Hey Fam!

Just an every day sight....goats walking together!


  Mar. 25, 2012

Oh hey...sorry I never have creative headings on
 here...Anyways, how are you? Life is soo great here!
Thanks for the package Mom ulit and THANK YOU
THANK YOU Steven & Derek for the cute magnets
you sent and the letter & drawing! I really loved
getting them, and it made me soo happy. They're on
our ref door right now and they'll stay there my
whole mission! All the other elders and sisters were
jealous that my pumunkin sent me magnets!
haha so...this week was great...of course, I
witnessed many miracles...and I gained a greater
appreciation for the country I live in.
So I have been praying for this 19 year old boy in
our ward, his name is Dino. He has the melchezedik
priesthood and he is our assistant ward clerk. He
has been a member for a year now. Anyways, I know
it's crazy he is so young and holds such a high
position in the ward but anyways...he wants to
serve a mission and whenever I ask him about it
he just says he can't because of his parents. He
is the only convert- he comes from a family of
 11 children. He is the oldest. His mom sells
halo halo which is the yummiest drink here...
and his dad is a pedicab driver- which means he
drives a bicycle and pedals people around all
day. ibig sabihin...sobrang poor they are. I was
praying for some kind of way to reach out to his
mom and try and teach her again, even though
the elders taught her before and she really wasn'tinterested....she didn't like them or the church.
Anyways I received a text message from our
ward mission leader saying that they just
finished teaching Dino's mom! I about died I
was so excited, and that she didn't like the elders,
but she wanted to listen to the sisters.
So...of course anxious, we set an appt. It was an
answer to prayers.
We taught her, and as we taught her, tears were
streaming down her face as her son bore his
testimony to her, and she knows the church is
true, she just doesn't want to give up coffee...
and it's a lifestyle change and she's not willing
to make it now...anyways I was sooo happy. It
really was an answer to prayers. Not only could
it change her families life, but it could also enable
her son to serve the Lord.
How great is that? We've taught her 2 times
now...hopefully she goes to church next sunday!
I got a surprising text message from our Zone
leaders this week....they wanted me to go on
a companion exchange. They do this every few
weeks with the elders...but never for the sisters. I
was super nervous, and I had no idea why...I got
transferred for a day and worked in manat with
Sis. Bristain. It was really great opportunity to
study with her and see how she teaches and studies
and evaluate. We still don't know why they had us
do a comp exchange..maybe one of them will be
called to be trainer and they wanted to evaluate
them...anyways it was fun...it was a weird
experience sleeping in another apt but it was
good!
Bro Hernani Bidan and his children passed their
baptisimal interview! We have their baptism
this saturday!!! They are soo ready I can hardly
stand it. After the interview was over
Bro Hernani walked out with tears in his eyes.
Later we talked with Elder Baredo ( our district
leader who did the interview) he just said keep
up the good work...he is about to go home
from his mission because his 2 years are up and he
said "I have never met someone with such a
testimony of the gospel before they are even
baptized. You're teaching the doctrine well, he
understands...and he has a real testimony.
You can feel the spirit" I started to cry...I am soo
happy for them. They really are a special
family...they are soo great, and I know that's
one reason why I am blessed to be here, to
witness their conversion, because I've been
able to teach their family from the beginning
till now. Their changes and their willingness to
live the gospel to a "t" is so inspirational.
Saturday night when we arrived at the Reyes
house to teach Mark, our investigator that
will be baptized april 5...anyways we arrived
and found out they were at the hospital.
Their mom had a stroke earlier, and half her
body was paralyzed. Of course, we immediatly
thought,  ok...2 of her children were just
baptized, and a third is about to be baptized...
I'm sure she would probably accept a priesthood
blessing, so let's call someone and get them
over there. As we walked into the hospital
tears flooded my eyes. I am soo grateful for the
hospitals we have in America. The place we live,
the equipment we have. There aren't rats
everywhere and dirt and just...it was terrible.
No one should have to be medically treated in
such an unsanitary place. They just had tons of
people in one room hooked up to IV's...it just was
ridiculous. They just had her waiting there
hopelessly. Since there were many people and
we were unable to move her we waited to give the
preisthood blessing till the next day.
Merla ( her daughter) still came to church even
with her mom in the hospital...to see her
faith...a recent convert...it was the greatest
feeling...she still came to church, it made me happy
that she has a testimony even though a
recent convert, that when trials come, we need to
go to church. After church I asked Bishop and Bro Pan
to come to the hospital with us to give her a blessing.
I kind of joked but made it clear sorry I can't do
it all...I dont have the preisthood. So...they came
with us and they gave her a blessing. As they began...
I started to cry so hard...the spirit immediatly filled
the room. When we got there before they gave
the blessing she could not talk...and her eyes were not
focused. and she layed there hopelessly....just nodded.
I told Bishop he needed to explain what he was going to
do and that it was according to her faith and ask if she
would like a blessing before he gave one to her. So he
did. Anyways, as Bro. Pan layed his hands on her head
and anointed the oil on her head....I bawled...I was
crying so hard, the spirit was sooo strong. After, Bishop
sealed the blessing tears continued to stream. Their
family had such faith, and sis just was so helpless.
After the blessing. She reached up and shook their
hands and said clearly "Thank you, thank you,
thank you soo much" I was told by the end of last
night she had progressed unexplainably...and she
is headed to full recovery. The miracle of the
priesthood is so real. We are so lucky to have the
power from God. IF and it's a big IF...we are worthy
to hold it and worthy to receive it..always believing.
Anyways, many other great experiences, but those
were some of the highlights of this week. I am
running out of time but I love you all dearly. We are
so blessed to have the restored gospel. To know the
truth, and to not only have the Gospel, but to
really live it. That is the key, obedience. like
D&C 82:10 says "I the Lord am bound when ye
do what I say, but when ye do not what I say;
ye have no promise".
Alam ko po na, totoo po iyon. And now,
so does the Salvador family.
Love you all!
xxoxo



