August 24th - 31st

 

Thought I better share these beautiful pictures with you.  Meet the DeLeon Family.  Here is the testimony of recent convert Brother DeLeon:

"First of all, I thank Heavenly Father, I pray and tell him, "My life is very difficult because I feel like Satan is holding me." I live an unhappy life, although you are able to live and have friends and drink, but I said this is not what I want, what I want is how I can return to you. I want to know how I can return to you, even if it is just that you send an angel, and I didn't think that on June 24, the missionaries arrived, but before that, there were also people who invited me to other sects, but I didn't feel the joy or the Holy Spirit, but when the missionaries arrived, I said maybe this is what I was asking for, and now they are here and every day they visit, I am always happy and excited to see them, I know that I am on the right path because I am here in the right church.  and now I know what to do. I need to keep the holy spirit with me so that I can be guided and I will never let go of him and I also know that he will never let go of me"  -Brother Emerito De leon

This was such a beautiful baptism.  We were grateful to attend and feel the spirit.  An 8 year old primary girl, a 15 year old young women, Precious Kimberly, and a young mother of 4 sons, Jessalyn Bona were all baptized.  Oh we loved watching these 3 get onto the covenant path.  The bishop standing next to me, Bishop Javier was called and sustained as the new Tarlac Stake President yesterday.  What a special man.

I loved this quote from President Eyring from his talk - A Home Where the Spirit of the Lord Dwells.  It was referenced in CFM this week.  It touched my heart and brought me comfort.  I love how we can all communicate with our Heavenly Father through prayer. Prayer is a source of power as well as healing. As a missionary we are so grateful for the many prayers that are offered on our behalf.  

"Even when family members are not living in the home, prayer can build bonds of love. Prayer in the family can reach across the world. More than once I have learned that a family member far away was praying at the same moment for the same thing as I was. For me, the old saying “The family that prays together stays together” could be expanded to “The family that prays together is together, even when they are far apart.”

What a beautiful reminder - even though we are on the other side of the world our prayers can strengthen and bless each other.  We love YOU ALL!  Thank you for your prayers.  They are needed, appreciated, answered, and felt.