Hello Family,
We are back pluggin along in Balaquid. President Malit's neices came back with us on Thursday, but left this morning at 6am; thats the only time the APs could pick them up..poor elders, they only got one hour of sleep. Anyways, balaquid is wonderful it was nice to be 'home' again with our investigators, teaching lessons.
We've been trying to apply the trainings.
Focusing on the people and their concerns more than ever. Teaching lessons differently and addressing concerns first.Kneeling and asking the head of the house hold to pray---and not getting up until they do... teaching about prayer more than ever. Asking what people's expectations are from us--what do they want to learn, etc. Teaching about and from the book of mormon and reading with them. Committing people to baptism in the first lesson.
We have yet to do 'church tours' b/c we have a bamboo hut...uhh...and that would be slightly unproductive maybe...but we'll see.
We learned so much and it was an incredible three days filled with the spirit. i will have to write out a letter and mail it home.
Last week i did a role play as one of the less actives here--jaime, and i think i mentioned last time that i received revelation as to what he was feeling and how we can help him...well this week during some lessons and the small things he stated we realized that i was dead on during the role play--it was really powerful.
REnato is doing well. He is working with the elders and doesn't seem to be involved with any bawal things or smoking or anything. I'm not sure what happened two weeks ago!
Anyways, life is good in balaquid . we are teaching two older woman we are really excited about. they both committed to baptism. one of them, synida smokes and is trying to quit. they are both hilarious (they are sisters). Synida is lady lucas mom and sister leemmon and i taught her a while back.
anyways, i am out of time now.
love you all,
sister b.
Monday, August 30, 2010
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
August 24, 2010 letter
hello family and friends!
i am in tacloban right now! what a week its been. WE had president malit's two neices live with us and it was pretty fun. It was a bit of an adjustment for them, but they liked it enough that they are coming back with us tomorrow too.
Well last week was actually full of some more tough moments wtih some of our less actives. Sister dustin and i fasted and just kept pouring out heart out in prayer. I actually had a realy interesting experience in one of the lessons with brother renato. He was acting really strange and we unfortunately thought we saw him smoking and it broke our hearts. he wouldn't look us in the eye or talk to us for three days. raymond wouldn't shake my hand when i saw him and would not look at me--he's been drinking and smoking. it was a a hard couple of days trying to figure out what was going on with our boys! then we had an intense lesson with brother renato. i had some scriptures i had prepared and studied earlier that day, btu he said he hadn't been smoking (we didn't full otu ask him, but he just told us this) and so i wasn't going to share my thoughts or scriptures...but then the spirit was almost forcing me and telling me i had to share these scriptures. it was like how i feel in testimony meeting when i know i should bear my testimony and then i talk myself out of it...my heart was pounding and i was almost over come with emotion.... it happened three different times. the spirit told me what i had to do so i did it. it was intense.
well, we got a text from the aps saying they were pickin us up to come to tacloban for a special Leadership training for three days! So thats where i have been. It was been the best three days. We have new curriculum that we've been trained on and the spirit has been so so strong during the trainings.. We've done a lot of role playing and our testimonies have grown a lot. I really love all the changes and different things they are trying to emphasize. I don't have time to explain it all now. I'll have to write a letter about it., but its wonderful. It was incredible too b/c sister dustin and i were role playing as the investigators that we actually have and it got really intense. we both received answers to prayers on how to help our investigators during the role play. It was awesome. I have loved these three days so much.
Anyways, that is why i didn't email on monday and we are emailing now. We had no pday on monday but got permission to email now and take our pday.
Well, life is good. i'll email again on monday.
I love this gospel so much. One thing president malit said that stood out to me today was many people think the choice is to repent or not repent and keep livign their lives....but we find in d and c 19:4 i believe....it is repent or we suffer.
Repentance is so important . Every day!! All of us need to repent, me especially. This new curricullum is a lot about following the spirit even more so than before . and so we talked about being worthy to have that spirit. We've had great experiences this week and a lot was learned. I love you all and i am doing well. Salamat kaayo for your love, prayers , and support. i sure need it! !
And soorry i have tried to send letter for the past 3 weeks, but there have been no stamps on biliran island...so monday i will try again. nana's card will be late maybe.
Love you all!!!
sister b
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
Letter for the week of August 15th 2010
hi fam!
what a great week it's been.
Well, actually this week more than ever i've discovered how the mission is full of ups and downs and all arounds, but the ups make it all worth it and because i love my savior , and i love his children here, we keep moving forward.
