I love my follow-up trainer!

I just want everyone to know that I love my follow-up trainer Sister Solis. Looking for the good in my companion increases the love I have for her. In one week with her, I have learned so many things from her. Having her as my companion makes me feel that Heavenly Father knows me so well. She’s very straightforward, which is one of her attributes that I want to emulate. I want to be able to have the courage to say what I want to say like her. But at the same time, I want to have a balance between having loving kindness and being firm in the truth.

I thank Heavenly Father for Sister Solis for helping me learn how to set BALANCED goals. She taught me the importance of using fully and wisely the hour of personal study and companion study each day. She has taught me the importance of language study. She has taught me the importance of teaching people, not lessons. Before, I was so worried in trying to cover all the lessons. But because of my follow-up trainer, I have learned that it doesn’t matter if the pacing of teaching is slow. Having them understand the lesson is what’s important.  She has also taught me what is the difference between finding efforts (FE) and effective finding (EF). She taught me how to have a more effective and efficient weekly planning. I have learned and I continue to learn from her. 

Miracles:

1.        Tatay George went to church for the 4th time straight! And Willieboy, his son went to church for the 7th time straight! Baptism of 14th!

2.        During one of our lessons with an investigator, I had experienced once again how the Spirit uses our mouth to teach. Okay, I have no time to explain what happened, but it was a memorable experience for me!

3.        Last Sunday was the most effective ward council meeting ever happened in this ward. The ward missionaries are awesome. They reported on their work for the very first time. Reporting so important, because When performance is measured and reported, the rate of improvement
accelerates. The prophet said it!

4.        Nanay Virginia, the wife of Tatay George, shared to their neighbors of her experience in going to the true church. She said that she felt differently. She said that she learned so many things. She said that she has never felt like it in other churches she has attended to. So I bore my testimony that it was the Holy Ghost testifying her that our message is true. After Tatay George and Willieboy, we will be focusing to the rest of the members of the Morales Family. I love this eternal family.


Thank you for asking Heavenly Father to guide you where I will be assigned and who will be my follow-up trainer! I love my area. I love my follow-up trainer! I love being a missionary!

Morales Family!

So this week got the lowest key indicators. I worked with Sister Elivera in their area for one day while Sister Crystal and Davis were in Cauayan. Last Friday, we worked with the Sister Training Leaders in their area. I was on an exchange with Sister Lamac, and I have learned so much from her. I was taught by her example. I want to be like her. I want to overcome my shyness, I want to fully utilize my daily planner like what she does, and be better in asking referrals from everyone. She is so good in referral discussion! And when I say "referral discussion", it is really a "discussion".

Last Saturday, Jaycee and Jericho were baptized. And their testimonies caught me off guard. I didn't expect it. The Ramos famlyily is the shyest people I have ever known in my whole life. They just usually bown down their heads in the corner and just whisper everything they say. But on their baptism, okay. I was shocked. I am just so happy to see how the gospel can help a person overcome his/her own weaknesses to achieve his/her own divine potentials. So these Ramoses are my inspiration in overcoming my shyness too!


And yesterday, guess who attended the church? Tatay George Morales! With his son, with his daughter... and yes! With his wife! I am so happy! Tatay George want this so bad for his family. If the Lord would permit, February 7, instead of February 14 will be the baptism and Willieboy. Willieboy has gone to church 6 times consecutively, and Tatay for his 3rd time. I pray that Tatay will be healed too. The doctor said there's still a chance for him to be healed. It is just that they do not have enough money for it.

Anyway, the Alinguigan ward is awesome. The 3 recently returned missionaries from this ward is a big big help. One of them was called to be an assistant ward mission leader, and he is really a leader. In the afternoon of Sunday, the ward missionaries divided themselves to visit and teach investigators and less active all by themselves! At least when I get transferred, I have the assurance that the people I have learned to love here will be in good hands.

Despite of this difficult week, there are many things to be grateful for.

I love being a missionary!

ALL MEMBERS OF THE MORALES FAMILY CAME TO CHURCH!!!!!!!!!!

Ramos children were baptized!

