Thank you for all the prayers this week

Thank you for all the prayers this week for brother Gary. We've been praying really hard for him too and feeling a lot of his grief. It feels like one of my own family members has passed away I love their family so much. Its been hard, but I don't feel any more weight of grief. I know Christ's atonement has everything to do with that. His atonement is the greatest gift anyone can ever let into their life.

This week has been one of the happiest weeks I think I've ever lived! Life is so full! so rich! blast it all I wish i had better word choice to describe it! Nothing that big, nothing that miraculous, just little memories and blessings all adding up together. heres some highlights:

1. Last week and this week we've been organizing our TALENT for the Christmas conference tomorrow! our talent rocks! I've sort of taken charge in pumping the life blood into these people and I've got them all practiced and warmed up to sing and dance and everything :) our whole district has sort of a show thing with different segments. I'm going to act out Sister Reeder and Elder Bondoc is going to be President and we have a skit about interviews, then me and Sis Koluse are speaking Bisaya XD then there are other singing solos and stuff.  The sisters have a song "walking in a winter wonderland" that we are singing, and the elders have a coordinated dance complete with shimmies and hip shakes! It's going to be a BLAST!!! We've been practicing late into the night and have had so much fun. Hopefully we pull it off tomorrow, I'll be sure to video it :)

2. We taught brother Don Don, it was pouring rain when we visited him and pretty much sloshed through the muddy rainforest to his hut, sat outside on a bench with umbrellas, and taught him in the rain. The lesson was pretty crazy, he was saying stuff way out in left field...to be honest i was just making tons of jim-from-the-office faces. but HALELU miracle!!!!!! on Sunday as I was sitting up on the stand, when I looked up, HE WAS THERE!!!!!!!! My jaw literally dropped and I blinked a bazillion times to see straight. Had he really crawled all the way to church?? He had his hands in flip flops and had used his upper body strength to crawl all the way from his hut to the highway, catch a trycee, then crawl up the stairs dragging his nonfunctional legs behind him. My eyes teared up as I saw members shake hands and welcome him. I should have gotten a picture, all i've got is the one in my brain.


3. At this week's lesson to the Taghoy family we taught about faith. OH i love them so much! we sat on the cement, all of them there listening, opening our scriptures and talking about nurturing our faith and just having an awesome gospel discussion with them. they are so going to make it to the temple gates!! Sister Cynthia is truly an amazing mother. As we asked her questions, she reached for her wrinkled and bent gospel art library book, flipped to the page of the tree of life, and shared her testimony with us about endurance. She mentioned she had just taught her kids Renan and Josua that story earlier, taking time to sit down with them and tell them the story of Lehi's dream earlier that day. What a wise, wise mother! I just know there are so many moms in the whole world right now rushing about, buying this and that, trying to make things perfect for the holidays, but we really take a step back, Sister Cynthia has really got things figured out. She is fulfilling her role as being the first and most effective gospel teacher to her kids by taking time to share her testimony with them. I know that they wont forget that, they wont forget that wrinkled church art book and the things their mother taught them. I know Renan and Joshua wont forget because I haven't forgotten. My mother is one of the wisest mothers in the whole world and like Cynthia, has never been too busy or preoccupied. Some of the clearest memories I have are still of those first family home evenings, before the triplets were even born. How blessed I am to have been raised in a home with parents who take time to teach and never cease to be good examples.


4. We had our ward Christmas party last Saturday! It was so much fun! before we went we taught sister jane, our awesome investigator! she's 17 and has a baby but her boyfriend is nowhere near. She's been reading the book of mormon- is in chapter 18! I'm so glad because no matter how good or bad our lessons may be, the Book of Mormon is the most powerful tool in conversion and will allow her to grow her own testimony. After we taught them in their dark home with the light of our flashlights, it started to downpour. All the kids playing outside ran in. We told them bye, but invited them to the Christmas party. All the kids screamed with joy and rushed to find a comb and throw on a dress and slap baby powder on their faces! Their joy was contagious! We helped them all get ready then booked it out in the rain, through the mud and over rocks up to the highway. We had about 6 or so with us? Sister Jane too. We waited on the curb and then someone's uncle came, had a "trycee" thing which pretty much had no top, just the bottom part attached to his motor. We all piled on, kids holding on everywhere. We held a huge rainbow umbrella in between us that flapped as we zoomed through the rain. We were all laughing and getting soaking wet and having the best time ever! I love those kids so much! when we pulled in to Goa, exactly he ran out of gas! haha! we jumped out grabbing kids under our umbrella and literally ran to the church. SO WET haha! we played games, party partied, ate some food, saw all of the beloved members and people we visit, and it was the best! As we flew through the rain I don't think I've ever been happier. The simple invitation to our christmas party was enough to make their world and make it the happiest Christmas for them!

