Sister Mashayla Young: Rain, Dirt, Mud, Trials, and the spirit.

I Love taking pictures of gross stinky caribou(:

Where do I start? This has been one wet week for us... not as wet as it could be, but this week there has been more rain than there has been in a couple of months! Like last night as we were walking home from our last appointment... we were about 10 minutes away from our house, and it just down poured!!! Our secruity guard that is outside the subdivision thing of our house just look at us like we were crazy for walking in the rain. Oops. then on saturday it just rained all day long... and the mud was seriously up to my knees.... its hard to look pretty in the philippines. (: and everyone just loves to point out how dirty I get. (: it us just great.

You know, my faith is always being tested here. Our faith is tested daily no matter where we are, but for me it seems like it is such a drastic test every week, and every day. It is crazy. Last week we had a great week of work... we taught lots of lessons and people were progressing... and then this week... we struggled to find people to teach, for members to work with us, and our investigators to progress.

My companion and I are trying everything that we can think of to make sure the spirit is so strong in our lessons, and to make sure that we are being obedient, and that we are happy and that we are helping our investigators... but sometimes it just doesn't feel like enough. Its so hard.

We had only 2 investigators at church yesterday.. Which is better than 0... but it is just so painful when they tell us they are going to come, and then don't. 5 other investigators told us they were coming to church..and they didn't come. It is so sad because I know that That is the only way for them to receive the blessings that we have promised them... and they just wont come.

We also had to move the 2 investigators that were scheduled for baptism this month to July... Satan is such a powerful, evil spirit! He works in every way to make sure that people don't follow The Savior... and it makes me so.... GR!

On Saturday I think I had one of the most powerful lessons with the spirit in a long time. We were teaching Brother Rolly about the Baptismal covenant and Confirmation. But before we taught we followed up on his word of wisdom problem... he still has it. He was so sad when he told us that he has smoked 4 sticks that day, almost in tears he was. And of course it just stabbed me in the heart to hear that. but we moved on with the lesson and as he was reading in the scriptures about our baptismal covenant and the blessings that we can receive, he just broke down. He just opened up his heart and told us all his concerns and why he is smoking and can't seem to stop.

I was crying as he was telling us of his trials and his problems. He is so depressed and it is so effecting him. Satan has just been such a pest to him all his life so NOW when he is finding Christ, it is hard for him to follow Him.

After he was done talking to us about his trials and how he feels like he has no self worth and he can't get to the celestial kingdom, I opened up the scriptures to jacob 2 where it says that the word of god heals a wounded soul and had him read it, and the spirit was so strong in the room again. And it comforted his soul, and instantly there was a spark of hope in his eyes... and his countance changed. Then He said, "Sisters, can I be baptized tomorrow. I need to make this covenant more early than later."

He has great desire to change, and he comitted to read the book of mormon anytime he has the urge to smoke, or a bad thought gets in his head.. Unfortunately, he can't be baptized this month, but he finally has the end of this life and the beginning of he new life in sight, and I know he can make it. I know that He can overcome the temptations of satan!

We can all overcome the many Temptations of satan. It wont be easy, but it will bring happiness.

I know that our trials in life, and our problems are just so we can grow and choose to come closer to our Savior.

Love, Your sister Missionary,