Thank you thank you thank you for your gift.! SO, every single night since Dec 16 carolers come and sing and then if we give them candy or a peso they sing this song in response. Sometimes they get very insistent if we don't open our door... we've spent 100 pesos already giving out candy!
I haven't gotten my packages yet, but it’s probably b/c it was a day off for the office elders and we all played basketball and volleyball. I'm sure I’ll get them tonight at our Christmas conference dinner.
this will be quick.
merry Christmas I love you and thank you so much for all you've done. I am looking forward to the phone call this week! 30 minutes only! so get ready!!!
I don't even remembered what happened last week.
oh! brother Agujar and his family came to church. Mildred talked in church. President Malit came to our sacrament meeting and nothing was prepared and Sister Brinton ended up playing prelude for 40 minutes. terrible!
oh, Mildred made us little Christmas cards, adorable. handmade. she taught us how to make chicken adobe. be excited ! I’ll cook for you all when I get home. and, she is also helping prepare the food for our conference so her and her boys got to come to Tacloban and stay at the mission home and have lots of fun here. they were so excited. President Malit just loves Mildred too and he is doing all her can to help her. . . she did give up her job and everything for the truth! Her two boys want to go on missions and even wrote in their little baptism journals about it. Her little one, JV. wrote his feelings after he was baptized " During my baptism I feel nervous. But when Elder Daniels put me into the water when I said Amen, I felt something inside my bones. It the holy ghost. that get into my body and my mom said yes it is the holy ghost you received." SO cute. She said she asked them first what they felt cause she didn't want them to copy her... and then he said that and they all had the same feelings!
Okay. No time now. I love you all. Life is wonderful here and I am happy and healthy and doing good. Love you all, sister blonquist
Thursday, December 23, 2010
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
December 13th
Hello family and friends,
December 13th over here in Tacloban City. So yesterday December 12 marked my one year of going through the temple. What a great year its been too. Well, actually yesterday, hah, i spent the day in bed dying of some sort of plague. But i am okay now, no worries. I woke up around 3 am and new i was sick. I was in the bathroom most of the night throwing up and ..more. haha. Well, it was a better sunday than most b/c we were having our district conference far away in tanauan and so none of our investigators were coming to church. So, we weren't stressed about people coming to church or teaching or anything so it was a better day than most to be ill in bed. I got a text around 8:30 from president malit asking me to sing in the general session of district conference! I had to decline, clearly, cause i was in my bed, sick. He would ask me right before the district meeting starts....makes me nervous for Christmas conference next week. :)
Basta, today is Pday and we are in tacloban for support. I still am not feeling good (about 50%) but we just keep pluggin along. The ZLs came over yesterday and gave me a nice blessing. Sister Brinton got to spend the whole day studying and I got to study a bit too adn then we had a good companionship study. I decided there is purpose in all things. Even though I was in a lot of pain and really sick, for some specific reasons i think sister brinton and i needed yesterday. Anyways, on of the things i studied was from Alma 5. A great chapter about change of heart and a true conversion. I know i've asked in my previous emails, but i really would love to get everyone's Conversion Story. So if you haven't sent that to me--mom, dad, aaron, andru, jarrett, katie, kerry, cousins, aunts, grandmas, everyone else...... that is what i want for christmas! :)
Well, while i was reading alma 5 the spirit was so strong. I love it when the spirit teaches me things and i know that these words were written for me. Verses 10-13 i really loved. HOW are we all saved?? I've asked this question a lot this past week as we've been teaching new investigators. I often hear, through prayer, church, service, keeping the commandments...We are taught in alma 5 about this change of heart. We will be saved when we are truly converted. Because when we are truly converted we are faithful until the end (vs 13). This whole chapter asks questions that really make you think about your own life and that is one way we are trained when we teach about the gospel--ask inspired questions. I love this chapter! Basta, in our area in dagami there at one time was 200+ members and when the daniels were here there were about 40 people at church ( we now have 60-70s)...clearly a lot of inactive as well. SO verse 37 really stood out to me as well. " ye that have professed to have known the ways of righteousness nevertheless have gone astray, as sheep having no shepherd, notwithstanding a shepherd hath called after you and is STILL calling after you, but ye will not hearken unto his voice." And then, verse 33, : Behold he sendeth and invitation unto all men, for the arms of mercy are extedned towards them, and he saith, : Repent, and I will receive you."
