Missionary work

Recently we have been working a lot with the branch missionaries.  Sometimes it is really good because they become friends with our investigators but sometimes it is better without them (especially when some of them just act like immature teenagers).  Usually it is really good to have them.  They try to speak English to me.  I think that they know more English vocabulary than I know Tagalog vocabulary but  I think I can speak tagalog better than they can speak English.  I just can't really have conversations with anyone unless it is about the gospel. 

     Yesterday I started talking to someone to see if he would be interested in hearing our message.  This is part of the conversation:  Me:  We're missionaries from the church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. . . . We know that because of Jesus Christ we can live with our families forever. . .   Could we share our message with you?  Him:  Sorry, we're Christians.  Me:  Oh! we're Christians too.  We're from the church of JESUS CHRIST of Latter-Day saints.  (Honestly, did he not hear anything I was saying to him?)

     We went to a funeral this week for the branch president's father in law.  I was asked to speak on the Atonement and didn't know before so I quickly prepared some scriptures and what I was going to say.  When I gave my short talk the words just flowed out and I felt the spirit so strong  I couldn't help but smile while I was talking.  It was a great experience.

     This last week we also taught a lesson to two kids, probably 11 and the other one 12.  The lesson went great.  They are also coming to church pretty frequently.  If I could I would spend my entire mission teaching people from ages 8 to 15.  They are not prideful, stubborn, rude, rejecting, and don't bible bash.  They are also willing to keep commitments.

     On Saturday we went to the market to OYM (open your mouth) people.  Basically share a short message.  There were a lot of native palawans there.  When I asked them where they are from they tell me they are from the mountain.  A lot of them are farmers and grow corn.  They have their own religion and language but they speak Tagalog too.  They are also seem to be generally really friendly.

     This last week I saw some more people training their roosters to cock fight. In real cock fights they put spurs or other sharp objects on the roosters' feet.

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Love, Elder Harkness