Hey Mum and Whanau,
Just over two weeks left and all is well. Thanks for all the pictures and awesome emails. Danielle, you brought tears to my eyes reading your email because it definitely made me stop and think about all the hard work I've experienced on my mission - the blood, the sweat and tears that I've shed bearing the name of Jesus Christ, all the pants I've split, the shoes I've worn out, the shirts that have ripped and all the holey socks. So cool! Then to look ahead a couple of weeks and think of the joy that I will experience walking through those airport doors and being embraced in the arms of my family. That is something I am really looking forward to. This week has been awesome and it's been a great week for our investigators too.
Now, I don't know if I told you about our investigator, Michel lodivice. Well, she is a 36 year old mum that showed up at Church one day and we taught her about the Prophet Joseph Smith and the restored gospel of Jesus Christ and she was so interested. We felt inspired to talk to her about the law of repentance on a return visit and she shared with us some of the problems that she has had in her life and how she wants to change. We have continued teaching her and she continues to attend church and this last week we have just started teaching her children and they are as amazing and ready as she is. We are trying our best to teach the husband/father so that we can teach the whole family but he's not quite ready. Michel's baptism was scheduled for this week but she needs to have and interview with our Mission President before she can be baptized so we have pushed her baptismal date out one more week. We have taught her about the Word of Wisdom and since that lesson she has quit drinking coffee and tea. We've taught her about paying tithes and offerings an she pays her tithing every week and yesterday for Fast Sunday she fasted. We taught her about the Book of Mormon and she reads about a chapter or two a day. She is just amazing! In our last lesson we were teaching her children and we asked them how they liked reading the Book of Mormon and they said they loved it. Michel said that they don't watch as much TV anymore because they spend their time reading and she said their family relationship has changed and that there is more love in their home. The funny thing was when we went to their house yesterday after church Michel leaned over to me and asked, "When are we allowed to break our fast?" I was just overjoyed to think that they were fasting and it was almost 5:00 p.m. So, I told her that it was up to her but usually between 3:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. is good time and she sighed with relief and said, "Oh good because I'm so hungry right now!" She is so amazing and she realized that the greater the sacrifices, the greater the blessings. Just last week Sunday she paid her full tithes and when Monday came around her husband didn't get called into work, meaning, "No job, no money, no food!" He was out of work for the whole week but she said despite that, her family had not gone hungry and had food every meal that week. She put that blessing down to paying a full and honest tithe. She is so awesome and faithful and I can't wait to see her baptized on May 18th. Her children's baptismal dates are set for June 1. Exciting!
So, yesterday being fast and testimony Sunday, I got up and bore my testimony for the last time on a Fast and Testimony Sunday in the Philippines. What a crazy feeling to think that my mission is coming to an end, but what a privilege to think that I've done it and the next Fast and Testimony meeting I will attend will be back home in my home Ward sharing it with you all.
We had Zone interviews during the week and that was another, "last" thing in the mission. It was awesome to just have a chat with President and feel of his love and support that he has for me. I had to get my temple recommend renewed from him as well and it was an awesome feeling to be able to answer honestly and confidently all the questions he had to ask. Awesome!
Today we went to the waterfalls for our Zone activity (my third time during my mission)! Hehe! It was so awesome and we played games, ate food and took heaps of pictures. The Senior missionary couples in our Zone came along too which made it even more awesome.
Mum, about the packing, I'm going to start this week and I realize that I've got to give away one of my suitcases and get rid of a ton of clothes. Fortunately, I've already had a member in the Ward ask me for some of my stuff which is great because I've got a lot to give him. I'll update you on my packing on Sunday when I Skype.
It seems as if a lot of the things I am doing at the moment are for the, "Last time" and it is probably getting on my companions nerves a little. Hehe! But my time is quickly coming to an end and just looking at the dates, I've been a missionary now for two years. I was talking to a new Elder today and he was saying how he'd love to switch places with me. I told him, "I've done my time and it's your turn to do yours!" This is the Lord's work and it has been such a huge privilege for me to be able to serve the Lord. My ministerial certificate expires on May 9 because that was when I was originally scheduled to come home until all the release dates were changed. It's all been a bonus to stay longer and it comes with bonus blessings. Here's a short poem:
Two years in the Philippines
Two years to serve the Lord,
Two years to change my life
Two years to preach His word.
All good things must come to an end
To live, to love, to make new friends,
I've given my life to serve the Lord
I now can say I've given it, "My all!"
To think of the sacrifice of His chosen Son
To think of the victory that He has won,
He loved us, He served us, He gave, "His all"
Now look at your life, What can you do more?"
I love you all heaps and look forward to seeing you on Sunday when I Skype home. Thanks for everything and have a great week. See you on Mother's day!
Elder Chadderton
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