Hello Family!! Wow what a week. It has been a challenging one to say the least but that's what life is no? Full of challenges. We just have to put our faith to the test and overcome! I'm trying to realize what lessons Heavenly Father is trying to teach me.
Let me tell you about our baptism yesterday! We had 3 candidates that we baptized! Sister Josephine, Sister Shelynjoy and Brother Juli. Sister Josephine and Shelynjoy are best friends and are from our "far area" (Cabunbunan). They are so shy but are just two sweet 15 year olds. Brother Juli is 24 years old and is deaf. I tried my best to translate his testimony at his baptism from broken american sign language to Hiligaynon and it wasn't easy but Sister Rey are trying our best to learn sign language and are picking up on it okay! Brother Juli is also learning at the same time and takes a lot of "charades" but he is the happiest most smiley and joking person in the world! Oh how we always have good laughs with him. He (despite the discrimination from his family) chose to be baptized and has been working with the elders in the ward (our zone leaders) and everyone seriously just LOVES Brother Juli!! It is a challenge for Sister Josephine and Sister Shelynjoy to get to church because of how far they live but they have really proved their sincere desire through working odd jobs (on top of the responsibilities that they already have) and saving the little money that they receive each day to eat in order to go to church on Sunday. They have shared that their new favorite day is Sunday :) There are many young women in the ward- it is the most active auxiliary here so it's a relief and a joy to see them making this transition smoothly. Brother Juli- through him a less active member who is also deaf has now returned to activity. Her name is Sister Lorena and she went through therapy and school and can kind of talk and can slightly hear so she is a GINORMOUS help to us! And she works with us often :) Brother Juli rides his bike to church and also comes from very humble circumstances. He hopes to start school again next year and nearly every time we go to teach him, he's not at his house and we just check behind his house which turns into the beach and he is in the middle of the ocean fishing. He runs to the shore excited to see what he's fished out to eat that day. Every day it's something different and it's not much but that's how they eat each day! Brother Juli is CONSTANTLY joking and laughing and one of the most recent jokes that he finds all too amusing is to laugh at me every time I itch my nose. That's something that I learned is weird to the people here. They think there must be something wrong with my nose because it's about 5x bigger than the normal size nose here (but that I guess is more favorable here?) and I guess their noses don't itch. Well there are stray cats every where around his house so yes, every time we teach my "hanky" is in my hand and when I'm not signing to him (trying) (or even in the middle of signing sometimes.. haha) I'm itching my nose and I guess he can't take my seriously when I do that. haha So I have to be more aware in itching my nose in public here..
Oh how funny one of the recent convert's prayer was the other day. She is just a tiny little thing and I think she's about 10 years old. It's not "favorable" to be as skinny as her I guess so she always prays that she will get fat (nga magtambok siya) and I joked after her prayer that she could add asking if I could lose some weight (nga magniwang ako) and she was like "If you really want me to I will pray for you Sister Judd!" so every since then she adds that to all her prayers! Maybe I should be a little bit more diligent in working out in the mornings so that if I start to lose weight she will see how Heavenly Father truly answers prayers :) Let me just clarify that yes, I am fat here in the Philippines. But no, I am not fat. I am normal and I know that- I just enjoy the normal conversation from the people every day that I am "tambok". It's good for the self-esteem :) But that's normal here!
So this week Sister Rey and I have felt incredibly "worn down" from the problems of the people that we are teaching. I don't have the time to explain some of the problems... nor is it appropriate... but let me explain something that I have learned through this. FAITH. As disciples of Jesus Christ we need to be "filling our cup" each and every day through diligent scripture study, sincere prayer, and uplifting and faith-building activities that will leave "our cup" each day filled enough to "pour out to others". With out this daily preparation- sharing this "living water" is just simply not possible. As a missionary we give hope and build the faith of others so that they can overcome the challenges and trials of all kinds that they are facing in their lives. Well let me tell you all that it takes A LOT OF FAITH AND HOPE for me personally to testify and have the personal faith that these people can truly overcome these trials.. but I NEED that faith for myself in order to give it to other! Without that faith for myself it would be just an empty promise or dream that these people can receive the strength and see miracles through their faith and keeping the commandments of God. So for me, my faith is also tested each day when these people that I love and care for so much are having their faith tested to degrees in which I never thought I could fathom. It's a learning process for me to in that time that they open up and share their financial, health, and family problems and challenges with us, to turn to the scriptures, bear personal testimony and use the Savior's powerful words to promise them that His promises are true if we just continue in our faith. I never realized how much faith I would need to make that promise to others but I KNOW that ALL things are possible through Christ and that Heavenly Father has a plan for each and every one of us. Christ knows what we are going through in our lives because he suffered and died for us and only in and through Him can we someday rest from ALL our troubles and cares. I love you all and I feel and am often quietly reminded that there are countless people at home (you all) that are praying for me and I receive true strength from that! Thank you again! LOVE YOU ALL!
Sister Judd
Friday, November 28, 2014
Nov.16 Chicken Feet, Pig Poop and Power of the Scriptures
Hello Family! So I emailed pictures before writing because last week I
had no time. Well this week now I have no time to write. I just want to quick
tell you all the highlights! We had mission tour!! Elder Arden of the Seventy came and I learned SO
MUCH!!!! It was a great experience. Some highlights- "Obedience opens
opportunities. Obedience invites blessings." This is something that we can
ALL apply to our lives not just as missionaries! Through obedience we receive
blessings. Through disobedience we miss out on blessings. I know that "the
higher law" and through obedience we will see the most happiness in our
lives! When it's not easy to be obedient is the most important time to CHOOSE
to be obedient no matter what it takes :)
I ate chicken feet this week! I was too shy to snap a picture because their was so much attention on me.. but it was good. Tasted like chicken. There's not really meet so you just eat the skin and there's still toenails and everything. My companion was much better at eating it (it was her first time too and she's from the Philippines). She was sucking on the toes and all! hahaha I was laughing so hard eating it haha. Oh and it's even the same color! If you look at chicken feet you you'll notice that it's like a gray color.. well that's what I ate and it's a delicacy here! Sister Rey and I got the only.. 2 feet. :) I felt bad eating it because I knew others would enjoy it much more but I still enjoyed trying something new!
We taught at a funeral about the Plan of Salvation. It was a very spiritual experience. We were invited by the member of the bishopric because it was his niece that passed away from cancer. We were the only "members" there but it was inspiring to share about the Resurrection to a family that was hurting so bad from the loss of the 16 year old girl. The knowledge that we have of the Plan of Salvation should never be taken for granted! Since then I've been studying more in depth about the Plan of Salvation in the Book of Mormon and have received so many wonderful insights!
I stepped in the biggest pile of pig poop this week. I wanted to try and sneak a touch of one of the newborn piglets while the HUGE mamma's back was turned to me and of course was watching her not where I was stepping and yuuup up to my ankle in poop!! I smelt so bad the rest of the day! My companion and the member with us laughed for a good hour at me about that. Good thing I thought it was hilarious too :)
I GOT MY PACKAGE!!! THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL THAT CONTRIBUTED! The fancy new toothbrush is rad. My companion said that I must be really rich.. hahaha and the nuts make me feel like the holiday season! The granola bars are awesome and the gospel art book... how did you know that I wanted this?! I can't wait to use it today! And the makeup is PERFECT mom! You rock! The nut clusters from costco were gone in one day... they are so yummy!!! THANK YOU AGAIN!! My companion said "it's too early for Christmas!" I will be so shy to get yet another package for Christmas.. You all are so generous!! But don't worry she's also enjoying the goodies I received :)
This week my testimony was strengthened about reading the scriptures with your investigators. That's what we do when they don't read the assignment in the Book of Mormon that you left with them.. before you teach you read with them. This week we visited Sister Corazon. She is such a sweet lady that has SUCH a strong desire to be baptized and come to church she just doesn't have the financial means to get to the church because she lives SO FAR! As we read in 1 Nephi about the trials of Lehi's family in the wilderness but through Lehi's example and Nephi's faith they saw miracles and the hand of the Lord she immediately broke down and shared that the short and very few chapters that she had read from the Book of Mormon has really touched her life and come to her with power. They have many challenges that they are facing as a family but her faith has been strengthened through the example of Nephi. We ended up not even teaching the lesson that we had prepared to teach her because the spirit was so strong and we knew that the verses that we read and the things that we were being taught from the scriptures was all that we needed. I was uplifted and Sister Corazon was so grateful for our visit. She wished we could visit every day but because of how far the area is we aren't able to go there every day. I have faith that there will come a time and she will someday be given a way to come to church and be baptized. I know that the scriptures are true and as a missionary I am so grateful for the scriptures in which I can add my testimony instead of the scriptures added to my testimony. They are such a powerful teaching tool and the Book of Mormon is the evidence of God's love for us and that this is His true and restored church! At the beginning of my mission I had a hard time studying for a full hour every morning... now an hour just is not enough! I want 2! Or 3! I'm excited to come home and have more time to study the scriptures as long as I want. There are so many treasures to be found and personal revelation to receive to guide our life through the scriptures.
I hope you all know how much I love you! This work is the work of the Lord and what a wonderful opportunity it is to be a part of it!
I heard Thanksgiving is this week? Eat some turkey and garlic mashed potatoes for me! And don't forget to take some time to remember and list what you are grateful for in your life. We all have much much MUCH more than we may realize at times. I know this church is true and for that I am SO SO VERY GRATEFUL!
Until next week!
Sister Judd
I ate chicken feet this week! I was too shy to snap a picture because their was so much attention on me.. but it was good. Tasted like chicken. There's not really meet so you just eat the skin and there's still toenails and everything. My companion was much better at eating it (it was her first time too and she's from the Philippines). She was sucking on the toes and all! hahaha I was laughing so hard eating it haha. Oh and it's even the same color! If you look at chicken feet you you'll notice that it's like a gray color.. well that's what I ate and it's a delicacy here! Sister Rey and I got the only.. 2 feet. :) I felt bad eating it because I knew others would enjoy it much more but I still enjoyed trying something new!
We taught at a funeral about the Plan of Salvation. It was a very spiritual experience. We were invited by the member of the bishopric because it was his niece that passed away from cancer. We were the only "members" there but it was inspiring to share about the Resurrection to a family that was hurting so bad from the loss of the 16 year old girl. The knowledge that we have of the Plan of Salvation should never be taken for granted! Since then I've been studying more in depth about the Plan of Salvation in the Book of Mormon and have received so many wonderful insights!
I stepped in the biggest pile of pig poop this week. I wanted to try and sneak a touch of one of the newborn piglets while the HUGE mamma's back was turned to me and of course was watching her not where I was stepping and yuuup up to my ankle in poop!! I smelt so bad the rest of the day! My companion and the member with us laughed for a good hour at me about that. Good thing I thought it was hilarious too :)
I GOT MY PACKAGE!!! THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL THAT CONTRIBUTED! The fancy new toothbrush is rad. My companion said that I must be really rich.. hahaha and the nuts make me feel like the holiday season! The granola bars are awesome and the gospel art book... how did you know that I wanted this?! I can't wait to use it today! And the makeup is PERFECT mom! You rock! The nut clusters from costco were gone in one day... they are so yummy!!! THANK YOU AGAIN!! My companion said "it's too early for Christmas!" I will be so shy to get yet another package for Christmas.. You all are so generous!! But don't worry she's also enjoying the goodies I received :)
This week my testimony was strengthened about reading the scriptures with your investigators. That's what we do when they don't read the assignment in the Book of Mormon that you left with them.. before you teach you read with them. This week we visited Sister Corazon. She is such a sweet lady that has SUCH a strong desire to be baptized and come to church she just doesn't have the financial means to get to the church because she lives SO FAR! As we read in 1 Nephi about the trials of Lehi's family in the wilderness but through Lehi's example and Nephi's faith they saw miracles and the hand of the Lord she immediately broke down and shared that the short and very few chapters that she had read from the Book of Mormon has really touched her life and come to her with power. They have many challenges that they are facing as a family but her faith has been strengthened through the example of Nephi. We ended up not even teaching the lesson that we had prepared to teach her because the spirit was so strong and we knew that the verses that we read and the things that we were being taught from the scriptures was all that we needed. I was uplifted and Sister Corazon was so grateful for our visit. She wished we could visit every day but because of how far the area is we aren't able to go there every day. I have faith that there will come a time and she will someday be given a way to come to church and be baptized. I know that the scriptures are true and as a missionary I am so grateful for the scriptures in which I can add my testimony instead of the scriptures added to my testimony. They are such a powerful teaching tool and the Book of Mormon is the evidence of God's love for us and that this is His true and restored church! At the beginning of my mission I had a hard time studying for a full hour every morning... now an hour just is not enough! I want 2! Or 3! I'm excited to come home and have more time to study the scriptures as long as I want. There are so many treasures to be found and personal revelation to receive to guide our life through the scriptures.
