Week 57 in the Philippines - "pagpanumbalik sang ebanghelyo"

HAPPY BIRTHDAY KYLIE BABE!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I hope you're all having a grand ol time celebrating the cutie bum kylie poo! 

How's everyone? How was Conference for all of you??? Oh my goodness we just watched it this weekend and it was so amazing. I'm so sad it's already over:( I love General Conference sooo much! It was so great this time they showed it in all the ward meeting houses, so people didn't have travel far distances to get to the Stake Centers.Our cute little branch watched it together on this little tv! :) 

One of my favorite things about Conference, I've decided haha, is the music! I love hearing the Tabernacle Choir so much! Saturday night we were meeting one of our ward missionaries at the church and happened to catch the closing hymn of the priesthood session. Oh my goodness! It gave me the chills!!!! All those elders singing so powerfully together "Oh Babylon oh Babylon we bid thee farewell". Reminded me how awesome it is to be a missionary and a part of such a historical time when there are over 88,000 fulltime missionaries all over the world! So crazy!!!

One other song that really hit me was when MoTab sang "Praise to the Man". It brought tears to my eyes! The intensity with which they sang it and the conviction, testifying of our beloved prophet of the Restoration, Joseph Smith. I actually really felt like a lot of conference was emphasizing going back the basics-how incredible it is that we have living prophets, the Restoration and renewing/strengthening our testimonies of it, prayer, scripture study, strengthening the family. They are all things that we have been taught over and over again, but somehow, they are so easily neglected. 

I love how one speaker shared about the little boy who asked his mom "What's more important? Prayer or fruit?" Seriously, it all comes down to our priorities and not letting ANYTHING distract us from those fundamental basics of the gospel that we need so desperately every day to keep us safe from all the craziness of the world...aka Satan.   

I just have to update you on Brother Joemil. He is sooo amazing! We taught him this week more about the Restoration and when we committed him to baptism on Nov. 8, he asked us how he can prepare, what he needs to do. Wow. That is such an awesome question. He has the most sincere desire to follow Jesus Christ and to change and be so much better! He came with cutie Mary Jane to Conference yesterday-- not just morning session like most everyone else, but they came back for afternoon session as well! Even though it was all in English (by the way, how awesome to let them speak in their native tongues!), he really enjoyed Conference and told us what he got out of it. He told us that the one thing he understand and got out of it, was about how our life is like being in a boat and we have to stay in. He said the life jacket is the Holy Spirit who protects us and that we have to hold on tight with both hands, meaning trust in the Lord and everything will be okay. Sister Laulu and I were so shocked listening to him tell us what he got out of Conference. He just amazes me.  

One experience this week testified to me of the scripture 
1 Nephi 3:7. So one of our recent converts, Brother Sioco, works as a security guard. He has work everyday from the morning to the late afternoon. His work is out in the far area where we have a special Sacrament, so before he got baptized, he asked his boss for just 1-2 hours off to attend church. After a couple months of that, his boss told him he could get Sundays completely off so that he can worship God. So now he comes to church with his son and wife every week at the regular meeting house! It just strengthened my testimony that when we have the desire to keep the commandments of God and we do our best to do so, God takes care of the rest and He truly does provide a way for us to keep them. It's all according to our faith! 

I'm so grateful for the amazing people in my life! For all of the incredible people I get to meet everyday of my life here in the mission field and of course, for all of you! I feel so extremely blessed to be surrounded and supported by followers of Christ! I love you all soooooooooooooooooooooooo(dad;) much! Thanks for holding on tight to the boat so we can all arrive safely into the arms of our Heavenly Father and be with him as a family FOREVER! Keep it up! 

Love you all tons and tons! 
Love, Sister Malyon