Sister Alexa Pace Philippines Naga Mission: February 4, 2013

This week was filled with many appointments...we visited Sister and Brother Cagunot again. It was great to teach them and we actually were able to have Brother Cagunot attend church again. Still more work to do, in order to help them reach the temple...but with the strong faith of Sister Cagunot, maybe we will get there :) Many of our lessons are focused with the LA. Our mission president said that we have one of the weakest branches in the area...we are trying so hard to help the members stay active....but there is only so much that we are able to do as missionaries. But I have realized that there are the same faces every week and there are only a few strong leaders in this area...so it is really hard, because they have to work a lot harder to build up themselves, but also build up those that are no longer active. We taught a family out in Pang-Pang...they live in the middle of the jungle...and it rained right before we went out. I am starting to think that I needed to bring mud boots. But we went out to teach the Janaban family about Mosiah 24:10-16. I may not be able to understand Bicol, but I definitely understood the language of the Spirit as Brother Janaban testified of how this scripture story applied to him. He wants so badly to have his family sealed in the temple, but it is difficult, because there family does not have the funds to pay for transportation to and from church every sunday (transportation is 9PHP and there are 7members in their family = 63PHP one way). I know that the Lord will watch over them and help them as they make the righteous choices that will help them to reach the temple. We have two more baptismal dates set for our investigators...we are really excited for one of them--Marnil. He is 21 years old...his mother is a leader of another religion and his father is an LA. Him and his mother are investigating, and he was so excited when we invited him to be baptized...his mother is still uncertain because of the concerns of what others will think in the community. We hope to help her relieve her concerns...she believes everything that we teach and is happy to learn more, but fears man more than she does God.

This week in the language has been better...I may not understand anyone still...but I feel that I am more capable to express myself in Tagalog and share my thoughts more freely. However...still working on the conversational stuff...that will take me some time. But the other sister missionaries in our apartment keep telling me that I have really good Tagalog and that there are a lot of members that admire me in my Tagalog....but they all understand that I am not able to speak in Bicol. So one step at a time and I will be able to make a bigger step. The other sister tease me that when I return, I will become a MTC teacher for Tagalog...haha...I think that is so funny ;P but who knows!?

Well...that's my report for the week :)

mahal kita at ingat palagi!

Sister Pace