I hope you all know how much I love you! This work is the work of the Lord and what a wonderful opportunity it is to be a part of it!
I heard Thanksgiving is this week? Eat some turkey and garlic mashed potatoes for me! And don't forget to take some time to remember and list what you are grateful for in your life. We all have much much MUCH more than we may realize at times. I know this church is true and for that I am SO SO VERY GRATEFUL!
Until next week!
Sister Judd
Nov. 9 Calumangan, I am an aswang I guess...
Hello Family!! What a great week! I'm exhausted- and that's a good thing- missionaries should be SO WORN OUT! Let me tell you all about my new area! CALUMANGAN! It is half city and half bukid (the opposite of city in every way). It's actually surprisingly more bukid than our area in Cadiz! I was really surprised because I though I was going back to the city but not so! We are surrounded by rice fields and lots of sugar cane fields (just like in Cadiz). And we have the ocean still! It's really suuuch a beautiful area!! I have so many pictures I want to send:) As for the work it is really great! I have already grown to love these people here that the missionaries have been teaching sooo much!! One of them is Brother Julie. He is just AH I can't put into words! He is amazing. He is deaf- he cannot hear, he cannot speak (obviously), he cannot read very well, he only understands very little english and doesn't undestand Ilonggo at all. So what are we doing? We're learning American sign language and teaching it to him as well! But basically we just play sharades all day with him! He is the most smiley, joking, happy person I have ever met. We are alllwaaaays having a good time when we're around Brother Julie! He is 22 years old and has come a long way with missionaries in stopping smoking and drinking. I will luckily be here when he is finally baptized! He is so awesome and even though his family is really against him being baptized he is old enough to choose for himself and has finally committed for a day to be baptized!
So the ward here is just a baby. There are a lot of members around 500 I think but only about 60 members on average at sacrament meeting every week. There is no elders quorem and a very very small amount priesthood holders. I was so surprised to come from a branch where the attendance is 150 to a ward only 1/3 of the size. Let me just say that we have A LOT OF WORK to do here in Calumangan!! That's is our purpose though- to help build and strengthen the wards and branches that we are assigned to. The members are really great though. They have a lot of love for the missionaries and I've actually met the bishop and his entire family before when I was in 5th ward! Because one of my recent converts Sister Erika is the daughter-in-law of the Bishop here in Calumangan :) It's really great and I'm really really looking forward to seeing the growth in this area!
OH! And I'm in the same zone as SISTER SNOW!!! YAYYY!!!!!!!! It's the special to see her after so long! We will be able to see each other at least once a month here and I'm just such a happy camper! I've missed her sweet face so much! (companion in the MTC).
Many funny moments this week... the one that sticks out most in my mind is when a little girl asked me "Aswang ka kon gab-i???" ("Are you a witch/devil when it's night-time???) uhhhhhhhhh ouch! hahaha We have an area here where I am the first American that they have ever met. It's really new that missionaries have gone so far into that area (they are really really far away) and the people are awesome. They are so far but they still come to church! They are so receptive and I just love them! The children are scared of me though... (hence the reason why that little girl asked me that...) she was genuinely serious!! I actually have to explain to the people that Americans are also people and that we are the same as them just born somewhere else. It's weird to have a conversation like that yes... I just can't fully explain how weird it is to be an American here... (Sister Manwaring.. Megs.. you understand). But despite the weird attention and awkwardness the work is amazing and the people here are so humble!!
I was so sad to miss the baptism of the 3 young men that Sister Arcinas and I found in Cadiz. The two of them are twins and then their friend was also baptized with them. I will send a picture that I took with them before I was transferred.
Sister Rey is so awesome!! She is so so kind and she has a really good relationship with the members and there are a lot of Single Adults and Youth that love working with us! It's so great! I'm really enjoying this area!
Thank you all for your support and love! I can't believe how close the end of the year is.. Gwen will leave on her mission before we know it. I am so grateful that I have this gospel in my life! I am eternally grateful to have been raised a member of this church and that I am here serving a mission. It's the best decision that I have ever made and I am so looking forward for Gwen to serve and for the 3 boys to follow in the future! Missionary work is amazing and life changing... and tiring.. and life changing! Love you all so much and I hope you don't get sick of me saying these things over and over again every week.. because we still have another 7 months :)
Have an amazing week everyone! And don't forget to read the scriptures!
All my love,
Sister Judd
So the ward here is just a baby. There are a lot of members around 500 I think but only about 60 members on average at sacrament meeting every week. There is no elders quorem and a very very small amount priesthood holders. I was so surprised to come from a branch where the attendance is 150 to a ward only 1/3 of the size. Let me just say that we have A LOT OF WORK to do here in Calumangan!! That's is our purpose though- to help build and strengthen the wards and branches that we are assigned to. The members are really great though. They have a lot of love for the missionaries and I've actually met the bishop and his entire family before when I was in 5th ward! Because one of my recent converts Sister Erika is the daughter-in-law of the Bishop here in Calumangan :) It's really great and I'm really really looking forward to seeing the growth in this area!
OH! And I'm in the same zone as SISTER SNOW!!! YAYYY!!!!!!!! It's the special to see her after so long! We will be able to see each other at least once a month here and I'm just such a happy camper! I've missed her sweet face so much! (companion in the MTC).
Many funny moments this week... the one that sticks out most in my mind is when a little girl asked me "Aswang ka kon gab-i???" ("Are you a witch/devil when it's night-time???) uhhhhhhhhh ouch! hahaha We have an area here where I am the first American that they have ever met. It's really new that missionaries have gone so far into that area (they are really really far away) and the people are awesome. They are so far but they still come to church! They are so receptive and I just love them! The children are scared of me though... (hence the reason why that little girl asked me that...) she was genuinely serious!! I actually have to explain to the people that Americans are also people and that we are the same as them just born somewhere else. It's weird to have a conversation like that yes... I just can't fully explain how weird it is to be an American here... (Sister Manwaring.. Megs.. you understand). But despite the weird attention and awkwardness the work is amazing and the people here are so humble!!
I was so sad to miss the baptism of the 3 young men that Sister Arcinas and I found in Cadiz. The two of them are twins and then their friend was also baptized with them. I will send a picture that I took with them before I was transferred.
Sister Rey is so awesome!! She is so so kind and she has a really good relationship with the members and there are a lot of Single Adults and Youth that love working with us! It's so great! I'm really enjoying this area!
Thank you all for your support and love! I can't believe how close the end of the year is.. Gwen will leave on her mission before we know it. I am so grateful that I have this gospel in my life! I am eternally grateful to have been raised a member of this church and that I am here serving a mission. It's the best decision that I have ever made and I am so looking forward for Gwen to serve and for the 3 boys to follow in the future! Missionary work is amazing and life changing... and tiring.. and life changing! Love you all so much and I hope you don't get sick of me saying these things over and over again every week.. because we still have another 7 months :)
Have an amazing week everyone! And don't forget to read the scriptures!
All my love,
Sister Judd
Sunday, November 2, 2014
Nov. 2nd Transferssssss & All Saints Day
Hello
Family! So Sister Arcinas transferred! (She is Sister Training Leader STL now)
Man I will miss her she’s just the sweetest companion we just CLICKED! I just
love her! My new companion for 5 days was Sister Piula. She is from Samoa and
is so funny! She will train a new missionary in Cadiz because I am now
transferred! I know nothing about the area I’m transferring to because I found
out about an hour ago.. but it’s in Bago Zone. None of you know what that means
:)… except for Dallas and Megs. So next week I will have a lot to update you
all on about my new companion and the new area. I am Senior companion for the
first time! It’s basically the same thing though. My companion in Sister Rey.
She is Filipina and is just so sweet! I’m looking forward to see what this area
has in store for me!
So this week has been way weird! But we had a baptism! Sister Edel Esclares- she is the mother of one of our recent converts Brother Eulysis Esclares. It was so sad at her baptism she was just crying the whole time because she missed Sister Arcinas so much. She is the sweetest thing ever! So Saturday is a holiday here in the Philippines and it’s called “All Saints Day”- where everyone goes to the cemeteries and lights candles at the grave sight of their loved ones. It’s a catholic holiday and people even cook food and spend all day at the cemetery eating and it’s soooo popular! Well President Lopez had us proselyte in the cemetery and we were able to visit one of our recent convert’s wife’s grave site. He was SO happy that we were there and it was a good experience. The cemeteries here are ABOVE ground. So you literally just climb over all the coffins and it’s kind of chaos but it was an adventure :) So man I will miss Cadiz end Branch SO MUCH!!!! I don’t know if I will be able to have a better area… we’ll see :) The members, the recent converts, the people… it has been amazing!! I was really sad to leave.. and I’m still sad. But I’m ready to press forward and see more of this island! Well I really just CANNOT think right now! I will have to make up for this email next week by sending a better email. Hope all is going well and people start saving your money because one day I WILL return back to the Philippines and whoever wants to come with me is welcome :) I promised these people and I will find a way to make it happen :)
So this week has been way weird! But we had a baptism! Sister Edel Esclares- she is the mother of one of our recent converts Brother Eulysis Esclares. It was so sad at her baptism she was just crying the whole time because she missed Sister Arcinas so much. She is the sweetest thing ever! So Saturday is a holiday here in the Philippines and it’s called “All Saints Day”- where everyone goes to the cemeteries and lights candles at the grave sight of their loved ones. It’s a catholic holiday and people even cook food and spend all day at the cemetery eating and it’s soooo popular! Well President Lopez had us proselyte in the cemetery and we were able to visit one of our recent convert’s wife’s grave site. He was SO happy that we were there and it was a good experience. The cemeteries here are ABOVE ground. So you literally just climb over all the coffins and it’s kind of chaos but it was an adventure :) So man I will miss Cadiz end Branch SO MUCH!!!! I don’t know if I will be able to have a better area… we’ll see :) The members, the recent converts, the people… it has been amazing!! I was really sad to leave.. and I’m still sad. But I’m ready to press forward and see more of this island! Well I really just CANNOT think right now! I will have to make up for this email next week by sending a better email. Hope all is going well and people start saving your money because one day I WILL return back to the Philippines and whoever wants to come with me is welcome :) I promised these people and I will find a way to make it happen :)
Oct. 26 Oh How I Love Them!, Judgement Day: Sunday, Bulong or Pulong?
Greetings Family!! What a great week! Again! (Do I start all my emails this way??). Let me just tell you all how weird time is as a missionary. The days feel like weeks and the weeks feel like days. So much so that people email and say "it's been so long since I've written I'm so sorry!" and I'm just thinking "wait... I feel like you emailed me last week..." hehe I can't keep track of time! We memorize the dates of the Saturdays in the month to extend baptismal dates to investigators and it's really weird to be planning for around Christmas time.. I just know it will come so fast!!
So let me tell you about our baptism this week!! Sister Alexis and Brother RJ John.. I can't explain how much I love these kiddos!!!!!! A close comparison is the Hooper girls :) Seriously Sister Alexis is just the sweetest little thing with a huuuuge desire to learn about the gospel!! She is 11 years old. And I love her story! Her mom is a very very long time less active. I met her a long time ago and we visited her once but not regularly. Then one time we were visiting an elderly woman in the same neighborhood and she told us that Sister Zaragosa (Alexis' mom) told her that she wants the missionaries to teach her family. So we followed up and when we went to Sister Zaragosa's house she was really busy and we couldn't teach, but all she said was she would go to church the next Sunday, promise. So we left (not thinking much about it because of how many times missioanaries get told that by less active members) and loe and behold the next Sunday she was waiting at the entrance for Sister Arcinas and I with her daughter and 2 granddaughters who are all not members but were excited to go to church!! We were so happy! Sister Zaragosa is so strong. Her husband is not a member and they don't have the means for her (let alone with her daughter and granddaughters as well) to sakay sa tricycle (ride a tricycle) to church so they usually walk. Sister Zaragosa was so determined to return to church she has sacrificed a lot this last month that we have visited their family almost every day. We've also met other people through them and it's really such a tender mercy to see Sister Zaragosa back at church with her youngest daughter as a new member. :)
Then Brother RJ John!! He is a member of the Mukarram family. OHHHHHHH how I love them! They are the family with 8 kids and Erlinda is the oldest. Sister Erlinda was one of my first baptisms in this area and I've taught RJ John since the day I got here! He is so so sweet and I am determined to take a picture of his cheesy smile that he always gives me when we come to his house. AH! He's just the sweetest. He's 10 years old and his mom is also a Less Active member. She works every day allllll day long to feed all her children (and yessss I always bring too many crackers in my bag to give them at the end of the day).. but oh how I love this family! Okay okay, that's the last time I will say that :) I JUST WISH YOU COULD ALL MEET THESE PEOPLE!!! Why does coming to the Philippines have to be so expensiiiiiive????!
