity. He knew who had sent him, whose plan it was, and his role and purpose in that divine plan. He knew whose he was. I am trying my best to learn whose I am. Christ was the Father's, and I am the Father's. We are all the Father's. May we be as Christ was, and know exactly whose we are, and subdue ourselves to his will in all things, at all times, and in all places.

Love,

Elder Yost

Teaching! (3 New Photos added)

Dear Mom and Dad, 

-I don't need any more Camelbak stuff

-Who will probably starting for BYU lacrosse this year?

-I got a postcard from Leon Brown! I'm planning on writing him back soon! Please tell him thanks!!

-Our apartment is apart of the mission home complex, and we live exactly above the mission office

Well to answer your question from last week, getting a driver's license in the Philippines is not too bad! I think I caught it on a not very busy day. However they're just as grumpy as people at the DMV at home! Driving here is something else! It felt a little weird driving the first couple minutes, but ever since it has been completely fine. The only thing I've really had a hard time with is driving the truck because it's so big and bulky and has an awful turning radius! 

We were really blessed this week to watch a Philippines Area Broadcast in which the Area Presidency spoke and revealed the 2013 Area goals. The area goals are exactly the same as they were last year!! At the beginning of 2012 the average sacrament attendance for the whole country was 116,000, and at the end of this year it was 121,000. That's a 5,000 increase, and in that that includes all the recent converts and returned Less-Actives. All in all, that's a little disappointing! However, the Area Presidency is so positive and optimistic, and I left the broadcast feeling so uplifted and excited! 

One of the new clarifications of rules in our mission was regarding lessons to sisters. We are only allowed to teach a lesson to a female of any age with a male present that is 18 or older. This is going to affect a lot of people's work here because generally speaking, women are much more receptive than men. We were a little worried about this, but we've been able to have Elder and Sister Packer come with us to lessons! They have been so much fun to have, and I think are really enjoying it. They spend a lot of time in the office, and I think they're really enjoying being able to get out and work and serve others. 

This evening, we taught a great family. The sister was baptized about 18 months ago with her children, but her husband hasn't been baptized yet. She is one of the nicest and sweetest people I've ever met. A few months ago she was really offended by a certain member of the ward, and hasn't been back since. We taught them this evening with the Packer's and Sister Peterson (who is the Mission President's wife). We had such a sweet lesson with them about the Book of Mormon. This Sister talked about the missionaries who have taught her family, and how much she loves them and misses them. It occurred to me that while we as missionaries come and go, we leave something with those we teach that will never leave. It's one of the first things we give them, and it's eventually the thing we leave them with. The Book of Mormon. Think about the Restoration of the Gospel. The initiating event was the First Vision, and the next was the Book of Mormon. Before the restoration of the priesthood, temples, priesthood keys, and other things came the Book of Mormon. So many have labored, struggled, and even died so that we could have this ancient volume of scripture. Many have attempted to make the Book of Mormon be about something it's not, or to distract the focus from it's central message. No Broadway Musical or cartoon can change what the Book of Mormon is, it's divine origins, and the message it contains. When all is said is done, one must truly ask themselves whether the Book of Mormon and all it claims to be is really true. One must really as the question if this book really does invite others to come unto Christ. As is the theme in the entire book, Moroni ends the record in the final verses by saying:

 "Yea, come unto Christ, and be perfected in him, and deny yourselves of all ungodliness; and if ye shall deny yourselves of all ungodliness, and love God with all your might, mind and strength, then is his grace sufficient for you, that by his grace ye may be perfect in Christ; and if by the grace of God ye are perfect in Christ, ye can in nowise deny the power of God."

I testify that the Book of Mormon is the Word of God, and that as we read it's pages, we allow the Savior to bless us with his grace and become perfect, or more accurately, complete. As we feel these changes, we can nowise deny the power of god, and the divinity of the Book of Mormon. If I may, like Moroni, I invite all to come unto Christ, become complete through his Atonement, and allow his grace to enter into your lives by reading his Gospel contained in the Bible and the Book of Mormon, and experience the power of God work within you. I know that as he says in Moroni 10:4 "he will " manifest these things unto you. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Love,

Elder Yost

Philippines Drivers License!

