The Tagalog Blog: Monday 13th January 2014

Kumusta!

I had a dream last night that there were 3 old Filipina Nanays talking trash about me on an airplane and I could here them. (The dream was in Tagalog) and I just sat there and listened for a while and then interrupted them with some Tagalog haha it was classic. Dreaming in Tagalog is the best.

If I can only tell you what has happened at what I have done this week. I have been from coast to coast of this mission this week. We have been so so so busy. We sat down for Sacrament yesterday in our ward and I was looking at my planner and noticed that we had taught 1 lesson that whole week up to that point... so yeah we've been busy. It is hard to feel successful when you have taught one lesson and it is Sunday haha. But we taught 3 that night and that made me feel better. Anyway, these are stories I will share once I get home. I hope everyone is going well at home.

Well, now having said all the stuff that happened this week that I can't tell you about let me tell you about the best part of my week. Unsurprisingly it came in that 1 lesson we were able to teach before Sunday. We had just got home from a far zone and due... things, we didn't have lunch that day and when we got home we had the choice of dinner or going to teach this lesson- I am so glad we chose the latter. We went to their home and taught them the long awaited lesson about BAPTISM! We had left them to read 2nd Nephi 31 and to pray about it for this lesson. It was one of, if not the most, spiritual lessons I have ever participated in in my entire life.

We had great, fun, appropriate conversation before the lesson and it felt like being with family. After we chatted for a bit, we prayed, and everything in the room changed. It was an environment of learning and of the spirit. We read with them from the Book of Mormon and taught them about Baptism. What is the correct form of baptism? Why is it important? What is being born of the water AND of the spirit? How did the Apostles baptize by water and the spirit in the times of the New Testament? Who has authority from God to baptize and how did they get that authority? How old should we be when we are baptized? And more... It was an amazing lesson.

I asked them how they have felt as they have read in the Book of Mormon, specifically in chapter 31. Sister replied, "I read chapter 31, and then I read 32 and then 33. It was beautiful. I learned a lot and I felt so good while reading. I love verse 3 of chapter 32 that says, "Feast upon the words of Christ, for the words of Christ will tell you all things that ye should do." I ABOUT FELL OUT OF MY CHAIR AT THAT POINT! Every time we teach, or plan or even just talk about this family I get my breath taken away I get so excited. Not expecting a better answer I asked Brother how his reading was. He basically said, "I know it is true. I want to be baptized- and then looked at his wife." She also said she was ready. She told us that, "As I have been reading and praying and wanting to know if all you are sharing is true I am amazed at how my prayers keep getting answered. God keeps answering my prayers." Then she said how she is so happy that God "sent us to their home." She told us that "Brother loves watching movies at night, but now all he does is read The Book of Mormon." She said, "I used to be the one dragging him to church, now he is the one encouraging me to go." It is amazing, but not surprising, what happens when someone who truly wants to know if the Book of Mormon is true, reads and prays in faith to know of its truthfulness. The Book of Mormon is changing their lives, and it has and still is changing my life.

Now after having said they you would say, "they are too good to be true." Well, you're a bit right. They are leaving on Friday to go to Manilla for work. We gave them a baptismal date for Feb 8th and Brother just keeps telling us that, "That is first on his schedule" and he really wants to come back so he can be baptized but it will be hard for them to be baptized by that date with them going to Manilla. They also may move there for good. I am hoping that the, "Words of Christ will tell them all things that they should do." Anyway, you can see why I am excited to go out into the field and TEACH ALL DAY LONG!

Well, it is so sad to hear about what happened back home. My heart goes out to the Udall Family. I hope they know that there are prayers being said here in the Philippines for them. It is heart breaking. I am thankful for a mapagmahal na ama na nasa langit (A loving father in heaven.) I am thankful that even though NOT ONE of us is perfect, Christ is. And he performed a perfect atonement for us all. God has a perfect, and merciful plan for his children he loves so well, and our life here on this earth is only a SMALL part of that plan. I know that God loves us and he watches us and takes care of us. It says in the Book of Mormon that "He doeth nothing but it be for the benefit of the world." Well I love you Udall Family and I pray for you. Thank you for all you have done for me in my upbringing.

Thanks for everyone's prayers for me. I love you all a bushel and I hope that you are safe and sound! Keep praying, and reading and going to church. I love you all. I love my mission. Obedience brings happiness.

Elder Davis