I know this is true.! The gospel is so simple. IT is us as humans that make it more difficult. Jesus Christ our savior atoned for us, ALL of us. He invites ALL of us to repent, right now, today and come back to him. He promises us that he will receive us no matter what we have done or what we think we can't do..! All things are possible through Jesus Christ. I have to tell myself that every day. All things are possible through Jesus Christ. Please, please, don't every forget this.
Yesterday as well while i was sick in bed my wonderful comp, Sister Brinton was reading from the Liahona, January 2010. The story is short and sweet and called, "I will be found of you." In Jeremiah 29: 12-14 it says, Then shall ye call upon me and ye shall go and pray unto me and i will hearken unto you. and ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart. And i will be found of you, saith the lord....."
The man continues on and says that he was reminded of when he and his wife would play hide and go seek with their children. He said that they would always make themselves easy to find when it was their turn to hide sometimes leaving a foot in plain view or making noises, or hiding in the same spot over and over. He said that they wanted their children to search for them, but they also wanted their kids to find them. THe looked forward to the hugs and kisses and the joyful giggles of triumph. . He related it to teh Savior and I really felt like i could relate to this as well. Heavenly father wants us to search for him, but he also wants us to find him--he knows how happy we will be when we do. He does not try to trick us! He does allll he can to help us know where and how to search..He gives us teh scriptures and prophets and temples, and listens to our prayers, and blesses us with the holy ghost!
It was a wonderful story from the liahona and one i really appreciated. I remember lots of times playing sardines or hide and seek when i was younger so this story made things a lot clearer to me.
In other news, we had great lessons this week and there seemed to be a theme of teaching how baby baptism is not from god. We taught a lot from Moroni 8 this week and how children are innocent.
Are investigators are doing well and we are too! I also asked our investigators this week what gift are we going to give our Savior for Christmas??? I ask the same question to everyone at home! :)
Please remember, remember, that anything is possible through jesus christ!
Please remember, remember that I love all of you and i pray for you, by name, daily.
Please remember, remember that the Lords arms of mercy are extended to you and all he asks is that we repent, and he will receive us!
Please remember, remember, " I will be found of you, saith the Lord." Please let us continue our search every day to find Him! He does not trick us. He helps us. Come unto Christ! We can do it. :)
I love you all. I love Christmas time and I miss you all, but I am happy here! Thank you for your prayers, support, and concern.
Love, your missionary,
Sister B.
Thank you louann mallory for your conversion story! My comp and I loved reading it.
December 13th over here in Tacloban City. So yesterday December 12 marked my one year of going through the temple. What a great year its been too. Well, actually yesterday, hah, i spent the day in bed dying of some sort of plague. But i am okay now, no worries. I woke up around 3 am and new i was sick. I was in the bathroom most of the night throwing up and ..more. haha. Well, it was a better sunday than most b/c we were having our district conference far away in tanauan and so none of our investigators were coming to church. So, we weren't stressed about people coming to church or teaching or anything so it was a better day than most to be ill in bed. I got a text around 8:30 from president malit asking me to sing in the general session of district conference! I had to decline, clearly, cause i was in my bed, sick. He would ask me right before the district meeting starts....makes me nervous for Christmas conference next week. :)
Basta, today is Pday and we are in tacloban for support. I still am not feeling good (about 50%) but we just keep pluggin along. The ZLs came over yesterday and gave me a nice blessing. Sister Brinton got to spend the whole day studying and I got to study a bit too adn then we had a good companionship study. I decided there is purpose in all things. Even though I was in a lot of pain and really sick, for some specific reasons i think sister brinton and i needed yesterday. Anyways, on of the things i studied was from Alma 5. A great chapter about change of heart and a true conversion. I know i've asked in my previous emails, but i really would love to get everyone's Conversion Story. So if you haven't sent that to me--mom, dad, aaron, andru, jarrett, katie, kerry, cousins, aunts, grandmas, everyone else...... that is what i want for christmas! :)
