Philippines Mission Letter: April 2021

 Dear Brethren, 

Last month our young people were able to enjoy a whole day youth fellowship. We invited some of the youth from our neighboring congregation and our young people also brought some of their friends and relatives to join and participate in the said event. We had two speakers who spoke on the subject of social media. The youth had really enjoyed the fellowship and all the activities. They grouped themselves into three and each group consisted of members and guests who do not know well each other. We are so glad and thankful for the time that they spent together to build their relationship and encourage each other to remain faithful in the Lord in spite of the many distractions and difficulties that our world is facing today. The work of taking the gospel to the people in our community also continues. We praise and ask the Lord for His continued blessings on our weekly Bible studies with the prospects, follow-up Bible studies with the new converts, and our visits to the brethren who are in need of strength and encouragement. 

We greatly rejoice with the angels in heaven for the salvation of four precious souls last month. The Lord has forgiven and added to His church the following new Christians: Emigdio Solis, Mary Antonette Israel, Joshua Salazar, and Jovito Salazar, Jr. They were all formerly members of the Catholic church. Emigdio was a person with disability. We were able to get to know him through our visit to his cousin who is a brother in Christ. After learning and obeying the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ in baptism, he said, “How I wish that I should have known and done it earlier.” Mary Antonette, on the other hand, was one of those that we were teaching before the pandemic came. She had many concerns and doubts last year that made her to put off her decision to obey the Lord. But thank God for she was already resolved last month to put on Christ in baptism for the remission of her sins. And lastly, Joshua and Jovito, Jr. are cousins. They are both high school students. Through the encouragement and influence of their Christian friends and 

relatives, they were motivated to listen to the Lord through the Scriptures and later on obeyed Him in baptism for their salvation. 

Thank you very, very much for all that you do for the glory of God and for the furtherance of His kingdom here in the Philippines! Because of your love, prayers, care, kindness, generosity, and support, we are able to keep on doing the work of the Lord here. 

By the way, I planned to visit you this year, but I can’t due to the COVID-19 travel restrictions in our country. 

Praying for you all and your loved ones and for the whole world.