Dear Mom, Dad, and Cole Family,

"If you go in life thinking about tomorrow, you're going to look back and see a lot of empty yesterdays".  -Thomas S. Monson  When I first came on my mission I never expected for things to be so difficult; every time I saw the missionaries they always seemed so happy like they didn't have a problem in the world.  But now after being in their shoes for almost two years I have realized that there are a great deal of happy times, but there are also times where Heavenly Father has something for us to learn through trials and difficult circumstances.  Now is one of those times where it would be so easy just to look forward to the day where I pack my bags and get ready to see my family at the airport; but by doing so I would miss the important lessons that my Heavenly Father has in store for me.  Work this past week has been kind of frustrating but I'm doing everything that I can to be positive about it.  Elder Key and I went tracting and OYM'ing in a place that we had never been but every time we went to a house or talked to someone they turned us away.  I can't say that it wasn't frustrating and that I really wanted to give up right then but we didn't.  We've also been punted from a good portion of our appointments due to the lack of a male present which is almost just as annoying as being rejected while tracting. 

On the good side of the work we have two new baptismal dates for June 6th.  Some of our long time investigators (Gemma and Lengen Enciso) have been taught even before I got here and they know the church is true they just need to attend church.  That's one of the biggest obstacles that we've been facing; investigators attending church.  We haven't had any investigators attend church since Angela was baptized.  We're still trying to encourage Theresa and Nica Pasiona to go to church but they are super shy and are worried about what people will think of them.  One of the blessings of this week was with the family of William Prado!  We finally met his kids and they are super awesome! We went over to their house Friday night but William wasn't there so we talked with his kids while we waited (unfortunately he never showed up) and got to know them.  We haven't been able to share to them yet because there wasn't a male present but they're super interested like their dad!  I love working with Elder Key; even though work is hard and he's still struggling in Tagalog he has a positive attitude and always has a joke for everything.  Literally everything. 

Since it's almost Mothers Day I think it is only appropriate to talk about how awesome my mother is.  There isn't a time in my life that I can remember that my beloved mother put herself before us kids.  Even when she was sick she got up to make me breakfast and to see me off to school.  I don't know what I would do without my mom in my life; she is such a loving person who would sacrifice anything for her family.  I'm so grateful for her wonderful example to me of having faith in our Savior Jesus Christ and always remember him in my life. Because of her example I know of how much our Heavenly Father loves each and every one of his children.  She has shown that love to all the kids that she has taught during her many years in Primary and I know that because of her, many kids have felt the love of Christ.  I love you so much mom!!!

I love you guys so much!  I still can't believe Timothy is Deacon now, it's crazy to think that he'll be passing the sacrament when I get home.  It's going to be so weird walking into the chapel and seeing so many new faces. Mahal na mahal ko kayo.  Ingat kayo palagi.  May God be with you till we meet again.

                                                     -Elder Cole