December 30, 2013

Kumusta!

Naku! What a week! We had a great week filled with celebrating and finding opportunities to bring people closer to their Savior :) The week was filled with preparation for 2 baptisms on Christmas. Jen and Maryella were both baptized with 4 others on Christmas. It was a sweet remembrance for a beautiful Christmas. We stayed busy for a good amount of time with their baptisms. And then a day later, we had another investigator tell us that she received her cinomar. A cinomar is a form that shows if they are married. She found out that her husband was married already, so she couldn't get married to him, but according to regulations here they had been living together long enough that she could be baptized. It has been a long waiting process for their family and we found ourselves preparing for another baptism. It was a wonderful experience with Sister Jinky and her daughter Mira. It was a blessing to reap of the blessings and to see the Lord working in the lives of those that we love. It was a busy week of baptisms, exchanges and learning opportunities.

Oh yeah...transfer announcements.... Sister Pace is called to serve in Daraga for another transfer with Sister Donato. We are both excited for this transfer and the opportunities to build our area. It has been such a blessing and I know that the Lord merely is using us as instruments to bless the lives of others. I am so very grateful for the birth of my Lord and Savior, and the blessing of a new year. It is to become a monumental time to return to the Lord and face the challenges of life with a determination to become better.

---Sister Pace---

Philippines Legazpi Mission

 

 

December 23, 2013

Kumusta,

Ho Ho Ho...what a week this was :) We had a week filled with many activities for the mission and ward for Christmas. It was a really great way to open the season. We started with a really busy day Tuesday, which resulted in being locked out of our apartment. We had to go stealth style...in skirts. It was a trick of sticking our arms and an umbrella through the window closest to the door and then trying to connect the umbrella to the keys hanging on the back of the door....which was really lucky for us. Until my companion dropped the keys on the floor, behind the door. But Sister Pace came to the rescue with the Gospel of Jesus Christ pamphlet....and saved the keys. haha...it was a very sweet victory to save the day with the gospel :)

As a mission we all met together on Wednesday and shared a wonderful Christmas season with one another, through stories, music and uplifting thoughts. It was really great to meet up with everyone, but was really tiring as we traveled back home. We then fixed ourselves for another party with the ward. It was a great celebration with the members and we had great fun singing and watching the little children play games. 

We also had the great opportunity to have exchanges with several of the sisters this week and share with them about the great work we do as missionaries. It was really great to share time with each of them and help them to find ways to improve their teaching skills and desires to be missionaries in all aspects. 

We have been busy this week trying to prepare two of our investigators for baptism on the 25th. We had interviews with them last night, but one of them was not allowed to come because of her mother....so when she came to tell us, she was crying. It was so hard to see her crying, because she couldn't do what she knew was right. But we are returning to them tomorrow and hoping that she will pass and we will be having a white Christmas.

I hope that you all will enjoy your Christmas and remember the joy that can be found through the birth of our Lord and Savior. It may not be that we receive gifts of great monetary worth...but it is of greater importance that we give gifts from the heart. It was miraculous what the Lord gave us that special night and the blessings that came from above. Now we can use His example to guide us in our thoughts and actions...to bless the lives of others, by giving a little of ourselves. I hope you each have a wonderful Christmas!

 

---Sister Pace---

Philippines Legazpi Mission

 

 

 

 

December 16, 2013

Kumusta!

This week has been a busy week with exchanges and baptisms and about everything else in between, but the sweetest reminder has been through the Spirit of the special season that is approaching. 

We had really great exchanges with the Sisters from Guinobatan and I learned a lot about being a missionary...and not just a missionary, but a missionary of the Lord. It has been great to work with people that have become less active, have a family and then decide to return...but this time with their whole family. I am learning about the simplicity of the gospel and the blessings that it brings to our lives...if only we will follow it. I am so grateful for the opportunity to open the path for others to receive the gospel and see the joy it brings to their families. We had several baptisms this week and so it has turned into a white Christmas, despite the lack of snow. And hopefully we will continue to work toward this for the next coming weeks :) 

 

---Sister Pace---

Philippines Legazpi Mission

 

 

Dear Parents,

We are being alarmed by the number of packages being sent directly to the mission office or the mission home address. This process costs more money because of taxes which we have to pay with the mission funds, usually not less than Php 2,000 (around $50). The amount of money would have to be deducted from the recipient's personal money from home.

We have provided all missionaries the physical address for the mission where parents can send their packages without having to pay extra taxes or costs. The missionaries are instructed to inform their parents about the mailing address but they seem to have disregarded this direction. The physical address is found at the end of this message and PLEASE send the packages for your missionaries to this address:

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Philippines Legazpi Mission Office
#152 Rizal St., Brgy. Sagpon
Daraga, Albay
4501 Philippines

December 9, 2013

Kumusta!

It is crazy to think that it is already Monday all over again. Life is going good here. It is a lot a meetings this week and working to meet the needs of our investigators. We have a wonderful family that we are working with toward baptism. It is very interesting to work together with those that God has prepared for the gospel. I am so very grateful for the example of God's children to me. We had Missionary Leadership Council on Tuesday...my first one. It was a really great experience and a great opportunity to raise my vision to the vision of the mission president. I know that the work is not possible unless we rely on the Lord to do His part. We also have one investigator that will be baptized...he is a really great young boy and there are so many blessings that we have seen through his diligence to listen to the message of the gospel. And his family is less active members and they are receiving the blessings also. I love my mission! I get to see the hand of the Lord in my life and seek for the guidance and understand to His work. I had several of the members from Tabaco come and visit...it is such a joy to know that these friendships that I create here will always be with me...just as I shall have my family always, I will continue to cherish these friendships for the eternities.

