Friday, January 23, 2015

10/27/14 SO many people to teach!

Dear Family and Friends,
SUCH a great week in Guinobatan! The are is SO GOOD right now! We are teaching so many families and they are so progressing! We have so many people to teach right now, the time isn't sufficient. Our less actives are also become active again! I am so happy! My companion yummy Indian cooking just adds to the happiness.
First, the Balikasmaya family. We tracted them on Tuesday and they were golden from the start. The mom is working in Manila so we taught the dad and 4 kids. They all sat and listened and the spirit was so strong. They weren't praying at all, so we committed them to start. When we went back on Saturday they had started to pray as a family! I am very excited about them.
We are continuing to teach the Cortez Family.They are progressing, but still hesitant to come to church or commit to baptism. Except for 8 year old Kasey. On Sunday 15 minutes into sacrament I hear a little voice yell Sister Gardner and I look back and Kasey Cortez had come to church all by herself. She came and sat by us and told us that she couldn't get anyone in her family to come to church with her so she came by herself. She said she will be there every week! SO dang cute! We will have to work on getting her family to join her haha. 
The Doctora Family! We continued teaching Aurora and she said she is praying about Joseph Smith and feels like she is half and half with her testimony. She doesn't feel like she has completely received an answer yet, but wants one and so she will keep seeking. We extended a baptismal date to her though and she accepted immediately and said that is exactly what she wants for her family! She said she would for sure be at church and so we were confused when she wasn't, but we will find out why tomorrow and hopefully she will be there next week with all her kids. She makes all her kids sit and listen whenever we go there. 
Toledo Family! We started teaching them a few months back and I had such a good feeling about them, but then every time we went there they would have excuses, so we stopped going. Then the other night we were tracting and one the daughters comes up to us and says they moved and said she will show us their new house. She showed us and we were able to teach the whole family, minus the dad. Apparently he is the one who doesn't like us, but now he is in Manila. They have so many trials in their family and are so receptive to the gospel. Maybe my good feeling was right!
Armario Family! Nelo and his grandkids...Nelo said that he prayed about Joseph Smith, but still needs to keep praying to know for sure. He really wants to know though and understands all the lessons so well. We started teaching his grandkids. They are the cutest. Oliver is my favorite one. Probably because he is the only who has a name that I can remember. 
This week we are going to involve the members more in our work so we can get all these people to church!! and get some people in the water..joke lang. 
We also saw miracles with less actives! 1 super super less active member came to church yesterday! We taught his Sabbath Day on Thursday and it was super powerful and he obviously was touched! Benson also passed the sacrament! So good! 
One of the best parts of the week was we got to go to Camalig! Elders took over the Sisters area there (which I am sad about, but okay lang) so we got to go and show the some of the members and investigators houses. Always good to be back in Camalig! 
Now for an embarrassing story- we were tracting and there were there really good smelling flowers outside the house (mabango in Tagalog) and so I was saying "mabango" to my companion and then instead of saying "tao po" to call the people in the house I said "Mabango" really loud...so embarrassing. Sister Boddupalli and I were laughing for a good 30 minutes about it. She makes fun of me every time we tract now. 
Things are good here! My comp is so awesome and so hardworking! I am so glad that I have a good comp and the area is doing so good so that I can focus for my last transfer. 
I love and miss you all! Have a wonderful week!
-Sister Gardner



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