Okay well back to the baptism. We had it after Stake Conference so that's why it was getting dark outside in the pictures (not very good quality- sorry!). Their cute little testimonies just melted my heart! Of course the first thing they said was how cold the water was...and RJ John giggled through his entire testimony. haha But the spirit was strong and it was a good experience :) Baptisms are the best!!
So Sunday is like "judgement day" as a missionary for everyone that you've taught throughout the entire week. The people that come to church or the ones that we try to focus on the next week because they are really showing their faith and desire to find the truth through coming to church. Some of these people- at church is the first time we meet them! That's my favorite! It's like Christmas every Sunday that this happens :) Yesterday we had 3 Christmas present from our recent converts that brought their friends to church! The best thing is they are not overly shy to come with their "on fire" recent convert friend and it makes me SO excited the start of the week to teach these prepared, new, fresh investigators!! I am so excited to follow up with them, extend them baptismal date on the first visit, answer their questions, and find out why and where their desire came from to come to church. It's so great!! These people (from what I've seen) progress about 10x faster (or more) than an ordinary person that we would meet and invite to church. It just goes to show how important members are in this work!!!
I will put the bloopers and funnies for this week in the middle kay sayang and pagpamatuod ko sa katapusan.. haha
~ I broke my first chair this week!! Yeeeee... it happens to almost all Foreign missionaries that serve here. How many stories have I heard.. and YES it's embarrassing!! Thankfully in the same night the host of the house ALSO broke one of her chairs too.... so I didn't feel near as bad once that happened. I guess we both have a couple pounds to lose. haha
~ We had such a funny conversation with this old man that we passed by that we tried to start teaching... we started talking to him and when we introduced ourselves he asked if we could help him by giving him money or something and Sister Arcinas confidently replied how we help people through the message that we have to share instead of by giving temporal things... and he got so excited because what HE heard was BULONG (meaning "medicine") but what Sister Arcinas said was PULONG (meaning "words"... like pulong sang dios: "words of God"). Well it was really really rough to come back from that and he was listing off all the medicines that he needs and all his symptoms of old age and wouldn't let neither Sister Arcinas or I talk to clarify that he heard her wrong. hahahaha thankfully he didn't look like he was in critical condition for anything and don't worry he had a nice house of his own that he was sitting outside of... it just was his so funny because I guess one of his symptoms is also hard of hearing!!
~ When I asked someone about committing crimes I wasn't really sure what the word for "crime" was so I took my best guess (and that's where I should've asked my companion instead) because what I really said was CREAM (like what they put in their coffee..). Me: "Have you ever committed a serious cream?"... Nanay: "I haven't done anything with cream since I stopped drinking coffee.." hahahaha oops.
So transfers are coming up and I'm really hoping I stay in this area another transfer because it's really amazing!! This WORK (not matter where you are) is amazing!! Thinking about how many baptisms we had for October... my mind is still blown.. how in the WORLD did this happen?! It's a whole lot of tender mercies and miracles from the Lord. I know and can testify that miracles come through obedience. I am so grateful to be serving a mission and love the Bacolod Philippines Mission!! With Gwen continuing to prepare for her mission, I am more excited than ever for her to experience this unreal joy that comes from helping other come closer to Jesus Christ through faith in Jesus Christ and His Atonement, Repentance, Baptism, Receiving the Gift of the Holy Ghost, and Enduring to the End. The promise is the same for us ALL! To return to live with our Heavenly Father again. :) He loves us so much and I LOVE HIM TOO!!
I thank Him every day for giving me the best family in the world:)
I love you all!!!!!!!!
Sister Judd
So let me tell you about our baptism this week!! Sister Alexis and Brother RJ John.. I can't explain how much I love these kiddos!!!!!! A close comparison is the Hooper girls :) Seriously Sister Alexis is just the sweetest little thing with a huuuuge desire to learn about the gospel!! She is 11 years old. And I love her story! Her mom is a very very long time less active. I met her a long time ago and we visited her once but not regularly. Then one time we were visiting an elderly woman in the same neighborhood and she told us that Sister Zaragosa (Alexis' mom) told her that she wants the missionaries to teach her family. So we followed up and when we went to Sister Zaragosa's house she was really busy and we couldn't teach, but all she said was she would go to church the next Sunday, promise. So we left (not thinking much about it because of how many times missioanaries get told that by less active members) and loe and behold the next Sunday she was waiting at the entrance for Sister Arcinas and I with her daughter and 2 granddaughters who are all not members but were excited to go to church!! We were so happy! Sister Zaragosa is so strong. Her husband is not a member and they don't have the means for her (let alone with her daughter and granddaughters as well) to sakay sa tricycle (ride a tricycle) to church so they usually walk. Sister Zaragosa was so determined to return to church she has sacrificed a lot this last month that we have visited their family almost every day. We've also met other people through them and it's really such a tender mercy to see Sister Zaragosa back at church with her youngest daughter as a new member. :)
Then Brother RJ John!! He is a member of the Mukarram family. OHHHHHHH how I love them! They are the family with 8 kids and Erlinda is the oldest. Sister Erlinda was one of my first baptisms in this area and I've taught RJ John since the day I got here! He is so so sweet and I am determined to take a picture of his cheesy smile that he always gives me when we come to his house. AH! He's just the sweetest. He's 10 years old and his mom is also a Less Active member. She works every day allllll day long to feed all her children (and yessss I always bring too many crackers in my bag to give them at the end of the day).. but oh how I love this family! Okay okay, that's the last time I will say that :) I JUST WISH YOU COULD ALL MEET THESE PEOPLE!!! Why does coming to the Philippines have to be so expensiiiiiive????!
Okay well back to the baptism. We had it after Stake Conference so that's why it was getting dark outside in the pictures (not very good quality- sorry!). Their cute little testimonies just melted my heart! Of course the first thing they said was how cold the water was...and RJ John giggled through his entire testimony. haha But the spirit was strong and it was a good experience :) Baptisms are the best!!
So Sunday is like "judgement day" as a missionary for everyone that you've taught throughout the entire week. The people that come to church or the ones that we try to focus on the next week because they are really showing their faith and desire to find the truth through coming to church. Some of these people- at church is the first time we meet them! That's my favorite! It's like Christmas every Sunday that this happens :) Yesterday we had 3 Christmas present from our recent converts that brought their friends to church! The best thing is they are not overly shy to come with their "on fire" recent convert friend and it makes me SO excited the start of the week to teach these prepared, new, fresh investigators!! I am so excited to follow up with them, extend them baptismal date on the first visit, answer their questions, and find out why and where their desire came from to come to church. It's so great!! These people (from what I've seen) progress about 10x faster (or more) than an ordinary person that we would meet and invite to church. It just goes to show how important members are in this work!!!
I will put the bloopers and funnies for this week in the middle kay sayang and pagpamatuod ko sa katapusan.. haha
~ I broke my first chair this week!! Yeeeee... it happens to almost all Foreign missionaries that serve here. How many stories have I heard.. and YES it's embarrassing!! Thankfully in the same night the host of the house ALSO broke one of her chairs too.... so I didn't feel near as bad once that happened. I guess we both have a couple pounds to lose. haha
~ We had such a funny conversation with this old man that we passed by that we tried to start teaching... we started talking to him and when we introduced ourselves he asked if we could help him by giving him money or something and Sister Arcinas confidently replied how we help people through the message that we have to share instead of by giving temporal things... and he got so excited because what HE heard was BULONG (meaning "medicine") but what Sister Arcinas said was PULONG (meaning "words"... like pulong sang dios: "words of God"). Well it was really really rough to come back from that and he was listing off all the medicines that he needs and all his symptoms of old age and wouldn't let neither Sister Arcinas or I talk to clarify that he heard her wrong. hahahaha thankfully he didn't look like he was in critical condition for anything and don't worry he had a nice house of his own that he was sitting outside of... it just was his so funny because I guess one of his symptoms is also hard of hearing!!
~ When I asked someone about committing crimes I wasn't really sure what the word for "crime" was so I took my best guess (and that's where I should've asked my companion instead) because what I really said was CREAM (like what they put in their coffee..). Me: "Have you ever committed a serious cream?"... Nanay: "I haven't done anything with cream since I stopped drinking coffee.." hahahaha oops.
So transfers are coming up and I'm really hoping I stay in this area another transfer because it's really amazing!! This WORK (not matter where you are) is amazing!! Thinking about how many baptisms we had for October... my mind is still blown.. how in the WORLD did this happen?! It's a whole lot of tender mercies and miracles from the Lord. I know and can testify that miracles come through obedience. I am so grateful to be serving a mission and love the Bacolod Philippines Mission!! With Gwen continuing to prepare for her mission, I am more excited than ever for her to experience this unreal joy that comes from helping other come closer to Jesus Christ through faith in Jesus Christ and His Atonement, Repentance, Baptism, Receiving the Gift of the Holy Ghost, and Enduring to the End. The promise is the same for us ALL! To return to live with our Heavenly Father again. :) He loves us so much and I LOVE HIM TOO!!
I thank Him every day for giving me the best family in the world:)
I love you all!!!!!!!!
Sister Judd
Oct 19 Baptism Sa Bay2x, Clapping Ears and Smiling Hearts
Hello Family! What a week we've had! Let me once again start with the most important news... the baptism! Sister Maria Alexandra was baptized this Saturday :) And this will truly be a baptism that can never be forgotten.. because it was IN THE OCEAN! (sa baybay) (pronounced byebye). Yup! TRUE! The baptismal font at the church here broke and canceling a baptism is just not an option. So we found a good spot on the beach in our area where there was little to no people and it was a success! The Elders also had a baptism and it was such a great experience- one that I will always treasure. The spirit was felt so strong and Sister Arcinas' and my prayers were answered that the remembrance of the sacredness of the ordinance of baptism was not forgotten and all went well. I will send pictures when I'm done writing!! Sister Maria Alexandra is so cute! She is a 11 year old little girl. She is next door neighbor and family to our recent converts Jun Jun and Jungarr and also best friends with another recent convert little Sister Zyrell. She would join all the lessons and Sister Arcinas and honestly didn't notice her or focus on her until one time we extended the invitation for them all to keep the Word of Wisdom and she also chanted "YES!" with all the other people and then when we came back she ran up to us and was so excited to tell us that she quite drinking coffee and has been reading the book of mormon and her grandma agreed to give her money to go to church. WOW! So she started coming to church and is just a spitfire little girl!! Her ancient grandma has raised her since birth. She's never met her mother or father. They live a very very very x10000 humble life and it is so sweet to show up to their home (after crossing this crazy bridge) and grandma and Sister Maria Alex is laying out reading the Book of Mormon together. My heart just melts I want to stop time and take a picture every time :)
Let me also tell you all how mind blowingly awesome this mission is. Bacolod Philippines Mission baptized 590 converts in the month of September. That number is unreal and as far as anyone knows here is the highest ever recorded. Ever. I can't explain how amazing this work is! THE WORK OF SALVATION! The Lord is truly hastening His work and I feel like we as missionaries are an a treadmill that keeps increasing in speed and somehow we're just trying to keep up!! This is HIS work and the miracles are from His hand in this work :) I am so grateful to be a missionary!!!
Some heartwarming highlights from this week is one of Sister Lilibeth's sister (Sister NoAnn) is visiting from Manila and she received the Book of Mormon that I sent her through one of her other sisters (I've met Sister NoAnn before but she only stays for a short time when she visits). She bore her testimony as we taught their family and has felt a big difference in her life as she has read the Book of Mormon and is already almost half way done with it! She added even though she has a lot of questions she has the desire to be baptized because of the way she feels when she reads the Book of Mormon. And she came to church for the first time this Sunday!!! I testify of the power of the Book of Mormon!! It is the most powerful tool to missionary work and is the keystone of our religion! If one wants to find our if this church is true, and if Joseph Smith is a true prophet called of God in this dispensation, he/she just needs to read the Book of Mormon, ponder and pray about the things that they have read with real intent to receive an answer from God. This promise is so true! I love the Book of Mormon so much and have felt it's power in my life.
Cadiz 2nd Branch has my heart! :) I love this area so so much!!! The members are soooo sweet!! They really have adopted us and our ears clap and our hearts smile as they express their love and appreciate for all the missionaries and then specifically and genuinely for us as missionaries serving in this branch. It feels so great to feel this love and support from members and when the time comes, I will truly miss Cadiz so much!! I don't have time nor the energy to list the many many ways that these generous people show their love to us. Hard work in each area you serve really pays off!! It means so much to us and all I can say is... work with the missionaries in your wards! Get to know them! Like really get to know them. Grow to love them! And help them! Because this work is nothing except frustration without members! With members it is so sweet and special! It works!
My heart is so happy (and yes I realize how extremely cheesy all my emails sound but I can't help it!!!!!!!) to hear how great everything is going at home!!!! I love my Father in Heaven and feel the Savior's love so strong in my life. I know that He is blessing us and that He loves us all so much!!!