---Sister Pace---

Philippines Legazpi Mission

 

December 2, 2013

Kumusta,

Naku! what a week! There has been so much going on...sometimes it is so hard to keep track of everything. We have had some really great experiences this week, especially with exchanges. There was many great opportunities to learn from the other sisters and meet new people. I am so very grateful for the blessings that we have as missionaries to work together and help other missionaries to improve their areas also. From the exchanges, I have learned a lot about what it means to be a leader. One friend put it as this... "being a  leader means that you sleep less and you serve more" There are so many nights that I think about the sisters and try to figure out what I can do to help. Or how I can be better to help them. Naku! There is always so much going on in my mind....I am surprised that it doesn't hurt really bad yet ;P I am still learning a lot about the area and the people and I am loving this opportunity here in Daraga. There was no Thanksgiving here in the Philippines, but we celebrated anyways. My companion and I cooked a good meal for the four of us and we spent the evening eating chicken and drawing hand turkeys. It was a lovely evening and opportunity to remember all that the Lord has given us. I am so very grateful for the gospel and all that I have been blessed with. Thank you to all those that have been an influence in my life :) I love you all!

 

 

 

---Sister Pace---

Philippines Legazpi Mission

 

November 25, 2013

Kumusta!

What a week! It has been a really great week. We had transfers and there were a lot of changes made. I am currently in Daraga. Pretty much city and close to the center of our mission. My companion now is Sister Donato. She is awesome and we are just loving our companionship, even though it has only been a week. oh yeah....and I have been called as one of the newest Sister Training Leaders. What a transition in everything. It has been a really great learning experience to be with another senior...we have learned a lot from one another and we are always working to support the area. We had some really great experiences and I am having a great time trying to learn a bunch of new faces and areas.....but I am loving it all.Today is Thanksgiving for you....yeah...there is no Thanksgiving here...but we may celebrate it later tonight :P It has been really great here and I feel that I am learning so much about the gospel and the language and everything.

 

---Sister Pace---

Philippines Legazpi Mission

 

 

Sis. Pace & Sis. Donato

 

 

 

 

November 18, 2013

Kumusta!

This week was good. We spent a lot of time trying to find some of our less actives and strengthening some of our investigators. There were many blessings and opportunities to learn from. We had exchanges this week and we had a wonderful lesson with a sister in our area...she told us that she has missed our lessons with her and we were able to extend a baptismal date to her. The Spirit was so strong...we can only hope that she will continue on her commitments. We also found a less active's family who are not members, so we have a lot of potentials in our area.We had a branch family home evening. It was a really fun activity and we had a really great turn out as a branch. And then we received transfer announcements. I am being transferred. I figured it would happen, because I have been here for so long. But it was a great opportunity to be there with the members. I love them all so much and I am so very grateful for their love and support in all that I was able to help them accomplish. We also had one last opportunity to meet with the Buenconsejo family....I am so very grateful for them, and I know that the Lord is on the path to guide and direct them. 

 

I will tell you next week where I am being transferred to and who my companion is. The storm did not hit here, so there is no damage, or than water damage. But Tacloban is really the only area that is completely affected.

---Sister Pace---

Philippines Legazpi Mission

November 10, 2013

Hello to all,

I bet you have all heard about the latest typhoon that has gone through. I want you to know that we are all safe and counted for. The typhoon was one of the strongest typhoons to come through the Philippines, since 2006. It was scheduled to hit us on Thursday around 12pm. We scheduled an evacuation and had everything prepared by Wednesday night. And then we waited. The typhoon hit our area about 3am on Thursday and then it continued through the morning of Friday. They had told us that the typhoon was going to hit us, but it made a course of change and went through Cebu and Tacloban. Tacloban took the biggest toll of the typhoon and we're waiting for some news from them.There was 10ft floods in their area and the entire city was washed out. We were concerned for the members and missionaries over there... Yesterday we received news that all missionaries are accounted for over there and there was a lot of casualties that occurred. The mission president sent out an email saying that they have no food, no power, no clothes, but they are going out in their yellow vests to help all those around.

I don't know what I could have expected if that had gone through our area. I am very grateful that the Lord is there to be our guide and protection. There is suppose to be three more before the end of the year and we don't know where they will go and how powerful they will be. I know that the Lord has a purpose to everything and He will protect those that are called His. We are striving to do all that we can to be ready for whatever will happen, but we hope that those in Cebu and Tacloban will have the strength to endure what else may come...they had just experienced the earthquake and now the typhoon...

Because of the typhoon warning, we didn't get in as much work as possible, but we are trying to find people that are willing to listen to our message and accept the gospel in their lives. We have a two really great investigators...Sister Moran and Sister Basco. They are just so wonderful and I love talking with them and sharing the gospel with them. Sister Basco is in a stage of searching....and it is amazing to see the Spirit work within her....and the same with Sister Moran. We are so greatly blessed because of the love and strength of the members. 

We are coming close to transfers and Sister Siola'a and I are trying to do all we can to be prepared for whatever the Lord sees best. We both love the area and the members so much and are excited for the investigators here :)

---Sister Pace---

Philippines Legazpi Mission

 

 

 

 

November 10, 2013

Dear Parents and Relatives of Missionaries,

 We are so happy to tell you that all missionaries in the Philippines Legazpi Mission are acounted for and are in safe situations during and after the typhoon we have experienced. We had strong winds and some rains but the storm did not affect as severely. We will advise all missionaries to email you on Monday and inform you about their safety status during the storm and currently. We thank you all for your love and prayers for your missionaries and the whole mission as well.



Elder Quinto

Travel and Mission Secretary

Philippines Legazpi Mission

November 4, 2013

Hello po!

This week was very interesting. We had little success in our area because of the holidays here...All Souls Day and All Saints Day. It was definitely interesting to see the culture here :) But we had some really great blessings from our work and we also had a baptism!! JohnPaul is officially a member...and a awesome one at that! We are so happy for him and we have seen so many blessings in his life and the changes that he has made in his life. 

We had exchanges with the other sisters and there were lots of things learned. We also had the opportunity to share with new investigators. We love our area and we are trying so hard to do all that we can to improve it and leave it all better than we found it. 

This week brings us closer to the transfers, but we will have to see what the Lord needs us to do.

