Cleanse the inner vessel letter 01/08/2014

Magandang Hapon Pamilya!

Kamusta ang linggo Ninyo? Ang mission nito ay mahirap pa pero naiibig ko na ito! Oh and my favorite phrase that elder Villa taught me, that is very fitting for after the holidays; Magdieta ka na kasi moca kanung aparador! Translation: Take a diet already because you look like a closet.

This week has gone well. Our investigators are progressing and we even have some potential investigators that will hopefully progress as well, we haven't had a chance to meet with a lot with them yet. We gave Sister M. a baptismal date for February 1st and have talked a lot about the blessings of sacrifice and the baptismal covenant since she has been taught everything already. I hope and pray she will keep her commitments and will come to church so we don't have to push her baptism back. Sister B. is doing really well. She's an older lady probably about 60 and was a referral. I love how independent she is. She comes to church and ward activities on her own which is exactly what needs to happen although fellowshipping is vital. We plan on having her baptism on the 1st of February as well. They are our main investigators and then we just do a lot with Less Actives.

One Less Active we were teaching from lesson 3 about The baptismal covenant and were reading in 2 Nephi 31. We were reading and explaining when it got passed to me to explain a verse. Verse 14 I think it was where it talks about how if you should repent and be Baptized and receive the Holy Ghost and then after deny Him it would be better that we had not known him. So we read the verse and I had forgotten about the last part and so we were going and we read that verse and I didn't have to be bold because the scriptures did it for me. We read that part and I explained a little and you could just see the look on their faces sink with the thoughts of "Oh..." I hope that they will start coming to church again so much. they have so many excuses but it all comes down to what we are willing to sacrifice and I hope they can come to realize that as we teach them. The road to Hell is paved with good intentions and the Terrestrial kingdom is filled with excuses; better things replaced with good things.

One thing I learned this week was how important it is to be meek and the importance of learning the language of the spirit. We were given the gift of the Holy Ghost when we were baptized but realizing his full potential takes a lifetime. As we live worthily we are entitled to the Fruits and Gifts of the spirit which include the gift of tongues as well as so many other essential gifts such as discernment and healing and there are so many more spoken of in the scriptures. My point is I don't have to worry about learning Tagolog or being able to heal or discern, but rather focus on learning the language of the spirit and then as a result the language will come as well as the other gifts of the spirit spoken of in 46:11. The Lord will use us in the best way he sees fit and will thus give us the gifts we need to fulfill our calling. Some may be the head and some may be the feet but they are both important for different purposes. This all comes as a blessing of living worthily, of being meek and lowly in heart and constantly cleansing the inner vessel. In so doing we are made powerful instruments in the hands of the Lord. On our own we aren't much use but are extremely powerful when but in the hands of the Master. I know this Church is true and this Gospel Changes lives.

Keep on keepin on. Keep the faith and may peace be the journey!
Elder Lowe