3/3/2024 Walk by Faith. Not by Sight

Kumusta po kayong lahat! Another great week as a missionary. The Tagalog is slowly improving, as my companion is pushing me to lead the majority of our lessons. I love the work, I love getting up early, and I love simply learning more, everyday about this beautiful gospel. I feel inadequate everyday haha and the more I remember that, the more I can recognize how present the Lord is daily, providing me the strength and spirit I need. The experience I want to share came from earlier this week, as we visited an Tatay. This was his second lesson, but first I want to just talk about this hammah just a little bit. This guy has one eye, no teeth, feeds his pigs, dogs, chickens, and constantly moves his karabow, and giving the biggest gummy smile while he does so. Following the spirit last week, we found him, and got to teach a quick lesson and told him we'd come back as we invited him to ipagdadasal ang mensahe namin to pray (in behalf of) our message. That does not Engliah very well. That first lesson was rough as he first spoke I had no idea what he was saying, just when I thoughy my Tagalog was improving. I looked at my companion as he had the same look, this Tatay looked at us and then I began to understand, Tatay decided to just swap to Illokano. Unreal ah. Following our next lesson, as we extended the invitation for Tatay to come to church, he went down into the meanest Filipino squat and started drawing in the pebbles, as he drew the roads asking where our meetinghouse was. Excitedly kicking away my chair of cahs I had to hop down into a Filipino squat with this guy, as me, Elder Smith, and this brother Florencio Aballn, squatted on the ground, drawing in the rocks. The last week he didnt come to church, he explained he didnt have a ride. This week as we excitedly explained again where the chapel was, me and my companion remembered... that this week is actually district conference ( equivalent of stake conference, but not YET a stake ), in which church this sunday, was in the Suclain, Baler Chapel! From where we were, about 5 times the distance of his house to our normal meetinghouse. In the Philippines Ive really come to appreciate and realize how spoiled we are with cars and simply driving to places, whenever we want! We continued to explain to him that church this sunday will be in Baler, as we continued to draw in the pebbles, in our Filipino squat. Florencio looked up, smiled his gummy smile, and said "Pupunta ako" I will go. As we asked him how he would get there, as we remembered he doesnt have a trike or a motor, he pointed at a one gear, rusty, but painted over again, bubbly bike. As I looked I smiled, as we closed with a prayer and left. I prayed so hard for this Tatay, and asked the Lord to bless his faith. I cant explain how sad I was this past Sunday, as we rode in a trike to Baler, and I waited watching to see him on the way riding his bike to church, and nothing. I had so much faith that he would go, but of course, he had to have the faith himself. District conference was great, especially at the fact that as we walked in, the gummy smile of Tatay Florencio shone bright, as he sat in the chair next to one of our members, blinking his one happy eye away. I think so I almost smiled bigger than him, feeling my teeth might jahs fall out too! As we talked to him and he said he thought he was late! What faith. How much are we willing to give to feel the presence of the Holy Ghost? What distance are we willing to go, to find the truth? Luckily for us who recieve this letter, its already in front of our faces, but so often we forget how valuable it is. In Mosiah 18:9-10, it gives the question what are we WILLING to do, to have the spirit of the Lord more abundantly in pur lives? How can we simply ALWAYS feel loved? 9 Yea, and are willing to mourn with those that mourn; yea, and comfort those that stand in need of comfort, and to stand as witnesses of God at all times and in all things, and in all places that ye may be in, even until death, that ye may be redeemed of God, and be numbered with those of the first resurrection, that ye may have eternal life— 10 Now I say unto you, if this be the desire of your hearts, what have you against being baptized in the name of the Lord, as a witness before him that ye have entered into a covenant with him, that ye will serve him and keep his commandments, that he may pour out his Spirit more abundantly upon you? As we do such, I testify that the Lord will fulfill this promise of feeling his spirit more abundantly in our lives. This is a promise, its literal, just try, and JAHS TRAHS. Ang Simbahan na ito ay totoo. Ang ebanghelyo na ito ay sobrang maganda and perpekto. Nakakakita ako ito araw araw. Pinapatotohanan ko sa inyo na ito ay yung talagang katotohanan pero muna, kailangan natin subukan ito, para malaman ito para sa ating sarili. Para sa akin? Hindi lang ito isang paniniwala, pero ang katotohanan. Alam ko ito. Sa pangalan po ni JesuCristo, Amen. I love and miss you guys choke, but sorry I love this work more. JAHS TRAHS, no sked um go get um. ELDER ISHIBASHI