Hello Family! Yes, we did have our baptism this last week, and what a great day it was. Well actually when we first got to the church, we were a little nervous if the baptism would actually happen. Our ward mission leader had gotten to the church three hours before the baptism was scheduled to start filling up the font, and when we got there 15 minutes before the baptism, the water was maybe mid calve... yeah the water was coming out really slow. So we started praying and thinking of other ways we could get water. As we were going around the church talking with Bishop and the others members, investigators started showing up. Then the most exciting thing was Christian's mom showed up. We've had a few opportunities to teach his mom, and she is SO nice. The other day we went and just kind of chatted with her. She told us that she really wants to come to church, but she has a new baby, 3 months old, and her husband doesn't want her taking the baby out of the house where the air is so dirty and such. But she's encouraging her younger children to go to church with Christian because she really likes the change she's seen in him.
I think I told you before that Christian is one of the quietest people I know. Even when he does speak, his voice is just so quiet. Sometimes that makes it hard to teach, but as we got to know him more, he really opened up more. I asked his mom one day if he is just as quiet at home with their family. She told me that his whole life he's been really, really quiet. But she also told us that the times that he is the loudest and happiest at home is Sundays, right when he gets back from church. Isn't that neat? When she told me that, it made me smile pretty big. I love seeing in others’ lives how understanding gospel principles, changes behavior. He also has worked with us a few times and is starting to open up little by little. The SA's told me that he went to mission prep class and raised his hand and shared. Then he told me how he is preparing to serve a mission, and when I talked to his mom, she said the same thing. She also said she is so supportive and thinks that would be great for him.
Yeah so that's just a little about Christian, but back to the baptism: so we were SO excited to see his mom there because that's the first time that she's been inside the church, and her husband gave her permission to go. But then we're back to the problem that it was supposed to start at 4:00, and it was going to be 7 or 8 at night before the font was filled. So Bishop and some of the brothers went to this business close by and got buckets of water and brought them back to fill up the font. Well that didn't make a huge difference. So then they went outside and fixed 2 hoses, then brought them in through the window, and started filling it up with the hoses. Well before we knew it, our prayers had been answered, and we had a full font!:) YAY! So we started the program and it went so well. We had two great speakers. Sister Tuia and I sang with a ukulele "When I am Baptized" inTagalog:), my favorite song! One of our ward missionaries Christina Archisola is posting it on Facebook she said so you'll have to find it. Dad I think she said you two were friends, but I don't know. Then Christian bore such a neat testimony. It was simple and short, but he talked about how at first he just went to church because his friends were there, and he thought it would be fun. But then he said as he got to know the gospel and saw it helped him in his life when he was sad or having a hard time, his reason to go to church changed, and he couldn't describe the feeling. It was really neat. What a blessing it has been to see Christian come to know his Savior and see the change in his life. So it turned out such a great day. Mom, the other boxers actually didn't come, but we are having a FHE later tonight with all of them.
Oh another exciting thing that happened this week is Sister Ronquillo or should I say Claubelle, as an RM, came and worked with us:) She lives in Quezon pretty close so it was so fun to see her again and have her teach with us again. She was my second companion here in the mission so a lot has changed since we taught together in Carmona.
This whole week we had a lot of what Sister Tuia called last night "little miracles." Heavenly Father led us right to his children that really needed our help this week. We found two new investigators this week who as we just started talking to them, they opened right up, and next thing we knew they were in tears. One of them was sister Tess who told us that the night before she had been praying and asking Heavenly Father what she was doing, what was her purpose here, and what she was supposed to be doing with her life. Her dad passed away two years ago, and it's still hard for her. She told us that she passes the time by playing games on Facebook because she doesn't want to think of it. Even though she said she's not really the game playing type. Then she said when she looked out her window, she saw us outside talking to her neighbor who is actually one of our members. She then went outside and was just standing on her porch, not really sure what she was going to do. So she just kind of stood there.
Then we were asking our member Brother Jimero if he had any referrals for us, and he said he couldn't think of any. Then we asked about his neighbors and kind of pointed to the lady that was out on her porch. Then he said, “Well she's 7th day Adventist, but why not? I'll introduce you to her.” Then that's how it all started.
Also Saturday night after the baptism, we felt that we should go visit one of our less active members we hadn't seen in a while. We went and shared with them, and their 3 year old little boy wasn't feeling well at all. Sister asked me if I could please give him a blessing. haha I then explained that I had no priesthood so that wouldn't be very effective. But then we assured her that we would come by the next day after church with some priesthood holders. Well when we went to visit them, we found out right after we left their house, they ended up going to the hospital. So we then proceeded to walk to the Mandaluyong hospital where sister was with little CJ. She looked so relieved as she saw us walk in the doorway. Our great ward missionaries offered the blessing, and after the blessing sister just sat and cried and cried. She was so touched. It was a really neat experience. There is SO much power in the priesthood, and I am so grateful for that blessing in our lives.
So yeah Sister Tuia was right on when she said we saw a lot of "little miracles" this past week. This past week as a mission we've really been focusing on exercising more faith, and I know without a doubt our little miracles were the result of the faith we have been exercising. So we are just doing great.
Oh and I have a favor to ask you, Mother: so Bishop's son Kevin is going to Angeles mission as well, and I'm pretty sure he will be in the same batch as Brynn:) Kevin is working with us a lot, and he is so awesome! Well now in the MTC in Provo, they have little mini Preach My Gospels. Sister Tuia has one, and Kevin just thought it was so cool. Well they don't have any here in the Philippines. So do you think there is any way you could ask Brynn to get one in the MTC, and then when she meets Elder Evangelista, give it to him?? Is that too much to ask?:) I know Kevin would love it. AND when you talk to her, tell her I'm so excited for her, and she will ABSOLUTELY LOVE it!!
Okay what else, oh Dad, about the going home thing, President said he was afraid it was too late to change when I go home, so it will be April 10th. He said that he will let me call the Dagot family when I stay at the mission home and chat with them, but I wouldn't be able to be at the sealing. So yep that's the news. I'm about out of time, so I think that's all I have for today. Love you all so much! Have a great week and a Happy Valentine's Day!:)
Mahal ko Kayo!
Sister Stromberg
Sister Stromberg
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