4-20-25 Blood Stained Streets

Aloha mai kākou! Another great week in the Philippines! Had a bunch of curve balls this past week, but were able to make the best of what we had, planning for Easter Sunday, our friend Rainiel got baptized, and other miracles written in the journal. In the Philippines, they celebrate very passionately the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. In such, trying to mirror the things that he did, in their own individual way to recieve remission of their sins. Parades fill the streets, while people whip themselves leaving their backs covered in blood. Other streets are lined with people laying on it, and others with masks and face covers are whipping their backs and legs. Others walk with crosses on their backs for the whole day, and in extreme cases, nail themselves to it. Although this is not something that we do or believe in, there was a different sense of appreciation for the atonement of Jesus Christ. The pain, the blood, and great sacrifice he performed for us. For you & I. There was a difference, while seeing these people bleed, and participate in self mortification, with their intent to emulate the Saviors atonement, that made it a lot more real to me. The experience from this week I want to share, happened as Elder Johnson and I were finally headed to 7-11 to have a late lunch on the go, as we were on the way to the Church for our baptism. While on the way to 7-11, there was a drunk man on the side of the road, sitting, and yelled once or twice into the air. Elder Johnson and I walked up, and talked to him. He told us that he had a lot of problems, and he sat alone. We asked if he wanted to clear his mind and go for a walk with us, he turned it down at first, until we invited him again. He stood up with us, we bought him a water and began to walk. We told him were on our way to a baptism, and asked if he wanted to watch it. Again, no, invited him again, and he continued to come with us. We talked to this brother on our walk to the Church, and again before entering the gate, stopped and said he didnt want to go, we invited him again, encouraged him and he came in. We walked around the Church, then into the Church as he looked at the pictures, and sat with us, before the members showed up to the baptism. There we talked again, until after about 20 minutes, he had to go. He shook our hands, gave us a hug, and left. This man, named Julius, is one that I feel mirrors each and everyone of us, at one point in our lives. Not drunk, but maybe doubting, not slurring words, but maybe depressed & hopeless. It is in these times that the savior, with his infinite atonement, invites us, over and over again, to come to him and be healed. Mosiah 14:5 5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. He knows us, better than we know ourselves. You're struggles, for a time we're his, your pains, for a time were his, and through his pains, death, and ressurection, we have the surety and confidence to overcome ours. I am so grateful for the atonement of Jesus Christ, and how often he continues to "invite", despite our denying sometimes through disbelief, lack of faith, sins, imperfections, inadequecies, weaknesses, generational habits & sicknesses, hard living circumstances, all of it, he invites all of us to come unto him and be healed. How do we come unto him? Meet the missionaries. Give them 5 minutes. I am grateful for the opportunity to share about the Perfect One, here in the Philippines with a people who love him so much, just sometimes don't understand yet how to show it. So as why we hea🤙traaaahs. Jahs trahs. Love you guys choken, ELDER ISHIBASHI