We advanced last week's training of our trainees in which they will be the one to lead everything in the areas as well as in planning. We conducted exchanges as well to facilitate the trainees on how well they've improved from their training and it was truly a success. 

I had an exchange with Sister Cinco last Wednesday, 15th of August 2018. I witnessed her progression particularly in her finding skills and how she build relationship of trust among the people we met. She opened up to me that she still has struggles when it comes to teaching and as I've observed she's truly trying her best to study more her weak points in the things she wanted to improve. She successfully led their area setting aside her doubts and concerns as she relied on the Spirit. I had a great learning experience as well from our work that though we had struggles and concerns; work, work, work is truly the remedy for those and at the end of the day we both shared that there are truly people who have greater problems than us that afterwards we felt more thankful and grateful as we recognize Heavenly Father's blessings in our lives by forgetting ourselves in this wondrous work. 

By Friday, my companion was Sister Dela Serna as I led our area, and I truly witnessed how she's great in finding and extending baptismal invitation among the people we've taught without being threatened. I've learned much from our exchanges and we're blessed to meet families that are prepared by Heavenly Father to learn the gospel. We're excited to have return appointments from them. 

On the other hand, Sister Peralta's Week 10 of training is done and she improved a lot particularly in adjusting the teaching based on the needs of the people we've taught. From what I've heard from their exchanges and from our work as well, she truly can lead the area already as I witnessed that she's more diligent than she ever used to be. She's great in building relationship of trust among the people we've taught by applying the things she'd learned from the last Zone Conference to introduce properly, connect and segway. She relied on the Spirit as she asked inspired questions among the people we've taught. By the way, we are challenged as well in our Zone to truly apply these skill for the week to "Ask Inspired Questions" from the workshop of Elder Ugay last District Meeting and we had a spiritual and wonderful meeting as everyone is invited to share their insights on how can we be more effective in asking effective rather than poor questions. Some of the trainees shared their thoughts if situations like this and that happens and everyone shared ideas through practice teaching on how we can improve more in our teaching in every companionship that we have.

We had two progressing persons in our area. One is Sister Carvina Antonio and we learned a great and humbling experience from her. From what I've shared last time about her situation, every plans are already laid. We prayed and fasted for her baptism to be possible yet it did not happen. I remember from what Elder Bednar's message for the upcoming mission tour about putting it INTO the hearts of the people and it is by the power of the Holy Ghost that it will happen and our role is to deliver the message UNTO the hearts of those we teach. We strive to be worthy and repent of our weaknesses yet Sister Carvina's agency is beyond our control and we need to trust in the Lord's timing even if we had great faith that she'll truly be baptized because we know and we discerned already that she's ready. We're so happy that from her text last Saturday, she told us that she just truly wanted to inform her father and other family members that she's going to be baptized but it's just that she haven't visited them since they've gone on vacation. We saw that she truly has a testimony already and we continuously support her on her decisions and remind her that her mother is cheering her up on the other side of the veil. Brother Saivon Tiongco's grandparents on the other hand are continuously supporting him since he wanted to be baptized yet he needs to come to church consistently for that to happen. We coordinated with the Primary Presidency to help the child from coming in the Primary since he truly doesn't want to and everyone are supportive for this. It takes time and patience and we too, come with him to Primary class for him to feel welcomed and not be shy. 

Moreover, Tatay Alberto Dela Cerna, a recent convert, has great progress in continuously coming to Church as he was ministered unto by the Elder Quorum auxiliary members and as he prepare himself to be ordained in the Aaronic Priesthood.

President Busilaoco, the District President met with the leaders in every auxiliary for Mati 1st branch including us on how to make the branch monthly mission and ministering plan be possible by informing them of their role and goals that they need to set for them to coordinate and be active in missionary work. Some had negative insights about it which is inevitable for there must needs be opposition yet at the end of the discussion, the faith of the leaders who took positive thoughts prevail about the plan and everyone coordinated even us missionaries felt a greater yet fulfilling responsibility to work hand in hand with every auxiliary leaders and members. We're so blessed that at the end of the meeting, many of the leaders gave referrals right away in which we've contacted immediately to bless the branch and elevate their trust. 

We're excited for the upcoming Mission Tour and we include those things that we need to study in our Companionship Study. We had such a great and spiritual experience as we shared insights from the things we've learned to improve more and stretch ourselves in this work. I love you all!!!!!!

Love,

Sister Cornillez