Last district meeting!

Is there more than ALL that He hath?

So for three days, I was sick. Someone burned garbage beside our house and since smoke triggers my asthma, I got itchy runny nose, itchy throat, watery eyes, heavy head, and on/off fever . . . for three days. But I am okay now since I got a priesthood blessing from Elder Mortenson after he interviewed Jaycee and Jericho Ramos for their baptism on 24th! They are children of a part member family. They passed the interview! And yesterday, I was so afraid because I thought they wouldn’t come to church since their mother (member) is now in Manila finding a job. But they went! They went! For two Sundays, they went to church even if their mother was not with them! J I am so happy!

Miracles:

1. Tatay George went to church yesterday, again!!!!

2.  JR, a less active for more than 3 years (he was imprisoned), has been going to church since the first Sunday of the year! He told us that after the first time he went to church again, he immediately received a blessing from the Lord. For 3 years, he had been hiding from the police because he thought he was “WANTED” of the police. But when he went to the police the Monday after his first Sunday, HE WAS INFORMED THAT HE GOT CLEAN RECORDS IN THE POLICE. No words could properly describe how happy was. He can now find a better job to feed his growing family. Plus, he can now marry Rizalyn, our golden investigator.

I just hope I could tell you all the miracles that happened to the lives of whom we are teaching: how a returned less active prayed for rain, and it rained. How he prayed for the food of his pigs, and immediately after his prayer, someone came to answer it. How we promised to a recent convert, to read the book of mormon, so that the Lord will guide her in her exam. She said she had not been reading the book of mormon because she was preparing for her exam, and so we read the book of mormon with her, just what chapter she was at. And then the next day, when she took the exam, WHAT WE READ IN THE BOOK OF MORMON WAS INCLUDED IN HER EXAM. We read about the Lord’s vineyard, and randomly, her teacher asked about it in their exam. Of course she answered it right!! HEAVENLY FATHER LIVES AND HE IS IN THE DETAILS OF THE LIVES OF EACH OF HIS CHILDREN. AND HE HAS CALLED ME TO TELL THEM THAT HE LOVES THEM AND THAT HE IS AWARE OF THEM.

I know I have been called by a prophet of God. I have seen how He fulfills His promises to those who keep His commandments – to others and to me.  I love studying the White Handbook. I love highlighting the commandments and the promises. Now, I am also doing it to my scripture study. The commandments and the promises have deeper meanings to me now because of it.

He promises that if we keep His commandments, we will receive “all that He hath”.

Is there more than ALL that He hath?

No. There’s no more than ALL that He hath.

“And he that receiveth my Father receiveth my Father’s kingdom; therefore ALL that my Father hath shall be given unto him.” (D&C 84:38)

I love Heavenly Father. I love our Savior. I love being Their missionary.

TATAY GEORGE!! TATAY GEORGE!!

I do not know if this is also true in America…but in the Philippines, if someone has pimples it means he/she is in-love. So I got massive pimples all over my face now. Meaning, I am so inlove. I love love love being a missionary!

Last week, we had 8 investigators who attended the sacrament meeting. And yesterday, we got 9 investigators who came to church! And guess who was one of them? TATAY GEORGE MORALES. Yes, the one who became an orphan when he was in 3rd grade, the one who studied to become a catholic priest, the one who became a soldier and discharged in the office, the one who went unto illegal jobs, the one who has one lung left, the one who reads the book of mormon, and the one whom I love so much!! I was so happy that I immediately run to meet him outside while he was walking with his son. I was so happy that I screamed “Tataaaaay!” I was so happy that I wanted to cry. I was so happy that I wanted to hug him but I couldn’t. I didn’t know what to say or do so I just kept on saying “Tatay Tatay Tatay” while tears flooding my face.

