Happy Easter!

FHE with the Lagado family

Kamusta kamu da? That is Visaya. I definitely have the gift of tongues! (Or a companion that speaks Visaya...) But really, you just never know what language you're speaking here in the mission. Sometimes we teach lessons and then at the end, I'll say something and the investigator turns to my companion and says, "Wait, she speaks Tagalog?" I thought we were communicating in Tagalog the whole lesson, but who knows haha :) So happenings of the week, I caused a motorcycle accident! Not really an accident. I just told him "Magandang Hapon!" and he was just staring at me while driving and kinda drove off the road. It was pretty funny. 

Also, this week was Easter! But Easter is really different here. There is no Easter Bunny that brings you eggs. Which lets be honest, where did Americans get that tradition anyway? But then there's Filipino Easter. It's all week and it's called Holy Week. It's a Catholic holiday. There are people dressed like Roman Soldiers marching around the town all week and then there is a big play where they re-enact the death of Christ. In some places in the Philippines, they really crucify someone. But luckily, here in Tayabas it's not that extreme. And then there's Easter Sunday AKA Basahan, meaning that people just get their hoses, buckets, water bottles and anything else they can find and throw water on everyone that walks by. I don't know why. It's kinda like the Easter Bunny thing. So walking to church was like walking through a war zone! It was pretty hilarious and 100% successful! We didn't get hit at all! I think we should do that in America :)

While Easter is about the death of Christ, it is not a cause for mourning. That's something I really love about The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. We focus on His victory over sin and death. In my personal study I read this scripture, 1 Nephi 21:15-16:

 15 For can a ^awoman forget her sucking child, that she should nothave ^bcompassion on the son of  her womb? Yea, they may ^cforget,yet will I not forget thee, O house of Israel.

16 Behold, I have graven thee upon the ^apalms of my hands; thy walls are continually before me.

I've read it before, but I never really understood it until I saw a picture of Christ, the prints of the nails in His hands. Brothers and Sisters, he literally CANNOT forget us. He has engraven us on the palms of His hands. He felt each and every one of our pains, sicknesses, infirmities, sorrows, and ultimately He felt the pains of death. And He overcame them all. He knows you. He knows your name. And when you feel that nobody else knows how you feel or what you are going through, turn to Him. Because He does know. I am eternally grateful to my Heavenly Father for sending His son to live and to die and to live again. For me.  I know that the Savior, Jesus Christ, lives. And that because of Him, we have hope of eternal happiness with our families. I might have already shared this with you before, but I felt like it was worth mentioning again. 

Have a fabulous week and remember that you are never alone. Mahal kita!

XOXO, Sister Brown

P-day at Tay Tay falls