From Dark to Light

Hey hey hey! :) Update of the week from your favorite foreignay:  

Lots happening here in Libmanan. We are still focusing on our Priesthood holders and their families and that is going well..seeing some progress there. We are also doing a lot better in helping our investigators progress toward true conversion and baptism.  Our work is struggling a bit right now because of the little time we have to actually work, due to conferences, meetings, and trainings this past week and this coming week.. but we are doing the best we can to visit our people and help them continue on the right path. 

For the past few weeks we have been focusing on one potential future missionary less-active in our branch and his whole group of non-member friends...they have really been progressing and there is so much potential there! Saturday night they told us that they would be leaving the next day for work in Manila..that was hard to hear after the many weeks of sweat and struggle to help them change their lives around but after many prayers I felt more at peace and that God has a plan and knows what is going on. He is in control. Even though I still don't know what is going to happen, I feel better about all of it and have faith that it will all work out.

Miracle of the week for me, the following day after that sad news, at church in Pamplona, out of nowhere, in walked the Genorga family, the family that I taught back in Baao. They came that long way just to see me and go to church with me :) Wow. It was so unexpected but really was a blessing for me to feel and see the tender mercies of Heavenly Father in my life.

As far as training is going, we are doing really well. Sister Falcon is honestly learning at such a rapid pace, it is exciting to see her progression every day. She says she hasn't really felt homesick yet so that is always a plus. Sometimes I forget that she is still new and just start going "full-speed missionary" again and then she kindly reminds me that I need to slow down.. :) It is hard sometimes because I just want to go, go, go but she needs to take things slower at first so that she can really learn and get a good foundation for the rest of her mission. I am grateful for her patience with my imperfect self and I am excited to continue to see the progress of our area in the next coming weeks.

ALSO, in our various meetings and my studies and what not this week, there seemed to be a great focus on the Restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ and the importance of prophets..well Sister Falcon and I really tried to teach that better this week and man, I can't even explain the difference it made! As we explained better the pattern of dispensations and apostasy over the history of the world and then emphasized the great need for another restoration in these latter-days after the great apostasy, it just became so obviously clear and evident to those we taught of the truthfulness of what we were teaching. It was beautiful! :) God's plan is perfect! We have the fullness of the gospel today on the earth through the calling of prophets of God! how important it is for all of us to listen and heed the word of the prophets! :) Just in time for General Conference too. The gospel is the greatest. :) Can't wait to watch conference this weekend! 

Ingat kayong lahat! Mahal ko kayo!  -Sister Roderick