Week 82...Laoag Philippines

Fear Not

Another week has come and gone in the Philippines and a ton of new lessons learned and knowledge obtained. I learn so much every single week, but this week, and maybe last week too, I have learned A TON. The Holy Ghost teaches me so much.

We had a world wide broadcast from the missionary department that we got to watch. It was amazing and after I watched I had a renewed desire like a unquenchable fire in my chest to preach repentance to every creature that would be permitted to hear my voice. The broadcast was about focusing on teaching repentance and baptizing converts, and about how missionaries need to focus their teachings on the basic principles of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, which is Faith in Jesus Christ, Repentance, Baptism, Receiving the Gift of the Holy Ghost and Enduring to the End.  I have totally changed my approach when teaching both investigators and members. The focus needs to be more on preaching repentance, warning against the consequences of sin, and the need for baptism and obedience to the laws and ordinances of the gospel.  Sometimes missionaries get in the habit of ignoring or tip toeing around people's concerns, because of fear, and in the process they have trouble calling their investigators to repentance.

We need to be bold. We need to be persistent. We need to be full of love. We need to fear no man, and only God. We need to "look unto (Christ) in every thought; doubt not, fear not." (D&C 6:36)  We are called to represent Jesus Christ in helping others to become clean of their sins.  This past week I have been doing everything I can to teach to bring out the people's concerns and discern their needs, so that we can attack the concerns and help people to learn what they must do to repent and be saved.  I have learned that as we attack concerns and teach to resolve them, people get over their concerns and learn what they must do and they progress much faster. 

The war against sin is real. And the world is add odds without the saving power of Christ's Atonement, and Christ's Atonement is powerless without obedience to the laws and ordinances of the Gospel, and they won't know it unless we tell them about it. "How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe on him whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach except they be sent?...So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." (Romans 10:14-17)

We had 7 investigators at church this week. We have baptisms coming up in the coming weeks and we are super stoked for that! This week was transfers and m zone got a much needed make over haha.  Just 2 more weeks before Elder Bednar comes so we can't wait for that! 

Sorry my emails are lame. I have no camera. And I can't think of which stories I should and shouldn't tell haha. Let's pray for a better email next week! Deal?

-Elder Andersen