July 26, 2010

Hello!

This week was wonderful. I can't believe its almost August now! Time flies when you are having fun. The reunion sounds like it was really fun and everyone enjoyed it. I can NOT wait until I can see pictures of everyone and get the t-shirt?? :)

This week we had some great lessons. We taught our friends , David and Micheal who came to the Book of Mormon fireside last week and had lots of questions. It was an incredible lesson and David and Michael had tons of questions and we were able to answer them. I loved that.

We also had interviews with President Malit this week. I love my mission president and know he was called of God. I felt a lot of peace, comfort, and motivation when i left that interview that was needed. It was soooo good! I know I was called to the Philippians Tacloban mission for many reasons, and one of them is to be here at this time with President Malit.

The Tizon Family, Lady Lucas, Josephine and Judith Corpin, and little Karla Sumayan are all getting baptized on August 7th! 7 people on Aug. 7th! That will be a great day of the mission.

We had district conference this week in Naval so our branch got a bus to take us all on Sunday at 6am. We have been working with these two inactive boys lately, Renato and Jaime and really focusing on getting them back to church and turning their lives around so they can go on missions. We taught them a few times this week and made them promise to go to district conference..... but still, we weren't sure they would show up at 6am. Well, we prayed a lot as well. We love those kids! Well, at 6am we look outside and they are waiting for the bus! We could not believe it. One of them hasn't been to church for 8 years!

District conference was great. We sang in a choir and it went pretty well. Pres and Sister Malit spoke, an area 70, and district presidency. I really enjoyed it. They focused a lot on temples and tithing.

President Malit has asked us talk about the temple in every lesson. It has been so good to teach about the temples and why i love the temple so much. I miss going to the temple weekly. I realized the other day that whenever i need a song to hum (to drown out other music, or i am feeling down, or frustrated) I always start humming " I love to see the temple. " Everyone in America reading this should go to the temple this week for me! I miss it so much!

Our investigators are doing well and progressing and it is so incredible to see. Especially the Tizon family. I know he was prepared his whole life for this message. He is so good and the branch is really taking their family under their wing. It's exactly as it should be.

I also cant wait until the new chapel is finished in September. We might all be walking to church them to support the members that can't afford a motor, but the church is true so what else matters, right?? :)

I love this gospel and i love my savior. Faith is what we need to get through all the struggles and trials and humiliations and hard times. God has a plan for each of us! When we focus our lives on our savior Jesus Christ , we will be happy. We will. No matter what.

Life is good here in Balaquid. thank you for your prayers and support. I need them all!

love,
sister b

Ellie hall--i got your letter!!! WOW, thank you! So glad you are loving EFY! how's your sister?!?! she needs to write me.... I'll write you back next pday. :)

cousins--are you alive?!?!?!?!? dear elder me asap. i need an update on your life palihog.

mama nat--are you alive?! i miss you and wrote you a letter today!

the updaters are on vacation, but will be back to posting to Sister BLonquist's blog very soon!

July 19th, 2010

Hello Family and Friends!

I can't believe its July 19th! Have so much fun at the reunion family!

Well, its been an incredible week here. Truly. We worked hard and taught some great people. We had 11 investigators come to church yesterday! 11! The Tizon family and Josephin corpin and her daughter judith, as well as lady lucas and jenette sumayan and her daughter lara mae are all scheduled to be baptized on august 7th! What a great day that will be! These people have been prepared and they are progressing and learning so much as they read the scriptures, attend church, and read the Book of Mormon. We had a great FHE at the tizon house and a lot of people came. Sister Dustin and I had quite a lot of fun this week teaching lessons and enjoying our life here. We also had a great zone conference this week!! It was in Tacloban so we traveled on Thursday and spent the night there. It was combine--5 zones, because Elder Teh of the seventy came!!! So we were told that we all needed to prepare to speak b/c he would choose 3 people to talk..our ZL told us the topic was The Book of Mormon, but then when we got to Tacloban they told us it was on finding people to teach, teaching with The Book of Mormon and comp unity... So it was a long day of travel and we had to do weekly planning so at 10pm I'm frantically trying to prep anything..but i wasn't too worried b/c 5 zones there was no way i would get picked right? Well, zone conference is going well and Elder Teh was incredible. We all got to meet him and his wife before it started as well. He laughed when i said i was from Chicago and said the weather is the same here as there. SO true! Well, after Elder Teh trained us, they then announced the next speaker-- Sister Blonquist! And "she her topic will be teaching with the spirit." ..UMMMMMM, that was not a topic i had prepped!!! So I grab my preach my gospel and my scriptures and head to the pulpit. And I just start talking. I remember starting a sentence and not knowing where i was going with it....but i was completely calm and fine and just kept going. The spirit totally and completely guided every word i said. I actually think it was one of the best talks I've ever given! And I can't even remember what i said! Haha, but I felt good and give all credit to my Heavenly Father. He totally and completely helped me and I was able to say what I needed and what was right. (this was all in English by the way--our ZC are in English...but i can't wait for this to happen to me in Cebuano someday too...)

