13 June 2011

It was such a good week!


I'll give you just a taste of what happened. Imagine if you will...40 Guys with different backgrounds that all have made big mistakes in their lives all sitting on the edge of their chairs listening intently to what you are sharing with them about the gospel. How would you feel? It was awesome!!! We got to go up to 164 again. That's the city jail. Those guys have been drug dealers, I'm sure a couple have killed, there are even innocent ones there. They literally just suck in everything you say to them. You can see it in their eyes that they want to change. We even know that there are at least 4 members up there!

Then I killed a rat in our house the other day. It was fun. We had just walked in from our baptism and I saw something running across the floor. I yelled "A rat, get my itak" ha ha Then I grabbed a broom and trapped it in the bathroom. I found it hiding in a little drainage pipe so I dragged it out but it got loose and ran away so I had to chase him down and he was screaming but I got him. Ha ha Elder Ragasa wouldn't even go into the bathroom he was scared of it! One thing I know is that I'm still not scared of blood, so that's a good thing.

Another great thing that happened this week. Our one investigator, Ariel, He is a single parent, tricycle driver, and has a 4 kids that he supports. He is a really good guy and I met him when he gave us a ride one time, I never imagined that we would continue to teach him or that he would progress this much in the gospel. He works every day just to bring food home everyday. He has been coming to church as well but usually leaves about 11 to go back to work. Last Saturday we taught him Sabbath Day observance and we were worried that he would call it quits and not be able to accept this as a commandment. But at the end of the lesson, he sat there for a second, thought, then looked at us and said "well, if that's the commandment, I guess I better follow it, I need all the help I can get." That was one of the moments when I could have just jumped for joy and done a little dance. When the Investigator understands the importance of commandments and is willing to stop a behavior that is contrary to that commandment, that is some of the happiest moments of missionaries life. Seeing repentance happen.

We also had a Young Man come into church yesterday, we learned that he was a member and had been inactive for a long time. He expressed his desires to start again and showed regret that he had neglected his covenants. It was really good to see him and talk to him and to try and uplift him and encourage him. I hope he will continue to come to church and progress and hopefully we can get him out on a mission before he turns 26.

We also got Sally, Alfroilan, and Andrew Faustino baptized yesterday. So that was awesome. They are now getting ready to go to the temple.

Great things have happened and I hope they will continue to happen in Missionary work.

No unhallowed hand can stop this work!

Elder Westwood