April 26, 2015

Hello everyone! So this week was cool I guess. It went by so fast and I don't remember much. But I do remember how hard change is for me. Transfers feels like literally moving from your hometown. But the people of Sum-ag are so loving! I feel very loved here(: easiest transfer to adjust for me!

Me and Sister Pattillo
before we separated ways.

All I have to say this week is I'm so grateful for the atonement of Jesus Christ. Its comforted me in so many ways. My soul literally is calmed from the affects of that powerful act.

Edwin and Maria Delia(: 

Yesterday in Sacrament meeting a Brother was speaking about family and the role of the father and his love for his family and went on to talk about the atonement of Jesus Christ and how hard it was for Him, that He asked to have the bitter cup removed but have we ever thought of how hard it was for Heavenly Father? He could have suffered even more having to turn away from His Son. How great is His love for all His children. I love my father I have here on earth and my father in Heaven.

FHE in Balabag, our prettiest area in Santa Fe

They're combined love is so embracing. (I love my Nanay too of course) well yeah this work is the best, I love being a missionary so much. I would never trade this experience for the world. Stay Fresh!

Sister Schimbeck

Me and Sister Tatireta at the Philippines MTC!! 

Jared a ward missionary! He's getting ready to go
on a mission so he always worked with us! 

Dinner appointment and they cooked squid!!
It was delicious. (I also ate duck the other day)

FHE in Balabag! FHE is so fun here because
they so crazy!! Hahah so funny too.

Panado Family in Balabag, less actives that returning!
They were so funny and brother talked so fast sometimes I couldn't understand him! Haha

Baptism candidates last last Saturday in Santa Fe

Edwin
Aleman(:

Alysa Esparas(:

Edwin and Maria Delia(: I love this picture. They are just glowing(:

Transfer...Sum-ag in the Bacolod South Zone

Surprise! I got transferred. Yeah this week was just like Alijis back in December. So my companion is going home so we think I'll stay in the area but instead I get pulled out of our area. It was so hard to leave Santa Fe. The people there were so wonderful, I just couldn't say good bye to them! But yeah, I'm in Sum-ag now. With Sister Tatireta!! She is batch when we came to the Philippines! But she will go home a transfer ahead of me (she had to stay an extra week in the MTC because she had ear surgery) She is from Kiripati!! If any of you know where that is or how to pronounce that I'll give you one high five. Haha I'm also a STL (sister training leader) and my STL companion is Sister Molejon!!! (my companion sadto  in Sagay) this transfer is going to be so great!(: I'm so excited to serve in Sum-ag and to serve all the Sisters in Bacolod South Zone(:

Brother Edwin Aleman was baptized on Saturday(: he is so so so so so wonderful. My most favorite ever!! His is a part member. His wife and all his children are less actives. He has never been interested in the church. Missionaries have been teaching him for years and he just wasn't interested, he liked his beer and his cigarettes. But when we found him he was just so touched by the spirit and he was baptized four weeks later(: he stopped his smoking and drinking the week we contacted him!! Each day we visited him you could just see his countenance changing(: He just glowed with the spirit!! Ah I love this work so much! And I love being a missionary!! Bye stay fresh!

Maayong aga!

Maayong aga! People always say that here when they pass by on the streets and stuff like they they're so nice. They remind me of the Walmart greeters!! (Walmart greeters are the only people in America I know that say good morning to everyone that passes by)

Me and Sister Schults when we went on exchanges. She's so great.
And our ward mission leader brother Roy.
He's also really great.

So this week I was able to watch general conference!! Oh my gosh it was just like Christmas. I love it so much. I love those brethren too. I just know they are called of God, they're so powerful. I glad they continued with the talks in their native languages! I think that's so cool. I'm just waiting for the day they have one in Hiligaynon. I'd flip out. So probably one of my favorite talks was Wilford W. Anderson's, "I can teach you how to dance but you have to hear the music" at first I was just like ano? But then his analogy (I think that's what you call it, analogy?) was so perfect! Like I think it might just maybe be because I'm a dancer but this talk just rocked my world. The steps don't make sense until you can hear the music, until you can feel the music. We learn the steps and we practice the steps over and over but until you have the music it won't take state. The gospel is such beautiful music and when we are dancing with it, life is beautiful too. I love Dieter F. Utchtdorf, he is the man.

-Sister Schults and I hold cute like chicks,
yes they are color green and pink!
The Philippines man.

His talk about grace was so absolutely perfect. "Do we understand our indebtedness to Jesus Christ?" that line hit me so hard. Because we are truly saved by His grace but we are so indebted to our great mediator!! Grace should change us to have the desire to do bad no more, its refines us and helps us become our best selves. "..we're saved by the grace of Christ after all we can do." I love how he switched 'because' for 'after'. Because of all we can do. What a blessing grace is!! I could go on with what I loved but I won't haha(:

And the best part of this week, the baptism of Brother Rolly Ramos

-Baptism of Rolly(: the tall brother next to me!

(: he was the hardest investigator. He's been taught off and on since he was 17 years old (he's 56 now) and he loved learning but he just didn't want to get baptized. We finally shared Alma 9:25-26 and we're like okay brother so whats gonna happen if the second coming is before you get baptized? he knew exactly and 4 weeks later he was baptized(: He's gonna be such a powerful leader someday! I'm so thankful for these priesthood holders in my life! Especially Thomas S. Monson. Words can't describe the love I have for him. I love this work so much, its changing lives. I love being a missionary, its changing me. Bye stay fresh!!

Sister Schimbeck

-The Ditchon Family(: I love them! 

Santa Fe district! 

Happy Easter

Hello everyone! So I know you all have already watched general conference this weekend, but I haven't, so don't ruin it for me! Joke lang. But I got to watch the womens session! Oh it made me so homesick for my family:/ but hey its okay now but I've got my family here too(: "God gave us families to help us become what he wants us to be' is that so true or what? Henry B Eyring's talk was off the chain. So powerful. When the Savior is the center of the home there is love and there is peace! I've seen that change of families here in my mission and I never realized how blessed I was to grow up with that in my home!

Shout out to Tay and Nay for being the best parents(: living and learning the gospel starts in the home.

Easter was this week!! Yeah so Easter here is weird guys. Everyone is Catholic so they like to focus more on the crucifixion of Jesus Christ rather than His resurrection. Like when we were teaching and testifying about the atonement and resurrection of Jesus Christ they would ask why we don't celebrate it then. We remember the crucifixion and resurrection through the sacrament, every Sunday! The knowledge of the atonement and meaning of the resurrection just changed their look on 'Holy Week' and what the real meaning it is. They don't do Easter egg hunts here either.

Just parades dressed up as Christ apostles carrying candles. They legit crucify people in the Philippines, it was my favorite to testify to them that it is finished! Jesus Christ finished everything, he just asked for our faith and repentance. The atonement and resurrection are so beautiful and perfect. I know our Savior lives and he loves us. That's why he was so obedient and willing to suffer and die for us. I can never put into words how eternally grateful I am for Jesus Christ and His love. I love being a missionary guys, its the most life changing experience. Stay fresh!! Palangga ko kamo!

Alangilan! Our area that is just hiking the whole time! We drank water from a spring and it was delicious (I thought I would die but I didn't) then Brother Ramos climbed some trees so we could get yummy fruits. Yea Pilipinas!

Brother Ramos just up in a trees getting some fruit for us to eat(:

Exchanges with Sister Santos! 

Our area is pretty high up so when its a clear day you can see the ocean and Iloilo on the other side!