Randoms to add:
* PLEAAASEEEE don't be offended if from this week on I can't reply to your personal emails. I will still send a letter each week and it will be put on my blog and the pictures probably will be reposted on facebook (thank you again Kort!!), but we have a strict amount of time that we are able to email and President Lopez is continually reminding us of this rule. I FEEL YOUR LOVE AND SUPPORT WHEN YOU EMAIL ME! This is not by any means a request for the emails to stop... I just can't reply. But I love you all so much!!
* There were 12 confirmations in sacrament meeting yesterday. That was exciting for us as missionaries but I think slightly difficult for the members to sit through.
* I surprised myself this week when a member fed us this new type of dried fish and Sister Arcinas mentioned "ehhh I don't want to eat the heaaad" and I took it out of her hand and plopped the dried, fried, fish head in my mouth. AND enjoyed it. WHO AM I?? ;)
* I AM DREAMING IN ILONGGO! I've been waiting for this moment in my mission! I wake up and try and remember if my dream was English or Ilonggo and I just can't remember.. all I remember is understanding whatever was being said or that I was saying... but now I'm sure. It's Ilonggo now! For those of you that have served missions in another language you understand the excitement this brings :)
* But don't get too excited I'm still learning this language!! This week I mixed up the words "fly" (lupad) and "translate" (lubad) as I was explaining about Joseph Smith translating the Book of Mormon. Always lots of laughs :)
Love you all TONS AND TONS TIMES A BILLION JILLION! :)
Sister Judd
Let me also tell you all how mind blowingly awesome this mission is. Bacolod Philippines Mission baptized 590 converts in the month of September. That number is unreal and as far as anyone knows here is the highest ever recorded. Ever. I can't explain how amazing this work is! THE WORK OF SALVATION! The Lord is truly hastening His work and I feel like we as missionaries are an a treadmill that keeps increasing in speed and somehow we're just trying to keep up!! This is HIS work and the miracles are from His hand in this work :) I am so grateful to be a missionary!!!
Some heartwarming highlights from this week is one of Sister Lilibeth's sister (Sister NoAnn) is visiting from Manila and she received the Book of Mormon that I sent her through one of her other sisters (I've met Sister NoAnn before but she only stays for a short time when she visits). She bore her testimony as we taught their family and has felt a big difference in her life as she has read the Book of Mormon and is already almost half way done with it! She added even though she has a lot of questions she has the desire to be baptized because of the way she feels when she reads the Book of Mormon. And she came to church for the first time this Sunday!!! I testify of the power of the Book of Mormon!! It is the most powerful tool to missionary work and is the keystone of our religion! If one wants to find our if this church is true, and if Joseph Smith is a true prophet called of God in this dispensation, he/she just needs to read the Book of Mormon, ponder and pray about the things that they have read with real intent to receive an answer from God. This promise is so true! I love the Book of Mormon so much and have felt it's power in my life.
Cadiz 2nd Branch has my heart! :) I love this area so so much!!! The members are soooo sweet!! They really have adopted us and our ears clap and our hearts smile as they express their love and appreciate for all the missionaries and then specifically and genuinely for us as missionaries serving in this branch. It feels so great to feel this love and support from members and when the time comes, I will truly miss Cadiz so much!! I don't have time nor the energy to list the many many ways that these generous people show their love to us. Hard work in each area you serve really pays off!! It means so much to us and all I can say is... work with the missionaries in your wards! Get to know them! Like really get to know them. Grow to love them! And help them! Because this work is nothing except frustration without members! With members it is so sweet and special! It works!
My heart is so happy (and yes I realize how extremely cheesy all my emails sound but I can't help it!!!!!!!) to hear how great everything is going at home!!!! I love my Father in Heaven and feel the Savior's love so strong in my life. I know that He is blessing us and that He loves us all so much!!!
Randoms to add:
* PLEAAASEEEE don't be offended if from this week on I can't reply to your personal emails. I will still send a letter each week and it will be put on my blog and the pictures probably will be reposted on facebook (thank you again Kort!!), but we have a strict amount of time that we are able to email and President Lopez is continually reminding us of this rule. I FEEL YOUR LOVE AND SUPPORT WHEN YOU EMAIL ME! This is not by any means a request for the emails to stop... I just can't reply. But I love you all so much!!
* There were 12 confirmations in sacrament meeting yesterday. That was exciting for us as missionaries but I think slightly difficult for the members to sit through.
* I surprised myself this week when a member fed us this new type of dried fish and Sister Arcinas mentioned "ehhh I don't want to eat the heaaad" and I took it out of her hand and plopped the dried, fried, fish head in my mouth. AND enjoyed it. WHO AM I?? ;)
* I AM DREAMING IN ILONGGO! I've been waiting for this moment in my mission! I wake up and try and remember if my dream was English or Ilonggo and I just can't remember.. all I remember is understanding whatever was being said or that I was saying... but now I'm sure. It's Ilonggo now! For those of you that have served missions in another language you understand the excitement this brings :)
* But don't get too excited I'm still learning this language!! This week I mixed up the words "fly" (lupad) and "translate" (lubad) as I was explaining about Joseph Smith translating the Book of Mormon. Always lots of laughs :)
Love you all TONS AND TONS TIMES A BILLION JILLION! :)
Sister Judd
Tuesday, October 14, 2014
better than Christmas, He will strengthen us!
Hello Family!!
Oh how excited I am to tell you all about our baptism this weekend!! We also were able to watch General Conference this weekend which made this weekend better than CHRISTMAS! :) Sister Arcinas, Me, and even the Branch that we are serving in broke a record this weekend holding a baptism of 8!!! (10 in total for the branch counting the Elder’s baptisms) :)
Let me tell you about EACH of them because they all mean so much to me!
Villanueva Family: Brother “Bong”, Sister RubyAnn and Brother Jason. Sister Arcinas and I found them because they sell bbq in our area and we would walk by them at least 3 times every day and we noticed that they would always call out to us “Maayong Hapon! Tinapay day! (pronounced die)” But we would smile or politely decline their offer to give us their food they’re selling and then one day we stopped to fill up our water bottles in the peso jug next to their INASAL and we started making small talk with Sister RubyAnn, we gave her a pamphlet and invited her to hear our message and she gladly accepted. The next day we walked by them we followed up on their reading and Brother Bong was now there so we were able to meet him as well. The first thing he did was ask us for another pamphlet to read because he and his wife couldn’t read the one that we gave them at the same time. (He was even kind of upset). We handed him a couple pamphlets, so surprised that he was so excited and worked up about reading the message that we had to share! So we set an apt to teach them and taught them at their home. Well it turns out that after we taught at their home that one day it caused a huge conflict between RubyAnn and her mom. Her mom is devote Catholic and would not allow us to come back to their home. It was disappointing because RubyAnn’s father and her younger sister were also very receptive and accepted the invitation to be baptized but we aren’t able to continue teaching them. I’m sure there will come a time though that they will meet missionaries again. We started RubyAnn and Bong at their INASAL (as people buy and pass by and stare at us like we’re aliens hehe) and at the church before it started. After a couple weeks they opened up that not only did they change their “day off” for bbq from Monday to Sunday, but they wake up at 4am on Sunday to be at the church by 7am (after they cook their breakfast and lunch for after church and walk to church) and are there about 3 hours early literally THE ONLY ONES THERE that early other than the person that opens the church. And SOMETIMES THEY GET THERE BEFORE THE KEY PERSON!! Haha It worked out perfectly that their son Jason turned 8 4 days before their baptism so he was baptized with his parents :) Despite how hard it has been with Sister RubyAnn’s family, they have stayed so strong in their desire to follow what they FEEL is right as we have taught them about the Restored Gospel of Jesus Christ! Brother Bong has really come a long way in his life and has been so prepared! He has come from his past of drugs, rehab, prison and much more- and now… the change is immeasurable and remarkable!
Sister RheaMae and RhomelaMae: We met them because we found out that their grandparents are long time less actives. Oh how special it has been to see a their family change! The grandparents went from hiding from us and always drunk to now Brother Autencio gave up alcohol again, they are coming to church again and want the rest of their (I don’t even KNOW how many.. a lot) other grandchildren to be taught and baptized! Sister RheaMae is the oldest of 5 and last year their mom passed away.. their mom was a member of the church and it was so sweet to hear sister RheaMae’s testimony at her baptism of how she knows her mom is happy for their decision and how she will continue to strive to be a good example for her other siblings. Their grandparents take care of them now and they just mean so so much to us!! (16 and 15 years old)
Brother Kinneth: I’ve taught Brother Kinneth for a really long time now. He’s 15 years old. He’s been taught by missionaries for a really long time now. It’s so special to me that I was still here when he was baptized! He was a referral from his best friend Brother Justine who is a recent convert. They are so humble and are 2 of the 3 or 4 students that attend seminary! So strong!! He shared with us that he’s on a quest to really change and has made up his mind that he WILL serve a mission one day!!
Sister Princess: She was a referral from the Relief Society President (who also served a mission). She is Sister Mercy (the RS president’s) niece! Her parents are not members but she has off and on been coming to church since she was young. She is so close with so many of the Young Women in the branch (they’ve known each other since they were young) and her mom attended her baptism! It took Sister Arcinas giving away one of her favorite dresses… but we were so happy that she came to support her daughter and someday I know that she will follow. She also used to be taught by missionaries when she was Sister Princess’ age. Sister Princess is 12 going on 18.. haha she’s a crack up!
Brother Jun-Jun: He was ALSO a referral- from a member who just left on his mission! His cousin Junggar was just baptized last week and in he shared with us that he is so grateful that Heavenly Father has given him the chance to change. He says before meeting the missionaries he didn’t know where his life was going he would just work and drink and was so unhappy but he said he has felt real peace and happiness in his life as he is reading the scriptures and learning about the Restored Gospel of Jesus Christ! He is 22 years old and is hoping to have the church help in enroll in high school and finish his schooling. He also wants us to meet his family and start teaching them too!!
Sorry this is so long! But I just want you all to know all about these people and how much they truly mean to me! I would never change this opportunity to teach these people and get to know them for anything in the world! That’s how I feel about ALL of the people that I teach on this beautiful island..
I love being a missionary so much!
Since I’ve shared the most important things I will just add one of my favorite quotes from conference! “He is no stranger to his servants.” –President Boyd K. Packer
He will “strengthen thee, help thee, and cause thee to stand” (hymn #85). This was an answer to some of my questions that I pondered before General Conference and I was so grateful to be reminded how much The Savior loves each and every one of us and is patiently waiting for us to DO OUR PART to come unto Him and feel His love, support and help in our lives! He literally will LIFT US UP spiritually, emotionally and even physically (Gwen, get lots of rest before you enter the MTC because being a missionary is really tiring!) :)
Good luck Storm on the mission!! I look forward to writing you when I get home!! You will be such a great missionary!!
For all those who missed conference, make it a priority to watch, listen and read the talks on the internet. Even those who are not “mormon”.. the opportunity to listen to the living prophet’s voice and His apostles is one of the greatest blessings that we have!
I love you all so SOOOOOOOOOOO much!!!
Sister Judd!
Oh how excited I am to tell you all about our baptism this weekend!! We also were able to watch General Conference this weekend which made this weekend better than CHRISTMAS! :) Sister Arcinas, Me, and even the Branch that we are serving in broke a record this weekend holding a baptism of 8!!! (10 in total for the branch counting the Elder’s baptisms) :)
Let me tell you about EACH of them because they all mean so much to me!
Villanueva Family: Brother “Bong”, Sister RubyAnn and Brother Jason. Sister Arcinas and I found them because they sell bbq in our area and we would walk by them at least 3 times every day and we noticed that they would always call out to us “Maayong Hapon! Tinapay day! (pronounced die)” But we would smile or politely decline their offer to give us their food they’re selling and then one day we stopped to fill up our water bottles in the peso jug next to their INASAL and we started making small talk with Sister RubyAnn, we gave her a pamphlet and invited her to hear our message and she gladly accepted. The next day we walked by them we followed up on their reading and Brother Bong was now there so we were able to meet him as well. The first thing he did was ask us for another pamphlet to read because he and his wife couldn’t read the one that we gave them at the same time. (He was even kind of upset). We handed him a couple pamphlets, so surprised that he was so excited and worked up about reading the message that we had to share! So we set an apt to teach them and taught them at their home. Well it turns out that after we taught at their home that one day it caused a huge conflict between RubyAnn and her mom. Her mom is devote Catholic and would not allow us to come back to their home. It was disappointing because RubyAnn’s father and her younger sister were also very receptive and accepted the invitation to be baptized but we aren’t able to continue teaching them. I’m sure there will come a time though that they will meet missionaries again. We started RubyAnn and Bong at their INASAL (as people buy and pass by and stare at us like we’re aliens hehe) and at the church before it started. After a couple weeks they opened up that not only did they change their “day off” for bbq from Monday to Sunday, but they wake up at 4am on Sunday to be at the church by 7am (after they cook their breakfast and lunch for after church and walk to church) and are there about 3 hours early literally THE ONLY ONES THERE that early other than the person that opens the church. And SOMETIMES THEY GET THERE BEFORE THE KEY PERSON!! Haha It worked out perfectly that their son Jason turned 8 4 days before their baptism so he was baptized with his parents :) Despite how hard it has been with Sister RubyAnn’s family, they have stayed so strong in their desire to follow what they FEEL is right as we have taught them about the Restored Gospel of Jesus Christ! Brother Bong has really come a long way in his life and has been so prepared! He has come from his past of drugs, rehab, prison and much more- and now… the change is immeasurable and remarkable!
