A Fairview Farewell

Well, it looks like I am transferring to Montalban despite my requests to stay in Fairview. Looks like God knows what I need more than I do.

As I review my last six months here in Batasan Hills 2, I am filled with gratitude for the miracles that I have witnessed, the growth I have experienced, and the people that have influenced me. When I first came into the mission I was hoping that I would be transferred a lot in order to experience all the different areas. After being here in Fairview, I do not want to leave but I know that there is more in store for me in the next area. 

The countless miracles occurred on large scales and on little scales. For me one of the largest miracles was Christian Manansala. He has made an incredible change in his life. This last week he passed his baptismal interview and will be baptized this Saturday (right after I transfer ðŸ˜¢). I feel privileged to be an instrument of God in the process of conversion. Although this miracle has a large part in my heart, I am grateful for all the small miracles. Elder Faulkner, my first companion in Farivew, would say this phrase to me every once in a while. "Every teaching appointment is a miracle. Every commitment kept is a miracle. Every baptism is a miracle." Every day as a missionary, miracles follow. I used to think that the only miracles were those strange, almost unexplainable moments. What I have experienced are the miracles of God following through with his word. God has told us that as we keep the commandments we will prosper in the land. (1 Nephi 2:20). When I see others start to follow the commandments, miracles start to follow because God follows through with his words. Always. GOD PROMISES MIRACLES TO THOSE THAT KEEP COMMANDMENTS. 

I am grateful for all those that I have met in this zone. First, with all the amazing ward members. Bishop Nolasco's bold example for the ward. His leadership skills are like none other. All the members who worked with us to share the gospel to those in their surroundings. I have never seen such dedication from members in helping with the harvest. Not only did they feed me spiritually, but they fed me with the most delicious Filipino food. Second, the missionaries that were patient with me as I transitioned into being a zone leader. When I started out I had no idea what I was doing... yet I felt loved by those in my surroundings. The thing that I love about leadership is that God don't put the most skilled or the most competent missionaries in leadership positions. Most of the missionaries in my stewardship are better teachers, better social skills, better at Tagalog. However, He placed me here because He knew there was some specific trait that he needed for a specific problem. The missionaries that I have had a pleasure of working with have changed my life in ways that they will never know. Most of all I will miss my great companion Elder Moralita. This has been the most spiritually uplifted transfer due to the constant love we felt for one another. He has shown me what it means to be successful in missionary life.

I have pondered the question of my cousin to me, "What was your purpose in this ward?" Sure I did not end up leading any of my relatives to baptism. I know that purpose in each moment is not found in the results but found in the effort exerted in working towards a goal. By all means I was not a perfect missionary here, but I can honestly say that I woke up each morning ready to do better than the day before. I have experienced surface failure in achieving goals, but I refuse to experience deep failure which comes from a lack of learning. I will take all that I have learned here in Batasan Hills 2 ward and becoming an even more refined tool in the hands of God.

-Elder Cadayong







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