29 January, 2012

Gud am,

Yo what is cracka lackin my snoop dawg homies? That is to say, hey, how are you? I have a question though. Hattie wrote a couple months ago about going on a mission. Is there any news on that?

This week continued to be great. I entitled the subject of the talk Mr. Brown because during sacrament meeting Elder Farnsworth gave a talk about some gwapo man named Mr. Brown who was harvesting rice and was super fast but didn't follow instructions perfectly so his finger was cut. He made it into a parable about obedience. Obedience is the Lord's protection.

The Dyers (our senior couple) are doing really good work here. I'm really happy. We started off our home teaching this week. We're doing it different and just having all the priesthood meet at the church one night. The plan is to help everyone just become consistent in doing it. Anyway, for this first week we struggled to get people there, only 3 priesthood holders came: our branch president, Pres. Timbas, Eric, a return missionary, and BIG NELSON!! It was sweet. He was only baptized a couple weeks ago but he's already doing home teaching. He said he had a ton of fun doing it, so I was way happy. He is getting a really good start to being a great leader in the church!

We also had a really great lesson with Nanay Bico. We've been really trying to help her overcome her concern. I think I told you a little about it how she really needed money and got a job working for a different church and had been working on sundays. Anyway, when we went inside her house she looked at us with this big smile on her face and said, "I quit my job!" I literally stinkin jumped up from my chair and did a fist pump. I'm smiling as I write this. Her faith is so strong. I'm so proud of her. She put her faith in the Lord and I know He'll take care of her.

I also received some revelation this week. It kind is going back on the lesson we had last week from President Torres, our stake president. He used the talk Stand in Holy Places and talked about the Lord's Protection for everything. It really changed my perspective on a lot of things. Elder Collins and I were planning and trying to figure out what we should share with a less-active who hadn't been going to church because they didn't have money. Anyway, we decided on sharing the principle of tithing. I don't know why that what had come into our thoughts. But I realize that is the Lord's protection for it. And my testimony of it increased. I had a testimony of tithing before. But more on if we pay, the Lord will take care of us. But this week in our interview with President Pagaduan (he says hi by the way) he talked to us about keeping the commandments. The Lord, he loves the people here. He wants the people here to have a better life than they do right now. But that will come if they keep the commandments in their life. So I understand now better than before the blessings of keeping the commandments. ALL aspects of life will improve. So if someone is poor here. I know the Lord's answer is to pay their tithing. And they won't only be okay, they won't only just be able to keep living, but their life will become so much better.

The Gonzagas are continuing to do great. We actually met Jimjin's husband this week. We taught him and the missionaries are going to visit him in Iloilo. He's doing great. I'm way excited for the Gonzagas. And a cool thing too is so many investigators are coming from them. I think last week I told you about Melania Ester. The lady who prayed for the corpse. She came to church again too! It's a little funny because she lives in the other Elders area but we taught her like 3 times this week. When they went to her house she was never home. Like last friday we went to contact a former investigator, and we just saw Melania on the street. And she actually knew the investigator we were looking for, and we actually taught both of them. It was hilarious because Melania told them we always visited Jim Gonzaga, then Sister Lydia, who had known him before and is friends with Maryjane said, Who? the guy who is always drunk? And Sister Melania just said, not anymore! through the gospel, he quit drinking and smoking! Which was a sweet little testimony we got from a nonmember. The gospel just spreads like a wildfire. A miracle truly happened in the life of Jim, who used to drink every night and smoke 40 cigarettes a day, but now he's clean. As a result others want to know more about this gospel.

The other day Elder Collins and I tried to take a shortcut but the path ended up taking us to a secret house/dead end. I told Elder Collins lets try the house because usually secret houses have like the most prepared people there. Anyway, we walked up to the door and people were sitting inside and before we even said anything this family just told us to come in. We asked if they ever met the missionaries before and they said no, but they let us in anyway. They told us they don't get visitors very often (makes sense, they live in a secret house) so it was basically the easiest door approach ever. We'll see how they keep progressing.

On Saturday the APs actually came and did exchanges with us. I got to work with Elder Ahquin. He's a way good missionary and I learned a ton from him. One thing I really want to do better is get to know my investigators and members a little bit better. Sometimes I think I just try to start sharing way to fast I don't really know too much about my investigators. I want to do better building a relationship with them and as a result they can be more open with us. Then I could also better understand how exactly the gospel of Jesus Christ will help them. Elder Ahquin is a stud.

I love all of you! Take care with your doings!
Halong
Elder Joshua Burton