Dear Family I will see in a single digit number of weeks,
Haha,
crazy to think time has flown by so fast. Just yesterday I was in La
Carlota completely oblivious to everything and now I am training someone
in the same situation! haha! Sunday, March 29, 2015
God needs us to be obedient to do this work.
Sunday, March 22, 2015
It was just a testament to me that God answers prayers!
Dear Family of Heroes,
Well this week was a very hard
pressed week of work. Summer time is now in effect and I am not in the
same place I was last year in the mountains. I am now in the city and it
is El Niño this year, which means no rain... Just SUN!! So yeah it is
pretty hot right now. We are striving to work as hard as we possibly
can, but we are also trying not to die do to the heat! haha!
So
this week has been just a constant battle for lessons and new
investigators. All week I was praying for new investigators, and to find
a new teaching pool here. The week was really rough in those 2
aspects... Graduation is coming up which really hammers on our ability
to get many teachings. So many people are working or at school or doing
other activities right now. So it was a bit rough!
Well
we have been having great teachings with some of our investigators and
we were feeling a good week coming up. He though that many would come to
church! Well Sunday arrived and no one showed.... It was heart breaking really. We thought for sure things were going great!
Well we had this one investigator show up half way through Sunday
school. Her name is Christine Gargarita. She is a very short woman, she
is around 24 or 25 years old and has a 5 year old son. They have been
being taught for a while. The first night I arrived here in Pulupandan
we taught her. I remember specifically saying "she is going to
progress." Well this is the second week in a row she has come to church.
Well the missionaries have only been teaching her at her friends house.
We finally decided yesterday to go to her house!
We went and she acted all shy of her house because it is not that big
of a house and she doesn't have much. Well while we were teaching her
all of a sudden her dad walked in wanting to learn, then 5 minutes later
her uncle and aunt walked in wanting to learn. And after bearing
testimony on families we could tell they were elect. We set a plan to
visit with them again. We found out the uncle and aunt lives in a place
that no missionaries have really gone too... sound an awful lot like
what happened in Cadiz! It was just a testament to me that God answers
prayers! All week asking for new investigators and even though not many
went to church the one that did was the key to a whole new world of
investigators! The weekly baptisms are beginning! I am excited, I really
think this is a start of a new world!
Well
another thing that is happening is that EJ's Mom, the one who was kind
of the reason she was not getting baptized, she is now listening to us.
Not only that she is actually enjoying it all! She gets us food and
drinks and we talk and joke and have a good time. I think we will get
that whole family back into this church!!!
Well
other then that not much else has happened! I am just loving the work!
Working hard doing all I can to set a good example for my companion,
other missionaries, and all of you back home! I know this Gospel is
true! God hears our prayers and he provides for us! I love this work!
Love,
Elder Minson
Sunday, March 15, 2015
It was a miracle and was very emotional.
Dear Family that is Trunkier then I am,
Well what a
week huh? This week has been a very interesting experience for me. I am
training an American. It is really hard for me. Like yeah really hard,
but I love the challenge. I am having to teach a language, teach the
lessons in the language, and try to fellowship everyone! It is awesome!
Haha! Loving the challenge.
Well this week was
filled with hard work. Every day getting out and figuring out the area.
Poor Elder Shumway had a terribly disobedient companion... it was not a
good way for him to be introduced into the Philippines. Now we are
working to find new investigators, and show the members we care for them
and the ward. I think we are succeeding. Even though we knew only like 5
investigator families we have tried to build and work from there. We
are trying to find previous investigators of the missionaries before us.
There are many part member families so that is our work.
