Bantay Mo sa Wakwak

Hello family dearest. Can you believe that it is the last day of October?! Time is just slipping through my fingers!! Also, just so you know...you can use the sentence in the subject line for Halloween...it means "Watch out, all of you, for ghosts!!!" I chuckled to myself as I made it the subject line. I am just too clever. And isn't Visaya just the most random language ever? Love it.

So this week....umm...yeah. We had Zone Interviews last Friday and it was so wonderful! I love seeing President and Sister Schumtz. We actually see them a lot since we are assigned here in the city but any time there is a Zone gathering of some sort it is great.I learned a lot about teaching with the Spirit and how amazing missionary work is if we allow the Spirit to be with us. I also learned that I need to do lots and lots and lots more of studying the scriptures. I have started to restudy all of the scriptures in Preach My Gospel and it is so great to be learning so much!

This week we also had a great surprise at church when a Recent-Convert who is now Less-Active came to church. We were so surprised, especially since it was Stake Conference (and you know...Stake Conference means we-don't-need-to-go-to-church-because-no-one-will-notice-Sunday) Brother Mark came to church!! We were so happy. We have been really focusing on him and this was the 2nd time he has come to church since we have been assigned here...and he was only baptized in May.In the last lesson we had with him before Monday he told us to stop giving him commitments to read, pray, and go to church because he was tired of feeling guilty. So, yeah...we were worried about him but HE PULLED THROUGH.I hope he continues to choose the right and hopefully, once he has a strong testimony, he will go on a mission.

We have one investigator with a baptismal date, Brother Charles. He is 12 years old and his mom is a returning member. Their situation is so incredibly hard and my heart breaks every time we go over there. Charles hasn't had school this past week and  has been responsible for taking care of his 3 younger siblings (including a 2 month old baby), washing the dishes, washing clothes,cleaning, and cooking. While their father is off either watching TV at a neighbor's house or playing basketball. Charles is an amazing 12 year old. I can't imagine doing what he is doing at such a young age. Because of his circumstances he is learning the gospel so fast and he has shared to us about how important The Word of Wisdom is. We will be washing their clothes this Friday to help out with their situation. Hardest situation I've seen here in the Philippines, so hard.

I'm trying to think of other things to say to you....but nothing much is coming to mind. I am loving my mission. It isn't easy but I am so grateful for the decision I made to serve. Oh, President Schmutz also said that they have set the missionary compliment here to 250...so a possibility of 100 more missionaries could be serving in Cebu!! They are excited...especially for all of the sisters that will be coming. The mission will be almost equal elders and sisters if they receive all of the missionaries. Crazy. Missions are great!

I hope y'all have a great Halloween. What did you all dress up as? And can I request some pictures of the nieces and nephews all dressed up? Eat some ghosts in the graveyard for me!! Also, when is the Presidential Election? Keep me updated. It's good I am on a mission or I think it'd be addicted to reading articles and such about it!

Love you all,
Sister Trayner