September 8, 2015 - Toledo City, Cebu

                    Massive mango tree. 

This week was really good.

On Thursday I went on splits with Elder Arcangeles. I told him he must name his child Michael. We were working and walking around in this corn field when we saw a guy getting corn leaves to feed his cows. We talked to him, turns out he knew missionaries before. We made a return appointment on Sunday. When me and Elder Consigna showed up at their house on Sunday, Brother Larry and his wife welcomed us in and started telling us how they went to church at the old meeting house, and all these members they knew, and they were a delightful little family to share the gospel with. I'm excited to go back to them. 

                The third of the children of the Canque family.

The whole Canque family came to church again! Have I told you about the Canques? Brother drives tricycle, and once we rode his tricycle going home. He told us that he and all his brothers and sisters and parents are members, but haven't been to church for forever. He said he wants to go back now, and invited us to visit his family. We found his house and found out his wife had investigated and had gone to church for about a month a few years ago, but stopped, but now, they want to try again. First time we visited, Sister started telling us that she and brother aren't married, though they have four children, and she was telling us that she'd been feeling for a long time like she just wanted to leave her (not) husband. Brother entered their house as she was saying that, and really humbly said "Yeah, I've got a lot of problems, that's why I want to come back to church." We've been teaching them for a few weeks now, and they are just the coolest little family. They're always so happy, their kids are the cutest kids on the face of the earth, they've got a ton of friends at church, and it's like we're just watching as the Gospel is healing their family. It's so cool. Keep praying for them.

       Me, Frabe, Elder Consigna. Frabe is the guy from Linao going to Phoenix. This is the second time I've seen him at the temple.

I went on splits again yesterday, this time with Elder Samson. Elder Samson is so cool. Partly because we probably walked 4 miles uphill yesterday, but mostly because he's just too cool. So here we were kind of hanging out in this area getting up into the hills, and this lady tells us "Hey, there's a member who lives just right over there." We were like, oh, cool, then we went to the family we were planning on going to, another old member family. Nanay was super busy daw, so we asked her, "Who could we teach." She told us the same person the lady earlier had told us about, and she said "I talked to Sister Salomag, and she's been waiting for you to show up." Elder Samson and I hiked a little ways further though this hill, taught a little family on the way, and found Sister Salomag, this old member. She was in this house, a pretty nice little house, with her brother, also a member. Nanay Salomag was super excited to see us! She was pretty old, and she was pretty weak, too, but they loved having us there. It was super cool to just find this little family that needed us.

         Baptism of Vincent and Jorene. Last week they passed the sacrament for the first time. So cool.

I love this work.  I really hope I can do exactly what the Lord needs me to do here, because I feel like that's what I've been doing., and I love it. I love you family. Stay hydrated.

Elder Dunford