Happy Holidays everyone!
Hope it's gud. Sorry that I haven't emailed in 2
weeks! Things have been kinda crazy! Last week I got transferred and
made a zone leader of the Laoag East Zone, and yah things have been
kinda nutz. I transferred to Sarrat, an area that's about 15 minutes
away from my last area, Vintar. Actually Vintar is part of my zone
haha. My new companion is a tiny Filipino named Elder Basa (Elder Read
haha)! He is awesome and I look up (or down) to him so much haha. He was
my DL before transfers so I have already known him and respected him
for a while.
I have already learned so much from my
first week of being a zone leader and I am learning tons also from Elder
Basa, who is awesome, and I couldn't be more lucky to have him as my
companion! He has already helped me learn so much and he has been an
answer to my prayers!
My first week has been
fantastic and the area has so much potential! It is another developing
branch, but it is part of the Laoag stake. They have a little meeting
house just like Lasam and Vintar so I am used to that haha. But this
has been the most organized branch that I have been assigned in so far
on my mission, and we have a great branch president, President Sabala,
who is magnifying his calling wonderfully! He is so cool and he saved
us from starvation last night after all of the church meetings we had to
go to. And because we ran out of food at the apartment haha.
Through
out this whole week I have been dedicating my prayers for the most part
to asking God to give me the gift of Christ like love/charity. I have
sought this gift periodically throughout my mission, but until now I
have always felt like I have been lacking. I usually feel genuine love
for those that I teach but, like I said I have still always felt like I
have lacked. But this whole week I really made it a focus to pray for
the gift of charity every night, and I have actually started to feel a
difference. I have been following Mormon's advice in Moroni chapter 7
verse 48 to "pray with all energy of heart, that ye may be filled with
this love, which he hath bestowed upon all those who are true followers
of his Son, Jesus Christ," and i have been feeling a gradual yet
noticeable change in my heart. I particularly felt the Spirit so strong
during church yesterday, while we were watching a clip from a counsel
meeting that Elder Holland attended. Elder Holland was talking about the
call to teach and how to teach like the Savior, and while I listened
and pondered in my heart, I felt a warm feeling that made me want to go
outside and shout and declare glad tidings to everyone within the sound
of my voice, and to serve like the Savior. I didn't do it but I really
wanted to haha. I was super excited to go out and work later in the
evening but unfortunately that didn't happen because we had meetings
haha. I hope these feeling will continue to increase and that God will
endow me with the gift of true Christ like love.
We
also had some instigators surprise yesterday by coming to church. Her
name was Mina Anchola and she also brought her daughter in-law with her
triplets. We had only met them on Saturday the day before, and we gave
them a pamphlet and taught an overview of the Restoration and invited
them to come to church. And they came! WOW. Kinda weird cause it didn't
seem like she was that interested. But yeah I'm not complaining haha.
Also
this week we received the sad news that President and Sister Andrada's
oldest son died in a motor cycle accident in Manila this last Thursday.
He is an RM from the Las Vegas Nevada mission. They have been in Manila
for the past few days, and we have been praying for them. So sad. :(
You guys should pray for them.
Well I think
that is all for this week. I have a camera now so I can finally start
taking pictures and showing them to you guys! So be excited about that! I
love you all and God loves you more!
-Elder Andersen
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