 

---Sister Pace---

Philippines Legazpi Mission

 

 

 

 

October 28, 2013

Kumusta!

This week was filled with so many miracles...some really hard to accept and others that just filled us with joy. This week was a blessing as we went out to focus on our investigators and help them to accept the gospel more freely in their lives.We were able to strengthen the testimony of many of those that we love and care for and what a blessing it is t see their testimony grow little by little. We had a hard time on Wednesday when all of our appointments fell through...we had to accept the fact that we needed to improve in our efforts...so we made some resolutions and went to work...little by little we have seen the blessings from our labors. On Thursday we went to Legazpi, in order to take Sister Siola'a to the thyroid doctor...it was a very long day of waiting and traveling and I ended up being sick at the end of the day. We had one of our investigators have his baptismal interview...we are having a baptism on Saturday!!! it was so awesome to see the GIANT smile on his face as he walked out of the interview :) We put a lot of effort into getting our investigators to attend church...the problem is...it's election week. and so we did all we could. And we fasted and prayed for our area and those that we are teaching....the blessings were so beautiful. it is so important to always have faith that the Lord will fulfill all that you ask Him...if you ask in faith. We prayed that our "golden family" would attend church. They didn't show up to sacrament, but we got a call during Gospel Principles...they were on their way :) It was such a blessing to have their family attend church and feel the spirit. they have so many questions and the branch is really excited about their family too. We saw the hand of the Lord working through us to bring about the blessings of the gospel in the lives of others.

---Sister Pace---

Philippines Legazpi Mission

October 21, 2013

Kumusta!

This week was a really great week. We have been really focusing on building up our area...it hasn't been the easiest process, but we are doing the best that we can. This week has been a process of trying to find new people, contact referrals and increase our teaching pool. There has been many blessings as we have contacted former investigators and felt the Spirit touch each of us, as we shared the principles of the gospel. And to have the opportunity to see the people that the Lord is preparing...maybe not for us, but the missionaries that will be in the same area too. And how much these people (who have been prepared) will recognize you as a servant of the Lord. It makes me want to be better everyday, when I know that there are people that are placed in my path, who can recognize us as the servants and messengers of the Lord. We had a wonderful Family Home Evening with several of our investigators...and there was no electricity. So we taught by candle light :) It was great fun and there was a lot of learning and having a good time. We are excited for one of these investigators, because he will be baptized on November 2nd. He is awesome and has been such a testimony builder to me...He said that after he is baptized, he wants to serve a mission. I know that the Lord has placed him in my path for a reason and how grateful I am for his example. We received a referral from a member last week and had the opportunity to contact them last week...the story is touching... This gentleman lives next to a "Born Again" chapel, but is not devoted to that faith. He has been searching, because he knows there is still something more. When we went to go find him, his cousin in law was talking to us. Brother Bue was out in the field he said. Most of the time when they tell you that, you just have to return another day...but he said that he would go fetch him. We waited and prayed that there would be a good result from this appointment we found ourselves at. When he approached us, you could see that he had been working hard out in the rice fields, but he had such a wonderful smile on his face. We started to talk and he shared with us about his beliefs, and shared with us how he had always seen the missionaries walking to other parts of the area, but never to his house. He knows several of the members that live in the area, but none of them ever really invited him to learn more or gave his name to the missionaries...until now. I don't know why we never went to his house before, or why now we are just starting to share the gospel with him...but I have a feeling that there is  time and a place for everything. And the Lord does prepare people for us to share the gospel with. It makes me want to try so much harder to listen to that Spirit to help me to know who the Lord is preparing for us. But I know that the Lord is doing the same for all members of His Church....I invite each of us to seek for that opportunity to fast and pray for the trust if the Lord, to then share the gospel with them....there will be miracles. We have another wonderful investigator that is "soul searching"....she is trying to find what she knows she needs. The hard part is time and the rest of the world....but we shared with her about the Book of Mormon and she shared with us that she felt the Spirit (not what she called it, but she explained that she felt "something"), when we had shared with her the guidance that the Lord wanted to give to her through the scriptures. We are hoping to help her progress more this coming week :) We had a sad accident happen this last week in the neighborhood...an individual got hit and drug by a drunk driver. It was a really scary scene. We were heading home that night about 7:50 pm and I told my companion that we should eat out (not the usual thing that I say, but I said and we went to a restaurant)...but when we were heading home we ran into the police and the entire neighborhood. By the time we got there it was 8:20 pm...the body was still on the ground and people were all over. We are not too sure what happened, but we are certain that there was a reason why we didn't go home at 8 pm...but how sudden death came to that individual, who left a family behind. We are hoping that we can find out more to have the chance to share the gospel with the family and provide some consolation. And hopefully the city will do something about putting lights up in the area....for now, we are taking the long way home, because there are more lights....and speed bumps.

---Sister Pace---

Philippines Legazpi Mission

October 14, 2013

Hello,

This week was filled with so much excitement and so many things to do, but there were so many great blessings. We had a lot to do with transfers...I am still in Tabaco. Which is great to me...I love it here :) I received a new companion...Sister Siola'a, from Tonga. She is just the greatest ever. We have loved this week so much. But we have had a short amount of time to go out and work, because we had to go to the hospital for Sister Siola'a. But all is well and the concern is a small concern.

The work here has just been exploding....the work of the Lord is real and true. We have felt the hand of the Lord working through us and using us as His instruments to bless the lives of others. We had lessons with many investigators that we had taught about three months ago, that had stopped listening to us...we returned to them and their hearts have been prepared to receive the word of God. What a blessing it has been to see the Lord and his love for us. We had many blessings this Sunday...It was General Conference and we had many investigators attend. The Buenconsejo Family (who is so very dear to me) they attended church as a family. I spoke to Sister Buenconsejo afterwards and she says that she has many questions for us....but hopes that she has some free time for us to come over. I love this work and I know that the Lord has placed me here for a reason. I hope to continue to be of help in the Lord's vineyard here in Tabaco. We had several opportunities to invite our investigators to follow the example of Jesus Christ through baptism...we are making progress :)

I loved General Conference. There were so many great talks…there just isn’t enough time to sit and listen and soak it all in. But it is so wonderful it is to see the power of the gospel in the lives of so many and the blessings that it gives to each of us. I know that the Lord lives and that He is mindful of each of us.

