I hope the 4th was good for everyone! It was good here, just not the same haha. We took our fellowshippers and Magapit missionaries to the caves in our area this week and had hot dog and hamburgers down there with them and explored in the caves for a little bit. I lost my missionary handbook and Ministerial Card in the process which stinks but at least we can go back now and look for it again haha! Just kidding. But it was a fun time remembering America and helping others celebrate it here too haha :) Then later on we had Precious' baptism at 3 which was amazing. I was able to conduct the baptism, Elder Pongyan baptized Precious, and yesterday on Sunday I was able to confirm her a member of the church by the laying on of hands which was the first time I ever did that. It was an amazing experience and it was amazing to feel the spirit guide and direct the words in that special blessing of hers :) Now, we're starting to teach her father because Marina moved to Manila to go work abroad for a few years in Taiwan. It was a bummer when we found that out, but it happens here, a lot haha.
But this week was a hard week. Remember the warning of my faith being tested? Yep, it's happening. Of course not each day and not each week is going to be golden and happy and perfect. But it has been hard this week. Basically, one of our recent convert family's (The Cortes family) had their father drown in the Cagayan River this past week which has been awful on the family. Riel the teenage son is now smoking, drinking, gambling, hanging out with the wrong crowd, and the recent converts who are high schoolers are mostly all less active with no real desire to come back to church. Our investigators who we tried to focus on this week were all out of town or working on their farms this week so we couldn't teach them, then no one was progressing or coming to church because we had a typhoon and earthquake yesterday afternoon. No damage at all, but we'll have another either today or tomorrow. Either a signal 1 or 2 typhoon coming in. But it might sweep away from us, we just don't know now. But our focus areas have been hard to focus on this week. Each day is a test of faith to keep going and doing what's right. I just feel bad for Elder Pongyan because this is his first taste of missionary work and we're just not doing good (in results, baptisms, lessons, investigators at church, etc.). We spent a couple hours last night to really plan out what our next goals for this week is. We tried everything that it said in PMG to do to find new investigators, searching the area book, doing everything for the last few nights, so I hope we can see results hopefully soon. It's been hard though. Let alone, fighting a small earthquake and some typhoons and having your power go out in the middle of summer here is just another faith tester. It's been a trial I guess you can say. But, we'll do better.
I know I was warned by the spirit it was going to be a hard transfer for me, but it's just hard because Elder Pongyan still doesn't know too much about missionary work, and still getting adjusted and just trying to follow what I'm doing. He gives great suggestions which I'm amazingly grateful for, he's a very, very good companion and an amazing trainee. So I'm very very grateful for him and I love working and being his companion. I'm excited for this next week though. It'll be good this week. There may be some more tests of faith, (everyday is a test of your faith) but it'll be a better week. I can feel it :) But we are increasing baptismal dates and our teaching pool which is really helpful to the least, but this week will be better without a doubt. :)
Anyways, I love you guys, this just about does it for my week, pretty eventful and not too much to write home about haha, but it was good, we'll have a better week next week for sure :)
Anyways love you all! Hope you have a great week! :) Love you Stay safe guys!
Love,
Elder Oslund
No comments:
Post a Comment