Week 49

HELLO!

Happy Mother's Day to my dearest mother, as well as mamas all over the
world. You're the best! Last night Sister Mondano and I were
reflecting on the week and thought, "A lot of stuff happened this
week." (AKA we are sort of tired, but tired is good, and we could
always be more tired). So here is the lot of stuff that happened:

On Thursday and Friday, we were in Niigata for exchanges and a zone
training meeting. (Did you know H&M has come to Niigata? The sign of
true civilization). Sister Amituanai, my lovely friend from Australia,
was my companion and we taught the Restoration to an 85-year old lady
sitting on a curb, and a 30-something year old lady with a cat and a
bright pink beanie, and fed us the newest flavor of Calpis (melon!).
Lady with the beanie says that life is a movie and that the church is
true in our movie but not in hers. (A very original way to say no
thank you). But I read a talk today that said for every 1,000 people
talked to during tracting, 1 person joins the church, so I guess we
will just talk to 998 more people.

On Saturday, we had 2 baptisms! [see picture] The branch building is
not exactly equipped with a built-in font so we blew up a pool and
stuck it in the kitchen. Which meant no one could use the bathroom
unless someone picked you up and threw you across the pool. Literally.

Anyway, meet our friends Lin and Hikaru, who we met barely two months
ago. One day we were sitting by the side of the road waiting for the
bus, a little bummed that a lesson had fell through. We saw her across
the street and she called out to us, "Filipina ka din ba?" (Are you
also Filipino?) Sister Mondano calls out, "Opo, pinay po ako." (YES.)
We exchanged contact information, made an appointment to visit her,
and the rest is history. SHE'S AMAZING. She has a testimony of gold.
And we are forever grateful that the lesson fell through that day.

To keep with the theme of baptism, here is an excerpt from Elder
Bednar: "Just as a cucumber is transformed into a pickle as it is
immersed in and saturated with salt brine, so you and I are born again
as we are absorbed by and in the gospel of Jesus Christ. The spiritual
rebirth described in this verse [Mosiah 5:7] typically does not occur
quickly or all at once; it is an ongoing process--not a single event.
Line upon line and precept upon precept, gradually and almost
imperceptibly, our motives, our thoughts, our words, and our deeds
become aligned with the will of God. This phase of the transformation
process requires time, persistence, and patience."

I'm still no pickle. But I don't get too bent up about it, because
it's all about BEING pickled, and there is always hope that we can get
there with the gospel. Love you all!

Love, Sister Margaret Willden

Quotable quote for the week: To believe in God is to know that all
the rules will be fair, and that there will be wonderful surprises.
-Ugo Betti


Pic 1: It's a Filipino breakfast sort of day. Eggs, rice, and chicken
that is dyed red.
Pic 2: Companions for a day!
Pic 3: Happy baptism day! Note: find Hikaru some smaller pants.
Pic 4: Post baptismal service: the army-pool-turned-baptismal-font.
Whoever invented air pumps, I thank you from the bottom of my heart.

 

















(Monday, May 12)