Maayong/malipayong
Pasko! (good/merry Christmas!) ug (and)
Maayong/Malipayong Bag-ong Tuig! (Good/Happy New Year!)
Maayong/Malipayong Bag-ong Tuig! (Good/Happy New Year!)
Everything
managed to work out so I could talk to family! I'm glad I could do that
on P-day when my work won't be directly afterwards and I can have a few hours
to focus back on the work
Now for
the area; (re-focusing mind.....) we have some
investigators who have had to be postponed - they have a desire to be baptized,
and really really want to but they also need that foundation of a witness of
the restoration - We asked one of them about their prayer to know if it's true
and she was having a hard time describing it and said something about confusion
- it seems that while she has that desire, there's some obstacle that she has
yet to overcome. I think it was divine intervention that the problem with
permission arose because if it hadn't, we would have gone on with the
baptism. They need that foundation so they can withstand the whirlwinds
and tests and challenges of life.
Our investigators over at seaside (referrals from that group of 5 friends baptized on November 24) seem to be progressing well though. I know at least one of them has prayed to know of the truth of The Book of Mormon and the prophet Joseph Smith. As for the other ones, I think we just need to ask. With our recent converts, they've been more active than a lot of the members, I'm just trying to make sure they're converted and not just doing the cool thing of the barkada (group of friends).
Then we have the less-actives..... I'm so glad I get to be here right now and see the effects of things done wrong at first so I can learn more about how to do stuff right. For example, there's the missionaries who payed plete (money for transportation) and so they were more converted to the missionaries and not really to the gospel and once that plete wasn't there anymore, they return to whatever religion they were before. Other times, rare but true, there were some that were told that they only had to go to church 4 times and they could be baptized and then not have to worry about it. As Gordon B. Hinckley said, baptism has no purpose if we do not hold on to the fruits of this labor. I'm glad I can be here for the "rescue mission" here in the Philippines to see what people need to endure to the end, because if they don't endure to the end, there is no purpose or worth in the baptism and it would have been better had they never met us. This is so true - especially as I've seen people go back to Catholic and believe that Jesus, born of Mary, was also God, our Heavenly Father; or go back to Iglesia ni Kristo and believe that Jesus was just a regular guy. It is so sad to see people deny Christ's divinity. as Christmas ends, I encourage everyone to keep the spirit of Christmas, or the spirit of Christ, in our hearts and ponder what he gave for us- everything, including his life. and what does he ask in return? To lay down our sins, these heavy burdens, and come unto him. How wondrous is his love and mercy to all God's children here on Earth. How amazing is his promise of eternal life with him and our Heavenly Father. May we all fulfill our part of the covenants we have made; that we may be blessed in this life, and receive glory and happiness without end in the world to come.
Og misyonaryo sa Ginoo,
Elder Dallin Carlson
Our investigators over at seaside (referrals from that group of 5 friends baptized on November 24) seem to be progressing well though. I know at least one of them has prayed to know of the truth of The Book of Mormon and the prophet Joseph Smith. As for the other ones, I think we just need to ask. With our recent converts, they've been more active than a lot of the members, I'm just trying to make sure they're converted and not just doing the cool thing of the barkada (group of friends).
Then we have the less-actives..... I'm so glad I get to be here right now and see the effects of things done wrong at first so I can learn more about how to do stuff right. For example, there's the missionaries who payed plete (money for transportation) and so they were more converted to the missionaries and not really to the gospel and once that plete wasn't there anymore, they return to whatever religion they were before. Other times, rare but true, there were some that were told that they only had to go to church 4 times and they could be baptized and then not have to worry about it. As Gordon B. Hinckley said, baptism has no purpose if we do not hold on to the fruits of this labor. I'm glad I can be here for the "rescue mission" here in the Philippines to see what people need to endure to the end, because if they don't endure to the end, there is no purpose or worth in the baptism and it would have been better had they never met us. This is so true - especially as I've seen people go back to Catholic and believe that Jesus, born of Mary, was also God, our Heavenly Father; or go back to Iglesia ni Kristo and believe that Jesus was just a regular guy. It is so sad to see people deny Christ's divinity. as Christmas ends, I encourage everyone to keep the spirit of Christmas, or the spirit of Christ, in our hearts and ponder what he gave for us- everything, including his life. and what does he ask in return? To lay down our sins, these heavy burdens, and come unto him. How wondrous is his love and mercy to all God's children here on Earth. How amazing is his promise of eternal life with him and our Heavenly Father. May we all fulfill our part of the covenants we have made; that we may be blessed in this life, and receive glory and happiness without end in the world to come.
Og misyonaryo sa Ginoo,
Elder Dallin Carlson
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