Philippines Angeles Mission: Finding a Family

Kumusta,

Once upon a time I had been praying for my whole entire mission to find a family that could be baptized together. It had never happened.... until last Saturday. On this particular Saturday we were fasting to be able to find people to be baptized in June. That is when we found them.

The neighborhood we were working in is one where the neighborhood kids will just randomly sit in on our lessons. We were just leaving from a house where we had seen the woman run away to hide from us. One of the little girls we had seen around randomly started talking to us. She apologized that they couldn't come to church tomorrow because they didn't have the fare for the travel. I was thinking "Who is this girl?!?" The answer is she is a little 5 year old named Yeng. We talked to her for a while and she invited us to her home. We followed her there, and then explained to her Mom that she had given us permission to teach them. We laughed about it, but she let us in. The whole family was actually home. Mom, Dad and five kids; the Balinton family. They had actually been taught by the missionaries back in 2008. They went to church and different activities, but they weren't able to be baptized because they weren't married. When the Elders got transferred they somehow lost contact with the church. In the years since they have gotten married. They have seen the missionaries in the neighborhood but have been too shy to call them over. But luckily 5 year old Yeng wasn't too shy. They are excited to come back to church and told us they can come teach them everyday, haha. I won't be here to see their baptism. But I will do everything in my power in the time I have left to help prepare them for that day. I believe in miracles!!!

Speaking of the time I have left... Next week is my last week to email. The week after that I will be in the mission office, and then on May 21st I should be sleeping in Missouri. Grabi! This has been the fastest/best 18 months of my life.

Love,

Sister "Balinton" Curtis

1- The church hallways here are so small. In this picture I am touching both walls.