December 8, 2014 Oh. My. Goodness. LAST WEEK.

Bro Narding, Delio Cayanan, Tatay Lero, Vernie, Loida, Gwen

Another FHE at Tatay Lero's house

Hello Family!!

Well, my subject line says it all.  I can't believe it.  It still doesn't really feel like I'll be leaving the Philippines next week.  I feel like I'm just going to keep serving here.  But everyone keeps telling me "You're going to be spending Christmas with your family!" So weird. Everyone here in the mission who is close to going home always gets sick. So true to form, I got sick on Friday.  Everyone at church laughed at me and said that I'm homesick and not to worry because I'm really close to going home.

This week was pretty good.  We met a new investigator named Ron who I feel is really interested.  I noticed him one day when we were walking to a different investigators house and saw him watching us  come down the street.  Unfortunately, that day I didn't stop to talk to him.  But then two days later, we were walking down the same street and I saw him again.  And again he was watching us with that look on his face that he kind of wanted to talk to us, but was too shy to call out.  So we stopped and talked to him.  We were about halfway through saying that we were missionaries from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, when he asked "What days are you sisters here?"  we told him Wednesday and Friday.  He said "Oh good!  I only have half day of work on those days." So we set up an appointment and then went back to him last Friday.  He listened to our message about the restoration and was super excited about the Book of Mormon.  He told us that he really wants to change.  He said that when he was younger, he was pretty wild.  He kind of ran away from home for several years.  And then his dad died.  He felt really guilty that he wasn't here to help take care of things because he is the oldest.  So he came back and is helping his mom and siblings and trying to make up for the things he did when he was younger.  I can just tell that he is ready to change and I know how much the gospel will help ease his regrets.  Sis Lucillo told him that it is possible to see his dad again in the next life and be with him again.  He said "Really?"  At the end of the lesson, he said that he wants to keep listening to us and he wants to read the Book of Mormon.

Vernie is doing pretty good.  He really really really wants to get baptized but he had a little obstacle come up this week.  His grandma decided she doesn't want him to get baptized.  (she's the one who is his guardian)  So Vernie was pretty sad on Saturday and said that he was really angry with his grandma because he's turning 18 this week so he's old enough to make his own decisions.  But he said that he didn't say anything to her because he was afraid that he would say something bad while he was angry.  But he told Sis Lucillo that he feels like God hasn't answered his prayers and that it's taking a long time.  Sis Lucillo told him that he needs to keep praying and pray for his grandma.  There is a way for him to be baptized this month!!  So that's the challenged that were working with this week.

Well, that's kind of the update from Pilar, Bataan, Philippines.  It's finally hit me that I'm going home and I'm kind of feeling sad.  It's kind of funny, your whole mission you look forward to going home...until the last week.  And then you realize that you won't have this again.  And that they're going to take away your name tag.  And then your power and authority is going to be gone.  But I have been sooooooo blessed by serving a mission!  I am so grateful that I was called on a mission!  There are so many things that I have learned and I have seen so many miracles while I have been here.  But most of all, I feel like my testimony has been tried and solidified.  I know that this is the true church of Jesus Christ.  I know that it was restored through Joseph Smith.  I know that Heavenly Father loves each and every one of us and He sent His son to earth so that we could return to Him.  I know that because of the atonement of Jesus Christ, we can be forgiven of our sins and become worthy for the kingdom of God.   I love our Savior!  And I know that the Book of Mormon truly is another testament of Him and through it we will draw closer to Him.

I hope that you all have a great week!

Mahal ko kayo!!!

Sister Sirrine