December 2011

From December 5, 2011:

Sounds like Christmas is just around the corner again! We have seen decorations up here since September, so I have been hearing carols and seeing christmas lights for a good few months. Here, they start celebrating christmas in the "ber" months. I'll be honest, this week has been another one of those roller-coaster weeks for me. VERY humbling and something I learned alot from.

Well to start off, I think I told you a while ago about this couple we have been teaching, the D. family. They are about 40-50 and very very poor. Brother D. has been suffering from sickness in his lungs so it has been hard for him to get out of his house, and it has been very hard on sister always having to work, take care of him, buy medicine, have enough to eat, and somehow have money to get to church. Brother, however, is one of the most humble, spiritually powerful people I have EVER met. No joke. I was so amazed at how quickly he accepted the gospel with true faith and had a hunger for the gospel once he heard it. A few weeks ago they really tested their faith and made it to church. It was an amazing experience and brother was determined to be baptized and go to church every Sunday. We went over last Wednesday and our plan was to teach about the Word of Wisdom, but we got to talking before the lesson and I had the impression to teach the plan of salvation instead. As soon as I whispered that to Elder Gib, brother immediately started asking questions about who he is, where he came from, why he is here and where he is going. It was totally inspired and as we testified to him, he teared up and told us that was exactly what he had been waiting to hear. We went to a leadership training that Friday and while we were there I received a call that Brother D. died the night before. We immediately went to comfort sister. While we were talking to her, she told us more stories of his incredible faith. Sister, up until now, has been a little bit stubborn and her testimony is the only thing we were waiting on before they were going to be baptized. She told us how he would always be reading and show her passages and pray even though it was hard on his body, and that his dying wish was that she gets a testimony and gets baptized for herself. There's a lot more that she told us that really hit me hard, but I don't have enough time to write it all.  Anyways, so the past few days, sister has been a wreck. We have been visiting her and comforting her, and the members have been amazing in helping her out (we will have a small "Mormon service" on Saturday), but because of lack of food and sleep we haven't been able to really testify to her yet to help her get a testimony of her own and help her realize that her husband is not lost and she will see him again. They also have a 19 yr. old son that until now we haven't had a chance to meet. Anyways, after seeing all the Catholic traditions and all the mourning and things around here, I have really gained an appreciation of the knowledge that we have of the plan of salvation. It gives SO much hope. We know exactly how great God's love is for us, what is waiting for us, and what we have to do to be happy in this life and be with our families in the next. Brother D was a tremendous example to me of a truly humble and faithful person who will receive all the blessings heavenly father has to give him in the next life.

The rest of our investigators have also been having tough times lately. Hardly any of them came to church. It looks like our most progressing investigators will still be a while before they can get baptized. We have about 6 or 7 that for one reason or another will have to wait a good few months before they can be baptized. In the meantime, me and Elder Gib have decided to start looking for the ones who are ready NOW. so that should be fun. haha.

In other news, our training in Binalbagan was for all the dl's and zl's, and it went really well. They revealed to us what the Philippines area's goals for 2012 were: rescue, reclaim, and retain. It's great because our mission doesn't have to change really anything. President Tobias was already in line with this vision and has trained us on everything we need to. He is a very inspired man. Anyways, the main theme of this vision is accomplishing all of that THROUGH the Book of Mormon. Helping everybody to feast on its words and receive revelation for themselves. So that's what I've been studying a lot lately-how the Book of Mormon really teaches us ALL we need to do.

Anwyays, I did receive the Christmas package from home!!! I do have to admit though, I already opened it. hahaha. I couldn't wait! I did promise to myself that I wouldn't eat the chocolates untill Christmas and New Year's though. :) haha.

Again, thanks for all your love and support. I am so grateful to have the knowledge of the gospel in my life! Halong gid kamo, kag palangga ta kamo! Indi ako makahulat hasta makatawag ako sa inyo para sa pasko!! :D

-Elder Lee

From December 12, 2011:

Hey Everybody!

We did get to watch the Christmas devotional last night, and we got some Christmas decorations up in our apartment now, so I am definitely feeling the Christmas spirit. Later this week will be our mission Christmas conference, and in a few weeks will be our ward Christmas party.

