Kids Will Be Kids

In all of my areas so far, this one is the most populated with plenty of kids always playing wherever we go. Well, I guess it's been a while since an American missionary has been assigned here because the children are always shocked to see a real-life "barbie" walking in their midst. Just this last week we had an experience where we were trying to find someone and before my companion and I knew it, we gained 25 more little companions, all eager to follow us wherever we went. It was definitely a sight. Now I feel like I know what it's like to be a Pied Piper haha. Although, what I love about the kids here is that they are always so genuinely happy. Despite any hard circumstances they have, their resilience is incredible to me. I know that the Restored Gospel helps families and can change lives. Just like the children followed me, we too must follow our Savior, Jesus Christ. 

Word of the Week: Lumapit -- come closer/draw unto Ex: I like to lumapit to chocolate icecream!

April showers bring may flowers. What does May bring?

More showers! Yep, rainy season is fast approaching and I'm so happy. Mostly because it'll be cooler and I won't feel like collapsing from heat exhaustion every day. We held a branch missionary activity where we taught people how to approach someone and invite them to hear from the missionaries. What stuck with me about this activity was how members can further the work simply by opening their mouths. You don't have to be perfect, but by inviting all you meet -- on the bus to work, in the grocery store or those at school -- you can experience your own miracles. I used to be really afraid of doing this before my mission. But I've noticed that as I test my faith and invite, little by little, I've gained more courage and conviction in what the Lord wants me to do. It is from this simple invite that our investigator was found and baptized. A member referred him to us and he has such a strong testimony. He wants to serve a mission some day and is already growing stronger in the gospel each day. Basically, no effort is wasted.

 

Word of the Week: Madaldal -- talkative Ex: Sister Morgan is an exceptionally madaldal individual who could write more words in this sentence, but that of course would be exceedingly repetitious and annoying to the reader who is probably wondering at which point this sentence will end and how can she possibly continue on and on without Sister Morgan herself getting bored of trying to write as many words as she can think of, but she is kind and so now she will stop........now.

 

Guagua-po missionaries!

So in Tagalog, the word gwapo means handsome or attractive. I just got transferred to my third area, guagua and it's a joke here to say the people are guagua-po! I didn't think it would be possible, but this area is even hotter than my other areas. My companion is Filipina and she goes home one transfer ahead of me. One cute experience-- there's this old old nanay who lives across from us and is a recent convert. It was nice to teach her because even though she has crazy gray hair and trembling hands, she has a solid understanding of the gospel and is thoroughly committed to endure to the end. I'm excited for this area!

 

Word of the Week: tsismoso -- a person who gossips Ex: Bob is such a tsismoso!

Happy Mother's Day!

The miracles just keep rolling on. I have never felt more vigor for the work than I do now. We’ve followed up on some of the families we found last week, and they've accepted the invitation to be baptized and go to church as well. In one lesson, we were teaching our family, all of whom are coming to church and ready to be baptized this next month, about the Word of Wisdom, or the commandment God gave for our health. Before we started the lesson, the boy brought a pack of cigarettes for his father and the mom was cleaning up the coffee wrappers in the kitchen. Sister Cayanan and I looked at each other hesitantly, but decided to continue on and focus on what the Spirit directed. We both felt impressed to focus on the blessings and through that, the family, the father especially, readily accepted the invitation to live the Word of Wisdom. They acknowledged that it would be difficult, but they told us that they want to be a part of this Church because they can feel that it is right and good for their family. The father wants to be clean so that he can hold the Priesthood and bless his family. This experience showed me that we shouldn’t be fearful in teaching certain commandments, especially if it’s obvious they don’t follow it, but rather through the Spirit of the Lord, the investigators can gain a desire to change. I’m amazed at the transformation I’ve witnessed in our investigators and the area itself. I look forward to future environments and changes where I can continue to grow as a missionary and an individual. 

Word of the Week: Nanay -- Mother Ex: I love my nanay!

The Lord is Truly Involved in This Work

I just want to take this post to recognize the many, mighty miracles I've experienced this week. This week has been the most productive and amazing week of my whole mission. Sister Cayanan and I set out to find and teach as many people as we could. We focused on finding families and everywhere we walked we would always try to look out for groups of people resting at their house that we could teach. We were able to find 14 families, of which about half are compounds with lots more potential investigators, and overall 69 new investigators. I am so humbled to know that the Lord has entrusted us with so many of His children. Each soul is so precious to Him and throughout this week, I've been able to more fully feel the power of a missionary calling and the strength of the Lord in everything we do. My faith has grown so much. I love this work! This area is so progressing and really has changed. The older sister of the two boys who were recently baptized, was also baptized herself this last weekend. Little by little God is working miracles for that family and will too for us, if we let Him. 

Word of the Week: himala -- miracle Ex: Exact obedience brings mga himala!