Merry Almost Christmas!

Hello Everyone!! And Merry Christmas I guess? This week was a great one as well as the other ones! So I dont have that much time this week to explain waht happened. But I can tell you that the Lord ALWAYS has his hand in our lives. I know that for fact. I hope you can feel the love of the Lord as you all serve someone you love this week:))🎄🎄🎄

-- 

Elder Cody Aguiar

Philippines Quezon City Mission

Man I love this place!

This week has been great. And because of that I'm just going to get straight to what happened :)

-We had Mission Tour with Elder Haynie (area presidency) and it was truly so amazing I felt like my testimony and my love for the Gospel of Christ turned into this mountain greater than Mt. Everest!!

-We attended a baptism of the sisters in our district of Brother Neson Jacob, the one I was able to interview a couple weeks ago! Long story short I was the person the ended up baptizing him and to make a longer story shorter, I didnt bring a change of clothes so I was walking around with a nice wet mark in my pants to our ward christmas party (But YES it was worth it. No doubt about it) 🎁🎄😊

*Note from Mom* This is what Cody sent us regarding the baptism :) "Last Friday we attended a baptism for the sisters in our district, of a guy I had interviewed. He had invited us to his baptism and of course we had to go. So at his baptism the person who was baptizing brother Nelson, tried about 7 times to baptize him. But because of it being probably his first time to baptize anyone in his whole life and probably because he is kinda small, he wasn't able to baptize him correctly.  Finally, I volunteered to baptize him. I changed into a nice jumpsuit the church had and performed the baptism, thankfully successful in one try. But the problem was I didnt have a change of clothes. So even though I was laughed at (by the sisters) for the wet mark of my garments through my pants, it was well worth it even though my garments were soaking wet :) hahahah! But I was blessed for them to dry off pretty fast!"

So my new Companion is Elder Iligan and he is from Negros Occidental here in the Philippines. (I would send a picture but a child of a member accidently deleted all my pictures on my camera so I have absolutely none saved...) Here in our area we have a "Group". (It is not yet a branch) Last Sunday there was about 15 people that atteneded. So here I was, a speaker last Sunday, (we are back up speakers every week :) we bless the Sacrament, we teach classes and I was asked about what topic to assign a member for their talk next week. So, in short you could say I LOVE IT here and love the members. They are the best. I'm thankful for the opportunity the Lord has given me and hope I can accomplish what the Lord expects of me and also help others reach their full potential as sons and daughters of God. Please keep them in your prayers :) And also keep in your prayers to have missionary experiences everyday so that you can be used as an instrument in God's hands and help scattered Israel find their home. I love all of you. I know that our prayers are always answered and that God the Eternal Father and His son Jesus Christ live and love each one of us!:)

Eler Cody Aguiar

Philippines Quezon City Mission

Last week at the temple. Shout out to Elder Polotu that sent this!

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What the bundok?

So this has been my first area in Quirino area, and the "city" I thought I was moving to turns out to be just a mountain!! haha we are the only one in the whole city zone that has ABSOLUTELY NO CITY AT ALL!! It's awesome :) Anyways, it's only been one week and I can say that I already LOVE the people so much. They have a very special place in my heart :) Our area also is basically "squatters" as they are called, which is just houses built on houses, so there are tons of people living in a pretty small place. 

Our district is super amazing!! We have 4 Sisters and 4 Elders and it's a super happy district!! I've been able already to interview 2 children of God for baptism this past week. I was able to see and hear how the Restored Gospel of Jesus Christ has touched them personally and changed their lives as they were able to come to know that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is the true church here on the earth. I'm thankful for that and for the many things that have already happened this transfer. 

As I look back on how TIME HAS FLOWN BY so incredibly fast, I feel so blessed to be sitting down in the humble homes of my brothers and sisters here, eating their food, learning their culture and how willingly they have accepted me here. I didn't think I could be able to grow so close to a people that were so foriegn to me just 16 months ago.

I love the Lord, I love the Philippines and I know the church is true. It just IS! I can't fully explain my experiences but as I see how I and the investigators have changed by abiding to the precepts of the Gospel, I know we have come closer to Christ than by any other way. 

NXT WEEK I WILL HAVE PICTURES :)

Elder Cody Aguiar

Philippines Quezon City Mission

I met this guy, Brother Zebe, (He's from Vegas too, small world) outside the temple earlier today.  He and his wife decided to attend the temple as well, here in Manila

Transfers!

Soooooooooo... after 6 months of my favorite area, people and investigators, I'm being transferred! I'm going into the city for the first time, and I have been called as a district leader as well in our huge 8 missionary district!  I will miss so much all of the people I was blessed to meet. This has been a great time for me. I have learned more about myself and changed in this area more than I have in my whole mission. I hope with all my heart that the investigators here will continue on the path and continue to come unto Christ, and even if I won't be able to see some of them, my brothers and sisters again (in this life), I know that I'll be able to see them in the next life as we rejoice together!

