November 21:
This week I learned a lot and felt the most improvement, in every aspect of being a missionary. Sunday was so spiritual and rejuvenating. I have never felt how much the Sabbath day can do for you, until then. I am glad that I put all my effort into feeling the spirit and being uplifted because it really carried me throughout the week. I am our relief society teacher for our zone, and in charge of leading the music because know how, and I spoke in sacrament meeting, it was a busy Sunday. I really felt the answers to my prayers about how to be a more powerful missionary. Exact obedience and love brings the spirit of revelation from the Holy Ghost, and that brings power, and conversion. So this week I have tried my hardest to improve my exact obedience and love. I also felt the importance of daily scripture study this week. I received so much comfort and answers from reading them. I also got to just talk to Sister Aquino on Sunday and it was really nice to learn more about her.
Having the spirit with me and in our companionship is THE most important thing. It has really been evident in our teaching this week. We can discern needs as we have the spirit. One investigator (our teacher, acting as one of her investigators from her mission, but it seems so real), she wasn't progressing. We felt such a strong spirit and were able to completely drop our planned lesson and do something she needed, through the spirit. It is amazing as we have the spirit our Tagalog gets so much better, and I honestly dont remember struggling with it or even really thinking about speaking it, but on the message we were teaching instead. There were things that came to my head that I know that were not mine to say, but that I had studied. Study and having the spirit are a great combination. Feeling and taking care of her needs felt SO good. She is becoming so strong, and I love seeing her progress and the happiness it brings to her hard life. I know that the gospel has done this for me, and it can to all that will listen and act or improve in any way.
It was our 3 week mark this week, which means 1/2 way...ahhhh! That is both a scream of excitement and terror. On Wednesday we got to host all the new missionaries coming in. It was so nice to serve them, and made me even more excited to be a missionary, I know...you didn't think it was possible. One sister was saying goodbye to her little sister and hugging and I started to cry a little, but then her mom hugged me. It was a good day.
There is a new sister in our zone and I love her, we are the same person. I was running on the track and she joined me. We ran together and talked, and have every day since she got here. I love my companions SO much, but it was nice to have someone to talk to that was my type of people. We run every day together during gym now, and then go to early morning gym classes they have here. She is very fun and a blessing to me.
Some funny things that happened this week, because my life is hilarious and I am always laughing at something my companions say...whats new.
Sis. Sulunga was singing very loudly while we walked to class. One of our teachers said "mga anhel po ba?" which is "Is that an angel?" and she got mad and said "Did you just say my voice sounds like Hell?"
In the middle of our lesson with a less active member Sis. Sulunga said "Wow, you havent been to church in the longest" I went really red, and then tried not to laugh.
One of our teachers walked into the women's restrooms right next to our classroom. It used to be a mens, and still has a urinal, but now has a women's sign. We were literally rolling on the floor and laughing so hard crying, so we weren't able to tell him not to go in.
I still love being a missionary, and love that we can improve through the spirit. I would invite you to read the last 2 paragraphs in the introduction to the Book of Mormon, and Moroni 10:3-5. Even if you have read it before, it is really powerful. Apply it to your life personally. I love that this gospel, and Jesus Christ, apply to all of us so perfectly. It has helped me this week a ton, and has helped my investigators.
This week is Thanksgiving and I am really excited. We have a thankful door, Ill send pics next week. We are doing a humanitarian service project with food on thanksgiving day. I love you all. Please remember to thank Heavenly Father for your blessings, especially the small things. When you think about them, and give credit to God for even the small things, it makes you more happy.
Ry sent Ash a TEXAS donut.
November 14:
When I opened my emails today, I had a lot. I was overwhelmed with the love of family and close friends. I realized being out here how much support I have, and the deep, indescribable love I have for people back home. Thanks!
The end of last week I was really struggling. It was just hard with so many new things and I was overwhelmed. This week though was the best! I figured out how to balance everything, and apply new things without being too stressed. Heavenly Father really helped me in knowing what to focus on and how to apply it all without being stressed.
Teaching and focusing on doctrines has made my testimony grow so much. I was thinking as I read about different doctrines in study why I believed each one, and how I lived it or it affected my life. I have had such an overwhelming spirit this week, and I just love the fact that I can always feel it here and use it to help others. I would invite anyone to read Preach My Gospel, especially chapter 3, because it is fantastic!
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There is a boy who came into the MTC this week from Guam. He went to a different island than his parents to work a year ago and found the missionaries and was baptized. He hasnt seen his paretns since, and there are no missionaries on his parents island, so he hopes to teach them sometime. He is so sweet, and humble. He gets to go through the temple today becasue he couldnt before he left, there wasnt one close enought to him. I cried that night thinking about him. i really, really love him and his happy, perfect, funny, positive attitude and willingness to work. I want him to be taken care of...not Im crying writing this. Im not sure how I am going to live in the Philippines, because I couldnt even handle one elder living like that. I really look up to Elder Dume and pray for him a lot!
This week I told my teacher that Jesus killed the people, instead of the people killing Jesus...putting one word in the sentence on the wrong place changes the actor, woops! I also learned a joke in Tagalog, but I'm not going to try and repeat it because I was bad at that in English haha.
I don't have a ton to write about this week because it was pretty much class, eating, class, service, study, lessons, eating, class and bed. It was the most productive week of my life.
I know that Heavenly Father is helping and lifting me. I have such a love for this Gospel, I don't really know how to tell you that! I know I am becoming a better person through all I am learning here, and love the love I am learning to have for everyone! I love you all!!!
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