1:18 AM
Dear Mom,
It's been a crazy week! This one is the one for the books. Things
just seem to get crazier and crazier every week. Elder Jolley and I
always talk about how we just can never have a "normal" day. Normal just
doesn't seem to exist in the definition of my life.
Well for starters - this week has been one hurricane after the
other. Last Tuesday was the worst. It rained and poured and the worst
part is, the wind picked up really strongly. It ripped out trees, ripped
out signs, and even ripped out houses. We are pretty high so we didn't
deal with flooding, but other elders in our zone were up to shoulder
height flooding, which if it were me, would have just been completely
under water. It was pretty disastrous. We lost power and water for a
couple days which was epic. We were living by candle light and pumping
water out of the ground to use. Because of the serious-ness of that
bagyo and the two that came right after it, mom, I want you to know that
I busted out the poncho that you packed me! When you packed me that
poncho, I told myself that you had lost your mind and that no person
alive would ever see me wearing that thing. Well, guess what mom, again,
you were right - just like my whole life. When we went out that day, I
put that thing on and sported it with pride. I think I pulled it off
really well actually! It was so windy, that I nearly flew away with it
on! Elder Jolley said I looked like Batman. I personally thought like I
looked like a character off Harry Potter. All in all, it was a smart
decision and I came home mostly dry. My companion, lacking a poncho,
wrapped himself in garbage bags which lasted about all of five minutes.
Let it rain.
Saturday we had temple tour still, despite the bagyo. We stuffed a
jeepney full of about twenty people who enjoyed the tour to say the
least. It's always a joy to be able to go to the temple. The turn out
for this temple tour was the best I have ever seen my whole mission.
Sunday we got pick-pocketed - yay. I just need to stop carrying stuff in my pockets.
Monday a baby nearly stopped... working in a lesson, but all worked out through lots of faith.
And well here we are today, tired, and enjoying our break.
Of all the things that I could share with you, one of them is a
thought that I had this past week about mothers. I had the pleasure in
one of our lessons to invite Archie, the kid who ran away for a week, to
read for us in a lesson we taught about the plan of salvation. He was
really shy because although he's 11 years old, he still can't read very
well. So I just encouraged him, and told him his mother would help him.
So he sat down with his Aklat ni Mormon (Book of Mormon) and read all of
three or four sentences alongside his mom. He sounded out every word as
his mother helped him and eventually made it through. It was one of the
most touching things I have ever seen in my mission. It reminded me of
all the times I sat down with you mom and read book after book until my
head hurt. I remember getting to the big words and just asking you how
to say it, but you refusing and just saying "Just break it down." I
realized how if it wasn't for mothers around the world who teach their
children how to read, the world be just full of illiterate children. God
truly knew what he was doing when he gave us mothers.
In the great scheme of things - what seemed to stick out in value
to me this week, was a scripture that I found recently and read in the
temple this morning:
Behold, they will acrucify him; and [...] he shall drise from the dead, with healing in his wings; and all those who shall believe on his name shall be saved in the kingdom of God.
2 Nephi 25:13
I feel like this is probably one of the most beautiful scriptures I
have ever read in my life. I've thought about it a lot this transfer
with all the crazy things we've seen and the burdens that seem to get
laid on our shoulders everyday. Remembering the Savior and the peace
that He brings with "healing in his wings" has been the greatest source
of strength. Without him, nothing would be possible.
Love,
Elder Corpuz
