Christmas time starts really early. . .

We were not able to work as much as we would have hoped for this week. Elder Cooper got sick (nothing serious). But we couldn't work five days this week. But we still we able to get out some nights and a few days. 

I switched missions!!  Just kidding, we found a Christmas tree while on exchanges with Elder Bermudez...  

We had a very spiritual experience with a less active family we have been working with. We taught them about the temple and brought them a picture of the temple to put into their home. They are all members but not yet sealed and have not been to the temple as a family yet. The mom has been reactivated with the kids, but the dad has really been working on things and has been wanting to go to church. When I first got here, he would just hide from us and we could hear him telling his kids to tell us that he wasn't home. But now he's smiling and said they will go to the temple in May!! He's come a long way. He's ready to have family night and family prayer and family scripture study. He wants to go to church with them now. It's been years since he's come to church. It's been a miracle and he's doing great. 

On a different note. The nurses we have been teaching unexpectedly dropped us last night. We got a text from the husband saying they aren't looking for a different church at this time. We felt sad for them and felt the wife was actually really interested but the husband doesn't seem to feel it's the right time. Hopefully the missionaries will find them again someday. 

This awesome family in the pic below, moved to Palawan after the Super typhoon destroyed their home.  All their worldly possessions we swept out to sea. All they had was their family... It's a miracle they all survived... 

The kids love the Elders and the dad wanted to take a picture...

 

Incredible family!

We had a great member referral last night. It was really out of the blue. We were going to an appointment and the student we were visiting was busy so we just kinda stood there waiting for who knows what, just kinda thinking what we should do but then a member came up to us and said "come in and teach my brother!" We didn't even know the member she was just a boarder, but we were able go in and teach the brother and lots of the cousins who were there. 

We have connected with some great members this week.  We had a good appointment with a less active family we have been visiting. They stopped going because their son punches all the auxiliary leaders in the face and gives them bloody noses. He's 3 but he is wild. We went to their house and had breakfast with them, we ate bananas. But they aren't the bananas you at home are used to, they're cooking bananas and they are really thick. But we have been building a good relationship with them and even got a referral from them!! 

Christmas season is really heating up here. It's never too early here... 

Love Elder Roberts