Anyways, i remember stating that the Holy Ghost is not just 'the spirit' but a member of the godhead! A god! That can and must be with us every single day, lesson , etc. How amazing it is that a god is our companion every second. Anyways, it turned out well and I was happy and I knew I said whatever Heavenly Father needed me to say--even though I don't remember most of it! It was neat to learn from the things coming out of my mouth---that was something my mission prep teacher, Brother Bott, said would happen when you teach with the spirit.

It was a really neat experience that I have never really felt before. Elder Teh said, "good job! and thank you!"... and then guess what his next training was on---how the Holy Ghost is a member of the god head and how profound that is! Cool eh! ? It was a great zone conference and i learned a lot. I also got my two small packages urs and noel, so thanks for those!!

Also, yesterday we had a Book of Mormon fireside. President Malit has specifically asked us to do those so we did yesterday. I actually had no voice--a bit sick-- but no worries. So we had some Book of Mormon movies--seminary ones i think-- and then some spiritual thoughts and then two object lessons. It turned out so good! We had a lot of Less actives and tons of investigators there! Tons! Our branch president announced we are going to do them every Sunday night from now on! It was also really great b/c there are these two young men (15 and 20) that we met through the Swiss kid, victor (his dad yelled at us for talking to him..awkward) anyways, these two guys have come to some activities and they were there. they always say we don't want to be a member we just want to know what you are about. Well! David was in tears and said that he has all these questions and wants us to teach him! He felt the spirit so strong and he and Michael also want to be in our play! He wants us to teach him every Wednesday now.

It has been such a great week. Thank you for all of your prayers and thoughts in my behalf. Balaquid is really doing well and we are working hard and looking forward to lots of baptisms coming up.

love you all and miss you too,

sister b

July 12th Letter

Hello Everyone,

This week flew by! It was such a great week and we are teaching lots of people and staying busy. I am still having trouble with the language, and probably had the worst week yet, but I know Heavenly Father is aware of me. On Sunday we had 12 investigators come to church. 12!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I can't even tell you how excited we were. Josephine Corpin, Jenette Sumayon, Eugene and Ging ging Tizon to name a few. We have been teaching jospehine and jenette for months and they would never ever come to church. I think we might have let out a yelp of joy when we saw jospehine come in. It was a great Sunday. Primary lesson was fun and sacrament meeting was really good. Sister Dustin and I were ecstatic (Sp?). Anyways, the Spirit was really strong and we loved it. Sister Dustin suggested on Saturday night that we fast for our investigators...so we did. ..and then Sunday 12 came to church! The lord recognizes our hard work, our sacrifices, and the righteous desires of our hearts. I think I'm beginning to feel/see what it meant in my mission call letter that i would experience more joy than ever before... What a day!

Well, we woke up at 5am today to do laundry and clean our house....Elder Teh of the 70 i think is coming to take a tour of the mission. I'm tired. ! This week we have zone conference in Tacloban on Friday so we'll leave at 4am for that. We also are doing our play which is coming along and going to be soooo incredible! I am praying I won't be transferred!

Well, time is short. I have so much to say and no time to do so! Life is wonderful here and the weather is changing to more overcast and rainy...which i love! We are teaching so really amazing investigators and we are searching and teaching the less actives. It is a very fun adventure everyday. I love the people here and i am learning what it truly means to serve, and to love.

As I was reflecting on my struggles this week with the languages... i had a deep realization that I'm not learning this for me. I am learning these languages because i love these people. So when I get frustrated or overwhelmed I just have to remember, this language learning process isn't for me, its for them. I know God sent me here for a specific purpose. I know he knows each of us and he is mindful of alllll of his children. We are put into each others lives for a reason and we are together to help each other grow and return to live with Him. I am here to help these people know their maker. So with this knowledge I move forward in faith to learn this language. Its hard! But he never said it would be easy, he only said it would be worth it! I got a taste of that on Sunday.

We are teaching a great family--Tizon family. Please pray for them. He was a preacher/missionary for years. They are awesome. And please pray for jospehine Corpin! Her husband isn't interested so she is kinda solo on this one.

Well, the church is true!

I love you all!

love,

sister b.

Chickens in the MEeting House July 5th

Wow, another great week has passed by! I can't believe its July now! I hope everyone had a great July 4th! I made 'mango float' for our comp celebration. It was marasa (delicious)...its layers of graham crackers, cream of sorts, and mangas. yum.

