April 29, 2013

GrAbE!!! What a week!!!! Transfers were on Tuesday. I stayed in Iriga and I received Sister De Leon as my companion (picture attached).She is from Tarlac, Philippines. Sobra mabait siya! I was so excited to have her as my companion :) I was called as the Senior Companion...it was fun while it lasted...she was teaching me Tagalog and I was teaching her how to become a better missionary....it was such a great combination! And it was so much fun teaching with her, because I knew what she was saying and I knew that we both knew what we were going to teach...

On Saturday I received a call from President Bliesner. It was a call for an emergency transfer and I was being asked to receive the new companion in my area. So Sister De Leon and I packed her stuff and left the next morning to receive our new companions. My new companion is Sister Tumagoy. She is in the middle of her training. So I went from being a senior companion for four days and then became a trainer in four...so it has been a lot of adjusting to try to train a new sister. Sister Tumagoy is a really great teacher and has the potential to become a great missionary. I am excited to train her...I have already learned so much from being with her :)
This week has been busy with traveling and exchanging companions, so very little appointments. But from the appointments that we have had, there have been some really great miracles and blessings. We had one of our investigators progress in their prayer....it may sound so small...but as it says in the scriptures, "and thus we see that by small means the Lord can bring about great things". It was such a blessing to us to see her pray and I felt the Spirit as we shared with her the Book of Mormon. We also had one of our investigators attend church...she really enjoyed it and the members were really supportive in our work to bring her to the branch.
The weather is hot as usual here...there are a lot of concerns of dehydration among the missionaries and so it has been a goal of mine to avoid it. But it has struck many of the missionaries already. The new batch of missionaries that came in this Tuesday were filled with 18 yr old Elders and 19 yr old Sisters. It is so amazing to see the Lord working in this to bring about the salvation of His people.

April 21, 2013

What a week....it went by so fast. We had a lot of events occur and a lot of preparation for a national service day, here in the Philippines. On Saturday we went to cut bamboo in order to prepare to make fences for trees we will plant this saturday. we have a member in the branch that had cancer and has been really sick for a long time...we went to visit him and with time he has gotten better...but this week, when we went to visit him, He was walking around. It was such a miracle to see him moving around. It truly was by the work of his faith that he has gotten better and now will be more able to worship his Heavenly Father. We also went to visit an less active in our area...she was open enough to tell us about her past and her desire to return to church. We are hoping that we will be able to help her to make her way back. When she told us about her past and the concerns she had, you could see that the Lord had prepared her and softened her heart to be ready to come unto Jesus Christ. The weeks are all filled with trying to find those that are ready and prepared and helping those who have fallen to return back to the joy and safety of the Shepherd's fold. Saturday we received transfer announcements and I will be staying in Iriga. I am temporally with Sister Paguigan for a day and then tomorrow I will go to see who my new companion is. It is exciting. Well....hopefully I will have more to tell you about next week :) ps. here are some more pictures :)

Ingat palagi and mahal na mahal kita!

Sister Pace

 

jeepney

traveling on top of a bus

how they drink soda

 

Brother Oronan

 

April 15, 2013

Pamilya ko,

This week has gone by so fast....and transfer announcements are coming this next weekend. But there have been some really great experiences this last week. We had the opportunity to start an English class in the Iriga Branch. And the teacher is...well...the only fluent English speaker. I am hoping that I am teaching them well and helping them to become confident in their English. I have learned so much from this class so far and I am excited every Tuesday and Thursday to help the members and others to progress in their skills. I have especially felt the blessings through some of the members and I am hoping to continue to be a support and a blessing for them.

We are continuing to strive to find new investigators...the work is difficult. But I feel that the Lord doesn't give it to us easily, because He loves us and wants us to help others....but as we do so, He wants us to learn too. I only wish I could express to you in words what I have learned about this since I have been in Iriga. I am only hoping that I can continue to bless this area and prepare the people to receive the gospel more fully.

I had the opportunity to listen to General Conference at the Branch building on Saturday and Sunday. I didn't get to listen to the whole conference, but from what I have listened to, I have felt the love of my Savior and His guidance in my life. I hope to use and apply and live what I have received through His servants.

I know that the Lord lives and that this church, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, is the true church on this earth. I know that the Lord guides and leads His people now as He did through His Son, Jesus Christ. I know that the Lord is hastening His work and has a great work ahead of all members. I hope that you all had a wonderful time learning of the gospel and the blessings that it can bring into our lives.

 

bedroom in Iriga

 

study area

 

stairs to a church in Iriga

 

the view at the top of the stairs

 

 

 

April 8, 2013

Pamilya ko,

Masaya ako na gusto po ninyo ang pictures ko. Sorry that I haven't taken any other pictures...the weeks are so busy...but I will try to get some more this next week and share them with you. We live in a house. The house we live in here is really nice. There are three bedrooms in the house...I will take pictures this week and send them next week. It is in a really nice area too...away from all the noise, looking out to the rice fields.

This week was a rough one...of all the work, we had an average of two lessons per day. kawawang araw (sad day)...We are trying so hard to find new investigators and meet with all our less actives. There is a lot to do, but we are struggling to do the missionary work (bringing in new members)...so we had a One Day Mission, with the branch. This is where the branch works together to go out to visit the less actives. We had a really great turn out of members and there was a lot of blessings that came from their efforts. I hope that we can really get the members to work together to reactivate some of their members, so the missionaries can focus on finding new members...but with time. We also had a baptismal invitation accepted this week. But it will take time to help them reach the baptismal waters...but we are excited to have a progressing investigator.

Easter...it was really great...I will tell you about the only thing was watching all the excitement with the Catholic church. And of course we went out to share the message about the Savior. But the holiday "Easter" in itself is not celebrated here...but the birth of Christ is.

 

I think that is everything...thank you so much for everything you do. I am extremely grateful for you all and for the love and support that I receive from you spiritually, mentally and physically. God bless you! Mahal na mahal kita!

Ingat palagi po,

Sister Pace

April 1, 2013

Kumusta Pamilya ko!

I hope that you are all doing well. This week was a tough one....plenty of appointments....just none of them went through. It has been a great experience sa Iriga, to learn how to tract and use the language more openly. We are at week 4 of this transfer and I will be staying here, because my companion will have been in the area for six months. It should be lots of fun. We are working to help the members in their responsibility in missionary work and the purpose they have in reactivating and retaining. It should be good to see how it goes in a 1 day mission with the branch. I am sad that I will not have Conference this week, but we will have the chance to see it on the 13th and 14th.

I want to share with you my thoughts about Easter. It is a glorious time to reflect in the Resurrection of our Lord and Savior. An opportunity to truly partake of the wonderful gift that He has given to us. I love to ponder on the life of out Savior, because He exemplified all that we need to be. I have come to see many struggles and trials while being out on this mission....but the glorious part has been the opportunity to reflect on the life of my Savior and see the way to overcome. Jesus Christ overcame death for us--He took upon Himself, our sins, infirmities and troubles. He laid down His life and then took it again as a perfected and resurrected being. It is wonderful to know that He gave so much for us. But this I know...He lives! For through Him, we find the strength and the courage to overcome and endure through the circumstances of life. I know that through the act of the Resurrection, we will have to opportunity to raised up to our God, to be in His glory. WE can find the way through the life of our Savior to become like Him and receive the glory that He has. I hope that this Easter you will ponder upon the blessings of the Resurrection in your life and the peace that it brings to you.

Mahal na mahal kita! At I hope na magkakaroon kayo ng mabuting linggo! I will talk to you soon!!!

Ingat palagi!

Sister Pace