Good afternoon Cadets!
So Elder Arbado didn't think that it was very fair that I spend all my email time typing and not being able to get a single email out. So this is try number 3.
Things have been really great in Cebu this week. We have taken up bowling and pool now every p-day. Its pretty cheap. You pay by the hour too. Pretty sweet. Bowling is coming pretty slow. I'm not that good. But by the end of my mission I ought to be pretty pro.
Last Thurdsday, Elder Arbado and I stopped by the Cebu Zoo. It was more of "the place with the most animals" than a zoo really. I've never seen a zoo that invites you to hop into a pit with a giant crocodile and pet it. Not the best idea. But of course, I did it anyway.
And this hideous bird is a 90 year old cockatoo. You're probably saying to yourself "there's no way that a cockatoo would live to 90". And you're right. Because every other cockatoo on earth kills itself when it starts to get as ugly as this thing. hahahaha.
The work is going really really well.
This last week we committed Sister Daisy and her daughter Crysta to pray about the message of the Restored Gospel of Jesus Christ. On our return visit, they hadn't done it yet but the next day when we returned they were so excited to tell us that they had in fact both prayed about the gospel message and that they had felt the same feeling that we had told them that they would receive. Seeing their progression has just been awesome.
We have also been teaching this guy Yung Yung. He's 20 years old. He's seemed pretty interested in what we've been teaching but when we asked him to pray he forgot. So we decided to change our lesson to the importance of prayer and the importance of asking Heavenly Father in prayer if this message is true. Elder Arbado started to talk to him about prayer and stuff. He went on for quite a bit and then turned the time over to me to bear my testimony about the thing that we taught like I usually do. But this time, I ended up teaching.
I told him that he really needed to pray. I told him that this was the most important thing that he has ever heard whether he knows it or not and that he needs to ask to see if its true. Because its one of two things. Either we are lying to his face or we are telling him the truth. And thats something that he needs to know. Its something that he deserves to know. And its something that Heavenly Father is dying to tell him once he goes to him in prayer and asks with a sincere heart with real intent. I told him that he can't go kind of believing that he will get an answer. He has to KNOW he will. It was really cool. I dont think that he knew that I knew that much Cebuano. He was really intent and focused and the Spirit was definitely there allowing me to be bold but not overbearing.
Then a couple nights ago I went with Elder Clark my zone leader to teach one of his investigators he's been teaching since October that knows that everything in the Church is true but can't quite seem to make that step into baptism. So he asked me to come with him and help him to try and commit them. Before we left the house I went to my desk and got on my knees in prayer. I asked Heavenly Father to please give me the Gift of Tongues and the Gift of the Interpretation of Tongues so that I could aid these people in making that last step of committing to baptism. I told Him that I had done everything that He asks for me to do in order to receive these gifts as promised in my mission call. I was studying the language diligently and I was living my life in such a way that was pleasing unto Him. So I plead with Him to bestow me with those two gifts.
We headed over to the house and I greeted them and they greeted me. We had a nice meal of chicken and rice and then we sat down to have our lesson. I said the prayer and we started to teach. Elder Clark and I bounced off of each other. We shared scriptures from the Book of Mormon and bore our testimonies. As Elder Clark finished up bearing his testimony, I took over. Well, rather the Spirit took over. I felt very compelled to be bold with them on what they were missing out on by not being baptized yet. I told them of the blessings that I have received from baptism and membership in the Church. I told them that yes, you receive blessings for reading the scriptures, saying your prayers and going to Church but you can't receive the full blessings from those things or all the other blessings that Heavenly Father wishes to bestow upon you without making the sacred covenants of baptism. It's just impossible. I told them of Sister Ceniza who we baptized on January 23. How before her baptism, her house was a circus with her three young children running everywhere and being obnoxious as we tried to teach her the truths of the gospel. However, after her baptism her home became a place where the Spirit was ever present. Her kids were much more mellow. They recognized the Spirit there. She was much more loving towards her children. She recognized the Spirit there. And we were able to teach the gospel to her on a level that we had not been able to do yet. We recognized the Spirit there. I continued to tell them of the countless blessings that were waiting for them once they were baptized. I then asked them each if they wanted those blessings. They each did and then I asked them if they knew what they had to do. They each said that they needed to be baptized. Then Elder Clark asked them to be baptized. My heart sank a little when they said that they weren't quite ready yet. We challenged them to prepare, ended with a prayer and left.
Although they didn't commit to making those important sacred covenants, the appointment was a success. To me at least. They felt the Spirit. And I felt the Spirit. And they now KNOW that they have to be baptized. I know that the Spirit manifested that truth to them there. Also, it was a personal success for me as well. I had taught my entire portion of the lesson, engaged in small talk, and got to know these people all in Cebuano. No English at all. I truly had received both the Gift of Tongues and the Interpretation of Tongues. On our way home Elder Clark told me that I did great and even made him look bad. I told him that it wasn't me that made him look bad. Heavenly Father made him look bad. Haha. That was pretty funny.
A funny story happened last night. We were at Shobee Bakeshop and I was talking to this really old lady. She was about 85 years old. She was talking to me in English and asked me where I was from. I told her that I was from California. Then she told me how her sister lives in California and that she loves it there except for all the black people! I was shocked! She went off on how black people are condemned to Hell because they are a sinful, godless people and that they are so hateful to anyone who isn't black. Then she asked me what I thought. I said that I have lots of black friends who are really great, friendly people and that there's good and bad types of everyone and that she might have just met a mean person. Then Elder Arbado said it was time to go. So I shook her hand and immediately she raised it up with her palm facing me and started yelling to God. She told him to protect us in all our journeys and to keep us safe from murderers and all manner of beasts. Then she started speaking Tagalog. But I didn't know what to do. So I looked to Arbado, to the woman and then at her hand. And then I knew what to do. I gave that old woman the most awesome high five she probably ever has received in her life. It felt so good. It had its own little clap and when I turned around to leave I realized that everyone in Shobee had been watching this. They had just seen my high five an ancient old woman who was praying for my protection. Yeah. That was definitely a culture fail. Or a culture win. I'm not really sure.
Well, I've got to head out. I've got Family Home Evening at a member's house tonight with my district. Hope that everyone is doing well. I love you all.
Love,
Elder Treadway