WEll, we seriously had a great week of work. We were blessed to teach lots of lessons and meet lots of people. We are so excited about the work in our area and sister dustin and i are doing well. We decided that the time is now to unite our branch (balaquid saints go to special sacrament and capucgayan go to a meeting house) and in september the chapel building will be built and all the saints will go there...so we decided for the grand opening event that we would direct a PLAY/talent show. WE couldn't think of a title yet---elder webb came up with "chickens in the meetinghouse" bahahaha --cause there were tons of chickens at our district meeting running around--and it sounds like a cheesy/funny mormon movie, doesn't it?? bahah, but you all should also be thinking of a title. We also had, " more than men." but that seemed too much like "mormon" and we started chanting the girls camp song...mormon mormon mormon mormon, i know a mormon boy...etc. it was funny.

We are so excited and the story is based off of alma 17-22, 26. . . missionary work, of course. :) We are also going to tie in modern day missionary work and basically serving God and our brothers and sisters. Its going ot be incredible! Also, each auxillary will be in charge of a 'commercial' between scenes and they will perform some type of awesome talent. Our branch presidency wants to do "thriller" i think. bahaha. its going ot be so good . Members, non-members, and investigators are all involved. So we have this epic event and play we are in charge of, plus all of our normal responsiblities and teaching and proselyting. WE are keeping busy!

I love Sister Dustin and I am learning so much from her. She is an incredible missionary! She was fluent in the language and training after just four months! I have lots to learn and its exciting.

We have a joint Zone Conference in tacloban in a few weeks and an area 70 is coming.

WE are teaching some great investigators and they are progressing and keeping their commitments. Its so fun to see!

ALso, Raymond passed the sacrament for the first time on Sunday. I was so proud of him! He also always comes with us to teach lessons and its so good. He is the best. Abigail also continues to come to church and brings friends. The work is moving forward here...thank you for all of your prayers!

We started teaching Daddy Bob about temples--he's 85 and can't walk and has to drink coffee (prescribed by doctor) because his body will go into shock if he doesn't...Anyways, he needs to walk and he needs to stop drinking coffee if he wants to go to the temple. He told us that he does want to go and so we are focusing on what is the next step for him. I really love being with him. He cracks me up , but I also love discussing the gospel with him. He always asks us why he is still alive and we flat out told him its because he is supposed to go to the temple. cool, eh?

Little daniela is doing good, though she had a fever this week. Her family and extended family is inactive but her grandpa let us teach him and we also taught her uncles. They have been in active forever. But they are going to come back, i know it. I seriously love that family.

If my email/responses are shorter these days its cause i'm only emailing for 30 minutes now...but keep emailing me i love it and i print out the emails i don't have time to read here. Thanks for all of your love and support; i need it!


MAtt morgan--what is your address? are you married now?
blake stratton and alaina williams--what are your address now!? I want to write you.
cousins--are you still alive?
jarrett--email me back
family--i love you and have fun at the reunion!
biancs aka--sister hernandez- how is temple square?
mossy aka hermana sigler--thanks for the letters! /package

the church is true! The truth has been restored on the earth and we have a living prophet today! We got the ensign and i love love reading it. God's church is on the earth and his plan for each of us is perfect. We are a part of each other's lives for a reason--so how can we help one another and bring eachother unto christ even more?!?!

I love my life and i love all of you. Thank you for your support and prayers .
love,
Sister B!

june 28th NEW COMP!

Hello everyone,

Life continues to be wonderful here in Balaquid. I have a new companion--Sister Dustin most recently from, Ceder City Utah. Yes, she is the blog josh found and we all looked at before i left on the mission. :) She is really wonderful and exactly what I needed and balaquid needs. We are really excited for our work here. She trained my batch--companion from the mtc--sister Farnworth. She is aewsome and we have big plans for our time here! We seriously are very excited.

This past week was great. I got to be with sister lemmon in Tacloban (which feels like forever ago now) and it was a great time. WE ate food--chips and salsa--i started crying when i found the chip aisle at the grocery store in tacloban--embarrassing... Anyways, and had a great few last days together! I love her and will be forever grateful she was my trainer.

On thursday i went ot transfer meeting and got my new companion sister dustin! She has only had one area and really misses it, but we have lots to do and its going to be a great time for us here.

Saturday and Sunday we taught some great lesson and got some new investigators. Five investigators came to church :) and Raymond's little brother did too. Raymond has been coming to lessons with us now which is wonderful. We have a great week planned with a lot of members coming ot each lesson so it is going to awesome!

I lovve being here and doing this work. I definitely know that God loves us and is aware of what we need and who we need in our lives. HE has a plan and purpose for each of us and when we pray and know him, we will know his will as well. Putting him first is most important for our happiness and our existence. I know that .

Sister dustin and I were also talking about how the root of all unhappiness is Selfish ness. I've been pondering that as of late as well. What can i do to be less selfish; to serve more, better, to sacrifice more and better.

Anyways, i hope you all have a magnificent 4th of July!

Happy birthday samuel and biancs!

Much Love,
Sister B !