It was an awesome Sunday for him. We got our Ward Mission Leader fellowshipping him althroughout the 3 hour block of church services. He was so invloved in the discussion during Gospel Essential class. And when we started singing I Believe in Christ as an opening hymn for the sacrament meeting, he was crying. The Spirit is there. Willieboy, his son, who was always at his back, assisted him and comforted him everytime Tatay feels weak. I just want everybody to know how strong Tatay’s faith is. Many people couldn’t afford to go to church for some reason, but Tatay, even though they do not have enough money for fare, and he has only one lung… HE STILL WENT TO CHURCH. I love Tatay so much. Heavenly Father loves Him beyond!

Jun Lorena, one of our investigators also went to church yesterday. He had a hard life back then. He was imprisoned twice. He got his arm amputated in the prisoner’s hospital without his permission. He was drunk the first time we met him. But now, we can see the light in his eyes and the smile on his face whenever we’re teaching him. He loves the doctrine of resurrection so much: how his left arm will be restored in the perfect and proper frame in the day of resurrection. He loves the Savior and His atonement, and how we can be cleansed from sin because of Him. 

We also had the Pabiona family going to church yesterday. They had not been to church for 2-3 years already since the head of the family went to abroad to find job. They were sealed in the temple, but when the Tatay Pabiona went to abroad, Nanay got other husband. It is just heartbreaking. Elder Dallin H. Oaks told about this while I was in the MTC. He said that Filipinos should avoid leaving their family to find job. Since we cannot give counsel to this family, we just invited him to ask for the counsel of bishop. Tatay is a good man. He just wants the best for his family. I do not completely understand why these things are happening. I do not understand completely why Lehi … a good father had waywardchildren.. But Jesus Christ knows it perfectly, and our purpose is to invite all men to come unto Him.

I just hope I could tell you everything that happened. So basically last week, I got Sister Muagutu, Sister Davis, and Sister Elivera, and some of the members worked with me in our area. I will never leave our area until you would tell me I should. I have loved everyone and everything here. These people must be some of the reasons why I shouted for joy in the premortal world. I love my mission. I love my trainer. I love my mission parents. I love the Savior. I will love till I drop.

I do not boast in my own strength, nor in my own wisdom; but behold, my joy is full, yea, my heart is brim with joy,and I will rejoice in my God. Yea, I know that I am nothing; as to my strength I am weak; therefore I will not boast of myself, but I will boast of my God, for in his strength I can do all things; yea, behold, many mighty miracles we have wrought in this land, for which we will praise his name forever. (Alma 26:10–12.)

I love being a missionary!

Consider the Coconuts . . . How They Roll!

One of my favorite church songs is Consider the Lilies. Now, I am singing it this way: “Consider the coconuts how they roll. How the roll.”

Because that was how we met the Morales Family. During first full day as a missionary, Sister Crystal and I were about to leave a village when suddenly, there was a woman kicking coconuts along the streets to bring those coconuts to their house. She was carrying a baby that time, so we decided to carry those rolling coconuts for her. When we reached their house, we met Tatay George Morales – the head of the family. I just want everyone to know that my love for this family grows every teaching appointment we have with them. Each appointment with them, I came to know and understand them better. So my love for them grows deeper, and deeper, and deeper.

Tatay George became an orphan when he was still in 3rd grade. He studied to become a catholic priest. Then he became a soldier. But when he tried to complain and fight against the corruption of an official in the military, he was discharged to his office. Long story short, he attempted to be one of those NPAs (rebels against the government’s military). He said that because of anger and frustration, he wanted to kill all those military. When he was discharged to the office, his life was back to zero. There was no good job for him to raise his family so he entered gambling, cockpits, “and all bad jobs the world could offer EXCEPT stealing”. His family told of how Tatay George became angry with the Lord. As far as everyone knows, Tatay George didn’t do anything wrong. Tatay George didn’t believe that there’s God anymore. He started drinking alcohols and cigarettes and now he’s sick. He has only one lung. And he can’t stand or sit for long. Yesterday, when we taught his whole family. He told to our fellow shipper that he didn't know God until Sister Crystal and I came to their house.

Tatay George cannot go to church because he can’t sit/stand for so long. So he always tells his son, Willieboy, to go to church instead. Willieboy is as awesome as his father. He went to church thrice already. He has developed friendships with the ward members even before was asked him to do that! He has attended activities. He reads the Book of Mormon. He is already in 1st Nephi 4. While Tatay George is already starting the second book of Nephi.

