Magapit/Cagayan Week 78

Naimbag nga malem Francis Family,

Happy Valentines to you all!!!

This week was full of afflictions for me and full of trials, but one quote I  read this week that kept me working hard and going was "Life isn't meant to be easy, it's meant to be lived. Sometimes good, other times rough. But with every up and down, you learn lessons that make you strong." That's how I felt this week and it was not easy. 

On Tuesday me and Elder Lobaton went to our farthest area, Golden Valley, to find a less active family.  While we where out there, the trail we were walking on was really muddy (putik), and I  slipped and got all dirty and covered in mud.    I  lost my name tag in the mud and it was hard to find and as soon as I  found it it broke on me. So what a great day. 

Also on Thursday I  was getting ready to go to District Meeting and I was taking a shower.  The shower handle was loose or not working right, so I  started to twist it and the whole thing came off, and we had a big whole in the wall spraying water and I was soaking wet and the other three were sleeping.   I came in wet and I said to them we have a problem in the bathroom, they just laughed at me. Then on Saturday we were finding new people to teach and my bag that I  have used all my mission ripped and all my stuff inside broke and then my shoes ripped too. So what a great week for afflictions and trying my patience. But I read a scripture in the Book of Mormon that caught my attention:

Alma 26:27
27 Now when our hearts were depressed, and we were about to turn back, behold, the Lord comforted us, and said: Go amongst thy brethren, the Lamanites, and bear with patience thine afflictions, and I will give unto you success.

That is very true for all the things that happened to me this week, I am not alone in this work and it really did try my faith and I really thought about when I  have patience and just enjoy the mission life and all the things that happen to me, to just to push through it and  continue to work hard.

So that was my week.  We do have an investigator we are preparing for baptism on February 27th, Sister Jonel.  She is 19 years old and is a student at CSU ( Cagayan Sate University.  She is super excited and she has a strong testimony about the book of Mormon and Joseph Smith, so I am super excited for her and to see what happens to our area also. But I  am doing great and enjoying life and ready to enjoy the last 6 months of my mission hahahaa.  I am not trunky, just excited yeaaaaa!!!   But i will take mom's advice and do everything I  can to finish strong and do all I  can to work hard and finish my mission and return home with honor and just enjoy the rest of my mission.

 I love you all and miss you all so much.

Mahal ko kayo at ingat kayo palagi Francis Family


Elder Francis


P.S. Can you please put at least $100 dollars on my card, so I can buy a new shower head, a new bag, and a new pair of shoes too. Thank you po and also send some CTR rings for the primary here in Magapit at least 20 plus.

Magapit/Cagayan Week 77

Naimbag nga Malem Francis Family or Magandang Hapon Po Francis Family,

This week has been pretty good.  We are preparing a little girl for baptism this week.  Her name is Mary Jane A.  and she is an 8 year little girl and she lives with her grandma and grandpa and they are less active.  This Saturday we will be having a baptism, so I am excited for that to happen.  She is  super cute and friendly. So that's what we have been focusing on this last week - trying to build up her testimony and having her read the Book of Mormon.

This week not much really happened, but today we played basketball with the members here in Magapit and while we were playing I got elbowed in the face and I have a hurt jaw and .   I think I cracked a tooth or two  So today we are going to go to the hospital to see what's wrong with it and I might have to get x-rays.   So what another great day, have to go to the hospital again, but don't worry about me I am okay and I will carry on with the Lord's work and you know what I really enjoy the mission life and all the trials and challenges that happen every day. 

It really tests how strong my faith is.  I also read a talk this week that really caught my attention, "The joy of living a Christ- centered life."- It's by Elder Richard J. Maynes and he said to us that "our core, the center of our lives, must be Jesus Christ and his gospel. Living a Christ-centered life means we learn about Jesus Christ and his gospel then we follow his example and keep his commandments with exactness."  So I really took that into my work this week and how I can help others center their lives on Jesus Christ and his gospel, and especially for me too.  When I bear my testimony I should focus it on Jesus Christ and his gospel.  This is also something he said: "If our lives are centered in Jesus Christ, he can successfully mold us into who we need to be in order to return to his and Heavenly Father's presence in the Celestial Kingdom." So that's something I really want to focus on this week for my missionary work is really centering Christ and his gospel and Atonement  in my life and live by his teachings and "remember who I am and what I stand for."

As a missionary there are a lot of temptations out there in the world but when we take this quote I shared with you, when we remember who we are and what we stand for.  We just need to center our lives on Jesus Christ's gospel and live by his teachings and we will live a happy life and we will be closer to him. So that's what I i read this week and that's really what my week was about. Just excited for the baptism on Saturday and going to the hospital again. I miss you all so much and love you all so much too. 

Mahal ko kayo Francis Family

Elder Francis 

P.S. Can you put some money on my card - at least 50 to 75 for the hospital and x-rays too. Thank you mom and dad and Emily.

Magapit/Cagayan Week 76

Magandang umaga po Francis Family or Naimbag nga bigat Francis Family,

This week has been great. 

The thing you shared with me about (2 Nephi 31:20), I really like that scripture a lot.  This last week I shared that scripture with a lot of members and our investigators. I love where it says "press forward with a steadfastness in Christ." I think about what this means to me and this is what I think what it means to "press forward"-   It means that we are required to make a real effort against some opposing forces, like we as members need to put forth our energy in living the gospel because in this world we are surrounded by opposition to the commandments of God. What it means to be steadfast- Immovable in our loyalty to God and Christ, when have hope and love for him. That's what I take from this verse. That's what I take into missionary work.  Every day we see rejection, or our investigators don't want to listen to our message anymore, and with all the temptation and darkness in the world today.  But when we press forward and are steadfast in living the gospel of Jesus Christ, we will be guided throughout this life.  When we center Jesus Christ's gospel to our lives and truly live his teachings we can be protected from the opposition and darkness in the world.

So this week I have been really focusing on centering my life on the gospel of Jesus Christ and live his teachings.  Also this week I have been feeling great and been really healthy and working hard and finding more people to share this happy gospel with.


Cristel's mom didn't get to be baptized because she had a hard situation: to choose baptism or be separated from family, so broken family. That is a really hard choice  for her, but she is doing great and everything is going well for her and her family.

 

Been nothing too much happen this week, just work work work. That's usually what happens every week just work, but I am loving the missionary life and enjoy sharing the gospel with others and helping them come closer unto Christ and repent of their sins and feel the power of Christ's Atonement and how much it has a part in our life.


It looks like you guys got a lot of snow and dad had to shovel it all, wow masipag si tatay. He really is hard working and I really miss the snow, but the weather now here is really hot and I am starting to sweat every day again. But it sounds like you guys are enjoying life and everything is going well for you all.  I miss you all so much and love you all too. 

Mahal ko kayo at ingat kayo palagi 

Elder Francis