Week 52 - 1 Year Mark

Happy Mothers Day!!

I just have to start out this email by saying I have the BEST mom on the planet!! Literally, I don't know where I'd be without you, and I am so grateful for you and everything you have done for me and our family :) Mom I love you and had a blast skyping you guys!! I'm still freaking out because Robert is so tall now and his voice is deep haha. 

Ok, so now I’ll tell you guys about this week! So first of all... I hit my 1 year mark last Thursday!!!!!!!!! AHHHHH! How crazy is that? For my year mark Sister Burt, Sister Adol, and Sister Talent and I really went crazy and bought graham crackers, American chocolate and some marshmallows and made smores on our gas stove haha. That's as American as you get here haha. Soooo, did I mention I have been on my mission for and entire year now!? I just can't believe it!  The time goes by so so fast and I seriously treasure every moment, every day I have here. I LOVE the culture, I LOVE the people and I LOVE the gospel. Life really just doesn't get any better. I mean ya AC, Mexican food, and a washer and dryer would be nice haha but I am just so happy here and I have really come to realize what is important in life.   

Eating Smores for my 1 year mark

So this week we found a TON of new investigators who look like they will really progress and guess what? We had 16 investigators at church this week! holaa! haha Oh man we were so so pumped to see them all walk through the church doors. So you know Mhae our recent convert? Well we are teaching her whole family now and guess what? Her mom, sister, and 2 cousins are gonna get baptized!!!!! Her Mom is so awesome! She has such a strong testimony and has truly seen such a big change in Mhae so she just knows this is going to be such a blessing for their family. Her husband doesn't usually like talking to missionaries BUT oh yes there's a but :) Milagrosa (Mhae's mom) told us he's been reading her Book of Mormon and he wants to come to church! He lets us in and talks to us all the time and yesterday we had a family home evening at their house! It was so so fun and he was just laughing and enjoying himself the whole time. P.S I am so excited to show you guys all the Filipino games I've learned here! The Filipinos have such a funny sense of humor I love it haha. What else what else... OH! Ok so we had 9 less actives at church yesterday and 1 is this one guy named Alexander Mercurio and he has not come to church in yearsssssss. He straight up told us that he thinks boxing is more important to him than God. Ya. BUT we hadn't shared to him in a while because it usually just ends in him telling us he wont go to church because of multiple various reasons but the other day we felt like we should go to him and his family and we shared about The Atonement and the sacrifice Jesus made for us and left. Then yesterday I was helping my investigators find a seat at church when all the sudden I look up and see sister Burt just laughing and shaking hands with him! He came to church! It was a mothers day miracle haha. Oh and there is something else that I realized this week! So I was chorister at church yesterday (ha that reminds me of when Jenny used to be chorister in Crestwood 1st ward and I'de make funny faces at here haha- shout out Jen haha) so i could see everyone in the audience. I started counting all our investigators, less actives, less active returns, and recent converts and realized that since I have been here in Calapacuan we have been able to bring 34 people closer to Christ. 34 people were in the congregation because of heavenly father's hand in mine and sister Burt's work here in Calapacuan. It really puts things in perspective, when you think sure, I don’t have an oven or any of the american food I crave haha, but i help bring people closer to Christ everyday. That is so much better!  

Well, I'm all out of time but I will leave you guys with one funny story.. the other day we were walking down a hill and we saw these kids sliding down the hill on toilet seats. yup gotta love the Philippines haha, Love you!!!!!!

Love,

Sister Lowe