Magandang Gabino!

3/24/2014

Las Pinas Village, Manila, Philippines

Friends and Family and Foes,

This week has been one of the best weeks of my entire mission. Miracles are happening. I felt like God was just pouring out ways for us to teach the gospel.

It's because of Brother Gabino!

My title is a little joke off of the phrase "Magandang gabi," or "Good (beautiful) night." And it's so true! He got a call just last Sunday to be a ward missionary, and I whole heartedly approve. He has been working with us every day of the week, and provides a stirring testimony of the power of the gospel to all we teach. Additionally, he shares scriptures in his testimony, and how they're helping him.

Seven investigators were able to attend Pamplona's First Sacrament Meeting today because of him and his faith. Get this: when we came over to his house last Friday, he had a story to tell. He said he talked to his boss about how our church time is being changed to 9 o'clock in the morning. At first, his boss was so upset, and said to him, "Do I need to find another jeepney driver?" Bro Gabino, in reply, said, "I'm giving my Sundays to the Lord. I have six days to do my work, but the Sabbath day is for Him, because He has blessed me so much in my life." His boss was impressed with what he said, but still said he would have to work on Sundays. So guess when his shift is? 2 in the morning until 6 in the morning. I was thinking, “Wow! What faith!” Despite his lack of sleep, he wanted to work with us on Saturday night, and we taught great, spiritual lessons! At one point we went on splits and when I returned to him and Elder Mullins, he said he would be willing to take all of our investigators to church on Sunday morning! That's what this picture is about. Sorry it's kind of  hard to see.  We had a full investigators class! Thing is, Bro Gabino's going to do it again next week!   :)

From L to R: Rose Caverte, Sophia Caverte, Juan Dumlao (he's less-active), Arlyn Ceran and her daughter, May Ann, Angelica, and Jerwin Jr Inocensio, and Cesan.

I had the opportunity to interview a man named Edgardo, who is an investigator of Sister Romero and Riddle. He is a rather forgetful man, so I had to take it slow going over the questions, but he had a great spirit about him. At one point, he was trying very hard to remember all of the parts of the Word of Wisdom, and got so frustrated at himself, because he had been trying to remember them all but forgot cigarettes, and I gently explained it was no big deal. After most of the questions were over and it was apparent he was ready for baptism, I started saying "When you will be baptized on April 5th..."  He cut me off and said "HALLELUJAH! WAHOOOO! TINANGAP AKO!" (I'm accepted!) and got out of his chair! It was a testimony builder for me to see somebody so old and having gone through so much get so excited for baptism because.... well..., he knew it was true! I can't wait to attend his baptism and give him a tie :).

This is my awesome new companion, Elder Mullins, from Indiana! He's brand new to the mission and is learning Tagalog rapidly, and is just a fun guy to be around. He says he likes the weather in the Philippines, which surprises every Filipino, because they hate it. He's super into video games he says, and will probably be a computer science major when he gets back.

That's all for today! And I haven't even covered half of it! But time is short, so darn.

Elder Thurber