I love this family so much. Every time I feel sleepy during study hours, I think about Tatay George. When I think about Tatay George, I became enthusiastic about the work. I want to be exactly obedient so there can be miracles: I AM PRAYING TATAY GEORGE WILL BE HEALED. Yes, Tatay George has the faith NOT to be healed. He said if that's the Lord's plan for him, he is willing to submit. But I am still praying Tatay George will be healed. As well as the the father of Sister Crystal.

After we taught the whole family about the Plan of Salvation, Tatay said: “I have seen Sister Acosta before.” His family told him, “She has been here only for 2 months. She was in Mindanao before. You haven’t seen her before.” And tatay insisted that he has seen me before. I told him “Tatay, I am new in this area. But you’re right. We have seen each other before. I know we have met in the premortal world and God made ways for us to see each other here in this particular part of the earth. ”

As I basked in the calming and enlightening feeling we had experienced in their house, I thank Heavenly Father for helping me see His hand in His children’s lives. I thank Heavenly Father how the coconuts roll! How the coconuts rol!!

On the other side of the world, Sherwin Villanuava, is now a RETURNED LESS ACTIVE! He started reading 2nd book of Nephi. He went to church yesterday with suits and ties. He offered the opening prayer at the sacrament meeting. He bore his testimony about his goals this new year: LIVE THE WORD OF WISDOM. And his friend and referral – Kevin Avecillo – went to church yesterday. He’s going to be baptized this coming February 14. When we extended baptismal invitation to him, he said. “Wait. I have a question about baptism”. We said, “Okay go on. You are free to ask.” He said, “Why do I have to be baptized on Valentines day?”.. HAHAHA. I just love being a missionary!!

The Ramos boys (part member family) went to church yesterday. I just want you to know that these boys ARE WAY TOO SHY but now they are trying to overcome their fears. If they continue going to church, they will be baptized on 24th! They told us that they are having their family prayer and scripture study now. And their father, an investigator, who is the most shy among them all… asked them to help him pray. Tatay is just too shy to pray.. But he’s laughing with us now! I love this family so much.

And one of the Ramos’ boys friends: JIMBOY TELAN is doing great. He is praying and reading the book of mormon and is going to church. Young as he is (11), he already knows how to keep his commitments better than those older than he. He is an awesome boy. We met his mother along the way yesterday and she told us “I want to become a mormon!” Hahaha. She told us how she saw her son always reading the book of mormon. She said, her son was convincing her to listen to us! Hahaha. We just can’t underestimate the influence of these children to their parents. Aaaahh!! I love these people so much!!! 

I love being a missionary!

And yesterday, during testimony meeting, all of those who spoke shared their goals for 2015: Family and Individual Prayer and Scripture Study. Bear Testimony every First Sunday of the Month, Doing Good EVERYDAY. I love this goal-oriented ward so much! So happy!

Okay. This has been a long letter. I am sorry. I just hope I could tell you all the wonderful things that happened this week. But I think this is more than enough, for now. Hahaha.

And my goal for 2015? Help these people have a strong relationship with Heavenly Father and our Savior by helping them make and keep their commitments that will lead to their CONVERSION. I do not want to leave them being baptized, receiving the ordinances..and then NOT ENDURING TO THE END. There has to be enduring to the end.

I love being a missionary. And I love how the coconuts roll!

New Year's eve. Share to each other our 2015 goals.

New Year with our Landlady :)

January 1st, we did some community service.

Mga magagandang magkakapatid. :)

First Sacrament Talk as a Missionary

I hope I have enough words to properly express my feelings of how grateful I am for the trust He has given me to be a full-time missionary – Jesus Christ authorized representative.

Yesterday has been a beautiful day. I was invited to speak at the sacrament meeting. Since New Year’s coming this Thursday, I was inspired to talk about Setting Goals and Making Plans. When I first got in this area and met my brothers and sisters here, I wrote on my PMG Manual, 146: Help these people know how to set goals. I do not know why, but I felt that most of Heavenly Father’s children in our area do not know how to set goals or what is a goal alone. They do not know that there is so much in them. They do not know that they can have goals and that they can reach whatever their mind can conceive.

