Another good, warm week here in the Phil! We're in the 'ber' months, but that only means Christmas music everywhere, not that it actually get cooler. This past week was actually pretty nice, both Elder S- and I lost our umbrellas or left them somewhere, and the past 3 days we've been inside while it rained, so that's a blessing! I'm almost finished breaking my second umbrella, we use them so often.
A lot of things start rusting immediately here, and I stained my shirt really really bad from my umbrella, but we have some more blessings! Our astig nanay who lent us her washing machine is actually doing our laundry now! I have no idea how she gets stains out like she does, or how my clothes are smelling so good now, but it's a huuuuge improvement.
This week we had a tour of our mission for Elder Schumtz of the Seventy. I got to personally meet him and talk with him for a little while, which was really really uplifting. It's like general conference but you get to ask questions. Among all the great insights he gave us, (one of the perks of being a missionary is getting ridiculously good spiritual nourishment and attention from the leaders of the church) was an inside look at general conference. I already know the order of the speakers for Sunday session, because Elder Schumtz will be talking! No spoilers though...
We also had stake conference this week, which was really uplifting as well. Normally church is 40-60 people in stackable plastic chairs, but this time it was a massive chapel with actual pews, and it was packed in there. Plus we had AIRCON! I could've cried tears of joy, it was so cool in there. It was really emotional actually, we watched a stake presidency that has served diligently for 9 years get released, and new men take their place. We had a fantastic talk from Sister Bertin, our mission president's wife, as well as ANOTHER general authority, Elder Bowen. The highlight was when he started dropping a hymn book over and over again, and everyone who might have been losing attention focused on the huge slamming noise. He said the law of gravity is what makes this book fall. It works every time, and we will be blessed by obedience, every time. God's laws are the same as the laws of nature, they work every time.
We were really early, but here's a look at the chapel and a lot of our members from Panghulo ward. I've really grown to love all of them, especially our current investigators.
We had an FHE with the P- family, and after a brief lesson and charades we had a delicious dinner. There are 5 members of the family, and 4 of them (who are of age) are being baptized this Saturday!
We held their interviews last Saturday, and since there was 3 others as well (M- D- and her daughter, plus a young adult named M-) it took a while to finish. We played games while we were waiting, and it was a really constructive experience for everyone. Next Saturday is going to be amazing!
Spiritual Thought:
I'm continuing through Jesus the Christ, and I've reached the part that I've been anticipating since I started: The Garden of Gethsemane. Something that I've been made aware of is that Jesus knew He would be suffering immeasurably and even dying for us, to appease the law of justice. (one of the simplest laws of God) Long before he entered into the garden that fateful night, Jesus knew it was coming. Many times Jesus told his Apostles that he would be dying, and they refused to believe Him/didn't understand. I thought, how can they not understand the simple statements Jesus is telling them? Then I realized, they saw this man, this living Son of the Father, perform miracles, heal the blind, raise the dead. They knew, as Peter put it, that "[He] is the Christ, the Son of the living God". So how in the world would Jesus be put to death? They wondered this, because they did not know that it was meant to happen, and that Jesus would put Himself into the hands of his vilest enemies, as a sacrifice that is in fact the most important event of all time.
So when we talk about the Garden of Gethsemane and the suffering of Jesus Christ for our sins and pains, how much did He actually suffer? Christ knew what was to come, but as the transpirings began, it appears that Christ began to feel a deep sorrow that was in some measure surprising to Himself: He "began to be sore amazed, and to be very heavy". For a number of hours, Christ suffered an incalculable amount of pain and anguish of soul. "He struggled and groaned under a burden such as no other being who has lived on earth might even conceive as possible. It as not physical pain, nor mental anguish alone, that caused Him to suffer such torture as to produce an exstrusion of blood from every pore; but a spiritual agony of soul such as only God was capable of experiencing. No other man, however great his powers of physical or mental endurance, could have suffered so; for his human organism would have succumbed, and syncope would have produced unconsciousness and welcome oblivion." (Jesus the Christ pg 613)
The answer to how much Jesus Christ suffered is enough. Enough so that we don't need to suffer because of guilt and pain from transgressing the law of justice. Enough that God's plan of salvation for each of us can be successful. Christ has given us the gift of the Atonement, and I testify that we have to receive the gift and fulfill our part. I'm thankful that we can repent, and that through the Atonement we can become a better person, a more Christ-like person. I testify that Jesus Christ suffered for us, and the most important message to share with people is what occurred, and why it's so important to utilize the Atonement through repentance. I know the Jesus Christ the Son, and our Heavenly Father, live and love every one of us.
Thanks for reading! I love you all!
Elder Fish ><>
Some pretty clouds from this morning
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