Kamusta,

It's been a great week; I really like working here. This area has a lot of potential and I'm learning a lot about how to be a better missionary. There have been so many times this week that my companion and I were walking and then either my companion or I stop, as prompted by the spirit, and go talk to someone and they let us in. We don't actually talk to a lot of people because the ones we talk to usually let us in to teach. We were walking one day and my companion just stopped and walked over to a guy and started talking to him. We only taught a short simple lesson about how the gospel will bless his family, but as he gave the prayer, he had tears in his eyes and then he went to church the next day. I had one experience where we were teaching a guy and the thought came to me that his wife had passed away. We talked to him a little more about his family and sure enough his wife had passed away. It's amazing how the Lord directs this work and helps us find His prepared children.

I do have one complaint about this area. In my old area we had a church right next to our house. It had a big bell at the top and they liked to ring it as loud as they could at five in the morning or in the middle of the day for funerals. I thought I would get a good night sleep here, but now we have chickens next door that like to stay up all night and be as loud as they can, but it's all worth it to serve the Lord :)

Love, Elder Smith