Gapo

3 Nephi 18:21

 Pray in your families unto the Father, always in my name, that your wives and your children may be blessed.

This week was great! We were able to extend a baptismal invitation for September 16 to the Obaldo family, and they accepted! They are an amazing family.

We should have had a baptism this next Saturday, July 29, but our Investigator Hendrix hasn't come to church for the past 2 weeks. We went by his house yesterday to see if he was coming but he said he had an obligation at the Catholic church. He had to go because he goes to a Catholic school here, and apparently would get a bad grade if he didn't go. He said that he would show up late to sacrament meeting at around 9:30. He didn't show up though, which was pretty disappointing. His baptism is scheduled for August 12 now.

Wilfredo was out of town this week, so we weren't able to teach him. We should be able to teach him this week though. Him and Hendrix should get baptized on August 12 if everything works out.

Our investigator Carolina surprised us and showed up to church after telling us that she probably wouldn't be able to go the night before. She was our only investigator at church yesterday. We only had 58 people at church! I'm not sure what was going on yesterday.

Last night as Elder Hall and I were going out to work, we made a goal that we wouldn't come home until we found a family. Our curfew is at 8:30 PM so we started to get a little worried at around 7:30. I didn't think we were going to get it, but 30 minutes before curfew we stumbled upon the Javier family. We were able to teach them a quick lesson. The mother was shocked to see us she said "hey you were the ones that gave my kid that articles of faith card a few months ago" She said that her son (who is 8) gave her the card and said "The white Amerikanos told me to give this to you!" They are great. It just goes to show that goals really do reflect the desires of our hearts.

Anyways, apparently I haven't mentioned nanay Lolita in a while but yes she is still a crazy little monkey. We were sitting in sacrament meeting yesterday and I looked at Nanay and I just said: "Nay, salamat po sa kagandahan ninyo." (thank you for your beauty) She fired back with "Salamat po sa kapangitan mo." (thanks for being so ugly) then she laughed and slapped me with her hankie. She's wild. I'm going to miss her so much.

Transfers are on August 16, and I am pretty sure I am getting transferred cause I'm coming up on 6 months in this area, but I'm going to request to President Lacanienta if I can stay here for one more transfer.

Thank you for all the support that you all give me. Thank you so much for caring. I invite you to follow the council given in 3 Nephi 18:21 and continue (or start) to have family prayer. It will bless your lives, and you will become a firm family. I hope you all have a good week!

-Elder Furniss

Here are some pictures:
The Obaldo family

Our friend Maryjoy

We made some amazing fried chicken (pretty jealous of Jared Polatis who probably gets fed fried chicken on the daily)

We met this drunk guy who asked us for some advice. So we tried to give him some, and he was kind of crying off and on I think cause he was super hammered. He told me to come over to him and he gave me a hug. Through his tears he managed to whisper "Love ko kayo" in my ear. It was a tender moment. We left a Restoration pamphlet on his table and told him we'd come back when he wasn't so drunk.

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The power of the Book of Mormon

Hello mga tropa,

This week was unforgettable. We found 33 new investigators including 2 families. The Obaldo family and the Dela Cruz family. Both of these families are great but the Obaldo family is just awesome! They recently moved here from Visayas and don't have any friends, so we were like "Hey we'll be your friends." They have one of the cutest families I've ever seen. Hopefully I'll remember to take a picture of them this week for y'all."