5. Another awesome experience this week was our lesson with sister Gemma and Christine! they are so progressing! we taught them lesson 2 and they were taking it all in. Christine has been reading the Book of Mormon to her mom while she cooks, and then tells her whats going on in the story. she told her mom she's gotta read it on her own too so she wont be embarrassed when the sisters come :) sister Christine came to the Christmas party too! she was the only one who could come cause they couldn't afford for all of them to pay for fare. We sat cross legged on their cauayan bed, all their little kids listening so attentive. when I tuned around I saw a little branch of a Christmas tree, decorated with tinsel and ornaments, the only thing in their home for "show", or that isn't used for anything in particular. it was the sweetest thing, i told the kids to go pose by it :) theres not a single gift under it but they are the happiest people ever. SisterGgemma is so happy that none of her kids are sick, that they are all under one roof and healthy, and she says thats all she needs this Christmas. again- amazing. I wish everyone could come spend Christmas here!

6. On Sunday we went around reminding people to come to church. we stopped by sister Kharine, but when we walked up half of their house was gone, there was no more roof or walls, just wood frames. we asked what happened, they just took it down that morning and were fixing the roof to be sturdier. All their plates and bowls and buckets were outside, and it did'nt look like they would make it to church. Too bad! She promised she would come next time, she really just had to build her house right then. We went by Sister Jane and she was all dressed and ready! AND! all those kids who partied with us at the ward party were dressed up too! I asked all their names, and turns out that 5 of them are over the age of 8 and we can teach them. They all told us that they had no money though, and so, we told them we were going to have an adventure and walk all the way! They sort of thought twice if they really wanted to go, said it was so far, but in the end all came along! we speed walked about 2 miles to the church, singing and drawing lots of attention from all who saw us. we got there 2 mins late, I ran up to take my place on the stand. I was a speaker and my topic was sacrifice. I had pondered and thought about my topic a lot, had tons of examples that I shared from the scriptures and my mission of sacrifice. I shared about my parents and their sacrifices, the pioneers, and especially the people I love and saw in front of me. I mentioned their stories, giving a special shout out name by name to the kids who walked so far with us that morning just to attend. I got choked up as I told them how much they have changed my life, just reflecting a little bit on what has been the past 17 months makes my eyes fill with tears. As the words came out that I only had 5 weeks to go I couldn't contain it! Tears flowed! More than anything, I am grateful for these experiences I've been able to have. It would be an understatement to say its going to be hard to leave. Luckily I still have Christmas and New Years and 5 more weeks to live in my paradise and love every bit!


This is the happiest Christmas ever! I hope you all feel it! i hope you all feel the words in alma 7:7, "for behold, i say unto you there be many things to come, and behold, there is one thing which is of more importance than they all- for behold the time is not far distant that the Redeemer liveth and cometh among his people". He is the true meaning of Christmas, He is the one thing which is of more importance of them all. How blessed I am to have this Christmas with no physical gifts, only seeing the joy of the gospel touch lives and hearts. I love Christmas!!!! I hope you all enjoy it as well and remember what's really important!

