We are working in Mangaldan Philippines to become a Stake in Zion

We are working in Mangaldan Philippines to become a Stake in Zion

Most everyday, our Missionary Work is to visit members of the Church and invite them to keep their Baptismal Covenants of showing our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ that they love him by going to Church each week to partake of the Sacrament, paying current tithing, keeping the Commandments, Reading the Book of Mormon and Bible, loving family and others and holding Family Home Evening.  The Filipino people are kind and welcoming.  And sometimes, this work leads to even baptisms of other family members.

We will tell a great success story

Elder Roberts felt one day we should work in a certain barangay - or neighborhood to visit a woman member that we have never heard of.  We went with the Sister Missionaries.  The member was gracious and kind, got some chairs for us and we talked about our family, and showed her and her Father-in-law pictures of our family, and our home and area, horses and cows .

  A prayer was said, we all sang a song, and began to give her a message from the scriptures.  Sadly, she said she was not interested in the Church any longer and was attending another one.  Her older Father-in-law, (a strict Catholic), walked in and out of the conversation, giving his strong beliefs.  We gave the woman a Family History Pedigree sheet and Family Group sheet, which she accepted.

   The Father kept walking in. The Sister Missionaries called him with respect...Tatay Felipe - or Father Felipe (Phillip in America).

   We spoke with him and answered his questions of the Book of Mormon, that it did not replace the Bible (that we also study, ) it told of another people in the Americas with Prophets who recorded scripture.  The Book of Mormon is a second witness of Jesus Christ and his Gospel on earth.  We bore our testimonies of the truthfulness of these things spoken, and gave a closing prayer.
   Here is a copy of the Tagalog Language   Book of Mormon.

  Tatay Felipe with his torn straw hat, shorts and flip flops walked us out to our car and we gave him a Pass-along Card with the Articles of Faith, and a Tagalog booklet of the Plan of Salvation - he speaks some English, mostly Tagolog.

  We asked him what his cows names were, he said nothing,,, then he thought a bit and said  Mario and Marie!

 

   We opened the car trunk and he exclaimed   OOh you have a Cowboy Hat!  OOhh I wish I had a Cowboy Hat and a horse !
    We looked at each other and said OK  -- we gave him Elder Roberts Cowboy hat, that Sister Roberts had bought him for $2 for Father's Day.
We told him what time Church started, he said maybe he'd come.

   Sunday came, and Sacrament Mtg started, he didn't come.  At the end of the mtg, in walked
Tatay Felipe, wearing his Cowboy Hat, flipflops and shorts.  We waved across the Chapel to him.  The Branch President (like the Bishop) knew him, also several neices, nephews, cousins were already at Church. So the next week, the Sister Missionaries began teaching the discussions with him, and he requested us to come a few times.

   How wonderful to watch a conversion happen!  Tatay Felipe softened in his other beliefs, his looks.  He wanted to be taught everyday, like a child wanting to learn the truth. He would say about a principle of the Gospel, oh I already believe that.

This is the first time Sister Roberts has ever seen a conversion happen - even tho she grew up in Salt Lake City, has shook hands with all 8 of the Prophets since David O. McKay, in her lifetime, even President Monson. 
 

 Tatay Felipe was happily baptized Saturday, August 2, 2014.   He was even 1 hour early, which is unusual here.

   He is so kind to us - he calls Sister Roberts   - Madame - and gave her a flower.  His fun joking personality comes out and sometimes he calls Elder Roberts -- Elder Bert.  We got a picture of his grandchildren and their friends  (with Mario the cow in back), and his chickens that flew into the tree.  He said when we come back to visit, he will make chocolate for us from his cacao fruit.
    We hope and pray that his family (many of them members) will soften their hearts and also come back to Church. 

We work with the members of the Church in Mangaldan.  Here is a pic of Mayor Bona.

Right now, it is the time to harvest  ---  >   frogs !  
  Yesss at dinnertime, some run out to the canal-ditch next to their homes and fish for the frogs.   I've heard they -- taste like chicken --  mmmm   I don't think I will try it.  

This man was quite skilled at it.  He put his line in, immediately caught a frog, flipped up the line into the air, the frog flew up, he held open this net bag with the other hand and the frog fell down into the bag!  30 seconds later, he did it again !   Sister Roberts congratulated him, gave him a Pass-a-long card and invited this non-member to Church.

 Elder Roberts prefers Sister Roberts cooking.  Sister Roberts made Tuna Pasta salad with microwave potatoes.  The "Alaska Fresh Milk" box is from New Zealand, and expires in 4 months, December 2014.

I guess some really like sizzling chicken feet on the menu,,,

or the finest Baked Squid Flakes

I guess some love Fermented Mudfish in Rice

And of course, you need your fruit juice, not grape, not orange juice, but Carrot Fruit Juice- I thought it was a vegetable ??

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We just loved the comment that Elder Mike Martin (Sister Roberts brother serving with his wife in Guam) said on their blog, so we will include it here...
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Our physical bodies and possessions are protected by concrete buildings, made strong enough to withstand super typhoon winds. Spiritual protection includes doing what it takes to feel close to our Heavenly Father every day. Reading scriptures like the Book of Mormon and Bible daily, reading words of the living Prophets, praying, listening to uplifting music, watching some of the great videos on lds.org, etc. (Here's the link to these Great Videos)

If we are not feeling the spirit every day, or at the very least, spiritually fed weekly, our testimony or concrete wall of protection decays and becomes easily destroyed by the Super Typhoons that Satan throws at us.

I think it is best summarized by Elder Robert D. Hales of the Quorum of the twelve Apostles, in October 2013 conference, talk called, Strengthening Faith and Testimony

We may not know all the reasons why the prophets and conference speakers address us with certain topics in conference, but the Lord does.

President Harold B. Lee taught:

 

“The only safety we have as members of this church is to … give heed to the words and commandments that the Lord shall give through His prophet. There will be some things that take patience and faith. You may not like what comes from the authority of the Church. It may contradict your [personal] views. It may contradict your social views. It may interfere with some of your social life.   But if you listen to these things, as if from the mouth of the Lord Himself, with patience and faith, the promise is that ‘the gates of hell shall not prevail against you; … and the Lord God will disperse the powers of darkness from before you, and cause the heavens to shake for your good, and his name’s glory’ (D&C 21:6).”¹⁰

How did President Lee know what we would be facing in our day? He knew because he was a prophet, seer, and revelator. And if we listen and obey the prophets now, including those who will speak in this very conference, we will be strengthened and protected.

 And we Elder and Sister Roberts add our testimony here.. .

    We know that this is the true living restored Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the same Church that Adam, Abraham, and Jesus Christ lived.  We are so grateful we know this !  We know that the current Prophet, President Thomas S. Monson receives revelation from the head of this Church - Jesus Christ, and tells us what we need to know for our day. 
   We know that if we all will follow his and his ordained Apostles, that we will live Eternal Life together as sealed families with our loving Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ in the Kingdom of God.  We are so very grateful for the Atonement of Jesus Christ, and for the Book of Mormon, Another Testimony of Jesus Christ.  We are grateful for our families, and we pray that God will bless them everyday.  We are happy to serve the Lord in this, the Urdaneta, Philippines Mission.
In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.