David and Goliath

Last week was exhausting, and I'm not feeling 100% so I'll probably keep this short. OH. No transfers. Sister T and I get another 6 weeks to learn from each other, here in Lubao. :)
Sister T and I had an interesting experience as a companionship. We are learning more about each other and have identified a few things that are keeping our companionship in Unity. After a tear-filled conversation, I am very excited to learn how to recreate our companionship.

Interesting breakthrough---We've been meeting with Brother Razon, every day for the past 5 or 6 weeks. (Razon = Reason, in Spanish, which fits him very well actually) Brother Razon is a long time less active member- over 10 years, I think. He had a lot of high callings and loved the church. He became less-active due to him being offended at something someone said. (This is actually an interesting problem here in the Philippines. People get offended at the smallest/weirdest things. I think it's also a part of their culture- people are super super sensitive and are often 'round-about' in their speech to not offend other people. Sometimes, it's annoying/hard for me to have to be super indirect with people for fear that they will get offended.) We decided that we wanted to get a bit more personal with him and get to know HIM better instead of him just wanting to discuss scriptures. We had a very very interesting lesson in which, I think, we had a breakthrough with Brother Razon. Sister T asked him a few personal questions and he kept ignoring them. She kept asking him probably 5 or 6 times, and finally-somehow we got through. He actually cried, and shared a couple of beautiful experiences with prayer. It was the first time that he shared anything personal with us. He talked about how he wants to come back, and  to be in the branch again. I was a little shocked at the whole experience. I felt like we trying to teach Goliath, and then we found out that he had a heart, had feelings, despite him having a hard, hard exterior. I felt humbled to be able to share that experience with him.

I feel like I'm always relearning the concept of faith.

I feel like I could say more, but I'll keep it short.

Inggat.

PS.- Alma 15: 17 --self awareness--

Kaya mo iyan!

I feel like I just emailed. Weeks are starting to fly fly flllllllyyyy. By the end of next transfer, I will only have 12 months left of my mission. mabalis na mabalis.

This first picture attached is of something I found at the mission home this past week. I would like to echo her sentiments about her experience with sacrifice. Although I will probably never experience a fraction of her trials, I am realizing that there is an undeniable connection between sacrifice and obtaining or absorbing spiritual knowledge, knowledge of God. "The price we paid to become acquainted with God was a privilege to pay." I feel that exact same way, with my mission. It is difficult to be a missionary but it is so beautiful it in the sense that I am understanding things about the atonement, and things about the priesthood that I haven't really been able to understand until now. (Alma 12 & 13) I understand better what "even by study and also by faith" means in D&C 88:118

On Wednesday, we were in Santiago visiting a recent convert there and her father in law was there and wanted to join in on our lesson. He is afflicted with brain cancer as well as throat cancer. A tumor has been growing on his neck because of it. Needless to say, he is in an incredible amount of pain 
 I had a difficult time understanding him as his speech was very mumbled. He talked about his experience with his sickness and I was humbled by his faith that God would heal him, and if God would heal him, that he would re-prioritize things in his life.

Tears came to my eyes during the lesson and even right now as I'm writing about him. I can't really explain or express my desire to give him relief-to make him better. I cried on our tricycle ride home and a few things regarding the atonement permeated my thoughts. I would not have been able to learn more regarding the atonement or have this experience if it wasn't for this sacrifice of serving a mission-serving God. 

Another picture is of Sister T and I with her trainer. Another picture is of us at a recent convert's house for a birthday party of her grand-daughter. Her husband makes and sells ice cream on his bike for a living. (I think you can see some canisters in the background?) Filipinos call homemade ice cream 'dirty ice-cream' and I think it's delicious. 
  
On Tuesday, we taught a woman named, "Erly." She told us in English, "It's like "Early' in the morning!" She is old and very cute.

We have 2 new investigators in 'Saug.' We haven't really explored that area, but we were able to explore it a bit on Tuesday. I decided that I wanted to retire there and find a home inbetween some rice fields...

We had a Sister's Conference on Thursday/Friday at the mission home. It was very good and also very 'cheesy' as Sister T calls it. : )

Transfers are on Tuesday, which means that I'll most likely have a new companion and will probably have to lead the area here in Lubao, which will be an exciting challenge for me. BUT, I'll find out for sure on Tuesday. I feel like I'm just starting to get familiar with this area, and I really would love to stay.

We taught a family, who's home was built on stilts (I think?) above a swampy pond area. The wood floor was literally sagging and we could see through to the ground. I've never been afraid of falling through someone's house until then...Sister T and I were a little hesitant to walk in their home as we are not small people. 

A woman in the ward (We just call her 'Nanay Tala") , during a lesson with her, gave us each a 10 peso coin as a gift and reminded us that 10 or 1 and 0 (1+0) is still 1. The coin has 2 faces on it and she reminded us that as a companionship, we are together - we are one, despite being two of us. I thought it was a beautiful reminder of the importance of Unity. It reminded me of Amos 3:3.

