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| ppina/american po ako |
Ahhhhhh where do I even start!!! this week has been so full of wonderful things and progress and miracles and I feel happier than if I just ate a whole pack of Oreos straight! YA! THAT happy!!! lets break it down folks:
This week was awesome because we had the best family home evening. I don't know if I've told you about the B family but if I've never written its a shame-- cause they are one of the best most favoritest people of my whole mission. its too long to tell you their whole story. To keep it short--there's Sis Jane (the wife) and Tatay and her 20 something old son (recent convert). and Sister Jane has been our focus for soooo long and she always comes to church but says its not the time yet to be baptized, shes waiting for an answer to her prayers and a sign. there is so much more to the story I wish I could write. anyways, that's where we were last Monday. we invited them to fhe which was awesome by the way- the son of the members played us the VIOLIN!!! I haven't heard that since 11 months!! it was so beautiful even though it was just a little hymn. ah man I miss music like that. Ok coming back to the them later.
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| Us at FHE with the B family at the E home |
Next- we had a mission tour!! Elder and Sister Pajaro came!! They are the coolest people ever!!! And guess what their daughter is serving in Mesa Arizona mission!!! So if you EVER see a Sister Pajaro please, pull over and give her a hug and buy her some ice cream and show her my picture of me with her parents and tell her how awesome they are and how awesome her country is. She comes home January just like me so we will never prob cross paths...sayang. But ya, the Pajaros are such powerful speakers and such genuine people!! It was so good to hear from them and I wish we could just do it all over again.
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| us and the pajaros |
The night before we had a grand total of 8 SISTERS in our apt- so crazy. so stressful when everyone is trying to shower and get as pretty as they can and find their take out order of mac-do, all the while I'm trying to clean up after their every move and GOOD THING because right after mish tour the Pajaros and President and Sister Reeder came to our house and checked our apartment. GULP. I hope we didn't embarrass them too bad. The Pajaros are pretty down to earth and so I don't think they were too judgmental of our bahay :)
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| Naga zone at mission tour |
And so lots of other things happened this week but I'm just going to return to the story about Sis Jane cause its the best. Ok, so we went to visit them one evening and her face was very frowny and she opened up and told us all her concerns, like why is it that everyone on testimony meeting can stand up and say " I know this church is true" but she can't, or hasn't felt that surety yet, and her other problem is about what will happen to all the other people who don't become Mormons, what's going to happen, etc etc plan of salvation stuff. The next couple of days after that lesson I could not get her our of my mind- I studied and studied and flipped those pages, prayed, flipped some more, pondered, etc. I got many pages of notes. Its like, I wasn't just reading my scriptures but I NEEDED them. As I was thinking about her and reading scrips to help I got this picture in my mind of her being sealed to her family in the temple, saw a slight view of her potential and what all can be hers. I blinked. This is not just a lesson, not just answering a concern, this is salvation! this is a real soul of our Heavenly Father! She is a real person and she needs what we have. I flipped again all with this vision in my head.
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| Wuv my friends |
So here comes the lesson- I had prayed and thought a lot about what to share and got the feeling that we needed to watch the Mormon message by Elder Bednar about discerning light. We had a member present Sis G- a convert also to the church, her age, who was ready to share her experiences. Before the lesson they were all chatting chatting about nursing and school in stuff in Bicol and me and Sis J were not really picking up anything they were saying. But as soon as we said the opening prayer, I understood everything. Everything that came out of Sis G's mouth, her testimony and comments in pure Bicol, I understood. WHAT THE!!! the gift of Tongues is SOOO REALL!!! it really is exclusively for the Lord's purposes. Its not for chatting about whatever, but when its time to work out some salvation, it comes. I said such a prayer of gratitude for that.
ok so we are in the lesson- watch the video, talk about it. She expresses her feelings, we talk some, listen, listen. we share some scriptures, listen some more. At one point I found myself testifying about how much she needs baptism, how many signs are before her already and how much that God loves her and wants her to return back home. I don't really remember all that I said or how I said it, but I do remember how powerful I felt and how much that the Spirit was doing the talking, I was just opening my mouth. After I stopped talking there was silence, everyone just stared. Even Sis J just didn't know what to do but stared. I felt in that moment the Spirit confirm all of my words to her. Later as I reflected on the lesson when we came home I read that line in my fathers blessing before I came here, "as you look at the people as your brothers and sisters and speak with the Spirit, they will recognize that you speak the truth and that you are there to bring them home." I know they all knew that we were speaking the truth and could not deny it. After that we extended a baptismal date, things were said, and she ACCEPTED!!!!!!!!!! AHHH!!!!! we could NOT contain our joy!!!!
