I Will Go and Do What the Lord Commands: So This Week Consisted of Just About Everything - June 29, 2015

Well lets see where do I start...Cge so all four of us Elders here in Bugasong desided we were going to start the week off with an adventure. So we hiked and hiked and crossed rivers and hiked some more. Three hours later we arrived at Yapo! Yapo is a little village up in the mountains. When we got there it started just pouring rain! But that was normal for us so we just kept working. The people there are super awesome. We even had one family offer for us to just stay there over night because the rain was so bad and it was starting to get dark and the rivers had risen tons in the time that we had been working. But we declined the offer of course because its not allowed. So we started our journey back home. The rain just kept getting harder and harder. When it came time to cross back over the first river we all looked at each other and were like sooo who's going first? Haha Then they all pointed at me because I am the tallest. They said the tallest person goes first because if they don't make it we know the rest can't either. So I was like "fine...I will go" So I started the water quickly reached my knees then my waist and then my chest. I was really nervous because as I was doing that I remembered that Satan has power over the water. But then I remembered i'm a missionary and that I am being watched over. So no I didn't die. :) Then we continued hiking till we got to the second river. The second river wasn't as high but it was running super fast and strong. So I started across and I was trying to hold my backpack above the water so all my Book of Mormons and stuff wouldn't get wet. And then I tripped. In my effort to save the Book of Mormons, Backpack, and camera, I went for a little swim. And as I was trying to get my footing I lost one of my crocs :( I was super disappointed. But we all ended up making it across the river without any major injuries. After the river we continued our 4 mile journey back to the house. I had no choice but to do it with one croc (shoe) the rocks killed my feet though. All in all when it was all said and done I have ZERO regrets from that trip and we are planning to go back soon.

On Monday Elder Francisco and I did so Book of Mormon placing and tracting close to our house. We met a guy named Brother Nietes and his two twin boys named Rien Ford and Romeo. We taught them the first discussion and we felt really good about them. We gave them a Book of Mormon and told them to read it. On Thursday we went back to them to follow up and much to our surprise Brother Nietes had finished the Book of Mormon 100%. So we opened it up and it was all marked up with highlights, questions, and comments. So we taught the second lesson to all of them and extended a Baptismal Date. They all excepted to be baptized on July 25. After we were done Brother Nietes went and started talking to his neighbor who is hard core catholic. We over heard him bearing his testimony about the Book of Mormon and Joseph Smith to his neighbor. And he told his neighbor "Just read the book and you will know" And then he gave him his Book of Mormon. He was so prepared to receive the gospel before we started talking to him. He then asked for a Doctrine and Covenants so we gave it to him and went back on Sunday and he was half way done with it. He started throwing out words like Alpha Omega, Millennium, and other words. He barely speaks English but he was talking about those things like he was and institute teacher. This was such an awesome experience and testimony builder for me.

On Sunday we had one of our investigators come to church his name is Brent. He is 16 years old. After church he asked if he could work with us for the rest of the day. Of course we said yes. So we went and picked him up. It was just raining a little bit when we picked him up but then when we started working it started to down pour like crazy. I asked him if he wanted to stop and he said no way man! So we continued to work. We ended up teaching 8 lessons with him and every time he shared his testimony he had a huge smile on his face. We was so excited to just get in everyone's home and share what he knew. It really got me excited to teach as well. Because it was raining super bad after we finished one appointment we would run to the next home and just teach who ever would let us in. He can't wait to work with us again next Sunday. His baptism will be on July 25th. Missionary work is amazing! I love it!

Also this week I finally finished the Old Testament, and started the New Testament. Here in the mission we do this thing where we read the whole standard works in one year. Its kind of funny that the Old Testament takes half the year and that you can finish the New Testament, Book of Mormon, Doctrine and Covenants, and Pearl of Great Price all in the same time it takes you to finish the Old Testament. Even though I still don't understand so much from the Old Testament I learned so much. And I can't wait to start again next year.

Well I think that is just about it for this past week. It was a great one and I hope it was just as great for y'all as well. Love and Miss you all so much. :)