Sister RheaMae and RhomelaMae: We met them because we found out that their grandparents are long time less actives. Oh how special it has been to see a their family change! The grandparents went from hiding from us and always drunk to now Brother Autencio gave up alcohol again, they are coming to church again and want the rest of their (I don’t even KNOW how many.. a lot) other grandchildren to be taught and baptized! Sister RheaMae is the oldest of 5 and last year their mom passed away.. their mom was a member of the church and it was so sweet to hear sister RheaMae’s testimony at her baptism of how she knows her mom is happy for their decision and how she will continue to strive to be a good example for her other siblings. Their grandparents take care of them now and they just mean so so much to us!! (16 and 15 years old)
Brother Kinneth: I’ve taught Brother Kinneth for a really long time now. He’s 15 years old. He’s been taught by missionaries for a really long time now. It’s so special to me that I was still here when he was baptized! He was a referral from his best friend Brother Justine who is a recent convert. They are so humble and are 2 of the 3 or 4 students that attend seminary! So strong!! He shared with us that he’s on a quest to really change and has made up his mind that he WILL serve a mission one day!!
Sister Princess: She was a referral from the Relief Society President (who also served a mission). She is Sister Mercy (the RS president’s) niece! Her parents are not members but she has off and on been coming to church since she was young. She is so close with so many of the Young Women in the branch (they’ve known each other since they were young) and her mom attended her baptism! It took Sister Arcinas giving away one of her favorite dresses… but we were so happy that she came to support her daughter and someday I know that she will follow. She also used to be taught by missionaries when she was Sister Princess’ age. Sister Princess is 12 going on 18.. haha she’s a crack up!
Brother Jun-Jun: He was ALSO a referral- from a member who just left on his mission! His cousin Junggar was just baptized last week and in he shared with us that he is so grateful that Heavenly Father has given him the chance to change. He says before meeting the missionaries he didn’t know where his life was going he would just work and drink and was so unhappy but he said he has felt real peace and happiness in his life as he is reading the scriptures and learning about the Restored Gospel of Jesus Christ! He is 22 years old and is hoping to have the church help in enroll in high school and finish his schooling. He also wants us to meet his family and start teaching them too!!
Sorry this is so long! But I just want you all to know all about these people and how much they truly mean to me! I would never change this opportunity to teach these people and get to know them for anything in the world! That’s how I feel about ALL of the people that I teach on this beautiful island..
I love being a missionary so much!
Since I’ve shared the most important things I will just add one of my favorite quotes from conference! “He is no stranger to his servants.” –President Boyd K. Packer
He will “strengthen thee, help thee, and cause thee to stand” (hymn #85). This was an answer to some of my questions that I pondered before General Conference and I was so grateful to be reminded how much The Savior loves each and every one of us and is patiently waiting for us to DO OUR PART to come unto Him and feel His love, support and help in our lives! He literally will LIFT US UP spiritually, emotionally and even physically (Gwen, get lots of rest before you enter the MTC because being a missionary is really tiring!) :)
Good luck Storm on the mission!! I look forward to writing you when I get home!! You will be such a great missionary!!
For all those who missed conference, make it a priority to watch, listen and read the talks on the internet. Even those who are not “mormon”.. the opportunity to listen to the living prophet’s voice and His apostles is one of the greatest blessings that we have!
I love you all so SOOOOOOOOOOO much!!!
Sister Judd!
He Knows Best, Good Lookin Monson and Hold Tight for Next Week!!
Hello Family!!!
What a wonderful week this has been!! (October is a GREAT MONTH!!)
What a wonderful week this has been!! (October is a GREAT MONTH!!)
Let me tell you about our baptism!! Sister LabLab, Sister Joy and Brother Junggar! They are all 3 referrals! (Referrals from members are the bbbeeeesssssttttt). Brother Junggar is 23 years old and is cousins to Brother Mark (who just left on his mission). He is such a rock and really really changed!! He used to drink almost every day after work and we would always walk past him (before we met him) and he was always drunk. When he was finally introduced to us he was so shy and sooo humble! He was so willing to change and gave up drinking right away! He's so awesome and has already given us referrals of his friends and family members that he wants us to teach!
Sister LabLab is 20 years old and is the sister of our recent convert (Sister Lilibeth)! She has been going to school in Manila for a couple of years but decided to take a break and moved back home. She has really come a long way and her life has made a complete 180 as she has such different dreams and desires and ambitions from learning about and finding out this church is true! She has the funniest personality and is such a joker... I feel like she's one of my siblings we've really grown so so close to their family!!
Sister Joy is 16 and is Sister Lilibeth and Sister LabLab's niece. Her grandpa is the one that had that crazy awesome dream about the Plan of Salvation! She started coming to church with Sister Mariel and Sister Lilibeth (our recent converts) and just loved it! She was baptized in 4 weeks after coming to church and she LOVES to read the Book of Mormon! She has a rough family situation and she says that it really helps her cope with her problems to just get lost in the Book of Mormon. She's already almost half way done! She's such a rock and we just had a wonderful weekend celebrating these ABSOLUTELY AMAZING converts!!
I have learned so much this week and a highlight was definatley the Women's General Meeting! Highlights: "Make it your hearts desire to live the gospel joyfully." This is only possible if it is really our heart's desire! It's not enough just to fake a smile and list blessings without our heart's genuine gratitude for all the blessings that the Lord showers upon us- of the most important is His Atoning Sacrifice, The Restored Gospel and Eternal Families!! I have been learning a lot about how much JOY the gospel brings through serving a mission!! I cry a lot... and it's not from being sad. It's from this unreal joy that I feel!!! Another Highlight: President Uchtdorf made a funny comparison between a young child sitting in front of a big plate of vegetables.. we all know how unhappy that child is to eat that plate of greens and how persistent the parent is. We should not be like that young child sitting in front of a big plate of the commandments of Our Loving Father in Heaven. Let us understand that HE KNOWS SOMETHING(S) THAT WE DON'T KNOW. Just like the parents that refuses to let the child down from the table until he/she's eaten the vegetables... that parent knows it's only for that child health! Unlike that loving parent with right motives, our Heavenly Father does not force us. But His greatest desire is for us to CHOOSE what's BEST for ourselves. And how much more great will that be if we enjoy it at the same time :) Our attitude about obedience should be a joyful one because the commandments are from Our Father in Heaven who loves us and wants what's best for us!! And LAST Highlight: "Discover your best self." Let us not overlook our potential! When we give into the temptation to be grumpy, rude, negative and all other things unkind, we lose the opportunity to find our best self! Through the Savior's example, we can choose to become more like Him and realize that that is the BEST thing we can do in our lives! I'm so grateful for the Savior's example in my life and I hope we are all finding joy in this journey to return back to live with Heavenly Father again! I want to find my best self and I'm so grateful that He loves us enough to help us along the way!
Oh how I can't wait to write next week! We have big big big plans for this
Sister LabLab is 20 years old and is the sister of our recent convert (Sister Lilibeth)! She has been going to school in Manila for a couple of years but decided to take a break and moved back home. She has really come a long way and her life has made a complete 180 as she has such different dreams and desires and ambitions from learning about and finding out this church is true! She has the funniest personality and is such a joker... I feel like she's one of my siblings we've really grown so so close to their family!!
Sister Joy is 16 and is Sister Lilibeth and Sister LabLab's niece. Her grandpa is the one that had that crazy awesome dream about the Plan of Salvation! She started coming to church with Sister Mariel and Sister Lilibeth (our recent converts) and just loved it! She was baptized in 4 weeks after coming to church and she LOVES to read the Book of Mormon! She has a rough family situation and she says that it really helps her cope with her problems to just get lost in the Book of Mormon. She's already almost half way done! She's such a rock and we just had a wonderful weekend celebrating these ABSOLUTELY AMAZING converts!!
I have learned so much this week and a highlight was definatley the Women's General Meeting! Highlights: "Make it your hearts desire to live the gospel joyfully." This is only possible if it is really our heart's desire! It's not enough just to fake a smile and list blessings without our heart's genuine gratitude for all the blessings that the Lord showers upon us- of the most important is His Atoning Sacrifice, The Restored Gospel and Eternal Families!! I have been learning a lot about how much JOY the gospel brings through serving a mission!! I cry a lot... and it's not from being sad. It's from this unreal joy that I feel!!! Another Highlight: President Uchtdorf made a funny comparison between a young child sitting in front of a big plate of vegetables.. we all know how unhappy that child is to eat that plate of greens and how persistent the parent is. We should not be like that young child sitting in front of a big plate of the commandments of Our Loving Father in Heaven. Let us understand that HE KNOWS SOMETHING(S) THAT WE DON'T KNOW. Just like the parents that refuses to let the child down from the table until he/she's eaten the vegetables... that parent knows it's only for that child health! Unlike that loving parent with right motives, our Heavenly Father does not force us. But His greatest desire is for us to CHOOSE what's BEST for ourselves. And how much more great will that be if we enjoy it at the same time :) Our attitude about obedience should be a joyful one because the commandments are from Our Father in Heaven who loves us and wants what's best for us!! And LAST Highlight: "Discover your best self." Let us not overlook our potential! When we give into the temptation to be grumpy, rude, negative and all other things unkind, we lose the opportunity to find our best self! Through the Savior's example, we can choose to become more like Him and realize that that is the BEST thing we can do in our lives! I'm so grateful for the Savior's example in my life and I hope we are all finding joy in this journey to return back to live with Heavenly Father again! I want to find my best self and I'm so grateful that He loves us enough to help us along the way!
Oh how I can't wait to write next week! We have big big big plans for this
Recent Converts are on fire & UGA is delish (Sep28th)
Hello Family!! What an amazing week! It is all explained in my pictures.. I'm kinda worried right now because I really don't have much to say right now!! But let me first tell you about our baptism: Brother Rodel and Brother Eulysis! We met these 2 brothers through one of our long time investigators (Brother Kevin). One time we were teaching Brother Kevin and Brother Eulysis walked by and started listening in the doorway, we invited him in and he showed so much interest! Then Brother Kevin invited Brother Rodel to come to church with him one Sunday because he was too shy to go to church by himself. That was the first time Brother Rodel came to church and he enjoyed it so much! They both haven't missed church since, have come to numerous Family Home Evenings and Branch Activities. They both come from very humble circumstances and I am so inspired by their happiness and positiveness! They both have a huge desire to serve a mission (ages 18 and 17) and plan to receive help from the church to finish High School (a common concern for their age). I'm so grateful for the opportunity that I have had to meet this young men. They have really made a mark on the branch wearing their new white polos and ties- even Brother Eulysis sang in the Branch Choir yesterday :) They have so so much potential and I just pray so hard for the help of the members so that they remain strong and active in the church!
I know that I have mentioned the last couple of Mondays about our investigators at church but it just keeps getting more special and more special each and every Sunday! Sister Lilibeth's mom came to church for the first time yesterday! And we had even more than last week at church yesterday. This area is so great! October is looking to be one of the greatest months since I've been here. Oh how I look forward to these next couple of weeks! We have A LOT of people to help as they prepare for baptism! If only we had more hours in the day.
Mom you'd be so happy to know how often members are feeding us! (it's like a hit or miss each week) but this week- phew! We've eaten sooo much! You better believe I'm making great use my new jumprope that Kort sent me! :) I think I mentioned "UGA" one of these last weeks- well I finally got a picture of one kind of UGA. It is so yummy! But it smells like feet. It's very different, but it's really a favorite here. One kilo of the kind of UGA that I sent a picture of is 500 pesos per kilo... whereas the "normal" UGA is like 5 pieces for 5 pesos. I don't know if that actually means anythings to you all or makes any sense but I'm trying to explain how "fancy" this dried fish is that to us is stale fish left out in the sun that smells like a football locker. I don't know if I'm just used to it here or what but I really do like it! If only I could bring some home for you all to taste.