Sis. Siola'a & Sis. Pace

October 7, 2013

Kumusta!

How are you all doing? Life has been great here.....hot, wet and hot.  Did I mention it is wet??  The work has been rather slow. And that will be on our part as missionaries...hopefully we can "find" ourselves and get the work moving progressively. I have seen the hand of the Lord in my life so much this week and I have seen the hand of the Lord in the lives of those that we have been teaching. Since it was the last week of the transfer there was a lot of farewells, because no body knew who would be leaving until Saturday. We had many celebrations because one of the zone leaders is going home....he has definitely left an impression on the people here...and he has blessed many lives :) I am very grateful that we had the opportunity to have him as our leader. We also had a baptism in the branch...this was the greatest baptism I have participated in. They reminded me so much of our family. I attached a picture of them (they are the ones all dressed in white). They are just such a blessing to this branch and so strong in their testimony about the gospel.  Right after the baptism we received the transfer announcements....

I will be staying in Tabaco for another transfer! I can't say that I am really sad about it. I am actually really happy to stay here another transfer, because I love the branch, I love the members, I love our investigators,...I just love it all. I have figured that there is a reason that I am staying here and so I am trying to prepare myself for the expectations of the Lord. I am making goals on things I can improve and how I can bless the branch here and bring God's child to Him. There is a picture that I attached or sent with Sister Andrada and I with another family. This is the Buenconsejo family. They are my pride and my joy. They are my focus. They have such great potential to become like the family that was baptized on Saturday...and I am trying to figure out how I can help them receive the gospel in their lives. They attended the baptism and then a branch activity afterwards and the branch was really supportive and loving....they really felt the love and joy from the members. I am so excited for this next transfer! Then I get my new companion tomorrow. It will be really exciting to see who I will have.

We had many blessings come because of the baptism and we are continuing to strengthen the members and investigators. I am so grateful for the opportunities that the Lord has given me and knowledge to fulfill His work and His glory.

 

---Sister Pace---

Philippines Legazpi Mission

 

Would you like to go there for your health check up?

Besmonte family baptized on Saturday

Sis. Pace & Sis. Brizuela

Buenconsejo family with members from the branch

Pres. Guanzon, Buenconsejo family, Sis. Pace & Sis. Andrada

cheap Christmas decoration made from straws

 

September 30, 2013

I am sorry that I really don't have anything to report on this week about the work. It has been going really well and we are preparing for the end of the transfer. There are many things that have been learned and acquired and there are blessings to be seen in our lives and in the lives of those that we are teaching. I continue to learn daily about the power of the Atonement and the gospel in my life and in the lives that I have been entrusted to care after. And I learn daily about the reality of this plan which our Father has so kindly given to us. I know that as we truly come to understand the love that our Heavenly Father has for us and the blessings that He desires to give to us, we understand more of what we are to fulfill in this life. He loves us. He knows us. And he wants us to be happy. But we must listen to Him and heed His counsel. I know that we may not be perfect now....but that is why the Lord gave us His Son--Jesus Christ. I know that as we come to understand the purpose of the life of Jesus Christ, we will come to feel the glory of the Lord in our lives. I know that we can overcome the sins and transgressions that we have in our life, because of the enabling and redeeming power of the sacrifice we call the Atonement. I have found that this is our power against the temptations we face daily and the energy to endure through struggles our Heavenly Father desires us to face. We may find the times dark, gloomy and unbearable...but there are reasons and truths to be learned in order to help us to come to a better knowledge and understanding of what the Lord said, "For whosoever will save his life shall lose it;and whosoever shall lose his life for my sake shall find it" (Matthew 16:25) I am finding that we must lose our life...every part of it to gain what really matters the most. That means that we give every part of ourselves that is contrary to the ways of the Lord...and we rely on the Lord to transform us into who we really are. This is all possible through the gospel of Jesus Christ. This I know to be true and I love to search for it and apply it in this time entrusted to us...and this I hope to leave with you to ponder. I love you all!!

September 23, 2013

Kumusta!

This week went really well and there was a lot to learn from all the experiences.We had interviews with President Guanzon this last week. That was a really big help to me. We had some really great lessons with our investigators this week and have felt the Spirit lead and direct us to know how to bless the lives of the people that we are called to serve. We had a wonderful lesson with a less active about the Book of Mormon, but turned into the law of tithing, because she had questions about it. It was a really great lesson, because she understood more of how the Book of Mormon could help her to understand the laws of God. We continue to find those that the Lord is preparing for us and strive to overcome the struggles and situations we are faced with. There is currently a low pressure going through Tabaco and it has been very unpleasant with all the rain and wind....but it should be disappearing this week.  Other than that we haven't had much go on this week, because of all our meetings at the church...hopefully more time this next week.