Well as far as the work here, things really went well this week. We were very worried on Saturday though. because it seems like for the past few weeks, something has happened where we can't really get a full week of work in. First we were robbed, then brother D. died, and this week we both got sick. It was really weird, just a one day fever thing, but it was just bad timing for both of us. I was out all day Tuesday and then Elder Gib was out all day Wednesday. haha. And then we had to go around to the other areas in our district to do some baptismal interviews, so we barely had any time to visit our investigators. So we were really bummed on Saturday that we didn't get to work much, but Sunday everything turned around and we were able to see the fruits of our efforts. :)

First off, we had 3 investigators come to church that we didn't expect would! They were all part members and it was way exciting to see. One of them (Brother N.) even told us the night before that because of all the problems that were going on in their lives right now (I can't explain them all, but they are having TOUGH times. example: they were saving up to go to church, but they were robbed and all the money was stolen and they were living off of their earnings on a day to day basis), that they probably weren't going to go go church for a few weeks till they figured everything out. We just simply testified that if they follow the commandments and the basic principles of the gospel, God will help them and they can trust in that promise. So it was a huge thing that they decided to go. :) It was a huge lesson to me and really taught me a good lesson about faith.
Sister D. is also doing a lot better. The ward has been AMAZING in helping her through everything. The funeral ended up being held at the church (I sang a solo of Where Can I Turn for Peace - phew!), and the members donated tons of money to help sister D. out. they visited her everyday and really impressed me. We were a little worried about her, because up until now she hasn't really accepted what we had been teaching, and even all the times we visited her this last week, she hadn't changed much. Well, we saw that change finally happen at the funeral service on Sunday. She said that maybe that was why Heavenly Father took her husband at this time, so that she would have to figure out for herself what he knew and so that she would finally take it seriously. She said that she had finally found comfort in the words of the Book of Mormon and that they weren't just words anymore. It was a huge witness to me of how true that saying is, that the biggest miracle is the miracle of conversion.

Another thing that we did this week was a CSP (community service project) at a local school. We... hmmm... I don't know how to explain this in English... it's called "tapas", which basically means to harvest? haha. anyways, we helped harvest a tubo field (sugar cane) which was owned by the community. Sugar cane is EVERYWHERE here, so it was fun to actually learn how to do it. Maybe next week I can send some pictures. :)

We also found out this last week, that the Philippines area is going to be putting a huge focus on rescuing and retaining less active members in 2012. Here in the Philippines, we have about 700,000 members, but only about 114,000 are active. It's a HUGE problem, and up until now, it hasn't really been focused on. so i am excited to get that work started here in kabankalan. :) It means there won't be too much tracting, mostly visiting less active members and part member families aside from our progressing investigators.

Anwyays, I'm definitely looking forward to this next week. hopefully nothing too big will happen, so we can get a full week of work in. I hope everything continues to go well at home. I love you and pray for you guys every day! Halong guid, kag palangga ta kamo!

-Elder Lee
 
From December 19, 2011:

Well, all is well here in kabankalan. No need to worry, we didn't get hit by any major storms. We definitely heard about it, and had some nasty baguios (storms) ourselves, but nothing dangerous. Just lots of heavy rain here. We are pretty protected here on Negros, With ilo ilo and cebu on our sides. I'm just getting tired of hand washing my clothes everyday when I get covered with mud. haha. It's pretty unavoidable.

This week has been pretty good though. We still didn't get to work as much as we wanted to, because of different things that came up. We had our stake missionary Christmas devotional, which went really well! It was meant for recent converts, investigators, and returning less actives and it was great. there was a special "traveling missionary choir" put together, and they were amazing! They sang things like the Carol of the Bells, "Believe" by Josh Groban from Polar Express, a Filipino version of "My Favorite Things", and other stuff too. It was a huge success and really put me in the Christmas spirit. :) Christmas has come so fast!! Our ward Christmas party will be on Christmas Eve, so that should be fun. We are hoping to see lots of investigators and less actives show up. :)

Well like I said, the big thing this week will be transfers. We are pretty sure Elder Gib is transferring, but there is always a chance that he won't be. (That happened when I was in guihulngan, rememeber?) We also have been asked to look for a new apartment this last week that can fit 4 elders, so that's a pretty big hint that they will be putting 4 elders here. haha. that's exciting. I never thought that I would have to learn how to "house hunt" on my mission though! it's been pretty fun, but also pretty stressful because they asked us to look for one on Friday and said we needed to have one on Monday or Tuesday. phew! kapoy! (tiring!)

This week was good for our investigators. Right now we have 4 really good investigators, 3 of which are part-member spouses, and the other one is sister D., who's husband died a few weeks ago. We also have been meeting a lot of other potential investigators this week, so it's good to prepare the harvest for next transfer as well. This week, brother N. and brother M. have really made progress. Me and Elder Gib are positive that they will be baptized this next coming month. It helps that both of their wives are RM's. haha. But really, we have really seen them overcome challenges and gain their own testimonies this past week. We are really excited because they are both potential priesthood holders and their kids are pretty young still and they have a desire to be sealed in the temple! The other two, sister D. and J., our other part member, are still kinda alang-alang (wishy washy). They have big potential, but they just need that desire within themselves first. Until they start acting and searching on their own, we have decided to back off a little bit.

I love you all and pray for you always! keep doing what you need to and what the Lord wants you to do! I hope you all have a wonderful christmas. :D halong gid, palangga ta kamo, maayong pasko (merry christmas), kag tani , kita-y kita sa lunes! bisan kon indi puwede, malipay gid ko nga makapamati ako sa inyong mga tingog! :D

-Elder Lee