Well, while i was reading alma 5 the spirit was so strong. I love it when the spirit teaches me things and i know that these words were written for me. Verses 10-13 i really loved. HOW are we all saved?? I've asked this question a lot this past week as we've been teaching new investigators. I often hear, through prayer, church, service, keeping the commandments...We are taught in alma 5 about this change of heart. We will be saved when we are truly converted. Because when we are truly converted we are faithful until the end (vs 13). This whole chapter asks questions that really make you think about your own life and that is one way we are trained when we teach about the gospel--ask inspired questions. I love this chapter! Basta, in our area in dagami there at one time was 200+ members and when the daniels were here there were about 40 people at church ( we now have 60-70s)...clearly a lot of inactive as well. SO verse 37 really stood out to me as well. " ye that have professed to have known the ways of righteousness nevertheless have gone astray, as sheep having no shepherd, notwithstanding a shepherd hath called after you and is STILL calling after you, but ye will not hearken unto his voice." And then, verse 33, : Behold he sendeth and invitation unto all men, for the arms of mercy are extedned towards them, and he saith, : Repent, and I will receive you."
I know this is true.! The gospel is so simple. IT is us as humans that make it more difficult. Jesus Christ our savior atoned for us, ALL of us. He invites ALL of us to repent, right now, today and come back to him. He promises us that he will receive us no matter what we have done or what we think we can't do..! All things are possible through Jesus Christ. I have to tell myself that every day. All things are possible through Jesus Christ. Please, please, don't every forget this.
Yesterday as well while i was sick in bed my wonderful comp, Sister Brinton was reading from the Liahona, January 2010. The story is short and sweet and called, "I will be found of you." In Jeremiah 29: 12-14 it says, Then shall ye call upon me and ye shall go and pray unto me and i will hearken unto you. and ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart. And i will be found of you, saith the lord....."
The man continues on and says that he was reminded of when he and his wife would play hide and go seek with their children. He said that they would always make themselves easy to find when it was their turn to hide sometimes leaving a foot in plain view or making noises, or hiding in the same spot over and over. He said that they wanted their children to search for them, but they also wanted their kids to find them. THe looked forward to the hugs and kisses and the joyful giggles of triumph. . He related it to teh Savior and I really felt like i could relate to this as well. Heavenly father wants us to search for him, but he also wants us to find him--he knows how happy we will be when we do. He does not try to trick us! He does allll he can to help us know where and how to search..He gives us teh scriptures and prophets and temples, and listens to our prayers, and blesses us with the holy ghost!
It was a wonderful story from the liahona and one i really appreciated. I remember lots of times playing sardines or hide and seek when i was younger so this story made things a lot clearer to me.
In other news, we had great lessons this week and there seemed to be a theme of teaching how baby baptism is not from god. We taught a lot from Moroni 8 this week and how children are innocent.
Are investigators are doing well and we are too! I also asked our investigators this week what gift are we going to give our Savior for Christmas??? I ask the same question to everyone at home! :)
Please remember, remember, that anything is possible through jesus christ!
Please remember, remember that I love all of you and i pray for you, by name, daily.
Please remember, remember that the Lords arms of mercy are extended to you and all he asks is that we repent, and he will receive us!
Please remember, remember, " I will be found of you, saith the Lord." Please let us continue our search every day to find Him! He does not trick us. He helps us. Come unto Christ! We can do it. :)
I love you all. I love Christmas time and I miss you all, but I am happy here! Thank you for your prayers, support, and concern.
Love, your missionary,
Sister B.
Thank you louann mallory for your conversion story! My comp and I loved reading it.
December 6th
Hey Family,
So this week flew itself by?! Is that happening on the other side of the world too?? So this week we finally were able to move into our little house in Dagami. I'm not sure if I made that clear before, but for the past month we've been living in Tanauan with the Sisters there and commuting to Dagami b/c the Daniels (senior couple) lived in the house there. They went home this week though so we got to move in. We love our little house! It is so much better to live in our area too. We were able to really work hard this week and get a lot accomplished. It felt good.
