I love all of you. Thank you so much for the birthday wishes. It was an incredible birthday to say the least. I'll explain more in a minute. Well, I might as well right now.
Okay, you all remember the not-so-interested girlfriend of a man whose family we have been working with for the past 8 weeks or so.
Over the past few weeks she has grown to love the gospel and wants to be baptized and join the fold of Christ's true church.
But in order to be baptized, we need to be following the commandments (D&C 20:38 see also Moroni 6:1) - that includes the Law of Chastity which prohibits "living in" with your partner before marriage.
Well, they saw that there needed to be a change. The problem is that marriages are SO difficult here in the Philippines with paperwork, money, etc.
Well, long story short: Mikel, her boyfriend, went to the city hall last Wednesday, and talked to the judge of justice last Thursday, and they both went to the judge yesterday. SO MANY prayers were answered. SO MANY miracles were witnessed. They completed all of the paperwork they needed in one day. ONE. Yesterday!! My birthday.
The judge said that they can be married this September 17th, 2015. Imagine my excitement when I heard this news last night. They are being helped by their family in order to get the money needed. And then... the icing on the cake. After showing my excitement about how soon the marriage date was, Ruwena replied, "Elder Jacobs, we want to have the baptism on the 19th so that you can baptize me before you leave us." September 19th is my last day in the field as a Full-Time Missionary. I couldn't believe it. I am BEYOND excited. Miracles are real. People love this gospel. It changes lives. I love being a disciple of Christ. I just love it.
In other news, we have a change of plans next week. Apparently, President would like to have a Zone Conference next week before so many of us go home!
So... That means we are travelling all the way down to Dumaguete next week on the 15th and 16th. I hope the roads are not too flooded!!
Also, we have a new part member family that we are working with. A couple again!
Same situation: Brother Philip hasn't been to church in a while but wants to come back. His wife, Sheena, is not a member but is SUPER interested. AHHHHH I don't want to leave! This area is SO amazing. I love San Carlos. The Branch's Home Teaching and Visiting Teaching is 100% organized now as well. I love seeing progress. Heavenly Father loves us. He does. I know it.
The Gospel of Jesus Christ. What is it? Why is it? I encourage you to study about that. I have for the past week and have been completely enlightened on the whole subject. My eyes were opened. Or.. Maybe more accurately.. The eyes of my understanding were opened :) I have a testimony that the Gospel is what we teach: Receiving forgiveness by exercising faith in Christ, repenting, being baptized, receiving the Gift of the Holy Ghost, and continuing in making and keeping sacred covenants until the end. It is also much more than those 5 principles and ordinances.
D&C 76:40-43
"40 And this is the gospel, the glad tidings, which the voice out of the heavens bore record unto us—41 That he came into the world, even Jesus, to be crucified for the world, and to bear the sins of the world, and to sanctify the world, and to cleanse it from all unrighteousness;
42 That through him all might be saved whom the Father had put into his power and made by him;
43 Who glorifies the Father, and saves all the works of his hands"
I love life. I really do. Don't worry about me, I had a great 21st birthday. Came home and even had a cake with my name on it waiting on the table. Gotta love housemates. I love you all! I will see you in two weeks. I can't believe how real this is. "I conclude this [email], declaring that I have written according to the best of my knowledge, by saying that the time passed away with us, and also our [missions] passed away like as it were unto us a dream." And I love this dream :)
Love,
Elder James Ryan Jacobs
