Tuesday, June 6, 2017

WEEK 42 : WALKING WITH NO PANTS / SWORD AT HIS SIDE

    Pretty good week. We did a lot. Last Tuesday we contacted a referral we received from church headquarters. The name of the person was really weird and we didn't know if it was a boy or girl but we went to find it because every referral is precious. We got off the van in the middle of nowhere and started walking.  We walked a few kilometers on this old road going through a rice field and actually found this person in the middle of nowhere, tender mercy.  It was a girl which means we couldn't teach if there was no male present and there was no male present so we talked but couldn't actually teach her. We gave her a pamphlet and book of Mormon and explained them briefly and then went back.  That took our whole day because of the travel and the walking and then the return trip but it was great because we were able to find her.  When we were walking down the road, everyone would stare at me.  I knew exactly what they were thinking.  They had seen foreigners before but never one that spoke Tagalog, so when I would speak to them they would get so happy and start laughing and so excited to talk to us. Everyone was so nice. We also saw a legendary mangyan(the natives here) he was just doing his thing and walking with no pants and an awesome sword at his side and a cool hatchet/axe in his hand.  It was cool.
    On Wednesday we visited the Tribucio and Magsino families. We explained their new member packets (something the mission gives them after they are baptized). They were excited and wanted to read all the stuff they were given.  Then President Koster was coming down for zone conference on Thursday and stopped by their house while we were there and talked with them and then he took my companion and individually and interviewed us. (he does an interview with everyone every transfer). Tribucio and Magsino live right on the beach so the interview was right on the beach with the ocean right there.  We just walked a distance away and there he did the interview, it was so cool.  We had to travel to the other side of the island for zone conference so we had to go home early so we could travel 1.5 hours to the couple missionaries and then rode with them the next day.  I can still feel the testimonies of the new converts burning within them and the happiness that the gospel brings families.
    On Thursday we had zone conference.  I learned so much. I have many new things I will apply to become a better missionary and it was also great to see the other missionaries of the zone because we never really see them because our area is so far away.  Our area is the farthest north and most of the missionaries are in the southern part of the island.
  On Friday  we did service.  We helped this guy make concrete manually and then lay it for his floor.  It’s hard to make it manually and then to scoop it and take it one bucket at a time to lay the floor.  It was hard work but really glad we could help this family out.  We were able to teach some progressing investigators.  I love seeing people come to understand the gospel and helping them come closer unto Jesus Christ. We then went to sister maribel enriquez and reviewed the baptismal interview questions.  She is so ready for baptism and excited.  Missionary work is hard but it is definitely worth it.
   On Saturday we were able to teach the Tribucio and Magsino families again.  We explained the temple and then really understood it and loved it.  I'm so excited for them to prepare to be sealed in the temple.  They have a goal to go one year from their baptism.  I am so thankful that we have temples and we can be eternal families.  The gospel really is true and as we look at the eternal destiny of families we can improve and we can become closer as a family, but we need to look with an eternal perspective.  Also on Saturday I was on exchanges with elder Ropati and he interviewed sister Maribel and she passed with flying colors.  She will be baptized on June 10, 2017.  Then we went to the van waiting terminal and got super unlucky.  To make a long story short we got there at 6:15 and the last van usually leaves around 630 but when we got there, there were no vans and all the ones that came were full so we had to wait 5 hours until 11pm and caught a bus and got home at 12:30.  Shows how hard we worked.   It was rough and we were so tired but we made it home safe and sound.  
   On Sunday we had another great fast and testimony meeting.  The newly baptized converts bore testimony and it strengthened my testimony.  They bore testimony of how the gospel has helped their family become happier and closer and they can see the blessings of living the gospel.  A couple of them testified of how they are so much stronger and can do more than ever because they are living the Word of Wisdom.  Like I said, their testimonies strengthened mine and increased my love for them.  The Lord is really blessing this area. Just like the Lord blesses missionary areas, He can also bless all of our lives. The key is to look for the small things, He does everyday. If He just gives us everything then we will never learn or progress but by small and simple things are great things brought to pass.  I encourage you all to look for the small tender mercies that are in our everyday lives. love you all.
  
Elder Snyder

Long road we walked on
The missionaries I came out with

He looks like my dog "Jake" from home

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