What Subject...

This week was really fast, and I'm still trying to wrap my mind around how I'm here emailing again already..

Anyway, it's almost the end of March and summer has started here in Mindoro! Just like Sister Koster (our Mission President's wife) said "Summer here is hot, believe it or not, hotter than Las Vegas." Let me tell you, she was right! Between the sun and the extreme humidity here in Mindoro, I've turned really dark.. I have been using tons of sun block lately, and my companion has NO IDEA what it is.. He doesnt believe me that it keeps you from turning dark! haha its the funniest thing ever!

Alongside the extreme heat, we are having the oppritunity to teach Sister Gonzaga! She is a mother of 2 twin girls that were baptized last year. And from the example of the twins, she has a burning desire to be baptized!! She is preparing herself for the 3rd week of April to enter into the waters of baptism! SO EXCITING!! :) I'll keep you updated this coming week!:) 

Oh and General Conference is coming up!! I'm so excited. Because the time here is advanced, our Gen Conf. will be the 2nd week of April. A little late but I'm excited to watch:) 

Just a short email this week, but I'll be ready to share some great things next week!:)

One of these pictures, has a tree growing on a tree! I thought it was weird.. You can see the roots coming down the side

Hey Fred!  Look, Peterbilt!

My Area

A tree within a tree

Transfers!!

Drum Rolll... I'm going to... stay here. haha! I will be staying in Rizal for another transfer! I won't be getting a new companion, so everything will stay the same for the next 6 weeks! I remember what Brother Rutherford told our class in the MTC. Your MTC experience, your first 6 months and the rest of your mission will feel like the EXACT SAME AMOUNT OF TIME. I thought to myself, "How is that possible?" But being 9 months out, I understand fully what he told us back in the MTC.

Highlights of this week:

-Micheal was baptized!

-We got to go work in the rice fields (harvest na) in our proselyting clothes

-I rode a Caribou

-Brown Outs

So we had the opportunity to baptize and confirm Micheal this past week! He shared his testimony afterwards and it was so strong! He knows with all his heart this church is true and I'm grateful for him!

So I haven't really talked about Mindoro that much since I have been here. It is an Island, so its really beautiful. But it also means, life for people here is harder. Even at our house, we have NO running water. Haha. They only have bumbas here (water pumps) that are used by the community. So everyone just comes and goes when they need water. Also, there are like 20 brownouts here a week. Where everyone's power goes out. (It gets especially hot without a fan). But everyone is so happy all the time! There are always people that want to talk and have a conversation, they are the best!

I'm grateful for the people here and for all the lessons I have learned from living here. I'm grateful for the love of my Heavenly Father and for Him always being there to help me through my ups and downs. I'm thankful for the knowledge that no matter where I am in life, what pains I feel, I can always feel the unceasing love of my Father in Heaven!

Love,

Elder Aguiar

Harvesting in the rice fields

Caribou Jockey! :)

Peditin Family

Binyag Ni Micheal​ (baptism of Micheal)

Ang Bilis! (fast!)

So transfer day is next week on the 22nd and its gone by so fast!! I love it here in Rizal and love the people. This week, we get the opportunity to baptize Micheal. He is so great and has such a strong testimony of Joseph Smith and the Gospel. 

This week has been full of trials and obstacles to get over. That part of life is inevitable, the challenges we face in life will never change. That is the whole purpose of life, to gain knowledge through trials and mistakes. Though we can't change the problems we face, we can however change our actions, thoughts and desires during our trials. I read in the Liahona this last week that, we are given trials NOT because we have been disobedient, but because the Lord TRUSTS US to get through and learn from them. How great is the feeling to have the Lord trust you? If we try hard not to shrink or look inward during hardships, but to instead look outward, and to remember during our trials, about the Lords trust in each one of us. This week like I said, has been hard for me. I've faced things I never have before in my life! But I tried my hardest to look to our Heavenly Father for strength, to have a prayer in my heart and I can tell you sincerely, that I have grown in my love for others, for my Savior Jesus Christ, and for the grattitude of the trust of the Lord has in me.

