Hey Family.

This week was incredible. Can I jinx myself for saying that every week? If so, I owe myself a lot of candy bars. Too bad they don't have candy bars here. I never realized how addicted I was to chocolate, until you can't find it anywhere and your stuck on an island. Anyywayys... Heres some fun news. My companion and I are teaching a guy in jail. Yea, you heard right. Jails here are randomly placed throughout town, and have bars as walls. So they're open to anyone to see inside. Kind of odd to see, because one of these box like jails is near a house of an investigator. Well the other day as we walked by, us being our jolly selves decided to talk to one of the prisoners. I started out saying something like hey you look pretty bored, want some good reading material? hah...good way to introduce the Book of Mormon right? and now every time we walk by we share a message through the bars. Good time for him to reflect on his life and the decisions he's making. :)

I wish I could share my whole week with you, but I only have 10 fingers. So we'll see how much I can type up. The other night I had a testimony builder. We went to visit the Morales Pamilya, I told you all about them previously, about how we found their house in the dark, and then they wanted to be Baptized. Well, the other night when we went to visit, Brother greeted us and looked pretty solemn. He told us that his manager came by their house and saw a note we had left for them previously (saying that we would return later). Brother didn't want us to come around anymore because his manager was upset that us missionaries were visiting, and he was afraid his manager would fire him. Afterward my companion explained to me that here in the Philippines religion is so political, and the Eglacia ni Cristo church is against our church and if they see anyone converting to our church they will fire them or un-befriend them. Also if people have close ties with the Catholic church and certain ministers, they will fire you if you change religions, out of greed. Because If the Catholic church looses people, the ministers loose money. Same situation with one of our other investigators. They have a close friend who is a pastor in the Born again church, and their pastor friend is upset that they are being taught by us. All this news gets me all riled up. It shouldn't be up to other people to control the our own important decision of religion. Its a personal decision, and out of greed and pride, people are scaring others to not choose for themselves. Sounds just like Satans plan in the pre-existence right? Well, Satan may have his tactics of keeping people from progression, and finding the truth, but all thats showing me is that Satan is scared of what i'm doing, and all he's doing is baring his testimony to me about this gospel, and that i'm making a difference in the world. All I told my companion was gotta fight harder. I thought to myself, Satan just pissed off one determined servant of the Lord. The rest of the night I walked faster and spoke with more power. If his plan was to discourage me, well his plan back fired, and just fueled me even more.

So in my last email, I mentioned something like no one can deny Joseph Smith or the Book of Mormon, I want to go more in depth at what I mean when I say that. Kind of like Quinton L. Cooks testimony to Mick Jaggar. Mick was bashing the Book of Mormon, saying it was all a lie. Quinton L. Cook asked him to find a single line in the Book of Mormon that was untrue, and he couldn't do it. Others may claim its untrue, although they can never find the faults. and no one can deny a testimony of the Book Of Mormon. Similar to how Nephi went to preach to the wicked Lamanites, and as it states in 3 Nephi 7:18 that even though the people were angry at his words they couldn't disbelieve them. Even though people may have the truth or facts in front of their faces, it up to them to choose for themselves to accept it, or to harden their heart and remain in wickedness.

I feel like God is trusting my companion and I so much. You'll never guess who we found the other day. The Daet Eglacia ni Cristo Minister. He's been a minister here in Daet for 45 years. I was a bit taken back when he told us he was the minister. Many times I've walked past his church, wondering why the people inside dislike the Mormons so much, and then we end up finding the root of the eglacia. Although surprising enough, he is actually really nice, and wants to continue listening to us for more understanding of our believes. Now, Eglacia ni Cristo people, are infamous for Bible bashing, although the people are not aloud to read the bible, they only memorize certain verses, that in their minds proving their church is true, and then they will recite them to people of other denominations. (Too bad they don't have the full bible memorized to actually understand what their saying.) Although Ben being the minister he actually has a bible (since he's the only one aloud to read it) which is good because now we can help him understand the bible a bit more. I'm grateful Ben is so nice and willing to listen, because I know that Bible Bashing is pointless, because if people get defensive there is no way the spirit can testify of truth. I have a motto that if you answer with love, you can make a friend out of anyone. So I hope we can help Ben, and in turn he can help his ministry. Anythings possible with the right amount of faith. We'll just see if Ben accepts the gospel. Dad, I gotta thank you for advising me to Read the Bible. Because throughout my readings I started forming certain questions, and finding answers that related to the questions Ben was asking us. For example. Ben asked us who is Jesus Christ? Because they believe he was just a man, not a God. Although God picked him to redeem all, and that was his purpose and thats why he is called the son of god. So they only worship one God. So Bens question was why do we consider Jesus Christ in the God head.

Well, I hope my answer testifies that if you search out your questions, there is always answers available in the scriptures. Because I as well had that same question as Ben (I tend to have a lot of questions) but I always find an answer, which proves this church more true to me every day. We first gotta think about why Christ was crucified. Why did the Jews dislike Jesus so much? Well in John 5:18 the Jews didn't like how he claimed through his teachings to be equal with God. The Jews also didn't like how Jesus claimed to Forgive Sins. As stated in Mark 2: 5-12 For who can forgive sins but God alone? Jesus Christ had that power. And thats the power that the Jews denied. They denied him as being their God, their Creator. Like how it says in Romans 1:20-25 They denied his eternal power and godhead, and glorified him not as a God. Although we know he is glorified as a God as states in Philippians 2:5-11 That He took the form of a servant, although after his death God exalted Him above any other name, and that we would worship him and confess he is our Lord. Jesus Christ is our Lord and is sits at the Right Hand of God as the Apostle Paul testified so many times.

There are so many churches built up to confuse and distort the truths of Jesus Christ and His Gospel. Its Satans plot to take away the spot light of Jesus Christ and His divine work any way he can. Many here in the Philippines that have in-graven images of the saints and virgin Mary. I'm grateful for Mary and the Saints, but my heart sinks the more I see pictures or them rather than Jesus Christ. Its a way for Satan to take something good, and blind us from the main point. Well our main focal point is Jesus Christ. and i'm glad I can help remind people that the Bible is about Jesus Christ, not the saints or Mary. They were just instruments bring to pass the most important person in the history of mankind.

Anyways. Much Love.

Gotta go go go.

Sister Hancock