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| Super HUGE snake...like the one outside my window! |
Okay...it was SO great to hear your voices. This
phone call home was so different from my first phone
call home. I miss you all, I am grateful I got to talk to
you, and I"ll be talking to you soon again...
in 7 months hehe...mabilis talaga ang panahon
dito...parang...oo just basta...the time will come soon.
Sorry for my poor English mom...haha I know, I can
tell it is slightly getting worse. Sister Olila asks me to
translate for her sometimes- and then she asks me to
say it in english, and I have a hard time hahaha le'ts
just say it will be interesting- cuz It's only been
8 months. haha
So this week was great,I know I mentioned it to
mom on the phone already, but ...they found a
HUGE snake outside of our aparment...like HUGE, the
kind that they had as a kid when they would bring
the huge snakes to the elementary school for a show
...that kind haha I am not an expert at the species
of snakes- but its huge- nakakatakot talaga haha
(for real- its scary!).
This week was great of course, we have transfers
this week now. Transfer awareness is tomorrow,
and then wednesday is transfer day instead of friday
because Pres Jensen has a conference or somethin to
go to. I found out yesterday that they're having a
special parang "general conference" here June 15 & 16
yata. They said Pres Monson was speaking to the
whole Philipines. I'm not quite sure what that's about.
Maybe you know?!
This weeks work schedule was great- we had one day
where we went to a less active's house, and she had
all of her children there and they were having a big
karaokee party- that's a huge thing here in the pines,
they always sing. Her son is active and he's the ward
pianist- when I heard him singing a jack johnson song
I started singing too- his voice was soo great- like
jack johnson! Ah I miss my music- just ask Sis. Olila- it's
the thing I struggle with- I always want to sing
along. Luckily I have a lot of church music here and so
I can listen to that! haha
So I realized a lot of things this week. First of all, we
have one family that is getting ready to send their son
off on a mission, and they have a lot of struggles
and problems. Occasionally Brother drinks- but of course
they struggle financially, like everyone here.
They also said their problems are also a little deeper.
Sis Olila said before I got here Brother was worried
that Sister had "another man" I'm not quite sure,
but I felt impressed to show that "together forever"
dvd to them. So, we watched that together, and then
talked about it. Tears filled my eyes as I watched the
families- and I just think about my past- and I think
about how precious the family is.
Families are not perfect, of course- if they were- there
would be no point to being here.
I have a friend that sent an email- about how sometimes
they wonder why certain things happen in their life-
especially when all they are trying to do is be faithful
and obedient- why is life so tough. I remember talking
with Kari & Michael before I left about how sometimes
even when we feel like we're living the gospel- life is
still tough- we still have hard days and sometimes
wonder why. what am I doing wrong? I have
pondered that over and over, and I know I have many
years ahead of me to learn the answer- but I feel like
that is a gift that the Lord has given me through the
mission. Sure, before the mission I went through some
...let's just say challenges- I have experienced challenges
in my life, as all of us have- and sure I tried to keep an
eternal perspective on it and endure. But is just now that
I am truly understanding. I think over and over again
about Joseph Smith- about D&C 135- about how he
gave his life- about the talk from Pres Holland
"safety for the soul" and about how they suffered
so much persecution- so much opposition, heart ache,
they were not rich, they had deaths in their family-
they had opposition- because...the Lord loved them.
We see all of their heartache & trials but at the same
time- they were soo blessed- and loved by our
Heavenly Father and the Lord. My favorite scripture
has and always will be D&C 121:7-9. It was
a prophecy written by Joseph Smith while he was
held as a prisoner in Liberty Jail. God has a plan for
all of us. We don't understand it because we can't
see the picture. For me, that drives me crazy because
I like to know everything...why things happen, when
they'll happen...but it's not like that. All we can do is
make sure that we are keeping the commandments, and
putting the Lord first, and the Lord will guide us on
whatever path we need to take, even if it may be different
from how we planned our life would be. For me...my path
has been VERY different from what I planned when I
was a little girl. I did not plan to experience the things
I have- but I know that it al l happened for a reason.
I know that Everything we are doing today, is
preparing us for something else. I have a sure testimony
now of that, as I have been blessed to work with the many
less actives here. I see it in their eyes- they feel lost- and
they lost faith when they experienced opposition- or
things didn't happen the way they thought it should-
they didn't understand why life was hard. And instead-
they fell away and their life is even harder.
I am so grateful for the gospel, it really does change peoples'
lives- if we live it- even if it may not be the most "popular'
thing to do- it is the right thing to do. Well, sorry this letter
may be "preachy" but hey...I'm a preacher...right?! hehe...
or missionary anyways.
Love you all, and Mom & Gee & Kristine, Kenna, Kari,
& Kelly- you are GREAT moms- your children are blessed!
I hope you're mothers day was
fantastic, I will be there next year for it :)
xoxoxo
Love,
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