Early in the morning of the Sabbath day, I labored on every word so I could speak in the simplest Tagalog words and simplest manner that even a child could understand what is a goal, a plan, and that Heavenly Father has a goal for each of us (Moses 1:39) and that the gospel of Jesus Christ is His plan so we can return back to Him.

I shared the 5 counsels in the first book of Joshua how we can be successful in this coming year and in this life. That in order to have success, we should understand that the Lord will not fail us, nor forsake us. (Joshua 1:5). That Heavenly Father is so ready to grant our righteous desires, only if we are just willing to work hard and ask Him (3 Nephi 14:11). I told them that the Lord wants us to be strong and of good courage (Joshua 1:6) as we are trying to reach our goals. That President Monson explained “courage includes doing the right thing even though we may be afraid,defending our beliefs at the risk of being ridiculed, and maintaining those beliefs even when threatened with a loss of friends or of social status.” Since most of our less actives become where they are right now because they are being ridiculed by neighbors and even their family for their beliefs.

I told them that the Lord counseled us to turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that we may reach our goals (Joshua 1:7). That if we want to enter the temple, we should not do things that we know it could hinder us from going to His house.. and do things that will help us go there. That if want to be baptized, we should not do things that hinder us from entering in that covenant, and we should be keeping our commitments.

But I focused on the fourth counsel of the Lord, that if we want to be successful, we need to study the scriptures everyday: This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thoushalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe todo according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success. (Joshua 1:8)

I bore my testimony that the scriptures will tell us all things we should do (2 Nephi 32:3) both temporal and spiritual aspects of our lives. That if every Filipino is just reading their scriptures everyday, then all of the other area goals will be achieved: strengthened families, saved rising generations, more worthy priesthood holders, and every lost sheep will go back to His fold.

I told them what Elder Bowen told us. That if an investigator who is not grounded in the book of mormon, may be baptized, but 4 – 5 years from now, they cannot be found in the church anymore. When I told that, I saw the mother of our part-member family we are teaching. Her eyes met my eyes, that it made my heart reach my throat that all of the sudden I couldn’t continue speaking. I want to tell her “ Listen to me, Nanay Ramos. Listen to me. This is for you.” But I just couldn’t speak because I was trying to hold back my tears. Then suddenly, one member wept so loud at the back of the seats that Sister Elivera got up to lead the woman crying outside the Sacrament hall.

Then I told them, “We missionaries are always asking you to read the book of mormon, always and always and always… because we love you. We do not want you to get baptized then after few years, when you face a trial, and we are not here, you will leave the church. We do not want that. We want to leave you strong that whatever trial you face, you are still in the Lord’s church.”

Then suddenly all of us in the sacrament hall were crying. I invited them to finish reading the book of mormon in year 2015. To hold fast unto it, so “they would never perish; neither could the temptations and the fiery darts of the adversary overpower them unto blindness, to lead them away to destruction.” (1 Nephi 15;24)

I told them “all that He commandestus we will do, and whithersoever thou sendest us, we will go.” (Joshua 1:16)

I bore my testimony that the greatest successful formula can be found in the book of mormon: seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you. (3 Nephi 13:33)

I told them that this what we were teaching is not a theory we are trying to prove. THEY ARE LAWS. And I have the evidences of it. I have experienced how the Lord has blessed me in all and in every aspect of my life because of these laws.

Then I ended it in the name of Jesus Christ, with feelings that I cannot describe. The Spirit was so powerful. That the concluding speaker, member of the bishopric was wiping his tears and started talking about his goal to finish the book of mormon. When we were leaving, the woman who was crying hugged me. Another old woman, held my hands, crying, with Ilocano words I couldn’t understand. But because of the Spirit, I know what she felt. I just can’t thank the Lord enough for His trust to me to be His representative.

I am grateful for the privilege that I have to extend the love the Lord has for these people.

