Week 41 (Cauayan)

Maayong Aga!!!!!!

So yesterday was a really great day full of miracles and we were so thankful and felt such amazing love and spirit for the people of Cauayan Branch. 

I'll start with the biggest thing that shook us all. One of our investigators (Latif, 20 years old) came to church for the first time and my companion was sitting next to him (I was up at the piano) and he turned to her and asked if anyone could go up and she said yes and he asked if he could. My startled companion asked what he would say (being a little nervous). He just said about how we are teaching him and the Book of Mormon so she said yes and he went up. I, unaware of this conversation, saw him stand and walk to the front and was so amazed and I admit a little afraid. He spoke about how his new friends, Sister Bingham and Sister Nanlabi, have been teaching him the past 3 weeks about the Mormon church and Joseph Smith and about the Book of Mormon. He read the paragraph we read to him "We invite all men everywhere to read the Book of Mormon, to ponder in their hearts the message it contains, and then to ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ if the book is true. Those who pursue this course and ask in faith will gain a testimony of its truth and divinity by the power of the Holy Ghost." He then talked about how he read and prayed and he felt God's presence. He testified that even though he's new to this church, he knows it is true. He will strive to come to church every Sunday and become a member of this church. I couldn't help but shed some tears of joy and gratefulness that he felt what I have felt so many times as a member of the Lords' church. He was warmly welcomed by the members and was invited to an activity this week and he's really excited to go.

We also had 6 youth age students attend for a research project. We got their number so we can set up an appt with them this week. There were a total of 11 investigators at church! The Lord's hand was evident in the work. We felt it. 

We also taught temple prep class and the room was full! There are 4 people ready to go to the temple in August and we got to know some new families who have been less active but are coming back to church and will begin preparing to go to the temple! I'm so grateful for the role we get to play in their journey.

As missionaries in a branch we help people learn about the covenants of baptism and covenants made in the temple. I love it so much. I love meeting people and getting to know their stories and tell them how much God loves them and all the amazing things he's prepared for His children. I can't explain what I felt at church yesterday. I can't explain how amazing God's plan is for us. I can only tell you that I know it's true. And you too have the opportunity to know for yourself, and if you already know you have the chance to help others find this. To know what we know and feel what we feel. That's missionary work. So we all, as children of a loving Heavenly Father, can return back to His presence, better and stronger then when we left His presence.

Love you all!

Sister Bingham






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