"Priceless!"

Well family it warms me up here in the freezing cold philippines to know everything is going well there! hahaha. well what can i honestly say about this week, to put it simply and clearly it was the toughest week of my mission, maybe the toughest week of my life. so to start out we had exchanges with the zone leaders so i was finially able to get out of my area, the 1st time in 4 1/2 months haha, i was pumped well it ended up being a rough day, man we walked and walked and walked and got punted from every appointment, haha i guess that doesn't just happen in my area, anyways it was a long day, well the next day was transfer awareness were the AP's call the zone leaders to tell them whose getting transfered, i was so anxious to find out, i really really wanted to get transfered, i've been really struggling in the area and ready for a change, well the ap called and of course the zl's want to keep it a surprise so they didn't tell me but he hinted on i wasn't going anywhere, i was shocked. then later in the meeting we found out and i really wasn't getting transfered. i couldn't help but be annoyed and wondering why? well lets just say it went downhill fast from there, everyday we went to work people hiding from us, making up the most ridiculous excuses i've ever heard, walking away from us when we are trying to talk to them about the message, just everything, it was my worst week in bauang. i didn't understand, i was really struggling haha oh boy, but dad you said something to me last week about "how it is better to have holes in the knee of your pants then in the bottom of your shoes." well i'm a little slow and didn't catch onto that until about wednesday haha i was thinking about what you meant and it hit me, why am i trying to do this all by myself, why don't i call upon my Heavenly Father for help? well 1st off thanks pops, you have no idea how that simple phrase helped me get through this week. saturday and sunday ended up being better days and it was a week in my life that i think if i could describe it with one word it would be Priceless, Why? well here's a few things i learned from HIM this week. i learned i need to trust in the Lord more and learn to handle trials better, i learned 1st hand of God's love, quoting the Prophet Joseph Smith, "sometimes the Lord brings us lower before he can raise us higher." i learned to never give up, and He'll never give up on us. i learned that this work is more important than my selfish desires of wanting to be transfered, i learned a little bit of how to have my will swallowed up in the Lords will. i learned i am nothing without my Heavenly Father but with Him we make a great Team, He's the ultimate Coach and we are apart of His great team. i learned how powerful the Atonement is in helping us overcome ourselves, i learned I and my natural man am my own worst enemy but with the atonement can be controlled and overcome, i learned and gained a stronger testimony of how much we need the gospel in our lifes. it's almost helpless with out it. i can't express how grateful i am for this Challenging but Growing week. I love you family with all my heart and love hearing your are standing steadfast in Christ! Mahal Kita, Elder Machen