What do we see?

 This is sister Mengutio. she is in my very first area... and this is my Favorite old man. Remember Bro. Noynoy... the paralyzed one, and then he walked. at the very beginning of my mission. he is still strong in the church and walks now with his walker, and has read the book of mormon almosty 8 times now... in just a year...and a couple of months!!!!  LOVE IT. Miracles never cease.

This week has been wonderful and uplifting. We had mission tour with the area president, Elder Ardern. It struck me was strange as he was training us... it wasn't like he was training us at all... but he was using us to train him. What I mean is... Bacolod Philippines mission is one of the highest baptizing missions, kuno, in the world, and the number one in the PHilippines. So basically he just wanted to know the "secret". But... There is no secret. He asked questions like, "how do you find your investigators?" "what makes you so successful" "Why is YOUR faith better than anyone elses faith" "how can you have weekly baptisms"  just strange questions like that.

ANd the only thing is... our vision. We are exactly obedient, we study preach my gospel every single day in personal and companion ship study, we invite everyone we meet to come unto christ, and we have weekly baptisms. That is not just our vision, but its the Lords vision. Its hard, oh grabe is it hard, but its like we don't know what else to do. we just work work work.

It was just so interesting that he would have a mission tour and just try and grill us to get answers to his "unknown". At least I thought it was strange.

One thing, though, that I am so thankful for is my mission President. President Lopez. The way he runs the mission is strict, we don't get to have "fun" (going to ward parites, staying longer than 45 minutes to and hour in a persons house, zone and district activities...) we do none of that. We seriously just work. We walk out that door and we have our lines our for fishing. we talk to everyone. It was so scary at first, but you get used to it when you have no other choice but to talk to everyone. President Lopez has shaped every single missionary in this mission. He has shown us by example how to be dedicated, powerful servants of the lord. He has motivated us in a way that is unknown to me.. I just know that I don't ever want to disappoint president. So, I guess that it is not that we have magical powers here in the bacolod mission, or that our faith is greater than anyone else, or whatever else Elder Ardern was looking for, but I really believe that it is just how unified we are as a mission. everyone is motivated by a strong desire to do the Lords will, and even if you don't have a lot of "fun" miracles happen. This is the Lords work. Not our time to have "fun".

I am so thankful to have been assigned here in Bacolod Philippines mission, Under the direction of President Lopez. And to have worked with so many other missionaries that have the same great conviction as I do of the truthfulness of the gospel of Jesus Christ. There really is no other mission like this one.

Have a great week.

Love, your sister missionary,

Sister Young

P.s. I am going to Manilla tomorrow so get my fingerprints done so I can come home next month... crazy how fast time flies. Also, I get to attend the Temple! I am so excited to be reminded of my covenant, and deepen my relationship with my savior. love you all!