Count your many blessings

So, if I am completely honest, this week was really really really rough for a variety of different reasons.  Pero, I know that one of the best cures for rough times, is to count your many blessings!  So, in this email I am going to do just that :)

1.  One of our families plan to be baptized THIS SATURDAY :)

2.  While teaching our family with the Baptism, we sang Love at Home with the children.  Wow, moments like singing hymns with children remind me every time of Christ's love for us.  In this moment, I was filled with gratitude to be on a mission with these beautiful people.

3.  On Valentine's Day, we were punted over and over and over again...PERO along the way as we walked wondering who we should visit because people were hiding from us... we came across these kids.  I decided to talk to them. I played catch with them for just a few minutes and laughed with them.  Then a few of the little girls gave me flowers and said in English, "happy valentine's day!" So cute!  I think I was tagged on FB of this picture, the one with me and a group of kids with flowers :) what a treasured moment!

4.  I witnessed a miracle in one of our investigators.  there is an investigator who we were planning on dropping because she wouldn't keep her commitments.  We told her last time that she really needed to act.  then this time she actually read the intro to the Book of Mormon!  when she prayed, she really prayed.  Usually she doesn't want to.  but this time she really did.  and she asked to know if Joseph Smith was a true prophet and if the Book of Mormon was true.  And then she came to church on Sunday!  wow, what a miracle.  what's even more amazing is that during this lesson, her mom kept saying-"there's only one God!"  and then when we quoted Joseph Smith's first vision this man who was listening to our lesson started laughing.  This was the first time I really felt rejected.  and it hurt to have people turn down this sweet lesson.  but even with all these distractions,  our inv. listened to us with real intent and prayed seriously.  wow, miracle.  I really felt the Spirit.

5.  I am becoming Filipino!  Such a great blessing haha.  My companion taught me how to make this Adobo and so sis. Nott and I made it for our house!

6.  the members here are a testimony to me of this work here in the Philippines.  some times it is so easy to get down about the hardships people face here.  You wonder some times, how it really is possible for them not to work on Sunday to go to Church.  Especially when they barely have enough fo their families.  but to see the strong members here, and how they testify that yes, the Gospel really does bless family situations when we keep the commandments!  It's touches my heart every time.

7.  I love my companion.  she gave me this white flour oil (mom, it is sorta like your tiger Mentholatum stuff for headaches).  When she gave it to me for my HAs, and I smelled it, I almost started crying because the smell reminded me of you, mom.  I love you so much.

8.  I could go on and on with blessings.  but I am out of time.  But the greatest blessing I witnessed and will ever witness, is the Atonement of our Savior Jesus Christ.  I know He lives!  He loves us and strengthens us when we are weak.  Draw near unto Him, and I testify that He will ALWAYS reach out and draw nearer unto you.  Helping you every step of this mortal journey.  The greatest blessing of all.

I love you all!

Sister Wright