Because It's Tagalog... (10/16/12)

Dear Family and Friends,

 

So quite a lot has happened this weeek. I'm glad to know that my emails finally made it through. I have no idea why they were having problems making it. According to my mom, i narrowly avoided a Howler. Guess two tetters and two emials make up for one missed email.

 

The right after I wrote my last email, we had the Tuesday Devotional. My entire district sings in the choir so we go at 5:15. While the choir was practicing, the tech people accidently flashed up the slide with the speaker on it. THe Devotional SPeaker was Elder Bednar! He gave a great talk about how to get the most out of conference talks by finding the doctrine, invitations and promised blessings in each talk. Definitely something that I recommend doing. During our Sunday fireside (sorry for jumping ahead) we found out some new exciting changes for missionary work. One is that come January, all MTC stays will be shortened by a third, starting with the language missionaries then the native speaker missionaries. So English speaking missionaries who know English will only be at the MTC for two weeks! Tagalog will be a six week program. The other is that they are beginning a new 12 week infield training program for missionaries who will be going into the field soon, This training will prepare the missionaries to be called upon to train the large influx of new missionaries that the Church is expecting around February. That means I could be a trainer after being out for only three months. Crazy thought!

 

This week has been an awesome week spritually. Elder B and I have still been teaching R and M and they are making wonderful progress. R has agreed to read the Book of Mormon and include his family in the reading. That was a great lesson when we invited him to do that, it was not what we expected to teach. M finally prayed with us, after he overcame his fears of being too unworthy and unimportant to pray. When he said the prayer, it was one of the most heart felt, genuine prayers I have ever felt. The spirit was so strong,. We had a great time in the TRC talking  about prayer. Teaching in Tagalog is getting to be much easier, but we still have so much to learn. And we have only five weeks left! So the title of this email comes from the answer Bro. Pearce and Bro. Mauzy give us somethimes when there is no explanation for why something is in Tagalog. We have basically just accepted it and now we use it alot.

 

Sunday for the film, elder B and I went and watched The Mountain of the Lord. When it was over I was ready to go to the Philippines. I wanted to get on a plane that night and go start to preach the gospel in Laoag. I was so excited about this work. I still am! I love the opportunity that I have to teach the gospel of Jesus Christ in Philippines. I have been so blessed to have the Lords help as I have been preparing. I has not been easy, especially not this last week, but the Lord has provided the way for me. I am where he wants me to be and that he has been watching over me.

 

I'm still trying to decide a scripture for my plaque, but if the picture needs to be from the Philippines I have some time! Congratulations to my brother Tyler and his double partner for making it to the State tournament for Tennis! First ones ever apparently. Thanks for all of your letters and espedcially for all of your prayers on my behalf and the behalf of all of the missionaries. The Lord hears every prayer for his servants and answers them in amazing ways. I love the Book of Mormon. We started the Revelation through the Book of Mormon fundamental and the entire distcirt was about ready to get on a plane for the Philippines by the middle of the lesson. I know that it is the keystone of this Church that it contains all that we need to know about the gospel and the plan of salvation (D&C 20). Read it! Everyday! Make this gospel more than just a testimony or something that feels good. MAke it a life style! I love you all and pray that the Lord will bless you!

 

Elder RWood