Well
we had 3 baptisms this week. 2 were Brother Christian M. and
Brother Rudy M. The other was a miracle. Sister EJ S.,
this is the one I baptized. She has been an investigator for an
extremely long time. She has been active in the church for over a year
now. She is 17 years old. Her dad is a member Melchezidek Priesthood
holder. He is less active. His mom his very catholic. I heard about this
family from Elder Mower because he met EJ and heard her story about how
her parents will not allow her to be baptized. So President Ferrin and
Elder Mower went to their house personally to get permission. They
thought they did from the dad, but the week before I got here she still
was not allowed to according to her Mom... we visited them all this week
trying to figure it out. It took 3 visits, one with EJ to figure out
the situation. Second she had a head ache and we taught just
her Dad, Brother Tommy was with us who has a voice of an angel and sang
for us and the dad said he would not get in the way of her being
baptized. The third was with EJ's mom, she was the one in the end,
stopping the baptism. We ended up talking, and I just joked but taught at
the same time. She gained trust with us and the next day the Baptismal
record was SIGNED!! After 1 year of elders coming and teaching, with all
the combined effort here the Lord finally allowed EJ to be baptized. It
was a miracle and was very emotional. Our next goal is to get the whole
family in the church :)
Saturday
we went to Manila to get travel things done. So yeah I am officially
getting close to leaving. Sadly the temple was closed, but we get to go
when we are coming home. We did visit The Philippine/American Cemetery
where Gordon B Hinckly opened missionary work to the Philippines! Very
spiritual experience! I loved it there. I also got to have Jamba Juice
and Wendy's... I loved it!!! Excited for the food back home!
Well
great week. Hope to see things continue onward and see the blessings
come in. Don't have to much longer. We cannot just blow this work off we
must do all we can to be able to share and become part of this gospel! I
love you all I got to go! Will see you soon!
Love,
Elder Minson
Sunday, March 8, 2015
NOW THAT IS TRUE FAITH!
Dear Family of that is AMAZING in this World!,
So first is Brother
Joey. He has a terrible terrible case of arthritis or something like
that, where all the joints in his body are stiff and hard to move. He
hurts by doing anything. Well we arrive at his house and every time he
just starts crying! He is so happy to see people visit him and share the
gospel he cries. His wife is a member and so are 2 of his daughters. We
asked if he wanted to go to church, even though it is extremely
difficult, and with the energy he could muster and with his small voice
he slammed his hands on his legs and said a quite yes, with tears in his
eyes and everything. He did go to church the members helped and got him
a way there. This is a 2 story Church building and he climbed all the way to
the sacrament hall to attend church. NOW THAT IS TRUE FAITH!
Alright,
so my week has been one of the most interesting, confusing, great, sad,
and mind blowing experiences of my life. So this week started with me
in the office. I have learned, pretty much the job of the clerk, but
certain circumstances happened and I got thrown into an area Mansilingan
3rd Branch.
This was an amazing area, filled
with great investigators and great success! We pushed so hard to make
the area show progress. Me and Elder Winward, who is leaving in April,
were companions for the whole week. We taught many amazing people and I
want to share about one.
This
area had lots in it and I became really close to the members. We were
at one members house when she got the call her husband died. We comforted her
we had the members come be with her the whole branch was functioning like it should and
everything. It was such a beautiful area.
Well
as we all can tell though in the margins above I am not there anymore. I
am actually now in Pulupandan which is back in Bago Stake. Just got the
call yesterday.
I was very sad. Our area got pulled out, because there were 2 sets of
missionaries in the area and very few Missionaries are coming in and they need us in another ward. We were disappointed and really bummed about the
whole thing.
I am okay though, I have a new
test in my mission now, one which will help me grow. I am follow up training.
My companion is Elder Shumway. He is from Richfield, Utah. I just
picked him up and don't know much about him but I think this will be
good! It will be interesting being with another American, and also
having to be the voice and the teacher and everything. I am excited and I
feel like we will learn from one another! This will be good... I am worried just a little bit, I need your
prayers. This is going to be an experience.
Well
I love you all! I am praying for you all. I Pray for Guidance everyday.
I have been taught such great things and I hope to apply them for all
time and eternity. I love you keep strong, be of courage, be not afraid,
and keep those shoes on!
Love,
Sunday, March 1, 2015
I am strong and can walk and can work and do anything the Lord asks of me again.
Dear Panimalay ko,
So
I am guessing you are all so curious what has been happening this week.
I am sure that all of you right now are like staring at the computer
screen trying to find out what is happening with me and with my life and
what is going on and who is my companion. Where is my area. How is my
feet and how things are going. If I need to cut my legs off and stuff.
All you are really worried right now and me prolonging this is driving
you all insane right now because you are all just so worried about me
and my health. BAHAHAHA!!
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