Dear Family and Friends,
It has been a very busy week here in Agoo, but a really awesome week
as well! After many small miracles and blessings from God over the past
several weeks, we were finally able to baptize Sister Maria Cardona!
(turns out her proper name is Maria...not Marianne...) Watching Sister
Cardona's testimony evolve from doubt into skepticism into interest into
belief into real faith has been amazing! Not matter how unsure she was
at first, the Spirit of God has borne an absolute witness to her heart
that the restored gospel of Jesus Christ is once again found on the
earth. The strength of the testimony that she shared after her baptism
has strengthened my own faith and desire to go find more people to bring
unto Christ!
Preparation for Sister Cardona's baptism
consumed a lot of our time this week, but there is no such thing as a
boring week here. Yesterday for example, Elder Garcia and I briefly
attended a funeral gathering with several of the people we are teaching.
(They are all relatives, and the man who passed away was a grandfather
or father to basically all of them.) Having never been to a Filipino
funeral service before, I wasn't quite sure what to expect. What I
discovered was, well...interesting. There was much domino playing,
smoking, sort-of-partying and a very loud squealing pig that was
slaughtered on-site. 8| Needless to say I was not quite prepared for
what I found, but it was a neat experience witness a different kind of
celebration than I've seen before. I definitely love the people here in
the Philippines, no matter how different their customs are to my own
native way of doing things. They are by and large an incredibly humble,
happy and friendly people, and I feel very blessed to be here working in
this part of the Lord's vineyard.
Anyways, I'm so happy
that I have this opportunity to serve God and do His work. As it is in
all parts/stages of life, there are hard days to, but I know that I am
at least trying my best to do what the Lord wants for me, and that is
all that matters. Many thanks for your friendship, love and prayers! May
the Lord bless each of you in all you good goals and works! Know that
He loves you without conditions, and I am praying for you! Take care!
Love, Elder Dickison
Pictures:
1) A captured crane (bird, not machine) that we found. Definitely haven't seen one of those in Utah...
2) Sister Maria Cardona's baptism
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