Funny story that just happened here in the computer shop... so i just barely sat down and some dirty american guy here asked my filipino companion if he had been to SLC and he said no but my comp is from Idaho and so i said yeah i have... expecting him to be nice, then he went off! oh man he started ripping into us in the middle of the computer shop saying " you guys can preach all you want but this world and problems and religion is not going to solve anything!" and then i Laughed and said "well you know Sir i have to disagree with you on that one!" and before i could get another word out he just went off again and so i just laughed, turned around and started emailing you guys hahaha.
Wow what a week! it went by so fast i feel i hardly remember it! that's the problem with emailing haha is i have so many things going through my head i can hardly remember what went on during the week haha. anyways it was good and of course full of challenges. but i'm thankful for the challenges because they help us become stronger missionaries. So i want to share something i came across during my personal study this week. so i was thinking about our less actives and why they are having a hard time and they always say "elder it's just hard" and always have a bunch of excuses so i was thinking and read a handful of scriptures and came to this conclusion which the spirit gave me. so of course this life is hard and of course we have things that are painful and afflictions and whatever you can think of right? well think of the life of Christ. think of how Perfect he was. think of how merciful he was to the people and no matter what he did they still persecuted him. they still spit upon him. they did everything to him and even crucified him. What's are purpose in this life? it's to become more like Christ and our Heavenly Father. so if the Man who walked perfectly here on earth had a hard life i think we who walk so imperfectly are going to have a tough time too. we're going to have bumps in the road, things happen unexpectedly. things that are unenjoyable and hard But...because Christ is there and went through it all..We can do it too! Keep Pushing Forward. the things we go through are nothing compared to what Christ went through but are going to make us stronger and help us become more like him! We just need to walk in His footsteps and follow His example and everything will be alright!
so i was grateful that i was able to learn that from the scriptures and the spirit! So this week i really put praying to the test! everynight i really tried my hardest to pray with all my heart and like Enos wrestle my way into the presence of the Lord. and the difference in everyday was amazing! the spirit was more abundant and helped me more with everything! i got a great letter from tyler awhile ago and he said remember "you've only got 2 years to serve and a lifetime to think about it" and so i'm trying really hard everyday to make everyday here in the philippines the best 2 years! can you believe it's already been 7 months! freak time flies! so this week for the work was good! but are fruits on sunday were a little weak. we didn't have as many less actives come as we were hoping but oh well were doing are best and people still have their agency so we just have to work harder!!! despite the heat i actually like it a little better in the low lands because the enviroment is way cool! It's getting way hot here cause summer season just started! oh man i've never felt heat like this! and the humidity! haha i do like the humidity though it's alot better then the dry idaho weather! oh and Karter you've become my inspiration to work out everynight! everynight after work and planning I workout and because of the heat am sweating like a pig! but it's good and so be prepared when i get home haha. in our apartment we have two dungbells and a barbell but there kind of light because it's just a metal pole with cement on the end haha so light weight and lots of reps! well i love you guys and hope everything is going well! i appreciate all your prayers! Keep Pushing Foward! Love Elder Machen
