Hello family!!!
This week was one of the best weeks of my entire mission. We saw so many miracles and truly witnessed being the Lord’s instruments. I cannot even explain it, and this morning when I went to write all about it my journal, I couldn’t. haha it was so hard to express, but I did my best in writing it down :D
Sister cabada and i had a really cool companionship study this week, we set some good goals and really felt the spirit. Since we have done that, we have literally seen miracles in the area.
Here are a few:
-the “there’s really no hope for her” LA came to church for the first time in years, Nanay Domingo, and the branch fellowshipped like there was no tomorrow!!!!!
- Our investigator’s (Lirio) husband joined the lesson last night. and we somehow (haha, somehow- it was obviously the spirit) were guided exactly in what to say- we committed them to get married so that nanay can be baptized.
-Our recent convert who has been struggling has now been to church 2 weeks in a row, and is partners at work with our really strong RC.
-We had an awesome lesson to our active fellowshipper’s boyfriend, who is now starting to become progressing. :)
-We were so guided as well in another lesson with our referral investigator (Kris) who is really just struggling in receiving her answer about the book of Mormon. We were so guided in our discussion and her faith grew so much.
-we met a couple who are members of Iglesia ni Cristo (the church that they say an apostasized LDS member started back in 1914) and they let us right in their home. They had 1,000,000,000 bajillion questions but we were calm and answered the best we could while still bearing our testimony. If that would have happened at the beginning of my mission, I think I would have cried right there on their front porch haha. He was subtly mocking me for the fact that I know joseph smith is a true prophet because I prayed about it. But when he asked me over and over, mockingly confirming that that really is how I know, I just smiled and look right in his eyes. The spirit was so different in that encounter, but I honestly have never felt so sure about anything in my life.
-Our family investigators (LUZANO family) are progressing so much and are really becoming prepared for 29 November to be baptized!
Here is the last of miracles from the week: the couple missionaries had visitors this week (their son an RM and his wife who is muslim, and elder morgan’s brother Frank who is an atheist.)
at church yesterday, of course, they don’t speak tagalog, so they asked me to teach gospel principles to this crew. Hahaha. At this point I have no idea what Brother Frank’s beliefs are, so I just pray my little bum off that I’ll know how to share. As I’m praying, the story of alma came to mind when he went to visit the people of Gideon (alma 7) and he also had no idea what to share. We read some verses there, and after alma explains the doctrine of Christ, (gaining faith, repenting and being baptized to receive a remission of sins). After we read this verse I asked Frank if that seems impossible that that could happen. He didn’t answer for a moment, so I followed up and said “be honest, does that even make any sense?” and he looked at my smiling face and said “honestly that makes NO SENSE at ALL.” We all laughed so dang hard. I wish I could explain the rest of the lesson... But as it went on he looked at me and said “if in the end, there really is a god, and I was wrong, then everything your saying about him being loving will also apply to me. If not, everything you’re saying doesn’t line up.” I listened to what he said and really saw his side. I looked at him and said “Yes. You are right. But you know what Frank, you have something that you don’t know you have.” I paused, then said “that’s what we call faith. In the back of your head, you’ve got this little part of you that believes that maybe there really is someone, a god, who loves you and is real.” He looked at me, and his face just lit up. He said “maybe you’re right. I’ve never thought of that. I think you’re right sister hafen” we then talked about alma 32, in verses 27 and 28. I helped him see that faith starts small, like a penny, and can turn into 1 million dollars. But you can’t be asking for that million dollars if you haven’t done a thing with your penny- but once we use that penny or once we "give room for that seed" in our hearts, God will take that penny and make it into something we could have never done ourselves. He told us right there that he’s going to give the “missionary team a try” but he wants me to be his teacher haha. I committed him to hold on tight to his penny of faith, and to do something with it- he committed. A penny really is enough.
It was a week that I can’t even believe happened, and me and my companion owe it all to the spirit and to our loving heavenly father. I love Him and know He lives and loves me and every single HUMAN BEING THAT EVER LIVED! I am grateful for that simple truth that I do know. I love Him and His work, it’s the best thing I’ve ever had a chance to be a part of.
What a great week. Love you all.
Sister Hafen
