Dad, Mom, and family,
It has been an amazing,
spiritual week. Not because it was my birthday (even though it was fun
as well), but because we had MLC with Elder Ardern, who will be the next
Area President this August. It's kind of exciting the reason he came.
So Bacolod Mission is the highest baptizing mission here in the
Philippines, and the reason he came was that the Area Presidency has
been studying our mission, the statistics, etc, and they want to know
what we have been doing that has caused so much success. He was only
here for a couple of hours, but during our meeting, he put up the
statistics of our mission, compared to the Philippines average from last
year to this year... the difference is crazy. Last year, the
Philippines average and Bacolod average of key indicators were basically
the same. But this year, the our average doubled and even tripled in
some key indicators, while the Philippines average remained practically
the same. (The funniest thing is that the Philippines average is
basically what Sister Canimo and I our getting each week, even with our
limited proselyting time). But regardless, it gave us the opportunity to
reflect upon what we've been doing as a mission, and personally I think
it comes down to our vision. Our vision is divided into three parts-
exact obedience, becoming PMG scholars, and weekly baptism. It's the
center of everything we do because our vision is what helps us achieve
our purpose, which is helping others come unto Christ through faith,
repentance, baptism, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost, and enduring
to the end. He interviewed a few companionships, and President Lopez had
Sister Canimo and I be one of them. He asked us a couple of questions,
but his last one he asked was along the lines of, "what do we think
personally is the defining difference between us and the other
missions." I personally think it's because of our faith in Jesus Christ.
Through President Lopez's calling as mission president, he received the
revelation of our mission vision, which includes weekly baptisms. That
means that it's not just from President Lopez, but that it's from the
Lord. And if it's from the Lord, that means that weekly baptism is our
potential, it's what we can achieve. So it all just comes back down to
our faith in Jesus Christ, because our faith is the confidence that
through him, we are able to accomplish all that he is requiring of us.
It's kind of one big circle, but I've realized that my whole mission, I
haven't had that faith required to achieve our mission vision. I always
thought that it's just some big goal that's hardly possible. But this
past week, I've had the realization that it's my lack of faith and hope
that's been holding me back. So, that's what I'm working on these
upcoming weeks. But back the whole MLC, it was one of the most spirtual
meetings I've been in, the Spirit was so strong. Even President Lopez
said that it was one of the best out and that we should
go home and write about what we've felt and learned those days. I feel
so blessed to be assigned to the office. Even though it adds additional
stress and takes some of our proselyting time away, I would never been in some of these meetings in which I've learned so much. Our
testimony is continual growing, and I'm grateful that I have all these
opportunities to help it grow.
In
other news, my birthday was good :) I'm now 21! It was simple, but what
else can you expect while on the mission. Sister Canimo made me chicken
pesto pasta, all the sisters in the apt left a ton of balloons and
letters on my bed, and we got lots of happy birthday texts from other
missionaries. Also, I'm still in the office! Friday afternoon after MLC, President Lopez
asks us jokingly "are you fired?" We haven't heard any news so I'm
assuming he approved us to be there.
I love you! Thanks for the birthday wishes! Enjoy
the cool rain (it's getting hotter here... at least we're in the AC for
part of the week :)
halong!
xxx
Sister Fitzgerald
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