Today, after church, Caleb and Sister Ostler went out with the missionaries. Caleb went with Elder Allred (today's his birthday) and Elder Barrientos, and Sister Ostler went with Sister Singer and Sister Pollock.
Caleb shared what a great experience it was for him to go with such great elders who taught a young family with great conviction. He loved that they planned what they would do before they left, and they let him participate by following up on past commitments and by sharing an experience and testimony. They were also joined by the ward mission leader, so it was a great group of young men who were teaching and testifying to this family. How blessed they were! How blessed we are to have good, worthy elders for our son to go teaching with!
I have to say that teaching the gospel has got to be the greatest thing on earth. I LOVE going with the missionaries! Maybe it's because they always take me to people who are receptive and don't reject me, but it just such an amazing thing to share with people, who you grow to love as you teach them, the thing that matters the very most in your entire existence.....the truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ.
It's hard to put into words how awesome it is to be able to just openly tell someone how much Heavenly Father loves them and wants them back in His arms....to tell them how Heavenly Father reaches out to help us, His children, through prophets who teach us the gospel of Jesus Christ so we can know how to have peace and joy in this life and how to return to live with Him forever....to be able to tell them all the things Heavenly Father does to help us.....restoring priesthood power, the gift of the Holy Ghost, scriptures, the plan of salvation, and most importantly the role of His Son, our Elder Brother, Jesus Christ. It's hard not to cry when I share my love for those truths because I REALLY KNOW THEY ARE TRUE. I know they bless our lives. I have lived them for 58 years and they have brought me, my family and those I love peace, joy, happiness, strength, direction and perspective.
I wish you could have been there and watched the two sister missionaries, Sister Singer and Sister Pollock. Sister Singer taught with clarity, confidence, sincerity and testimony. Her Tagalog seemed smooth as though she has spoken it almost her whole life. Sister Pollock is still in her second transfer, yet she spoke almost complete Tagalog! She participated as much in the lesson as Sister Singer and only had to check with Sister Singer a few times for the right word to use. She was able to connect well with the brother and sister we were teaching, and you could tell that they liked her because she was so sincere in her effort to use her newly acquired Tagalog. She sounded SO good! It truly is a miracle to be able to learn a language that quickly! I was so grateful for both of them and their example. They don't HAVE to be in the Philippines, sleeping in noisy apartments without air conditioning and no warm showers. They could be home dating and going to college. They are both beautiful girls, but they had a sincere desire to share the gospel of Jesus Christ with their brothers and sisters and were blessed to be called to the Philippines, where people are so open and ready to receive it, so we are so very blessed to have them!
Tonight, you would have had tears in your eyes watching these sisters....as they led me through a maze of streets and on two jeepneys across town somewhere in Manila...to the humble home of a sweet family who we hope will come to church on Sunday.
Truly......sweet is the work...my God, my King.
Sorry I didn't have my camera or I would have taken a picture!!
Sunday, February 19, 2017
2017-02 Catching up on pictures from President's phone!
Returned Manila Missionaries! Jewel Esmolo, Frank Lunag, Luckna Lokubalasuriyage..only the best!
Chocolate Chip "Cookie Therapy"
In Bonifacio Global City, they change their red lights for holidays....this one is a heart for Valentine's day.
Time for interviews again!
2017-02-19 President's Message
Dear Sisters and Elders,
We are looking forward to gathering together as an entire mission this Saturday to be taught by Elder David A. Bednar of the Quorum of the Twelve. I have already sent you the spiritual and physical preparation items for this meeting. We are so very blessed to have the opportunity to meet with Elder Bednar and Sister Ostler and I look forward to seeing all of our beloved missionaries together--the only time we will have this opportunity.
I want to share with you a few quotes for you to ponder this week as you think about your commitment to the Lord.
