baptisms in the ocean...

Hello everyone - so this week has been such a good week. It started off way good with a family home evening at the Gepiala, Flores, and Cabungcog families’ home. They are our investigators we found through a less active member and some of them had baptisms on Saturday. So we invited a bunch of the other investigator families around and some came. But it was way way fun and we played the usual games and used charcoal. But this family has fed us dinner like three times and to help you realize that is a huge deal here because they are so poor but they love us so much. So this week we continued to focus on our recent converts and on our investigators with baptismal dates on Saturday. It was a good week and went by way fast - when you are busy time flies. We also started working out every night and I am going hard so I can stay strong haha. But the first night I went way too hard and got sick the next day.  I wanted to die ha ha but I pushed through and didn't let it stop me.  I still taught the lesson in district meeting and worked that day, so I know that God gave me strength - the work is too important to be laying around.  On Friday night we went to a birthday party of the president of Mabini's daughter.  It was way fun - the people here are all just so loving and kind. Then Saturday was the best day of my mission so far. It was such a spiritual day and I felt the Spirit so strongly all day and received a sure witness that this is the work of the Lord Jesus Christ. So way early we went to the church where we had a wedding for Alberto Cabungcog and his live in partner Lea.  He is the less active we found in July and where all of the baptisms are coming from.  It was way cool and they were so happy to be married and his wife will be baptized this month and we hope to have Alberto do it. They also want to be sealed in the temple one day.  Then after the wedding we planned for three baptisms of the family members but the water in Stop was broken and smelled so so so bad. So we tried to go to the Toboso chapel which is nearby and we had a big service jeep from the wedding so everyone came along, but the water there was broken too.  So I suggested to just go to the ocean because it was way close and that is my dream to baptize in the ocean. They said ok and I was so excited because they wanted me to baptize them.  So I baptized them in the ocean and it was such an awesome experience.  Then later that day we were supposed to have one more baptism in Stop, a way cool old guy who is kind of slow but has so much faith and was way excited.  We couldn't go back to the ocean so we just brought him along to Mabini and added him.  So in Mabini we baptized a mom and her two kids and the guy from Stop. They were all way excited and also wanted me to do it.  So I baptized seven people that day and I could feel the love of the Savior Jesus Christ so strong and know that this was helping them to receive forgiveness and prepare for eternal life.  Then later to make the day even better I received my birthday package early and enjoyed all the American food and candy especially the chips ahoy and the cheesy mashed potatoes.  Then on Sunday I was still filled with the Spirit way strongly and bore testimony in both Mabini and Stop that Jesus Christ is the only way to salvation and true happiness.  Also some of our new converts bore testimony and gave such powerful witnesses of the truth.  They also shared their testimonies after they were baptized and I know they know that this is true.  They said they felt so happy and alive they were floating. Also Tatay Gepiala said that this is the fourth time he has been baptized but he knows without a doubt that this church is the true church of Jesus Christ.  Also Alberto bore his testimony and it was awesome.  Also some of the kids I have been encouraging forever too.  So today we hiked Mt Lunay again and had a picnic with some members from Stop and Mabini and weren't sure if we were going to be transferred.  It was way fun.  Then later the zone leaders text us and said I would be transferred to Mabini and Elder stay in Stop.  My heart dropped and I was so sad because I love Stop so much, but later we found out it was a mistake and I will stay in Stop and Elder will go to Mabini. We are still in the same house and his new companion is Elder Hagen my comp from the mtc so I am so stoked.   I will be training a new missionary so I go to Bacolod tomorrow to find out who and learn how to train.  I am excited and nervous. We get general conference late, so this weekend. Also James and Garrett update me on the sports. So I need to go.  It was a great week and I know that Jesus Christ is the Savior and brings true happiness and salvation.  Have a great week and I love you.
Elder Mifflin aka Nature Man