We enjoyed fasting this week and realizing how aware God is of his children. We had 9 of our investigators come to church and the less actives we've been working with! One less active, Brother Mollana , is an RM and has been home for one year. He was the 2nd counselor, but has been inactive since he got home from his mission.... And he would always hide when we would come to his house cause he was ashamed. Well, he came to church last week b/c his sister got baptized and we met him and became fast friends with him. We put him in charge of the games for the branch activity and then we had him work with us this week. He is awesome. He came to church again on Sunday and will be working with us this week. We have been praying for members to work with us and to reactivate the priesthood in our little branch b/c it is reallly lacking. We have maybe 5 priesthood holders. That will be our focus this week as well.
My comp got a package with the General Conference Ensign which has been fun to read! MOM and DAD; when are you going to go on a mission??
Also, I really loved the Prophets words to the Relief Society about not judging. I believe his words with all my heart.
Other updates... we are both sick this week, but still pluggin along. We made Christmas cards and hope to get them to America around christmas.... sorry I've been slacking at writing people back; I've been extremely busy.
Things we are really praying for:
Spiritual environment to teach lessons in
Members to work with us
Strive with unwearyingness
Reactivate priesthood holders
We also got a new Branch President today. I think he will be good. He is new to the ward and just married a girl from the branch in the Cebu temple a couple months ago.
Sidenote. I am really grateful for the priesthood and that I have always had it near me when I needed it.
So, this is quick this week, but I want to invite everyone to again, send me their conversion story! That would be the best Christmas present ever.
WEll, life is wonderful here!
i love you all and pray for you daily!
love, your missionary,
Sister B.
other things:
Pomegranate lemonade crystal light packs
Hot cocoa mix
Christmas music (Mormon Tabernacle Choir?)
So this week flew itself by?! Is that happening on the other side of the world too?? So this week we finally were able to move into our little house in Dagami. I'm not sure if I made that clear before, but for the past month we've been living in Tanauan with the Sisters there and commuting to Dagami b/c the Daniels (senior couple) lived in the house there. They went home this week though so we got to move in. We love our little house! It is so much better to live in our area too. We were able to really work hard this week and get a lot accomplished. It felt good.
We enjoyed fasting this week and realizing how aware God is of his children. We had 9 of our investigators come to church and the less actives we've been working with! One less active, Brother Mollana , is an RM and has been home for one year. He was the 2nd counselor, but has been inactive since he got home from his mission.... And he would always hide when we would come to his house cause he was ashamed. Well, he came to church last week b/c his sister got baptized and we met him and became fast friends with him. We put him in charge of the games for the branch activity and then we had him work with us this week. He is awesome. He came to church again on Sunday and will be working with us this week. We have been praying for members to work with us and to reactivate the priesthood in our little branch b/c it is reallly lacking. We have maybe 5 priesthood holders. That will be our focus this week as well.
My comp got a package with the General Conference Ensign which has been fun to read! MOM and DAD; when are you going to go on a mission??
Also, I really loved the Prophets words to the Relief Society about not judging. I believe his words with all my heart.
Other updates... we are both sick this week, but still pluggin along. We made Christmas cards and hope to get them to America around christmas.... sorry I've been slacking at writing people back; I've been extremely busy.
Things we are really praying for:
Spiritual environment to teach lessons in
Members to work with us
Strive with unwearyingness
Reactivate priesthood holders
We also got a new Branch President today. I think he will be good. He is new to the ward and just married a girl from the branch in the Cebu temple a couple months ago.
Sidenote. I am really grateful for the priesthood and that I have always had it near me when I needed it.
So, this is quick this week, but I want to invite everyone to again, send me their conversion story! That would be the best Christmas present ever.
WEll, life is wonderful here!
i love you all and pray for you daily!
love, your missionary,
Sister B.
other things:
Pomegranate lemonade crystal light packs
Hot cocoa mix
Christmas music (Mormon Tabernacle Choir?)