I'll Be Seeing You...

Mar 24, 2011

Well...where to begin?!?!  We're here. I can't believe it...but this is the last email you will get from me before I head back home.
This week has been filled with lots of excitement.. haha We've had a dinner appointment every night this week...I hope I still fit in my skirts when i get home :) haha It was funny we went to Sis. Salvatera's house (I call her Nanay 'mom') because she's like my mom away from home...actually her personality and the way she dresses remind me of mom really. anyways...she asked to have a family home evening over there. I was excited. When we got there...she told us she felt inspired, that she would be giving the lesson. Well...guess what her topic was about. Marriage and family. haha that seems to be everyone's favorite topic these days. haha
I'm sorry but I've gotta throw out another blooper ni sis. leuluai. It was so funny when we ran into the ward clerk and she asked "kumusta and patay?" (or how was the dead person?) and Bro fancis just replied. "uh...patay pa rin sister". or (well, he's still dead). hahaha It was sooo funny. Ah I will soo miss sis. Leuluai...she is hilarious!
Also..Sis. Pamesa taught me how to make a cake....using the stovetop burner....it is sweet....I'm way excited to show you. Well...maybe you already know how and I just never knew it...but I was way excited when she showed me how to do that...I thought you needed an oven...I was wrong. I'll teach you next week maybe :)
Of course not wanting to waste any time and try and get every event in as possible that I can before I leave, this weekend we had a ward 1/2 day mission, and we had a great turn out. Also...we had "Sevilla Night". We planned it to be like a ward FHE....but they ended up having a part where they pulled me up to the front and the members all came up and said their goodbye's to me. Can you guess if I cried or not?! haha :) Actually I did pretty good...I held it in.
This week I had one of the coolest experiences happen to me of my whole mission. About a "preach by the way"....and how strong I felt back to talk to him...and how the Lord had totally prepared him. There ya go...you've got a cliff hanger...I'll finish the story in a few days when I see you in person.
Actually the truth is I just ran out of time...haha so I have no choice but to wait to tell you.
This work is the best. The gospel is true. God loves us soo much, and he's given us the ultimate gift. His Son, that we could again return to his presence and be like Him. I love you all dearly, thanks for your support these last 18 months. I may have only had 18 months to live it. But I will have eternity to remember.
xoxoxo
I'll be seeing you....
Love,





The Casilla family






Dinner with
the Casilla
Family

More of my family here

After missionary coordination meeting, our Bishopric

Me with Sister Kimberly.  She never knew why I
always told her her name was soo beautiful and
she was too...I told her it must be cuz of her name.
We just laughed...now she knows my secret...
I love her name  :).

Good-bye Sevilla...I love you all!

Red puffy eyes!  Saying Goodbye is very hard to do.

What A Great Week!



Gradution from our Career workshop

 Mar 18, 2013

Well Hello there wonderful family,
I don't think i've ever been lacking so much sleep or traveled soo much in my entire mission. We traveled to Baguio one day. Another day we traveled to Aringay- Agoo for exchanges. Another day we traveled to SFLU Bayan to help with a marathon, and earlier- I traveled here to Dagupan. I woke up at 2:45 3 days this week....oh my goodness....its been great. Sulitin ko po ang oras d2 sa mission yata!!! hehe
This week I got asked to lead companion exchanges with (I think it was 9 sisters) it was a great experience! It was a different feeling being the one in charge- and it actually ended up being a really spiritual experience as we did an activity about "Our Purpose" and talked about what we expect from our mission before we came and how we're fulfilling our purpose...everyone was in tears. Yes....sisters kasi kami! :) haha
This week we also got to participate in San Fernando La Union Marathon- It was soo sweet...I totally miss the runners atmosphere...I'm excited to be around it... malapit na ang summer time kasi!
This week...we also got a lot of rain. Yes...you know the picture I sent you a few weeks ago...did you notice the condition of my umbrella?! Yes...well I haven't been using it cuz it was pretty pathetic...and I don't want to spend money on a new one. Well...it decided to rain. haha It was awesome...I got soaking wet...well that wasn't the awesome part...haha but we enjoyed ourselves. IT was Sis. Leuluai and sis. Pamesa's first time working in the rain. I have so many fun memories...I remember the first time I worked in the rain...and I hated it...and then grew to love it hahaha I will miss the Pilipine rain....at least even though its not technically rainy season...I got to experience it one last time before I leave! Who knows...maybe it'll rain again this week! :)
This has been soo fun....even though the past few months we've just been planting and planting seeds and finding and finding the "elect" our fruits are starting to pay off...and I"m excited that both Sis. Leuluai and Sis. Pamesa will still be here to see the fruits of their labors...so they too understand as I do that everything we do has a purpose. And I mean everything. One of my favorite families right now ( I mean, of course they're all my favorite...but basta...this family is just amazing) Sina Bro. Jonathan & Sis. Elvelyn....they went to church last sunday and had a great experience. Well that thursday (we were on exchanges) we went to their house. I was shocked...we all were and it showed as sis Elvelyn whipped out these 2 pages that she took of notes and she told us about what she read in the book of mormon...and it was soo in detail about Lehi and his family and everything and how she could apply it to her life. Oh my goodness. She said she prayed to know and it was like something came over her...she knows its true. I looked at my 2 companions and then realized quickly that all of our jaws were dropped open....and our eyes were huge. We were speechless. haha words could not express the happiness that we felt. We went back to teach them twice this last week...they're progressing talaga. I so love them, and when I'm there I can just see them in baptisimal clothes and at the temple....It's gonna happen. they are the elect. They are what we call "ripe" or "hinog" and I am so priviledged to know them.