 

---Sister Pace---

Philippines Legazpi Mission

September 16, 2013

Hello,

This week was a really busy week. We had a lot of meetings--Mission Tour, Exchanges and sisters visiting. It was a eventful week with learning about the gospel, our role as missionaries and how to teach the gospel to others. I had exchanges with Sister Ianuzi on Tuesday, which was a really great learning experience. I was really grateful to have the chance to work with her. And I learned a lot from her efforts as a new missionary. We had the Sisters from Catanduanes come and visit us, because of events that were taking place in the mission. It was a great break (and stress also) to have four sisters in one apartment. We learned a lot from one another and learned about the importance of the gospel. One of the Sisters, Sister Fausto, is from Zamboanga. Her family is in the an area that is under war...all people are under red alert. I hope that you will keep that people of Zamboanga in your prayers. She shared with me about the situations that are presently there and it was a very different perspective of life, but that is the reality that she has lived with. I was greatly touched by here example and the love she has for the mission. We both served in the same area in Sorsogon....so we shared a lot of stories about the members there :) We had a wonderful opportunity to go to Legazpi and learn from our Area President, Elder Nielson. We learned a lot about our responsibilities of the missionary and the role of the gospel in our work. We talked about the power of the Atonement in our work...it all came from a talk by David a Bednar-- In the Strength of the Lord. It is a really great talk and I encourage you to read it :) We learned about companionship...which was a great review and has provided some fruit in our companionship. We were also told that President Guanzon and Elder Nielson would select four missionaries to interview. Guess who got interviewed....yup...Sister Pace. It was a really great experience and I felt that I learned a lot from it. Our whole week was ended with some really great lessons and experiences. I felt that the Lord was really using us as instruments in His work. We had one investigator that had prayed that we would visit her...and when we went to teach her, it was exactly what she was waiting for. I am so very grateful for the opportunity to see the hand of the Lord in my life and in the lives of others.  I know that the Lord loves each of us and desires for each of us to receive of the blessings of the gospel...we must be willing to turn to Him and listen. And as we humbly go before Him, we shall see His face.

 

---Sister Pace---

Philippines Legazpi Mission

 

 

missionaries from the zone traveling in a jeepne

Sis. Pace & Elder Brent H. Nielson

 

HERE IS THE EMAIL THAT WAS SENT TO MY PARENTS FROM ELDER NIELSON: 

 In the subject line: I met your daughter!

 

Dear Mom and Dad,

Last week my wife Marcia and I were touring the Legazpi Mission.  We had the great fortune of meeting your daughter, Alexa.  She is outstanding in every way.

I had the opportunity to meet with her personally.  While she misses her home in New Mexico, she is dedicated to the work.  We are very fortunate to have her serving with us in the Philippines.  Thank you for sending and supporting her.

If there is anything I can do to help you or your family while she is serving with us, please feel free to contact me.

Sincerely yours

Elder Brent H. Nielson
Philippines Area President

 

 

 

 

September 8, 2013

This week was a week of balancing our investigators and less actives. We have had some really good progress with those that we are teaching and we are hoping to continue to help them progress to baptism. I love watching our less actives rediscover the Book of Mormon and feel the Spirit in their lives. I have seen the hand of the Lord in my life so much as I have tried to give all that I could to Him. I know that the gospel is foundational to all that we do in this life. It gives us direction to what the Lord desires for us.  I know that this work is so important in this life and all that we do.  I gave a talk  (in tagalog) on Sunday about Missionary work...it was a really great learning experience. Especially since it was given to me the night before and the mission president was present :) But I am learning more and more about our responsibilities as members and full time missionaries and the blessings the Lord desires to give to us.

 

---Sister Pace---

Philippines Legazpi Mission

 

 

 

September 2, 2013

This week was a really fast week. There was a lot of learning on parts of companions and hopefully we are on our way to improving our relationship. I took the challenge this week to really sit down and write how I have seen the hand of the Lord in my life and in the lives of others...it has been a really fun process and a great time to ponder on the love and miracles that the Lord blesses us with. We had interviews with the President on Thursday and after our interviews we went to centro. There was a gentleman that we saw and said "hi" to, but we didn't think much about it until we were walking to one of our areas and saw him again. We had a small conversation with him, and then he was off. As we were walking to one of our appointments, we saw him standing outside a house...because it was the third time we had seen him, we stopped and talked with him. This was the most powerful testimonies to me about the work of the Lord. Because as we were talking with him, he shared with us, His experiences and his dreams that he had. He said that he had had a dream of the Savior, pure white and glorious....and when he went to look at his face, he woke up. He said he wanted to see that again. I don't blame him....I would love to see that. But he was talking about his life and how he had all the material things any man could ever want....but he wasn't happy. We shared with him a short message and told him that we had a way for him to see the Savior again and to be happy in this life. I hope that this next week we will be able to see him again. We also had an experience with one of our investigators....she has been investigating for a long time. Her mother and father are less active and her and her two sisters are investigators. They have had many baptismal dates, but they have always fallen through. But when we went to her this week, she said that she wanted to be baptized and she set her own date, for September 28th. The Lord works in mysterious ways. But I know that He is mindful of each of us. I have seen His help in my life so much this week as I have been striving to overcome and become more like Him, I know that He hears and answers prayers as I seek for His guidance and understanding in my daily actions. I have come t see the role of the Atonement more fully in my life and the power it has to transform people into saints. I hope to be able to continue to see the hand of the Lord in my life and in the lives of others.

---Sister Pace---

Philippines Legazpi Mission

August 26, 2013

Kumusta!

This week has been a really great week filled with the miracles from the hand of the Lord. I am so very grateful for the knowledge that the Lord has given me and blessed me with. There were many opportunities to see the love of the Lord in our lives and help us to fulfill our purpose here as His children.

We had some really great lessons this week with new investigators. It is the fruit of some of our work with referrals from members. We are hoping that we can continue to help these individuals progress and receive the blessings of the gospel. We have some really great potential families too :) It is going to take a lot of work but we are really excited to find the guidance of the Lord to fulfill His expectations.

We had district conference on Sunday and it was a really great turn out. We had several investigators attend and less active members....they were really touched by the words of the leaders and hopefully will be attending church more fully. 

The weather has been nice and wet here, because of all the storms moving through. Good thing I am not in Manila because there are lots of floods there. But we have had our share of rain also :)

We are on another transfer...the time is going by so fast. Before I know it, I will be transferred. I will be sad to be transferred from Tabaco, but it is all according to the will of the Lord.

