Hey Fam!

Just an every day sight....goats walking together!


  Mar. 25, 2012

Oh hey...sorry I never have creative headings on
 here...Anyways, how are you? Life is soo great here!
Thanks for the package Mom ulit and THANK YOU
THANK YOU Steven & Derek for the cute magnets
you sent and the letter & drawing! I really loved
getting them, and it made me soo happy. They're on
our ref door right now and they'll stay there my
whole mission! All the other elders and sisters were
jealous that my pumunkin sent me magnets!
haha so...this week was great...of course, I
witnessed many miracles...and I gained a greater
appreciation for the country I live in.
So I have been praying for this 19 year old boy in
our ward, his name is Dino. He has the melchezedik
priesthood and he is our assistant ward clerk. He
has been a member for a year now. Anyways, I know
it's crazy he is so young and holds such a high
position in the ward but anyways...he wants to
serve a mission and whenever I ask him about it
he just says he can't because of his parents. He
is the only convert- he comes from a family of
 11 children. He is the oldest. His mom sells
halo halo which is the yummiest drink here...
and his dad is a pedicab driver- which means he
drives a bicycle and pedals people around all
day. ibig sabihin...sobrang poor they are. I was
praying for some kind of way to reach out to his
mom and try and teach her again, even though
the elders taught her before and she really wasn'tinterested....she didn't like them or the church.
Anyways I received a text message from our
ward mission leader saying that they just
finished teaching Dino's mom! I about died I
was so excited, and that she didn't like the elders,
but she wanted to listen to the sisters.
So...of course anxious, we set an appt. It was an
answer to prayers.
We taught her, and as we taught her, tears were
streaming down her face as her son bore his
testimony to her, and she knows the church is
true, she just doesn't want to give up coffee...
and it's a lifestyle change and she's not willing
to make it now...anyways I was sooo happy. It
really was an answer to prayers. Not only could
it change her families life, but it could also enable
her son to serve the Lord.
How great is that? We've taught her 2 times
now...hopefully she goes to church next sunday!
I got a surprising text message from our Zone
leaders this week....they wanted me to go on
a companion exchange. They do this every few
weeks with the elders...but never for the sisters. I
was super nervous, and I had no idea why...I got
transferred for a day and worked in manat with
Sis. Bristain. It was really great opportunity to
study with her and see how she teaches and studies
and evaluate. We still don't know why they had us
do a comp exchange..maybe one of them will be
called to be trainer and they wanted to evaluate
them...anyways it was fun...it was a weird
experience sleeping in another apt but it was
good!
Bro Hernani Bidan and his children passed their
baptisimal interview! We have their baptism
this saturday!!! They are soo ready I can hardly
stand it. After the interview was over
Bro Hernani walked out with tears in his eyes.
Later we talked with Elder Baredo ( our district
leader who did the interview) he just said keep
up the good work...he is about to go home
from his mission because his 2 years are up and he
said "I have never met someone with such a
testimony of the gospel before they are even
baptized. You're teaching the doctrine well, he
understands...and he has a real testimony.
You can feel the spirit" I started to cry...I am soo
happy for them. They really are a special
family...they are soo great, and I know that's
one reason why I am blessed to be here, to
witness their conversion, because I've been
able to teach their family from the beginning
till now. Their changes and their willingness to
live the gospel to a "t" is so inspirational.
Saturday night when we arrived at the Reyes
house to teach Mark, our investigator that
will be baptized april 5...anyways we arrived
and found out they were at the hospital.
Their mom had a stroke earlier, and half her
body was paralyzed. Of course, we immediatly
thought,  ok...2 of her children were just
baptized, and a third is about to be baptized...
I'm sure she would probably accept a priesthood
blessing, so let's call someone and get them
over there. As we walked into the hospital
tears flooded my eyes. I am soo grateful for the
hospitals we have in America. The place we live,
the equipment we have. There aren't rats
everywhere and dirt and just...it was terrible.
No one should have to be medically treated in
such an unsanitary place. They just had tons of
people in one room hooked up to IV's...it just was
ridiculous. They just had her waiting there
hopelessly. Since there were many people and
we were unable to move her we waited to give the
preisthood blessing till the next day.
Merla ( her daughter) still came to church even
with her mom in the hospital...to see her
faith...a recent convert...it was the greatest
feeling...she still came to church, it made me happy
that she has a testimony even though a
recent convert, that when trials come, we need to
go to church. After church I asked Bishop and Bro Pan
to come to the hospital with us to give her a blessing.
I kind of joked but made it clear sorry I can't do
it all...I dont have the preisthood. So...they came
with us and they gave her a blessing. As they began...
I started to cry so hard...the spirit immediatly filled
the room. When we got there before they gave
the blessing she could not talk...and her eyes were not
focused. and she layed there hopelessly....just nodded.
I told Bishop he needed to explain what he was going to
do and that it was according to her faith and ask if she
would like a blessing before he gave one to her. So he
did. Anyways, as Bro. Pan layed his hands on her head
and anointed the oil on her head....I bawled...I was
crying so hard, the spirit was sooo strong. After, Bishop
sealed the blessing tears continued to stream. Their
family had such faith, and sis just was so helpless.
After the blessing. She reached up and shook their
hands and said clearly "Thank you, thank you,
thank you soo much" I was told by the end of last
night she had progressed unexplainably...and she
is headed to full recovery. The miracle of the
priesthood is so real. We are so lucky to have the
power from God. IF and it's a big IF...we are worthy
to hold it and worthy to receive it..always believing.
Anyways, many other great experiences, but those
were some of the highlights of this week. I am
running out of time but I love you all dearly. We are
so blessed to have the restored gospel. To know the
truth, and to not only have the Gospel, but to
really live it. That is the key, obedience. like
D&C 82:10 says "I the Lord am bound when ye
do what I say, but when ye do not what I say;
ye have no promise".
Alam ko po na, totoo po iyon. And now,
so does the Salvador family.
Love you all!
xxoxo



Zone  Conference-   Lingayen Mar. 2012