Lessons Learned

Dear Family, 

How are you all doing? What was the best part of conference for each of you? I am excited to watch it this weekend. I wonder who my companion will be...transfers are on Rachel's birthday. RACHEL'S BIRTHDAY??!?!!!!!! Happy Birthday Rach! I can't believe you are turning 18. Tigulang ka na! (You're old now!) And Happy Birthday to Christy today! Yay! And Happy Birthday to Hannah next week! :) 

On Thursday (the 3rd) was Sister Marchant's 22nd Birthday. We had an FHE with the Sase family (LA) on Monday, and they surprised us with a big, delicious chocolate cake! Sister Marchant was sooo happy. I made her some blueberry crisp instead of a cake....with a 72 hour kit candle in it. haha. "It's more fun in the Philippines!" 

The highlight of this week was teaching Rose and Mickey the Law of Chastity. I have never seen two more determined people in all my mission. They know blessings will come from living the gospel. They have already seen many. Mickey made a 180 in his life just in the last 6 months. And since we've started teaching Rose, she has so much more peace and happiness. She used to be painfully shy. She still talks super quiet...and is mostly Tagalog, but she has expressed her testimony of Christ. She is amazing! They just need to save the money, then they can get married, Rose can be baptized, and they have a goal to go to the temple to be sealed as an eternal family with their baby girl Hannah next year. They've told us they have a month picked out, once they can decide on a date for their wedding, they are going to announce it.  

I also learned a lot of lessons personally this week. I really learned how to apply the steps of the gospel of Jesus Christ effectively in my own life. I learned that apology is greater than pride and can heal relationships. I learned that I love Women's Conference! I learned about forgiveness. I learned again that it still really hurts to be dropped by investigators. But I also learned that finding is the greatest....I know there are prepared people. We meet them every day. It gives me hope. I've been learning, as the adjacent area has been raking in baptisms, that it is a blessing just to be able support them and their recent converts and their investigators. We're all in this together. I'll speak at every baptism if I have to, it is all the same to the Lord. I learned that sometimes the Spirit isn't logical, but it will guide us to fill people's needs. We visited with a member for I think like 2 hours...but she needed it. She has been struggling so bad. Her life is kind of like Job's in the Bible...but right now she is still in the suffering part. Blessings will come to her. I know it. I also learned that when I really feel like I just want to call my Mom...that is a great time to pray to my Heavenly Father. I learned that being a leader really means to serve people like Christ would.  

What did you learn this week? I love you all and I hope you all have a fun and safe week. Remember that Christ lives and He is our hope and our salvation. 

Love, Sister Winward