His Will

October is going by so fast....I'm really NOT "feeling 22" because I feel like time is frozen in summer of 2015 and I've just lived in the Philippines my whole life!

We have a lot of new missionaries in our zone here in Calape, so for our Zone Training Meeting Sister Varias and I gave a motivational workshop using the Mormon Message about the currant bush from the talk "The Will of God" by Elder Hugh B. Brown. As part of our workshop, we also asked one brand new, fresh-from-the-MTC missionary and one about to go home to share their testimonies, which was really neat to hear!

Sister Varias and I had a great week biking in the rain! There is a typhoon that was supposed to hit Cebu, but it looks like it's actually heading toward Manila (again). We're lucky to be assigned here in Cebu/Bohol because storms rarely get worse that heavy rain and loud thunder! Still, it definitely slows our work down, and people are constantly telling us to "Uli, kay ulan!"

This week we found a new family to teach, the Lianto family! They are busy working in their rice fields ALL day, but they keep inviting us to come back at night! It's great to gather around their candle in their one-room balay to teach them the Gospel! They haven't made it to church yet though, we're still working on that.

Jonalyn has decided to be baptized! We are still fasting and praying for her, because her husband is still opposed. We've noticed that her situation isn't getting any easier, she's just getting more confident in her faith and desire to progress in the gospel! She shared with us this week that when her sister Jovilyn first texted her telling her about the "mormons", she wasn't too interested. But she said ever since she met the missionaries and listened to the lessons, she just FELT something really good, and it's just grown and grown ever since! She inspires us so much- I've never had an investigator with MORE opposition or MORE pure desire to feel and follow the Spirit!

Meanwhile, Jovilyn now has a calling as a primary teacher! I love seeing her teaching all the cute primary kids things she's just barely learned herself! She's doing great!

This Saturday the Jandayan family is getting baptized, and we invited Jovilyn and Jonalyn to come too. We know that her seeing their baptism and hearing their testimonies will really inspire and encourage her to go forward with her own decision to be baptized!

I'll finish real fast with a quote from that talk:

"Many of you are going to have very difficult experiences: disappointment, heartbreak, bereavement, defeat. Youare going to be tested and tried. I just want you to know that if you don’t get what you think you ought to get,remember, God is the gardener here. He knows what He wants you to be. Submit yourselves to His will. Beworthy of His blessings, and you will get His blessings."

Love you all, have a great week!

sister bertoldo