Himala

Hello!

I hope you are all doing well.

I was thinking about something that Sister T (my trainer) asked me
during a companionship exchange a few weeks ago. She asked me what I
wanted to get out of my mission. I mentioned a few things, but
expressed to her my desire to become converted to the gospel. Not in a
superficial sort of way or " I served a mission for my church and I
know it's true," but to spiritually gain knowledge that will sink deep
deep deep inside of me--Knowledge about Jesus Christ and about my
Creator.

"Seek Learning by Faith" by David Bednar----This is a talk that I've
read several times and feel like it is maybe an answer to my request
to understand the process of gaining spiritual knowledge. Really
great.

David Bednar is speaking on Wednesday at our mission. I asked my
mission president if I could meet him. I'm not sure if that'll happen,
but I would love to be able to sit and talk with him for a few minutes
and ask him a few questions.

This week I witnessed a miracle. In a non-dramatic sort of way (Maybe
it is dramatic?) , I've witnessed a miracle. After a very long
conversation, my companion opened up to me about a lot of issues in
her life.

I wrote in my journal, " I was shocked to be watching this small girl,
that I was previously afraid of, sitting at my side, crying and
admitting her faults and this facade that she shows people. I
couldn't explain my feeling. Is this really happening? This well-known
difficult companion is actually a softie at heart and is struggling
with some self-esteem issues here on the mission. She's never been
close to any of her companions or been able to show her 'real self' to
her companions. I told her that I loved her."

Our companionship has a new feeling. This is hard to describe. We've
become open and have really started to become friends. I can't explain
the change that has taken place. It feels like we've never struggled
before. It feels natural. Hard to explain. I'm thankful.

picture- our food saturday night. chicken feet (called 'adidas.' haha)
and chicken head

other picture- the cockroaches we killed in our apartment. HI.


LOVEYOUALL.
ingatkayo.


P.S. Kyoo- Thank you for your DearElders! If I don't reply, just keep
writing and I'll eventually be able to reply.

"a little reviving in our bondage"

FAM/FRIENDS,

I have attached a few pictures of our transfer day 1.5 weeks ago. Best
transfer day. EVER.

We are teaching several of those kids in that picture that I sent a
few weeks ago. ( >>Grandma with 15 grandchildren in one home<<) I love
seeing them. They are the most dirty, loud children I have ever met
and it is so fulfilling to be with them. They love coming to church.
It's pretty great to see all of them running into the church with
clean clothes and faces, yelling my name. best.

Our branch is probably going to move into a larger building within the
next few years! The building we have now is tiny with the bathrooms
not connected to the church and the baptismal font outside. OUTSIDE.
We are trying to keep the attendance up so that this will happen here
in Pilar. very exciting.

Earlier this week, I was feeling discouraged, and I felt like I should
go and pick out a 'Liahona,' a magazine from the church. I was
surprised/not really surprised, to read a few articles in the April
2012 issue about 'grace.' My thoughts went round and round. I was
pleasantly surprised and my thoughts went back to my first few weeks
when I was in the MTC when I studied 'grace' every day for at least a
week until I was semi-satisfied. But, there seems to be a profound
difference in studying about something verses having it become
embedded.

"It is likewise through the grace of the Lord that
individuals...receive strength and assistance to do good works that
they otherwise would not be able to maintain if left to their own
means. This grace is an enabling power."

I can't express how many times on my mission, I have felt defeated in
regards to my weaknesses and shortcomings. My Glorious Creator has
given me grace to overcome and to continue in this work- to continue
to bless and love those I meet.

update on my companionship: I have humbled myself to the ground and
that has proved to be successful in creating a peaceful relationship
in regards to my new companion. There is a balance between standing
firm in certain situations and giving in to the things that don't
matter.

I am learning. This is exciting.

"No man is an island"<<Can someone tell me more about this? Where did
this come from?
Ezra 9:8----R.E.V.I.V.I.N.G.

Soul moving

Hello,

This week has been short as we moved into a different apartment.
Things have been a little frantic. I have a new companion, Sister
Lacanaria from Iligan City, Mindanao. My head feels way too full of
______, so I apologize for the shorter email today.

Our apartment flooded before we moved out. I thankfully didn't have
too much ruined. Our street was completely flooded for a few days and
our landlord said it was the first time that it's flooded like that in
Pilar. I forgot my camera right now, but we had the most lovely
opportunity to wade through waist deep water on our way home last
Monday. It was a little chaotic and a lot of people had to leave their
homes. We weren't able to work for a few days because of the flooding.
I ATE my words last week in regards to rainy season. ATE MY WORDS. ha.

Our investigator Anna is progressing, which is extremely exciting. She
will probably be baptized in September. She is so fun to teach. She
has a ton of questions, which makes teaching so fun.Eventually my
response to her questions will come to the point where I say, "That's
a great question. I don't know the answer." She's come up with
questions that I've never even thought of. I've told her to keep
asking questions, because there are a lot of answers when we ask. She
is 15 years old and has such a strong desire to learn. It's people
like this that make my mission enjoyable.

I am requesting special prayers from all of you, these next upcoming
few weeks. ( My new companion has a reputation in the mission for
being difficult... I'm not quite sure how to handle this transfer.)

I'm sending some Filipino love to you all.

-Sister Vickers

"All of the trees of the field shall clap their hands."

Hi,

My english is knarly. I apologize in advance.

Rainy Season had started. THANK GOODNESS.