Brother Renato is doing awesome! He is a miracle. He works with us daily, and yesterday he had an interview with the branch president and he received his mission papers to start on. I witnessed a miracle with him. I love it!
Unfortuneatley, it has been rough with Jaime this week. We showed up at his house to do a family home evening and he was drunk (he's 17) and spewing in the alley way. I was soo hurt. I really felt personally offended and a deep sorrow. Sister Dustin and I talked this week how we pray and pray for these people and we pray for love for them, like god has for them, and then when they disappoint us and use their agency to make wrong decisions, the pain is so real! I bet this is how our parents feel when they watch their children make decisions that maybe aren't the best. I seriously felt betrayed. We then proceeded to have the fhe and he came in and sat down and i couldn't look at him. I then did and shook my head and he got up and left and his mom asked where he was going and he said, "the sisters commanded me to leave.!" No one had seen me shake my head slightly at him...but he was right, i didn't want him there among all these kids drunk. It was a sad night for me. The next day he told us he was done with the church. We haven't seen him since. Since we've become friends i've really felt this special responsibility and connection with him and it was hard. BUT, we keep praying and since renato is doing well he will help to be a good example. We just keep having faith. I think of Alma the older having so much faith and praying for his son alma that an angel was sent to alma the younger and then his life was forever changed. I guess that means we all just continue on praying for those lost and struggling and pray that god will send them angels. I know he will. I've seen miracles happen in my life and especially since i've been on the mission and i know he is aware of all of his children. We must continue to push through the hard times and have faith in these people who are just not sure what to do. I know jaime is just crying out for help. and i know he is one of the reasons i am here in balaquid. please continue to pray for him/ us. Salamat.
this is embarrassing and i should know better, i knowwwwwwwwwww:
Well, i got sick a bit this week. i drank some water that wasn't filtered. i was so thirsty. turns out what everyone says about the water here is true. i was so terribly sick it was embarrassing...sprawled on my bed wimpering and pleading to heavenly father to take away my pain. it was sooooooo bad. but, it was interesting b/c while i was in my pain i kept thinking of my savior and the atonement. it was the only thing that got me through the night. i kept repeating, ''he knows my pain, he knows my pain.'' even though it was just one night of bad physical pain , my savior knew and i felt his presence. i also learned from my mistake. even though i was thirsty and the cold water looked good i probably shouldn't have had 4 glasses of it.. and i won't again. (promise, urs)
we taught david and micheal this week. they both want to be baptized by david said his parents witll not let him.
jenette got her cohabitation interview and will be baptized august 28 or aug 21.
we had a great branch conference. we sang in the choir.
life is beautiful and we are happy here! thank you for all of your prayers, i reallllllllllly need them.
president malits neices are coming to live with us for a week or two!!!!!!! are you shocked? we were. hahaha. they are meeting us here in naval in like 30 minutes. one is 13 and one is 18 and they live in america and are here on vacation and i guess they wanted a missionary life experience soooooooooooo they are coming and working / living with us for a bit! we ran out of water today....hope that is not frequent while they are here! haha.
please keep praying for my language ability....its not clicking yet. but it will! right?
love you all,
sister b.
aaron--wow, thanks so much for the email last week. i studied the 'two truths' and taught lessons on them. it really helped me learn what i need to do. thank you so much! i love you.
shoes--the elder here got shoes from the ap so he doesn't need any anymore thankssssssss anyways!
does rice make hair grow?? some one has got to look that up b/c my arm hair is growing like CRAZY. and sister dustin too. seriously , we have never ever ever been this hairy and we are like gorillas. seriously.
urs--sometime could you send me some dark brown flats...the same ones we both bought before i left. from walmart i think...
mom could you make me a list of sacrament songs? i am the chorister....
marilee/mom--could you send me an eye shadow brush/ applicator. just one. mine broke. thanks!
what a great week it's been.
Well, actually this week more than ever i've discovered how the mission is full of ups and downs and all arounds, but the ups make it all worth it and because i love my savior , and i love his children here, we keep moving forward.
Brother Renato is doing awesome! He is a miracle. He works with us daily, and yesterday he had an interview with the branch president and he received his mission papers to start on. I witnessed a miracle with him. I love it!
