Ready, Set, GO!!!

FAMILY!!

I hope everything is going well! Thanks to those of you who wrote me (the others of you can consider this a guilt trip,haha!) Just another week of riding on motorcycles, looking at pretty sunsets on beaches, and preaching the gospel! It has been a great week.

Since we arrived here in Valencia, Sister Vui and I have really focused on teaching the importance of Families. We have been teaching from Family:A Proclamation and it has been great! We had a rewarding experience when we went to go visit an "Active" family last week. We had taught them several lessons and it was quickly apparent they were NOT active in the gospel. They were having some family problems (parents not leading the way and thus children not keeping the commandments) and we challenged them to change. Now with most families we have to push a little bit and usually the follow-up visit they haven't even tried our challenge of daily family prayer and scripture study. HOWEVER, last week we went to their house (the Quilicot family) and when we asked them how it went with family prayer and scripture study we were SHOCKED. They had actually done it!! After the lesson, Sister Quilicot started to cry and just told me how we have helped their family so much. I felt so happy and fulfilled as a missionary. This is what missionaries need to be doing in the Philippines. Strengthening families which in return strengthens the Church.

It was also great to teach lessons to other less-active with the Quilicot's son, Brother JhonJay and another Brother Omar (a YSA whose family is just like that of Quilicot). We taught about family prayer and they were both able to effectively testify of the difference in their families since they have prayed and read scriptures together. "No success can compensate for failure in the home." David O. McKay. It just felt good knowing we are making a different in the lives of the branch members here. So basically, family watch out!! I am a family prayer and scripture study nazi now!! Haha.

We have a new investigator, Brother Peter who had lots of questions about what happens to us after we die due to his mother's death a few years ago. It was great to teach him the basics of the Plan of Salvation. It's also great because he looks a bit like FroZone...the black guy super hero from The Incredibles!!

We haven't found any hermit crabs or stray cats in our apartment this past week. That's the good news.

Last Pday was fun! We had a district activity and played volleyball at the beach in our area! It is so beautiful. I wanted to send pictures but the computer keeps telling me to update the antivirus software....so yeah....next time  na lang.

Anyway I am so happy to be on the Lord's errand. I love being a missionary. I have learned so much on my mission and I am grateful for the experiences I am having. I LOVE the scriptures and I am so sad for all those times before the mission that I neglected to read. They are so precious and a guide to our lives. I hope you are all taking time each day to search and ponder the scriptures. I am so thankful for the love and support I have felt from all of you.

The mission bought the airfare...July 17.....so until then I'm going to be working HARD. Only 2.5 months left. Time to save some souls!

love you
nicole