LOVE SISTER MCGRATH

9 things I don't want to forget

Starting the first week of your last transfer makes for some major reflection time. This week has been everything, once again I've felt the full range of human emotion smushed together in 7 days. Mission life is ripe and delicious and I am trying to capture everything in my mind, engrave it on the walls so it never goes away! Here's this week's moments I never want to forget:

1. Slipping in a rice field for the hundredth time. Haha i swear! these crocs man! we were exploring in the most beautiful paradise you could ever imagine, ocean in view, different leveled rice fields stretching out forever. We were jumping and climbing and everything in between them and at one point I slipped and my entire leg up to my knee plunged into hot mud :) my shoe was totally gone and luckily a random guy heard my scream and came and fished it out with a stick! The best part is in all my expertise I managed to not get a speck of mud on my stretched out bleached stained skirt! Hallelu! Oh wait thats not the best part- the best part is we got to use my muddiness as a finding tool and go walk up to random houses and ask to wash off and share the gospel too while we're at it :) My area is soooo beautiful I feel like I'm living in a calendar :D

2. We taught don don this week.  From the hips down he's severely disabled and crawls around with flip flops on his hands (wait I wrote already about him- the one that freaked out sis a cause it was like the grudge?) he crawled out of his hut and we sat on these boulders under papaya trees and taught the restoration. He accepted a baptismal date! We made sure he would be ok getting to church, he said he'd just drag himself to the highway and catch a trycee.

3. Sister Kharine is on fire! She is amazing! Something has just clicked in her, there is a new light in her eyes and it is definitely her time! She told us she had a dream this week that the world was being destroyed, but she and her kids managed to crawl up to this tall mountain and they were safe. There was an eerie sort of feeling as we shared about the urgency for her to be baptized and to figuratively crawl up the mountain and be saved. She's still reading the history of Joseph Smith book and says she tears up and feels the Spirit every time she does. She said that if he can suffer all of that, she can make it to church rain or shine no matter how crazy her kids are :) she is changing their futures! Her husband is asking her more and more questions, especially about the Joseph Smith book. Sister Kharine shares her testimony to him every time and says she feels the Spirit guiding her to know what to say.  Ooh I hope someday we can teach him! Another miracle! Her mother offered to fix their wedding if they would get the cenomar! she is so closeeee!!!!! She is pulling herself up, saving and praying and I know someday she is going to make it to the waters of baptism.

4. Sister Gain is gone </3 I cried! she all of the sudden got called to Pili to watch her sister's kids- her sister's husband got work abroad and so they need someone to take care of the kids. seriously!?!? this week was supposed to be her baptism, everything was perfect and she was so ready. It's hard cause its really out of our hands and theres nothing we can do. I've just got to swallow it and take a dose of humility cause it looks like I wont be here when she gets baptized. Sigh..it would have been nice to see! We all really are just contributing to the Lord's work anyways no need to be selfish sis mcgrath.

5. We had our amazing bishop and his wife work with us! Bishop Palmis is the most wonderful bishop. We visited Cynthya and Renan who hadn't made it to church all last month. Brother Renan has been working non stop, seeing no possible way for them to survive but to work through Sunday. They have a date reserved at the temple for their family sealing, and they just can't NOT go to church. The night before we told bishop all of this and he volunteered to come work the next day. We sat on the cement floor with their whole family, I love their kids so much! We sat and reminded them of the blessings of the temple and that they were so close. Brother Renan got choked up and told us he really, really will have no food for his kids if he doesn't work during church. Bishop and his wife were amazing, they both bore such strong testimonies. Sister Palmis told them that they too, when they were a young family lived in a bahay kubo and had literally nothing. She bore testimony of sacrifice and obedience and it made us all cry. Bishop as well counseled him to save a little bit each day so they could buy rice on Sunday. He told him that it might seem like a sacrifice but its for the eternal good of his family. We all were teary, and the Spirit guided Sis A and me in everything we said. I asked brother how he felt at the end, and he said he felt the heavy burden inside him become light. He said he knows God will provide. What an amazing thing to see the atonement lift this struggling father trying to do the right thing! All of them came to church on Sunday and my heart couldn't be happier!

6. We hiked all the way out to sister Shirley and caught her as she was about to get water from the creek. Even though it was raining we hiked down there with tons of plastic bottles, filled them with fresh creek water that they drink and use, and carried them all back up the hill. I swear these mamas rival the pioneers they are so strong!

7. We taught Sister Gemma and her 9 kids, all of us sitting on their wooden bed above the muddy floor. We taught with just the light from our cell phone, but her kids were all quiet and so drawn in to our lesson. We asked them to be baptized, they said yes, and they actually came to church yesterday. Sister carried her babies and the oldest girl Christine helped out. MIRACLES! I love the humility and pure goodness of these people and don't think I can stand to say goodbye.