I am happy and well and am starting to become a Filipino (minus their habits on eating rice...) 

ingat kayo.

Day with Grandma

We did companion exchanges on Tuesday and luckily enough I got to host Sister Cuizon who was my trainer's trainer. (my grandma) I learned so much from her and observed how she interacted with one of our difficult less-active members that we are focusing on. 

We have some new investigators this week. Daniel and Evelyn Diwa. They have 3 children, ages 1,2 and 3. We met with them last week in their small home. We sat on the floor by their 'bed' which was just cardboard with blankets on top. They had a TV though. Even the poorest people have TVs. We invited them to come to church, but they didn't end up coming. He told us that he didn't have shoes, and so didn't feel like he should come. We reassured him that coming in flip-flops is fine. :) He thought that the Mormons looked like 'attorneys' with their white shirts and ties and nice shoes. 

The worldwide leadership training broadcast on Saturday was actually very good. I don't have my notes right now, but Uchtdorf's talk was very beautiful. He focused on the purpose of the work we do in the church. The WHY behind everything. The purpose gives perspective and motivation for the work. The WHY is of course related to 'love.'  Love for God. Love for our brothers and sisters. 

It's interesting how I'm starting to get used to things that before I would've been appalled by. Last week, we taught a lesson and someone's chicken was wandering in and out of their home. I realized later that I almost didn't take note of it.  So normal now. 

We had a lesson with some kids whose parents are less active members. I was in awe at how our lesson went. Our last lesson with them was cut short because they are seemed very distracted. We were a little worried about how this lesson would go, (if they would be interested or how well they would listen.) This most recent lesson with them was a beautiful experience for me. I saw kids who were previously so distracted, staring at us in silence as we spoke. Some of them even told one of the other kids to be quiet when he would start to talk. It was as almost as if they were hushed. It was like they were silenced. They felt something and I could literally see them as they felt something. They asked us when we were coming back to teach them. :) 

So often Sister T and I will go into a lesson (depending on the person) and not be sure about what exactly we will share with them. (Of course we always plan for everyone, but the plan often gets thrown out as we start talking with them, asking them questions, get to know a little about them, etc.) From there, we will feel inspired to share a verse, or for me last night, I felt like I should show a painting of Christ from an art book that we have. That spurred conversation which lead to Sister T sharing a few verses from 3rd Nephi 17. (which is actually my favorite chapter in the BOM.) From there, we focused on 'love.'  love from God, love of God. It was a beautiful lesson. It makes our lessons kind of exciting as they kind of evolve on their own.

We've made it a goal to always let people know that we love them, every lesson. "Mahal namin kayo." 

OK. BYE. LOVE YOU.


PS.

Corpse- Got your Dear Elder. I am so relieved that there is Mogu Mogu in America...

Kyoo-Got your Dear Elder as well. I'm planning on sending you a letter sometime soon!

Gary Cho- Got your 2 letters and I was told that your package is here, so I'll get it this week. Loved your letters! 

Melissa Shwanson- Letter coming soon to yoouuuu.

Magaganda

Kamusta kamusta,

Sometimes I feel like my time here can't get any more bizarre, and then somehow it does. 

We met a ton of new people this week-people off the street and a lot of referrals as well. The baptismal service we had this week was beautiful and I was so happy to be a part of it. I hear stories of missionaries that help people change their lives. Sometimes I don't feel like I'm doing any good, and then sometimes I feel like the tiny part that I am doing is actually helping someone and it is beautiful to see. 
 
On Thursday, while we were trying to buy fresh buko juice (only 5 pesos, P.S.) we had an older man come up and buy it for us. He started talking English with us and we thought the whole thing was kind of funny actually. Then, he asked if we wanted to visit him and teach his wife. We took him up on his offer and went to his home. We met his wife and they fed us pakwan (watermelon). They used to live in America and it became apparent that they weren't really interested in our message but that he wanted to talk with us because we are American. They were both very very friendly though. His name is Conrad. He told us in English, "You can call me Daddy Conrad! I"ll be your dad in the Philippines! Mama Luce can be your mom!"  Pretty comical experience. :)

Humility is a difficult principle to understand as well. I have never had so many humbling experiences. It is very uncomfortable and also very necessary to be humbled. I'm seeing the link between faith and humility and learning.

I've never realized how much language is a part of someone's personality. There are ideas that are expressed in English, that cannot be expressed in Tagalog, and vice versa. (You would enjoy this, Katja:) ) I think that is a very bizarre and yet beautiful thing. Language affects culture which affects language. 

I'm trying to get to a point where I feel like I can adequately express myself in Tagalog and get to a point of feeling somewhat normal with the language. Even in Spanish, I felt like it was much easier to express my thoughts.

I enjoy teaching and all of the many terrifying things that are involved. Sometimes there are those moments where people look up at you and there is a profound connection made. 


God is very alive, in chaos and in peace. 





P.S.Katja- Love your letter. I sent a big one your way about 2 weeks ago. Fish with flies. Done and done.