Sister Manwaring is home now! She went home last week. Man did time fly fast!!!! I feel like she's still here on this island with me! I can't wait to catch up with her when I get home!! You'd think we were able to do "catching up" serving here in the same mission- but we never saw each other enough to actually talk! Love you TONS megs!! You're such a great example to me and I hope you're there when I come home next summer! :)
I am so glad that you're all doing so well at home!! I so look forward to your emails each week!! Thank you all for your love and the many prayers! I feel your support and encouragement even though I'm way over here. The greatest joy that I have is knowing that you are all continuing in your faith and enduring to the end! I love this gospel and am so blessed to have such an amazing family and friends. I know that this church is the true and restored church of Jesus Christ and this is the way to true true happiness in our lives. Heavenly Father loves us all so very much- that's why He has given us the way (and only way) to return to live with Him again: through the Savior, Jesus Christ. I am so grateful that He died for me and for each of us so that we can repent and live again! Do we realize how eternal and great these blessings are? This is why I am excited to share this message to the people here in the Philippines. It is the message of peace, happiness and purpose in this life with the hope and confidence for life eternal with our Loving Father in Heaven. I hope we don't take advantage or take lightly these eternal truths. Love you all so much!! :)
Sister Judd
I know that I have mentioned the last couple of Mondays about our investigators at church but it just keeps getting more special and more special each and every Sunday! Sister Lilibeth's mom came to church for the first time yesterday! And we had even more than last week at church yesterday. This area is so great! October is looking to be one of the greatest months since I've been here. Oh how I look forward to these next couple of weeks! We have A LOT of people to help as they prepare for baptism! If only we had more hours in the day.
Mom you'd be so happy to know how often members are feeding us! (it's like a hit or miss each week) but this week- phew! We've eaten sooo much! You better believe I'm making great use my new jumprope that Kort sent me! :) I think I mentioned "UGA" one of these last weeks- well I finally got a picture of one kind of UGA. It is so yummy! But it smells like feet. It's very different, but it's really a favorite here. One kilo of the kind of UGA that I sent a picture of is 500 pesos per kilo... whereas the "normal" UGA is like 5 pieces for 5 pesos. I don't know if that actually means anythings to you all or makes any sense but I'm trying to explain how "fancy" this dried fish is that to us is stale fish left out in the sun that smells like a football locker. I don't know if I'm just used to it here or what but I really do like it! If only I could bring some home for you all to taste.
Sister Manwaring is home now! She went home last week. Man did time fly fast!!!! I feel like she's still here on this island with me! I can't wait to catch up with her when I get home!! You'd think we were able to do "catching up" serving here in the same mission- but we never saw each other enough to actually talk! Love you TONS megs!! You're such a great example to me and I hope you're there when I come home next summer! :)
I am so glad that you're all doing so well at home!! I so look forward to your emails each week!! Thank you all for your love and the many prayers! I feel your support and encouragement even though I'm way over here. The greatest joy that I have is knowing that you are all continuing in your faith and enduring to the end! I love this gospel and am so blessed to have such an amazing family and friends. I know that this church is the true and restored church of Jesus Christ and this is the way to true true happiness in our lives. Heavenly Father loves us all so very much- that's why He has given us the way (and only way) to return to live with Him again: through the Savior, Jesus Christ. I am so grateful that He died for me and for each of us so that we can repent and live again! Do we realize how eternal and great these blessings are? This is why I am excited to share this message to the people here in the Philippines. It is the message of peace, happiness and purpose in this life with the hope and confidence for life eternal with our Loving Father in Heaven. I hope we don't take advantage or take lightly these eternal truths. Love you all so much!! :)
Sister Judd
Friday, September 26, 2014
Pictures Sep 21st
Preview of our 2 crazy awesome investigators! Brother Rodel kag Brother Eulysis
They will be baptized next week!! They are hilarious:)
They will be baptized next week!! They are hilarious:)
Sister Arcinas and I were accidentally matching today. Isn't she adorable! :)
Sister Arcinas and I had a little SPA TIME with the awesome masks Kort sent me in my package!! And I just wanted mom to know I was thinking about her because it's her birthday weeeeeeek! (I celebrate any of your birthdays on Monday of THAT week because I cannot communicate with you on your actual birthday). BUT HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM!!!!!!!!! YOU ARE MY BESTEST FRIEND AND I MISS YOU SOOOOO SO MUCH!!! I'M SO BLESSED TO HAVE YOU AS MY NANAY! ohhhhh how I look forward to being with you again MA!! Love you so so much!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :)
Trying to Keep Up with this Work!, Fruitful Vineyard! (Sep 21)
Hello Family!!! LET ME START OFF BY TELLING YOU ALL HOW HAPPY, PROUD, EXCITED AND OVERJOYED FOR MY LITTLE SISTER!! SOON TO BE SISTER JUDD THAT WILL BE SERVING IN NEW ZEALAND!!! I know that I was the last to find out and this is all old news to you all but I can't hold in my excitement right now. I love this work and I am MORE THAN EXCITED for there to be 2 Sister Judds!!! Man, life is good :) This will make skyping at Christmas just that much more special!!!
So I don't even want to write about my week because I'm so excited for you GWEN!! AH! Sige sige I will try and focus right now.. This week was GREAT!!! We are trying our best to keep up with this work! The Lord is really hastening His work and... MAN! Is it HASTENING!! We have TOO MANY people to teach! Can you believe that?! I don't know how we will do it but I know somehow we will... to give you a little bit of an idea of how amazing this work is in our district here in Cadiz (2 sets of sisters, 2 sets of elders: one branch and one ward) we had 51 investigators at church yesterday. Sister Arcinas and I were surprised at some of the investigators that came to church yesterday! We have seen SO many tender mercies of the Lord. One of them is Brother Joenard. I taught him ONE TIME (in a huge group of his friends who were all also new investigators) with Sister Manosig at least 2 months ago and have talked to him briefly one other time than that... we were just about to go into the Sacrament Hall and I was trying to get "our group" out of the high traffic area in the hall as the ward was filing out of their sacrament meeting and BANG there was brother Joenard shyly standing there soooo lost. He is like 20 years old (that's my guess) and he lives in our farthest area.. he came by himself to church. How is that.. he just woke up yesterday and said to himself "I think I'll go to church at the Mormon church today." I mean he is THE SHYEST person ever- I never would have thought he would come to church let alone by himself! and he just brought himself to church and I'm sure just waited there in the hallway until we found him! There really are people that the Lord is preparing to (beyond all odds) investigate this church (whether missionaries are visiting them or not). All of those things put together is a complicated equation with only ONE input.. THIS IS THE LORD'S WORK. Oh how humbling it is to recognize that in very very real ways each and every day! How I wish I could sit here for hours and tell you all about EACH AND EVERY PERSON that we are teaching and that is progressing. I NEVER expected that serving a mission would be this way.. and I am so grateful to be serving in this special little part of the world where people are the ones to ask to be baptized- instead of the missionaries inviting them.
I GOT KORTNI'S PACKAGE!!!!!!!!!!!!! The Couple Missionaries (Elder and Sister Rassmussen) made a special trip to Cadiz to deliver me my package!!! Man was I excited!!! I used my jump rope this morning and thought that I was going to die. Man am I excited to get back into shape! YOU'RE THE BEST IN THE WEST KORTNI!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (AND JEREMY) :) Love you both so so much! Thank you for your love and support!!!!!! It means so much. I have been craving frozen almonds for a long time now! And the granola bars are soo yummy! Sister Arcinas and I looooooove the face masks. I never buy "snacky foods" so it's nice to get little healthy treats from home:) You know me well Kort! :) THANK YOU AGAIN!!! You are so so generous!
I finally got to meet Sister Lilibeth's husband through skype- he is currently in Las Vegas but is planning on moving here to the Philippines in October or November. He has served in the airforce for years and years and grew up in New York. He is a devote catholic and he shared with me that he is grateful that we are helping provide for his wife's "spiritual well-being". He also shared that the other day he was eating at In-N-Out Burger with some buddies and was so surprised to see Mormon Sister Missionaries sitting in the booth next to them. He felt like it was a sign from God because to him "how ironic is it that his wife is being taught my Mormon Sister Missionaries". haha Oh how I wish those Sister would have been able to talk with them- even briefly. But I know that Heavenly Father has a plan for him :)Also the "Word of Wisdom" pamphlet has a picture of two people jogging on the front of it and when we asked one of our investigators (different investigator) if they remembered the name of the Commandment they said "WORLD OF JOGGING!" hahaha nabudlayan gid sila nga magenglish (they have a hard time with english) :)
Tuesday, September 16, 2014
September 14th
yuuuuummmy! This is how they served them! You just crack it open yourself!
Sister April (Sister Lilibeth's sister). She wants to baptized RIGHT NOW. haha she's so excited and so awesome! But she just returned back to Manila. She spends one month here and one month there. She will be baptized when she returns! :)
I WANT TO SWIIIIIIIM
#beachhouse
The little girl in Green is SISTER DIMPOL (our investigator here and she used to be my investigator in Bacolod)
Brother Rex
Rex, LETICIA finally comes around and food that sounds gross but I can't get enough!
Hello
Family!! I’m so pumped to tell you about how great this week was! But before
you all get too excited just remember that it’s just as great as any other week
here… I LOVE BEING A MISSIONARY!!! I can’t even tell you all how much I love this
work. We had some really amazing highlights this week. (I wish that my
missionary life could be COMPLETELY recorded so one day we can all just sit
down and watch it- bloopers and all haha). Oh and I’m dying laughing right now
because I just got stuck in the bathroom in this computer shop… I didn’t know
that the door is broken and I crammed it shut so that I could pee (in the dark because
there’s no light and you just have to feel where the toilet it and squat and
the toilets are elf-size toilets…) but anways there’s a hole where the door
handle should be and I had to shout through the hole and some kid hear me and
got my companion and I was just dyyyying laughing. Our branch President owns
this computer shop so a member that we’re close with works and runs it and we
all had a good laugh as he somehow finally got the door open. Hahaha
Okay well that was a random story but let me tell you what happened this week :) So first thing first we had a baptism! (I’ve been waiting way too long for this one!!) Brother Rex!! He has really come a long way.. we met him through a recently returned less active member. They are neighbors and close friends but Brother Rex is almost half the age of Brother TingTong. But anyways Brother Rex is 28 years old and lives here in Cadiz all by himself. He has no communication with his family and he opened up a little bit about it one time and explained when something happened to his father when he was 5 everything changed. It’s really sensitive so I won’t share it but he only completed school up to grade 5 and lives in one of the most humble circumstances that I have ever seen. He has had a hard time giving up coffee because it is his basic food. He usually asks for rice from friends when they have some to give. He walks to church every Sunday and when Sister Manosig and I were together we thought he would be baptized but it just wasn’t the right timing. I am so glad that I was still here when he was baptized! I really saw a different side of him when he bore his testimony at his baptism and it always my favorite part of baptisms!!
This week I had what might be the most joyful experience of my missionary life! (wow I’m so dramatic). But for reals I am so happy!!! Sister Lilibeth’s mother and sisters accepted baptismal dates and are preparing to be baptized!!! Remember the dream of Lilibeth’s uncle that I sent last week?? Well Sister Lilibeth’s mother was really really changed by the dream of her brother. We realized that it was more a sign for Sister Leticia than it was for the brother that actually had the dream!! Sister Leticia is suuuuch a hard investigator. She from the beginning wouldn’t sit through a whole lesson and when she would she would make it pretty obvious that she wasn’t accepting the things that we taught. Then she opened up to us and told us that she’s been praying for a way to know if what we share and the things that Sister Lilibeth shares to her every day. She shared that the dream of her uncle help her realize that the church that we represent is really the true church and she feels so strongly that she needs to be baptized. Their family is so close and we all chuckled as they joked how they never thought Sister Leticia would come around. Even Sister Leticia joked how she thought this would just be “Sister Lilibeth’s church” but she explained how she can’t deny the way she feels and the desire that she has to learn more and be baptized!! WOW!!! This was such an amazing lesson. Sister Arcinas and I were so happy for the feelings that they were experiencing and the spirit that was felt so strongly! Sister Aricinas was especially touched because she was reminded of her mother and aunties that are so against the church right now but she knows that one day they too will realize and feel that this church is true! The spirit was so strong!! MY ABSOLUTE FAVORITE part of this lesson was the end when the tears were gone and Sister Leticia did a little happy dance as she sang “Magkadto ako sa teeeemmmppoool” (I will go to the teeeeempppplllleee) :D So cute!!! They are all planning a temple trip to Cebu before the end of the year when they are all members now. SO AMAZING!! Sister Aricinas and I just feel SO much love for and from this family it is the most overwhelming joy!! I know that many many people will follow because of them :)
I’m out of time!! But I just want to tell you all (since my family has no mercy sending me descriptions and even pictures of the amazing food that they’re eating)… I too am eating some amazing food!! Haha Dried Fish (uga) is a specialty here in Cadiz and it smells SOOO BAAADD but tastes SOOO GOOODD! I finally tried it for the first time and I’m hooked! I’ll try and take a picture this week. Also Sister Lilibeth’s family has been feeding us and they cook some awesome food for us!! Crab (served like the picture that I sent.. you have to push on the soft part of the shell really hard and the top cracks off and it’s guts come out and then you eat the meat. You even bite the legs and suck the juice and meat from the legs and pincher things…), also shrimp! You also have to bite off the head and peel the skin and legs. Oh and yummy pork adobo with the hair still on the pork. YUM! This all sounds really sarcastic but I’m not kidding when I tell you how much I love this food. No matter how gross it might sound!
