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| Yay cake!!! |
Kamusta na po kayo lahat? Sana mga magaganda pa kayo! So just in case you were wondering, (and I know you were) it is completely possible to bake a Funfetti cake in a rice cooker. Now that I have done that, I don't know if I can get any more Asian. We made a cake because we got a new housemate! And it was her birthday the day after transfers. How sad is that? Her name is Sister Niupalau and she is from Tonga. I love her. Not only because she is Tongan, but because she is the sweetest person I have ever met! I really like Sister Cowley too. I always get pretty lucky with the housemate thing. I just love the 3 of them!
This week I went to Youth Conference! I absolutely love Youth Conference and who would've thought I'd get to go when I was 20 years old and serving a mission?? All of the missionaries in Lucena zone put on a mini MTC. It is so amazing how much emphasis is placed on missionary work for the youth here in the Philippines. I loved seeing hundreds of youth raise their hands when they asked who wanted to serve a mission one day. I remember being on the receiving end of that question and not really being sure and half-heartedly raising my hand. If I could just pick out those youth, the ones who weren't really sure, and tell them why they NEED a mission. If I could just explain to them that it will be the best choice they will ever make. If anyone that is reading this is one of those people, let me tell you. You need a mission. It is the hardest thing, but it is the best thing. I can't imagine what my future life and my future family would be without this mission. I needed to be pushed.
And I am still being pushed. You might wonder why I haven't written much about our investigators. Well, in all honesty, it is because there aren't really any that are progressing. We have commitment issues in Tayabas. In all of my other areas, EVERYONE and their chicken committed to read the Book of Mormon, pray about it, get baptized, whatever we wanted. Then they usually just didn't do it. But here in Tayabas, our investigators do not want to read. Or pray. And they especially don't want to get baptized. We can explain the doctrine clearly, extend bold commitments, bring members to testify, and maybe even do backflips and they still won't commit. We're kind of at a loss here. But no worries, everyone gets over commitment issues eventually, right?
We also had stake conference this week and it was super good! And in Tagalog! That was honestly the first conference where I felt like I knew exactly what was going on the entire time. And here is my favorite quote: "Count YOUR blessings, don't count other people's blessings!" How true is that? Living in the Philippines has taught me that in America, we consider a lot things necessities that are far from it. You will not die without TV. You will not die without your iPhone. You do not need a new pair of shoes to add to the 32 pairs you already never wear. You do not need to have everything that everyone else has. You have enough. Remember to count your blessings this week.
Love you all to the moon and back! Have a fabulous week!
Sister Brown,
ReplyDeleteMy oh my, I knew you had a blog. You looked the type (sorry?).
First things first, I was one of the youth who had partaken the fruit of the Mini MTC we asked you guys to conduct. I'm currently 16, a priest; submissive, patient (sometimes), and faithful. Albeit I was quite juvenile in those days, I have witnessed how the Lord worked that day. Alright:
So before the Youth Conference ended, we had this testimony meeting (by ward). I was first to share mine so there and there, I did. Then, one of the young women said your name in particular, saying how inspiring it was to see that you have desired to serve a mission in spite of your lack of a limb. (I don't know how else to say it and I consider the term 'disabled' inappropriate). I was reading much of your blog posts and I do not see how that 'disables' you, see. Well, maybe except for that one time when the snake bit you on the not-prosthetic leg. That would have been a laugh after the agony, or was it.
Anyway, in behalf of the youth of the stake, let me thank you once more for the light you have been for the young women in my ward. Recently, a companionship of sister missionaries had been designated to our ward and since then, these young women had been working with them one time or another. It's really amazing—being a Mormon, getting to witness lives change for the best first hand, and the like.
I just wanted to share this with you because you will have wanted to know how we all felt. I, for one, was really glad when my father told me,
"Josh, pupunta buong zone" (Josh, I got the whole zone to come)
It was invigorating. Last youth conference (and at the same venue), we only had, like, five companionships come and direct the Mini-MTC and when my father said he got the whole zone to come, wow. I became more excited as to what it had in store for us. Well, I have to say it had been more than expected.
So, there you go. Whenever you might see this comment, I pray that God strengthen you and that He always protect you from any unwanted happenstance.
(In your thirteenth image, I am the fifth guy from the left all sprawled like some guy in a waterbed, beside the guy with his thumbs up. My dad's even in the next picture, in the yellow shirt.)
Maybe you can check this blog because before I go on my mission, I'll be posting my mission blog address thereby.