Monday, November 19, 2012

November 19th 2012. Lets be Thankful!

THANKSGIVING: Let's be thankful.
Howdy Howdy
        Where do I even begin? It has been an awesome week. Yesterday I gave a talk in sacrament meeting and it went really well. I was extremely blessed. However, I am still struggling with the language BIG TIME! But I feel God's help all the time. It amazes me how often I am able to say words that just into my mind. I am so blessed despite being far from fluent. I am ALWAYS able to teach and testify even though I am still struggling. It is hard to remember sometimes just how blessed I am. I get discouraged at times and wonder why I am not fluent yet. But I had an experience yesterday I hope to never forget. . . 
     Yesterday we heard a less active of ours was at the hospital with her four year old son. We decided to go and visit and see what we could do. I am still not sure what was wrong with the little boy, but it was nothing too bad. I can still remember how he kicked in the bed in sheer discomfort. I felt so bad for him. We had to walk through most of the hospital to get to that room. As we went through I saw what true suffering was like. I felt like I was in a war there were so many people lying in pain everywhere. I don't know if you have ever been to a third world hospital but it is a humbling experience. VERY QUICKLY I forgot about my "suffering" in learning this language. I looked around a Hospital that was full of pain, sickness, uncleanliness, and it was HOT with no Air Conditioning. I don't know if I will ever forget how that boy was kicking in discomfort as we gathered around his bed and I said a prayer for him in Tagalog. It was a humbling experience for me, and yet my companion wasn't phased, this was something regular and common for him. I thought I knew before my mission what it meant to be thankful. I had no idea, I am just beginning to know. I can't begin to tell you how blessed we are. If there is anyone in this world more blessed than I am, I don't know them. 
      So my companion, ELDER DATU is awesome. He is the only member in his whole family. He converted to the church two years ago or so. His friend was a member and invited him to church one week. He said when he walked into the doors he felt something like never before. He went through the church services and felt the spirit. After the meetings were over he went and talked to the missionaries and said, "Could you come teach me at my house... and WHEN CAN I BE BAPTIZED?" He's incredible. So the missionaries did come OBVIOUSLY. And they taught him and he liked it. Then one day he was thinking and praying (like the missionaries said) to make sure that the church was true. He was on his was to college on a jeepney and was just thinking "is this really true? Is the Book of Mormon true? Is Joseph Smith a true prophet?" And all the sudden the jeepney stopped and he looked out- there was a church there and he said "I imagined seeing a light at the church, and then I imagined I saw Joseph Smith holding a Book of Mormon." The jeepney stopped randomly and he didn't even know their was a church there. He felt the Holy Ghost and he knew for sure it was true. When he was baptized him and his family were on the way to the church and they got a call that there was no water for the baptismal font. He said he prayed and so did the missionaries and somehow when they got there, there was water in the font. The branch president and missionaries told him it was a miracle. If you ask him he will tell you the same, "it was a miracle." 
     His family has not yet joined. His mother said, "time will come." I asked him if it is hard to be the only member and what not and he said it was. But he loves his mission, he works extremely hard he knows it is true. We serve missions because we know it is true and FOR NO OTHER REASON! I hope and pray his family will come to know of the truth as well- "Time will come I guess." He is a great missionary and an awesome companion. I love teaching with him. When we testify of Joseph Smith it is always powerful. I love teaching all the lessons we teach but there is always a strong spirit when we teach of the First Vision. When the words, "noon 1820 nabuhay ang isang bata nagngangalang Joseph Smith" come from my mouth I can feel the spirit strongly. And YES THAT IS REALLY HOW YOU SAY IT. As my father has said before, "It all depends on that one experience, did God and Jesus Christ appear to him that spring morning or did they not." Those words from my beloved father ring in my ears. I testify as a missionary of Jesus Christ that that really did happen and that this is his church. I KNOW IT, like my companion Elder Datu knows it. This is Jesus Christ's Church not Joseph Smith's. Joseph Smith did not write the Book of Mormon- he translated it. I know it with my whole heart, mind, and body. 
      The great thing is this, we ask no one to believe that we know it. But we ask them to ask God and see what he says to you. This church believes in revelation from God. We believe in Prophets and MIRACLES and Gifts of the Spirit like the GIFT OF TONGUES. We teach "All Nations" like Jesus himself commissioned his Apostles to do. This really is the truth. I promise. I can't tell you one tenth of what I fell and it is even harder in writing. But if you don't know this is true... read, ask with faith and you will know.
      I am such a missionary, testifying to my own family. To people who already know these things. I always just end up bearing testimony hahah even in my emails home, what a lameo! But I know there are those who read my letters that are not my family and not of this church... not yet haha. I am glad you enjoy my letters and I am thankful for your nice letters and emails to me. 
      So Thanksgiving is this week they say? Weird! Time is flying. I will miss you family, but not too much haha. I am much to busy serving a mission at the moment. Obviously I would love to spend Thanksgiving with you BUT remember what I just told you? This church is true and the living prophet has asked that I serve a mission right now- and for eternity we can have "thanksgiving" together- after these two years. So I have written a lot and I hope you enjoy it. I have so many pictures here but the computer won't let me update them, I will be lucky if I get one haha. Sorry. 
        But life on the island is good. I still am not fluent but I am improving. I love my mission. I am working hard and being obedient (that was for mom). Things are great and I love being a missionary. I have never done anything harder nor anything quite as exciting. I can't believe how fast time is going by. I hope you are all doing well. I hope you are thankful for your blessings. If you feel you are not yet thankful for your blessings, go get a bucket and wash all your clothes... you'll become more thankful I promise haha. I NEVER KNOW WHAT TO WRITE ABOUT.... LET ME KNOW!
Elder Davis 
P.S. Have a great Thanksgiving....... BE THANKFUL FOR EVERYTHING!

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