Love you all so much! Thank you for your support and love. :)
I have a little bit more time than I thought!
my letter continued.... This week we volunteered at this government event that gives vaccinations and immunizations (I don't know the difference) haha for kids of all ages. even 1 month olds! It was really enjoyable to be a part of it (even though it was kind of awkward that it was held in a Catholic chapel). They let us give the Polio Vaccinations which is 2 drops into their mouths. We also had to hold down screaming kids that were afraid of the other vaccinations and we also helped answer questions and control lines.It is for the rest of September and we're really hoping to have the schedule to be able to volunteer again!
Also because it is now septemBER it is the start of the "BER" months... which translates here in the Philippines to CHRISTMAS SEASON! Yes, you heard me. It's Christmas here! Christmas songs are everywhere, all the text end in "merry chrismtas" and I decided just to enjoy it :) It's refreshing to sing new hymns.. Christmas hymns!
We went to one of our investigators house planning to serve their family (their mom passed away a couple of years ago and the two teenage girls have to do all the laundry for more than 10 people). So we brought our buckets and laundry soap and brushes and helped them do their laundry :) They have a homemade well (hole in the ground- water from a huge tree behind their house) and it's actually completely clear water! (I was so surprised). It took us a couple hours but we finally finished. We actually had a really good time as the little kids sang to us as we brushed and the view was soooo nice! It was a cool morning (not hot at all) and their house is amidst miles and miles of sugar cane fields. (That's also their bathroom). I really love serving the people here even though at times it's really challenging because they are so shy to let us help them. But we somehow let them let us help them and they cooked us these camote (kind of like a sweet potatoe) donut things. Mission accomplished :) (well errr... not yet) :)
Okay well that was a random story but let me tell you what happened this week :) So first thing first we had a baptism! (I’ve been waiting way too long for this one!!) Brother Rex!! He has really come a long way.. we met him through a recently returned less active member. They are neighbors and close friends but Brother Rex is almost half the age of Brother TingTong. But anyways Brother Rex is 28 years old and lives here in Cadiz all by himself. He has no communication with his family and he opened up a little bit about it one time and explained when something happened to his father when he was 5 everything changed. It’s really sensitive so I won’t share it but he only completed school up to grade 5 and lives in one of the most humble circumstances that I have ever seen. He has had a hard time giving up coffee because it is his basic food. He usually asks for rice from friends when they have some to give. He walks to church every Sunday and when Sister Manosig and I were together we thought he would be baptized but it just wasn’t the right timing. I am so glad that I was still here when he was baptized! I really saw a different side of him when he bore his testimony at his baptism and it always my favorite part of baptisms!!
This week I had what might be the most joyful experience of my missionary life! (wow I’m so dramatic). But for reals I am so happy!!! Sister Lilibeth’s mother and sisters accepted baptismal dates and are preparing to be baptized!!! Remember the dream of Lilibeth’s uncle that I sent last week?? Well Sister Lilibeth’s mother was really really changed by the dream of her brother. We realized that it was more a sign for Sister Leticia than it was for the brother that actually had the dream!! Sister Leticia is suuuuch a hard investigator. She from the beginning wouldn’t sit through a whole lesson and when she would she would make it pretty obvious that she wasn’t accepting the things that we taught. Then she opened up to us and told us that she’s been praying for a way to know if what we share and the things that Sister Lilibeth shares to her every day. She shared that the dream of her uncle help her realize that the church that we represent is really the true church and she feels so strongly that she needs to be baptized. Their family is so close and we all chuckled as they joked how they never thought Sister Leticia would come around. Even Sister Leticia joked how she thought this would just be “Sister Lilibeth’s church” but she explained how she can’t deny the way she feels and the desire that she has to learn more and be baptized!! WOW!!! This was such an amazing lesson. Sister Arcinas and I were so happy for the feelings that they were experiencing and the spirit that was felt so strongly! Sister Aricinas was especially touched because she was reminded of her mother and aunties that are so against the church right now but she knows that one day they too will realize and feel that this church is true! The spirit was so strong!! MY ABSOLUTE FAVORITE part of this lesson was the end when the tears were gone and Sister Leticia did a little happy dance as she sang “Magkadto ako sa teeeemmmppoool” (I will go to the teeeeempppplllleee) :D So cute!!! They are all planning a temple trip to Cebu before the end of the year when they are all members now. SO AMAZING!! Sister Aricinas and I just feel SO much love for and from this family it is the most overwhelming joy!! I know that many many people will follow because of them :)
I’m out of time!! But I just want to tell you all (since my family has no mercy sending me descriptions and even pictures of the amazing food that they’re eating)… I too am eating some amazing food!! Haha Dried Fish (uga) is a specialty here in Cadiz and it smells SOOO BAAADD but tastes SOOO GOOODD! I finally tried it for the first time and I’m hooked! I’ll try and take a picture this week. Also Sister Lilibeth’s family has been feeding us and they cook some awesome food for us!! Crab (served like the picture that I sent.. you have to push on the soft part of the shell really hard and the top cracks off and it’s guts come out and then you eat the meat. You even bite the legs and suck the juice and meat from the legs and pincher things…), also shrimp! You also have to bite off the head and peel the skin and legs. Oh and yummy pork adobo with the hair still on the pork. YUM! This all sounds really sarcastic but I’m not kidding when I tell you how much I love this food. No matter how gross it might sound!
Love you all so much! Thank you for your support and love. :)
I have a little bit more time than I thought!
my letter continued.... This week we volunteered at this government event that gives vaccinations and immunizations (I don't know the difference) haha for kids of all ages. even 1 month olds! It was really enjoyable to be a part of it (even though it was kind of awkward that it was held in a Catholic chapel). They let us give the Polio Vaccinations which is 2 drops into their mouths. We also had to hold down screaming kids that were afraid of the other vaccinations and we also helped answer questions and control lines.It is for the rest of September and we're really hoping to have the schedule to be able to volunteer again!
Also because it is now septemBER it is the start of the "BER" months... which translates here in the Philippines to CHRISTMAS SEASON! Yes, you heard me. It's Christmas here! Christmas songs are everywhere, all the text end in "merry chrismtas" and I decided just to enjoy it :) It's refreshing to sing new hymns.. Christmas hymns!
We went to one of our investigators house planning to serve their family (their mom passed away a couple of years ago and the two teenage girls have to do all the laundry for more than 10 people). So we brought our buckets and laundry soap and brushes and helped them do their laundry :) They have a homemade well (hole in the ground- water from a huge tree behind their house) and it's actually completely clear water! (I was so surprised). It took us a couple hours but we finally finished. We actually had a really good time as the little kids sang to us as we brushed and the view was soooo nice! It was a cool morning (not hot at all) and their house is amidst miles and miles of sugar cane fields. (That's also their bathroom). I really love serving the people here even though at times it's really challenging because they are so shy to let us help them. But we somehow let them let us help them and they cooked us these camote (kind of like a sweet potatoe) donut things. Mission accomplished :) (well errr... not yet) :)
Monday, September 8, 2014
A couple more pictures!!
We had a fun Family Home Evening!! I LOVE THESE PEOPLE!!!!! (most of them are investigators!!)
Such an amazing family!!!
it's started raining about .2 seconds after this picture was taken
How Great is My Joy!, 9 months and THE DREAM
Hello Family!!
I'm so glad to hear that you're all doing so well! I'm also doing great!! I remember how excited I was to tell you all how amazing our last Sunday was last week and I was overjoyed to experience an equally (if not more) exciting Sunday this week. We have so many investigators that are coming to church! There are some that we have only taught them one time and they are truly showing how prepared they are by coming to church and showing their desire to learn more! It's so humbling and exciting!! Something else that is exciting is that Sister Lilibeth received a calling! She is the 1st counselor in the Young Women! She also has started to work with us every once in a while and really really enjoys it! She is doing her family history work to prepare to go to the temple and do baptisms for the dead and is continually sharing her testimony with her family members that we are teaching, bringing family members to church and even reading the scriptures with them nightly. HOW GREAT IS MY JOY!! :D THIS WORK IS AMAZING!! Oh and I almost forgot... I'm 9 months now!! Half way! Sister Arcinas and I celebrated by making fried chicken and mashed potatoes and this "oreo float" dessert :) I've made it over "the hump"! It doesn't feel like it's been 9 months!! Time really is flying. I am praying so hard that I will stay in this area for AT LEAST another transfer- ideally with Sister Arcinas :) I just adore her and we have grown so much and have seen how much potential this area really has! We have some AMAZING investigators! I would love to stay in this area long enough to see them baptized :) I received an email from Sister Vargas (my old companion that went home) and she sent me pictures of our investigators that were baptized and I was just SO SO SO SO happy to see them at their baptism!!
We had SUCH an amazing experience this week!! I want to share it with you all because it really blew my mind! We went to an appointment of our recent converts where we are also teaching the rest of her family. When we arrived at their home they were excited to tell us about the conversation that they had had with their uncle just hours before about the dream that he had just the night before. I have met this brother one time before and he regularly passes by as we are teaching and we kindly greet him and he slips away. I’ve never had a real conversation with him or taught him. This is something that makes his dream even more surprising!! From what they explained.. his dream:
He was walking down a path that he explained was never ending. To one side he saw people that were miserable and dark as coal- all he could see was their eyes (he later explained “I didn’t know before but I learned there is a prison after this life!”). People here do not know about the doctrine about the spirit world where there are 2 states (prison and paradise). When he said this both Sister Arcinas and I were so taken back and surprised!! Then he continued explaining how he saw 3 churches on the other side of his path as he continued walking. The first was the Catholic church and it was covered in spider webs and dark. The second was a HUUUUGE church that he recognized quickly as Iglesia Ni Cristo (search how big this church is here in the Philippines.. they just built this HUGE structure in Manila!). But he saw a ton of people standing outside because the church was locked and they were all waiting to go inside. They were all fanning themselves because it was so hot (he explained). He continued on the path and saw his neice (our recent convert- Sister Lilibeth) and ME!! And my old companion Sister Manosig. We 3 were sitting on huge crystal chairs and it was so bright and full of light where we were. He explained that Sister Lilibeth was calling out to him telling him to come where we were because “there’s no darkness, sickness, hungriness or hardships here! Just happiness!” (the words that he explained Sister Lilibeth shouted out to him in his dream is WORD FOR WORD the way that I teach the happiness that is found in the Celestial Kingdom. I couldn’t believe it when he said these things!!!) How can it be that he’s never been taught by missionaries before? He asked about his other neice (our other recent convert) and he explained that I replied to him telling him that she was behind the gate playing with the other children and he spotted and recognized her feet under the gate where the children were playing.
The obvious connection to the symbolism behind his dream and the Plan of Salvation- especially the 3 kingdoms of Glory is UNREAL. Sister Arcinas and I took the opportunity to draw parallels between his dream and the plan of salvation as we taught he at times stopped us and agreed that what we were teaching is true (“I saw that in my dream!”).
Something else that truly touched me as I was listening to them explain this dream is Sister Lilibeth’s mother. She was present as we taught Lesson 2- Plan of Salvation but she is a more “difficult” investigator and I never thought she really “got much” from the lessons we taught. But she explained to her brother that his dream means that those kingdoms of God represent light and he can’t enter that kingdom of full light unless he “becomes mormon”. I knew what she meant as she explained this because she means accepting and living the restored gospel of Jesus Christ: fath, repentance, baptism by the correct authority, receiving the gift of the holy ghost and enduring to the end. This is the way to obtain Celestial Glory and eternal life!!: Where we will dwell in the mansions of our Father in Heaven.
Long story short, we invited him to continue to listen to the message that we have to share about the restoration of the gospel and he accepted but added that his wife is devote iglesia ni cristo. We are looking forward to visiting their family and continuing to teach this Brother because Heavenly Father truly has a plan for him and is preparing him by teaching him before we can through his dreams ;)
(I wasn't able to proof read this email- I hope his dream makes sense!) I love you all so so much and thank you so so much for all those that are sending me emails of love and support and simply updates. It really means SO much!! Keep writing! Keep the faith! And never forget how much our Father in Heaven loves each and every one of us :)
LOVE YOU ALL!!
