April 25, 2016

Hey everyone!!! Well first off a Cabelas in Farmington?!?! WHAT?!?!? Wow that's a big deal!!! This week was fantastic and we were able to have the very first ever baptisms in this area!!! It was fantastic. We found a great place on the beach for the baptism. It was nice and close to the beach so everyone could see. It was going to be perfect!!! Ha ha turns out we scheduled the baptism right at low tide!!!! Come on I am from Utah those types of things don't cross my mind! I only know how to worry about the runoff in the spring! So it turned into quite the little trek to find deep enough water for the baptism. So we walked for a while on the sharp rocks to find a good place. But everyone was a good sport and understands that we are only 19 year old kids trying to run this thing. So the baptism was successful and everyone made it back safe with minimal cuts on their feet....Ha you gotta be kidding me.

 So ya that was awesome the people baptized have really made so many changes and seen so many blessings. I was kinda nervous to tell them that we had to walk way far. But one of them answered it was totally fine they would swim all the way to the next island just to get baptized!!! After she said that all my stress went away! That's one thing i am trying to work on not getting so stressed! Cuz we still don't have much support from other leaders yet we are just too far away! But I get so nervous come Sunday morning its like right before game day hoping everything goes right! There are so many moving parts but every week it always turns into a success!

Yesterday we wanted to members to learn about the Pioneers. That is something I miss so much! A lot of members here don't know how cool the pioneers are! So all of the speakers and classes were about the pioneers of the church! It was awesome because the people here are real pioneers here in Caticlan! They are the first laying down a strong foundation for the church to grow! just like the pioneers before they sacrifice so much!!! So we have church on the main island but almost 80% of the members live on another island in Boracay! So for them to come to church they literally have to take a motorcycle then a boat and then walk to go to church.  Overall about an hour travel! Imagine that. Imagine the faith of these members. All of the baptisms last week were from Boracay! So cool!

I was reading this week in Alma and a verse hit me hard and showed me that what we are doing here in Caticlan is good!

Alma 1:26 "And when the priests left their labor to impart the word of God unto the people, the people also left their labors to hear the word of God. And when the priest had imparted unto them the word of God they all returned again diligently unto their labors; and the priest, not esteeming himself above his hearers, for the preacher was no better than the hearer, neither was the teacher any better than the learner; and thus they were all equal, and they did all labor, every man according to his strength." That is exactly how it is here. People come to church to try to learn together. We all take turns teaching and we all take our turns listening. No we don't have a branch president or a real leader but like the scripture said "they were all equal, and they did all labor, every man according to his strength" Its really cool. So humble and so pure! I love it! I am so grateful to be trusted to be here!!!

Alright everyone I love you all so much and hope you have a wonderful week! I will see you in two weeks!!!! AHHH

Love,

Elder Jackson Erik Craythorne