Week 11

This week was so much better! It was fast- we had a lot of meetings and just other things I felt like we hardly had a chance to teach. But we had 13 lessons at the end of the week so I guess we found time to teach! We are getting some great investigators. The Besmonte family is so golden. I love them. They came to church yesterday for the first time and loved it and all the members loved them. It is amazing to see how the Lord is preparing people. I never really believed it before my mission, but now I am seeing it. This family has been so prepared for the gospel and they are just taking everything and accepting everything. I LOVE IT. We have another family, well, issue, they aren't married. But they are loving the lessons and the gospel and want to be baptized. But they are poor. So poor. By far the worst off that I've seen here. They have no electricity but we can only teach them at night because that is when the man is home from work. It really breaks my heart to see them. They aren't married because they just simply can't afford it. And then we have a few couples that aren't married because they have had previous marriages and are not annulled and cannot afford to get an annulment. I just hate how people are prepared for the gospel and then there are so many obstacles, like mostly financial ones, in the way.

So this past week we had new missionary training in Legazpi. That was fun! I got to see friends from the MTC and just get a change. The next day we had zone conference in Tabaco. We learned a lot about the importance of planning. It is so true, when we have a busy and planned out day we get stuff done. But if we just leave the day to "finding" we end up walking all day and nothing gets done. Planning is so important in missionary life- I just wish it didn't take so long. My zone won the zone activity this transfer, we had the highest number of investigators coming to sacrament meeting. We went to Mount Mayon (the volcano) but it was cloudy and rainy and really windy so we didn't actually see anything. We just played games outside and talked. And then had lunch together. But it was fun regardless. The weather has been cold (I SWEAR- it was really cold! I have been wearing sweaters! and wishing I brought warmer clothing!) It makes me wonder how I am ever going to live through a real winter... I ate balut for the first time this week. And the last time. For anyone who doesn't know what that is... don't find out. It is the most disgusting thing. I like took one small sip of the egg juice and gagged. And then one small bite of the yellow part, and it was gross. And then I just couldn't bring myself to try the duckling part. I could see it's little webbed feet and fur and eyes and beak. I couldn't eat it. 

I was studying about how to recognize the Spirit earlier this week. I liked this quote by President Monson, "The language of the Spirit is gentle, quiet, uplifting to the hearts, and soothing to the soul" A lot of investigators, and even members, feel that they will get a sign if something is true or if something should happen a certain way. Most of the time- we are not given signs because those do not add to our faith. Recognizing the Spirit is the most important and sometimes hardest part of missionary work. But as we seek for the Spirit it will be there. And we are promised by God, if we learn to recognize the Spirit, He will help you, He will guide you, He will give you power, and He will shower blessings upon you. Recognizing the Spirit is hard- no one is perfect. But as we all improve to get better at recognizing what Heavenly Father has in plan for us, we will be happier and get farther in life.I hope you are all doing well :)

Mahal Kita,

Sister Ianuzi