The Philippines are calling and I must go... : Week 51 - July 22nd, 2019 (Santa Teresita, Philippines)

On our way to a hike (Still in Dingrass)

Good morning my dearest brothers and sisters, family! It is so wonderful to be able to feel so close to you all despite being geographically far. We've had a great week here in Santa Teresita- had some great rain as a break from all the heat. But rest assured, the heat is back in full effect. We had some awesome experiences this week- got to go to Laoag to go on exchanges with the assistants to the president (that was a looonngg drive), and it was a very educational experience for me. We've met a ton of awesome people here this week as well.

We ran to the top of the mountain!
Only 3 of us made it to the top
out of the 7 missionaries!

More hiking pics

One of the most powerful motivators for the change of human behavior is a knowledge of who we are. So who are we? I want to state as firm truth that we are all literal children of a loving Father in Heaven. Our God. So what does this mean? One, it means that we are all brothers and sisters, family. I feel so blessed to be able to go out every day and meet new members of the long-lost family that I knew so well in the life before this. It gives me so much joy to be able to meet them and learn about their individual experiences here on this Earth- we have all been sent here as siblings to help each other, to love each other, to lift and learn from each and every one. I love that divine truth, because it means we are not strangers. We knew each other- we just need to meet again. But what else? What else does it mean to be a child of God? Well, it means the relationship between every child and their parent- they are going to grow up to be like them. This realization brings much. It teaches us that we have godly potential- we have the opportunity, as it says in Romans 8:17, to become "heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ". We don't have to be trapped in our states of difficulty and sin- we can overcome this world! We can become exalted beings! Because Christ laid down all He had, His very life, that we might have the opportunity to become as the Father- become as He is. I know that this knowledge of our divine identity has power above all else to push us to change- to reach our potential, to see the world as God sees it. We can return to Him, we can reach true happiness- through His Son, through the Atonement of Jesus Christ no pit is too deep. No darkness can extend beyond the reach of Christ's infinite Atonement. The Sun illuminates all shadows, and the night is chased away. So let us all seek our divine potential. I love you all, my dear brothers and sisters. I pray that you will all find great hope from this promise- that we may inherit all the Father has. Talk to you soon!