Letter # 44 (March 31, 2014) Transferred from Cadiz

I got Transferred this morning!!! I've decided I don't really like having weekly baptisms because when you get transferred you have to miss their baptisms :) But I know everything will work out in the end. There have been so many changes in our mission that it's hard to keep up, but it's a lot of fun to. I'm back in Bacolod Central Zone (my first zone) and we share a ward with our zone leaders. I've figured out that I am actually kind of close to Magsungay (my first ward). I'm back with a Filipina, her name is Sister de Leon. I replaced Sister Nilson (Sister Jenna Smoot's companion from the MTC). 

But I'm still going to write this letter about Cadiz because I was there the whole week.

This last week was crazy because we got new elders on Friday that we had no knowledge up. Our district leader texted us and said they were adding Elders to our branch and that it was up to us (me and sister Remund) how we would split the area. It's hard splitting the area fairly when you want to keep all your beloved investigators and recent converts, but we tried to do what was best for the area. We didn't end up losing a lot because there was a lot of area we were not allowed to go to because we are sisters and it isn't safe. So we gave the elders all of that and the ward members said that missionaries have never been out there, so the Elders should have some fun over there.  We had a baptism this week for Brother Justine!!! He was so excited. His whole family was supposed to get baptized, but they all decided that just brother Justine would get baptized first.  We were so sad and spent the whole week trying to figure out why and ask them how we could help them and did a lot of practice teaching trying to figure out their hidden concern, but we came to the conclusion to just let them wait even though we were devistated. Also, I'm a little upset that I will never know why they didn't get baptized because I am no longer there. But Justine is so strong and promised God on several occations while praying in our lessons that he will stay active in the church his whole life :) Also, on his very first sunday, the sunday of his confirmation, he payed tithing! Talk about conversion. I was so lucky to be able to find and help Justine come closer to God. He will do amazing things in his life. He is only 14, but I thought he was megans age the whole time. Then we were getting his information for his baptism and he said the year that he was born and I almost thought he was joking because it was 1999. I remember what was going on in my life in the year 1999 and that was when he was born. It made me feel really old for a minute. Also, I then realized megan is 17, not 14 anymore. Life just moves on ahead of me. :) 

This week we had an FHE with a family who has a huge potential in the church, but right now half of them are baptist, and one of them is the preacher. Step by step they have let us into their home and have a lot of good questions and we had started to build a lot of trust. The preachers wife, Sister Myrlinda even came to church two times and was one of the ladies in the baptism picture with Sister Rocel (they are neighbors). We had an FHE and we had the spirit so strong. One of the sons who is training to be a preacher, started questioning me, but they were sincere questions, not just testing. The spirit helped me so much to be able to answer their questions with Scriptural Support.  The exact scriptures came to my mind for all of them and I was able to share with them. They were really satisfied with the answers and committed to finally read the Book of Mormon. (They are scared to read the Book of Mormon because they have seen other people be committed to the church after reading it! I said, yes, because it's true and there is no way to deny it :) ) It was a cool experience because I love being able to be an instrument for the Lord. I hope I can continue to be exactly obedient in order to become more and more worthy of that pure divine guidance. 

I'm sorry that I cant really remember everything this week because my brain is kind of fuzzy from the travel and from the call last night that I will be transferred and then mad-dashing last night to pack everything up.  I will be more organized next week but we were a little short on time today. I love you all so much and I hope you are all doing well. Thank you for keeping me updated and for continuing to support me. I love you so much and I am glad you are having so many amazing things happening in your life. Ally going through the temple and preparing for a mission, Megan turning 17 and getting so old, McKenna doing volleyball and her temple trips to all the temples in Utah!, and Lilly just being way too cute :) I love you all and thank you mom and dad for the letters every week :) Palangga ko kamo!

Love, Sister Smoot