Independence in the Philippines!

Apparently its independence weekend in the Philippines... I think.

The work has just been rollin'!!! We've had a ton of member support! In fact, most of our progressing investigators are referrals from members! But miracles are just pouring out in this area! I think I mentioned to you last week about Greg Dela Cruz. Quick recap: Greg's wife, Christine, was baptized last January. At first he wanted nothing to do with the missionaries or the church and he drank... a lot. After a few months, he started to have a change of heart. Long story short, he's getting baptized this Saturday! That was a miracle in itself! After his interview yesterday, he came with us to one of our progressing investigators, Sister Jessa. Quick recap of Jessa: SUPER SUPER SUPER SPIRITUALLY SENSITIVE! VERY VERY VERY SMART! Holy cow! She understands the Book of Mormon probably better than I do and she is the definition of the word "ponder." We've been trying really hard to get her husband to listen as well, with little success. Then we found out, out of what I believe to be divine planning, that Brother Greg and Brother Michael (Jessa's husband) were in the same fraternity group in college and used to be REALLY close and hard partiers and drinkers! They're brothers in the frat group. So Brother Greg came with us yesterday after his interview to teach Michael and Jessa Ruiz. We taught about the Book of Mormon and it was a POWERFUL lesson! Brother Greg bore his testimony of the Book of Mormon and said "Bro! This Book literally saved my life. Its helped me change my life. My vices have brought me nothing but trouble, but this has saved my life! You can change too! I can't describe the help that has come from reading this Book every day. Let this book become your new vice." Thats not exactly what he said but it was something to that effect. It was great! I actually fasted for this family and I just realized last night that that was a direct answer to my fast. 

Another great thing, Brother Greg, Michael, and two of our other investigators, Ray and Pablo, were all in the same frat group in college. They are all preparing for baptism!!! Another miracle about that is we found them all separately! It would seen like just a 1 in a million coincidence, but I dont think its that way. 

Had another powerful lesson on Saturday night with Brother Michael and Sister Jessa, where we watched the Restoration DVD with them. Sister Jessa cried with how powerful it was and what she was feeling! She explained that it just made sense that God would restore His church on the earth. It was a great thing for Brother Michael. He promised to read the Book of Mormon and come to church next Sunday. They have a 4 year old son who I can see will be a missionary one day! Brother Greg and Sister Christine also have a 6 year old son who I can already see as a missionary! The work is booming right now!!!!!!

I wish you could see and experience the things that I'm seeing and experiencing! I feel like these short stories are way too little and dont give the things that are happening justice! Needless to say, I feel like I'm on cloud 9!

Have a great week and take care!

Elder Navarro (Brandon)

"Hoy magbago ka na!"

We've had a great week for sure! Our area is rockin and rollin! Yesterday at church, the chapel was packed! There were a ton of people at church! We had 8 investigators at church! One of them, Greg Dela Cruz, is getting baptized this June 11th. His story is super awesome! His wife was baptized by Elder Monilla just this past January, but at that time, they had no hope for Brother Greg to be baptized. Whenever the missionaries would come, he'd just walk away, or hide. Then for some reason (seeing the changes in his wife, a change of missionaries in Elder Antenorcruz, or somethin else) he decided he wanted to change. He started coming to church and taking the missionary lessons and week by week, he slowly began to stop smoking and drinking. Now, he's completely clean and literally insanely excited for baptism! Whenever we visit him, the only way I can accurately describe how it is, is "nakakatuwa" and "gumagaan ang loob ko" whenever we visit him (ask dad what those mean) haha. Just a great situation.

Brother Joel, a recent convert, asks for pamphlets that he can give to his friends. He gave us 2 referrals who came to church yesterday, one of which is one of Greg Dela Cruz's old college mate.  They're good friends and when we taught Bro. Greg and told him about his friends that were also taking the lessons, he was super excited and shocked! He keeps telling them, "hoy! Magbago ka na!" or "Hey! Just change now!"

We're teaching a Sister named Jessa Ruiz, who is pretty much in the exact same situation as Brother Greg's wife! She is a SMART WOMAN! holy cow! And is very very spiritual! She said a prayer last night in our lesson asking Heavenly Father to soften her husbands heart that he may listen to the message and accept it so they can be baptized together... super powerful! Brother John Paul Catbagan also is getting baptized on the 25th. He got in a motorcycle accident a while ago and has had almost depression issues since that time. His face was disformed because of the accident, but the gospel has been giving him a lot of hope lately and he's a solid investigator as well! Brother Nestor Dela Cruz has a bap. date for June 25 as well and has committed to quit smoking! He's been coming to church consistently as well! 

Our area is on fire! This work is true! I'm sorry this letter is a little long. I know its a little hard to read longer ones, but just skim it if you'd like!

Have a great week!

