So to start things off I have to tell you the RAT STORY haha. Our Teacher served in Manila, and is like 24, and from New Zealand and super funny! He said if we did a language exercise we would get to here a funny story from his mission, so we all did, and it was so hard but so worth it.
It started with in a mock lesson with him, his phone went off and he felt bad at first and then didn't because that will really happen in lessons. So this is the story: Him and his companion are teaching a lesson, and when they get to a pretty spiritual part of the lesson, a huge rat- he said it was like a kitten or small cat- falls through the ceiling!! HAHAHA. It was so big the ceiling couldn't support it, and just fell through, and then it was just laying there and they had no idea what to do everyone was in shock. So they kept teaching and a little later, it wakes up from getting knocked out and starts walking all slow and dazed and its just this huge rat and the kids start freaking out and it then ran off. So yeah, that was super funny hahaha.
This week has been awesome! I got my flight plans yesterday!
I have to wake up at 4 am and leave at 4:30, and we will be going to San Francisco, to Hong Kong, and then Manila! I'm really excited. I do not think I am ready though haha. Im really lucky because the airport is in my mission boundries and some other elders that are don't have airports have to go to Manila and then like a 12 hour jeepney ride to their mission! So I'm really glad.
The Elders a generation above us (2 weeks ahead) left on Monday morning, and it was really sad because we got really close, and we're the oldest now. Here at the Main Campus its way better to interact with your Zone and it was really hard to meet the missionaries a generation below us because we didn't know them, but since they older ones left, it was just us two groups and we really have become close, and it is awesome! The new elders arrived on wednesday, me and elder N. went and became hosts and the one elder we got was in our zone! So this week has been really fun hanging out with everyone, and they all look up to us, its weird.
Tuesday Night we had a super cool devotional, Elder Lynn Robbins of the 70 came and spoke to us, and i loved it because it didn't seem like he had any notes, and he basically told a bunch of awesome conversion stories and tied them in. He said that we need to be willing to open our mouth, otherwise no one will be able to listen to us, its like baseball, if you don't swing, you can't ever get a hit. He told a really cool story, these pair of sister missionaries were teaching this evangelical pastor who just wanted to give them a hard time, and eventually they got frustrated they stopped teaching him, and then a pair of elders were sent to their area. They saw his name in the area book and taught him and it was the same thing, and one lesson an elder just said, "When are you going to get baptized" and the man laughed and said he was never, it would take a miracle. The elders looked at each other and asked what kind of miracle. The man thought and then said a couple in his congregation were having a tough time and opened the bible and were comforted from the verse that they read randomly. So they handed him a Book of Mormon and said try it. And he opened it to Alma 32: 16-18. (Before he read the verses everyone started laughing already)
16 Therefore, blessed are they who ahumblethemselves without being bcompelled to be humble; or rather, in other words, blessed is he that believeth in the word of God, and is baptized without cstubbornness of heart, yea, without being brought to know the word, or even compelled to know, before they will believe.
17 Yea, there are many who do say: If thou wilt show unto us a asign from heaven, then we shall know of a surety; then we shall believe.
18 Now I ask, is this faith? Behold, I say unto you, Nay; for if a man knoweth a thing he hath no cause to abelieve, for he knoweth i
He got baptized after that!
We watched a film from Elder Bednar and he talked all about the need for us to become missionaries, and change and the steps we need to do. And a story he told was insane! When he was going to Purdue for a graduate progam, he was married and had a 2 year old son, the missionaries came over on saturday, and played nerf basketball with the 2 year old, ate breakfast, talked and hung out. Then after an hour they asked if they had any referrals. And elder Bednar said: "You know, even if me and sister bednar have referrals for you, we wouldn't give them to you. You came here on a saturday, we are happy to feed you, but you wasted an hour of the Lord's time. I don't live in your apartment, but Im pretty sure that you didn't wake up on time. Im pretty sure that you didn't do companionship study. You shouldve came in here and said sorry we can't stay long, but may we share a quick lesson we just learned in our study. I would say of course, and then enjoy the lesson, and close with a prayer, and then you would ask for referrals, and then leave within 20 minutes."
I was like wow! I butchered his tone and everything he said, but it was crazy. Needless to say the missionaries did just that 3 weeks later, and got some referrals. So as members, you need to help the missionaries out, and as missionaries, they need to gain your trust, because they are hopefully going to be teaching your friends.
I encourage you to all pray with Real intent, That's something I have been meaning to share. Maybe I have? But it means to pray and be committed to act on the answer you receive. And that will really change how you pray. Well I will get to email you one more time until I am doing it from the Philippines!!
Mahal Ko Kayo!!
-Elder Roc
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