29 Mar 2010

Hey everyone,

Well this week has been a pretty good one.  We had a lot of activities that we did as a Zone up here.  We went to a wedding here on Thursday, then Friday we had Zone Conference. Then on Saturday we had a Baptism. It was a lot of fun. Our stats were a lil low this week but it was worth it with what we did.  The wedding was for an investigator, and Zone Conference, made me think about everything that I have learned.  It was really neat, how I could say almost everything I wanted in Tagalog and the other missionaries understood! Then the baptism... well maybe 3 members came from the whole branch, it was really sad! If us 6 elders and the couple missionaries had not been there it would have been extra hard for the sisters.  So we were able to show the baptismal candidates that there are people that care, even if we were the missionaries and the members are going to get a chewing out.  The members of this church are so vital to missionary work.  Because as missionaries we transfer to different areas and its got to be the missionaries that keep the members active. 

I learned an interesting fact yesterday.  Last year in the Philippines they had 17000 baptisms!!! But, our sacrament attendance did not change hardly at all! So what does this mean? We are loosing members as quick as we are gaining them. I think its becuase the members aren't playing an active enough roll in the work.. but I don't think its just happening here, I think its happening all over the world. So...everyone reading this, PLEASE help with the missionary work, wherever you are.

Our area is doing so good! We have a baptism next Sunday! Edralyn, he's a 43 year old elementary school teacher and he actually found the church himself and asked to be taught.  He is coming from Saksi ni Jehovah (Jehovah's Witness). He just bags on them all the time now its kind of funny but he is so smart and he's really good at english so I can talk to him in english. Then we have 4 others that we will give baptismal dates to this week.  I think this is might be my most bountiful area thus far.  Its amazing!

Thats about all for this week folks
Love you all
Thanks for your love and prayers
Elder Chase