Unfortuneatley, it has been rough with Jaime this week. We showed up at his house to do a family home evening and he was drunk (he's 17) and spewing in the alley way. I was soo hurt. I really felt personally offended and a deep sorrow. Sister Dustin and I talked this week how we pray and pray for these people and we pray for love for them, like god has for them, and then when they disappoint us and use their agency to make wrong decisions, the pain is so real! I bet this is how our parents feel when they watch their children make decisions that maybe aren't the best. I seriously felt betrayed. We then proceeded to have the fhe and he came in and sat down and i couldn't look at him. I then did and shook my head and he got up and left and his mom asked where he was going and he said, "the sisters commanded me to leave.!" No one had seen me shake my head slightly at him...but he was right, i didn't want him there among all these kids drunk. It was a sad night for me. The next day he told us he was done with the church. We haven't seen him since. Since we've become friends i've really felt this special responsibility and connection with him and it was hard. BUT, we keep praying and since renato is doing well he will help to be a good example. We just keep having faith. I think of Alma the older having so much faith and praying for his son alma that an angel was sent to alma the younger and then his life was forever changed. I guess that means we all just continue on praying for those lost and struggling and pray that god will send them angels. I know he will. I've seen miracles happen in my life and especially since i've been on the mission and i know he is aware of all of his children. We must continue to push through the hard times and have faith in these people who are just not sure what to do. I know jaime is just crying out for help. and i know he is one of the reasons i am here in balaquid. please continue to pray for him/ us. Salamat.
this is embarrassing and i should know better, i knowwwwwwwwwww:
Well, i got sick a bit this week. i drank some water that wasn't filtered. i was so thirsty. turns out what everyone says about the water here is true. i was so terribly sick it was embarrassing...sprawled on my bed wimpering and pleading to heavenly father to take away my pain. it was sooooooo bad. but, it was interesting b/c while i was in my pain i kept thinking of my savior and the atonement. it was the only thing that got me through the night. i kept repeating, ''he knows my pain, he knows my pain.'' even though it was just one night of bad physical pain , my savior knew and i felt his presence. i also learned from my mistake. even though i was thirsty and the cold water looked good i probably shouldn't have had 4 glasses of it.. and i won't again. (promise, urs)
we taught david and micheal this week. they both want to be baptized by david said his parents witll not let him.
jenette got her cohabitation interview and will be baptized august 28 or aug 21.
we had a great branch conference. we sang in the choir.
life is beautiful and we are happy here! thank you for all of your prayers, i reallllllllllly need them.
president malits neices are coming to live with us for a week or two!!!!!!! are you shocked? we were. hahaha. they are meeting us here in naval in like 30 minutes. one is 13 and one is 18 and they live in america and are here on vacation and i guess they wanted a missionary life experience soooooooooooo they are coming and working / living with us for a bit! we ran out of water today....hope that is not frequent while they are here! haha.
please keep praying for my language ability....its not clicking yet. but it will! right?
love you all,
sister b.
aaron--wow, thanks so much for the email last week. i studied the 'two truths' and taught lessons on them. it really helped me learn what i need to do. thank you so much! i love you.
shoes--the elder here got shoes from the ap so he doesn't need any anymore thankssssssss anyways!
does rice make hair grow?? some one has got to look that up b/c my arm hair is growing like CRAZY. and sister dustin too. seriously , we have never ever ever been this hairy and we are like gorillas. seriously.
urs--sometime could you send me some dark brown flats...the same ones we both bought before i left. from walmart i think...
mom could you make me a list of sacrament songs? i am the chorister....
marilee/mom--could you send me an eye shadow brush/ applicator. just one. mine broke. thanks!
Monday, August 16, 2010
August 9th, 2010
Hello my favorite people--
What a great week it has been!
First to answer some questions for Kyle Woodbury: I am in Balaquid and we have a 'special sacrament' which means only sunday school and sacrament, but we are a part of Cabucgayan branch that has a meeting house in Cabucgayan. They have all three hours there. But, in September or October the CHAPEL will be completed in Cabucagayan...that is a big chapel built by the Church and we are sooo excited. We go to Church at the special sacrament and we are crammed in there. It is very hot with no electricity and plastic chairs and it is a small 'building' made from bamboo I believe with thatched roof. We had 83 people in attendance on Sunday and Cabucgayan had 55 I believe... once the chapel is done everyone is supposed to travel to Cabucgayan for church. It is going to be a hard struggle for the saints in Balaquid, but we'll do it...probably by walking at 6am. Balaquid is strong and I believe we are in the process of applying to become a branch. The people that have been here the longest are the Mollare family, Helen Carrol, Masuela family, Lanante, Mora. Our branch president is President Lan, but he is only 28 I believe. President Mollare was before him. The Mollare's got baptized in 1998. There is also a chapel being built in Biliran. The work is progressing so much on this little island!!!
