What a week...

What a week...

It started with having two Sisters stay at our house on Monday and Tuesday nights because they went to Manila on Tuesday for fingerprinting for visa stuff. Then we had district meeting and DL/SL/ STL meeting on Tuesday, exchanges on Wednesday, weekly planning on Thursday, more exchanges on Friday, a DLZLSTL meeting in Mangaldan on Saturday and our baptism and MCM and then church and a half-day mission on Sunday. It was a whirlwind, but all I can say is that I'm so blessed and happy and grateful for the Lord's hand in the work. I thank Him in all my prayers for His patience with my weaknesses as His servant, just trying to do my best to please Him. :)

Brother Rabara was baptized on Saturday :) His daughter, Mau, was not baptized, but it's the Lord's timing. That's what we said in all our prayers and planning. We trust His timing and we knew that she would either be baptized with or by her dad :) I'll keep you updated on when her baptism will be! It was a great service, even though we were a little bit late (but right on time if you are going by FST- Filipino Standard Time :). I grossly underestimated the travel time from Mangaldan to Villasis and we ended up in traffic, calling and texting everyone not to worry that we were on our way and to please take care of Bro Rabara at the church. Despite flying into the church parking lot in a tryke a little bit late and with really wild hair, we were able to have a very spiritual baptism. Bro Rabara bore his testimony and expressed gratitude for finding the true church :) Last night we had him introduce us to his brother and sister-in-law and were able to teach them as well. His whole family lives on one street, so we're going to try to meet and teach all of them! Someday there will be a Puelay-Lipay Branch :)

We are teaching the sweetest family, the Versola's. they were a referral from the Antoqiua family, members. They have four adorable kids, three girls and a boy and I just love sitting on the blankets on their dirt floor and feeling the Spirit and their humble desires to keep the commandments :) Sis V works on Sundays selling snacks door to door, but after we taught them about faith and keeping the sabbath day holy, she promised to do anything to find a way to come to church next week. The miracle too, is that Bro Versola has also started listening in the lessons in the evenings instead of drinking! Heavenly Father is blessing their family!

The mission is going way too fast. I can't even fathom that I only have 4 transfers after this. I just keep feeling like I still have the whole world in front of me. But the longer I serve the more I realize how precious this time is and how little I have left. I'm just going to keep giving everything I've got to Him for the next 6 short months. what a blessing to serve! 

I love you all and hope you have a great week :)

Sister Gustafson