8. We taught a less active sister whose whole family has gotten so caught up in work that they cannot come to church. All good things, Christmas parties and teaching and things, but due to she and her husband's high jobs at the schools they cant make it. All that day I felt like we were asking "is there any room in the inn?" and its sad to see the irony of being so busy with Christmas events that there isn't any time left to take the sacrament and really remember what its all about. I had the prompting as we sat in her home to never ever open any doors that would possibly lead to me not being able to attend church. There's no way, its not worth it. No job or any amount of money is worth trading that sacred time of sacrament.

9. And now number nine, the memory that is so painful but that I still don't want to forget. This week we got a call that our sweet sister Rene Merenia passed away. I was in shock, she was only a little bit sick, but all of the sudden died. Since we got the call on Saturday it has been occupying every space of my mind. Sister Merenia is the sweetest lady, and was the only member in their family until after a long time of fasting, her youngest son Gary was baptized as well. Sis Merenia did the temple work for her husband, and was sealed to him by proxy in the temple because he passed away a couple years ago. Every visit she would share what she read in the Book of Mormon that day, and always bear testimony to us more than we ever did to her.

As the reality started to hit that she was gone, my mind immediately went to Gary, a relatively recent convert to the church who, in an instant, became an orphan. After losing his father, and now his mother, he is the only member now in their family. The night before his mom died, he ran to the church even though there was a dance going on to get someone to give her a blessing. The elders came, blessed her, but in the middle of the night it was God's time to take her and she died right in front of Gary. He called us on Saturday to come to the funeral home because he didn't know how to dress his own mother, if he was allowed to adjust her garments or anything. We went immediately, and by just one look of him I lost it. Waves came of uncontrollable tears for Gary and what has just happened. the look of pain on his face is engraved in my head, even if I wanted to forget it I can't. We arranged things, and last night we gathered a funeral service together. It was held in Gary's grandmother's home, with all of their extended family in attendance who are pure Catholic.

We arrived with a few ward members, the bishop, the elders, and thanked them for letting us come. We had a very simple service, elder Pring gave an amazing talk about the Plan of Salvation. The Spirit was so strong, I know that she is fine and happy and at peace, its just every look at Gary would set me off again, this poor poor kid. He was just sitting on the ground sobbing. Bishop invited him to say a few words, and he took a deep breath, stood in front of his mother's coffin, faced his family and told them, almost begging them, to listen to the message of the restored gospel. He bore testimony of the reality of eternity, that they could be sealed together as a family. His family had the nerve to hiss negative comments as he was bearing testimony to them, he didn't stop though. Even though they were rolling their eyes he stood taller than he ever had and told them he knew the church was true. I was in awe at his strength and sobbed as his family was being loud and disrespectful behind our backs. He cried too as he spoke, it was the most heartfelt testimony I have ever heard.

After, I was asked to say the closing prayer, after calling Heavenly Father's name I couldn't speak from the tears choking me back. I cried and cried through the prayer, begging Heavenly Father to comfort Gary and his family and thanking him for knowledge of the plan of salvation. It feels like my heart is lead, gravity feels much stronger than it used to be.  Earlier we had listened to the talks of the Christmas Devotional, lines echoed in my head that Christ is the light of the world. This Christmas I know that is true more than I ever have. If Christ had not come, if he had not been born as a tiny baby into a world that would reject him, happiness and salvation would not be possible.

I might never stop crying for feeling the pain of Gary's loss, but because of Christ I know no one is lost at all. The lead in the heart of all those that suffer can be made light, he is the literal light of the world. Nothing is more important than the blessing of an eternal family, no death can sever those promises. This Christmas I give inexpressible thanks for the gift of the atonement and the reality of eternal families. I don't need or want anything, those things of most worth I have. I'm grateful this Christmas to live, to experience joy and pain and tears. Because of him I know tears wont last forever. Please keep Gary Merenia in your prayers this week.

There you have it, 9 memories from my week, 9 tiny peeks into my life. I wish you could all come and experience it right by my side, this mission is the most heart opening experience and I humbly thank Heavenly Father every night for the chance to serve. I love you all, hope you enjoy Christmas this year! Love you all so very much!

