4-28-24 The Lord Knows

 Kamusta kayong lahat!

Another beautiful week in the Philippines, hard one for sure, but like a scar, has some great stories to tell. Other than eating more dog, frog, and a day old chick thats been fried, there was a temple dedication for such in Urdaneta! And so much more. The experience I want to share happened this past Thursday. 

We started the day working in San Jose, in which we had everything pretty set up. The day was great. A new member of mines and Elder Smith, was nanay Veronica! On our way to teach her, she called out to us from another house on the way. We got to meet her friends as we helped them set up some of their decorations for the upcoming Festiva in Aurora. Following a quick opportunity of service, laughing, and getting to know others in the community there, Nanay Veronica took us to each of their homes, as we were able to share messages with them all, setting up beautiful opportunities for people to progress in this area. The Lord, interesting fella, he knows what hes doing. We headed over to our favorite Illokano tatay, in which, as we invited his wife into the lesson, she went on to snitch on him that he hasnt been following the MANY bawals (restrictions-word of wisdom) that he committed to keep. He continues to go to church every Sunday, but kulong yan. Dont know what that is in English so google translate it. A great opportunity we had then, to reteach the word of wisdom, and although we have these restrictions, there are HUGE blessings that come from such (D&C 89:18-21). Elder Kapunan and I expressed our empathy and compassion, testifying that we know that it is hard to quit. It takes time, and wont be easy! Pero sulit talaga. So worth it. He expressed that he wanted help, and agreed to a plan we set for him, agreeing to continue to follow up with him. The Lord knows what hes doing. We taught a few more awesome lessons, and set everything up for this area, for this upcoming cycle. My awesome companion, Elder Kapunan and I, came home satisfied, knowing things are SET for this upcoming cycle. The Lord knew, what he was doing. That night we had transfer announcements, and you guessed it, I got transferred. Im here now in San Nicholas, Nueve Ecija, training again! When I say buggah is hot, I wake up with a fan on, dripping in sweat everyday. Sometimes it reaches 50 degrees C, yep do the math. The first 3 days here, we had no running water! Or drinking water, thankfully theres a 711 closeby haha. But when I say Sunday was a struggle haha trahss! But the Lord provided miracles talaga. This area has been closed for a few months, reopening with me and my new training companion straight from the MTC, Elder Pampelon! Awesome Elder! This work is not mine, but the Lords, and although I wished to stay, I know the Lord has plans for those people, and the people in this new area. Weve already met such awesome members and are rebuilding the teaching pool here from absolutely nothing, so its awesome. He knows what hes doing. Our only job, is to JAHS TRAHS!! In every aspect.

Alma 38:5

And now my son, Shiblon (switch out your name when you read um), I would that ye should remember, that as much as ye shall put your trust in God even so much ye shall be delivered out of your trials, and your troubles, and your afflictions, and ye shall be lifted up at the last day.

Alam ko na alam ng ating ama sa langit ano ang mga mangailangan natin, bilang mga anak niya. Alam ko at nagpapatotoo ako na ito talaga ang gawain niya dito sa mundo. Masaya na ako na ako ay may pagkakataon para maging ng isang parte ng gawain na ito.

I love you all so much and pray for all of you daily. Keep being awesome people, and JAHS TRAHS!!

ELDER ISHIBASHI

4-21-24 Gawain ng Panginoon

 Kumusta kayong lahat! 

Awesome week as a missionary, as always filled with miracles, as my testimony continues to double daily. My struggle now with Tagalog is simply vocabulary, in which having a Filipino companion, Elder Kapunan, is awesome. He is already a great elder, and know he will continue to grow, as he continues to consecrate himself daily to the Lord. The work is hard in every aspect, but so worth it.

