Hello everyone. This week has been good. We have been continuing to focus on our recent converts and they have continued to come to church so that is good. I am glad that they will be true converts. We also have plans for 9 baptisms on Oct 6th so we continued to focus on all of them and prepare them for the baptism interview questions. Unfortunately two of them missed their interview because one is a little kid and was scared and the other didn't come for some reason. So we plan for 7 baptisms next week, 3 in Mabini and 4 in Stop. The 3 in Mabini have been investigators for over a year and didn't know they could be baptized because they were living together but can't be married because it is very to divorce when there is a previous marriage. I knew the new rule though because I had situations like that in Stop too. So I told her she could be baptized and she was way excited and we got her interviewed this week and her two kids too. Elder Natural, my trainer, taught her so it is cool that I can help her get baptized. The baptisms in Stop are coming from the Gepiala family - the sweet family in the jungle by the river we walk through. We have been teaching them since July and they are way good. We are also focusing a bunch of new investigators in that same area. They are referrals and friends of one of the moms being baptized on the 6th. I think she will be future relief society president or something haha. There are a ton of them though that are interested and want to be baptized. We may actually make a meeting house up there in a nearby school since it is pretty far and the people have no money for transportation. We will see though - it is possible for them to come to church because our other investigators do. It is cool because I think we are the first missionaries ever in that certain area. There were no members there - we found them from a less active who moved there with his live in and now we have a ton of work and are doing miracles there so it is cool. The people here are way good and we have a lot of people interested. My companion and I are trying to work on our unity and get quicker more powerful lessons so we can get as many teachings as possible in. We had splits this week too and Elder Moody from Bountiful came here. He is American. It was way fun and I hope I get an American companion in the future - we would do good work because just in one day the people were lovin it two Americans. We went to that area where we cross the river and it was night and we saw a huge snake in the river… but it was dead. I carried it around on a stick all night and scared people - it was fun. Also a family up there has a pet monkey and I let it crawl on my shoulder and got some pictures. This week was the family week celebration in the Philippines and on Saturday there was a celebration. We went to both in Stop and Mabini. We invited a ton of people. Unfortunately all didn't come but we found a couple new people to teach. It was once again just to see how these people enjoy such simple things. So this month has gone by fast. It is crazy how fast time goes when you are busy and we have been way busy this month working in two areas. We mainly focused on Stop though and are harvesting my and Elder Reyes work from last transfer. We had four baptisms earlier this transfer - 3 in Stop and 1 in Mabini. They were from less active and part members. One of the kids was way way shy but we invited him to play basketball and then he started coming to church and now he is baptized and a branch missionary. So by small and simple things are great things brought to pass. We also work with less actives cause it is a huge problem here so it is important to endure not just be baptized. Every day I am out in the nature and it is sweet. Just going to each home which is usually bamboo sometimes concrete, is an adventure. We cross rivers often so I am taking off my shoes and socks and rolling up my pants. It rains a lot and you should see how muddy it gets. It is crazy and way slippery. I am always hiking and love it. There is a bunch of sugar cane here and hills and palm trees. The people here are way poor and never have money but are good people. The members are way good. The food is good but gets old. I love getting fast food in Bacolod and we went this month I got some pizza hut. The members are way good and I hope to stay here in Stop for a while. Transfers are in a week so we will see. We play basketball on Mondays with all the kids here and I ball them up. We play ping pong sometimes and it is too easy. Yo Nate my boy I need a challenge bro – let’s play the day I get home and I will take your marbles. I got some Filipino marbles ha ha they are ok. So anyways I love you all and just continue and do your best each day and I will see you all soon. I have learned that it is not always easy and there are a ton of temptations and stuff on the mission but just remember why we are here and how blessed we are and that families are eternal and we can all have eternal happiness in the kingdom of God and all people need this. It is just a short time in eternity but important. I know this work is true and true happiness comes from the gospel of Christ. It isn't always easy but it is always worth it to live the gospel. Love You.
Elder Mifflin aka Nature Man
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