Monday, October 30, 2017

Changes

Hello to all once again!
This week was amazing! It started off with a Family Home Evening with the Baga and Alvarez Family on Monday! We played some games and taught a lesson about the "Why, How and What" of baptism. We gave everyone 5 minutes to answer one of the 3 questions, "Why do we need to be baptized? How are we baptized? and What is baptism?" They had to use 2 verses from the Bible and 1 verse from the Book of Mormon to explain! It was one funny to see the reaction when they noticed that all of their verses were used, and two) to see the different verses people had found by using the Topical Guide and Bible Dictionary! Brother Baga has a sister who was visiting in town from San Fernando.. Turns out, I had gone to her house before and we had introduced ourselves to her husband! She lives about 8 houses away from the house of the missionaries in San Fernando! It was so funny! I saw her and was like waite a minute I am pretty sure I know her, and she remembered Elder Tavita and I!
On Tuesday, we went on exchanges with Elder Tavita and Elder Walsh! Elder Lloyd went toSan Fernando and Elder Walsh came to Bangued. (Its about a 4-hour trip haha)
Elder Walsh used to be assigned in Bangued so we had a blast visiting the people that he had found and started teaching, who are now members of the Church, including the Baga Family and Nanay Nora! We went to really far areas and had a blast doing it. I really have loved getting to know other missionaries and learning from them as I have served here. Elder Walsh and Elder Tavita both go home in a week so it will be sad to see them go but fun to welcome the new missionaries coming in!

On Wednesday, we worked with Brother Boy Baniago, a member of the Branch here! He loves working with missionaries and has such an awesome personality. We planned on biking... But this time, it was my bike that broke! Right as we left the house, the back gears got stuck in the chain and bye bye back gear! Haha so we walked instead. We met this family who lives on the top of a hill thats about a half-mile walk. They live up in the mountains teaching kids, but were down because there is semester break. Turns out they are members of the Church too! It was fun to meet them and also learn about what they do for work teaching in areas where the people are still unfamiliar to the outside world. It was extremely humbling to listen to them as they talked and told stories. I love the Charity that their organization has, to live with them and learn their culture, in order to help them learn more and to have a more sustainable life.
Thursday and Friday were both awesome as well. Work Work Work Work Work!

Saturday we had Nanay Erlindas baptism! I wish I could tell the whole story of how we met Nanay Erlinda but I dont think Gmail allows that many characters. We have known her my whole time here but she was never interested. She lives close to the members in San Antonio and after many events, she invited us to teach her. As we taught, more and more she felt the Spirit testifying to her the truthfulness of the Restored Gospel. She has been through so many hoops in her life but as she said yesterday in her testimony, she now feels at home inside. She is also opening up ways for us to meet other people as well. May others who were turned off before, have now been asking her as well why it is she became a member. Especially asking why she wanted to be baptized again when she was baptized in the Iglesia Ni Cristo church before. She has been very strong in her testimony of the Priesthood, and loves to say to them, you know how old I am. If you want a clear answer, ask the two white Americans for an answer! hahaha
After the baptism,  we had a Musical Devotional at the church! President Bangal came as well as other missionaries in the mission. They performed songs about Christ and explained the Restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Some songs I had never heard before that I absolutely loved, and others that I had sang hundreds of times before still touched me with the Spirit. Music is truly amazing. There were a lot of people there too. Even from very far branches and people who didnt even know what the Church was, just were invited to come. Many people wanted to learn more as well so we are all excited to meet with them in the coming week!
Elder Lloyd is sadly transferring and will be replacing Elder Tavita in San Fernando so I will be alone for the next week until my new companion transfers! Brother Boy will be my companion during the week so itll be fun! I will be able to learn a lot more Ilocano and have more lessons in Ilocano. I will let you all know who my companion is next week! I love you all! Happy November as well!

--
Elder Pitt

No comments:

Post a Comment