Sweet Blessings

Wednesday was a memorable day. We worked in Capoocan with Elders Baloing and Joey Carbanaran along with a sister. There is a special spirit in Capoocan. We visited the Villegas family. While we were talking about the temple I asked their daughter to express to her mother what it would mean to her if they were to get sealed in the temple. She bore her testimony and soon they were both crying. We thought the girl was about sixteen years old but it turned out that she was almost twenty-one and planning on going on a mission in August. She said she had talked to the District President on Sunday. That is when we realized who she was. The District Pres. had called Abe last week and told him he had a girl who wanted to go on a mission but didn't have the money to do her dental work. She needed $1,000 pesos ( which is about $20.00 American dollars). We told him we could help. We wanted the gift to be anonymous so she didn't know. For a Philippino to go on a mission they must come up with about $2400 pesos (which is roughly $50.00) and their parents have to promise to pay something (no matter how small) each month while they are serving, then the church will pay the rest. This girl would have had to move to Manila to work to earn the money and the church would have taken the chance of loosing her, so it was worth it.
Joey was the other one we helped to go on a mission. He had saved all but $1000 pesos. We gave $500 and he came up with the rest somehow. He is working full time with the missionaries now until his call comes. His family are all non-members and they give him a bad time so he prefers to be with the Elders. He is so great. He has a smile that won't quit and a testimony that is as big as he is small.