Well its been a kind of a tough week. The area is still hard, and this transfer isn't as fun without Elder Hand. Elder Vargas is alright but I enjoyed last transfer despite the disappointments. This week they kind of weighed me down a bit and come Saturday it was pretty hard.
On Tuesday we got a new referral, a guy named Rey Sabino. He's quiet but really a nice guy, 20 plus. He wants us to teach him there at his friends house or at his uncles house cuz his parents are against it and he just wants to avoid any problems, I guess. We tried to go back on Saturday but he wasn't there. Then leaving there on Tuesday we got soaked. It had been sunny and hot then started pouring and we got soaked, that's when we started bringing our umbrellas everyday, mine is a cheap one and is already kinda broken haha. It's crazy how fast the weather can change here. After church on Sunday it was really hot, I was sweating like crazy. Then a few hours later it started raining, clouds move in from the mountains and bam. It makes work exciting right? haha
We've been teaching these kids, nieces and nephews of a member, kind of a weird situation. The member family lives in San Jose but travels every Sunday to come to church here in Rizal. The kids stay at the house with their parents and go to school but their parents are never there or are busy so we've only taught the children. They are smart kids, even if a little shy. They are our tender mercy right now. They come to church, are always there, listen, and are smart. I love teaching kids it just reminds you how simple this Gospel really is and how easy it is to understand it. It's us, the people, that make it complicated and complex. I was feeling that way on Wednesday til we went and taught them last. It was cool, definitely brightened up my day, made up for the rest of the day.
On Thursday we taught this less-active family about scripture reading in the Book of Mormon. The husband is the Elders quorum president. That lesson, oh man, he brought up the religious group that said that the world would end on May 21. I don't know if you heard about that over there but here it was talked about. He said they said it in Peter somewhere. I asked him if he'd read that in the Bible, of course he hadn't. Nope, he just believed what some crazy religious group wrote on a paper. So that is the people here, even the members, heaven forbid we look in the Bible to find out for ourselves, that would be too hard and they're too busy. Oh man I was practically steaming after that lesson, not happy at all. We tried to commit them to read a little every day and they said maybe, if they have time. Man oh man, people amaze me sometimes.
Just so you all know, I know this is God's church. No other church or organization or religion or anything can produce these feelings and give me this joy and help if it wasn't from God. I can't tell you how bad we all need to go to church every Sunday. It's not just to boost attendence and all that, meet a baptismal date, but for ourselves and our spiritual power. I don't know how many times I've taught with the example of our "spiritual battery" and how come Saturday, its running low. So true, don't forget it! We need that charge or we can't function.
This work is great, it's hard and challenging but its great. It's when it's hard that you notice all your weaknesses and when you notice all your weaknesses you can fix them. A
scripture for all of you: Ether 12:4, if we have faith, we have hope. Just remember your hope and you'll keep the faith. It's cool how that works, no?
I love you all and thanks for everything you do.
Elder Stover
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