Oh my goodness.. i didn't have time to read a lot of your letters until after I wrote. And we really were kept out of the loop of everything. I had no idea that the typhoon was supposed to be any worse than it was. But I have really recognized that is a complete miracle!
I have been thinking all week about how by so many miracles we were saved. That we didn't have anything bad happen. That we were blessed. That all our investigators bamboo huts were still ok. Isn't it interesting.. there was this huge blessing/miracle and I didn't even know! How often does God bless us without us recognizing? Are we looking for the little miracles in our lives?
We watched a video about the destruction in Layte and it was just so crazy. It looks just like Bacolod.. like before the storm it would have been the same. same people. same jobs. same buildings.. and now it's gone. It should have been here. I just can't even express how blessed I feel.
And then i was thinking. We were saved.. this is at least the 3rd time in my life I should have died.. but by a miracle I was saved. Wo what am i doing about it? I have been given this blessing.. Am i going to be different because of it or just forget about it? I have more determination, more perspective about how important and how blessed this work is. My whole focus needs to be on improving so I can better help the people in this area. I love this work.
There were a lot of miracles that happened this week. First of all, my companion was transferred on Tuesday so I haven't been able to hear from her since. [She actually went "home" to Manila a few weeks early because she lost most of her family.] I am just PRAYING! that her family is ok. That she will have atleast someone to go home to. Hopefully I'll hear word soon. I can't even explain how i feel. I just can't imagine going home to that. Best case scenario half her friends are dead and she doesn't have a house.. ya know?
I texted my investigators during the storm and told them we are praying for them and stuff and then sent Helaman 5:12. Later a whole bunch of them told me they looked it up and really felt so much peace! They said they were worried about everything until they read the scripture. It was really cool.
We were walking down the street yesterday and someone asked if we spoke Hiligaynon. We said yes and he was so impressed. We were able to teach him and his friend a lesson. It was awesome.
We were able to teach a few people this week that had dropped us a while ago, but they were totally receptive again. Especially Annie Rose Britania... did I tell you about her? She is a famous blind singer...I'll bet you could find her on youtube actually. Anyway she told us she didn't want us to come back like 2 months ago.. but she was home a couple days ago so we stopped by. Her dad was there.. i had never met him before. and he asked us a million questions about missionaries and the church and just kept saying he was searching for the truth. Then asked why we don't use the cross [cross ourselves when we pray] and we explained about how we don't believe in traditions and stuff. and he said.. oh yeah i actually have been doing it my whole life but i don't know why.
Remember the investigator that came out of the wall?? Maria Fe Lopez. Last night we gave her a Book of Mormon.. we taught her about it a week ago but we didn't have one to give her. so she when I handed it to her last night, she grabbed my hands, looked me straight in the eye and said THANK YOU! I can't even express. It was so incredible. i love her so much already.
i have really felt like we have been lead by the spirit this week. we aren't really sure where to go sometimes but things work out. We are able to find people and they say.. wow i just got home. or because we get lost on one street we are able to run into someone else. It's really cool.
At church yesterday all our recent converts and investigators were really being fellowshipped. They were doing so great. It is amazing how much love I have for them. I just want them to progress, to be closer to Christ. I feel so much joy when they said they have been reading or when they come to church! It's so awesome. I have such sincere love for them. And the same for the people that don't keep their commitments.. It just seems so obvious!! I just want them to understand so desperately. Nephi really talks about that a lot in 1 Nephi too. He loves Laman and Lemuel and just wants them to understand. It seems so obvious, so simple, just keep the commandments. Just follow God and you will be blessed. 1 Nephi 17:15
I have loved studying the scriptures. I really have come to love the words of God. I love being able to make connections between scriptures and learn more about principles. I love it. I love it. Just like Nephi.. 2 Nephi 4:15-16. This is what I want for my investigators. That they can not just read because we tell them to but that they can really learn to LOVE the Book of Mormon.
I loved when Elder Andersen was here he said we need to help our recent converts really learn to LOVE the gospel, to teach them more than just the lessons but help show them how to love the scriptures. And president lopez said we are literally taking our recent converts with us to the Celestial Kingdom. Thinking of it like that is so awesome. It really changes my perspective. Oh how I love President Lopez. He has so much going on all the time, so many trials. But oh how he loves the missionaries. I am always so amazed at the revelation he recieves for this mission.
One last thought. I was reading in 1 Nephi 8:14-15. Nephi wants to do what is right, wants to come to God but doesn't know how. Lehi guides him to the tree, he calls to him and helps him. We are like Lehi. There are people that want to come to Christ but don't know how. We need to be their guides.
I love you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am still just so overwhelmed with how blessed and protected I have been. Thank you so much for your prayers!
Love Sister Foote
No comments:
Post a Comment