Week 45: More Baptisms!!!, Finding Families, and Future Missionaries

It feels like the past weeks I haven't had much communication with everyone! Everyone is on vacation, busy and things are going on. And when we chat, it is always bad timing or for a short duration of time :(  But I have been slacking a bit on my part so I apologize :( Paki patawad mo ako :( (please forgive me)

So the past few weeks have been sweet with the work! Last weeks we had 4 baptisms! and it was unreal! They were all so happy and I was able to baptize Joe Henson. He is 16 and the little brother of JonJon. Before we were about to go into the font, he said, "My heart is pounding so hard, but I'm not scared...I haven't felt like this before!" They all did a fantastic job on their testimonies as well :) Then last week there were 3 more baptisms! 1 child of record, 1 in our area, and then in Arayat B's area. Jayson was baptized and he is the twin of Jaycee who was baptized last month. Then Roselle from the neighboring area. She's the one that I referred to the Elders because she was in their area. She's already making plans to serve a mission... She said to me when you go home I will be turning in my papers! She is super excited!!

So now that all those people just got baptized... it is time to start finding new people again! And yesterday we were led to a family! We made it a goal on Friday to find a new family to teach...Well on Saturday night we bought some bread and then talked with the lady who owns the place. Turns out she was married in a Mormon church and baptized but her husband was not. She said she had been living here for 15 years and no missionaries had taught her and her family of  7 kids and invited us back. Then on Sunday we received a referral and taught this family of 6! So in two days we were blessed with 2 new families that we can start teaching! Hopefully they progress :)

So the work has been great. My companion and I are great and we are way good buds. With transfers coming up on August 14th, I am interested to see what happens. I'm not going to even make a guess because I literally have no clue what is going to happen.

I admit I am super pale...I always imagined I'd be black! But the reason is my face rarely sees sun. In the summer you just walk under an umbrella cause it's too blazing hot and in the rainy season you don't see the sun too much... and I'm usually inside places a lot of the day anyway! but I don't think I look skinny...I think I'm the same, if not a little bigger haha :)

Anyways, I'm grateful for my family, you all mean the world to me. I see so many people (everyone) who is less fortunate than I. Not just the circumstances I was born into, but the family I was born into. You are truly the best!!!

I love you all sooooo much and wish you the best!!!
Elder Watkins

Elder Watkins with Joe Henson and JonJon