Dear Mom and Dad,

- Elder Eyre and I have become great friends, that's cool he's coming to        

  Provo, and maybe we will live close by!
- I got the driver's license earlier today!!!!!!!!!!! Thank you so so so     

  much.We're going tomorrow morning to  get my Philippines license.
- I got a package from CJY. Thanks so so so much!!
- Congrats to James Pacheco!

Not much time again, but we had a great week! The family that was having the marriage issues had an interesting week. For the first time ever, the whole family came to church together on Sunday! The two parents and their 6 children! They were so happy together. We taught them later on that evening, and the mother told us that she wants to be baptized along with her three other unbaptized children! I'm really growing to love this family! We also had 3 other families of investigators and Less-Actives come to church. We were so so blessed, and I attribute that partially to fasting.

I've been sick this week with a bit of a cold, but I'm better now. Sister Packer nursed me back into health with medicine, and chicken noodle soup! I have really grown to love the Packers' so so much! Things are busy here, and as usual there's no P-Day or time to relax. I'm sorry this is short! I'll write home hand written letters while I'm waiting in line to get my license tomorrow.

I love you all so much!!!

Love,
Elder Yost

Happy New Year!

Hi!

-I got a package from the DJY family!!!!!!

- Congrats to Tia!!!  (Alex's cousin Tia is getting married in March)

Happy New Year!!! 

It's been yet another busy week here! We've been running around getting a lot of apartments ready to go! Like I said, we're outfitting our apartments for 4 missionaries, and it's been quite a challenge! Right now, we need to have 16 more areas find new apartments that can fit 4 missionaries and meet the standard. It's been a trial to say the least! This week we went up to Santa Rosa,Laguna to help the sisters find a new apartment and we still have had no luck. The poor sisters are looking but just haven't found anything yet.

I don't have much time today so this will be a bit shorter. New Years here is insane!!!New Years is about 10 times a bigger deal than Christmas is! It's kind of sad actually! There are a ton of "fireworks" which in my opinion would be more accurately referred to as bombs! We have a curfew tonight so we'll be off the streets to avoid anything bad!

A shout out to Aunt Lisa on her great milestone!! When I think of
perseverance and determination, she's the first one that comes to
mind. We all have mountains to climb, challenges that just seem to
push us more than we can bear. This week President Peterson made an interesting point about challenges. He asked why the Lord did not call the saints to go to Kansas. There was no one in Kansas, the saints could have easily settled there and lived in peace. However the Lord told them to climb the Rocky Mountains. Going to Kansas certainly would have been easier, and more of the saints would have made the journey. So why'd he tell them to go to the Salt Lake Valley? A loving Heavenly Father knew that this was exactly what the saints needed to progress and become who He knew they could be.

We just taught a lesson earlier this evening to a part member family in which the husband and wife are having some serious problems right now. When we walked into the door, you could just feel the tension. It was one of those moments where I asked myself, what in the world are you going to say? What in the world could I share that could even remotely help this family? It then occurred to me that I didn't have to do anything extraordinary or different, all I had to do was teach the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and we would be able to say whatever it was this family needed. The Gospel is a message of optimism, hope, and light.  As we experience trials, it seems that it is so dark and that light can never come back and shine the way it did. The Savior, in his most excruciating hours maintained that hope and optimism that always personified who He was.  Elder Holland said,  "But Jesus held on. He pressed on. The goodness in Him allowed faith to triumph even in a state of complete anguish. The trust He lived by told Him in spite of His feelings that divine compassion is never absent, that God is always faithful, that He never flees nor fails us. When the uttermost farthing had then been paid, when Christ’s determination to be faithful was as obvious as it was utterly invincible, finally and mercifully, it was “finished.” Against all odds and with none to help or uphold Him, Jesus of Nazareth, the living Son of the living God, restored physical life where death had held sway and brought joyful,spiritual redemption out of sin, hellish darkness, and despair. With faith in the God He knew was there, He could say in triumph, “Father,into thy hands I commend my spirit.'"

May we always strive to respond to adversity and trials as Christ did, with hope and faith in God, and a determination to see it through. I testify that God's love is never absent nor withheld, on the contrary it is all around us. If we really truly look for it, we'll see the light and the love that is there. As he was the perfect exemplar in all things, the Savior has taught us how to face trials. With humility, charity, and an unwavering faith in his Father. This is my testimony, in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Love,
Elder Yost