Gina, our investigator, let us do service at her house this past week. We were able to paint her roof (which was a little bigger than I had anticipated) and she came to church with her 3 kids on Sunday!

We also found a part member family this week! We were out talking to just anyone on the street and it just happened by divine design :) that we talked to a guy, and he let us inside his house.  As we met with his family, it turns out his wife is actually a member of the church and was baptized in her province! It was such a cool experience!!  They have all been really accepting of us as well! 

Elder Cody Aguiar

Philippines Quezon City Mission

A cool bird the members caught

Then we fed it a banana haha

Our amazing district (with Metro Manila in the background)

This goes to show how centered on Christ the Philippines really is!

Binyag saka Bakal

So this week we had a great Sunday! We were able to have a miracle baptism. We met Elnie and we had our first lesson on Nov. 2 and because she attended church 2 times before that, she was able to be baptized this last week. I can honestly tell that she was sooo prepared!! She was so accepting of all the lessons we had shared with her and she has such a soft heart! She was a "Born Again" before, and that had played such a big role in her life, but she got to see the differces in our church and felt most of all, the Spirit testify to her that this was the true church of Christ. 

This last wednesday we got to do service at our bishop's house and I had an "accident" I guess. haha. We were cleaning and cutting down trees and sawing wood, but that's not what hurt me haha. Long story short, I walked into this wierd piece of metal sticking out of their driveway, and since then my ankle has been swollen and there's a nice punture wound in my heel! The good part is that we have an amazing mission nurse that's helped, and I was also given permission to wear Crocs out proseylting while my foot heals so, that was been sweet (pictures included)  ;)

Being a missionary is easily the best calling ever ;) There are many times that really try my faith and patience in the Lord's plan for me, but time after time He's always there for me. The advice I would give to all of you whether you feel strong in your faith or feel the need for improvement -- Continue, press forward and trust in the Lord and His plan that He has for you. Don't ever lose your trust in Him. Let us all do what the Apostle Paul has instructed the Saints: 1 Thessalonians 3 10 ....., and might perfect that which is lacking in your faith?

To perfect that which is lacking in our faith.

Elder Cody Aguiar

Philippines Quezon City Mission

I'm pretty sure my eyes are open...

Elnie's baptism :)

The coolest ever!

I Don't Know What Just Happened...

di ko alam kung anu nangyari kanina, but I know that this week was somehow faster than last week.

This week has been a pretty good one honestly. So I have been in this area for 6 months now, and visiting with past investigators and visiting with members and I can see how much people have changed. How time really can soften peoples hearts to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We met with a former investigator this past week and had a really good but short lesson with him. We were able to explain to him how the Bible and the Book of Mormon support eachother. How they don't replace each other because they NEVER could! And talked and really used the Spirit and he really understood what the Book of Mormon really is. He told us, 'If they support eachother, if the Book of Mormon supports the Bible I will read it!!" It was really cool because he's been an investigator for a long time, and his whole family are all members at this point. But I know whatever happens will be for the best!

As I look back at my first transfer here in Baong Nayon, I can tell that I'm just clay in the Lords hands as he has shaped me and has helped me to improve on many many things, especially the language. I took Spanish for 3 years in high school and I honestly cannot speak it whatsoever except for the numbers. Here on my mission, with the mercy of the Lord, I have come farther in loving this people, culture and language than I thought I could. 

I was supposed to recieve an email from our Zone leaders for pictures, but I havent.. so next week I guess.. 

 

Elder Cody Aguiar

Philippines Quezon City Mission

Was This Week Halloween?

This week was. just. great. Before I tell about my week, I will answer your questions about Halloween! "Does the Philippines celebrate Halloween?" So yes they do, but, it is not very popular.  Our ward I think had a trunk or treat, but it's just for the little primary kids, and the Halloween here is from like Oct.31 until Nov. 3, so kids are just asking for candy, that's basically it haha.

But this week was pretty great. We were able to teach a new investigator that just told us on the first lesson the she was just interested to listen, but as we taught about the Restored Gospel, and as she felt that sweet feeling of the spirit, her intentions changed. And by the end of the lesson she accepted to be baptized on Nov.19!! What a blessing.

This week I have just reflected on my mission, how fast it has been, how I have changed, how far I have come, how blessed I have been. Some people say that their mission changed them so much. For me, I would say its true for me too but, something that overshadows that, I would say: The Atonement of Christ has changed me so much. It's changed me beyond belief, while I have been on my mission. I wouldn't be near who I am without Jesus Christ. Christ and His church, I would have to say is part of me. It is not just something we attend during the week or someone we pray to when we are in trouble. It's Someone we pray to always, and its somewhere we go everyweek to renew convenants to Christ to always remember Him.  

I love you all, and I love the Lord. Something President Koster tells us always is that "If your investigators are not progressing it means they are not reading the Book of Mormon." I reflected on that and realized if we are not "progressing" in our lives as members, if we feel like something is lacking or we feel far from Christ, it is indeed because we ourselves are not sincerely reading the Book of Mormon!

Kabahay Floral Tie Day