Elder Dustin Watkins Philippines Angeles Mission: Week 24: Satisfying Work, Trainer Growth, and Strengthened Testimony

What's Goooood family?! How's it goin? :)

I'm doing just great here in the Pino Islands! Had a fun week once again and good news is I still love missionary work. Even though our baptisms got moved and we had zero for February, I still feel so satisfied. The reason is I can honestly look in the mirror and say that I tried my best every day. That's all that is asked of me, and of all of us. To strive to be our best. I still feel successful as a missionary and am even more excited to work harder in March :)

Looking back over this last month and a half or so is crazy. From January 17th picking up my brand new baby (trainee), to now finishing his first transfer. I hope he is learning a lot from me because I have grown so much this transfer. I have improved tremendously I feel like. I now have the knowledge and the assurance that I can do this work without someone older telling me how to do things. I just rely on the Lord and we can get things done. I love it! So much has changed as I think back. My whole attitude about the mission is different. And I feel much more involved. Even though as a trainee we worked hard together, I always felt like what I did had to be approved by someone. Now I just strive for spiritual confirmation and it works out better! Again I love the mission :)

So I guess President said one area in our zone is getting 'white washed' meaning that both elders will be transferred. Our area has been under 'white wash alert' for quite some time now and I hope that we don't leave. I'm really connecting with some of the people here and I'd like to see them progress more. Last transfer I thought to myself that if I left this area I wouldn't miss it too much. But now if I were to leave I'd be so sad! Even though the work is difficult in this area I love the people here and really believe I have made some close friends here.

I love my free time to just think. It's rare but when I can just think for 15 minutes it's great. And the more I think, the more this Gospel makes sense. Nothing about it is confusing, nothing about it is sad, nothing about it isn't perfect, it just makes sense. I love it and everything it does for us. It provides answers to anything we could possibly face in life. It gives peace and perspective. Everything is put into perspective and I realize what is important to me. What truly is important. And I'm so grateful for this mission to help me learn all these things. I have become more deeply rooted in this gospel because of this mission. "How great shall be your joy if you bring but one soul unto me?" That one soul is our own. But if we truly understand that happiness and joy, we will want to do everything we can to share it with others so they can experience the same feeling we have. I'm grateful again for the short time I have now to share what I have learned and know to be true with my fellow Pino homies :)