Easter Sunday!

#PrinceofPeace 

https://www.mormon.org/?cid=HP_SU_9-4-2017_dMIS_fMORG_xLIDyL1-A_

Above is the Church's Easter Initiative. (Yes I know I'm late...) Even though I'm late on sharing this, I encourage you all to watch the inspired video :) It is absolutely amazing!!

This past Sunday was Easter. What an important holiday. Something that I realized when I was a little older is that Easter isnt about easter eggs, candy and the Easter Bunny but instead, about Jesus Christ! About His life and His death. One thing Im grateful to know is, Christ didnt just die and atone for all of our sins, but He rose again. HE LIVES!  He is the Lord of Lords, the King of Kings. He is Jesus Christ. And because of Him, because of the Atonement of Jesus Christ I can be forgiven for my mistakes and so can everyone else that accepts His Gospel. 

So, we are baptizing a woman this weekend, and her daughters are members, they were baptized last year.  They live in our area, but their real house is in another area and their dad lives there.  We have never met him before, so we got permission to go to their house for his birthday to get to know him, etc.  So yesterday, it rained sooo hard all day!  Which is crazy because it's been hot everyday since I've been in this area.  So we took a trike all the way to their house, it was the two of us, her daughters and the trike drivers family!  Haha!  So 8 people on this little trike, and the house is the farthest in the middle of nowhere that I have ever been! Haha!  We had to go up mountains and because it was rainy and we had so many people in the trike, we couldn't get up the mountain, so we pushed the trike with people in it up two mountains!  Once we were within walking distance, it was still raining so we walked down a landslide of mud to finally make it to the house.  All of my clothes were wet with puddles in my shoes.  But we got to meet the dad and he was really nice!  But because the travel was so far we only got to spend like 30 minutes there.  But is was a good visit.

I don't have a lot of time this week, but I'm happy to say that we have a baptism this coming weekend! :) And through my mission I'm grateful to see people grow and change because of the true, Restored Gospel of Jesus Christ! 

Love, Elder Aguiar

#ldsconference

Question of the week: If there was a conference two weekends a year where you could listen to a living Prophet and Apostles of the Lord talk to you, would you listen?  Of Course, right???

Well that's what happened this past weekend! As members of Christ's church, we have the great opportunity to watch or attend General Conference! What a time we live in today!! As a missionary it means so much more to me to listen to the many talks given by the Spirit of the Lord through Prophets and Apostles and many other General Authorities of the Church. (https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2017/04/to-the-friends-and-investigators-of-the-church?lang=eng) one amazing talk, about those investigating the church!) 

Obviously, that was the highlight of my whole week! But Rizal this week had a "Fiesta" which means "feast" because it was the week it was founded. So they had a week full activities at night, including motor cross, boxing and competitions. On top of that, it is harvesting season for all the rice farmers here! So of course that was so fun for the people here, but it also means it was very hard to find people interested that had time for us.. But in the coming months we will have tons of time to teach so that will be very exciting! 

I don't really have time to go through my whole week... But this weekend was full of the Holy Spirit and times for me to ponder on me and my life and come to a realization of the love Christ has for me and how fortunate I am that I have this time to share that love to the lovely people here in the Philippines. And to be so thankful for the ever strengthening testimony I have in God our Heavenly Father, Jesus Christ His begotten Son, and in the Holy Spirit. I'm so humbled to serve my Lord for these 2 years.

-Elder Cody Louis Aguiar

BATCH!  Zone activity at the beach

Captured on a bike ride

I forgot to mention this! This highschool picked The Church to sing for them at their graduation!! The choir was comprised of missionaries and members. Our 2nd counciler of our mission even spoke!  So cool!

They take their ice cream sandwiches quite literally here!  Serious business!

Happy, Happy, Maligaya! (Happy)

The weeks here never fail to get faster and faster... But on the upside, I contine to get happier and happier every week!

This week has been full of blessings! We have found many people willing to listen to the message of the Restored Gospel! One family in particular, The Acosta family are so sweet! We found tatay on the rode waiting for gas when we stopped to talk to him. He listened and invited us back! We were able to teach them and extend a baptism date for the 29th of April! They wanted to know how fast they could be baptized because they knew it was true! But we had to explain we still have other things to go over before they were baptized! Another one, is Sister Corazon. She is a mother of two twins that were baptized last year, and she has grown in understanding and her testimony so much!! Its been great to see! We are excited to say that she will be baptized on the 3rd week of April!!

I dont have to much time, but yesterday on Sunday, while we were teaching Sister Corazon at church and after as we were sitting in our meetings, I couldnt help but feel an overwhelming feeling of joy and happiness! I realized yesterday that being on my mission has made me the HAPPIEST I have EVER BEEN in my life! 

On my mission, I have experinced many different trials. But after those trials, I have come to love my Father in Heaven more and grow in grattitude for his blessings toward me. I know with all my heart and mind that God is our Perfect Father. He hears our prayers and answers them everytime we open our hearts to Him. 

Love,

Elder Aguiar

Our Branch Presidents kids.  The cutest kids ever!

Post personal study time, featuring the Philippines of course!

A bird flew into a members home last night, they caught it and I got to hold it!! (Dont worry I dont have bird flu)

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