Sister Judd
I'm so glad to hear that you're all doing so well! I'm also doing great!! I remember how excited I was to tell you all how amazing our last Sunday was last week and I was overjoyed to experience an equally (if not more) exciting Sunday this week. We have so many investigators that are coming to church! There are some that we have only taught them one time and they are truly showing how prepared they are by coming to church and showing their desire to learn more! It's so humbling and exciting!! Something else that is exciting is that Sister Lilibeth received a calling! She is the 1st counselor in the Young Women! She also has started to work with us every once in a while and really really enjoys it! She is doing her family history work to prepare to go to the temple and do baptisms for the dead and is continually sharing her testimony with her family members that we are teaching, bringing family members to church and even reading the scriptures with them nightly. HOW GREAT IS MY JOY!! :D THIS WORK IS AMAZING!! Oh and I almost forgot... I'm 9 months now!! Half way! Sister Arcinas and I celebrated by making fried chicken and mashed potatoes and this "oreo float" dessert :) I've made it over "the hump"! It doesn't feel like it's been 9 months!! Time really is flying. I am praying so hard that I will stay in this area for AT LEAST another transfer- ideally with Sister Arcinas :) I just adore her and we have grown so much and have seen how much potential this area really has! We have some AMAZING investigators! I would love to stay in this area long enough to see them baptized :) I received an email from Sister Vargas (my old companion that went home) and she sent me pictures of our investigators that were baptized and I was just SO SO SO SO happy to see them at their baptism!!
We had SUCH an amazing experience this week!! I want to share it with you all because it really blew my mind! We went to an appointment of our recent converts where we are also teaching the rest of her family. When we arrived at their home they were excited to tell us about the conversation that they had had with their uncle just hours before about the dream that he had just the night before. I have met this brother one time before and he regularly passes by as we are teaching and we kindly greet him and he slips away. I’ve never had a real conversation with him or taught him. This is something that makes his dream even more surprising!! From what they explained.. his dream:
He was walking down a path that he explained was never ending. To one side he saw people that were miserable and dark as coal- all he could see was their eyes (he later explained “I didn’t know before but I learned there is a prison after this life!”). People here do not know about the doctrine about the spirit world where there are 2 states (prison and paradise). When he said this both Sister Arcinas and I were so taken back and surprised!! Then he continued explaining how he saw 3 churches on the other side of his path as he continued walking. The first was the Catholic church and it was covered in spider webs and dark. The second was a HUUUUGE church that he recognized quickly as Iglesia Ni Cristo (search how big this church is here in the Philippines.. they just built this HUGE structure in Manila!). But he saw a ton of people standing outside because the church was locked and they were all waiting to go inside. They were all fanning themselves because it was so hot (he explained). He continued on the path and saw his neice (our recent convert- Sister Lilibeth) and ME!! And my old companion Sister Manosig. We 3 were sitting on huge crystal chairs and it was so bright and full of light where we were. He explained that Sister Lilibeth was calling out to him telling him to come where we were because “there’s no darkness, sickness, hungriness or hardships here! Just happiness!” (the words that he explained Sister Lilibeth shouted out to him in his dream is WORD FOR WORD the way that I teach the happiness that is found in the Celestial Kingdom. I couldn’t believe it when he said these things!!!) How can it be that he’s never been taught by missionaries before? He asked about his other neice (our other recent convert) and he explained that I replied to him telling him that she was behind the gate playing with the other children and he spotted and recognized her feet under the gate where the children were playing.
The obvious connection to the symbolism behind his dream and the Plan of Salvation- especially the 3 kingdoms of Glory is UNREAL. Sister Arcinas and I took the opportunity to draw parallels between his dream and the plan of salvation as we taught he at times stopped us and agreed that what we were teaching is true (“I saw that in my dream!”).
Something else that truly touched me as I was listening to them explain this dream is Sister Lilibeth’s mother. She was present as we taught Lesson 2- Plan of Salvation but she is a more “difficult” investigator and I never thought she really “got much” from the lessons we taught. But she explained to her brother that his dream means that those kingdoms of God represent light and he can’t enter that kingdom of full light unless he “becomes mormon”. I knew what she meant as she explained this because she means accepting and living the restored gospel of Jesus Christ: fath, repentance, baptism by the correct authority, receiving the gift of the holy ghost and enduring to the end. This is the way to obtain Celestial Glory and eternal life!!: Where we will dwell in the mansions of our Father in Heaven.
Long story short, we invited him to continue to listen to the message that we have to share about the restoration of the gospel and he accepted but added that his wife is devote iglesia ni cristo. We are looking forward to visiting their family and continuing to teach this Brother because Heavenly Father truly has a plan for him and is preparing him by teaching him before we can through his dreams ;)
(I wasn't able to proof read this email- I hope his dream makes sense!) I love you all so so much and thank you so so much for all those that are sending me emails of love and support and simply updates. It really means SO much!! Keep writing! Keep the faith! And never forget how much our Father in Heaven loves each and every one of us :)
LOVE YOU ALL!!
Sister Judd
Sunday, September 7, 2014
PICTURES!!! (bigger views will be put up on Facebook as well)
AGOGO! namit (yummy)!! It's only 5 pesos and is this little frozen treat- this kind is mango and vanilla. It's one of my favorites! And Sister Cruz's absolute favorite:)
We're so dorky and take so many pictures together.. haha but we got toothpaste from President's wife for our birthdays! :)
Brother Jonathon. He is homeless (we are pretty sure) and handicapped and just the sweetest thing everrrrr! He always get's so so so excited when we walk by and say hi to him. He is so shy and cute like telling us to be careful walking and always blows a kiss to us when we leave. hahaha Basically I was frightened of him at first but now I just love him! He sweeps the streets and does jobs for people as his work for food. So sad, but if being his friend makes his day then you better believe we're best friends!! :)
Alicia (being baptized), then Diego, RIchard and Greg. Their mom is MaryAnn and then King was baptized this week!! :)
The water in the baptismal font last week! (you can barely see the water.. but it was BROWN gid.) Thumbs up for new experiences... I wasn't actually "excited" that our investigators were being baptized in that water! haha But there was nothing we could do about it.
Alicia (being baptized), then Diego, RIchard and Greg. Their mom is MaryAnn and then King was baptized this week!! :)
Elaine and Carla :) They're best friends!
MOCHA!!! (Don't worry Rocky and Major you're still my favorites...)
Brother King!
TANGA! (roach in Ilonggo)
cockaroaches are not my friend
cockaroaches are not my friend
ERIKA
SQUARE!
Grandma's package was an easter explosion of awesomeness! No need to send more chocolate or candies!!
Julius!
ABISH! (Bishops daughter- isn't she so cute!!)
Brother Nonoy!
The Descutido family! They are all less active accept for Brother is not a member- and one of their kids is 8 and has not yet been baptized. They are awesome!! We went there for FHE and had fun playing games :) That reminds me- I have so many fun games to show you all and play with you when I get home!!
This was minutes before the earthquake. This kind of shows how high up we were. This is their backyard!
TUKO!!! This picture is scary but these lizards are everywhere and they make suuuper loud noises but this was the first time I actually saw one! The people said this one is big. Ask Keethan to imitate the noise these suckers make!! :)
Julliane! And SISTER VARGAS!
Yes I'm like a giant..
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THE BIGGEST SPIDER EVER! Like the ones from Harry Potter... I watched it scramble through the big crack under our door! So HUGE!!!
Char!
Whoops I stepped off the path! We needed to find a well (boomba) really quick after I snapped this pic because right next to me was a toddle squatting and doing his business in this designed place along the walkway.. yum!
Sister Bubble's (investigator) cute kids!!!! (the little girl's name is Chinguy) :)
Me in a SIKAD
Brother Totong!! From last week.. He is the one in the middle. The other boy is a young man in the ward that is preparing to go on a mission that baptized him :) You can't play favorites but Brother Totong is AMAZING!!
This is a cute little chubby girl in the ward. (She is a giant compared to the other children her age! But she's normal size to me:)
Sister Francheska and her aunt Gemma!
Sister SNOW!! (MTC COMPANION) We saw each other at transfers!! She has the biggest heart ever I miss her SO much!!!
CARABAO!! this is everyone's "pet" (working animal) here.
THIS IS CADIZ!!!!!! I walk all day through fields like this! I love looking at this huge mountain- it's soooo pretty here!!
THIS IS CADIZ!!!!!! I walk all day through fields like this! I love looking at this huge mountain- it's soooo pretty here!!
sugar cane fields for miles!
This is what the neighborhoods look like here.
ERLINDA'S FAMILY! (Family Mukarram) All accept one.. the baby was sleeping.
Sister Erlinda and her mother! (The branch does not have baptismal clothes- only one for a child so she wore it until her waste and wore one of my white shirts to be baptized in). Also we are sopping wet (sister manosig and I) but you can't tell on me because of the material of my dress.
The Biggest Fattest Beefiest Burger I have ever eaten!!! I was a happy camper:) And YES I finished the entire thing. I think only 3 sisters (including me) finished it.
Brother Justine and Brother Kenneth. The brother in the black is a recent convert and the brother in the white (Kenneth) is an investigator. They are so funny!!
Brother Latrell and the attenders of the baptism
Sister Lilibeth and some of the branch ward missionaries in the branch. We had such a fun time!!! Lots of laughs and the branch missionaries really bonded with Lilibeth (that's the important part- we missionaries worry so much about our recent converts when we get transfered. The best fix for that is friendships with the members!)
baptism of Sister Lilibeth and Sister Mariel! The man next to the girl in green and yellow is President Balero (the Branch President) :) The 3 girls in the middle is Lilibeth's mom and sisters who are also investigators!! :)
Sister Lilibeth and Sister Mariel's baptism! Sister Lilibeth is 31 years old. Sister Mariel is 12. They are cousins. The sister in the blue on the far left is from Caduaan and referred sister Lilibeth to us after teaching her and inviting her to church. The little boy is sister Lilibeth's son and the three woman in the middle are mother and sister to Sister Lilibeth who are investigators! This is the investigator (now recent convert) that I shared this week in my letter to you and a couple weeks ago about her interest in family history work because of the dreams that she receives from her deceased grandmother and grandfather. What a special baptism this was!
Sister Lilibeth looks like Mulan!! Also the sister in the Blue is one of her good friends who is an active member in the neighboring town. She is the one that introduced the church to Lilibeth, invited her to church and introduced her to us! :)
some crazy fruits here that are my favorite!!!
lansones and rambutan (sorry not sure about the spelling!!)
lansones and rambutan (sorry not sure about the spelling!!)
(Big sis here: she got the spelling right :D )
Goodbye picture for Sister Manosig!!
The sister in the pink and the sister in the black with glasses are 2 of the return missionaries in the branch. They worked with us yesterday.. "Sister GIGI" (in the pink) and I worked in one half of our area and she is just the cutest! Isn't she tiny?!
The sister in the pink and the sister in the black with glasses are 2 of the return missionaries in the branch. They worked with us yesterday.. "Sister GIGI" (in the pink) and I worked in one half of our area and she is just the cutest! Isn't she tiny?!
lansiola family (brother mark is waiting to leave on his mission and always works with us!) we are teaching his father and sister. a brother in sister manosig's ward was sister Lansiola's missionary! This picture was taken for him.
We have lots of followers!! Our area allows us to travel on the beach at times to get to the next house that we will visit. Of course we choose that route! The sun is setting and there are SO MANY PEOPLE to talk to because the tide is low, work is done and everyone is cooking on the beach... their backyard!
Our new Cadiz 2nd Branch crew! Isn't Sister Arcinas the cutest thing in the world! Also Elder Manu's accent is awesome- he's from TONGA.
this is pretty far from the ocean but when it's high tide parts most of our area floods. it's really pretty!
yes this is a real picture. it looks unreal no?
Sister Junly! One of our investigators... She's the one that told us how her mom is a mermaid... this time she told us that she is pregnant with a baby that has 3 heads and one body.. oh how I love her.
Sister Arcinas with her "ROCKIN" shoe tan line! We were in our "bukid" area (out of the middle of nowhere) and one of our recent converts has no shoes. Literally. So as little Melrose (who has no money to go to school and sometimes follows us around).. as she joined us Sister Arcinas let her wear her shoes.. My companion is so awesome!
Me holding a "KANDING" (it's pretty much like a goat..) And
yes that's the mom behind me and right after this picture was taken she got
upset that I was holding her baby.. haha I couldn't help it! So cute! And yes I
was so sweaty and gross looking...
So pretty. Houses hidden in the trees.
CARABAO!! The man is a member of church :)
We have an area that is in the middle of nowhere!
this is the average "neighborhood"- low tide right now
we were in one of these houses this week during an earthquake! It was shaking a lot but there was no damage or anything
we were in one of these houses this week during an earthquake! It was shaking a lot but there was no damage or anything
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