Sunday, August 31, 2014

The 40-day fast


Mayad na aga! Kumusta kamo tanan? I am excited for you all to start school in a bit. Have fun with your last days of summer! That means I have one school quarter left to be a full-time missionary. Don't any of you start counting down the days, I don't want to know! Shhh.
Some big happenings this last week. We had a great zone training meeting. My favorite part was an activity Elder Asi and Elder Alforque did about the Tree of Life in Lehi's dream. I'll have to explain that one later. We found a new investigator on Tuesday named Laarnie. She was previously taught as a child, and she pulled out an ancient 1980's copy of the Book of Mormon. We'll visit her again this week. I think this time in her life, she is ready. She has 3 kids and separated from her Muslim husband 1 year ago...but her family are all devoted Catholic. This will be interesting. :)
I think I mentioned about Merry Chris (member) before, she went back to work in Kuwait again. :( I'm not too happy about that. It has been hard to see her kids missing her so much. Her daughter, Kit, has been coming to church the last few weeks. We started teaching her, and she has a date, but the challenge will be making sure she has the support she will need to endure, because she is only 10 and the family is mostly less-active. She has some active neighbor kids she goes with, but no one's parents are active members in their whole compound. So that will be a challenge.
Elna was asked to speak in sacrament next week. Her topic is kind of deep...I'll be praying for her to learn and be able to be successful in giving her talk. Robelyn paid her tithing for the first time! She asked me how, and I was very happy to show her. That's the first time that has happened to me in the mission. I love our Recent Converts so much!
I have a new companion!! Sister Viliami was transferred to Leganes, Iloilo (the area I opened for sisters! yay!). My new kaimaw (companion) is Sister Domingo. She is from Nueva Ecija, on Luzon. She is really sweet and likes to giggle. She was baptized when she was 17. She tells everyone she is twins with some famous actress here named Catherine Bernardo. She is funny. She is the total opposite of Sister Viliami. It is kind of like being with my little sister or something. lol. This'll be fun.
Our 16-year-old investigator, wasn't able to come to church yesterday. Her father does not approve of her being baptized. We are not going to give up that easy. We saw Angelica yesterday, while we were walking near her house. She said maybe she won't be taught anymore. We encouraged her to not lose hope or faith, but that Heavenly Father really will help her to overcome this obstacle. We told her we loved her, and walked away. We stopped in at a member's house, which was all in God's timing, because Angelica came back and said, yes, okay Sisters, keep teaching me. She had tears in her eyes. I gave her a hug. We'll teach her tonight. I read in 1Nephi 4:1-3 last night, right before bedtime, and it hit me really hard. I know the Lord can overcome any obstacle. We just need to keep acting in faith. Don't Stop. Just believe it is possible.
Oh yeah, I spoke in sacrament yesterday, about Missionary Work. My talk was nothing remarkable, but at the very end, I felt so much the love Heavenly Father has for the people who were in the congregation. It was overwhelming. Robelyn gave the closing prayer, and did so well. :)
My companion  and I started doing something called the 40-day Fast on Saturday. It is based off a talk by Elder Gene R. Cook. It is basically to refine us so the spirit will be with us even more powerfully. Trying to be more obedient and consecrated in the work we are doing. It was Sister Domingo's idea. She's a genius.
I love you all so much. Have a great week. Be diligent and faithful always.
Love, Sister Winward

Sister Cassie Winward
Philippines Iloilo Mission
May 2013 to November 2014

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