As I close, I know we have a loving Father in Heaven. That is not a title, but God is truly loving, He is our Father in Heaven, and let us all put our trust in Him and Jesus Christ and embrace the refiners fire. I know that as we all do this, as children of God, we will be able to increase our "Attitude of Gratitude". I know honestly with all of my heart that this Gospel is true, and I'm grateful to have a knowledge of God's love for me.  I love you all!!!

-Elder Aguiar :)

(I don't have pictures but hopefully next week)

Wait... You mean it's P-day again?

This week was so very fast.. It was sooooo fast!! I can barely remember any of it.. hahah

So this week was full of meetings!! We were able to have Zone Conference here in Mindoro and hear from President and Sister Koster and it was absolutely amazing!! They talked about a lot of simple things but they were so great.

One thing President talked about that I absolutey LOVED was about power and authority of our call as missionaries. Our authority as missionaries will be with us always. The only person that can take our authority away is by our Stake President when we return home after our missions. But as missionaries, we can take the power away from ourselves, through disobedience to the mission rules or not living in harmony with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The convincing power of the message of the Restored Gospel doesn't come through us, or our knowledge, but it comes through the Holy Ghost. So, if we aren't being obedient, that power will leave us and we will have little success.

Another thing I liked and really sunk in, is when President Koster had said, "We are here in PQCM (Philippines Quezon City Mission) and we dont have time to be disobedient!" With a big smile on his face. I loved it.

But that was basically the highlight of my week this week! Sorry if its a little short, but I will leave with a simple testimony. I'm grateful for the Lord Jesus Christ. For His Perfect example here on earth. I know that He suffered for each one of us individually, so in turn he could "succor his people" (Alma 7:11-13) and in so doing, He knows every feeling of sadness or turmoil we will ever feel in our lives. He knows all of our feelings because He, The Greatest of All, has suffered even death, so that we may live with Him and Our Father in Heaven again. ​

Love,

Elder Aguiar

P-Day bike ride

Not my hand.  I wouldn't go near it!

Bike accident

Missionary pose

Baptisms and Blessings

Yoon, so this week Elder Penetrante and I were grateful to baptize Valerie and Jennelyn Paz! They are two of the happiest, smartest girls ever!! Valerie is 12 and Jennelyn is 10. We were so surprised to see them get up and bear their testimonies, and what was so amazing was to see them receive the Gift of the Holy Ghost.

This week I had the opportunity to bless our investigators daughter. She is only about 5 and is the happiest 5 year old I have EVER seen. I guess she had eaten some guava fruit and that lead to problems of some sort. As I blessed her, I felt love for her and her family, and I did so knowing I was using the Holy Melchizedek Priesthood that comes from God.

Also this week, I have been able to feel the comforting peace and love from my Father in Heaven. We will have many trials, temptations, problems and heartaches in this life.  We can't get around that part of life. But I remember two talks. One from Elder Bednar (An Apostle of Jesus Christ), he said one of the trials of this life is not to "shrink" when we face trials, but instead to look outward at others. Another talk by Neil L. Andersen (An Apostle of Jesus Christ), his talk was on "Faith is not by chance but by choice". So it's just that.. Our faith doesn't just descend upon us, but we need to choose to have faith in Jesus Christ, and continue to strengthen it through study of the scriptures, obedience, keeping the commmandments and exercising it in trials. 

As Elder Rasband told us in the last General Conference, those spiritual experiences we have felt in the past, hold onto them and not forget. So we can use them and rely upon the assurances we have felt in the past.

I know this Church to be true. I know that this work of the Lord, His Gospel will continue to reach every person on every continent. I know The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is The Restored Church of Jesus Christ. I know that through the Book of Mormon, we can come closer to Christ than any other book. I know the Bible and the Book of Mormon both testify of Christ, because there is a Christ. And I know he Lives today.

Love,

Elder Aguiar​

Time is Flying By!

What the? Time has flown by so very fast here in Rizal!! 