Picture: There is a member here in Pilar who has 16 grandchildren that
ALL live with her in a much too small area. (This story is
complicated, but involves irresponsible parents who left their kids
with their mother.)

Last Tuesday we had a companionship exchange. This week, I had the
lovely opportunity to host Sister Tupouniua (my trainer) in my area,
here in Pilar. It was so so great to see her again and to work with
her again, at least for one day. We talked about interpersonal skills
with our companions. I learned a lot from her.

Our apartment in Pilar is probably the most ridiculous place I've ever
lived in. The neighborhood that we live in shuts off the water from 12
pm- 5 pm and from 9:30 pm - 5am. This has made simple things like
washing dishes, showering, cleaning, etc. into more complicated tasks
every day. We store water in large buckets to wash our dishes and to
clean. We've been looking for a new apartment in our area but haven't
had any luck until last week.

On Thursday, we had 8 appointments that didn't follow-through. (They
were busy, or weren't home, etc.) This is a record for me on my
mission. I felt incredibly discouraged and after the second
appointment, I started to get teary eyed as we walked down the street.
We didn't have anywhere else to go, so we went to a member's home
nearby. It was our first time to visit her. As we were walking out, we
asked her if she knew of any available apartments nearby. She knew of
a place nearby.
We looked at the apartment and it is beautiful. It also has water 24
hours a day! !!!WOW!!! !!!MOM!!! We will be moving shortly.

We had an interesting experience last Wednesday. We met someone of
another faith who in our lesson told us in English, "You are in the
wrong faith...The truth hurts," and other various things. I wasn't
offended by anything that he was saying until he told us that we were
'blind followers.' As he said it, and an exquisite feeling of
exasperation came over me. My calm demeanor didn't change, but my
heart started to pound. It was a little unexpected that his rejection
of our message turned into a personal judgement of my character. Of
course, in those few minutes it would be impossible to describe all of
my questions that I've had, my experiences, my prayers, and my tears
that have brought me to this point in my faith. After the situation, I
was left with many things to think about.

I am so grateful for this opportunity to serve a mission. There are
things that I've learned and understood that would've have been
impossible in any other situation. I've learned how to give more fully
of myself to my God. I've learned how to love people that are hard to
love. I am forever forever grateful for the hard things that I've
experienced. There is an exquisite joy that comes from overcoming
personal weaknesses and fears.

Mahal ko kayo,

-Sister Vreckster, Brickster, Vicky (pronunciations of my last name)

Isaiah 55:10-12 (CLAPPING)

Mark 9:14-29

Daphnee

FAMILY/FRIENDS/STRANGERS:

These past two weeks have been extremely weird and interesting and beautiful.

We had a baptism on Saturday- Daphnee. She has been an investigator
for over a year. She would've been baptized but her mom would not sign
the form. She's active in all of the youth programs, but was still not
baptized. Two weeks ago, we gave her a date to be baptized (July 28)
without really knowing ourselves how it was going to work with having
to get her mom's signature. Two Sundays ago, we announced in church
that there would be a baptism the following Saturday. We still didn't
have the signature and still didn't know how it was going to work out.

I'm not sure if I've ever seen a 16 year old so determined to find a
way to do something. Daphnee by nature is very very quiet, and very
shy. It was a bit of a change to see her so determined for this.

Sister Pamogas and I fasted, believing that there would be a way, but
not knowing how. Last Monday, we went to Daphnee's home and we were
able to talk with her mom. (We practiced the whole conversation
several times before we went over. We planned that I would be the one
to ask, because we believed she would be more receptive to a
foreigner. ha.) After a very nervous couple of minutes, she signed the
form. After she left, we cheered as quietly as possible, which wasn't
really quiet at all for Sister Pamogas.. haha. After many months of
wanting to be baptized, she was baptized last Saturday. Wow. : )

2 Sundays ago, we talked about 'modesty in appearance' in Relief
Society class at church. The lesson quickly turned into a chaotic mess
of these filipino women giving demonstrations on what isn't modest and
loudly discussing about how little clothing young girls wear these
days. I felt like I was watching a movie as these women stood up and
pulled up their skirts ( and various other surprising
demonstrations...) on what isn't 'modest.' haha.

Yesterday at church, our Branch President was teaching Sunday school.
He asked the questions, "What are some problems in the home?" Someone
responded and said, "Pride." His response was , "Pride chicken?" I
may have been one of 3 people that laughed out of the entire group.

Filipinos love love fried chicken, which is so amusing to me. Fried
chicken is not considered to be 'American'- It's filipino.

Last Tuesday, we had a companionship exchange. I went to Cabcaben,
Bataan. Our day was a mixture of hiking in the mountains and ended
with teaching a family who lived on the ocean. A great peace came over
me as I saw the ocean. I could see Corregidor Island in Manila bay. I
also saw a sunken ship, not too far off from the shore, that sunk only
a few months ago. The shore was full of fishing boats and of course,
kids that inevitably gathered around us, making it extremely unwise to
take out my camera. But it was beautiful.

I'm grateful for the tangible effect that this work has on me. I
often, if not several times a week feel frustrated/discouraged, but I
am filled with a joy, a love, and a patience beyond my own. I usually
end my day with a feeling of gratitude for this divine gift that
inspires and motivates me to continue working.

I finished the Book of Mormon for the first time on my mission. (I
took my time as I read.) As I finished Moroni 10, a distinct peace
filled me. Distinct peace.

-Sister Vickers

2 Ne 31: 3
Moroni 7