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

Killing it!

Well I have about 0 oras this time. But tons of stuff have happened this week!! We met a lady and her daughter whose name was Eden. We were just walking and they were resting from carrying water to their house. I just told them that I would carry it (which was surprisingly heavy I may add) but they said "no" and picked up it and made it to their house pretty fast! Then when we came back to teach them the other day, Sister Eden (the mother) had SO MANY questions and is so so interested in the Gospel!!!  Then we taught a part-member family and as we were closing the lesson, the mother almost blurted out that she wants so badly to be baptized with her child! So, we are hoping for them to be baptized in May!!  We were in Gospel Principles class yesterday at church, and we found out that the couple there has 3 kids at home that aren't yet members, and they want us to teach them!! So we have just had so many blessings basically dropped into our laps only because of the mercy of the Lord for us. I know it is not because of anything we have done that we earned those blessings!! 

So our area is still beautiful, I'm still making people believe that I'm from Davao, and our ZONE IS STILL KILLING IT!!! We have broke some "false limitations" in our zone this last week in our key indicators so, it's just the best!!!!

Playing kickball

What happened to the dental hygiene program?

Beautiful view

Paradise and General Conference

Soooo! This week has been great (except for the many many hours of traveling...) I LOVED THIS WEEK!!! I don't think I could fit everything in this email about what happened, how I feel and the total and COMPLETE love I feel from the members, people, and most importantly the Lord.

So this past week on Friday, we had MLC and it was so so good. I learned so much!!! There is POWER in counseling together and I totally see why that's the way the Church is moving through revelation. Anyway, I loved it.

Then this week we watched CONFERENCE and it BLEW my socks off! It was the BEST and most spiritual conference I have ever been a part of!! I know completely by the Spirit that President Nelson was called of God. I love him so much, he is such a spiritual giant. I think for me the theme was about the Holy Ghost and revelation which is perfect for me. I have thought about something President Nelson said this past weekend, (I forgot the exact wording) "That Christ will do His most amazing miracles between NOW and His Second Coming". HOW AMAZING is that?? I believe at least some of those blessings we will see here in the mission field as missionaries :)

I love this area it is sooo pretty. In our zone there are 7 companionships and 10 (out of 14) of them haven't even reached 9 months in the mission! So our zone is really new and they are all hard working so we are really lucky. We have a lot of things we think can help our zone to become even better so we are super excited!!!

Elder Cody Aguiar

Philippines Quezon City Mission

Our district bowling activity

I love these kids!  They are the sweetest!

The view outside of our apartment.  Yep, those are rice fields!

Transfers!

So transfers were this week... And I will be transferring to the Morong Zone which is a province :) My whole mission has been province haha! President Koster called and also informed me the Lord has called me, to be a Zone Leader in Morong my last two transfers of my mission. So it will be an interesting last 3 months of the mission for sure. I'm comforted by the knowledge that the calling truly comes from the Lord and not from man. 

BUT THIS WEEK WAS AMAZING!!! Me and Elder Cagnayo just worked hard this last week together. We found 15 new investigators this past week who are ALL interested in the Gospel of Christ. We have found families and many individuals. There was one individual named Jopet that was refered to us by 2 people! And those two people don't even know each other and neither are members yet. So we figured that he was important to find right away! It turns out that he is being taught by some sisters in a different mission by his school, but because he and his family live in our area, we will be taking over the lessons for him :) We have been teaching  Joey Omugtong for the past couple weeks and I love him so much! He is less active and hasn't come to church in over 17 years! We taught him by the spirit and he realized he needed to come to church.  AND HE DID ON SUNDAY!! For the first time in so long!!! Everyone was so happy to see him, and later that night he came to our Group Family Home Evening :) How thankful we are for being used by the Lord to help our brother and best friend come back to the church!!

 I have seen so many miracles this week. This is truly the Lord's work, and oh how it is moving forward!!! I'm so humbled and filled with exceeding happiness to be part of it at this time. 

Elder Cody Aguiar

Philippines Quezon City Mission

Our assistant ward mission leader

My best friend Joey

My last ward FHE group