Elder Navarro

Tender Mercies and Gifts of Strength

Dear Family and Friends,

We've had a great week this week! I'm really starting to get adjusted to the new area and our area is really flourishing! There's a recent convert here in the branch that was baptized this last January, but her husband was not at all interested in the gospel... After a while, he started to gain an interest in what his wife was doing every Sunday. His name is Brother Greg, and we've been teaching him for a few weeks now. When we first started, he was drinking probably 5 or 6 days a week, almost non stop, but every week as we've been teaching him, its become less and less and less. And just yesterday, when we followed up with him on how his drinking problem has been, he'd been completely clean from alcohol for a FULL WEEK! What a miracle! His desire to be baptized has just been growing and growing. He said there were many times when his friends would invite him over to drink. And although he was tempted, he resisted and thought of how much better his life would be without the alcohol. Its been great!

We also were pleasantly surprised to find out that Greg is really good friends with two of our other investigators, Jessa and Michael, a young couple with one four year old child. Sister Jessa is very intelligent and literally understands EVERYTHING she is reading in the Book of Mormon. She's already to the Book of Jacob and is convinced of the truthfulness of the Book and of the restored Gospel. She's been a little embarrassed to pray because she feels like she has so many sins and is afraid of what Heavenly Father would do to her. We were super happy to hear that because she understands an essential principle that when we pray, its not just for the sake of saying a prayer, but rather, a literal conversation with Heavenly Father. We shared with her 2 Nephi 32:8-9 about prayer. In her prayer later in the lesson, she started crying when she said, "I thank Thee, Father, for giving me the opportunity to learn of Thy plan and Thy Gospel." Sometimes I take for granted the knowledge that we have. To know of the Plan of our Father in Heaven. Its something that so many don't know! Its our duty and privilege to be the bearers of such a message. 

The faith of these members here in this Branch inspires me! I wish you could meet Brother Fernandez! His story and faith deserves to be in a church film! He was a total drunkard before he met the missionaries on a tricee. And ever since then his life has just completely turned around! He told us the other day, "I'll do anything for you, Elders. ANYTHING! I know that everyone in the whole world needs to hear this message and I'll bear my testimony for you to your investigators whenever you need me." He's very serious about that. One time, the branch president called him to go help a member of the branch with his medicine which meant he wouldn't be able to work that night to buy food for his family. He went anyway and the Lord blessed him and his family in tremendous ways!

Sorry this is longer.. I know this is the work of the Lord. I've never felt so much peace in my life than I do right now.

Have a great week!

Elder Navarro

Happy Mother's Day!

I really want to start by wishing all the mother's out there a Happy Mother's Day! I know that I've been blessed with a WONDERFUL mother and no offense to all the other moms, but she's the best!

But this last Saturday we had an AWESOME baptismal service for our investigator, Brother Francis and the other baptismal candidates of Elders Higgins and Antenorcruz! It was so good to see such an awesome person enter the waters of baptism! Elder Pandaog and I were super psyched!!! His testimony at the end was also very powerful! He expressed to us his desire to serve a mission and we hope and pray he will be able to do that!

Last Monday, President called me into his office and said the Lord had called me to be an Assistant to the President. And since that day, its been super busy! We've been doing a lot of trainings and planning. So that means I'll be here in Cauayan probably until the end of my mission. And we'll have the opportunity to "train the new mission president" although, I'm pretty much 100% sure that he'll be training us more than anything! haha This has already been a humbling experience and a time of self-evaluation. 

 

Not much else to say besides that I know this is the work of the Lord! I'm super sad to be leaving this area and our investigators, but I'm excited for the new things and adventures I'll be having! Heavenly Father puts us in positions for us to grow. I've seen that in my time here and I know its true. We may not understand why things happen to us but "trust in the Lord with all thine heart and lean not unto thine own understanding"

Love you and  HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY again!

Elder Navarro

"The Lord sent two angels"

Dear family and friends,

Wow! We had a great week! Just some highlights. So Brother Francis Gonzales, one of the most faithful people I've ever met, just got back from his "on the job training" in Tuguegarao. This last Sunday, he came to church for fast and testimony meeting. Elder Pandaog and I were just sitting down listening, when all of the sudden we see Brother Francis step up the pulpit to bear his testimony! We were both super shocked! It was super funny what he was saying but in a way, super super super humble and sincere. He said something to this effect, "Good morning brothers and sisters. I'm have not yet been baptized and confirmed a member of the church, but I was convinced by an angel (the fellowshipper he was sitting by) to come up and bear my testimony... I'm super nervous because I'm not used to speaking in front of a lot of people. But I know that this is the true church of Jesus Christ! I remember a few months ago, I was praying to Heavenly Father to know what I needed to be doing in my life. I was very confused about the many religions I saw. But then the Lord sent two angels to my house almost immediately after I had prayed. I know that this is what God wants me to do and I'm so excited to become a member of the Church!" He then finished with a small testimony of the things he knew.

