Philippines Week 54

Family!!! YAYYYYY!!!

This week has been INCREDIBLE. 

Sometimes the work is hard. Relationships are hard. Sometimes it seems as though everything is a struggle.

BUT, not this week! J

I am LOVING seeing the work progress here in the Calapacuan Branch. It is by far the most progressing of my mission. The branch is great and people here are so willing and ready to accept the gospel.

I love our investigators. My two favorites happen to have very large Law of Chastity problems but it is amazing to see their faith  help them overcome past choices. The first investigator is a gay man. As we share with him we see his light increase. He came to church for the first time this last week. All three hours! Then this morning, Monday morning, he came with his "fellowshipped" and played Frisbee with us at the church. 

The second investigator has been a lesbian for 20 years. But because of her love of the Book of Mormon, she has agreed to put away the things of the past. Now, every time that we visit her, we are noticing a change and a lightening of her countenance. Even her mother Ellen, has agreed to be baptized and get married to her boyfriend because she went to church to see why her daughter was changing. That is the key. When people notice a change in those they love, they get curious. That curiosity usually turns into an invitation to act. And honestly, once someone goes to church, they cant help but to feel the converting power of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. 

This has been such an incredible week.

FUN Tidbits--

• Sister Gorringe thanked me for being her best friend. So adorable!! I love the Senior Couple!
• We had 5 investigators at church on Sunday and they will ALL be baptized in December!! 
• I gave a workshop/lesson to our whole zone about the new theme of the mission: Patterning your life after the temple. 
• I saw Jason Moyo!! He was my first baptism here in the Philippines! IT was so good to see him. 
• Journey and Ofel (the Branch Mission Leader and Gospel Principles Teacher) from San Felipe (my first area) rode a 40 minute bus ride early Sunday morning so that they could go to church with Elder Christensen and I.
• Ive started a sticky note war with sister Lutao in the apartment. There are sticky notes everywhere!
• A gay guy in our area has an admitted crush on me so Sister Empalmado informed me that we need to "woo" him into straightness.
• Sister Lutao told me that my Tagalog is fluent. Yep, she definitely gained my love when she told me that:)
• HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO PARKER!
• Story of the week:  I sat by an old lady at church. She lives up on the mountain. As we sat, she pulled out this water bottle. It had super dirty water in it. I was kind of confused as she started to drink. So this is our conversation: Me-Nay!? Ano yan? (ma, what is that) nanay-gamot yan! bundok! Bato yan sa bundok!! Gamot yan sa loob! Loob! (its medicine! Mountain! Its a rock from the mountain! Its medicine for the inside! Insides!)  The water was super dirty and consisted of brown dirt and like these weird beads, pebbles, and nylon string inside this old plastic bottle. Nanay was convinced that it would heal her insides if she would drink the dirt. I almost died laughing! 

WELL, I love you all tons and tons! I hope you have a good week! 

Love, Sister Raynor

Weekly fish cleaning. Yep, blood and guts arent that scary anymore. 

Me and Sister Emps with Girlbert. He is one of my ALL TIME favorite investigators. He is gay. But he is willing to change. This morning, he came and played ultimate frisbee with us at the church. good times. 

Philippines scenery