dadadada.... dadadadada.... dadadadadada.....
So
I have been told that I am not going to be transferred which means I am
going to be going 6 months on the Island of Mindoro! SWEET!!! Finishers
baby! I can't describe the excitement that I have right now! I thought
for sure I was transferred, I was kind of all ready saying my farewells
to the members, and just preparing myself to have to leave the beautiful
place! Now I don't have too! WHOOO! phew... what a relief knowing that I
will finally be able to harvest those little tiny seeds that have just
grown so big! So as of right now we have 2 for sure baptisms on the 26!
WHOO!! So stoked! And we are going to do it in the OCEAN!!! WHOOO! Elder
Kikel dunkin' in the Philippines! I am so excited and and Our two
Investigators that are getting baptized are so prepared! We have been
working really hard to help them really prepare themselves for baptism
and stay active after! So I will explain who these to people are a
little bit since I haven't really mentioned them before:
The
first one was a referral from an Investigator that we are still
teaching from forever ago, they are ready for baptism but they just need
to be married... but their referral is like their best friend and her
name is Jessica. She is 25, with one child that is almost 1. She is a
single mother because the father ran off,(That happens a lot here in the
Philippines.) and she is living with her dad. She has been really good
from the beginning but her biggest concern was that her uncle who was a
member of another church was trying to buy her out. If she would attend
church at his church that he would pay her bills, and pay for her baby,
and give her food and stuff like that! We were pretty worried because
thats a tough concern to resolve. but, thanks to the Lord she resolved
that concern by herself. She receive revelation through Church
Attendance and told us the she knows this church is true! She told us
yesterday that she feels that she is ready for baptism!
The
next Candidate is a young women who goes by the name of Catherine.
Catherine is only 19 years old, and was a referral from a member in our
Branch. The first day we met her is that our Member txted us and told us
to pick her up for church! And we didn't even know where she lived or
who she was! Turns out that her and her brother in law have been
interested in the Church lately, and we have been teaching their family
as well. Her brother in law (Oscar) will hopefully be baptized on August
9th he is progressing very well also. But ever since we picked them up
for church that day and taught the Restoration they have been doing so
well! This is the fourth week since we started teaching her and she is
doing so well! She even comes with us to teach other investigators! She
told us she wanted to help other people as they come closer to Christ,
and prepare themselves for baptism! So she is doing really well and we
are all super excited for her. Ha everyone in our Branch calls her "Si
Maganda" which is kind of like saying "The Beautiful" so for example
members will say to us "Saan si maganda? (Where is Beautiful?" or
Kamusta and maganda? (How is Beautiful?). Everyone thinks she is so
beautiful, my companion says she is a solid 8... tisk... tisk.. tisk...
haha he is still new... These silly Filipinos when they see a girl who
is tall a little chubby and white thats as beautiful as you can get here
in Philippines! She is super nice, really mature, and totally ready for
Baptism, the branch is all ready has her going to the temple right
after her baptism! WHOO! Bonus points! She is pretty excited for that as
well.
You may have
noticed that I said "A little chubby" haha... um well... let me
explain... Here in the Philippines if you are dark you are ugly, kind of
like in the America if you are super white its not very attractive. If
you are tall you are automatically super attractive. If you are skinny
you are NOT very attractive, kind of like in America if you are Fat you
are not very attractive. (I am not saying this to be rude to anyone or
anything like that just keepin it straight, and to the point, cuz good
ol' Kikel has got himself a rice belly now, and has some work to do at
the GYM when he gets back) So if you are chubby or kind of fat here in
the Philippines you are GOLDEN! hahaha, the members tell me I am ugly
because I am to skinny hahha... I love the members here! Just some
little facts about the Philippines!
Good
things are happening right now and and we are excited for some fun
things to happen! Plus the Zone is just awesome! So since I am here
again for another transfer that means I will be here all the way until
September! Phew Sobrang tagal yan! (That is soo long!) Tagalog has been
going really well, since for the last 3 months I have just been speaking
straight Tagalog with my companion and the members really try and
correct me when my grammar is wrong my Tagalog has been shooting through
the roof right now. I guess you could say I am getting a lot closer to
the Fluent line. I just need to start getting diligent with my language
studies!
Hopefully
if all goes planned we will probably have another 6 Baptisms in August,
and those investigators are progressing as well, there is just concerns
we are trying to resolve with them. Church attendance has been great!
We are planning to have 15 investigators at church this week, which is
INSANE! the couple weeks we have been getting around 10-11! So this
outcome has really got the Branch excited and just naturally pushing
them to do their missionary work! Despite the last few challenging weeks
I have had recently I think I am finally out of the mud and on dry
ground looking for that Delicious fruit! but, who knows maybe the Lord
will humble me again... Its all about aligning our will with his will
and thats when the miracles happen!
Good things to
come, and better to happen! Thank you all for your Prayers, Support, and
Love I have truly felt it, and I hope you can feel mine as well!
-- Elder Kikel
-on the Lord's errand-
San Pablo Philippines Mission
Baptisms! Great feeling overall for everyone! 15 investigators coming to church, WOW thats awesome! Do what ever it takes to get them there. Go to there houses and dress them and put there shoes on there feet and then go back to the next guys to get them to come to church :) Exciting times. Glad you get to see what you have been working so hard on. :)
ReplyDeleteTony