Hello from the Philippines!!!
So it's transfer week already, but Elder Kaufusi and I are still both here in Teresa, so no changes there. The week has been pretty good though. I'm glad I get to stay here for another transfer.
When I say the week was good, I mean that in the sense that every week is good because I'm out here serving the Lord. There were some parts that were better than others though. First some back story.....
So here in Teresa we used to have a special sacrament service for an area here that's pretty far. Then there were some changes that the ward wanted to make and that was discontinued. Now, for all the members up there, there's a service van that our stake president lets the ward use to go get the members so they can also receive the experiences and blessings of regular church attendance. Plus we can get anyone we're teaching to come with also. Well this has been going on for the past 3ish weeks and of course there were some kinks to straighten out and problems that had to be solved. This past week though everything on our part seemed to be going smooth and we did all we could to provide a way. And you know what happens? Well I'll tell you in a line from a song, just imagine me singing it.... "When you try your best and you don't succeeeeeeeeeed......." yeah, that about sums it up. Basically we went there to pick up the people that should be waiting there and there was only 2 people. And they were the primary kids. They're the rock stars of the group, let me tell you. So I guess the lesson here is that people will always have their agency, and that in the end it's a classic 2 Nephi 2:27 situation. The cherry on top though is that the van started having problems on the way to the church, so we ended up sending the family of brother Abiog (ward mission leader) and the other members we got on a tricycle. Then we spent a couple hours with brother Abiog and the van, limping our way to the church. Turns out that even though we added gas, there wasn't enough in the tank for it to get sucked into the engine, so at least it was an easy fix.
But even after all this, I just want to testify of the Tender Mercies of the Lord; I got some packages right after all this that Elder and Sister Bills brought from the office. They were filled with a little bit of heaven that my family sent for my birthday. They couldn't have arrived at a better time.
I know that it's easy to get down when things don't go how they're planned or how we think they should. Trust me, I know. But I also know that God has a perfect plan for us. He provided a way for us to return to him. I know as we submit to the will of the father that we will never be led astray. We will become who He intended us to be.
Anyways, I hope everyone is doing good wherever they are right now. Stay faithful and don't forget what's important.
Elder Banister
And here's a little something for the good old scrollers
