July 28th 2013

Dear Family and Friends,

I am just going to say right now that the end of the financial month is not a fun time for the finance secretary of a mission. It is the time of the month in which we struggle to even just get out to work like usual. It is alright though. The Lord has called me to serve here in the office of the Philippines Laoag mission and I intend to fulfill that calling along with the calling to invite others to come unto Christ by helping them receive the restored gospel. Of course, that calling to teach comes first above anything else.

We did have a couple of great lessons in the past few days. One was to Jr. and S. They were first found by the office Elders in our area last year, but they stopped teaching them for some reason. We met Bro. Jr. a few weeks ago and he wanted us to come and teach his family again. They are only available between 1:30 and 3:30, so we went over to their home right after lunch after district meeting. They live in  a boarding house in Laoag City, so they are in very humble circumstances. They really missed the missionaries teaching to them. We talked about how God is our loving Heavenly Father and how He has given us prayer as a way to communicate with him. They have personal testimonies of the power of prayer and shared some personal experiences with prayer. We are going to keep teaching them on Thursday afternoons and are looking forward to extending to them the invitation for baptism and helping them reach that.

We also had a lesson with E and R on Friday. This time it was Elder VB and I that went to teach them since Elder B was having to finish up the month end fiance report. It has been over a week since we had been able to teach. We did a thorough review of the Apostasy and E realized herself that a restoration was needed to have the fulness of the gospel on the Earth again. We talked about the Restoration and the Book of Mormon. They now understand what the Book of Mormon is and why it is important for our time. They both committed to read Moroni 10:3-5 and pray to know if it is true. We also invited them to Church and they really wanted to come, but they had something going on this weekend. They committed for next week. I then asked them what they are going to do when they know that the things that we have been teaching them are true. E brought up baptism, so we extended them the invitation to be baptized on September 7. They weren't to sure at first, but then Bro. Santos bore his testimony about baptism and they committed. I love seeing to power of the Spirit working in peoples lives as they accept the commitments that we extend to them and then to see them begin to change as the recognize and follow the Spirit. There is nothing else like it.

We have a mini transfer this week and we will have to see how much were are able to go teach and proselyte this week. We are hoping for plenty of time and we should be fine. I was reading in Alma earlier this week, in the beginning of the war chapters. i love what Mormon says when he is describing the cause of the Nephites in going to battle against the Lamanites. He says " and so that they might live unto the Lord their God". When all is said and done that is the most important thing that any of us can do. Live unto Heavenly Father. Live the way he would have us live and follow his commandments. By turning our lives over to his will we truly find our selves and can gain life eternal. I know that this is the reason we are here on Earth, to be tested and proven as to our obedience and faith. I know Heavenly Father loves all of us so much and has given us the way to return to him, even Jesus Christ. I know these thing with all my heart.

Mahal Kita! Kita Kits! Keep up all of the good work!

Elder Ryne Warren Wood