Monday, February 3, 2014

2 February 2014

 
 SAMUEL!! That poster looks sooooo awesome! You are so cool. I hope you thanked mom and dad for all they did to help you. We have the best parents huh? How are you liking school? Who are your teachers? Are you doing your HW and reading your scriptures and saying your prayers every day? Make sure to do all your homework before Sunday too ok? I know that Heavenly Father will bless you in your schooling as you do those things- just like He helped me.
   We have puppies? I want a picture! There are hundreds of puppies here too, its puppy season. One of our members even named one after me, hahaha.
   Alright well I guess I will start my letter, haha.
This week as always we had some ups and downs.
   Yes, I did talk to President Lopez about Tacloban... he just said for sure I am going back but he does not know when. I heard about it, but I don't know specifics... did you get my email about it? a short one with pix? yes we had another storm so there was one night I could not sleep at all because the rain was so loud but that's rainy season for you. Just mud, no problems (=
   Ok so, Angelina is one of our investigators and she is so excited to be baptized. She has come to church twice now even with all her insane little munchkin boys- whom I love. She is SUCH a GEM! She shares the gospel with everyone and is still learning so much. You can feel this change that has taken place in her. Before we were more there to socialize with her, but now we show up and she wants to start reading the scriptures right away. Ahh! I love her so much!
   Jema Cuyos is another investigator who is a GEM as well! This was her first Sunday coming to church and she brought her boys and loves the Book of Mormon and is excited to be baptized too. She shares everything we teach her to her husband and she gave us a referral that we taught yesterday. These women are so incredible, so valiant and I love them so much!
   I had an interview with President Lopez this week--- that Man is Called of God. I have zero doubt in my mind about that. He read my mind twice in that interview and knew exactly what I needed to hear. I love him and am so grateful for him.

   We have other investigators, Romel and Ann, they are a couple that were referred to us and WOW! When we shared the restoration message with them the spirit was burning sooo strong. The words literally just flowed from Sister Turtal and I and we knew the spirit was testifying through us. Sister Ann thanked us over and over for explaining the Gospel so simply and some of the things she said ... It was like she had read my patriarchal blessing without me knowing, hahaha. We are soo grateful that Heavenly Father allows us to be tools in His work and that the spirit truly is the real teacher- we are nothing without it.
   (I asked Sarah to be more specific about her comments here.) Hahha mom... its hard to explain about Ann because ok let me give you my thoughts on what I think Heavenly Father is trying to do with me. You and He knows that normally I am pretty quick tongued.... I tend to speak before I think.
   Well... hahahha I can't do that in Cebuano. If I don't think... I don't speak. So in a way it forces me to make sure everything I say is uplifting and focused on my purpose.
   When we taught Ann it was just about the Restoration AKA the life of Jesus Christ and how He established His church on the earth and then the apostasy and restoration through Joseph Smith. I have really come to understand just how important it is for people to CLEARLY understand the apostasy and what it means and why it's important before moving on. I honestly can't tell you the exact words I used but I know they understood clearly.
   She just thanked us for being so clear. My Patriarchal blessing says that "I will be blessed with the gift of explaining the gospel in clear and understandable terms that people will see the truth and have a desire to accept it....."
   We had district conference this week and so the two baptisms we had scheduled for this week were moved- so they will be baptized next week.
   Surprise! 2 minutes before DISTRICT CONFERENCE (like stake conference) starts.. President Lopez walks up to me and tells me that Elder Adoro (member of the 70 who attended) wants me to give a talk) .... Yes..... I* was SCARED out of MY MIND! for about 25 seconds until I remembered who I am and the promises that have been given me. I took a lot of comfort from them and 4 min later I was up at the pulpit talking in Cebuano to a couple hundred people. I don't remember what I said, hahahah, but I do remember feeling the spirit... so I am grateful.
   President Lopez told me that this is my dessert on my mission so I better enjoy every single day because when I go back to Tacloban... it's going to be a different story. But he wants us here for a while because "We are Moving Mountains" (= AHH!! How is Benjamin?
   (I sent Ben's letter with his picture to Sarah) Thanks for the forward... he is soo good looking, haha.
Mom, I have to go but I love you like crazy! Thank you for the details and the letters and for being the Best Mom in the whole world... the picture of you and dad getting married has added sooooo much to our lessons. I love and appreciate you so much! Tell Dad I love him and Beka and Samuel!
   Stay SAFE!!!! PLEASE!!!
 Love,
   Sister Ralph


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