Tatay Wilfredo is progressing at a rapid pace. And we really have nothing to do with it. It is all through the power of the Book of Mormon. We invited him to read it, and he took the invitation seriously. We visited him on Tuesday and he was in Jacob 5. He was pretty confused about the parable of the olive tree. He thought that it meant that the poor and the rich will be separated and that the poor people would be burned. He then asked, "Are only rich people allowed to come to your church?" We then resolved his concern. We went back on Saturday evening to teach him and he had already read to Alma chapter 8. Tatay has been very confused these last 3 months that we've been teaching him about having to be baptized again after being baptized as an infant, and it felt like nothing we shared would make sense to him, even when we explained it as simply as we could. It wasn't until he read the Book of Mormon for himself that he finally understood it. Tatay Wilfredo, without realizing it or without us telling him to, likens the scriptures unto himself. He'll always share experiences with us of how his life relates to those in the Book of Mormon. For example he said, "Wow I kind of feel like Nephi here. My brothers and I never really got along. I hope that we will someday be able to get along." Anyways, Saturday night Tatay wasn't sure if he would be able to go to church because his right arm had swollen up and it hurt to move it. Elder Hall and I gave him a blessing, and during the blessing the Spirit said through me, "The Lord will give you strength to go to church tomorrow." The next day, Wilfredo was the first one there. He walked there himself (he's the one that had a stroke). We sat down in the chapel before church and he just couldn't stop smiling. He threw his arms up in the air and said, "Look! Your blessing worked! I can move my arms!" I am so thankful for this opportunity that I have to witness Our Heavenly Father bless His children in the Philippines. I would have never been able to experience these amazing things if I were not here right now in this beautiful little town of San Narciso.

Alma 26:37
Now my brethren, we see that God is mindful of every people, whatsoever land they may be in; yea, he numbereth his people, and his bowels of mercy are over all the earth. Now this is my joy, and my great thanksgiving; yea, and I will give thanks unto my God forever. Amen.

I hope you all have a great week. Enjoy your summer! Don't forget to read your scriptures tonight! Our Heavenly Father loves you and he has a plan for you.

Spending the 4th of July with a Canadian

July 9, 2017

Alma 37:44
For behold, it is as easy to give heed to the word of Christ, which will point to you a straight course to eternal bliss, as it was for our fathers to give heed to this compass, which would point unto them a straight course to the promised land.

We had a good week this week. Elder Hall's birthday was on the fourth of July (how ironic) That's how bad he wants to be an American, but we all know he has maple syrup running through his veins. Poor guy. He says he's a 1/4 American though. He's gonna have to stop repping Tim Horton's and maybe I'll believe it. Anyways President Lacanienta let us go to SM (a big mall here) to buy some stuff. We bought some ground beef and potato chips. We also got some timtams. If you're American, you've probably never had timtams, eating them is probably what heaven feels like. Anyways we went home, borrowed our neighbors (neighbours, for you Canadians) barbecue and grilled up some "Dirty Burgs" and yeah they were probably the dirtiest burgers I have ever eaten. We had to put this fake cheese stuff called "Eden" on it cause this country doesn't have cheese. Or milk. Those burgers were really good though.

We taught the Iguico family last night, and let me tell ya, they are awesome! Elder Hall extended a baptismal invitation to them, but they said they had already been baptized when they were babies. We whipped out Moroni 8 and explained to them that children are alive in Christ and don't need baptism. We're going to have to go over that again with them because they are having a hard time with it, but they'll get it. I'm not too worried.
Sister Iguico asked how it must be to grow up in America with no problems. We assured her that even though we were from a country outside of the Philippines, we still had problems. I asked "If you have two kids, do you love one more than the other?" "of course not" she replied. "That's how our Heavenly Father feels about us. We are all equal in His eyes." I said. The Spirit was palpable during that lesson. We helped the Iguico family feel the love of the Lord, and our Heavenly Father.

We had 3 investigators at church yesterday, one of them being Tatay Wilfredo. We have been teaching Wilfredo for a while now. Saturday night, we told him we were going to pick him up for church at 8:00 Sunday morning. We got there and he was sitting in his chair all ready and waiting for us. Wilfredo had a stroke a few years back and it is hard for him to move the right side of his body. It's especially hard for him to walk. We walked to church and as we were walking he said "Awa ng Diyos, parang lumakas na ako" (God is merciful to me, It's like I've gotten stronger). We were able to get him to church and he enjoyed it. It turns out our friend Sheila is his niece, so he has a great fellowshipper.

I gave a talk yesterday in church about prophets. It turned out well! How blessed we are to have a living Prophet on the earth!

Well I hope you all had a happy fourth of July! Have a great week!

Elder Furniss

here's a pic of us grilling some dirty burgs

ps. I also rode shotgun on a Jeepney in Olongapo, which was probably the best fourth of July gift ever. I'll send a vid soon.