The experience I want to share this week happened as our Zone, set a specific time for inspired finding. Two hours on Tuesday, initially set to allow us to find more of those who the Lord truly prepared for us. As a zone we opened with a prayer, and set out to our areas. As we planned to work and find in Hiwalayan, we quickly realized, NO ONE was home, everyone was attending a funeral for someone who recently passed. Elder Kapunan and I had a decision to make, with 15 minutes to make it. Would we stay and work to find the few we initially had planned, or switch to another area. Taking the decision to the Lord, we said a companionship prayer. Immediately having the same idea, to go to Bacong, without a sakay(trike), we began to think of who we could call, when a member walked up to us saying he was supposed to work with the other Elders, but they cancelled, in which lined up perfectly, helping us to get to our area on time, and begin our finding. As we walked into a side street in Bacong, we began to talk to 2 nanays sitting down, as we helped them set up for the upcoming festiva. Soon about 10 other people came walking in to help, as the nanays helped us to introduce ourselves to them. Even an inactive member, who weve been trying to contact for a while, had family there in which we were able to talk to her, and she came to church this past Sunday. By the time we left, we werent able to write all their names, but were able to answer questions they had, and invited us back to teach. I testify of power of prayer, and dedicating time to the Lord. Not when we have time, but as we make time. 

I continue to feel so weak, so incompatible, and not enough, by myself to be a missionary. Which provides miraculous opportunities for the Lord to make such, strengths. In Jacob 4:7...

7 Nevertheless, the Lord God showeth us our weakness that we may know that it is by his grace, and his great condescensions unto the children of men, that we have power to do these things.

The Lord was able to take a weak and incompetent person as myself, to continue to work wonders in His work. I absolutely love this opportunity to be a missionary, and serve the Lord. This beautiful promise, is for everyone. That as we trust in the Lord, our weaknesses arent hindrances for the Lord, but direct pathways for him to work through. Recognize the weaknesses, and realize the miracles, and tender mercies of the Lord. 

I pray for each of you daily and know and have witnessed for myself that the Lord truly answers our prayers. JAHS TRAHS!

Alam ko at nagpapatotoo po ako na ito ay ang gawain ng Ating Ama sa Langit. Nagiging ng isang saksi ako sa katotohanan na ito araw araw. Walang alinlangan, walang katakutan.

ELDER ISHIBASHI

4-14-2024 How do I love the Lord?

Kumusta kayong lahat ! I feel like I was just here writing my last letter, the days go by so quickly. I couldve never imagined how spiritually packed a day could be, before my mission, and everyday, whether to my standards of successful or not, if I continue to give my all, it is enough for the Lord. Its not my work, but the Lords, and with such, not my will, but His will be done. This week I want to share a question that I pondered, and some of the ways that the Lord answered my prayers. My question was simple, how do we love the Lord? Its easy to say, we say it everyday in our prayers but do we mean it? I know most of you probably do, but I felt there was a disconnect. As I read the Book of Mormon, Alma, Amulek, Ammon, these amazing missionaries have one trait that makes them that way, they each, love the Lord. Their urgency to the work is built on this love, dedication, and consecration to His will. How can we truly love someone that we cant see? Alright and now for the answer Ive been given . The first experiences came from the Lord answering our prayers. As Elder Kapunan and I have been diligently praying to find those that the Lord has prepared, it seemed as if we were in the right places, at the right times, to simply meet new interested friends. Norma Padilla, a 19 year old student, who sat on the side of the road, expressing her desire to hear our message. Tatay Nelio Huertezuela, who as one of our investigators, had his sister and brother in law visiting when we showed up. Happily inviting us in, we shared the restoration and through the spirit, were able to answer any question they held. The next visit he explained their response, following our leaving... pagaalis... you make it make sense in English. He explained that because many of their questions were answered, and the spirit they felt, they will begin to invite the missionaries who pass by their house in the region in which they live. Fruits that I wont be able to taste, but hopefully a seed planted for another missionary. Experiences like these happen daily, sometimes its hard to recognize but they are there! Pray for them! The second part of the answer came from seeing the changes that people are willing to make in their life because of this gospel. Essentially because of Jesus Christ. The people here in the Philippines are very firm and open in their belief is Jesus Christ. For the most part our goal as missionaries, is recentering that focus, on Jesus Christ rather than their own church. Tatay Florencio willing to give up smoking, a lifelong addiction in which he is striving, yes striving President Burton, to overcome. The third part of the answer came from seeing the perfectness and absolute beauty of this gospel. This past week a few children, while playing, unexpectedly led to the drowning of a two year old child. This, let me say, was a hard day. Without sharing all the sacred moments of this day, the plan of Salvation, and the atonement of Jesus Christ removes the sting of death. Although our physical bodies continue to miss, the knowledge of this plan brings comfort. Confidence, sure comfort, sure conviction, doesnt come from simply believing, it comes from knowing. There is no doubt or fear in confidence. 2 Timothy 1:7 7 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. The last came from General Conference, in which we get to watch it the following week. So thanks all you lolos for spoiling it haha jokelang, but it was great. Elder Stevenson, gave a portion of his talk titled "Love the Lord". The answer, is to love others. When I am able to love others, truly love others, I am able to truly find my love for the Lord, increasing my urgency for the work, satisfaction for the work, and each quality I desire. The Lord reveals such to us multiple times throughout the scriptures, lose your life in me to find it, love the Lord with all we have, and love thy neighbor as thyself. By loving others, we will find our love for the Lord as well. I am thankful for the Lords hand, in my life as a missionary. I read and pondered Luke 7, more specifically verses 37-50. How can we serve, love, until tears? Whoever is not familiar, read and ponder this story in the life of Jesus Christ. I am thankful, and in so I will serve, in service will I love, and learn how to love the Lord. Striving to reach, not in my will, but His. Ang pagmahahal ng ating Ama sa Langit ay para sa lahat. May pagkakataon tayo para maramdaman siya at sa pamamagitan ng paglilingkod ko sa kanya, kaya ko pong ipakita ang pag ibig ko sa kanya. JAHS TRAHS! ELDER ISHIBASHI

