Awe the amazing Conversions

Dear Family and Friends,

So we had another baptism this week and I think that this is one of the first baptisms that I really feel like the people are converted to the gospel.  Rueben who is the one who did drugs was struggling at first but then you saw his countenance shine a little after he was confirmed and I know he still has a long road to go but he will stay strong and be a great member.  Then there is my all time favorite Rudy.  This guy is 71 and he was so excited to be baptized he did a fist pump as he walked out the door and just smiled all during church. Ah I just love that man.  

So I am not so great finding I really need to work on it but something amazing happened the other day.  We were going to one of our investigators in a tricycle and sister Pati-on started to talk to the driver.  We were then invited to come to his house and teach his son.  The next day we didn't have anyone to teach and his name came to mind so we decided to go teach him. he was a really nice guy and listened intently.  He seemed really interested and searching for the truth and we gave him a book of Mormon straight off.  Then when we went back he had read the assignment and prayed and was still searching for an answer.  We showed him the restoration video and it really seem to help him understand Joseph Smiths story.  Then the next time we went back (knowing that he had a word of wisdom problem and wanting to BGD him) we started off with teaching the plan of salvation.  that went well and then we asked him about being baptized and he said he wanted to.  so then sister Pati-on goals him for may 31.  WHAT!? we both knew he has a word of wisdom problem and she is goaling him for a month later when he needs to get rid of his kape and tea.  well I went with it and having faith knowing he wanted this we goaled him for it and then taught word of wisdom.  he was a little shocked but then we asked him "when are you going to start" he said tomorrow.  WOW! so then he came to church and just loved it.  he sent us a text later and said thank you I know now that the fruits of the spirit are love, hope, charity and a bunch of other stuff and said that he know that his heavenly father will help him with is problem.  the best part is we shared to him on Friday and he had not had a cup of kape or tea since or smoked.  I was so excited to see the conversion happen so fast.  it is amazing what you can do with the lords help.

Another investigator with a word of wisdom problem that we have been teaching for a while is finally down to 1-2 sticks and we wanted to goal him too for may 31 but then he came back and said that is too late can we do earlier.  so he wanted may 17 and if he has the motivation I know he can do it so we are looking forward to that in the next coming weeks. 

So that is all for this week nothing much happened but it was a great week and I am looking forward to improving some of my finding so we can help this area be more progressing.  that is one thing I have started to have a love for is changing because I know that that is when the lord helps us learn and become better.  I know that this work is important and more importantly is doing it with the spirit FOR the people and not anything else.   I love this work and I know there is nowhere else in the world I would rather be.  Thank you for your support and love until next week.

Sister Snow

Miracles, miracles

Dear Family and Friends,

So we have a neat experience this week with one of our investigators Reldon.  He is the one that immediately quit drinking kape and tea and it has been a week.  we decided that we wanted to get him baptized earlier since he has really found a love for the gospel. he has made friends quickly and it seems to be such a breeze that he took the light of Christ and held on to it with all his might.  I have seen such great changes in him and I am so excited.  we moved his baptism from may 31 to may 17 because he has come to church 2 and is doing so well.  miracles happen when you hold on to the revelation and light of Christ that he gives you but when you deny it that is when things are not good.  speaking of, Nora, that one who I thought was so ready for the gospel denied it on Wednesday and told us that she doesn't need a religion as long as she just worships Christ she will be saved.  oh how my heart broke.  I don't like to hear those words because it is not that easy.  Satan has such a way of working things to his advantage.  Nora received an answer to her prayers and then denied it because it was too big of a change that she didn't like.  Satan came in and made her think that her faith was weak and that this was bad. he came and made her think that the book of Mormon didn't have the answers to her prayers and that we were just causing her more pain.  NO! if she would have just listened to the spirit she could have been so much more happy. I am really sad for those people that deny the spirit like that because they are missing out on so much more happiness. 

then we had the best rain storm on the plant and mostly because it has been so hot I love to go out and just drench myself and then sleep it like the best.  this time the rain just never stopped and we were out there for a good hour.  we danced and then I wanted to shower so I got my shampoo and conditioner and totally showered in the rain.  #only in the Philippines. it was probably one of the best nights ever. 

then I had another cool experience. so on Wednesday we were finding and it was just not working. I told sister Pati on that we needed new investigators and so we were walking at the fish ponds and there was a young man 17 years old walking toward us.  I immediately thought "yea this is just a punk he is not interested" wrong so wrong.  sister Pati-on actually pushed to talk to him and then we taught him.  turns out that he had a lot of questions and was really interested.  well he came to the branch activity and then we went back to him the next day.  at first he wasn't there and it was about 7.  so we met his sister and she just didn't want us to teach her.  she was like yea I am Christian but I am not interested, my family doesn't like people like you to come into the house all that stuff but then Henry came and we were able to teach them.  as we started out the sister that was rejecting us started to get interested mainly because her younger brother had been readying the pamphlet we gave him.  then we pulled out the book of Mormon and she was surprised.  she said that they had one of those and then proceeded to get it.  I was surprised to read that the missionaries who gave them that book of Mormon was in 2001 and was the branch president right now.  I freaked out I was so excited mainly because when stuff like that happens yea you know that heavenly father is telling them something.  so pretty cool. 

One of our other investigators, martin, who has a smoking problem finally has been able to quit.  we have been teaching him for 4 months now and I am so excited to see the testimony start to grow in him.  he has come a long way and really wants his family to join him but that will take some time. 

one thing I want to share is from my studies in the new testament. 
I read about Christ and the washing of the feet and then again about the atonement.  the one thing that is common is about Judas.  to think that Christ knew that he, Judas, was going to betray him and then still call him as an apostle and then again at the washing of the feet, Christ knew what he was going to do and still washed his feet trying in every way possible to give him another chance to change.  what great love.  we too must think that way.  we need to serve out of love for one another the minute it is for ourselves it is wrong.  if we serve out of love for the person then we are truly showing our Christ like qualities.  I know that the atonement is for us too in that way.  when we chose the wrong Christ is still there serving us and trying to get us to come back.  I know that this is true and I know that Christ loves all of us just as much as he did Judas and I know that we can all partake of his atonement if we really try to do better in our own lives.

I love you all and I wish you the best this week.

Take care,

Sister Snow