12-12-2023 Week 4 in the Manila MTC “Just be faithful, keep going”

Kumusta po pamilya ko! Thank you all for the emails throughout the week I really do read and appreciate them all so much! I feel like I repeat myself in every letter home with this, but this MTC truly is the Best MTC. Food is top shape, other than the other day when I was stuck in the bathroom all day as the palu Princess, the teachers are dynamic and truly care about the things they teach and day. They do this thing where they ask if were ready in our district rooms, and usually back home, if we say no it's "too bad, listen". It's an interesting view, to see, if someone says no, they won't teach! Until that person says he or she is ready! As a joke at first people would say no, and quickly ready themselves as they realised the teacher won't teach until they say they are. The spirit quickly starts with the spirit, when each individual is ready to learn. Since we started our language weeks, Tagalog has been a struggle, but it's crazy how prayers are answered. Before I get into that, I felt my biggest accomplishment this week came from finishing the Book of Mormon. The spiritual experience was so convincing and powerful, that when I get home haha I'd love to share that experience with you. For those who haven't finished it yet, strive to finish it, and for those who have, start again! It truly is the truest book on earth and testifies how much our Father in Heaven loves us. A tip that I give, is after each page, write on the page how something in that page connects to your life, in any way. In 1 Nephi 19:23-24 we are taught to liken all scriptures unto ourselves and I have found that, IF you do that you will realise how true of a book it truly is to each person individually. That same night, I was able to give some priesthood blessings and use my priesthood which I love. Alright back to prayer, yesterday I studied promised blessings and in a devotional from Elder Choi of the 70, his wife taught that God doesn't take things for free. These two years that we give, will be, like uncle Herbie said, a foundation in which we will continue to build upon for the rest of Eternity. We will be blessed for the rest of eternity for simple things we do, and for the hard decisions, and choices to choose to follow our savior Jesus Christ through faith. These short two years, will benefit any who chooses to serve it, for the rest of eternity. Even though we may feel at times we haven't received the promised blessings we were obedient to the law for, Elder Ballard explained that in the next life, rather than feel like we got what we deserved, our response will simply be something like, "is that all that was required?" To my family, we are so so blessed. And I know and testify that it is because of our choice to keep the Lord as a priority in our lives. Thank you to my family, for being proud members of the Church even through the struggles. I often think about my dad and my grandpa, and the kind of men they are, and attribute every aspect of class and manlihood to attributes explained in this gospel. Praying everyday to be like them, the Lord blesses me with the strength to continue each day with a desire and capacity to continue to learn the doctrine and language, for the purpose to spread his gospel to his children in which he loves so much. With about 2 1/2 weeks left of the MTC, I am no where near where I should be, but know and have faith, like mom told me before I left, the Lord doesn't call those who are qualified, he qualifies those who are called. The Lord doesn't require you to be perfect, but to be willing to make the necessary changes in your life to choose and follow him. In 1 Nephi, the story of the bow and the Liahona, the liahona didn't give Lehi's starving family food, but provided the means to find it, faith doesn't give you happiness but puts you in the direction to find it. Jahs trahsss that you will get there. Alam ko po na totoo ang simahan na ito. Alam ko po na sa pamamagitan ng kapangyarihan ng espiritu santo, malalaman natin ang katotohanan kung nahanapin natin ito. I miss you guys each so much, I pray each night and morning for the each of you and I know the Lord answers our prayers. One way is I was never able to memorise the first vision in English, but somehow, in a day, was able to memorise it in tagalog which, ask Io and Kaimi is much harder and longer haha. One of the many simple miracles just seen here at the MTC. Please let me know if there is anything I can do for any of you Mai Philippines nei eia nō au ko ʻoukou mikioneli punahele, sa pangalan po ni JesuCristo Jahs trahsss, ELDER ISHIBASHI