Monday, March 23, 2015

Training Round 2!

A picture with Shane and her friends (Notice the pig in the background.. haha) 

 Me and Shane

This is a picture of the Berdin family! How cute are they?! 

This is a flood we drove through ealier! Yeah, its pretty much just sewage mixed with rain.. 



Dear Family,
Guess what! I'm having another anak! I got the text last Tuesday night from President calling me to train again! I am so excited. I actually really wanted to train again, and I feel so lucky that Heavenly Father is trusting me with another new missionary! I am also so pumped that we will be staying in Makati 3rd and 4th! She will either be from the Philippines or from a country called Kittybess (I have no idea how to spell that..). This week at the new trainers meeting president was like "I wanted to give you a break, but the Lord needs you here." Woo! We have the greatest mission president in the whole world. Sister Dewan goes home this week. I am not sure her flight leaves until Friday, and I pick up my new companion on Wednesday...so we will see how that goes.So on Wednesday I will go to the mission home and pick her up and find out who she is! It's gonna be a blast. 
This week has been AWESOME! The whole Berdin family came to church, their baptism is coming up at the end of April! It was Shane's birthday yesterday, and she came to church and will be baptized in 2 weeks!! Yay!! Also, our amazing recent convert Meriden brought her friend to church for the first time!! Life is just so good when people come to church. 
It's really fun watching investigators come to church each week because you really can see how they grow and change from week to week. They just start to light up. It really is the beginning of conversion for them when they can make that step. 
As I have been able to watch these amazing people grow closer to the Savior, and grow stronger in their conversion, and also thinking about training again, I have pondered a lot how I need to become more converted. I feel like I've gotten really comfortable with missionary life, but I know that there is still so many ways I need to change. In Mosiah we learn, "The natural man is an enemy to God, and will be unless he yields to the enticings of the holy spirit and becometh a saint through the Atonement of Christ the Lord, and becometh as a child, willing to submit to all things which the Lord seeth fit to inflict upon him, even as a child doth submit to his father." 
I am watching as Sister Berdin sacrifices coffee, and saves money for her family to come to church each week. I am touched by the faith of Sister Bernarditta as she leaves behind friends to come unto Christ. I see little 9 year old Shane as she tells her Grandma that she wants to go to church, even when her Grandma has to work. The change in these people is so real!! It is amazing! 
We learn about converts like Margie and Shane in the scriptures. Whether it was the disciples of Jesus Christ leaving behind their nets, or the Anti-Nephi-Lehies who bury their "weapons of rebellion", Heavenly Father has always asked his followers to leave behind their old life, their old habits, or their old ways. 
I want to be a convert like Shane! I want to leave behind the things that are holding me back and just give it all to my Savior. In the MTC we learned that conversion is to close the gap between what we KNOW and what we DO. It is to consistently live what we know to be right. 
I am so thankful for this opportunity I have to train and learn again about love and patience and obedience. Training is such an adventure!! 
Let's see...other fun things from this week. One day I was feelin super stressed, and when we went into the 7/11, I discovered that they have popcorn there and they will pop it for you..in a microwave!! Literally the best day ever. Also, my foot mouth disease and leg fungui is gone! Hahaha, this week when I saw President he was like "how's your...skin thing?" Haha, so embarrassing.
Life is great in Manila! I am still going to be living in Mandaluyong with the STL's this transfer...so that means like a 45 minute round of jeepneys to get to our 3rd ward area. I am so excited!! 
Love you!! Have a good week!!
XOXOXO
Sister Lockwood
Also... We have interviews next Monday and so will not be emailing until Tuesday or Wednesday probably. Just as a heads up.

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