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Maayong udto everyone!
This week was pretty good, I think it's officially rainy season again! Actually in the beginning of the week it was extra hot (more than usual) which means I sweated... a lot. But towards the end of the week it started raining, also a lot and so we were rarely dry this week, haha. I love my mission.
Last Monday we had Zone Activity and shout out to Elder Jenkins (batch) and Elder Singleton for making our activity amazing gid! The Elders made and escape room type of thing and it was so much fun! We did Elders vs Sisters of who would "escape" faster and we beat the Elders by 20 minutes!
After we went to the terminal and picked up some sisters that would be sleeping our apartment because the next day we had zone conference! Naka-balik si Sister Obina, ang daan nga kabalay ko sa balay (Sister Obina came back to the house we used to live in together)!
Last Tuesday we had PRESIDENT CRUZ AND SISTER CRUZ'S LAST ZONE CONFERENCE EVER with [our] zone. It was so sad but an amazing conference. After lunch we sang "Abide with Me" for them and then we gave them a jar filled with our testimonies and also a painting from our zone. I can't believe President Cruz and Sister Cruz are getting released so soon!
Last Saturday we had another baptism for one of our friends and wow I'll just share her story because she's the most golden of the golden friends ever! So She was actually a referral from Bishop's wife in our ward. They met 7 years ago because they both work at boarding houses and were looking for students at the close-by college. They added each other on Facebook and from there, our friend found out that Bishops wife was a member of the church. Many times in the past couple of years Bishop's wife invited her to activities and church and even to other peoples baptisms but she just said she was busy. But a month ago, she felt her trials were so heavy and she didn't know where to turn. She knew that Bishops wife was someone she could trust and so she asked if we, the missionaries, can come over and help her out. That day that we scheduled to teach her, there were a lot of obstacles that I knew Satan put in her path so that she wouldn't make it to our appointment. However she made it and the first lesson was just so amazing. She opened up to us about her life and was just really looking for something to fill her life with happiness. Ever since that first lesson we kept on going back to her and she kept every commitment we gave her. Not only did she do the commitment but she DID it, whole-heartedly and because of that, she started to feel converted and closer to our Savior. She just totally opened up and really trusted Sister Loftus and I in growing closer to Jesus Christ. She is the kindest, most pure Sister I've ever met and I'll never forget her, especially her testimony after she got baptized - she said "The first time I came to church. It was a different feeling. I can't explain what i felt. I have never felt so welcomed by other people even though we don't know each other, they greeted me so kindly. I know that this church is true and I'm so grateful to Bishop's wife, Sister Loftus, and Sister Ventura. They never got tired of coming to my house to teach me the good news of the gospel."
I'm so grateful that I have this opportunity to help people put their trust in things that are of our eternal worth. The good news that we share is that we have a Savior that died for us and because He died for us, not only can we be resurrected like Him, but we can return back to our Father in Heaven who's waiting for us. I know this is all possible because They love us and I know they really do! In the name of Jesus Christ, amen
Halong kamo pirme,
Sister Ventura
Philippines Iloilo Mission (Jan 2018 - July 2019)
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Send an e-mail:
elza.ventura@missionary.org
Written letters and packages:
Sister Elza Ventura
Philippines Iloilo Mission
Osmeña Street,
Arevalo, Iloilo City,
5000 Iloilo
Philippines
*Some names have been changed or omitted to protect the privacy of individuals.