Dear family,
Happy Halloween! They don't really celebrate Halloween the same way here. Instead, they go to the cemetery, sit on the coffins of their ancestors, light candles, and leave flowers. It's a Catholic tradition. Unforunately, that meant our attendance went down, but we still had 7 investigators attend church in DapDap (every first sunday we travel 20 minutes to the neighboring city for fast and testimony meeting). One of them was a new investigator who came for the first time! Emmanuel, a former chief of police! So he has a car!!!! on our way to church, we were praying that he would show up. As we turned the corner on our way to church, we saw his truck parked outside the meetinghouse!!! (he is the only one that has a car that came to church--most people have motors or ride public transportation). Aquino brought him--Aquino is a fabulous missionary because he's a retired politician and everyone knows him. Very influential.
Yesterday was Aquino and Moniecel's baptismal interview! they both passed and the baptism will be this Saturday (in the ocean!!!!!!). President Maurer will be attending!!! The whole branch loves Aquino to death because he's super outgoing and very passionate. He's definitely a future leader! RIght now our branch president is 25 and he only has one counselor. ANd there's only one active Melchizedek priesthood holder in Can-Avid. So i'ts pretty amazing for us to be having this much succes with how tiny the town is here.
This past week, Aquino asked us for a list of all the members, especially the less-actives so he can visit them all and bring them back to church!! And he's already planning strategies to help with retention and rescue. He' s the most golden investigator ever. He works with us a lot and we are introducing him to all our investigators. Just last night we had a group lesson with Toni, Dennis, Aquino, Glenn, and our R.S. branch missionaries. It was awesome!!! Now they don't feel as alone with all the persecution that is happening.
Glenn came to church! And at the last prayer meeting for his Catholic Couples for Christ group he announced that he was being baptized into our church! His wife still absolutely refuses to read, but she'll still listen to the lesson. At the group lesson last night, we all counseled together about how to ask his wife's support for his baptism. Hopefully it goes well! keep him in your prayers. His baptismal date is November 22, as well as Dennis Morales. :)
Can you believe that by next fast Sunday i'll be home??? I bore my testimony yesterday about sacrifice. If there is anything that keeps us from praying, reading the scriptures daily, going to church, and keeping the commandments, we need to take it out of our lives.
I love how Jesus Christ teaches. He is the master teacher. I was reading recently in Luke 9:46-48:
46Then there arose a reasoning among them, which of themshould be greatest.
47 And Jesus, perceiving the thought of their heart, took a child,and set him by him,
48 And said unto them, Whosoever shall receive this child in myname receiveth me: and whosoever shall receive me receiveth himthat sent me: for he that is least among you all, the same shall begreat.
Humility is the key to opening all the other doors of Christlike attributes. In order to change, develop or learn anything in this life, we must first be humble.This is the attribute that I'm learning the most these last few weeks of my mission. I feel like this area and Sister Chu are exactly what i need to learn true humility. One of my top goals for how I want to be like when I go home is to be humble. So these experiences are exactly what I asked for and need.
LOVE YOU ALL!!!!
Love always,
Sister Smith
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