October 22nd, 2012

Hello Everybody! I hope your having a great time in Utah. I can't believe Justin goes into the MTC this Wednesday. It really went by so fast. Next week will be transfer week and a lot of good friends that I have met in the mission are going home. After this transfer day I only have 2 left! Time goes by so fast it's crazy. Things have been getting better here in Naic. We had a harder week last night. We both worked in Tanza last week because they were really struggling with the work. I got to work with Elder Tietiewa. He is from Kirbati. He has been out for about 5 months now and he is really awesome. He came into the mission not knowing and English or Tagalog, but now he is doing alright. We had a really good day and were even able to extend a baptismal date. Their work this week was really amazing and we were really happy for them. We also were able to go on splits last week and I worked with Patrick, our branch mission leader. It was a pretty good day. We visited this one less active, named Imy Jean. We shared a message with her then we even brought her to an appointment we had with another less active, the Duazo family. It was great because both Imy Jean and almost that whole family came to church that week. It was great. Unfortunatly we really got punted this week from a lot of our investigators. We weren't able to teach the Manuel family or the Linas family... BUT! We were able to teach the Alano family last week which went great. Sister Vangie Alano hasn't been to churh for about 7 years and her husband is not yet a member, we found them last week and taught them again yesterday. It was a really great lesson, both committed to come to church this week and Tatay Alano even committed to be baptized this coming November 24. So we are really excited for him and his wife. We are really still in the progress of finding. We have a lot of baptismal dates that we gave out, but a lot of them don't look like they will end up going through. But we are pretty sure Tatay Alano will go though this coming November. Other than that, we really need to help our investigators come to church. It's been the hardest thing for us so far. Then again, we did have 9 less actives at church. The Ambubuyog family came for the second time in a row. We are hoping to have them fully active again and on the way to the temple. We actually had a really spiritual lesson that I tried with them for the first time. It was on faith. Their big concern is that Tatay just doesn't have enough money to come to church every week because he doesn't have enough money. We committed them to come one week, they came and then that week Tatay found a job and was able to get money so he could keep coming! It was really really great. We're really happy for them. Oh! Last Saturday there was a baptism. Someone from Mandaluyong, who lives in the sisters area requested to be baptized in the ocean. So they coordinated with us and we were able to rent a place at a beach for them to do their baptism. It was cool seeing people from Makati again. I ended up conducting the baptism. Five were baptized that day and before I left there was this chinese investigator that the sisters had been teaching who was also baptized yesterday which is really great! I would send pictures but I cannot today.. I will try next week.... Promise! :D Well, that's about it though for this week. This is the last full week of this transfer. It went by really fast. I hope you guys have a great week. I hope Justin has a great time on his mission. I really do love him and am so proud of him for wanting to serve. Well I love you guys! Have a great week! :D Elder Gagnon