Well another week has come and gone. Wow time is flying and it's freaking me out. Hahaha but this last week on my beautiful mission was absolutely incredible. We have been so busy, but we have had some really amazing things happen in our area and with some really great investigators.
I first want to tell you a little story about Norman. We found brother Norman back in January and he was sooooo good. He is the brother of Victor and Victor is a member in our ward who doesn't attend very much. One day as we went to visit Victor, Norman answered the door and told us that he wasn't home. So we asked Norman if we could teach him. He was so willing and gladly accepted the invitation to be taught. So we excitingly taught him and the lesson went great. He attended church the next week and then the week after that as well. He was literally a miracle "golden" investigator. The next week we weren't able to teach him at all because he was so busy and then he didn't come to church. We finally got a hold of him that week and he told us that he had finally found a job and he knew that he had finally received an answer to his prayers. Unfortunately his work schedule was everyday. He never had a day off. It absolutely killed us inside. All we could think was how he was so willing and so ready to become a member, yet he now had work... He had struggled with several different things in the Word of Wisdom, but through the weeks of teaching him he gave it all up so he could get baptized. As we prayed to know what to do and to know what to teach him when we found out he had a job, we just decided to teach the importance of keeping the Sabbath Day. The lesson was very simple, but very powerful. Norman knew that he was breaking this commandment because he was working instead of going to church. So we committed him to ask his boss, even though it was his new job, if there was anyway he could get the day off or at least switch shifts so he could make it to church. He accepted the assignment and said he would talk to his boss. The next week, we went back to his home to follow up with him. He had told us that he is doing really well, but he didn't talk to his boss because he was really nervous. Which of course everyone would be considering it was his new job that he had prayed for and wanted so bad. To ask for a day off is EXTREMELY hard. So we shared another message and committed him again to talk to his boss. The next week we went again to Norman's home. As we sat down and followed up with his reading and praying and then finally with talking to his boss he just looked at us. As he was looking at us, I just kept thinking.. dang... he still didn't talk to his boss. But as he continued to stare a big smile began to come across his face and he said that he no longer has work on Sundays. Oh man how big my smile was I can't even tell you. I felt so grateful that the Lord would grant unto him this miracle. So Norman has now come to church and is doing really well because he was willing to do what the Lord asked of him. And now, he is going to be getting baptized on the 25 and I am more excited than ever!! (hopefully I don't transfer)
It really just does go to show that the Lord is mindful of all of us. He knows what we need when we need it. We just need to show our faith by doing what he asks of us. The experience and example of Norman really just shows me that anything is possible. He is so good and now he will be even better because he is being blessed by the Lord and becoming a member will help him even more to improve himself the be more like Christ. It really strengthens my testimony that it is so important to keep the commandments and do what He asks of us. Always.
Another quick experience I wanted to share this week was seeing the faith of other missionaries. I was able to go on exchanges again with Sister Singer. She is so good and we had a really fun exchange! All of our appointments fell through on Saturday morningso we decided to go tracting to see if we could find anyone. We literally went knocking on doors, which to be honest I hardly ever do cuz I just don't like it. I'd rather just talk to people on the road and then have them lead us to their home to teach, but Sister Singer was really pumped and ready to knock on some doors. So we knocked. Door after door. It was a really weird experience because in the Philippines everyone loves white people! So Sister Singer and I are both white so to be honest my thinking was kind of prideful. I kept thinking "ah this'll be easy. Anyone will let us in, we are two white people." But it so was not true. We had so many people literally just ignore us as if we weren't even there. This old lady literally shut the door in my face. I was just standing there testifying of Jesus Christ and she just said "i don't care" and shut the door.. it's really too bad cuz she's gonna care when it comes to be the day of judgement. But really door after door, excuse after excuse, and rejection after rejection. It was kind of really sad.. but then we were walking out of one of the compounds we just got rejected in and saw this really nice man dancing to spanish music holding a cat. So we decided to talk to him. As we started to introduce ourselves he said, "oh come on in" and he grabbed his wife and we went in. It was an amazing experience because after rejections we were able to see this beautiful family accept us into their home. We taught about eternal families and arranged for another appointment this week.
This experience just really goes to show that there are people everywhere who God has prepared. We just have to be willing to find them. I really feel grateful to be on a mission and to have the hard times. Without the hard times we wouldn't be able to experience the good, joyful times. We wouldn't know anything different if everything was always just good and happy. So i'm grateful for rejections because it shows to the Lord that we are willing to work to find the seekers.
Sorry this is so long, but everyday I see so many miracles. The Lord really is the one in charge of this work. He leads and guide and directs His church and it is amazing. I really feel blessed to be a missionary. I love the lessons I get to learn on this wonderful mission of mine. I'm grateful to be a missionary and for the opportunity I have to wear the Lord's name on my chest and in my heart everyday.
Mahal Ko Kayo,
Sister Barton
1. These are some pics of Sister Singer and I with the Mesa Family (Ronilo gets baptized next Saturday so that's gonna be awesome!!)
2. And me and my beloved companion at MLC
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