 

 

 

top of mount Mayon

 

August 12, 2013

This week was a really great week of learning. We had some really great lessons with our investigators. The progress is slow with them, but there is progress still. We had a larger focus on our less actives this week and we had some really good reactions from the members, so we are hoping to have some action take place in the lives of these less actives. We had some really great OYM (open your mouth) and I was really excited to return back to these people. I am understanding so much more about the importance of God's children and the role that I play as a missionary. And I am so grateful for the knowledge of the gospel...without it, I would not feel that I knew where I was going and what my purpose is on earth. I am trying so much harder to give all that I can to these people...because my time is coming to a close quicker than I thought. I try harder and harder everyday to speak to as many people as I can...or think that I can. I have to think again sometimes, because I don't know the Bicol here...but I am slowly making progress. We have some great potential this next week and I know that there are people being prepared for us. I am sorry that this weeks update is a little short and not full of too much. But I want to leave this with a thought. The Lord gives us challenges for a reason. We may not always understand or know why the Lord has chosen us. But I have come to a great understanding of why. I was thinking that there is not going to be much of me left after some of these experiences, because I am trying to give myself as much as possible. But I realized that that is exactly what the Lord is expecting of us. He doesn't want  us...He wants to change us to be like Him (Alma 5:19). I thought of that before...but how do we do that? We have to turn ourselves over to Him (Mosiah 3:19; Ether 12:27). There are many days that will turn us into  weak and unable....but that is when the Lord is able to make us into the strongest (D&C 24:12). I know that there is a great deal to be done in this life and through the love of God, all is possible :)

---Sister Pace---

Philippines Legazpi Mission

August 5, 2013

Hello!

Well....there is so much that I could or should write about this week, but I will save that for a day when we go back through my journals someday.

This week was a really great week of observing the hand of the Lord in my life and striving to understand what I need to do, in order to be the Lord's missionary. I will tell you that I have learned a great deal. 

My first great lesson is about the love, mercy and forgiveness of the Lord. I came to a greater knowledge about the love of the Lord for each of us. And how we are not all perfect...we are human beings with frail bodies, frail characters and frail personalities. We are far from the glory of God. But we all have a similar goal in mind. We are all striving to reach for our potential--to be like our Heavenly Father and to receive all that He has. But because of the frailties of our life, we are all capable of sinning....this sinning can affect us and the ones around us. But the role of the gospel at this point is to forgive and forget. It sounds like a really hard task....it depends on how willing (or humble) we are to let the Lord shape us. We can forgive and forget the wrong that has been done to us...because that is what the Savior overcame death for. And that is the role of mercy in our life....we receive mercy because the Lord loves us and wants us to return back to the presence of our Heavenly Father...we should have the same desire for others (for are we not all brothers and sisters with the same need, from the same Being? Mosiah 4:19-21). In order to receive mercy we have to be willing to give mercy....if we will not give mercy....we shall not receive the mercy that will be sufficient enough to let us enter back into the presence of our Heavenly Father. From my experience....it is a hard task to ask...but it is so very crucial and necessary in order to be ready to receive the blessings and gifts the Lord seeks to bestow upon us (D&C 88:33). I hope to carry this gift or knowledge with me forever...a lesson to be learned and a blessing to receive and bestow upon another.

We had some really great lessons with less actives and investigators. I have really felt the love of the Lord for each of them and the power of the Spirit in the opportunity to share with them about their purpose here on earth. I love missionary work! I love helping people to understand, what the adversary had been so good at destroying....the truth. I know of nothing else in this life that can bring greater joy and satisfaction, than the truth of the gospel and a heart willing to listen.

I want to share with you a really cool insight... I was talking to one of the new American Sisters from New York. She is Sister Andrada's companion--Sister Ianuzi. She is trying so hard to get the language and Sister Andrada finally came to me to ask for help on how she could teach her companion the language. It is not an easy task for the Philippinos...but they try. And so I spent some time to understand the feelings that Sister Ianuzi was having....yup....the same as me. I totally understood what she was saying and I felt like I could try to give feedback. (and just as a side note....this doesn't just apply to having to learn a new language and talking to people....it applies to many aspects in our lives) I started to share with her that it all comes with time....just as any blessing that we seek from the Lord. We must wait. Like life here in earth....some of us are granted the knowledge, through the gospel to know where we will go after this life and what awaits us. But we must live here on earth in order to receive that gift of eternal life. With that we must never give up. We cannot give up on the fact that we cannot see ourselves progressing. Because most of the time we are progressing.....but it is little by little. I shared with Sister Ianuzi that the language did not come upon me in one night....it came over a period of time. Along with a promise to the Lord that I would read the entire Book of Mormon in Tagalog, if He would help me in Tagalog. Granted it took me 9 months to read the Book of Mormon....I have looked back and seen Him help me every step of the way--line upon line and precept upon precept. I shared with her that as long as she was continuing to do all she could the spirit would carry her words to the hearts of the people that she is talking to....but you have to talk...you have to try your hardest. And I told her that according to the will of the Lord, He will grant her that gift of tongues (or in the case of life....He will grant us those blessings that we so much desire in this life...). But after the language barrier, there are other trails and speed bumps to overcome....just as in life....you overcome one mountain and then you have another one before. It isn't because you are good enough, but it is because the Lord loves you and is in the process of refining you and making you into the person He knows you to be.

I was striving to find a way to be a better missionary...this is a continual process....so I don't have a good discourse to give on it yet....maybe after :)

I will tell you that I have come to the part in my mission that I don't ever want to leave...I love the people too much. I love talking with them (even though I don't understand all the people and what they are saying) and sharing with them the wonderful words of the gospel. *sigh* the good part is that it is not over until the coming of the Lord. So I have the rest of my life to give to this....maybe not in Tagalog.....but definitely in the language of the Spirit. I am so grateful for these experiences here and the blessings given to me!

I know that the Lord lives. I know that the Book of Mormon is Another Testament of the Lord Jesus Christ and that through His Atonement, we are able to return back to the presence of the Lord. I know that the Lord has a plan for each of us, as His beloved Sons and Daughters. We must share this plan with all....even if they will not listen to us. We have to make it known. For if their spirits are ready, they will know the truth of the things we share.

