January 25, 2011

Hey yall

So this has been one heck of a week for me here in Lilo An! I didn't transfer. Right at the last second of the transfer discussion meeting, President decided that he wanted Elder Atanacio to train, in a move that left me here in Lilo-An as opposed to transferring to Negros and being comps with one of my best buds Elder Heer. But that's okay. I realize that it must have been a spark of revelation that hit President at the last second. My new companion is Elder Himarangan and he's way cool. He's a little more quiet but I figure there's gotta be something inside that shell. I'll bring it out and help him use it in the work.
So I don't know what's going on with me but I think it has something to do with the Iglesia ni Cristo minister I taught that has me wanting to teach ministers and sit in on church meetings and stuff. Let me tell you about the Iglesia minister first.

So last week I was on exchanges with an American elder who didn't know the language too well and we got invited inside by a minister of the Iglesia ni Cristo religion which is a church that is notorious here in the Philippines for attacking other religions and trying to get into debates. We got into the house and realized that he was Iglesia. But as I looked around the house, I realized that he was more than just a member of the Iglesia member, it was an Iglesia MINISTER!!! So we started talking. I had Elder Nelson run the lesson and I cleaned up the loose ends and handled any objections. The minister was asking us some kind of ridiculous questions like if the picture of Christ on the front of the pamphlet was his real face or not. Stuff like that. So we got to the First Vision and he said that God couldn't be seen because he was a Spirit. So I showed him some scriptures (about 5) that shows that God has been seen and that he does have a body. Then I owned him with Doctrine and Covenants 130:22 saying that the Father has a body of flesh and bones as tangible as a mans. Then he kind of abandoned his argument to say that Joseph Smith is not a true prophet. Now, that got me kind of irritated because to me, you do NOT challenge Joseph Smith and get away with it. So I busted out D&C 130:11 and 12 and showed him that the prophecy of the Civil War came true. A prophecy made 29 years before the war. So that kind of put him on the spot. So then he tried to ask us about the Reorganized Church and say that since the power of prophet did not go to Joseph Smith's son, then any church that follows Brigham Young can't be true. So I put that argument to sleep right quick by saying that the power of prophet does not have to be passed from father to son and owned it by showing him that Joshua was not the son of Moses, Elisha was not the son of Elijah, I showed him about Agabus and could have said more but I proved my point. He didn't say much after that and then we left.
Then last night I actually did a street contact for another church on accident. haha. I saw this Korean dude trying to talk to a filipino and so I offered to translate for him. Well, turns out that they were trying to invite him to attend their bible study class that night. They said it was open to everyone. So that night after our dinner appointment we went over to attend. We get there and the pastor of the church comes up to us and asks my companion what we were doing there...in Cebuano! It was the first time a Korean spoke Visayan to anyone. Ever. But I just spoke English cuz his Visayan was not good. He asked what we were doing and I said we were invited. He started freaking out and asked who. Then this army of Koreans comes out and stands behind him except for the one that said we could attend! So I told him it was a different kid and he said we had to leave. But he said that we could come back and talk with him.  I am determined to talk with him. I think that if I can get my comp and myself in the door a crack, then we can maybe have a convert. haha. YEAH!

Tonight we were invited to attend the Dating Daan sermon. We were also invited to attend their Indoctrination Class tomorrow night...with their PROPHET!!!! Its an open forum where if there are any questions we can ask and he can answer. So we're going to see what happens. I'm super excited.
Let me put the thought to rest that I have not become a Bible basher. I have just gotten comfortable enough with teaching using the scriptures that I feel comfortable in a little heat. The Lord has helped me so far as long as I don't get out of hand. My patience that I have acquired so far in my mission has helped a lot. And I just can't be afraid.

That's pretty much it. Just got done in the temple. It was great.
Hope you have a great week!

I got the brownies. Fudgy and delicious!!! Thanks family! Thanks to Traci too!

I'll be home for Christmas!
Brandon