Here in the Philippines food is love, so this week I was chastised for not eating more food. (haha, who knew?) We were invited to birthday parties to eat food and were given free watermelon and pineapple (from the farm that we work at almost every P-day). All I can say is that if missionaries visit give them merrienda (snacks) because it's the best thing ever.
Sister Caratao and I focused our efforts on Less Actives and Heavenly Father was listening, because we were out contacting and met a Less Active! What happened was, we saw an elderly lady and went to talk to her. She's super cute and sweet and after we talk, she says we can teach her. Then I notice her t-shirt and say, "I like your shirt", which said, "I love my family". She asks if I recognize the shirt (this is a long time into our conversation) and I was like, "Um, no (haha)". And she's like, "It's from the Church and I'm a less active." Whaaaat!, and to add to the crazy of that coincidence is that we decided to take a different path to our investigators house and thats led us to her. We have other Less actives here, too, that just aren't receptive - even though they know the doctrine. And I just want to say that apostasy doesn't have to be a nation wide thing. It can literally be within a household or within an individual. And when it happens there's a difference in their happiness! This sweet old lady told us she felt that something was missing in her life. She had cried the night before ... and we happened to find her for the first time the very next day. Crazy odds. Sadly, she didn't go to church the next Sunday, but I'm sure that it would be intimidating if it's been a long time. Idk - people need to fear God more than man.
Spiritual Thought: I've restarted the Book of Mormon and 1 Ne 3:31 stuck out to me. I've named this state of mind the "The Laman and Lemuel mindset". Even after seeing an angel they still doubted that they could really obtain the plates - because they have to get them from Laban ... what does this imply? That laban is greater than God? It's wild. Then there's Nephi's mindset in 1 Ne 4:1 - who has no doubt because God is all powerful. I fear sometimes on my mission. I've fallen into The laman and Lemuel mindset thinking, "Where are the people, theres none!" But KNOCK ON WOOD because I've had a lot more success finding people to teach, and I recognize that preaching the gospel is what I've been commanded to do. So, even though I meet people, and in person I'm rejected, if I remain faithful I'll reap the reward. I'm sure we've all doubted things of faith but I'd like to challenge us to remember the power of our God and Creator. We can't see Him but he's there.
Love and miss you all!
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