Work Pays Off

April 24, 2011
Wow, sounds like a very interesting week. Supposed to be relaxing, but spent a ton of time working!
We'll we also worked our butts off and it paid off. We got 25 lessons this week! Most with a member present. The last couple of days have been exhausting. We had some good experiences, and somethings could have been better. We had a good number of investigators at church, but were expecting more.

Church was an interesting experience... The branch president was sick, and his counselor didn't show up (hardly ever does). Branch president also isn't the best at calling on speakers a week in advance. So I called a speaker that was supposed to speak the week before but wasn't there so I had to take her place, now it was her turn! She did a good job though. Figuring out who was going to preside was fun too... Until 5 minutes before the meeting started there were no key holders there, but then the YM President showed up, he is also a former branch president. So he presided and was the concluding speaker. Other than that the rest of the block went pretty well.

Before we could leave the church it started pouring rain! And we hadn't brought umbrellas because it was way nice weather when we left in the morning. We ended up waiting for an hour! But we didn't let it get our spirits get down. We found some way smart people. They are both mechanical engineers that work in Saudi Arabia, home visiting the family. They were way into the lesson and we were able to answer some questions they had about the church. They gladly accepted a Book of Mormon. They are going to be here for a while so we are going to try and teach them. The day continued.

We were able to meet with a family we talked to last week. They were way good too. They had read the pamphlet we left with them and it was just making things clear for them. The mom had a bunch of good questions, including what it takes to join the church, so we invited them to be baptized and explained some of the other steps they would have to take. They all accepted! There was one guy, a son, that walked in late and seemed like he wasn't really paying attention, but I noticed that he was nodding his head was we were talking, at the end of the lesson he was paying attention and looking right at us.

As far as Joy Delatori, the good contact from last week. We were only able to teach her once this week, but it was good. She accepted a Book of Mormon and said that she would read. She is still doing well, it's just been with all the craziness of Holy Week it has been hard to get her at home. Holy Week is nuts... Many strange ideas...

We were able to find and teach two more families, and will go back to them.

About the temple, that is way right. Good inferring Dad. That was addressed in a talk in conference. I forgot who it was that gave it, but it was way good. I have come to realize that too, being here far from a temple. The members here don't usually have to sacrifice THAT much to go to the temple, but sometimes they do. Elder Reidhead and I were talking this morning about how much we miss the temple. It's crazy, definately one of the first things I'll do when I get home, right after going swimming!!

With Elder Reidhead and I staying together, again, it seems like transfers havent even happened since January. It feels weird to not have things change. But at least I'm with Elder Reidhead, we get along really well and work together really well. We build on each other's strengths, making us stronger, and we make up for each other's weaknesses. Many members have said that we are a great pair and should just stay together for the rest of the mission. As good as that sounds, and as much as I love Ayungon, I want to transfer eventually. But it's weird, I only have six transfers left, including this one! That's going to go by WAY fast.... Maybe too fast....

I'll just put that out of my mind and keep working hard! I love you all!

Elder Phelps