August 5, 2012 - What a week!

Well, the storm has now passed, I think. The literal one, not the figurative one. I'm not even sure if there is a figurative storm to mention.  Haha!  Anyway, there have been quite a bit of flooding in some of the housing areas and last night we got rained on pretty good.  I was soaking wet even with my umbrella before we got home. But, at least the weather is cool. I'd rather have it rain and be cool than sunny and hot! Trust me.  Haha!  Anyway, let's start with good news this week…                                    

It was Noemi's birthday on Tuesday!  Elders Herr, Olvido, the Whitings and I all went over to her house to celebrate. Poor girl! She said out of all of her 25 birthdays this was the first time she had visitors over.  >.<   She has a cousin that has a birthday at the same time so most of the family went with that girl to the beach and partied there.  It's good we went over and we had a great time.  Very spiritual and fun.  We all told her about how much we've loved seeing her grow in the gospel and her family.  She then started to bear her testimony about how she knows the Church is true.  She told us about how she knows the church is true, not because Elder Olvido said it, not because I said it, but through the power of the Holy Ghost she knows it is true!  Ahhh!!!  She's such a golden investigator!

Sis. Noemi's birthday dinner

Missionaries with Sis. Noemi and family

She told us that when she was 15 she was extremely sick.  So sick that everyone thought she was going to die.  But then she prayed and said "God, if you spare my life I will give you mine when I turn 25." She did survive and hasn't had problems since.  And Tuesday was her 25th birthday.  Actually, a month ago she really wanted to get baptized on her birthday talaga!  But because she needs to get married first it didn't happen.  However, she's still 25 for a year so something will happen in that time that she may be able to be baptized.  I'm sure of it!  She has been praying lately if she should separate from Ar-jay (her live-in boyfriend) so that she could get baptized.  Then, she told us of a dream she had about a mango tree.  To make a long story short, she had the fruit alone, but she wasn't happy.  Then Ar-jay came with her to overcome a trial and they were both happy.  So, she decided to stay with him.  We'll now be working with Ar-Jay to get him to understand the importance of marriage.  He's still quite immature but I have hope that something will change his mind soon :)

We had a service project on Tuesday with many people of the zone cleaning up the streets of this one Barangay area. The storm wouldn't allow us to clean the beach but the main road we did clean. The result was great!  We had many of the neighborhood kids helping us pick up trash. We were able to talk to many people about the gospel too.  You know, OYM and such.  Actually, there was this guy who came up and talked to me.  He was asking what this was all about and what we represent.  Well, I started telling him that we are missionaries from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and we are doing a service project to help the people in the area.  He had his phone out at this time and was recording what I was saying.  I asked him what that was about and he said that he was a reporter and wanted to know more about us.  Then, he went around recording us cleaning up the street with the neighborhood kids.  It was a great experience and I think that many doors will be opened for the missionaries that work there!

Trying to pick a coconut

Goofing off after the cleaning project

Me and my companion with our zone leaders

Pumping water the old fashioned way

Sister missionaries!

The kids from the area who helped us clean up

Yeah, so that's been the week so far.  Many other things have happened that I don't have time to write down here, so I’ll write it in my Journal.  Miracles do happen if you believe.  I promise you that!  

Okay, so I need to go now!  Need to go shopping na.  Mahal Kita!  Don't forget to thank the Lord for everything! ^_^ Have a good week!  I love you all!  Bye!

Doing you Proud,

Elder Froude ^_^

Reading and studying scriptures

2 Nephi 32:3

Branch activity

Pres. Whiting's birthday!