God is Love

Maray na aldaw po!!

Oh, what a joy it is to be a servant of the Lord! I am overwhelmed with how many people are ready to receive the gospel and am in awe every day with the growth and the testimony of the people that we are teaching.

This week was the baptism of Sister Marichu. Sister Marichu is a midwife and her job is to travel to the very highest mountains all around to help people. She is such an example of Christ-like service. Her parents are recent converts and this picture probably adequately describes their joy when she joined them in the covenant of baptism:

Baptism is just one step in our journey of overcoming the natural man, becoming new creatures, and returning to the presence of our Heavenly Father.

"Have you been spiritually born of God? Have you received His image in  your countenance? " -Alma 5:14

"Can ye look up the God at the last day with a pure heart and clean hands? I say unto you can you look up having the Image of God engraven upon your countenance?"" -Alma 5:19

 "When he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we will see him as he is. and every man that hath this hope in Him, purifieth himself, even as he is pure." -1 John 3:2

We must stand at the last day with The Word engraved in our hearts, radiating the same love and attributes that He possesses. 

When we take upon ourselves the name of Jesus Christ we are covenanting to be like Him and are given the means to progress to that capacity. While our progression will not be complete in this life, by the end of this life we had better have developed charity, the pure love of Jesus Christ. If we will develop this deep, unconditional, enduring love and respect for all people, we will have His countenance because God is love and He doeth nothing except for the benefit of the world.

I love you all and if you haven't sent me your testimony of the Atonement of Jesus Christ, I invite you again to send it. I am so excited to read them.

We were approached by a little girl when she boldly declared "Lilipstikan kita!" (I'm going to put lipstick on you!), so we obediently bowed down and she expertly applied this subtle shade of fire-hydrant red on our lips. 

With love,

Sister Gray