Awareness and Mga bata :)

Hello dear loved ones,

To start off, a funny story from teaching one of our investigators... Sister Biggs and I were teaching him about church attendance, and Sister Biggs tried to explain best dress (pinakamabuti bata, or so we thought). It turns out that depending on pronunciation it can mean clothes or children. So Sister Biggs had been telling our investigator to bring his best children. Bahahaha...

Anyway, silliness aside, I've learned so much this week. There are spiritual experiences I've had that I don't want to post all over the internet, but I want to bear testimony that God is aware of each of us. Sobrang aware. He's aware of you, and He is aware of me.

Jeffrey R. Holland came and spoke to us at the MTC this week!!! Not everyone has the opportunity to hear an apostle while they're hear, and I feel so so blessed. As soon as he walked in the room I felt the Spirit, and I know that he truly is a man of God. He covered an array of things, but there were some bits very specific to missionaries. He made sure we knew how responsible we are as representatives of Jesus Christ bringing the gospel to Heavenly Father's children. A lot of people think missionaries are perfect, he said, while it's not true, we don't have the right to make them think otherwise. People die for the cause of the Church, and we are responsible for doing our very best and to never fall away. He then answered some questions that had been gathered early. The first was the one that really spoke to me. "What is the most important thing that Christ wants us to know right now? That He told the truth, that everything He said was true." I've been praying to have a greater testimony of Jesus Christ and my prayers were answered and previous knowledge from personal study was confirmed by the Holy Ghost. I know that Jesus Christ did what He says He did. He is the Son of God and He died for our sins so that we might be worthy to return to our Heavenly Father. And He lives again.

At the devotional with Elder Holland, I participated in the choir again and we sang this beautiful song called "Faith of Our Fathers." Look it up. It's fabulous. And powerful. So was the special musical number that was performed at the end. It was announced as a duet and it was so cool because there was one sister singing and another was signing the words. The song is called "Savior, Reedemer of my Soul" and it is absolutely gorgeous.

Another things that confirmed God's awareness of His children was the sacred opportunity I had to receive revelation on what to teach. It's never been so clear before. Sister Biggs and I were in the TRC teaching a volunteer and as we shared a scripture I realized what she needed to hear and what we were supposed to emphasize. The Spirit was there and testified of this again at the end as my companion bore her testimony. Like I mentioned last week, God keeps His promises. It's just as that one scripture says that the Holy Ghost will give us the words in the very hour we need them, or something along those lines.

I had an additional testimony building experience as I was studying in 1st John 3 during personal study time. There were some things that didn't quite fit what I knew about God's love in relation to when we sin. I went on to the next chapter, but felt that I should go back and look at the footnotes. And lo and behold, there were Joseph Smith Translations that added such clarity and confirmed what I knew to be true.

This Church is so true and I know it with all my heart. The scriptures are the word of God. And, according to worthiness, God does speak to us through the Holy Ghost and we can feel His love. Maraming mahal.

Mahal ko kayo. Please write me if you have time.

Love,
Sister Copé

P.S. If you're having a rough time check these scriptures out. They helped me and I think they can give comfort to those looking for it: John 16:33, D&C 68:6, and D&C 6: 33-34,36.
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