Love Sister McGrath

79 happy little babies!

I've got time to tell you the major up of the week and a couple funny stories and forgive for the shortness!

THE BOX CAME!!!! all the baby hats and blankets!!! actually it came a while ago but we opened it this week at mlc! we went with sis reeder in the mission home with all the sister stls and it was like XMAS!! YAY!

We divided all of them up according to zone. each zone got like 16ish? at our zone training I announced it and after the meeting elders and sisters rushed and grabbed them and they were gone super quick! I said to give them to investigators or less actives or recent converts or anyone who is having a baby. Just say the word and boom! Hands are there and ready to give! We could have even used more, next year I want to send 2 giant boxes! Think of all them babies! One elder came up and begged for one more because their investigator was pregnant with twins :)

AWHH!!! the best part! We got to give one to Sister Emily! tamang tama she had her baby this week, a day after her bday. We rushed over with a blanket and chocolate and met the newest member of the world baby Lawrence! Sis Emily was so touched, she kept exclaiming how soft the blanket was. She wrapped him in it and even though his eyes were closed I know he loves it. :D probably one of the nicest gifts he'll get his whole life.

To all my lovely young women friends who made those blankets, I know it probably seems like nothing and no big deal to cut out a square of crazy soft fabric and all but there are 79 mamas here who are so touched that someone they don't even know would give them something so useful for no cost. These babies are really born into the world with nothing.  A mom, brothers and sisters, a roof over head, and that's about it. What an amazing way to give this Christmas, no one deserves it more than these amazing mothers! I love you and they love you and we are so so grateful here in our corner of the world for you!

Speaking of babies- funny story! we went to our investigator who had a baby last week, she was holding her and letting her get some air outside and stuff (p.s. apparently if the wife sniffs the husband's head when she's pregnant it will come out with his hair......uhhhhh....#logic) anyways I asked "whats your baby's name again?" and she paused....then darted her eyes....didn't say anything for a long time....then she said "uh......basta nagsisimula sya sa letter m" It starts with letter 'M' HAHA SHE TOTALLY FORGOT!!!!!! haha she told us she'd remember when we came back next week. HAHAHA Sis Adino and I laughed soooo way hard all week at that.


Another funny thing: oh my gosh this one's hilarious. We were walking by rice fields and it had rained all week and was wayyyyy muddy and there was this part that goes down a very steep slope. All these kids were gathered at the bottom calling "seester seester!" I knew it was steep but apparently not well enough cause the first step I took my foot slid from under me and I slid down the whole thing on my bum and crashed into the kids at the bottom! HAHA IF YOU COULD ONLY HAVE SEEN THEIR FACES FROM MY POINT OF VIEW!!! They were terrified!!!! I got up and was SO muddy and could hardly breathe from laughing at myself. But the best part! The kids told us to go wash in the river close by, and when we walked to see it in view, this sweet around 20 yr old down syndrome sister is standing right in the middle of it buck naked taking a poop. Oh the humor. we almost broke our laugh boxes. We've got to re-watch it in heaven!

More things happened this week that are escaping my brain! I battled another spider from the flaming pits of hell this week! We walk so far every night coming home but if we speed walk we can make it in about 40 mins! It's week 6 and my mind cannot even comprehend that I've got one measly transfer left. How can I enter a country that doesn't even know sky flakes and that says 'grahams' like its spelled instead of "grey-hams"?? These are the thoughts that rack my brain when I try to sleep. I had a dream that I woke up crying from this week- in my dream I went home. BLAHHH it's not even soon but sort of is and I'm trying to keep it calm but sometimes I'm not.  I'm not in Kansas any more I'm not in Kansas anymore! No, it's cool. It's cool. Help.