This week was full of hardwork, it was great! I loved it! The two little sisters I talked about last week, are getting baptized!! They are the smartest ever haha! They are so funny and they have loved coming to church. They loved the Primary program for all the little kids and were more than excited to take upon them the name of Christ this coming Saturday!:) We have found many new people to teach that are so interested. We went to Sittio Kulili, where mostly rice farmers live on this mountain, and they were more than willing to hear abour the Restored Gospel of Jesus Christ!!  JoJo that I talked about last week, has totally quit smoking since last week! What a miracle! I know that JoJo and myself have felt the abundance of love and confidence from your many prayers this past week!! Just as the Lord is, we are ecstatic for JoJo and his family :)

So this week, I know has been one full of miracles! There have been many many times this week that I started to just blurt out sentence upon sentence in Tagalog and guess what?? Instead of people kind of squinting at me trying to understand what I am saying, it's kinda like a bobbing head motion.. haha MEANING they understand! haha I have been so happy this week talking to many people this week. Despite my american accent, the Lord has not only blessed me with the language but has also blessed those that are listening, to understand me. I cannot put in words, the feelings of love, comfort and confidence the Lord has given me this week. Sister and Elder Sturgeon (my grandparents) sent me an email this week with a scripture they liked. Its Philippians 4:13. (NOT PHILIPPINES ;) ) haha, anyway it says "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." This scripture has expained not only my week, but my whole mission. As humans, we have weakenesses, we have faults, we come short. But, as this scripture implies, Christ will strengthen us. IF we humble ourselves before Him and ask. (Ether 12;27). I'm so happy to know that my imperfections in this life can be washed away by the everlasting and atoning sacrifce of Jesus Christ. As sons and daughters of God, we need to, as said by Elder Bendar (of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles) "to have faith that the Lord's promises can be individual and personal to all of us. We shouldn't only believe in Christ, but believe Him". Believe in the comfort His promises can bring to us in our lives!

Thank you for all the thoughts, love and prayers from you all. I'm grateful to be blessed by so many great family members and friends:)

MAHAL KITA (I love you)

-Elder Aguiar

Chicken Pox and Jack Fruit

So as the title implies, Elder Penetrante and I did got a huge Jack fruit! The title also implies that chicken pox is involved in my week... which it isn't.. Just tons of mosquito bites which are so bad that they look like chicken pox! (Sorry for the scare!) haha

Anyway, this week was great. I was able to go and see most of the Rizal area, and meet the nicest, most recent converts, investigators and members. The one thing I'm trying to get used to is the bike riding... It is honestly a KILLER! I'm not used to riding a bike all day every day!! I can walk for miles, but when it comes to bike riding, I haven't done it for a while... But it is still VERY FUN! It reminds me of the times riding all the way to middle school on my bike with all my friends! haha. Slowly over the week I have gotten a little used to riding for long periods of time but there is still room for improvment.

Also this week, we were able to meet some new people that are interested about listening to the Restored Gospel in the Fullest :) And also, they were nice enough to give us 8 fish and 1 20 pound Jack fruit and some Mango Apples!! What a week. But recieving food wasn't the highlight of our week. This week Elder Penetrante and I are teaching 2 little girls and they are almost ready for baptism on Feb. 25! Their older sister is a member and they like coming to church! Their parents said that it's ok for them to be baptized. Unfortunately their parents aren't that interested in the church. So hopefully in the future there will be an opportunity when they are more open! :) Also, there is a recent convert family that we have been visiting with everynight to go over the lessons and to help them continue to strenghthen their faith in Jesus Christ! :) The whole family was baptized a little while ago, except the oldest son. His name is JoJo, he is 19 and he wants to be baptized but is having trouble quitting smoking. So, every night when we go and visit, we try to do our best to help JoJo and encourage him to stay strong. If you would like to, try and keep them in your prayers to give him strength :)

So that was my great week in a nutshell. I love it here and the people are as always... The BEST!  Just as I love the people here, I love you all too! :)

-The White Filipino,

Elder Cody Aguiar:)