Week 31

Hello! I am so happy to find you better this week! St. George sounds so fun. I am so proud of Grandpa, please give him my love. In fact give everyone BIG loves from me! I'm starting to miss the fam with Thanksgiving/ Christmas coming up- I'm so exciting for a warm Filipino Christmas though. Speaking of Christmas- we are REALLY getting into the Christmas spirit here- Christmas songs are everywhere, christmas decorations in every store- its amazing! We've been listening to the 13 Christmas hymns that we have on repeat ;) haha its the most wonderfullll time of the yeeeear!

Sige- so this week was kind of intense. I'm going to be a little bit real here, I am struggling. I'm probably going to leave Borongan next week- nothing is for sure, but usually here we have 6 months in the first area. I have to be honest, the only thing in the world I can compare this feeling to is leaving you guys- but it is hard because I don't really know when the next time I will see these people again. I have been pondering on whether or not I have really given everything I have to these people- if I've really done everything I could. Because sometimes it feels like even though I've been here for 6 months, I don't have any fruits. It is hard to look at this time that I've had here, and sometimes I don't see the fruits of this labor. But yesterday, we had the most amazing sacrament meeting mom. So many people bore their testimony and we had the highest attendance that we've had since I've been here. And I felt the Spirit just say to me that I don't need fruits- this isn't my work, its His. Heavenly Father doesn't ask us to have 1000 baptisms, He just asks us to be obedient and strive everyday to bring His precious children to Him. Oh mom this work is so amazing and I'm so blessed to be a part of it. And sometimes I'm too stubborn or proud to see ALL of these amazing blessings and success that He has allowed me to witness- What more of a fruit could I want than to witness people feel the love and healing power of the Atonement. What else is there?

Oh mom. This work is so amazing. There is no sweeter joy in all the world. Thank you thank you thank you for allowing me and providing away for me to come here. I'm so blessed to have loved these people.

love and prayers always, your Maddie