Week 38 ~ No Tatay, We aren't here for Money!!

This week started off pretty fire with exchanges with my guy, Elder Garcia. Since our district is only the four of us in the same area, we both pretty much knew the area which made it all the more fun. Here's what happened with the aforementioned title of my Email.

-We go and knock this house that is quite literally in the middle of nowhere, It's kind of like a hobbit kind of vibe from Lord of the Rings. All around us are just miles of flat rice fields. So I say ''tao po'' (People here) and we see this tatay walk out. He then tells us to come in, so we do. There's this other lolo (old guy) and the first tatay who lets us in starts saying, "Benete'' or 20 in english to the lolo. We were really confused and then the Tatay proceeds to walk over to the lolo, rip the wallet out of the lolo's pockets, and give us money. Of course, that was not allowed for us to accept it, but he kept on insisting so Elder Garcia took it. We then promptly returned it to the poor lolo who's pockets had been ran through, Who gave us a look I can only describe as appreciation and relief. 

-Success in the Area

I've learned that the success in the area is largely dependent on the Lord's timing for people. In my other Areas I've come in at various stages of success. In Guinobatan it was the first day we had a baptism. In Daraga it took four months, and here we have three PBD's for July 14th. But what I realized when I pondered this is kind of the selfishness we can have as humans (and Missionaries) when we think of success. These people didn't get converted to the gospel because of me. Neither were they ready to hear this message because of me. It's all dependent on the Lord and his timing for his children. All I have to do is put down my head and work, because Elder Rasband said, ''Everything we do, is a success''. It's up to us as missionaries to not say when we baptise someone, ''This is my baptism'', but to say, ''This is the Lord's baptism'', because baptism and the success of the area doesn't dignify or justify what kind of missionary you are. Who you are, as a missionary is what makes you a good missionary, or one that needs to improve. 

I love you all! Hope ya'll had an amazing week and have a good day!

-Elder Spackman

Final interviews with President Whitworth before he leaves

Pio Duran

Nanay Rosita's baptism in Daraga!


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