Paalam/ HAPPY FATHERS DAY

Well Family and Friends, FIRSTLY HAPPY FATHERS DAY TO ALL THE GREATEST FATHERS OUT THERE!! And secondly, this will be my last email as a Full-Time Servant of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. This has been the most AMAZING two years of my whole entire life. I honestly am not sure what to think, so Ill just tell about this last week:)

A busy week... So yesterday AJ  got baptized and her dad was the one that was able to baptize her. It was awesome! And they were so happy!! AJ said she felt just so happy after her confirmation. On Tuesday I had my last zone conference and our batch had our "pauwi" testimonies. Yesterday at church I was asked by the Senior Couples to be their translator while they taught temple preparation class to all who attended. It was a really neat experience! I know that my tongue was being guided in order for me to say what they needed to know. And yesterday as we stopped by the church to go to the bathroom, my companion yells "Elder!" I came into the bathroom and there was a baby snake in

the bathroom! hahahah🐍 It wasn't that big but how many times do you find a baby snake in a bathroom, cool right? But besides that, I have noticed this week specifically how many times the hand of the Lord was in my life. Constantly reminding me and blessing me even when I feel I'm not worthy to receive them.  I have truly come to know Him and to come to love Him. 

I can't put quite into words what a blessing this time has been in my life. It is the most wonderful feeling to bring others unto Christ and have them learn more about Him as I am doing the same.  I just want to say over these 2 years, I have come to know that Christ lives. This IS His Church on the earth and only through the Gospel and through sacred ordinances through the Priesthood of the Almighty God, can we come back and live with Him, Our loving Father in Heaven, for eternity.  I have felt that same yearning the prophets of old have felt for the people they have preached among, just to have them follow the commandments and just to believe and follow Christ. Because I have felt the sweet assurance that it is the only way to gain eternal life. The Philippines will be in a special place in my heart forever.🌏

20 Wherefore, ye must press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope, and a love of God and of all men. Wherefore, if ye shall press forward, feasting upon the word of Christ, and endure to the end, behold, thus saith the Father: Ye shall have eternal life. 

My homecoming talk will be at July 8th, 2018 at 9am. 

6051 Dorrell Ln, Las Vegas, NV 89131 

Elder Cody Aguiar

Philippines Quezon City Mission

The only umbrella I could find

AJ's baptism

Members made this for me

He tried to tell me this was a back scratcher

Tag-Binyag ;)

This week went by so fast. We had MLC (which was my last) and it was amazing!! Our mission is progressing and we are stepping it up. We have now changed our standards of excellence and almost every number was doubled! It is definitely a time of miracles!! 

This past week, we had a baptismal interview for AJ Palanca. She just turned 12 and her parents were baptized in March of this year. She will be baptized this coming Saturday! Her dad was able to receive the priesthood just yesterday so he can be the one to preform the sacred ordinance of baptism for his daughter :) His name is Brother Marc Caores and he is extremely amazing! Their family is just full of faith. And his face just lit up when our branch president said he might have a new responsibility in the church (a calling). The Aguilar family wasn't able to attend church this last week. Nanay Aguilar wasn't able to attended church either which is sad because we had been planning her baptism for the last week of June. But it just means she's just not yet ready and she will be more ready next month :)

Our Zone alone has projected 28 souls to enter into the waters of baptism this month of June! And this month for the whole mission, we are projecting 258 souls to enter into the waters of baptism. which we are all really excited about!! 

I love you all. I don't have much time, but I know this to be the true Gospel of Jesus Christ!

--

Elder Cody Aguiar

Philippines Quezon City Mission

MIRACLES!! and my Birthday is apparently tomorrow...😓

Anyway, this week has been filled with miracles! This zone has been doing so well!!! They definitely know why they are here in the mission field! And we have seen lots of miracles because of it!! So this last Saturday the sisters had a baptism and their baptismal candidates wanted ME to baptize them because they said "I was great in Tagalog". hahah I was thrilled to baptize them and it was such a happy day!!! When we were changing, the older one whose name is Bernard, who is in his 60's, said that he just felt the sweetest feeling after his baptism and I couldn't help but smile!

Another miracle happened when I was on exchanges with Elder Dean this week. We were in the farthest area in there area that almost no one goes to, becasue it's so far. But the Area Presidency was thinking of putting a meeting house there, so they have been focusing a little there. Anyway, we walked down this first street, we started talking to a bunch of groups that were sitting outside (they wanted to talk to because it was 2 Americans speaking Tagalog haha) and it turns out one is a member, and they were baptized a long time ago, but they didn't know there was a church nearby.  But the awesome miracle is that a deaf/mute man named John-John camed up and wanted to start a conversation by writing on paper. SOMEHOW out of the many different sign languages, he and Elder Dean both signed American Sign Language!!! Which in the Philippines is unheard of! I was so amazed! Elder Dean is TOTALLY A LEGEND!! (he hasn't signed in 5 years) but they had a fluent conversation for 45 minutes!! He told us his life story which was really hard.  We met his wife which is also deaf and mute, but they said they loved Christ and want to attend church every Sunday!! 

Our Zone has just been finding new investigators that are part-member families and that are just so ready for baptism.  We have 7 companionships in our Zone and we have projected 26 convert baptisms for our Zone this month!  They are so awesome!  I have a feeling June will GO OUT WITH A BANG! 💪💣 

Thank you so much for all of the BIRTHDAY WISHES!  You are all the best and I love you all!  Thank you for keeping me in your thoughts and prayers :)

Elder Cody Aguiar

Philippines Quezon City Mission

My cute friend!

