Hi!

Hello! Happy Birthday Lisa on Friday! You're almost 2 whole decades old! Thanks for all the birthday wishes! Hehehe, I loved the birthday song recording - it felt like you all were right here. And Grandma and Grandpa's too - that made my day :) I love you! This morning, Sister Garma, Sister Bellones, Sister Tobias, and I went jogging along the beach. What fun. Guess what. I found real cheddar cheese in the store last week. Not the americanized sliced stuff. Real cheddar cheese in the block. Yes, it was a moment truly to be celebrated.

This week was great. I love the phrase in 1 Nephi 14:7 "knock and it shall be opened unto you." Often when Heavenly Father gives us commandments and we face obstacles or challenges, it can feel like we're up against a wall. But we don't realize that this "wall" is actually a door until we exercise the faith to "knock" (or to pray and ask Heavenly Father to open a way for us to pass through our difficulties). He can make walls into doors. But we have to have the faith to knock. And whenever He gives us a commandment, He will prepare a way for us to be able to accomplish the thing that He commands us to do. I was able to share that with Sister Vidal, who is facing some obstacles to returning to church. I love how little insights like that from personal study often are recalled just in the moment they are needed in order to help investigators. Also, I've found that when testifying that we have a living prophet, it is helpful to share some of the things he has counseled (i.e. food storage) in order for people to see how a living prophet has relevance for them.

The biggest challenges is that there are many other proselyting missionaries of other faiths in our area (Jehovah's Witnesses, Born Again, Baptist, Muslim, etc) and sometimes it's hard to help people see that we're not just one of the many, and that this is actually the true church of Jesus Chris restored in its fullness. I think the only way to do that is through the Book of Mormon and through the witness of the Holy Ghost. The Book of Mormon really speaks for itself.

Sister Lea Ceralde is progressing - she is such a golden investigator, and so humble and teachable and lovable. I love the soft hearts of Filipinos. They teach me so much. She loves the Book of Mormon and has many questions. We finished teaching her about the Plan of Salvation and she is very willing to be baptized. She still needs to work out things with her husband however, so we'll see what happens. Sister Lea is due for having a baby at the end of March :)

Well, I gots to go! Thanks for your love and prayers! I love you.
Love, Rebecca

P.S. Fun cultural note:
There are guys who ride trike bikes down the roads and holler "Baluuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuut!" (selling balut)

I haven't been taking very many photos because we're not supposed to take cameras while proselyting, and I don't want to look like a tourist. There are many things I'd love to take pictures of, but I'm afraid it would be offensive to the people (especially those in very humble circumstances).

P.P.S. Thank you sister Balinski, Tuminezes, 3rd ward YW, Sister Height, for your letters! :)