Lisa Edoloverio also has been progressing like crazy! She reads the Book of Mormon every night with her daughter and one thing Elder Pandaog and I have noticed is that she is incredibly humble! She says multiple times throughout each lesson, "I have so much I have to make up to the Lord... I wish I had known about this when I was younger!" She also shared something that really hit me as well. Just like what happened with Francis, the same happened with Lisa. She's a woman in her late 30's and has been to a lot of different churches! She keeps telling us "this is just different." But she also was praying before we met her to find guidance in her life. Then she told us, "after I did that, you two showed up at my door!"

I'm not saying this to brag about our own finding efforts. In fact, its better to work through members to find more people to teach. But I felt very very very strongly this past week that we are literally answers to peoples prayers. Not just Elder Pandaog and me, but all of the missionaries. The Lord really does guide his missionaries to those who are searching for something more to life. It has truly been a humbling feeling and I really feel like Alma of old, "9 I know that which the Lord hath commanded me, and I glory in it. I do not glory of myself, but I glory in that which the Lord hath commanded me; yea, and this is my glory, that perhaps I may be an instrument in the hands of God to bring some soul to repentance; and this is my joy."

I know that the God of Israel leads this mission as our mission president always says. And that He is mindful of each and every one of you! I've seen that in our work here and I know its true! Have a great week!

Elder Navarro

You never know who's ready

We have been seeing some awesome miracles in our area these past few weeks! Brother Francis Gonzales has been coming to church every week and he even has a white shirt and tie and looks like a missionary! We've been talking with the Branch President, whom he knows, and we decided that we want to start taking him along to some of our appointments so he can also share his testimony as well as hear the lessons again by coming with us! He's that good of an investigator! Super faithful! Even reads the Book of Mormon in his spare time at work! That's been a miracle!

Another miracle! Sister Lisa Edoloverio came to General Conference last week and came again yesterday! Yesterday in our lesson with her, she kept thanking Heavenly Father in her prayers that He had shown her the "true church" is what she said! She said this as well, "My life is pretty good and we've been blessed by the Lord greatly! (they're pretty well off in terms of financial situation) but even though we've had so many blessings come from God, I've always felt like there has been something missing in my life. And I want my daughter to grow up knowing and believing in Jesus. I've gone to so many churches but have still felt that emptiness. But here, its different. I feel like this is the thing that's been missing in my life. I prayed to God to know what to do and then a few days later... you two showed up at my door! I believe that was a sign from Him that this is what I should do." I WAS SHOCKED! And of course ecstatic! I know that Heavenly Father loves His children and answers their prayers! This is especially amazing because I honestly didn't think, after we had met her, that she was going to progress... That's something I've learned... never give up on anyone. Sometimes its not their time, but the Lord works in mysterious ways.

Anyways, that's probably the only story I'll tell now... I'm a little short on time but thank you for everything!

Ingat!

Elder Navarro

I LOVED General Conference!

I LOVED General Conference! Every general conference that I've been a part of on the mission, I've felt like stakes get higher and higher as we come closer to the coming of the Savior. It almost feels like things get more and more serious. But maybe I'm just older and understand things differently. Its amazing on the mission how clear things seem to be. Its like looking through different eyes! Remembering things before the mission and thinking "Why the heck did I do that?"... Its kind of cool. I'm sure, though, that there will be quite the adjustment when that time comes that I have to go home.

But it was awesome! I don't know why, but I guess this was the week where we had so many people commit to come to church! We had 5 investigators come to General Conference this last weekend! One of them, Brother Francis was there for all 5 sessions!!!!! He is such an awesome awesome awesome guy! He loved the conference and afterwards, while we were teaching him last night, he asked again "What did Thomas S. Monson say again in conference?" He asked that because he understood that he was the prophet of the Lord and wanted to review again what he said! Gosh that was sooooo awesome!

Please also keep Emelyne Andres in your prayers as well. Her father just passed away yesterday and now she is pretty much in charge of her 4 younger siblings. She has been very very strong however.

Anyways... Here's some of the words of Thomas S. Monson from this last conference:

"May we choose to build up within ourselves a great and powerful faith which will be our most effective defense against the designs of the adversary—a real faith, the kind of faith which will sustain us and will bolster our desire to choose the right. Without such faith, we go nowhere. With it, we can accomplish our goals.
Although it is imperative that we choose wisely, there are times when we will make foolish choices. The gift of repentance, provided by our Savior, enables us to correct our course settings, that we might return to the path which will lead us to that celestial glory we seek.
May we maintain the courage to defy the consensus. May we ever choose the harder right instead of the easier wrong."
Thank you for everything! I know this is the only true way to happiness! I've seen it undeniably in the mission!
Elder Navarro