All You Need is Love!!

Hello Family!

Well the weeks just continue to go by!  I have been working hard in this area of ours.  We continue to find more and more investigators every week, but the problem remains to convince them that they should come to our church!  My new companion, since he is a lover of food, has been able to hook us up with tons of dinner appointments!  Talk about being my new best friend.  I love having more than just one dinner (at a member's home) every 2 weeks.  This week I got to have this bread that is like filled with vanilla icing.  It was really good.  Pretty soon I am going to try balut (duck egg) for the first time and hopefully I don't get sick! 

Anyways as far as work is concerned, we are having a little bit of a challenge with our ward.  The attendance continues to go down, even though we continue to work everyday.  The reason why this is, is because the members are judging other members pretty harshly.  My companion and I have been trying to get things to settle down, but I think I may have to get up and say something in front of the ward because it is getting out of hand.  

The less actives need our help, not our judgement.  The only being with the authority to judge us is God.  I know that even I have been caught judging other people, but in all honesty everyone just needs love.  That is the key to reactivating members; through love.  I am hoping that we will be able to figure this out because I would love to see our attendance go back up into the 100s.  

I would love to live a long and prosperous life, instead of see the end of the world right after I get back home and things just start to get rolling for me!!!  My challenge to everyone reading this is to LOVE!!  Because we all need somebody to love.  

On a funnier note, this week I got a funny video of this dog in our neighborhood doing circles in his cage.  It appeared to be on some drug because its eyes were all dilated.  I think we may have to much time on our hands...  Just kidding! I also took some good pictures of the landscape (see below) we get to walk by every other day!  I hope you all know that I love you guys!  

Recently I found I kinda have just been going through the motions with email so I am trying to really go back and reread the past emails!  I know that this church is true.  I know that our responsibility as a missionary is one of the highest callings I will ever have in my life.  I know if I continue to work hard and be obedient, I will receive many blessings later.  

Keep being a great example to those around you!  Remember who you are and what you stand for!  And most importantly, remember to keep sending me love!... And food... ;)

Love,

Elder Warren

PS - Christmas is a huge celebration in the Philippines.  I mean the Christmas music starts around September and keeps on going.  I haven't not heard about Christmas since the time I got here haha.  I don't know what else they celebrate.  All Saints Day is another big celebration.  It has tons of food and they go to the cemeteries.