Carry forth the words of the Lord and hell shall not prevail against us!

God speed the right!!!!

Sister Pace

July 29, 2013

Hello po!

Well...what a week! A week filled with ups and downs. We had a great opportunity to go into our area and explore places we hadn't been yet and talk to the people. We did a lot of "open your mouth"....that has been an interesting experience, especially with two foreigners and only one being able to talk well enough to communicate. What a great week for learning about our purpose as missionaries and how to be humble and relying on the Lord.  This week was a lot of lessons of learning to stand for the right and be true to what you have been entrusted with. The week has been great to see the Lord's hand in the work. I know that He cares and loves each of us...despite what we have done. He desires for all to return back to Him, to be worthy to receive all that He has. It is a long, hard process....but the blessings in the end are all so worth it. 

I learned a great lesson about "the worth of souls is great in the sight of the Lord" (D&C 18:10). Just like any human being, I am not perfect, but as a missionary I have higher responsibilities, especially with the work that I am doing, to harvest the souls of men. I realized more that I cannot just do the work, because it is the numbers that we have written down in our planner. It is putting names to the numbers, faces with the names and having a love for them. I cannot just go mindlessly into the work, without thinking about the love that our Heavenly Father has for each person. I am merely a human being, but I can try to be an instrument in His hands. It is going to take a lot of refining, but I know that with time the sanctification will come and I will be able to bring the souls of God's children unto Him. The mission has been a great learning ground for learning what the Lord would have me to become. I know that there are people that the Lord is preparing for me. I may not be ready, but I know that as I try my hardest to talk with people and try to bring them unto Him....I will be strengthened through the Lord. I know that this gospel is true. I know that we are Sons and Daughters of our Heavenly Father. I know that through the Book of Mormon, there is a fullness of the gospel, that will enable us to find our way back to the presence of our Loving Father I know that through our efforts to become better every day and fulfill our responsibilities as members, we will find a great understanding and knowledge of our purpose here on earth. There is no great work here on earth, than this one now. I know that Jesus Christ lives today and that He directs and guides His church through the living prophet, Thomas S. Monson, and His apostles. I love this work and I am so grateful for the trust of the Lord.

---Sister Pace---

Philippines Legazpi Mission

July 22, 2013

Kumusta po sa lahat kayo!

What a week it has been! We went to trainers training on Tuesday through Wednesday. We met our companions on Wednesday morning and left in the afternoon of Wednesday to our areas. Attached is a picture of Sister Andrada and I with our new companions. Sister Hafoka is my new companion. She is from Tonga. She is 20 years old. She is half Tongan and half German. She is a really great sister. She is really quiet so we are working to find a way to help her adjust to everything. It has definitely been an interesting week...just between training and adjusting to the change in our area...we have been trying our best. We had some really great lessons this week with our less actives and it was such a blessing to be able to introduce them first to my new companion and help her to adjust to the members in the area. I am hoping that this next week we will be able to find more people to teach to adjust for the boundary changes and find a way to work better with the members in the branch. I am sorry that I don't have much for pictures or reporting to you....there is a lot of change that is occurring within our branch, mission and companionships and we are trying to find a way to adjust and change to work best as servants of the Lord. I know that this is the work of the Lord. I know that the Lord restored His gospel through the prophet Joseph Smith. I know that the Lord is behind each of us to help guide and strengthen us as we do His will. I have felt His strength and guidance as I have been entrusted to train Sister Hafoka. I never thought that I would be able to do it at this time...but who the Lord calls...He qualifies.

I have to say that it has been weird to think that I am half way through my mission...10 more months. But I how I wish that I could tell you what great growth moments I have experienced....but they have each happened gradually. Just as we learn the gospel line upon line and precept upon precept, we learn about our purpose and the will of the Lord, line upon line and precept upon precept. I have learned more about my part in the plan of our Loving Heavenly Father. I have gained a greater knowledge and testimony of what the Lord desires for us to become. And I have seen more than ever the importance of each of God's children. Although some can be really difficult....I know that the Lord loves them anyways and cares for their salvation....and so should I. This is something that Henry B. Eyring said, "You didn't come for the weeds. You came for the Savior." we didn't come to this earth to deal with the 'weeds' that are in our life, our work, etc...we came for the Savior..."I came into the world, to do the will of my Father, because my Father sent me" (3 Nephi 27:13). The Lord sent me here to do His will. I am still learning what that entirely requires of me...but how I have felt the love of the Lord as I have struggled to understand His will for me in His vineyard. Dad, I can't say that I have met any heavenly messengers....or at least I have not had an eye keen enough to recognize them as one. There are many things that you could suspect or generalize about heavenly messengers. But I feel that the people you have in your presence are heavenly messengers in their own ways. Their purpose, is to help you to find your way.

I am so very grateful for this opportunity to serve in the Philippines and in the vineyard of the Lord. I am surprised each day, by the joy that Heavenly Father gives to me and the opportunity to be His servant. I know that this is the Lord's work and there is to come, greater and more glorious miracles in the world.

Ingat po kayo palagi!

Sister Pace

 

new companions

 

July 15, 2013

The update this week is short....we had a lot of work. We worked a lot with our investigators and had some really great lessons. I felt the Spirit very strongly as we shared with one sister about the gospel of Jesus Christ. We are teaching her about the right authority...there is something difficult in people understanding that you need the right authority in all things. But I know that there may not be fruit from our efforts with her, now...but there will be later down the road. I am understanding so much more about people and their agency and the reality that it plays into all that we are doing as missionaries. I wish some days to really help people use their agency to choose the right...always. But Heavenly Father loves them all to much to force them...and so I shall continue forward in faith...in the will of the Lord, knowing that as long as I give the effort to share with all....there will be a time and place for all of them. We had a really great lesson with an investigator, who we contacted on the street. She is interested in learning more about Jesus Christ (our perfect opportunity to jump in!) and so we have shared with her about the Restoration....she was like a sponge....and she had questions for us...and it was just so much fun teaching her :P some days... I think I enjoy this missionary work too much (Alma 26:35).

