Elder Parker Kikel: Guest of Honor

Hey!

Well Today is going to be a bit shorter cause I don't have too much time but I will still try and get some good stuff in!

This last week was the best numbers wise since I have been in Mindoro! Woo! Our prayers are being answered! We are finding more people to teach, and all those people are coming through referrals, and we are also started to work with our members more closely and focusing how we can help them exercise there faith, and grow stronger in the Church. We have been a lot busier now because after our Branch President showed us where all the Less-Actives live and the super far areas, we have been just working our butts off trying to bring these people back, and find new investigators in those far areas. I will tell you one thing I don't not want to be a door to door salesman! We try to stay away from tracting as much as possible, because it is the least effective way to find new investigators. How many of you when as soon as you open your door and see a salesman there automatically think that you don't want anything to do with it! hahah... I did...

We are teaching 2 families right now, and hopefully a third, and it is pretty difficult! to make sure everyone of the family members is there, and are paying attention, that they all understand the message, and all that good stuff, its been rough. Plus, we have discovered a few deep concerns with the main family that we are teaching (Lapara) that have cause us to move their baptismal goal date... but Tatay still came to church again! Which is great, we just need to help them have a spiritual experience! Also our recent convert Brother Maur! He is awesome! He still hasn't missed a day of church since we started teaching him! He is so faithful! He won't eat pork because it says in the Bible that we can't eat pork or something, but he is just so diligent in studying, and he comes with us and works with us, teaches, and testifies, and he is really good at it because he actually studies the Gospel. The Branch all ready has him participating in activities, and have responsibilities! He doesn't have a calling yet, but I think he will have one soon! It is so awesome to see that my First baptism is doing so great! It brings so much peace to my soul know that he is going to stay active, and help this branch grow! I see a potential leader here!

So one funny thing that happened to Elder Bituen and I this last week was that we were invited to a wedding reception of one the members relatives, so we went for just a little bit to support them even though we were super busy that day! They had this huge ritual that the Filipinos do, its hard to describe, but at one point they gather the groom and bride and stand them in front of these tents with tables and stuff with all this food, and the call in all the relatives, and guest of honors. well towards the end, the member that invited us to come kept ushering us to go in the tents! We were to shy we didn't want to because everyone would see us go in , and we aren't part of the family! hahah.. She forced us... and we went in,, it was super awkward, so we were guest of honor at a wedding reception that we didn't even know hahhah and we sat down by all the young ladies and men, and we all ate while everyone else watched... it was funny, but the funniest thing is that we gave them a Book of Mormon as a wedding gift! HA! Elders be creepin...

Also today for Zone-Pday we went to the beach again, and had a lot of fun! Played some Ultimate Frisbee, and some other games, made smores, and got a long! It was a blast and much needed! I love Mindoro it us so much more fun here! I hope I am not transferred, I would really miss this place! All right thats it folks! Till next time

Love ya,

-Elder Kikel