We also offered to fast with her, so Saturday night we came over again and knelt in prayer. She asked to know the way she needs to go. We fasted until Sunday- I felt the Spirit so strong all day. Later Sister G our member present said that we have something different, she said she has worked with a lot of other missionaries (is an RM herself and has lots of RM kids) and said that when she went with us to Sister Jane she felt something different. she said Sister J and I have a different spirit. AAAAND to put icing on the cake of this week- we went out to greet people coming to church and TWO INVESTIGATORS came we weren't really expecting!!! And they loved church! The brother and his wife came- brother J told us that he is really searching for the truth and he really wants to know what is right. That is another miracle story of how we found him and how I got the prompting and stopped in my tracks to knock on his door. But anyways, isn't this the beeeessstttt work ever!? so many miracles!!
It is the greatest feeling to be used as an instrument in God's hands. There's no other way or other thing that makes you feel this sort of happy. I am amazed at the love that He has for everyone of his children, and the plan He has for them. It is so incredible to see how things work out, how He gathers his children one by one. I promise He truly knows us!! He really, honestly does. this is his WORK and his GLORY to bring to pass the immorality and eternal life of man. God- the creator of everything and one who has all wisdom told us that He does nothing else with all his time and power, than to work out salvation for us. Nothing else. ALL of his work and time is for us. he has no other purpose than our eternal happiness. All he is pleading is for us to choose Him, to chose His way. He sent his son Jesus Christ who taught us how to return to Him. All we have to do is follow Him and we will be happy. ITS THAT SIMPLE! Ah I can write a million more words but the time is far spent and there is little remaining. Ah. It is just such a good thing to be a missionary and by far the best thing I've ever done. I love this.
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| misshies |
I've realized that how ever much I think I can and want to save the whole world, I can't. Christ is the Savior of the world, not me. I cannot steal his role or take his place, I cant fix all the problems. I've realized how humbling it is to step down and instead of being the hero, just trying to introduce people to the hero. I'm just His representative, I'm a weak girl who doesn't really know much, cant solve world hunger, cant even provide for the roofs that people ask us for as we walk by their shack homes. There are soooo many problems wayyy out of my hands and reach. BUT I do know that the Savior knows, he is not called the Savior for nothing. As His servant I love him and try my hardest to be his hands here on earth.
I love you all! Happy Father's day dad!! Hope you all give dad extra hugs for me :) Have a good time at the reunion! Eat lots of Mexican food for me :) Ah man ok actually I'm super mad I'm missing out on that- please lets do it all again soon. Ok that is all I have to say. Goodbye!
LOVE Sis Mcg
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HIKING MT ISAROG!!! Man this hike was the most intense
thing ever. Imagine hard core indiana jones jungle style.
the falls were soooooo beautiful though! Worth it. |
ok so we are in the lesson- watch the video, talk about it. She expresses her feelings, we talk some, listen, listen. we share some scriptures, listen some more. At one point I found myself testifying about how much she needs baptism, how many signs are before her already and how much that God loves her and wants her to return back home. I don't really remember all that I said or how I said it, but I do remember how powerful I felt and how much that the Spirit was doing the talking, I was just opening my mouth. After I stopped talking there was silence, everyone just stared. Even Sis J just didn't know what to do but stared. I felt in that moment the Spirit confirm all of my words to her. Later as I reflected on the lesson when we came home I read that line in my fathers blessing before I came here, "as you look at the people as your brothers and sisters and speak with the Spirit, they will recognize that you speak the truth and that you are there to bring them home." I know they all knew that we were speaking the truth and could not deny it. After that we extended a baptismal date, things were said, and she ACCEPTED!!!!!!!!!! AHHH!!!!! we could NOT contain our joy!!!!
We also offered to fast with her, so Saturday night we came over again and knelt in prayer. She asked to know the way she needs to go. We fasted until Sunday- I felt the Spirit so strong all day. Later Sister G our member present said that we have something different, she said she has worked with a lot of other missionaries (is an RM herself and has lots of RM kids) and said that when she went with us to Sister Jane she felt something different. she said Sister J and I have a different spirit. AAAAND to put icing on the cake of this week- we went out to greet people coming to church and TWO INVESTIGATORS came we weren't really expecting!!! And they loved church! The brother and his wife came- brother J told us that he is really searching for the truth and he really wants to know what is right. That is another miracle story of how we found him and how I got the prompting and stopped in my tracks to knock on his door. But anyways, isn't this the beeeessstttt work ever!? so many miracles!! 
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