We are hoping to find a way to work more with the members, especially now that we have 8 missionaries called to one branch. We have a lot of work to do and I know that there is a reason for all things. I am hoping with my new trainee that we will be able to find those that the Lord has prepared for us. I am still learning everyday how to become a better missionary....and I hope to accomplish that someday...siguro yung last day ko sa mission. But I have learned so much from the opportunity to train Sister Andrada....there is so much to say about a companionship...everything that we do as a missionary, begins with the person that you are around 24/7....what a blessing it is if you lean upon the Lord and seek to learn from the person He has chosen for you to serve with. I hope that this next trainee will be ready for one of the best transfers :) Hope you all have a great week :)

Mahal na mahal kita!!

Sister Pace

July 7, 2013

This week was a good and rough week.  In fact, I can't think of a week that wasn't good and rough....because you really can't have one without the other. We had a lot of lessons with our less actives and investigators....but it is funny how sometimes we feel like we are working so hard....and there is little to show for what you felt you did. But this is a part of missionary work. Some days you wish you could just force the people to listen to your message and follow your commitments....but that isn't possible....because that would be contrary to the plan of Heavenly Father and He wants all His children to choose for themselves the gospel and act in faith. I have learned so much more about the plan of salvation and our purpose here...I know that the Lord loves us all. I know that He wants us to use our agency in the best way possible. 

As a companionship we are learning how to become better everyday and how to help the people here. It takes time and we are already close to the next transfer....so next Monday I will tell you what is happening.

We met our new mission president....It was a really great opportunity and we all felt really inspired by his love and conversion to the gospel. We are all excited to serve with him and hope to improve the Legazpi Mission. They shared with us this video called Origin, under Mormon Messages.It was a really inspiring message :)

I have been sick this week, due to my sinuses and a cough...so the work has been a little difficult some days, because I have been left voiceless at times.But I know that the Lord answers  prayers....On fast Sunday, I prayed that the Lord would bless me with health to have the strength to preach His gospel and teach....and He made it all happen :) And then it (all the sickness) came back when we finished our planning for the end of the day. Simple things like that help me know that the Lord loves us and watches over us.

I am sorry that this email is short....I am glad to hear that there are individuals that are enjoying my blog and I hope that you get a chance to learn more about this marvelous work among the children of God, here in the Philippines Legazpi Mission!

Ingat lagi!

Sister Pace

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

July 1, 2013

Kumusta!

This week was really good. We were trying really hard this week to find more investigators and try to help the less actives in our area. Sometimes a little hard because there seems to be a never ending supply of less actives, but the investigators only trickle in after a little while. We had some really great lessons with our investigators this week:

Sister Briagas- she is searching for the truth and in the process of finding the way that the Lord wants her to live. She is very much into listening to our message and believes us to be missionaries of the Lord. She loves to learn about the plan of salvation and how she can receive the reward of exaltation. We have invited her to be baptized, but she is not too sure, that she would have the right heart for it right now. We are trying to answer all her questions and help her to find the truth for herself, through prayer and diligent searching. We are really excited when we get the chance to share with her, because we know that the Spirit is making an impact on her heart and helping her to find the right path.

Sister Nevares- She is a 20 yrs old mother. She is really sweet and just really quirky and funny. We contacted her on the street and she has been so willing to listen to our lessons and even share with her family and friends. We love talking with her, because she is so kind and willing to pray and find for herself the blessings that are promised to her and her family through the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Boridor children- These three sisters are really great. Their mother and father are less active. We are in the process of helping their mother to become active again in the church...but they have made some really great progress since I have started sharing with them. We have a scheduled baptism for them and we striving to help them to prepare for the covenants that they will make with our Heavenly Father. The oldest reminds me of myself...she is really searching and studying the scriptures and loves to learn about the gospel and its role.

Buenconsejo Family- This one is a touching story for me. We were walking home from an appointment in the morning and there are many stores that line the street. We walked past one store and we had someone call out and say "Hello!" It was a shock, because here there are not many people that will say hello to a foreigner and to a Philippina together. So with the shock we went up to his store and started to talk with him. He asked us who we were and what we were doing. We explained to him and shared with him a pass along card, with a brief description of the Church. He shared with us some of his beliefs and the desire he had to know the truth. We shared with him that we believed that we had the truth for him and asked for a return appointment on Sunday. So on Sunday we went to his house and shared part of the Restoration with him and his family. It was so beautiful and you could see that the brother had questions he needed answered and sister wanted to know a way to properly raise her children. I feel that we have found our golden family! We taught them and they weren't like all the other investigators....they just listen. They were asking questions and interacting with us and we were finding ways to share with them the joy that we have through the gospel. I am so excited to continue to teach this family and help them find the way in this life and in the life to come. 

This week has been full of learning experiences and knowledge from on high. I have studied about the plan of salvation and the role we plan into it. I felt that I have a stronger idea and belief of where my part in the plan of salvation is....I just have to hold firmly to that eternal perspective. How grateful I am to the kindness of the Lord to help me to understand His will and desire for His children here on earth. I also studied more about self-mastery and ended up in conversion. It was a great adventure to the role of our desire and our works here on earth and how we must use the two (our desire and our works) to make an impact on the outcome of our self-mastery/conversion/salvation.

We had a nice tropical storm move through on saturday, so we weren't able to work as much as we wanted to. But there was definitely lots of rain and wind...

We will be meeting the new mission president this week and so I will tell you about it next week. I got the chance to watch The Work of Salvation....I love it! It is so wonderful and I am so excited for all the things that are possible to happen in the work of the Lord. I desire so much not to lose sight of this once I leave my mission, because whether set apart as a full time missionary or as a member of the church....we each have a role and a responsibility to help the Lord in sharing the blessings of His plan with all His children. Kaya natin iyan! With the help of the Lord all is possible!