Its so crazy that Christmas is so close again!!!  So I was wishing it would feel a little bit like Christmas last week, and then it came true:) It has been "cold" this past week... For all the Filipinos they are all freezing, but all the American missionaries are loving life, its great to have a break from maybe 100 degree weather and probably go down to only 80ish... it must be close to Christmas:)

The miracle of the week was that the Sawasi Family came to church!! Their whole entire family!!! Seriously I can't explain the joy... We had taught them a couple of times last week, and then they followed through on Sunday.  Idk why but seeing a whole family come to church as investigators is like the next level joy!!!  And Tatay Abelino has been practicing praying a lot, but he told us on Saturday night, "I'm getting better at this prayer thing, next time i'll be even better!!!" Then he told us in Sunday School after we all shared at the front of the room something that we learned, he said, "I just need to do that a few more times to get more practiced up, to become good at that!"  So this Tatay he really has a desire, he wants to improve, and even though he struggles to read, and isn't the fastest thinker ever, but he loves the doctrine, especially about the Celestial Kingdom, thats his favorite... SO COOL!!!

The other miracle lesson was with Bernard Guiado.  So we went yesterday afternoon and he was there, so we shared a short lesson to him about prayer.  He is 27 years old and he is super spiritual, he talked all about prayer, and why we need it even when there isn't trials, and that we can pray anywhere.  Its super cool to see someone who really knows why its important, i felt the Spirit so strong! Then he told us sorry that he didn't come to church on Sunday, because his boss had him work because it is close to Christmas, so he promised us to go to church in January... We are so excited for him to progress, he really is so prepared!!!  And we testified of that to him, God's plan is perfect, and part of that plan for him is coming to know the gospel through the Spirit, and the message we carry as Representatives of Christ.  

Well it was a a solid week, super work hard, all out week, so much fun to work, just doing our best to spend the most time as we can in front of people, because thats the only way missionary work gets done.  I learned this week also while preparing for a talk that we should do our best to become like the Shepherds... to come with haste to Christ, not walk slow and give a half effort, but with haste and with all effort we have.  And also to make it known abroad to all people!!! Thats why I'm happy to be a missionary, because others become happy through Christ and his message and I get to carry that every single day.  Its good to be a missionary:)

Merry Christmas!!!  

Love, Elder Alldredge

 

We helped these people tie the straw type things, its called Cogon and it is for the roof of their hut houses.

The Sawasi Family came to Church!

So this week was Crazy busy!!! We were all over the place with two exchanges with District Leaders, one of them was a 5 hour bus ride away through the mountains... But hey I got to pass by my old area, Maria!!! So that was super cool!!

Now I will tell you that we have 2 investigators, Veronica and Eloisa that have finished or are in Moroni about to finish the Book of Mormon.  To add to that we have been teaching them for just over a month...  Lets just say they know its true and they are super excited to be baptized on January 6th.  Its amazing to see the desire of 2 teenage girls, who really are so into the gospel.  I was able to look through their BoM and there were literally markings all over the place, wow i know they were prepared of God to recieve the Gospel at this time.

I was able to interview Nanay Leticia from Dipaculao.  She had a stroke and can't walk very well at all.  But her testimony seriously strengthened mine so much!! So she testified about repentance and Jesus Christ to me and how she know that he lives, so powerful! Then I told her after she answered all the questions that she was "magaling" which means very good. Then she said I am not magaling, God is magaling, He gives me strength, He gives me knowledge, and He loves me.  WOW i was like hit by the spirit brick wall, seriously her testimony was so sincere, and it really is incredible to be able to tell someone that they will be baptized, that they are ready to follow the example of Jesus Christ, the greatest invitation that we give as a missionary... that is to Follow Jesus Christ...

Another miracle was Rose again, she has just miracle after miracle happening:)  So a member was supposed to pick her up and go to church with her.  But the member kind of didn't do it, but because Rose was so determined to go, she came all by herself.  Its amazing the feeling you get when an investigator enters the doors of the church, the joy that comes, its the Best:)  And only a missionary will ever know that feeling, its good to be a missionary.....

Ya'll are the best for always sending emails and prayers my way:)

Love, Elder Alldredge

We found some tanks!

Kyle and Elder Leone from Cali on exchanges

This is their church.  Yes, that is the parking garage on the bottom.

Picture of Zone Conference

So first off my email is late because yesterday when we started to email, there was a Brown Out, or the electricity went off, so we got permission to email today....

This week was packed full of miracles while teaching lessons.  Me and Elder Guia are starting to figure out how to better connect and what to do to be guided by the spirit to have miracles in lessons everyday!!!! One thing to start is talking way too much, i realized that was one of my problems and we have made it a goal to make it more of a gospel conversation so the spirit can teach them truly what they need to hear, sometimes from their own mouth......  which has been AMAZING!!!!  President also taught us in Zone Conference TONS of things which we are applying now, and it truly is working!!! Our investigators have had a different response this week, and I feel its cuz we are trying our best to let the Spirit guide the lesson, which is the only way to teach...

So one miracle was with our investigator, sister Rose Biag.  We visited her on Wednesday afternoon and taught her, but truly we didn't really teach, we asked questions to start and because of that she told us that she had come to know for herself that the Book of Mormon was true through prayer.  She also told us of a dream she had about 2 months ago, before we visited her.  She told us that she entered into a church, but she didn't know where, as she entered it was dark, but then she saw people in white waiting to shake hands at the door before she entered.  When she entered the room began to lighten, and it became very bright, where she heard singing, and the sacrament was passed too in her dream.  While she told us this the spirit was so strong.  Then she told us that when we came and visited her the first time, thats when she remembered her dream again, because of the people in white shaking hands;)  Then we testified that it truly was an answer from God, and that He loves her.  It was one of the most powerful lessons of my mission for sure, and I know that Miracles are REAL!!!

We also had one investigator, Sister Veronica who bore her testimony in Sacrament Meeting on Sunday!! She is 14 years old and is reading the Book of Mormon like crazy, she is at least in the middle of Alma right now, and she marks it all up.... She testified of the Book of Mormon and how she came to know it is true through prayer also, wow that was such a cool thing to see!!!

Also if you want to read about an amazing group of people read Alma 24!!! I have been studying that for the past couple of days and these people went from a people that only wanted to kill Nephites, to a people who would not even lift up a sword against an enemy coming to kill them.  They did this to not let their swords become stained again, they laid down their weapons(sins) and HID them away, DEEP in the earth, something we should all strive to do with sin.  Are we giving up our "Weapons of War" every day??"  And they did this as a Testimony to God at the last day. And what will be our Testimony to God at the Last Day?? something to think about:)

Thanks for all the emails and prayers!!!

LOVE, Elder Alldredge

 

Kyle finally got a camera and just in time for some amazing pictures of his zone and area!

We are glad this structure is sturdier than it looks!