Zone  Conference-   Lingayen Mar. 2012



Oh Hey...What the heck...Another week gone by!

March 19, 2012
Oh Hey!!! Oh my
goodness it's crazy here...I cannot
even believe we're on week 4 now of this transfer
cycle. Ibig sabihin...(meaning) that I'm going to be
transferred in 2 weeks. I am trying to get everything
set up. They have what's called a "BR page" or a
book of remembrance page. All the elders and
sisters make one for each other, but then you're
also supposed to or expected to make one for
your fav families here that you serve. They all
want me to make one for them...and leave
pictures...so it is pretty much going to take up
my whole pday pero ayos lang...it's for them. I :)
I am really struggling with it though.
I know most likely I am going to be transferred,
but I really don't want to leave. Like REALLY don't
 want to leave. There is so much work here to be
done, and I'm worried if I don't stay it won't happen.
Bro Mardane (pretty much runs lingayen 1st ward)
and Bishop told me last night when we were talking
to them that I can't go...nothing will get
done. haha  :) That made me feel good...but
kinda bossy too haha anyways, it's true though...
they need someone to push them along, so
hopefully my replacement will push them too. I
have such a love for this ward though, everyone
here is soo great, and I just love them
all. Ah...its parang...they're my children! :)

This week Sis. V and I got called to teach our
District Meeting workshop...It went well I was
excited. I made a little game for us and talked to
them about how important it is and how to get the less
actives to go to church. It was fun...I think it
went really well!  We taught the Galsiem Family
this week...they have so many marital
problems. She talks about how all their marriage
as their kids grew up she had to do all the work.
She worked, she took care of the house, and she is
tired because she's felt alone for so long. And now she
is paralyzed (1/2 of her body b/c of a stroke) and
she can't do it for herself and it's frustrating.
Wow...I just could really sympathize with her.
I will never settle for anyone who makes me feel that
way, or who makes me do all the work. Marriage is
an equal relationship.

This week we also found 10 more less active families.
One of them I was sooo taken-a-back because as I
was talking to her she said she was baptized when
she was 15 years old. She is now 39 and has children all
grown and just...hasn't been to church since she
was 15. She said an Americano came here, she listened
to their lessons, went to church 4 times, was baptized,
and then never went back. her barcada (or group
of friends) was all doing it, so she just joined in.
The missionaries and no one ever visited her after her
baptism...she just...got baptized for the fun, and shame
on that Americana who just wanted a number for
baptisms. It makes me sooo galit when I hear that.
Grabe...she didn't even know who Joseph Smith was...
so I told her it was a blessing that she was baptized even
if she doesn't really understand why or what it means.
We will come back and teach her family together about
the Gospel....and told her because of that its a step in 
the tamang direction to being sealed with her family for
eternity. She was accepting...but she has no idea. It's
like starting over from scratch...really.

The other night Bro Mardane & Kenneth Sison came
to work with us....it's a good thing he did. Seriously
we were walking in Quibaol Dike and all of a sudden
these dogs came running to me & Sis V....and
were about to seriously kill us haha...but out of
nowhere Bro. Mardane jumped in front of us and
just made a noise and it scared them away
and they turned completely around. Seriously
there is no other way that would have happened
had Heavenly Father not been protecting us.
Because they seriously were running towards us full
force teeth ready to bite us...it was soo scary...Bro Ken
...14 years old just was all shaken up all of our hearts
were pounding soo fast. I am so blessed and grateful
Bro. Mardane came with us. Ah I just have a lot of
respect and love for him, he is soo great! I wish he
was the Bishop here haha :) Anyways...Bro Ken is our
recent convert. Oh my gosh when I first met him he
had his head burried in a book and wouldn't look at
you when he talked...would only whisper, and was just
so completely awkward. Now....he is working with us.
I taught him how to have a firm handshake now...
haha and he is conducting our visits...and bearing his
testimony, oh my goodness...I am soo proud of him.
He has grown soo much. Seriously, he's like my child
...I just love him! He bought me an
Angry Birds keychain to remember him by haha :)