"If you have not chosen the kingdom of God first, it will in the end make no difference what you have chosen instead." (William Law)
"The Kingdom of God or nothing!" (John Taylor)
"When we put God first, all other things fall into their proper place or drop out of our lives." (Ezra Taft Benson)
"As I study ancient scripture I am more and more convinced of the significance in the fact that the commandment "Thou shalt have no other gods before me" is the first of the Ten Commandments...Few men have ever knowingly and deliberately chosen to reject God and his blessings. Rather, we learn from the scriptures that because the exercise of faith has always appeared to be more difficult than relying on things more immediately at hand, carnal man has tended to transfer his trust in God to material things...Whatever thing a man sets his heart and his trust in most is his god; and if his god doesn't also happen to be the true and living God of Israel, that man is laboring in idolatry." (Spencer W. Kimball)
I invite all of us to put God first in our lives. "But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him." (1 Corinthians 2:9)
"Yea, come unto Christ, and be perfected in him, and deny yourselves of all ungodliness; and if ye shall deny yourselves of all ungodliness, and love God with all your might, mind and strength, then is his grace sufficient for you, that by his grace ye may be perfect in Christ, and if by the grace of God ye are perfect in Christ, ye can in nowise deny the power of God." (Moroni 10:32)
Mahal ko po kayo,
President Creg Ostler
We are looking forward to gathering together as an entire mission this Saturday to be taught by Elder David A. Bednar of the Quorum of the Twelve. I have already sent you the spiritual and physical preparation items for this meeting. We are so very blessed to have the opportunity to meet with Elder Bednar and Sister Ostler and I look forward to seeing all of our beloved missionaries together--the only time we will have this opportunity.
I want to share with you a few quotes for you to ponder this week as you think about your commitment to the Lord.
"If you have not chosen the kingdom of God first, it will in the end make no difference what you have chosen instead." (William Law)
"The Kingdom of God or nothing!" (John Taylor)
"When we put God first, all other things fall into their proper place or drop out of our lives." (Ezra Taft Benson)
"As I study ancient scripture I am more and more convinced of the significance in the fact that the commandment "Thou shalt have no other gods before me" is the first of the Ten Commandments...Few men have ever knowingly and deliberately chosen to reject God and his blessings. Rather, we learn from the scriptures that because the exercise of faith has always appeared to be more difficult than relying on things more immediately at hand, carnal man has tended to transfer his trust in God to material things...Whatever thing a man sets his heart and his trust in most is his god; and if his god doesn't also happen to be the true and living God of Israel, that man is laboring in idolatry." (Spencer W. Kimball)
I invite all of us to put God first in our lives. "But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him." (1 Corinthians 2:9)
"Yea, come unto Christ, and be perfected in him, and deny yourselves of all ungodliness; and if ye shall deny yourselves of all ungodliness, and love God with all your might, mind and strength, then is his grace sufficient for you, that by his grace ye may be perfect in Christ, and if by the grace of God ye are perfect in Christ, ye can in nowise deny the power of God." (Moroni 10:32)
Mahal ko po kayo,
President Creg Ostler
Sunday, February 12, 2017
2017-02-12 Stake and Regional Leadership in Manila Mission
All the Stake Presidents, President Ostler and Elder Vicencio
2017-02-13 President's Message
Dear Sisters and Elders,
We love you very much. Sister Ostler and I are so grateful that you chose to come and serve the Lord as missionaries. You are a great blessing to the people you serve and to your families.
The world is full of children, teenagers and adults who are looking for the "easy path to riches." They are looking for a hidden idea, a secret formula to bring success without having to work for it. Lotteries and other forms of gambling attract so many people because of the attraction of "getting something for nothing." The idea of striking it rich and then relaxing the rest of your life is a trick and trap of Satan.The idea of an easy path to eternal life is also false.
Our goal is not to avoid work. Our goal is not to avoid effort. Our goal is to work with all of our heart, might, mind and strength to save souls. Our goal is to work with everything we have to show our love to Heavenly Father. Even our Father in Heaven and His Son, Jesus Christ are actively involved in work: "My father WORKETH hitherto, and I WORK." John 5:17 (Another translation: "My father is at his work to this very day and I too am working.")"This is my WORK and my glory, to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man." "I have finished the WORK which thou gavest me to do." John 17:4 The word "Work" is mentioned 1,226 times in the scriptures. Faith" is mentioned 1,012 times. We show our faith by our actions.
President Ezra Taft Benson said: "There is no greater exhilaration or satisfaction than to know, after a hard day of work, that we have done our best. I have often said that one of the greatest secrets of missionary work is WORK! If a missionary works, he will get the Spirit; if he gets the Spirit, he will teach by the Spirit; and if he teaches by the Spirit, he will touch the hearts of the people and he will be happy. Work, work, work--there is no satisfactory substitute, especially in in missionary work.
Don't worry about being successful. We are going to be successful--there is no doubt about it. The Lord has sent us to earth at the time of the harvest. He does not expect us to fail. He has called no one to this work to fail. He expects us to succeed."