Love you all very very much and you are always in my prayers wonderful family of mine! Have a good week and be safe and I will too!
Love SISTER MACK-GRATH

mahina na ang emails ko! (translation - Email is hard for me)

Sorry my email is going to be pretty weak this week! as in! this week we had exchanges with sis h, she came over to our town and worked as a tri-companionship with us :) her companion went home in the middle of this transfer. it was good to work with her and see the progress she's made since our last exchange. heaps of it! doing much better. what a great sister she is.

the next day we went to naga for our new trainers trainer training thingey. yayyy my 4th time! i can pretty much recite president's talk about the gospel word for word. they had fun seeing their batch and realizing that they all have been surviving too.

hmm the best thing that day was the news sister b gave me! sis b has been holding down naga, my lovely little jewel, since i left her there with sis m. did i ever email about sister julbie? the one with the surgery in her side that leaks? maybe not...anyways she is getting baptized this december! sister manoa and I found her way out in the outskirts of our area, we were able to teach her 2 lessons before i left. its sad, 2 of her kids died from brain cancer and she herself has cancer :( :( :( she told us she had a sister who was mormon. so thats all i knew, then sis b updated me that she's been doing so great, has been coming to church even though its so far! her medical issue makes it so that she can't eat if she wants to leave the house, so she pretty much fasts every Sunday just so she can come. amazing! the sisters were supposed to teach the commandments but they said it didn't feel right, they felt like they needed to teach temples and family history. and when they DID, sister julbie mentioned that her sister (the member) called her a while ago asking for death dates and info about their ancestors here in Bicol. THEN guess what, her sister just died like last week! ya! the member one! sister julbie said that it was like a light went on and she realized why her sister called and now that it was up to her to do their families work. ahhhh!!!! it all links together! the work is really hastening on both sides of the veil! such an amazing story and so glad to know that God is always harvesting his fruits even in good ol naga.

back to goa- we taught nanay loma this week (she is a hoot and a holler, i wish you all could meet her!) who kindly broke the news to us that she wasnt able to come to church because there was free ice cream in tigaon, the next town over. so she and her son motorcycled all the way there and ate their fair share. she WAS very happy to tell us though that she didn't break the sabbath day because the ice cream was free! "Leebray sisters, wala akong kasalanan!! leebray!" hahahahahaa oh nayyyy

sister gain is doing so well! her baptism is scheduled for december 19, the same day as the long awaited ward christmas party! so she will get baptized and then go straight up and party party eat eat with all of our ward's support. she's definatley the most golden girl ever! she still takes notes on our every lesson after we leave and gets everything the second it is out of our mouths. ang galing nya!!

on Saturday we had exchanges in laganoy- guess what did I tell you sister m is in laganoy? i got to exchange with my aki!!!!! yay!!!!!! she and sister b!! my lovely kiribati sisters!!! they are so happy and just glow! i love them! sister m is doing SO WELL! oh my! she is amazing at tagalog and so diligent in her studies!! we were actually able to communicate! it was so fun, we talked about all our times in naga and i got the real scoop on how things were for her that i couldnt get before because of language barriers. haha it was so fun to work with her! we were riding in a padjack and she told him to take us to central of naga haha:) i guess the memories were strong and it just flashed us back! haha we both agreed how beautiful our areas were here and rejoiced in the rice fields and absence of SM. mwaahaahaaaa! we survived!

this morning we went to wash clothes at sister emily's house! she is giving birth THIS WEEK and still washes all her family's clothes every morning. pambihira. of course we told her that we will just come and help :) our hands are sore and bleeding but it was so fun! grabe ladies really are amazing here. every mom who is reading this imagine going into your laundry room and washing hampers upon hampers of your 6 kids clothes every day while they are running around you getting the clothes you will wash tomorrow even more dirty! emily is so cool she took all her kids to church, carrying their toddler as they walked in the rain to get there. i love her so much!! i can't wait to surprise her and give her one of those baby hats and blankets you sent next week! her baby is going to love it I will take pictures when he's born! :D

thats a wrap! till next week! oh and happy thanksgiving to all and a turkey for every roost! i didn't know when thanksgiving was i just knew it was this week. but the eatings have been going good- lots of sardines and tuna with mayo and skyflakes! breakfast lunch dinner! sometimes throw some fruits in there if we find some or get given some! i had to explain a "turkey" to my kabahays...haha oh well theres plenty to come. i dont feel that sorry because i am living the thing i am most grateful for anyways. the only thing that could make it better is having you here familee! miss you lots but it soon when i come home anyways! enjoy the leftovers!

LOVE SISTER MIKGRAT