Well, church attendance was great, meetings went
alright...I'm still struggling with bishop. He said we'd
have a mtg sat night at 6...so we went around and
walked to all of those peoples' houses to let them
know about the mtg...because they're poor and don't
have phones...then we got there and he texted us and
said he wasn't gonna make it. We would just have it
sunday. ....grr...it's all good it's like D&C 3:3
says....the work of God can not be frustrated...
only the work of man.
xoxoxo
Love you all and hope you have a great week!
xoxoxoxoxo

Oh Hey...Another Week...



This puts a new slant on "Lunch on the Go"

 



March 11, 2012

Hey Family! Another week gone by...what the heck...

it's goin by really fast.  Maraming maraming experiences

this week, it was a really great week.  So...Its been soo

fun to prepare Ken & Merla for baptism...like...soo

fun, I feel as if they're my own children, I seriously

care about them soo much, and it's been fun to watch

 their testimony grow over the past 4 months. They

really have testimonies, I can say that I really

feel contrent with letting them be baptized...they're

ready! They're baptism was such a happy day! Soo happy

because Ali Reyes, our recent convert that was baptized

in Dec...he was the one that got to baptize Sis. Merla...

that was a really cool feeling to watch him progress like

that!

We went finding in a new area this week...over 4 streets

they have 40 inactive households...it was crazy trying to

locate them, quite a few of them have died or studied

abroad now. That day we were close to Ken's house, and I felt

prompted to go and teach their family. Ken's parents are

inactive members, and according to Sis. Fajardo....they

don't have a desire to come back or listen to the missionaries

or anyone at all.  Well...I kind of forced my way in...

so we stopped by mid day..which I though, I dont really

know why I'm coming here because Ken is at school and

his parents are probably not even home. Well, they happened

to be home...and I pushed my way in their door practically. 

haha   We sat down and taught them! We got them to

agree to come to Ken's baptism....and Bro Sison (his dad)

even cried the spirit was really strong, it was a great

 experience ...he remembered a lot about the Gospel,

he has a testimony, he just got hard hearted unfortunately

because of some unfaithful- excommunicated leaders

they had in the past.  

Well...they came to the baptism, and at the baptism I

saw Ken's mom crying...she felt the spirit. So...we went

back and taught them last night...they're going to

start reading the BOM again...sana...and come to church

again...which they also came tochurch yesterday too!

Ah....another level ofhappiness really! :)

This week we also had a FHE at Bro. Hernani's house!

It was soo fun, the Reyes family came with us and I

made flash cards with pictures for the 10 commandments

and made a game out of it...and it was just all fun and

games. They fed us pancit afterwards for our merienda...i

 love pancit! :) At the end of  FHE Bro Hernani bore his

testimony (this is our investigator who is being baptized

on Mar 31) and he just said before...he just

wanted to know what we had that he was missing.  He

wanted to know why we were so happy...and now he

knows. Sis. Gem (his daughter) started to cry as she

talked about how she knows now she can see her Mom

again some day (because her mom died a few years ago). I

t was really sweet...I just LOVE them!

Let's see...we also went to Naguelguel this week,

and there I had for the first time an Inactive lady tell

me she wants her name removed from the church records.

Wow...I was soo taken aback...I pulled out 2 Ne 31:14 and

then told her its better for you to have never known the

gospel than to reject it after you have the truth. I told her

it's the worst mistake she could ever make in her life, and

 sayang po iyon (or thats a waste). The spirit was there

though...dont worry I didn't overstep my boundaries...haha

but she needed to know. Pres. Jensen told us to be

devestated and if there is nothing else we can say, tell

them the truth...and thats the truth. I started to

cry...I couldn't control it. My heart just sunk when she

asked me that. This poor woman has no idea what

she is doing. NO IDEA.

We had a PEC meeting...all the aux were present :)

Also...we had a pre-mcm and MCM meeting with

lahat ng auxilaries. Also...Bishopric counselors were

interviewed by bishop. Church was on time- peopel were

in white polos and ties. Oh by the way dad if you have

any extra ties or anyone there has ties...please send

them this way- they're hard/mahal to find here).

