I love the temple

This week has been full of cool experiences. A family I worked with in Coron flew to the Manila temple this week to be sealed as a family in the temple. Since I worked with them I got special permission to attend the sealing. I had no idea that it was going to be as spiritual as it was. To see their whole family in white and sealed for eternity is something that I will never forget. Their family are all recent converts and are now enjoying one of the most beautiful parts of the gospel. It's been great to work with them and now to see them sealed. 

Velosis Family

That is one of the goals for the mission. Here in the Philippines we are working on getting all the members to the temple, as individuals, and especially as families. It's amazing to see the hand of the Lord here and I know that this is His work, I'm so grateful to be a part of it. Hopefully that is one family of many more people we can get to the temple. Covenants are how we become closer to our Father in Heaven, and it is one of the ways he manifests his power.  I love it here and there is lots of work to be done. The area presidency is really focusing on Temple marriage and multigenerational families in the gospel. That's the big push to get the Philippines established. In ten years, this place will be like Utah. You have no idea the increase here!! Lots of RMs from here, are now returning to their branches and then getting married. The work is nuts. There are many more temples here to come.  Btw I saw Elder Cooper (the elder from Vegas that was in my foursome in Coron) and he said I've gotten taller, so maybe when I get home I will look a bit taller, tell Porter to top that.

 

Me and my Comp at church

 My comp is doing great! We rode in an elevator together and he told me it was his first time! They really don't have anything where he lives, seriously just a mountain haha. But he is really funny and doing great. Oh man I finally feel at home here in Makati, it's taken a long time haha. But just know I feel like it's home and I feel settled here. Things here are no longer foreign for me, the weather, the food, the language, the culture. I don't feel like the weather is unusual here anymore. It's still hot but it's just normal now. Same with the food. It all feels just really normal. I cannot say that I'm fluent in the language but it's no longer a barrier or stress. I still have a lot to learn but I feel very comfortable in the language. 

  We have a transfer this week but I will probably stay here at least another transfer, which is great I'm really loving it here now. 

Fred is still Fred. He is going great, he told us his eyes hurt too bad to keep reading the Book of Mormon. So I had the idea to get one of our recent converts to read to him every day since they are friends. Turns out it's a win win. So they are both excited about that idea which is great! 

  We are working with a part member family with two teenage boys. They are great and they have told us that they would want to serve missions like us! Which has us really excited for them. They come to church but not very consistantly.  But they do a good job of keeping their commitments. 

  Family nights are really fun here in this ward. They love to have the missionaries over for food, games, and a spiritual thought. Lots of the church population here is really young. So it's great to go over to houses and invite the spirit and let the kids know what it means to serve on a mission.

View out of our apartment

  We have been talking to lots and lots of people this week and have been looking to always have a pool of new investigators.  The weather has just been hot with only a little rain. The rainy season is coming up. But it's always raining so whatever haha. 

The Book of Mormon is the word of God. Read it every day. 

Love Elder Roberts