We must not give Satan an opportunity to discourage us. Here again, work is the answer. Missionary work brings joy, optimism, and happiness. The Lord has given us the key by which we can overcome discouragement: "Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me, for I am meek and lowly in heart, and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." (Matthew 11:28-30) Our work will be light and easy to bear if we will depend on the Lord and work." (Ensign, September 1990)
Why do you think Doctrine and Covenants, section for starts out with this famous line? "Now behold, a marvelous WORK is about to come forth among the children of men." This is followed by the the commandment: "Therefore, O ye that embark in the service of God, see that ye serve him with all your heart, might, mind and strength, that ye may stand blameless before God at the last day."
Sisters and Elders, let's go to work. Let's rely on the Lord. The Lord has many blessings waiting for those who do His work in His way. The Lord promises those who serve Him: "Prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of Hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it." (Malachi 3:10)
May the Lord bless you with the great joy and satisfaction of working the hardest you have ever worked in your life. The work you do is the most valuable in the world. You are truly doing "a marvelous work."
Mahal ko po kayo,
President Creg Ostler
We love you very much. Sister Ostler and I are so grateful that you chose to come and serve the Lord as missionaries. You are a great blessing to the people you serve and to your families.
The world is full of children, teenagers and adults who are looking for the "easy path to riches." They are looking for a hidden idea, a secret formula to bring success without having to work for it. Lotteries and other forms of gambling attract so many people because of the attraction of "getting something for nothing." The idea of striking it rich and then relaxing the rest of your life is a trick and trap of Satan.The idea of an easy path to eternal life is also false.
Our goal is not to avoid work. Our goal is not to avoid effort. Our goal is to work with all of our heart, might, mind and strength to save souls. Our goal is to work with everything we have to show our love to Heavenly Father. Even our Father in Heaven and His Son, Jesus Christ are actively involved in work: "My father WORKETH hitherto, and I WORK." John 5:17 (Another translation: "My father is at his work to this very day and I too am working.")"This is my WORK and my glory, to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man." "I have finished the WORK which thou gavest me to do." John 17:4 The word "Work" is mentioned 1,226 times in the scriptures. Faith" is mentioned 1,012 times. We show our faith by our actions.
President Ezra Taft Benson said: "There is no greater exhilaration or satisfaction than to know, after a hard day of work, that we have done our best. I have often said that one of the greatest secrets of missionary work is WORK! If a missionary works, he will get the Spirit; if he gets the Spirit, he will teach by the Spirit; and if he teaches by the Spirit, he will touch the hearts of the people and he will be happy. Work, work, work--there is no satisfactory substitute, especially in in missionary work.
Don't worry about being successful. We are going to be successful--there is no doubt about it. The Lord has sent us to earth at the time of the harvest. He does not expect us to fail. He has called no one to this work to fail. He expects us to succeed."
We must not give Satan an opportunity to discourage us. Here again, work is the answer. Missionary work brings joy, optimism, and happiness. The Lord has given us the key by which we can overcome discouragement: "Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me, for I am meek and lowly in heart, and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." (Matthew 11:28-30) Our work will be light and easy to bear if we will depend on the Lord and work." (Ensign, September 1990)
Why do you think Doctrine and Covenants, section for starts out with this famous line? "Now behold, a marvelous WORK is about to come forth among the children of men." This is followed by the the commandment: "Therefore, O ye that embark in the service of God, see that ye serve him with all your heart, might, mind and strength, that ye may stand blameless before God at the last day."
Sisters and Elders, let's go to work. Let's rely on the Lord. The Lord has many blessings waiting for those who do His work in His way. The Lord promises those who serve Him: "Prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of Hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it." (Malachi 3:10)
May the Lord bless you with the great joy and satisfaction of working the hardest you have ever worked in your life. The work you do is the most valuable in the world. You are truly doing "a marvelous work."
Mahal ko po kayo,
President Creg Ostler
Wednesday, February 8, 2017
2017-02 The Joy of Mission Grandchildren
Serving a mission brings such joy! It seems the past week has been full of joy! Sunday, we were blessed to attend the Parañaque Stake Conference. The highlight was being able to see one of our returned sister missionaries who married a brother in that stake. A month ago, they had a little baby, and we got to see all three of them at conference. To see the joy they experience now as they progress spiritually towards exaltation brings us inexpressible joy!
2017-02-08 The Smallest Batch Ever!
This morning, we had a delightful batch of two sisters and one elder arrive from the MTC. They had all been trained in Provo and have just been in the Philippines for about 5 days. They are two Americans and one Canadian. They are really sharp and seem to be really talented. It was really nice to be able to spend more time with them and get to know them better than we usually do when there are large groups. We are so blessed they are here to serve.
The two sisters will be serving on Palawan, so the only trainer in this picture was one elder.
Visiting the American War Memorial Cemetery
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)