Anyways, the language is so tough...every time

I think wow...i'm good...i'm fluent...i hear something

new that I have no idea what they're saying. haha Its frustrating

too because Sis. V isn't as great at english...so I can't

ask her what anything means really...I have to

figure it out myself. I miss SIs. Fajardo a lot...

she is soo great! :)  Anyways...I'm finding out that

I have had to be stronger this transfer...because things

are harder with different companions...lets

just say that :) But...dont get me wrong, Sis. V is great

...things are great...just different. People aren't

all as obedient... :)

Anyways I love you family and thanks for all!

xoxoxox

Till next week!!





  



   



Top:  FHE at Bro. Hernani's
Bottom:  A gift from some great friends!
It took me 3 days to re-roll it...but it was worth it!

  



  

Oh Hey!




Lingayen Zone Conference- Feb. 2012

  Mar. 4, 2012
Oh hey...once again my time is short cuz I had a lot of
letters I needed to write that I didn't get a chance to write
last week. Oh my goodness monday mornings are the
quickest of all the days of the week!  haha :)
Thank you for sending me a package! I actually have
1 bottle of pureworks still here- so I think with the
pureworks you sent me I will probably be good for
the rest of my mission so thank you! Also don't worry
about sending more deet or afterbite- because that
will last the rest of my mission too! Thank you soo
much I really do appreciate it!  :)
One request...can you send me some cute wallet
size pictures from the ones that we took before my
mission- the ones with me and the book of mormon-
...with the brown background- the one that is my
fb profile picture so I can hand them out for BR
pages (book of remembrance pages)?! Seguro...like
20 of them?! Salamat! Also...do you have any extra
pics of any of the sisters marriage pictures in front
of the temple with the family or something. I think it
would be good I use as a teaching aid.  So my companion
is great, Sister Villavito! Her dad passed away a
few years ago, she is a converts since 2009 to the
church! She is the only one in her family- and she
has 10 siblings! She is so strong, seriously no support
from her family whatsoever- maybe a letter 2 times
a month...no emails...its rough...but she is still
happy and great! She is also very clean...oh my
goodness I am so grateful for that you have no idea!
So this week Merla & Ken passed their bap
interviews! We have a double baptism scheduled
for this friday! Yay!!! They're excited...we taught
law of chastity & word of wisdom multiple times cuz
those seem to be the hardest part about the gospel
..also I thought since they were youth they should
have the strength for youth pamphlet. I really think
all investigators of youth age should have to read
that and discuss it before being a member, because
they're going to be exptectedto live that for the rest
of their lives. So anyways, yeah, they're ready...they
really do have testimonies. Now on the other hand...
we have brother Leo Ramos who was scheduled for
a baptism on the 18th...I told Bishop that he needs to
interview all of the investigators with bap dates
so he knows them, and that they should be having
follow up interviews after their baptism- b/c that
wasn't happening.
I found out the Manat sisters (the Sisters assigned
to Manat area who I worked with a week ago when
I didn't have a companion for a day) well they said
that the family we taught- which they made me
teach the whole lesson because it was on priesthood
and I told them I wasn't super confident in my tagalog
skills Teaching that lesson...anyways so they made
me teach the lesson- and I started to cry as I bore my
testimony about Priesthood leaders and how important
it is to be a worthy priesthood leader (because the
dad is inactive) and talked about my Dad and how
he's always been worthy and it impacted my life-
and anyways, just taught about how great the
Priesthood is...the spirit was really strong...
SO STRONG...you could pop it! haha Anyways,
turns out for the first time after 3 months of teaching
him before, he went to church that sunday! I was so
happy to hear that  from the Sisters that normally work
in that area!
So...there was no sunday school teacher that
showed up to teach the Investigators and LA 
returned this week in church soo...guess who taught
the lesson? What the heck..yep I did.
I was a little nervous about talking in tagalog straight
for 45 minutes in front of a huge class...but it turned
out okay.
Really....I feel like a trainer more than a trainee
with Sis. V. which is a good thing I guess. I'm feeling
the pressure though. If the schedule gets messed up or
if we get lost its my fault...luckily that hasn't happened
yet, but it stresses me out a TON!
Also...I lead all the discussions now pretty much...
and teach all the LA lessons...which are not straight
out of PMG-so it really tests my tagalog skills...its crazy
...but good! :)
This sunday we also had a workshop for all of the
auxilaries in the ward. Guess who taught it? Yours
truly. Sis. V is really talkative- but when it comes
to teaching stuff...she shy's away ...so yep...I taught
the workshop. Also bishop wants me to train
him and his counselors- and I layed my foot down
and told themsome things have to change now...it's
kind of nerve racking having this much power...
I dont like it! :/ What if I mess up?
...it's alright....as long as the Lord is involved I
guess...we'll see... I've fasted many hours on what
to teach them though...I just want them to function
properly. Sis. V has served in 4 areas and she says by
far this is the worst area. hahaha.....thats why I
had such a shock initially maybe when I got here.
Anyways, life is good, we have more mtgs this week....
and a baptism for 2! yaya
Love you all,
xoxox