E-mail dated 1/7/19

Kamusta Kamo???!!!

This week has flown by, it has been another good one though! It was great to hear from all of you and I am glad that you all had a happy new year!! It is still crazy to me that it is 2019 now. 2018 flew by!! But 2018 was for sure one of the most memorable years of my life! I got to spend the whole year serving these awesome people here in the Philippines!! It is such a blessing and a lot of fun! 

So yesterday at church was by far the most that has attend since we arrived here in Buenavista. Yesterday we had almost 70 people at the branch service yesterday. That may not sound like a lot, but that is a huge improvement from our first week here when it was only like 25. It was good to see people who hadn't been to church in a while, come yesterday! We have a goal to keep increasing and increasing the attendance. Because when there were no missionaries here for like 10 months a lot kind of went less active, but slowly but surely we are trying our best to help them! I think the 2 hour block will really help, it will really make the 2hrs at the church really meaningful.

This week we have had some great lessons with Sister Arselean and Irine! There baptism will be on jan 19. They are getting really excited! We just need to finish a few more lessons and they will be all set. We will just have the baptism at the beach and I am going to have Elder Alegado baptize because it will be his first time! Next saturday will be a great day! 

This week we were also blessed with some more great new investigators. This past week we visited a member that just got back from work in Manila and it turns out that there are people living at her house that have been taught before and are willing to be baptized, but haven't been going to church just because this sister was working. Now that this sister is back, they all committed to come to church next week. I truly testify that no matter where, there are people prepared to receive the gospel, it is our job just to find them! I have really seen that in this area, especially re opening the area, we have been so blessed! 

Well that should probably do it for this week! Thanks for everything guys! You all are the best! Love you all and have a great week!

Palangga ko kamo!

Elder Degen