Herra, Heart and Azure

I know that God loves us and he knows us better than we know ourselves. I know that he has a plan for us, and that nothing happens by coincidence in the gospel. I am so privileged to be one of his servants in this great work.
I love you all and I am sooo excited to greet you next week.
xoxoxox
In my prayers always
Yours truly,

Greetings From Sevilla



One of my fav. sisters...of course. I got to see Sis. Valera for
the last time...it was hard saying goodbye!  :(

 Mar 11, 2013

What a week. Actually, this week has been a great one. We have been struggling with Investigators here in Sevilla. This area has seriously felt like open area, because (I think i've mentioned this in previous emails) but they were teaching like the same 10 people. Over and over and over again. And then when her trainer would get tired they'd just go to the members' houses and hang out. Anyways....so we started from scratch. Thats why I have loved staying in my previous areas for so long, because when you stay there past the first 4 months, thats when you really start to see the fruits of your success. We have been planting, and planting, and planting seeds. This week- I watched our sacrament attendance boom. Our Investigators Gospel Principles class was completely full. We have 8 people now progressing for baptism.
It broke my heart last night as we found this one family- Apilado family. Si Brother...he was baptized when he was a child- and his family went inactive so he's a member, but he doesn't really undestand the gospel. Sister- his wife-(they're not yet legally married) they have one child- months old pa lang. Anyways- they came to church....and they had such a great time and made a lot of friends. It was soo great to see. Last night, we went over and taught them. When we were there the spirit was soo strong as we talked about eternal families- and how they can be together forever. I sat back as I watched my two daughters teach the lesson- because I told them (sila and bahala) or it was up to them.....they had to take control of the lesson and teach it haha..I know, I'm mean. haha Anyways...they did a fantastic job. At the end- Sis. Pamesa extended their baptismal date (which will of course be after their wedding) for May 11. Their reply was Yes, of course. Then Sis. Apilado just looked at me and said wait...Sister Allen won't be here. Of course I said, well there will be a replacement- and they'll be here. The important thing isnt' that i'm there, it's that she's taking the first step towards being an eternal family. At this time, my heart broke. It's true- I won't be here to see her baptized. I have grown so close to them in such a short period of time- I will miss them. But....I know that what they've felt...they will never forget. They know the gospel's true. Even though missinoaries transfer- they're never permanent. What they do for those people; and their influence-- Well, that is permanent.
Sunday was also an emotional day, because Bishop Baro got released as bishop- because he's moving to bacnotan. He asked us to sing a song- he wanted hymn 97 "lead kindly light" but we wanted it to be a surprise. So...I sung the first 2 lines of lead kindly light. Then my companions joined in and we went in to "God be with you till we meet again". Everyone was crying. It was really pretty. Sis. Leuluai's voice is amazing.  It was also sweet listening to Bishop say his goodbye to the ward. He is soo sweet, he absolutely loves his wife and 3 daughters. It is so obvious- he started to get teary eyed as he talked about his wife- how she was a modern day emma. They truly are an amazing couple- and they've influenced more lives than they may know. I know they've influenced mine. I so want my relationship some day to be like theirs.
Anyways, of course this week has been one full of learning.
I love you all, and youre always in my thoughts and prayers
xoxo
Love,



BAGUIO!!!



Last Transfer Week Here In Baguio Mission

Sis. Pemesa...my last borne in the wilderness!

This is our area...it's beautiful!!

Mar 3, 2013
Hello Family!!!!
What another fantastic week here in Baguio...well okay, here in Sevilla :)
I have another child! Wow...you should have seen the look on all the other missionaries' faces when we took a family picture. haha :)
I cried soo hard......I was surprised. It was just a completely different feeling as I was standing in the Mission home, talking to all the sisters there- and I had a realization that wow...I know every sister here. I love every one of them and I have relationships with all of them. I am going to miss these girls- this is that last time that I will see them. I just started crying...and then they did too. haha we were a mess. We then went to the sacrament hall and I have to tell you it was the best feeling as we all stood and recited D&C 4 and sung our Baguio Mission song....in a huge group of elders and sisters- for the last time. I'm not ready to say goodbye. But.I know that my work is slowly coming to a close here in Baguio Mission. It was a bitter sweet- Sis. Perina and I just cried when I saw her and we hugged...realizing that was the last time I'll be seeing her...I am soo lucky that everything worked out that I got to see all of my children and past companions here at transfer point one last time. That was such a great day!
My newest companion, Sis. Pamesa is from Mindanao---malayo. She is very sweet, and I'm sure these next few weeks are going to be great. She's not afriad to speak in the lessons- so thats a great thing...its going to be fun training again. Its been fun, and it's keeping me busy training 2 at one time....these next few weeks are going to be busy making sure that we're doing everything that we're supposed to- and training them so that they can be trainers. This next transfer- after I go home. They're expecting 22 new Sisters to come...almost all are foreigners...it will be  interesting- I'm kinda sad I won't get to be around for it.
Anyways, all my time is up, but I love you all. Sorry its short- but at least you got tonz of pics!
xoxoxo
Love,


Our Zone T Shirts






Us Sisters at Transfer Point....Our Family Picture



                                                                                                                

Another Family Picture



My sisters....oh how I love them!