Hello Everyone!! First thing I want to do is just thank you all for your
prayers, and faith for those who we have been teaching, and visiting in
Guinayangan! All of our prayers and faith has truly resulted in
miracles, which I will explain later.
or
I will just explain it now! hahah... so yeah umm... things are going
down in Guinayangan! We are witnessing miracle after miracle here in
Calauag at the time in our work, and it is so faith building to know
that God knows when people or AREAS are ready to be taught and baptized
to expand his work and his glory! We had a record of 18 investigators
come to church yesterday, and that my friends in just insane in our
mission! That is the most I have ever gotten or heard of in my mission!
So we were pretty excited to see all these KIDS show up to church, each
had searched, and sacrifice to be able to pay for their bus fare, they
were a little late because of how far they live, and when they walked
into sacrament meeting, everyone was shocked, haha. We had a few members
look us and give us thumbs us, or they clapped, and other funny things
haha. 14 of those investigators were from Guinayangan, I was so flippin
happy yesterday it was insane, you always here these awesome missionary
stories of powerful conversions but you never expect it to happen to
you. I believe this is a blessing from our recent commitment to
obedience, we have been working hard lately, really seeking for the
blessings of the Lord, and they are definitely coming.
but
wait my friends, the story gets even better. We went back to
Guinayangan to play basketball with some of the young men, and hang out
with them to help them feel more love, and have better fellow-shipping
with them. While we were there I was talking to our member who has been
working so hard, and I mean doing everything in His power to help these
kids prepare for baptism which I will explain later but, he told me that
all of the parents who wouldn't allow their kids to be baptized before
have now allowed their kids to come to church and be baptized!!!!! That
is a miracle for sure if you would have seen how stern these parents
were, we tried so hard to convince them that theses things will bless
their lives forever and they just wouldn't listen. but now, its all
good!! wow... and it still gets better my friends, even they themselves
want to be taught and come to church!!!! WHAT!!!! This is why I thank
you so much for your prayers and Faith, I have been praying so hard for
these kids every single day, and I have been so stressed about them
trying to figure out how we can get them all baptized because there is
mission rules we still need to follow and standards in our mission that
need to happen which makes it VERY difficult for them to be baptized at
this time. Also, the member told me that he didn't know but they
accidentally left a bunch of people behind that wanted to go to church
but didnt know how, like some of the parents of the kids, and so they
are going to church next week! He said they might reach up towards 30
that will come to church. This is one powerful witness to me that
nothing is impossible in Gods timing and will. I am just so taken away
from this experience, and even though I might not even see these people
baptized or what will become of it but I am just so grateful to have
been a part of building their foundation of Faith, and meeting these
Wonderful people, they are such great examples to me the sacrifices they
go through so they can do they things that they know to be true. Its a
tear jerker sometimes, and I am glad I had the opportunity to experience
it so that I may always be humble through out my whole life.
One
of the greatest examples is our Member in Guinayangan. His name is
Sonny Agiri. His whole family are members of the church, they were
baptized in a different area, and were very active members, they had to
move for reason I dont know, and since they have been here in guinyangan
they have had it pretty rough. They couldn't find work, so things got
worse, and then one of the Super Typhoons hit them and nearly took there
house, which now the still don't have a roof on their house, just a
small part where they sleep. Before brother just sold fish off the
streets to provide for his family, and when I say off the streets I mean
he walks all day everyday to sell little fish, we can only imagine what
he makes per day. almost nothing. Just recently His wife made the
sacrifice to work abroad to provide for her family, and brother now
stays at home to take care of his family. This is were the great mans
example comes in, since he has so much time now, and we have visited him
lately, his missionary desires just exploded! He started sharing with
everyone, and I mean everyone around him, and all these kids are always
at his house because he is such a good influence to them. He has
scripture study with almost all of them almost every single day! sharing
about the restoration, plan of salvation, and the gospel. Constantly
speaking with their parents convincing them of the blessings of the
gospel, He has been the instrument of these great miracles at this team,
and he is definitely the man! Such a great guy. So humble, yet so
strong and faithful.
Earlier
I mention that in our mission we have a ton of standards that we have
to follow when teaching especially with kids before they are baptized,
and I am so stressed out because I am trying to do it the right way and
not take short cuts, but everyone wants to do it the quicker more
convenient way because of how prepared they are which isn't going to
happen, but I was thinking by doing it the right way i will never see
any of them get baptized, and this brought a lot of sadness to my heart
for a moment, almost kind of mad. Here I am trying to do everything
correct, right, by the way it should be and needs to be to ensure their
conversion process, and most likely I will not see them baptized or see
the fruits that come from that labor, especially witht he magnitude of
the work that is happening right now, I mean think of it! How cool would
it be to have 15 plus baptisms in one day! It would be insane! Or see
an entire area be converted kind of like in the book of mormon times,
yet you can't because you will be transferred before it happens, and the
next missionaries are going to stroll in on their merry go rounds, and
just take all that credit and delicious fruit, that we have worked so
hard to get! After thinking about it for a while I remembered something
President Mangum has said to me, he talked to me about the foundation of
buildings ( he was in construction before) and how important they are
for the entire building, and if the foundation is not properly place,
the entire building has a possibility of falling apart. Then he talked
about the Temple and said that when we go into the temple we always
recognize how beautiful the temple is inside, and all the handy work
they so many people have done, but when have we asked "Take me to the
foundation, I want to see the beauty of the foundation of the temple"?
no one sees or thinks about the foundation of the temples, yet its the
most important part, no one sees there work, or knows who did it. Its
just always a second thought, and God knows who really did the hard work
in the case, and he really applied this to me because I was caught
complaining to him about how this has been the case almost my entire
mission, especially the last 6 months! It has been very comforting, and
instructive, and like I said before, I don't care if I don't see them
baptized, as long as I had the opportunity to help build their
foundation, and show them that I love them for they are truly amazing
kids.
I
truly never thought something like this was going to happen to me in my
mission, especially because of my personal weaknesses I have struggled
with through out my mission, but its a testimony of the Power of the
Atonement is real, and applies to every single one of us. Brothers and
Sisters I know this Church is true, and if we can manage to align our
will with the Lord's will miracles will happen. Obedience + Faith =
Miracles. I am so grateful to be a part of this work, and I am not ready
for it to end! But my time will come so I am just going to keep
enjoying the short time I still have left.
Thank you all so much for your support, and keep praying for those in Guinayangan!
--
Elder Kikel
-on the Lord's errand-
San Pablo Philippines Mission
