6-6-11

hey everybody!

This week has gone pretty well. My first full week with the new comp, Elder Vargas. President Delamare said for me to help Elder Vargas have fun but thinking back I think he has more fun than me haha.  I'm like the old boring serious guy. haha.   Not really, but he's good at getting/forcing the youth to work with us.  We had more people work with us this week than all of last transfer, everyday but Friday and Saturday. He's a good missionary, very good at teaching. We have gotten used to each other in our teaching and its flowed pretty well. I don't know if the language is getting better, I kinda feel like I suck at the language this week more than usual.  I think just cuz I use it more and see my mistakes a little bit more often, but it's nice cuz it lets me fix them more. It's not as easy to have a companion that doesn't really relate to you all that well, but new challenges bring new blessings and I could use new blessings haha

The work has progressed pretty well. We got the most lessons since I've been here so that was good. With all of our less actives we've been focusing totally on the Book of Mormon.  We have a bunch of reading charts and have been talking about the importance of the Book of Mormon for all of us, and how much better and stronger our lives will be if we will all read at least a chapter a day.   We've read with them (I've read the introduction in Tagalog 10 times. I can practically recite it from memory) and 1 Nephi 1. vs 12 of 1 Nephi is awesome, perfect promised blessing.  If we will read, we will be filled with the Holy Ghost.  Scriptures say it better than any one or anything else can. It's been nice and I feel it's centered our lessons and work.  We as a companionship have been reading it every day (in Tagalog) and I've been reading at least a chapter every night before bed. So much to learn oh man, definitely a reason all the prophets counsel us to read it, a reason its the Book of Mormon and not the bible. Just read the introduction if you want to know why, or better yet just start reading it every day and you'll see in your own life why.

As far as investigators go the work has gotten better as well. A recent convert from last year sister Ching Magbanua's daughters all moved in with her and we've been teaching them. Mostly the oldest, Herlinda whos 22 with a 1 year old son and a husband that works in San Jose. She's way good, very smart, the best part is shes a great listener and is interested. Everything went well until on Friday when we tried to commit her to baptism.  That is when her concern came out.  Her mom, sister Ching hasn't been doing the best things lately, I guess. Her husband, Herlinda's dad, was strangled to death 4 years ago and ever since sister has had to hanap ang buhay, or get money. haha I don't know how to explain it in English. So Herlinda says she'll be baptized if her mom changes. She says that's how she'll know the Gospel is true and what she needs to do. I talked about how even when we're in the church we don't always do the best things because even with the Gospel people aren't perfect. It was hard and Elder Vargas taught about being an example to her mother and doing what she needs to do for herself. She hasn't received an answer to her prayers yet and as I've thought about it, its cuz her heart isn't all the way open cuz shes shut her heart to acting on her answer (being baptized). Oh the joys and sorrows of being a missionary aha
It's been a great week. The work is getting better and I already know I'll grow a lot this transfer. Vargas will test a different kind of patience in me, but in a good way. I think he's here as much for me as I am here for him.


Anyways cool scripture to share as I was studying about patience this week (funny how the Christ Like Attribute you focus on is the hardest for the week) 2 Corinthians 6:10. I think this verse summarizes a Christ like life and as Christ's servant, we have all we need.

learn it, live it and love it

love
Elder Stover