This week started like it normally does with district meeting. I
actually had a pretty good time during district meeting this last week.
We talked about obedience being better than sacrifice. We had more of a
discussion than we normally do which made it a lot easier to stay
focused and we were all able to learn from each other. It was really
enjoyable listening to others incites and also adding my own. One of the
examples we read in the scriptures was about Cain and Able. Both were
commanded to offer a sacrifice to God but only Able's was accepted. Then
we discussed why. That was the cool part because even though we all
read the same verses, everyone had a different application. Goes to show
how the spirit helps us learn the things we need to learn and see the
things that we personally could do better. Can't believe I only have a
few district meetings left. Actually just one. Zone meeting tomorrow and
district meeting next week. Still don't think I've wrapped my mind
around the fact that I really only have a couple weeks left. It's kind
of like when I left on the mission, it didn't feel real that it was
actually happening then it just happened. That's how I feel right now
but the opposite. I'll be going home soon but it doesn't feel like it
but before I know it I'll be sitting on an airplane. Anyway, back to the
week this week. Our investigators are doing pretty good!
Maricris is still doing well. She is picking up the concepts really
well and every time we review things we taught in the the past she
remembers them really well. Her interview will most likely be this
Saturday if everything happens the way it's planned. Then her baptism
will be the week after which will be my last Saturday!
I can't remember if I told you about Tatay Enomio. We met him last
week but taught him more this week. He's 87 years old but is still
pretty strong. We were able to teach him twice this last week and the
second time we set a baptismal date. He's a pretty funny guy though. We
decided on August 20 for his baptismal date. Kinda funny though cause
turns out his birthday is August 20! So that will be really cool if
everything goes through. Even though he is really old he still
understands what we are saying and is pretty good in Tagalog so
communication isn't a problem. He came to church for the first time
yesterday with his wife who is a member.
Racquel is doing well. We are only able to teach her once a week
because of school so the lessons go a little slower with her. She came
to church for the second week in a row but we haven't given her a
baptismal date yet. We most likely will this Saturday when we teach her
if it feels right.
We got a new investigator this week that is progressing pretty
well. His name is Sherwin Castillo. He's 34. He had a family but has separated and now is with his parents. Anyway, while we were teaching
him the first lesson, he broke down in tears. His Aunt, I think, has
converted to the church so we focused a lot on what he has seen take
place in her life and if he wants the same blessings. It was a really
good lesson. Once it was over, Elder Lechoco turned to me and said he
could really feel the spirit. I could too and I know so did Sherwin. He
didn't end up coming to church but I think he will in the future. He has
so much potential.
So something kinda weird that happened this week was after church
on Sunday. We were sitting down about to start the lesson to Sister
Maricris along with Nanay. Then before we started, Nanay says she has
some questions. So we talk about those for a little but they were like
really deep questions. The first was about Jesus' resurrection and if
others were resurrected as well. It's very clear in Matthew that other's
were resurrected right after Jesus was so that wasn't hard to answer.
Then we explained the first resurrection a little more and the
millennium then the second resurrection. Just a more in depth version of
the Plan of Salvation. The second question was a little more out of the
ordinary. She asked how God got his body. So this isn't something that
we can just go right to a scripture and show her what the answer is. We
answered it to the best of our ability by just explaining that Joseph
Smith and Lorenzo Snow both said that, "As man now is, God once was: As
God now is, man may be." So that means he became a man at one point. We
said that that most likely happened on a different world, not the one we
live on today. That's where she went off. She didn't like that answer
at all and she was pretty rude about it. She's like, nope I don't accept
your answer. I'm sitting here like okay, are you arguing with your own
belief? But it made me a little upset the way she was talking to us. We
told her before we started that we don't know everything but will do our
best but apparently she expected us to know everything. Then told us
that before we go teach people we need to learn it for ourselves first.
By that point I could totally feel anger started to build within me. I
was like, Nay if you don't want to accept our answer it's your choice
but that's pretty harsh what you're saying to us. And this is all before
we are supposed to teach Maricris who is just sitting there on the side
listening to all this. So anyway, the lesson to Maricris was not great
at all. I think it's cause our minds were caught up in what we had just
discussed. But we've studied some more stuff and we'll go back with some
more references.
Anyway, that's about it for the week this week. Pretty good week
this week and everyone is still progressing well. Hope you all have a
great week this week!
Love,
Elder Haacke
No comments:
Post a Comment