3-28-2011

Magandang gabi sa inyo. una sa lahat. napakasaya ang linggo namin dito sa Bulihan. We had some way good experience's with find with a purpose. Like I shared last week we are focusing on the members and less-actives. Our focus is 1st Referrals, 2nd unbaptized members, 3rd 1yr recent converts, 4th members, 5th less-active, 6th Tracting. We are using these things to use time more wisely. Our mission president said "if we are knocking on doors you are wasting time". We are cleaning the membership directory. We are contacting all of the less active and making sure that they still live there. If they moved we make a note and report it to the Branch. We did this last week and had great success. We found 3 families who have children that can be baptized. We returning to them this week. One of those families we visited said they changed religions. The nanay and the daughters were really nice and said nothing to us. We went back sunday and the tatay told us that they changed religions and they are happy there. That really hit and hurt. We only worked on 1 really small part of the area (Phases 1 and 6). We also had 2 baptisms this last saturday. The Encinas Family. Sister Marjorie Panes will be next week and in April the 2 Encinas kids. Also we are working on those less actives to return to church and have those kids baptized. The Branch is starting to look alot better. They are trying hard to reactivate and they are really grateful for what we are doing to help the Branch. Something that I realized is that the life of a member is so different than the life of others. When they are converted they have to adapt to the new life (traditions, language, etc.). For them to do that alone is to hard. That is why WE fellowship. So they have someone to turn to when they need help. If there is no one there to turn to they fall way and become less-active. Members, new converts need 3 things......Friend, Calling, and nourishment by the good word of God. If they have that they or we will experience true conversion. Conversion on the other hand doesn't happen right away. It is a life long process!!! Well I enjoy this work and know it is true. Love you all. Until next week take care.

Elder Cobbley

3-23-2011

Heyy everyone!!!

This week has been really good and the transfer went so fast!!!
My comp and I are staying in Bulihan and I was made DL. Im way
nervous!!! This morning I was suppose to be at a leadership meeting
but we took the long way to get to Buendia Chapel so i totally missed
it! I did make it for the last little bit. The testimonies hahaha they
were nice!!!! This coming Saturday we have 3 baptisms. Encinas Fam(2)
and Sister Marjorie Panes(Part Member). Im really excited for them!!!
We have been finding this last wek and it has been rough. Something I
experienced...we were tracting and introduced ourselves to this
brother. I ask if we could come in. He said yeah on one condition if
they can share to. So we go in..he says you can call me Pastor Richard
haha we pulls out a antimormon book and starts to test us if we know
stuff about the church. Joseph Smith, etc. He never let us talk once
but then he said o now you can go. He started to push us out he door
literally then I offered him a BOM and he said nope I dont have time
to read it and pushed me out the door. I wasn't angry at all but I was
kinda hurt that he just rejected our offer. I told my comp. if he
rememebers the scripture about casting pearls before swine. I said
thats how I feel when people reject us. Something I care about and am
spending 2 years declaring, people dont accept it. But they do have
their agency. Something we are going to start focusing on are Less
Active and Part member family. Its just like finding but using time
wisely. The things happening around neighboring countrys and here
(quakes, radiation leaks, etc) doesn't stop the work. Well til next
week take care!

Elder Cobbley

3-14-2011

Hmmmmm.....this week has been really good! We had some good experiences! We went on exchanges. The district leader came to our area and I went to there area. As we working there in there area we went finding and we went in to a area with tons of houses and there were tons of people mostly nanays. I told a ton of people to gather around and I thought they were all going to run off but they didn't. Most of them gathered around and we shared a message. After we asked if there was any that would like us to come by there house and most of them said yes. I was really surprised! An experience my companion and I had this last week we went find all day long and we had some success. We went to this area next to a river and there were tons of humble people. We crossed the river on this coconut tree bridge and hiked around in the hills and we found this guy who we didn't even to ask to share he just said come in. I really like that part of the area cause the people are so nice and humble. Another we had was with our investigators Encinas Family. We taught them the Law of Chastity. Before we started I noticed that sister had more than 1 earring. At the end of the lesson I came straight out and said "Sister I noticed that you have more than 1 earring." She said yeah I know and told us that she will take it out. The next lesson with them I noticed that she only had 1 pair. I thought that was really cool and she just took it out with any problem. They also got rid of using coffee with no problem. They area special family. They will be baptized on March 26. The parents first. The kids need a different kind of focus but they will follow in April. At church yesterday we were waiting for our investigators and 6 showed up that was really cool. Also some Less actives that we have been visiting for the last month. Something I want to share is last week we went by Sayawan Family to see how they were doing. The 2 sisters over there have work so they are really busy now. but we went there and there parents told us to come in and I was like what??? They just told us to come in. That was the first time they have ever done that. We started sharing with them and we felt to teach the Word of Wisdom for the first lesson to the tatay who smokes and drinks. He told us that he has been trying really hard not to drink cause he noticed problems in the family when he drinks. I was like the perfect time to share it. Yesterday he told us that he is trying to stop smoking and get rid of the coffee but he is struggling. I know that the spirit guides us everyday and sometimes to do weird things and also be bold with people. But when we follow the spirit everything works out. I know this church is true. Not for any reason but that I have prayed and received a sure answer that The Book of Mormon is true and Joseph Smith is a true prophet of God. I love you all, Untill next week Take care.

Elder Cobbley

3/7/2011

Well where do I start?? This week has gone by so FAST!!! We had some really good experiences this week. First of all....We were tracting this week and we weren't having much success but we were just walk paths or streets haha finding by the spirit. Look for those people who have been prepared!! We walked past this house and the door was cracked so we felt to OYM the people there. The people just said come inside. We were like SWEET!!! We find out that she was taught by the Elders back 2007. They are really nice!!! They went to church back in the day and then something happened and the missionaries didn't come back. Than she went to another country to work. But we shared about The Restoration. They accepted a return appointment. The next one was a referral from the Sisters in our zone. They contacted these people on a jeepney and they got there address and number. We go by there and she had a BOM. I was like where did you get that. She said that back in the day that 2 Americans Elders like my companion and I gave her a BOM. So you know my companion isn't American hahaha. She was laughing at everything we said which was kinda weird but we are going back later tonight. Something that really got me down this last week or yesterday........We were waiting for our investigators at the church but they never came. They had to attend yesterday to be baptized by Mar 19. 4 times to church before there baptism. So we had to move there date to the 26th of Mar. I was kinda bumbed about that but there are consequences for not keeping commitments and they need to show their faith. Early today we went to Tagaytay City as a Zone. Its a park on this mountain next to a HUGE lake in the middle of the island. I went there last June 2010. My 1st transfer in the field. It was pretty fun and HOT!!!! These next few months are supposed to be the HOTTEST months of the year....Tag-init. Anyways I heard that Dylans mission is being split in June-July when they get there new Mission Pres. The same is happening here in the Manila Mission! In July a part of the mission will go to the neighboring mission in Quezon City when we get our new Mission Pres... President Stuki. I heard he's from Kentucky but grew up in IDAHO. His wife is from Preston, ID. How sick is that???!!!!!!! Im excited but im going to miss President Howard! He is the bomb. Well I love you all and I know this is the work of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. This Church is true!!!! From everything that I have experienced and felt in my life and especially on my mission I have no doubt that this is the church that Jesus Christ himself established!!! Love you all!!!! Take care


Elder Cobbley