AND this past Saturday we had 7 baptisms from Balaquid and 2 from Cabucgayan. Eugene Tizon, Gingging, and Marah Gene Tizon. Josephine and Judith Corpin, Lady Lucas, and Karla Sumayan. It was the best day of my mission. I can't even begin to express how wonderful it was! It has been incredible to be a part of these people's journey. Eugene was a preacher for 10 years for the wrong church!! And now he always says, "This is the way." In his testimony he said. "He felt the spirit the first time Sister Lemmon and Sister Blonquist sang at the beginning of the lesson. And he almost cried....but he didn't cause his little sons would have laughed at him! Haha. He now has the priesthood and knows the complete truth. It all really hit me when I saw him get baptized. His wife gave a great testimony about how they have changed for the better and she is so grateful to our Heavenly Father. She said, "Eugene stopped drinking and smoking right away after we taught them." It has blessed them all. We heard Eugene asking some investigators who came to the baptism "When are you getting baptized? You have to get married in the temple so your family can be together forever." WHAtt!!!?!? So awesome! Eugene also had a dream with us in it and he said, "There was a voice that said pay your tithing and he woke up and knew he had to."....on Sunday I saw them pay their first tithe.
Josephine testimony has grow so much as well. She was the first to get up and bear her testimony. She really has shocked me with her growth and understanding, especially in these past few weeks. I rememeber the first day Sister Lemmon and I contacted her! How far she has come! She said she wants a hymnbook for her family.
Lady Lucas wore a SKIRT to her baptism..one I'm sure she got from Josephine. She asked us the day before if she had to wear a skirt now...haha, and now she does. She is awesome.
Little Karla and Judith and Marah Gene just had the best time together. What an experience to share with one another. There were so many people there and so much support from the branch--it was an epic event!!! Sister Dustin and I sang "I Stand All Amazed." The elders sang a song too.
Oh yes, we now have 4 elders in Cabucgayan...that is 6 missionaries in our branch!!!!!!!!!! This area is growing!
Also, there are no more sisters in Naval. Elders now, so Sister Dustin and I are the only sisters on this island! Haha, and we are having a blast!
I love this work so much.
We are helping the youth a lot here as well. We both have a special love for them and there are a lot of less active and kids who aren't members that are at the time in their lives that they really need to know what direction to go.
This week seriously was the best. Sister Dustin and I are having so much fun and loving our lives every day. The Lord blesses us and we are witnessing miracles...REAL LIFE MIRACLES are happening.
OH I read a talk by President Uchtdorf about Patience...I think he gave it in the priesthood session of conference. It was remarkable. If you have a chance, go back and read it. It really helped me this week.
Well, the Church is true, so what else matters?! Keep pluggin along doing your best everyday, and I will too!
Love you all,
sister b
Kiera--What is that quote by Elder Holland on faith.. I really would love to get that from you.
Does anyone (guy) have durable, Sunday shoes that they don't wear? size 13? We have an elder here that has wore out his shoes bad and is wearing flip flops right now....literally wore them straight through..so if anyone has any they don't use...send them one shoe at a time this way! :) black...
Hannah Boice--I love you and pray for you daily.
Becca Hall-- I have not heard from you in a lonnnnnnnnnnnnnnnng time. and I miss you!
Kiera--can you fbook Natalie Gardner and tell her I sent a letter to the apt in Provo, but I don't even know if she lives there now! and what is her new address.
love youuuuuuuuuuu all!
Monday, August 2, 2010
August 2, 2010
hey fam--
ran out of time this week. sorry about that. can't write much.
WE HAVE 7 BAPTISMS THIS SATURDAY!
renato is coming to church and working with us and we are trying to get him on a mission.
life is soooo good!
i love john 16:33. i am memorizing a scripture every week: "These things i have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation, but be of Good cheer; i have overcome the world." --jesus christ
SO good!
also, president malit told me a personal story from his life during our invertiew and we were talking about sacrifice...he then said this; the joy of sacrifice is felt when it hurts to give...
pretty powerful eh??
Life is wonderful and I love it.
pday was stressful today. I can't believe its august.
happy anniversary to urs and noel. i love you both sooo much!
and happy anniversary soon to katie and luke, kiera and josh, happy birthday kiera, andru, jarrett, marilee....
love you all. thank you for the prayers! i need them.
love,
your missionary, sister b!!
and mom, when i broke the chair i put a hole in my brown skirt we made... can you send me a piece of the fabric so ican patch it. thanks1!