4/7/24 Its Textbook!

 Kumusta kayong lahat! 

https://photos.app.goo.gl/Spo7MTqANCd1HQJPA

Short letter today, got things to do, but as always another awesome week as a missionary! So many blessings, tender mercies of the Lord, and manifestations of his love for me and everyone of these people here in the Philippines. 

The experience I want to share from this past week came from working with kuya Michael, a new member in which we began to work with this past week. We began to ask him to work with us initially, because he had a trike haha and its just so much more convenient, but over the next few messages we shared, Elder Kapunan and I realized how valuable it is to have Michael with us. One day, all of you,  I hope have the chance to meet Michael. The shortest explanation I can give is, lives under a tarp under a tree, is almost 60 years old, not married yet, no kids, and jobs now and then. As we began a lesson with an investigator, who weve been trying to get to church the past few weeks, Kuya Michael knew her! And began to bare his testimony about an experience he had fasting. He shared an experience about 2 months ago in which Elder Smith and I taught him about fasting, and the promised blessings that come from such. Because he didnt believe, he thought hed do it, to prove us wrong. Fast foward to the next day when job opportunities opened up for him. Absolute textbook haha. Hearing this testimony, in this message we shared with this investigator, brought back the familiar thought that Im able to think everyday, that our Father in Heaven loves us. So much. Each and every one of us, and is willing to show us he is there, as we begin to do what he asks of us. Textbook. So simple, not easy, but simple talaga. As missionaries, sometimes we never see the fruits of our labors, but they are there. Sometimes we dont see or recognize the impact that our actions will have on those around us, or the blessings that the Lord does give us daily, but they are there.

3 Nephi 13:31-34

31 Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? 

32 For your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.

 33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you. 

34 Take therefore no thought for the morrow, for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient is the day unto the evil thereof.

I love this promise in the scriptures. Of course with every promise or covenant (two way promise), the Lord promises and so do we. If we want these blessings, we need to be willing to do our part as well. Here the Lord promises anyone, who struggle with any issue, financial, social, physical, emotional, if we make the change in our lives to put Him first; prayer, reading the scriptures even for a short time, church two hours for the whole week, and seek the Kingdom of the Lord, everything we need will be added unto us. He knows we need these things, and promises as we seek him, those things, we will recieve. I testify of the truthfulness of these scriptures and am a testimony that they work, and can cause anyone to change. Our Father in heaven loves each of us. JAHS TRAHS!! 

Ako ay isang mapatoo na lahat ng mga alintuntunin ng ebanghelyo ni Jesus Christ ay totoo. Nagpapatotoo ako na talaga mahal na mahal tayo ng ating Ama sa Langit, at hinihintay lang niya tayo para tumingi sa kanya. Kailangan lang natin subukan ang mga salita niya. 

I love and miss you all choke! And so does the Lord. I promise you that, jahs trahs and chy. Share your testimony, theres power in it, I testify that our testimony has the power to change a life. Use it, no sked um go get um, if can can if no can, why not? Chy again!

ELDER ISHIBASHI