Happy Pre-Halloween week to you all!
:) (Haha I actually remembered this year!) I'm not sure how I feel about
Halloween anymore after being here in the Philippines where Day of the
Dead is such a widely celebrated and strange event. But anyhow, at least
by this weekend there will be lots of sales on Halloween candy! Treat
yourself to some chocolate! :) American chocolate is way better than you
think!
This week has been an interesting one, and I have
been really inspired. Last week, after our Preparation Day, Sister
Panugaling and I were a little lost about what to do for our two hours
of proselyting. Our schedule has changed so that we come home at 7PM
every night, to avoid being out of the apartment at night where danger
may come across our path. Our appointment that we had planned in the
afternoon got cancelled though, so when 7PM hit and it was time to go
teach, we were unsure where in our area we could work that would be
safe. We said a prayer for inspiration, then decided just to go walk
around a part of our area we hadn't explored much, and see if we could
find any random people to talk to. We went to the Plaza ("downtown"
Magsaysay) and were surprised to see it was completely abandoned, though
at least well-lit. I thought that would be a prime hang-out spot for
socializing, but it turns out the night life in Magsaysay is pretty
non-existent. So we kept walking.
We walked until the end of
the street lights. Along the way, we smiled and greeted people. One man,
with a freshly lit cigarette, said "Good evening" as we passed, and the
spirit told me, "talk to him!" Still not the best or most courageous
when it comes to acting on promptings like that, I just promised myself I
would talk to him on the way back. The end of the lights wasn't far, so
we turned back when we got there and I told Sister Panugaling as we
walked back, "Let's talk to that guy. I really want to OYM him." He
happened to have a stand and was selling fried chicken, so we went over
and greeted him and asked him if he knew where the road went to (the
part beyond the street lights) and explained that we are new to the area
so we are trying to figure out where things are. He was super nice and
invited us to sit on the little bench in his tent/stand. So we sat,
while he cooked some chicken for us (conveniently, we also love to eat).
We were able to get to know him and shortly afterward met his wife and
oldest son who were running the stand as well. We talked to them for a
little while and explained who we are as missionaries and they agreed we
could visit them sometime. It was a huge testimony-builder to me that
the Lord really does have a plan, even when OUR plan completely falls
through. Also, I can see how the Lord really does answer our prayers,
since we have been looking for potential priesthood holders to help
establish the branch in Magsaysay.
That is another thing I
have been realizing this week serving in Magsaysay: how important the
Priesthood really is, and how there really is nothing that we can do
without Priesthood holders in our lives. Especially us sisters (women).
We do not have authority, nor will be able to receive it, to administer
the Sacrament, baptize, confer the Gift of the Holy Ghost, or administer
any of the necessary saving ordinances. I thought to myself: what
would I do if there was no one to bless and administer the Sacrament?
Even just missing one week for General Conference, I missed partaking of
the Sacrament. It's like there is a very tangible spiritual lack or
hunger that nothing else can mend--not even prayer or scripture reading.
My soul yearns for repentance to be made complete and covenants to be
renewed through the Sacrament. I can't imagine ever choosing not to go
to church and receive that blessing. I just hope every man who holds the
Priesthood realizes how important they are in the Lord's plan, and how
much other of the Lord's children rely on them to magnify that calling
which they hold. We had just 5 priesthood holders from our branch come
to church on Sunday. Our branch president presided, his two counselors
blessed the Sacrament, and the branch clerk and the elder's quorum
president passed it. It was a beautiful and heartbreaking thing for me
to witness. Beautiful, because even way out here in the middle of
farmland where most families are just struggling to feed their families
and get their kids an education (if possible), they are still able to
receive the blessings and ordinances of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Heartbreaking, though, because of the hundreds or thousands of people
within the boundaries of Magsaysay branch, only about 60 of them were
able to partake of those blessings of the Atonement.
This
morning in our district meeting we talked about having the vision to
baptize. Elder Gonzaga (a sweet young missionary from Iloilo and a new
district leader this transfer) shared a message from Lawrence E.
Corbridge about why we baptize. We baptize not to add people to the
Church, we don't even baptize just to get people the "pre-reqs" to allow
them to enter the Celestial Kingdom. We baptize in order to help people
experience what Christ Himself referred to as being "born of water and
of the Spirit", receiving a remission of their sins through baptism and
the gift of the Holy Ghost. This is only possible through proper
Priesthood authority, and is the only way that we (or our friends,
family, and acquaintances) can receive relief from the feelings of
shame, guilt, sorrow, and remorse that comes into our lives from sin.
Having faith in Jesus Christ is not enough. Feeling bad, and praying for
forgiveness is not enough. Even confessing to another is not enough.
For the Atonement to be applied fully in our lives, we must follow the
Savior's command and invitation to be baptized by immersion for the
remission of sins, by one who holds the authority to act in Christ's
name and perform such a sacred ordinance. Furthermore, even baptism is
not enough without the blessing of the Gift of the Holy Ghost, which
leads and guides us in all that we do and is the source of all feelings
of peace and joy and happiness and purpose in our lives. It is the
single greatest gift available to us in this life.
We talked
about how those who choose not to accept the Gospel of Jesus Christ
don't reject it because they are self-hating and want to be sad and miss
out on these blessings. Those who turn down the opportunity to partake
of these blessings turn it down because they do not understand what they
are missing out on. They don't understand the blessings of the Gospel,
the infinitely greater reward that comes from a small sacrifice. They
don't understand (according to Elder Corbridge) because we don't teach
them. That is why missionary work is important, and that is why we must
learn to teach the Gospel the way Christ would/did. It is not a list of
DOs and DON'Ts, but rather an invitation to "come unto [Christ]", to
"return unto [him], and repent of [our] sins, and be converted, that
[He] may heal [us]" (see 3 Nephi 9:13-14). :)
This week has reignited my passion for missionary work and my drive to
help everyone be baptized. I am so excited for everyone in this zone and
this mission who still has a long time ahead of them in the mission. I
feel like a new missionary, in that I am so eager to go out and work
hard and apply everything I am learning and realizing, yet I keep being
reminded that my time left is very short. It's awful, actually. I still
feel like I have so much to do and become as a missionary before I can
go home, and I am scared that I might not be able to accomplish it all. I
know that negative thinking is not allowed, though :) so I just keep
pushing out those thoughts every time they come and remind myself that
the planting of seeds is just as important as anything else. Especially
when we think about the parable of the sower and what happened to the 4
groups of seeds (the same kind of seed) and what happened to them based
on their experience being planted.
So yeah. That is basically it
for this week. Only twice this week have I been mistaken for a
Filipina, and only once had a man try to convince me that I am actually
Fil-Am. Haha it is kind of a comfort to realize there really are people
so not racist that my whiteness and blond hair mean nothing to them. ;)
Much better than being in the mainland where everywhere you go people
shout English phrases at you. #ilovemindoro
I'm out of time
for now. I hope you all have a wonderful week! You are in my prayers!
Stay safe and have fun and share the Gospel (with words, if necessary).
:D
Love always,
Sister Emma Franks
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