There are more pics but Mom can't seem to upload them this week ;)

Buhay pa ako! Nagsisipag lang kami dito ;)

So this last week was pretty golden. We had exchanges with the AP's on Wednesday, after a New Leaders meeting with my companion Elder Sardan. And exchanges were just the best!! On exchanges we just went to work and taught repentance and the wonderful message of the Restoration of the Gospel!! That helped set the tone for the rest of the week. 

Then, especially Saturday and Sunday, we just had tons of appointments!! Saturday we received a referral from the area office and it took us 1 hour to find the house! But they were just a great a family. I cant remember how to spell their name. But the father works at the temple and the mtc as a security guard but isn't a member yet. And that night we were just sprinting home to get home on time. And then yesterday we had the youth and RM's  work with us so we could know where the members live and get to know them as well!! Missionary work just goes so much easier when the members are involved!!! Also Nanay Clarita Aguilar and Angelika (her grandchild) attended church this week!! Which was totally unexpected! And yes their name is Aguilar ;) I just tell their family all the time that we are just long lost cousins and they laugh and really like that. They are the best!! And the wife of Brother Dante Aguilar is ALMA Aguilar!! HAHA how sweet is that?? And they have no idea about the church. I made a joke to them the first time we met them and asked if she was familiar with Helaman and some of the other Prophets of the Book of Mormon. (She didn't).. But we told her that she eventually would. They are the best. We have also been teaching AJ. She's 11, and everyone in her family was baptized in her family in March except her. So we have been teaching her and have a date for her on June 9. And we were able to arrange a meeting with the Branch President to interview Brother Marc (her father) so he can receive the priesthood next week so he can be the one to baptize his daughter and he loved the idea!!  So this week has been great. The members are great  and Missionary work is just the best kind of work known to man. So ya.  

One thing I want to share with you all is about what Elder Haynie (Area Presidency of the Philippines) told us when he visited our mission last year; That Scattered Israel HANGS around Gathered Israel! It means that each one us has at least one friend that we can invite to hear of the Restored Gospel of Christ. No, they wont all be ready to hear of this wonderful message, BUT it means that there IS one person we know that's ready to receive the Restored Gospel. The test is finding out who it is :) So that's my extended challenge to ALL of you. To start this week and work on finding that one soul looking for the Gospel of Christ!! I know that to be true! Just get over our fears and go share! I promise the blessings will be immense and  "D&C 50:22 Wherefore, he that preacheth and he that receiveth, understand one another, and both are edified and rejoice together."

I'm sorry I don't have pictures.. we didn't have anytime.. And I'm also sorry if I wasn't able to get back to your email this week 😬 magsipag muna ako dito, pero pag uwi ko,  maglibang tayo ;)

--

Elder Cody Aguiar

Philippines Quezon City Mission

Last 6 Weeks of My Mission

😢

So this is my last transfer... Which is hard to believe because my mission has been almost done in a blink of an eye... This week EVERYONE in our zone got a new companion so we are losing half of our zone which is really sad... But Elder Formantes (my last comp) went home and my new one will be Elder Sardan, I'll have the opportunity to train him because this is his first time serving in this calling. So it will be interesting because I feel like I still need to be trained in what I'm doing. Kind of like the blind leading the blind. But I know that the Lord in His bountiful mercy, qualifies those He calls and it will be another chance for me to completely trust in His plan for me this last 6 weeks of mine!! :)  Anyway, be ready to witness the best zone in the mission be on fire these last 2 months ;) because of their hard work and faith!!!  (I'm short on time agian! I'm sorry)

Elder Cody Aguiar

Philippines Quezon City Mission

Elder Formantes and I hiking a mountian at 7pm to our investigators house​

No time!

Family and Friends! I'm still alive :) haha I dont have that much time right now, but I have some pictures.

Happy Mother's Day Mom!

I didn't realize that my comp was so heavy!

Regina

Family

Caterpillars, rashes and sharing the Gospel

So here I am in the same computer shop again. Time keeps going faster and faster, but this week was KILLER!!! It was just... let's say very very eventful!! 

First off,  last Sunday I started getting a rash and from what was going on, me and my companion have come to the conclusion that "hinigad ako" or this hairy caterpillar thing fell on me that has irritating hairs on it. I'm having trouble explaining this so just bare with me!! English is slowly going away. But I'm trying to get better. My face and eyes have been swollen but the rash has gone away!!

We also had new leaders training this week and it was amazing!! I love President and Sister Koster so much. We also have a senior couple that's assigned in our ward and we have gotten pretty close. They are amazing!!! Elder Ferney is so knowledgeable in the gospel, and they are just 1 of the many couples that said I could have dinner at their house when I go to Idaho, because that's where ALL the senior couples are from here in the mission.

We also went on splits this week and my companion was Tatay, who is about 60 and he was telling all the members we went to, that he was my father. I just went with it and we had a good time. We were able to share and bring the Spirit into some homes that really needed it and I hope they felt it as I did :) I love the people here.

We are more on the "finding" aspect here in our area and there are tons of people to teach. Basta the Filipino members just are so special and I love them. I'm pretty sure I have been able to see just an ounce of the love of the Lord has for them and it's more than any human being could possibly love.

We had a good talk this Sunday about the talk in general conference regarding our failures. I have come to the conclusion that failure is what makes us successful... If we get back up!!! I know that the Atonement of Christ is real. We can truly be forgiven for our "failures". I also know that The Priesthood does come from God in His mercy, so that we can help bless other so that they can "glorify their Father in Heaven". I know that this is truly the Lord's work and this is the Dispensation of the Fullness of times.

 

(Well the computer can't read my sd card so next week na lang)

-- 

Elder Cody Aguiar

Philippines Quezon City Mission