Pamilya,
Well, looks like God has turned up the burner, and now torching the Philippines. Have you ever felt like your skin is melting off your body? I have.
So, I have a short story, that my companion is STILL teasing me about. How would you feel if you were riding the local bus, and then an odd looking person screamed out PEOPLE! while you were casually sitting in your seat? Yeaa,,,well I confess I am that odd looking person in this story. Here in the Philippines, when you want to call out to people in their homes, you yell TAO PO (people!). Then if you are riding in a Jeepnee, and you want to stop, you yell PARA PO (stop!). Well, yesterday, in the Jeepnee, I yelled out TAO PO! My companion bursted out laughing, and we ended up going way past our destination point, because of the laughing confusion of why the white lady yelled out People! in the Jeepnee. Ahhh I love being a dyslexic foreigner.
A mission is wonderfully interesting. Sister Saua and I talked last night about how you are really tried in Faith, Patience, and Humility here. I've found a great way how to climb out of a trial or rebound from a hardship. Read about Jesus. It has a way of calming my spirit, even when I'm so imperfect, I can gain that motivation to keep trying.
So this week is Holy Week for the Catholics. They've all brought out their lit crosses, and engraven images. People walk around in the street carrying large crosses, chanting along the way. I informed you previously a little on how far the extent people go here in showing their respect for the atonement. Most have the belief that they need to chose people to make suffer, to know the pains Jesus went through for them. They whip them on the back, and some daw go the extent of nailing them to a cross. Then they all participate in Passion Reading, where they all pray to the saint images. This week we've run into a lot of cancelled appointments, due to their Holiday, although for those willing to listen, its a great opportunity to shed some Gospel light on the matter. They ask us what we do to remember Jesus' atonement, then we read and testify the way Jesus taught- through our weekly Sacrament, and constant repentance.
"And ye shall offer up unto me no more the shedding of blood; yea, your sacrifices and your burnt offerings shall be done away, for I will accept none of your sacrifices and your burnt offerings.
And ye shall offer for a sacrifice unto me a broken heart and a contrite spirit. And whoso cometh unto me with a broken heart and a contrite spirit, him will I baptize with fire and with the Holy Ghost, even as the Lamanites, because of their faith in me at the time of their conversion, were baptized with fire and with the Holy Ghost, and they knew it not. "
- 3 NE 9: 19-20
Scriptures bring a powerful sense of truth to People. Its the instrument that takes off the blind fold. We used this scripture back in January, for an investigator who had a concern if she joined the Church, she would not be able to participate in her family passion holy week tradition. This scripture opened her eyes, and to make the story short, she was baptized. Sometimes people need to give up false traditions, weaknesses, ect.. for the truth. We will see what people love more. God, or the natural man.
Love ya all,
Sister Hancock
PS My former companion just emailed me to inform me that the man, I grabbed and brought into church last november, got baptized last saturday. I just knew he'd get baptized. Removed his smoking habit, and now him and his wife are preparing to take a temple trip to be sealed for eternity.
Well, looks like God has turned up the burner, and now torching the Philippines. Have you ever felt like your skin is melting off your body? I have.
So, I have a short story, that my companion is STILL teasing me about. How would you feel if you were riding the local bus, and then an odd looking person screamed out PEOPLE! while you were casually sitting in your seat? Yeaa,,,well I confess I am that odd looking person in this story. Here in the Philippines, when you want to call out to people in their homes, you yell TAO PO (people!). Then if you are riding in a Jeepnee, and you want to stop, you yell PARA PO (stop!). Well, yesterday, in the Jeepnee, I yelled out TAO PO! My companion bursted out laughing, and we ended up going way past our destination point, because of the laughing confusion of why the white lady yelled out People! in the Jeepnee. Ahhh I love being a dyslexic foreigner.
A mission is wonderfully interesting. Sister Saua and I talked last night about how you are really tried in Faith, Patience, and Humility here. I've found a great way how to climb out of a trial or rebound from a hardship. Read about Jesus. It has a way of calming my spirit, even when I'm so imperfect, I can gain that motivation to keep trying.
So this week is Holy Week for the Catholics. They've all brought out their lit crosses, and engraven images. People walk around in the street carrying large crosses, chanting along the way. I informed you previously a little on how far the extent people go here in showing their respect for the atonement. Most have the belief that they need to chose people to make suffer, to know the pains Jesus went through for them. They whip them on the back, and some daw go the extent of nailing them to a cross. Then they all participate in Passion Reading, where they all pray to the saint images. This week we've run into a lot of cancelled appointments, due to their Holiday, although for those willing to listen, its a great opportunity to shed some Gospel light on the matter. They ask us what we do to remember Jesus' atonement, then we read and testify the way Jesus taught- through our weekly Sacrament, and constant repentance.
"And ye shall offer up unto me no more the shedding of blood; yea, your sacrifices and your burnt offerings shall be done away, for I will accept none of your sacrifices and your burnt offerings.
And ye shall offer for a sacrifice unto me a broken heart and a contrite spirit. And whoso cometh unto me with a broken heart and a contrite spirit, him will I baptize with fire and with the Holy Ghost, even as the Lamanites, because of their faith in me at the time of their conversion, were baptized with fire and with the Holy Ghost, and they knew it not. "
- 3 NE 9: 19-20
Scriptures bring a powerful sense of truth to People. Its the instrument that takes off the blind fold. We used this scripture back in January, for an investigator who had a concern if she joined the Church, she would not be able to participate in her family passion holy week tradition. This scripture opened her eyes, and to make the story short, she was baptized. Sometimes people need to give up false traditions, weaknesses, ect.. for the truth. We will see what people love more. God, or the natural man.
Love ya all,
Sister Hancock
PS My former companion just emailed me to inform me that the man, I grabbed and brought into church last november, got baptized last saturday. I just knew he'd get baptized. Removed his smoking habit, and now him and his wife are preparing to take a temple trip to be sealed for eternity.
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