Week 4 (10/19/17)

Maayong Hapon!

Two weeks left before they send us out! I'm a little nervous, but way more excited to serve God's children in Bacolod! We've gotten to know our new zone a bit better over the last week and I LOVE THEM. On Saturday, we had a zone game of sand volleyball during exercise in the evening. Unfortunately, it grew very cold and the sand was covered in shade. Our feet were freezing cold but that didn't stop our fun! There are 21 missionaries in our zone so we were playing on two courts but for the last few minutes we all played on one court and just tried to keep the ball in the air. 
After we went back to our rooms showered and got ready, we had a zone testimony meeting. I can't explain to you the feeling I felt there. Many of the new sisters and elders said that they felt like we were a family already, despite it having been only 3 days! I'm so glad we were able to bond through volleyball and then be comfortable with each other to share the thoughts and feelings of our hearts with each other. I know that they are all called of God to serve in the Philippines and that as long as they are faithful they will see miracles. 

One of our "investigators" is Raymond. We've been teaching him about the Restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ. During one of our lessons this happened: "Nagapati ka bala propeta si Joesph Smith?" (Do you believe Joseph Smith is a prophet?" "Oo" (Yes) "Nagapati ka bala matuod ang Libro ni Mormon?" (Do you believe the Book of Mormon is true?) "Oo" "Nagapati ka bala matuod ang Pagpanumbalik?"(Restoration) "Oo" Then my companion started to ask him if he would follow the example of Jesus Christ and be baptized by God's proper authority, and in my head I was like ANO ANG NATABO (what is happening). Then he said yes! I almost cried and this is just practicing! I felt the Spirit like a fire within testifying of our message and of the rightness of Raymond's decision to be baptized. It was truly remarkable. 
Afterwards, we had an evaluation with our teacher (aka Raymond) and he read us the journal entry he wrote from Raymond's perspective about the lesson we just had. In it, Raymond says that he himself was shocked that he agreed to be baptized. "I didn't think I was ready, but maybe I am" I can testify that even though the situation is practice, the Spirit was real, and the feelings we all had as missionaries and my teacher as the investigator were real. 

I know that this is the restored church of Jesus Christ on the Earth. I KNOW with all my heart that the Book of Mormon is truly the Word of God. I KNOW that Jospeh Smith is a prophet and that through him, Christ restored his church on the Earth. In church we discussed the Book of Mormon, and it was pointed out that the question is not "why do we need more?" but "what if there is more?" I testify that there is more and oh how wonderful are the principles we can learn from the Book of Mormon and the words of our modern-day prophets. 

Palangga ako kamo! Kilala kamo sang Diyos! (God knows you!)

Sister Bingham 


Pictures:  (Volleyball with the zone)
(We got our zone to participate in Twinning Tuesday, it was navy blue if you couldn't tell)
(a picture in one of the new buildings that I LOVE, Christ with a child)
(Elder Keller brought Elmo to class so he just hangs out with us) 

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