Keystone

Dear Family,

How are all of you? I had a good week this week. A much better week. Key indicator-wise. Companion-wise. Member-missionary-work-wise. Study-wise. Just everything. It was a good week. By the way everyone, in the Philippines, Christmas music starts playing when the "BER" months start...so MERRY CHRISTMAS. Also, on Sept. 23 will be 100 days until Christmas. Just so you all know. Also, transfer week is this week. Either I'm staying here and it will all be the same, or everything is going to get flipped upside-down for my LAST 6 WEEKS. Stay tuned. haha

Well, some great things happened this week. I want to tell you about some great people...

Glenn is awesome. We are now BFFs. jk. We spent some time with him last Monday night, and he even treated us to the fancy-pants Steakhouse right by our house that I hadn't tried yet. He didn't come to church, the stinker, but now we have a friendship with him it can only go up from here. We found out he is a really skilled Civil Engineer and he even designed our way nami apartment (I'll show you all pictures of the San Jose apartment when I'm home). And we were able to build a little trust with another LA Melchizedek Priesthood holder, Allan, we spent an hour talking with him about his Bonsai tree collection, because he doesn't really want us to teach him...YET.

Nikkie is Kinkin's mom. (By the way, Kiara will have her heart surgery this Wednesday. She just had some checkups and things for the last week. She'll be back by their birthday on Oct. 9.) Nikkie worked with us last Wednesday. She is also our new BFF. We went jogging-jogging and tsika-tsika (chatting) with her at the Binirayan track this morning. Then she treated us to a little tinapay (bread) snack at Bread&Butter. She is really cool, and so faithful through all these trials. Her son just died of cancer and her daughter is going to have heart surgery...I'm pretty sure I'd be freaking out, but she is so happy man gihapon. She is surely anchored in Christ.

Rene is Brother Kiko's cousin. He will be baptized on Oct 18. He is kind of a shy one, but he opened up a little more to us this week. Repentance is going to be a big part of his baptism prep. But I know that as he relies on the Savior, he will become a new person gid. I am excited to see his testimony grow.

Kitkit is still doing well. I messaged her mom on facebook (Merry Chris), and her mom is planning on staying here for good once her contract in Kuwait ends in 2 years. She has plans to open a store or something. I am excited for that, because I know her family needs her. Who ever thought going abroad to work was a good idea was crazy...but some people here are that desperate. I just hope she'll see that by putting her family and their salvation first, the Lord will really take care of all the rest. Just TRUST Him. Kitkit will also be baptized on Oct. 18.

Andrea is doing well. She is reading the Book of Mormon consistently and excited to share with us what she learned every time we teach her. She was pretty sick over the weekend, so she couldn't come to church. But she is preparing to be baptized and so excited. She read 2 Nephi 31 and learned so much this week. She's only 12, but her testimony is really developing so much. I am excited to see her progress and maybe even serve a mission one day. Who knows.

Sister Condes is like our mom here in San Jose. She fed us on Saturday night. Beef Pepper-steak--Yum. She is so funny. She is one of those people that never ever stop talkin-talkin-talking... but I have learned so much about life by listening to her tell about her life. (She works in the prosector's office...I'll have to tell you about the joke: "Who stab you?!") She is so generous and selfless. Her son is serving a mission in Quezon City. She has been working with us every week this month, and she gave us the most nami referral this week. Nerisa is the mother of Francis and 6 other kids. We only taught Nerisa and Francis, but they are so prepared. Francis is 26 and told us that he made sure to get Sundays off already so he could go to church. According to Sister Condes, he told his mom he wants to become a Mormon. :) Yay!

Hernie is doing great. Last-last week we taught him Plan of Salvation. Or he taught us... We left them with the little picture cut-outs so Chonna could explain it to him without us, because he only has a little bit of time that we can teach him. But they talked about it all, and Chonna told us he practiced setting up the pictures in the right order every night. haha. When he showed us, he was nervous and hesitating, but he did great. Like it was a test or something. haha. We were able to teach him about the doctrines, and he is so excited to be baptized. They are consistent with their daily prayer and scripture study as a family. Yay! We are still waiting on paperwork for them to be able to get married, but I'm pretty sure they have all the money saved up they will need.

My companion is doing a lot better with waking up on time and other things. Exchanges with the STLs and a good Companionship Inventory helped a lot. It always does. :) We are a lot more open and unified than we were. And obedient. It is the best. :) The hymn "Lord, I would follow thee," hymnbook page 220 helped me a lot this week.

I had some great study this week that I want to share with all of you. I found a hidden treasure in our apartment...it was a special edition copy of the Liahona from October 2011 all about the Book of Mormon (see link below). Right now as a mission we are studying the Book of Mormon, so I was excited to learn more. I suggest you all read the whole thing, but of course, not everyone has an hour of personal study built into their schedule every day, so at least read/watch the talk by President Ezra Taft Benson (see link below). You will never be the same. I learned so much about the power of testimony and how it is gained. I am so grateful for the Book of Mormon. It is so much more precious and valuable than we realize most of the time. I know it is the way to gaining a sure and steadfast testimony that Jesus Christ is our Savior and this church is His kingdom on the earth today. Ponder just for a moment all the effort put into the book you can hold in your hands and take anywhere you want... So simple, but it makes all the difference for us that are converted to the truth. Be consistent in your study of the Book of Mormon. 

Elder Richard G. Scott said:“What does the Book of Mormon mean to you? Has it been a source of inspiration and power in your life? Will it continue to be? If you have not yet drunk deeply from this fountain of pure truth, with all of my soul I encourage you to do so now. Don’t let the consistent study of the Book of Mormon be one of the things that you intend to do but never quite accomplish. Begin today.” Immerse yourselves in the Book of Mormon, and the Lord will make your life beautiful.

BOM talk by Pres. Benson 1986: https://www.lds.org/general-conference/1986/10/the-book-of-mormon-keystone-of-our-religion?lang=eng 
Liahona Oct. 2011: https://www.lds.org/liahona/2011/10?lang=eng 

I love you all so much. Have a great week. Thanks always for the emails and encouragement and support and thoughts and prayers. You are all the best. Share with me what you learn in your study of the Book of Mormon. Replace your fears with faith in Jesus Christ. Halong pirmi.

Love, Sister Winward