June 8 - Mangoes!!

Ethan is grateful for fresh, native mangoes.

This week was lots of fun, in a "we worked really hard, but had a blast" kind of way. We're finishing up preparations for the Pertez children's baptism. The date we have (and I'm pretty sure this one will stick) is the 21st. Lessons with them are so much fun, though sometimes they're a bit shy.


We've also been teaching Nanay Rosemary, a widow we've been teaching for a while. I feel like the members we've designated as her fellowshippers are doing a fantastic job of befriending her and helping her with her day to day life. Often fellowshipping is the hardest thing to facilitate as missionaries, so it's so nice to see that bridge being forged long before the baptism happens.

Yesterday, we went to Binodegahan, a relatively far away area, and went to a member's house to pick up one of the youth to come work with us. He got ready, and then left the house with us. A few minutes later his little brother, maybe four years old, came running out, tears streaming down his face, yelling "Where are you going!?" over and over again. Our member, whose name is Hyrum, picked him up, took him inside, and then sprinted out of the house at top speed. Needless to say, his little brother likes him a lot.

In terms of a spiritual message for the week, we just got an issue of the General Conference edition Liahona. President Uchtdorf's talk on gratitude was phenomenal. I highly recommend it. Gratitude is a theme all throughout the scriptures. One of my favorite examples is Lehi. He's just left his gold, silver, home, and the land of his fathers to go out into the wilderness, where he must rely wholly on the support of the Lord, and the first thing he does after leaving is offers thanks to the Lord. An attitude of grattitude really is a huge part of living a happy life.

God bless,
Elder English