I guess I should have made a list. I really feel there were only a few things that I can remember wanting to discuss but I'll definitely remember those ones.
I met Derek yesterday actually. I got up to bear my testimony and he recognized my name right away. He talked to me after the meeting and asked me if I was Filipino and if I knew a Katelyn Guinto. It was one of those crazy moments that you get on the mission. Similar to when I met Aunt Kelly's aunt!
I'm really glad that Maleah's testimony keeps growing and growing and she's seeing what a great blessing the Gospel can be to her lives. She has so much glowing potential that can be realized with the teachings of Christ as her foundation. She seems to be growing up into a noble young woman. Keep it up!!
I'll probably be calling about 9:00 PM East Coast time. I can't remember how that converts over on the West Coast but that's probably when I'll be calling. Elder Archibald is doing his at 8 so hopefully he'll be off by then. We only have one phone now. Have as many people there as possible!! It's my last call home so we better make it count!
I did get the package. Thank you so much! Elder Archibald and I will enjoy the treats for some time. I was a little sad that there was no video but I didn't send you one either. I'll be sending you a card today but there aren't many pictures on them. There's not much time to take pictures when you're biking everywhere. I need to get better at it though.
We had a great week this week! We found a lot of new people to teach! One is a family of seven who are actually our neighbors! They're Catholic but haven't gone to church for many years. The father really doesn't like it because of what he calls "the racket." He doesn't like the passing of the plate while he's just trying to worship God and all the corruption and things that go on in his church. He likes what we teach and he really wants to see how it's going to bless his family!
We also met with another Catholic lady when a member decided that he wanted to take us to go see her. She's been so prepared by seeing the righteous examples of the members of the church. She's already attended church before and seen how nice and friendly the members are. We're finding more and more how important it is that members reach out to the nonmembers who come to activities and sacrament meeting, even just to people that they don't know, every expression of kindness can mean a great deal to someone who doesn't get any. Her heart has been truly touched by the Spirit she feels around the Saints of God.
I learned a lot about prayer this week. I've seen my prayers of late have been becoming a little mundane and just "going through the motion-ey" and I was trying to see how I could get out of that rut. We visited one of our investigators who's pretty sinful individual and we decided to talk to him about prayer. We put some church music on while we talked to him and you could feel the Spirit enter in as we heard the beautiful praises to God. We taught him how sacred it is that we as mere mortals are given the opportunity to communicate with the supreme being of our universe and gain answers and direction from Him. Just as I bore testimony about the power of prayer and it's effect it can have on our lives I felt the Holy Ghost testify to him about what we were teaching and I felt it testify to me about the things that I could change to make my prayers more meaningful. It has made a big difference to me this week to make that prayer, whenever I do, so much more that just saying words to get things. I've been praying for others and praying for the Lord's will and it's brought me great comfort and peace.
I'm excited for the upcoming week because we're going to be solidifying all the baptismal dates that we've set for May and the zone is beginning a new Book of Mormon challenge. Read the whole Book of Mormon in the month of May and highlight any referrences to covenants and baptism! I'm so excited to have this great new focus on the Book of Mormon which will help me understand it's role to me as a child of God and as a teacher to the hearts of His people. Any one whole feels impressed should join me and the zone in this challenge and they will gain a greater understanding of how the Book of Mormon helps us to make and keep covenants with our Heavenly Father.
I hope everyone has a great week and talk to you on Sunday!
-Elder Guinto
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