This week was 10 times better! Camalig is finally progressing and we were able to FINALLY reach the standard of excellence!! The work was good. We are finding a bunch of less active members in our area and teaching them. Some of them are part member, so that has given us some new investigators too! Lots happened this week! Lots of stories!
At the start of the week we taught Dante about the importance of scripture study and what a blessing it will be for his life if he reads in the Book of Mormon everyday. We gave him a sheet that he can color in when he finishes each chapter haha. He committed to try and read, but said he couldn't promise everyday. We dropped by on Saturday and he goes sisters I have something to show you. He was so excited. He shows us the chart and he had read everyday. Not just a chapter, like 4 or 5 chapters everyday!! He said he felt so good.
We are teaching a mom that was taught before by the missionaries and she is progressing so much! She always reads her assignments and is praying. She said she doesn't feel that she has received a sure answer yet, but she said she is waiting. We extended a baptismal date and before we could finish she said she will be baptized if she comes to know it is true. She wanted to come to church yesterday, but her baby was sick. Now we just need to work on the husband. He always listens to us by the doorway, but won't ever sit down and participate.
A huge miracle this week was Leo came to church! I can't believe it! He is an inactive member that we have been teaching twice a week since we got here. He is 17 and probably hasn't been to church since he was 12. He showed up yesterday and we were shocked! We are determined to get him on a mission!
This week I just felt so American. It was fiesta on Tuesday by our apartment and so we got invited to eat (you can't say no here) and literally EVERYONE was just staring at me the whole time me and my companion were eating. So awkward! Then the land lady told me that everyone she talks to ask her why the American living at her house is so short. She said they all ask her if I am half Filipino. Between that and all the "hey joe's" I wish I was Filipino and didn't stand out so much.
Me and my comp have a new favorite EFY song. "Go Back." It is about as upbeat as it gets on the mission. It plays over and over again in our apartment. It is the dumbest song haha but we love it.
One day we were teaching in Sogong- where there are tons of little kids that always listen and follow us around. One of the little boys that always listens to us was dancing for us and goes to do the splits and his pants just rip right down the middle. It was so loud and so funny. We all were laughing so hard for a good 5 minutes and every time I though of it again throughout the day I would start laughing again. Good times.
So my favorite thing that happened this week was I got a letter from Brayan Ramirez. Rosalie's oldest son. He was baptized on Saturday (her last kid to be baptized that is above age 8), but he wrote the letter before his baptism. It was the sweetest letter I have ever gotten. He thanked me for teaching him how to pray and read the Book of Mormon and then wrote out his testimony for me. It was so sincere and I can tell he really came to know it was true for himself. He said that he will go to the temple in December. Hopefully the date magically is the same day I will be there!!! It made me feel the worth of my mission. I am eternally grateful that I am a part of the Ramirez families conversion. I miss them so much!! Now I just have to keep praying for David.
This week I have been reading the Book of Mormon tons and tons. I am noticing things that I have never noticed before and am gaining a stronger testimony of it's truthfulness. I know that it is the word of God. I know that it contains the fullness of the gospel and I know that Joseph Smith translated the Book of Mormon. I am so thankful for the peace that the Book of Mormon brings to my life. I know that "if we don't have time to read the Book of Mormon then we are far busier than God ever intended for us to be." SOOO read it!
I love you all so much! Have a great week!
-Sister Gardner
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