week 46...Lasam Philippines

Buko is gud....

Good week really really good week.  So on Monday it was election day in the Philippines and we had a curfew of 3 o'clock p.m. hahahaah. Cuz election day is absolutely crazy and people revolt and protest and shoot guns.

Tuesday was amazing because I got to talk to my family! We woke up early on Tuesday morning and traveled for two hours to Aparri because Lasam has no skyping capabilities.  It was the best thing ever. We laughed and stuff and i told crazy stories about the Philippines and I  got to talk to my Bishop and my neighbor Will and I miss them a lot. I have an accent now apparently! That's lame I don't want to have an accent. They said I really pronounce the letter t and stuff. When I talk I think it is just normal but they all noticed an accent immediately even bishop ughh. HAHA  At the end of the skype, my fam ask me to give a closing prayer in Tagalog and I cried while praying and when the prayer was over my whole family was crying too! It was awesome and sad cause I realized how much I miss them. The whole time we were talking and laughing and then while I prayed I realized that I won't get to talk to them for 7 months :( I felt the Spirit and great gratitude toward my family for there love and prayers and faith on my behalf. 

AS far as the work goes, this week has been great. Me and Elder Roberto have been super diligent and super precise with our planning and we are really trying to focus on these people and their needs. We are setting goals every night and then giving our best effort the next day to achieve them.  Our success this week has not even come from our own efforts though. We have had some tender mercies from the Lord this week through member referrals. We had 5 investigators at church yesterday and 4 of them are from member referrals, and 3 of them we had only met the day before because members referred them to us while we visited them at there houses. All 3 of the referrals we got are from part member families. We went to teach the members and then when we got there, they were like " Hey teach my cousin, he said he wants to be Mormon." So awesome.  That is the most investigators I have ever had at church on one Sunday in my whole mission. We literally taught them the message of the Restoration and they came to church the next day. My favorite part about lesson one is when I get to say the First Vision. I always try to say it slow and real, and I try to look into the investigators eyes while reciting it and really bring the Spirit cuz the First Vision is so amazing. Sometimes you can almost see a light turn on in there eyes while they listen.

 We are really excited right now about what is happening in our work. I don't know if I will be here in Lasam next month, but there is gonna be a good number of baptisms next month here in Lasam. Elder Roberto is gonna have a lot of baptisms. It funny how the Lord just waits for you to start doing your part through planning and he just starts making things happen for your work. Give your best and the Lord will do the rest. This is His work after all, we are just helping. We need to do it His way. 

We have a baptism coming this Saturday, and then another baptism next Saturday. We are so stoked!

So I am also kinda sad right now because transfers is in 2 weeks and I am probably getting transferred because I have been here for almost 5 months. :( I really am gonna miss this people here in Lasam so much. Because after I leave Lasam, I probably won't see most, if not, all of these people again in this life. It breaks my heart.  But I still have at least 2 more weeks here so I am gonna give it my all to help and love these people as much as I can.

Sorry I am a week late but Happy Mothers day to all the Mothers and especially my Mom! And my Grandma's and Aunt's and all them etc etc. 

I love and miss you all and I am thankful for your prayers and faith and support. Thank you all so much!

-Elder Andersen

Splits...
 

Found this masterpiece of art...