This is how we celebrated 9 months...halfway done!
Shane was so nervous!
Shane's baptism day!
I love her!
With her Grandma
Dear Family,
Guess what happened this weekend?! Shane was baptized!! Yay!! It was such a great service, and I felt so much love for Shane. We are so lucky as missionaries because Heavenly Father shares the love He has for our investigators with us. When Shane was confirmed yesterday in her beautiful confirmation dress her Grandmother made for her, I couldn't help but picture her in future dresses, as a young woman, as a missionary, going to the temple. She is so sweet, and even though she is only 9, Heavenly Father has big plans for her!
The baptism went really really well! We were a little nervous because just before it was supposed to start she was crying and said that she was scared to go under the water. Luckily, though, Sister Ballada gave an opening prayer and asked that her fears would be calmed, and they were! Bishop Espi baptized her and all was well! After the baptism she, Sister Narag, and I sang "Teach me to Walk in the Light." Shane sang the first verse and then sister Narag and I the second, and then all of us the last. Tears filled my eyes as we sang "Come little child and together we'll learn of His commandments that we may return home to the Father to live in his Sight." It was such a special day and I feel so lucky to be apart of Shane's life in this way. Virigie, her Grandmother also expressed her gratitude and love for us and for the church. It was perfect!
One thing that I have been learning is that as I experience the reality of Diety, I also recognize the reality of Satan! And because Satan hates us, the Berdin's family baptism is postponed for a while... There is complication with ward boundaries and our bishop...etc. But we are praying that they will be baptized in a few weeks! Good always wins in the end!
This week I hit my HALF WAY point in the mission. Yeah...that's scary. I guess that officially means that I am OLD in the mission. I don't really know how that's possible because it still feels like its August. I think because fall and winter never came... I am stuck in summer 2014. Haha, and let me tell you..it is SUMMER TIME IN THE PHILIPPINES! Woof! I made a promise to myself that I would never complain about the heat... but let me tell you. Its hot. Hot hot, real hot! This morning, we got out of bed and the thermometor we have in our apartment was at 88 degrees. At 6:30 in the morning. INSIDE the apartment. That's all I'm going to say about that.
Other than that, it was a great week! Our prayers are being answered with member referrals in the 4th ward. We had a Chinese investigator come to church yesterday, and we started teaching the house help in our Japanese members home. We have tons of fun initiating contact with all of the diverse people in Manila. The funnest this week was a black man from Abudabee? And our area in the 3rd ward is really great too! We are praying for new investigators who are prepared for baptism.
Also an update on the bed bugs- they are all gone!! And all of the sprays we used to get rid of them also got rid of the cockroaches!! So we are officially bug free in our apartment!! yay!!
Life is good in the Philippines! I love being a missionary!! I love you tons! Have a great week!!
XOXOXO
Sister Lockwood
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