I love being a missionary. I love being a missionary. I will never get tired of saying this. I love being a missionary.

Soaked under the rain. Super happy.

The Power of Book of Mormon

I love our zone meeting last week! It was so spiritual! It was so powerful! Our Sister Training Leaders taught us about Using Time Wisely. It gave me such a huge impact. The Spirit was so powerful. That even at this moment, while I am writing this letter to you, I am feeling the same feeling that I felt during our zone meeting. Heavenly Father knows how much I wanted to become a better missionary after our zone meeting. I will never have these 18 months again. I just want to give all that I have and all that I am in this work. I am praying and praying for His help for I know self-discipline can’t do it alone. I need His grace. I need the enabling power of His atonement. I know He wants me to be successful. I know that He will help me. I know that He will give me strength beyond my own natural ability to accomplish things after all that I can do. I do not want to end my mission full of regrets. I do not want that. Heavenly Father doesn’t want that too! I do not have enough words to properly express my gratitude of how grateful I am for this privilege that I have to be a missionary. My heart is full. And He keeps on filling my heart each and every day of my life as a missionary.

I’m done with my first cycle as a missionary. And it’s getting better and better. We have 7 candidates for baptism on January 24, and I know and I can feel that they KNOW that our message is true. But knowing is not enough. Believing is not enough. Without works (keeping the commitments), faith is dead. So we’re focusing now how to get these people keep the first 3 commitments: Read from the Book of Mormon, pray about it, and go to church.

This week, I have seen the power of the Book of Mormon in missionary work. Before, I just wanted to teach our prepared lesson even if they haven’t read from the Book of Mormon. So yesterday, we instead read 3 Nephi 27 with Tatay Tungpalan (an investigator) since he did not read. I FELT THE SPIRIT. I SAW THE LIGHT IN HIS EYES WHILE WE WERE TALKING ABOUT HOW WE OUGHT TO BECOME LIKE JESUS CHRIST. When we ended our lesson, he asked us “How can a person become a saint?”.. And all of the sudden, I remember Mosiah 3:19For the natural man is an enemy to God, and has been from the fall of Adam, and will be, forever and ever, unless he yields to the enticings of the Holy Spirit, and putteth off the natural man and becometh a saint through the atonement of Christ the Lord, and becometh as a child, submissive, meek, humble, patient, full of love, willing to submit to all things which the Lord seeth fit to inflict upon him, even as a child doth submit to his father.

Then he said, “I hope my kids are like the two of you”. Because for the past months, he’s telling us that his son became a stubborn teenager. His son was always in the top of his class until he became addicted with computer games. He’s not studying and failing at school. I told him, that when I was also a teenager, I came to the point that I did not want to go to school anymore. I didn’t go to school for two weeks because I just couldn’t handle the pain of death of my grandfather who was always there to motivate me with my goals in life. And then I became an insecure teenager – I felt ugly with my ugly hair and ugly face – that I did not want to go to school. I did not want people to see me – the ugly me. Until I started reading the book of mormon. I bore my testimony that because of the book of mormon, everything just changed. My perspective about life, and about myself. JUST ABOUT EVERYTHING. I love the Spirit so much. I love being a missionary.

And yes, Sherwin, the less-active who started reading the book of mormon went to church yesterday.

For now, I just want to focus on helping investigators and less actives read the book of mormon. Elder Bowen said, when these people are not grounded in the book of mormon, 4-5 years from now, they will not be in the church. I do not want that to happen. Being baptized without being grounded on the book of mormon is like sowing on the stony ground, without root, "where it had not much earth; and immediately it sprang up, because it had no depth of earth: but when the sun was up, it was scorched; and because it had no root, it withered away” (Mark 4:5–6). They should be sowed on the good ground – the book of mormon – to sprung up, and bare fruit an hundredfold.

I love being a missionary! And I love the book of mormon!

Ito pala yung sapatos ko. ito yung mga natirang sapatos ng isang tongan at isang pilipina. Pinagsama ko nalang. Malakas kasi ulan dito. Kaya ito ginagamit ko. Haahaha.