It's Amazing What the Lord Can Do With Your Life!

Well, to start this letter off, I have some really exciting news. Don't you just love exciting news? The first part is about one of my investigators from my last area, Sister Ciara. I got word that she has passed her baptismal interview and will be baptized this upcoming week!! Yay!! Not only that, but her husband is now active in the church and will hopefully be the one to baptize his wife. Don't you love missionary work? I don't think there's anything better than this work. I feel like I’ve been a full time missionary my entire life and I don't feel like I’m ever going to be released. Enjoy it while it lasts. 

The second part of the great news is just as exciting. This one has a story as well. Earlier today, right after we had let all the missionaries out to eat lunch, we noticed a few girls sitting at the back of the room. One of them was our ward member who is preparing to go on a mission. She told us yesterday that she would be coming so we expected to see her, but we couldn't tell who she was with. As we drew closer, I quickly realized who she was with. She was with Angel!!!! One of the girls that I baptized while serving in Manila 2nd!! It's been about ten months since I saw her.  As I began to talk with her, she gave me even more exciting news!! (don't you just love good news?) She's getting ready to serve a mission!!!! She's getting ready to start her papers in the near future. I was overjoyed. Words honestly can't describe my excitement in that moment. I'm so excited and so thankful that I have had the opportunity to get to know her. Seriously, I’m so happy right now. 

Alright, so what else happened this week? I've got another amazing story about finding. I actually wasn't there for the initial experience because we were on exchanges, but I’m going to tell you anyway. While I was serving in another zone, Elder Limocon was working in our area with another missionary. They had just finished an appointment on one side of manila and had to make their way to the other side. They didn't have the car because I’m the only one with a license and it was rush hour. The taxis, jeepneys and all other forms of public transportation were loaded with people. So, they decided to walk. Little did they know that it was actually part of a divine plan executed by the Lord. As they walked along the busy cities of Manila, a random car pulls over and a man rolls down the window. He tells Elder Limocon that he's seen missionaries in the past and he wants to be taught. Uuuuhhhh that never happens. They set up an appointment for the next day. Luckily, I was back the next day and was able to take part in one of the greatest lessons ever (He's also fluent in English and even prefers it, so we taught him in English). He began by telling us about his life as a 26 year old man that owns his own car dealership and tells us why he called Elder Limocon over. He expressed that more and more responsibilities are falling on his shoulders and that he wants to put away the old life that he used to live, and start a new life that will help build a strong foundation for the rest of his life, for his future family, and other things. It sufficeth me to say that it was an amazing lesson with an amazing investigator that wants to change. When we are humble and willing to let the Lord change us, amazing things happen, we become new men and new women. He quickly began to show his real intent the next day by coming to church. He loved it. He's best friends with everyone in the ward (it helps when half of the members in our ward are SAs). Not only that, but he just ate up the doctrine. He wanted to know everything. He had so many questions and he was ready to receive the answers. He's going to be baptized. 

We were hit by a pretty epic storm this last week. It rained forever. We had flooding up to our knees outside of our apartment. We were told that we couldn't go out and work. It was a pretty long day spent in the walls of our apartment. We got a lot of washing and cleaning done. That's pretty much the extent of the storm. Nothin too exciting when you're stuck inside. It's funny to see all of the kids run out in the middle of the storms to play in the water. Well it's funny until you realize what they're swimming in. After that, it's not too funny anymore. 

That's pretty much all I got for this week. I just want you all to know that I love my mission. There is nothing I would change about where I am right now. It's really cool to see how the 19 years before my mission were spent preparing me for these two years. Now, these two years are preparing me for the rest of my life. It's amazing what the Lord can do with your life when you give him control. His hands can shape our lives a lot better than we can. We just have to be willing to let Him.