The 10 Commandments

Hey guys. So this week I realized I've been here for 6 months now. That's like a really long time. But this week was good. I can honestly tell you that! Mostly cause of my super awesome companion. She's perfect. We just decided we'll just do our very best but have fun too. Cause no one likes stress. And we had one of our best weeks(: the Lord blessed us cause we just gave it all to Him! We stopped doing it our way and let Him do His work.

So it rained all week this week we have one area that just gets so crazy muddy!! And when we were walking I found a sink spot, as soon as I stepped in this puddle I sunk down to my knees!! Like sinking sand is a real thing. I almost did it again just so I could get a picture but it felt gross so I was like nah. So do you guys know that movie Despicable Me? Of course you do cause that movie is the best! But I forgot about it until we met this man and he like to talk to me in English cause I'm American and stuff and he sounds just like Gru!! (I think thats his name basta the main character guy) or it made my day!!

We continue to see tender mercies and miracles everyday! This work is the best work in the world. I love being a missionary. I love the gospel. And I love my Savior!! K stay fresh bye!

Part of Sister Schimbeck's letter to her dad:

So this week we teaching the 10 commandments to a RC and when we shared about Thou shalt not steal I felt prompted to share about when we lived in Central and you found a womans wallet out on the side of the road and you contacted her to return it and when you gave back to her with all her money and everything still in it she was so so happy and tried to give you a reward for being so honest and not taking her money. I've never forgot about this experience even though it was so long ago, I thought my dad is so cool and now being older I can see how Christlike you are and that act was!! It was exactly what the RC needed and it was so cool because he has a problem of pocket picking so I just wanted to tell you thank you for the example you showed to me and for this RC! I love you so much and miss you always. Have a great week!


Sister Schimbeck

I'M NOT A NEW MISSIONARY!

So a sister told me in my first area "Sister Schimbeck, your last few months in the mission will be the hardest months of your mission" and I was just like why the heck did you just tell me that? That's not what I want to hear! But I didn't believe her I was like no way Jose! 1. I will know that language and be able to understand and 2. I will be a gospel genius. But it turns out, she was right.

-Sister Canasay called this a Candid shot?
I do love/hate a good Jeepney ride.

Despite that I can speak and understand now there are still so many challenges. But that's just how much Heavenly Father loves me! He only does it to make me stronger. Haha but really me and Sister Cansanay have just been keeping a positive attitude and enjoying our companionship(: we just eat food when we start to get sad! Haha so my favorite part about this week was when we were reading in our 12 week training program book about what she would take lead in for that week. And she read, "the new missionary will take lead in teaching the commandments.....hey I'm not a new missionary!" I'M NOT A NEW MISSIONARY! That was sweet music to my ears. All I wanted for Sister Cansanay in her first 12 weeks was to have confidence in herself and when those words came out of her mouth joy just filled my heart.

We may not have weekly baptisms but she has confidence in herself and I feel like a successful trainer(: oh the tender mercies. I'll be forever grateful for them! Like we got 3 referrals yesterday and had investigators at church so I'm just super content right now. The mission is the hardest thing that I've ever loved! The gospel is true. Stay Fresh!

Sister Schimbeck

-Yes, I know how to cook! No, I don't know how to cook American food.

Taco Tuesday

-Just my most favorite scene.
A carabao taking a bath in the mud and rice fields(: #philippines

Ang tanan mawtahay

Hi guysh. So I don't have too much to say about this week. It was a lot like last week if you remember how that was. But we continue to look for the tender mercies and blessings everyday cause Heavenly Father sends those out like hot pretzels. They never fail to keep me smiling(:

Hi I'm Shister Schimbeck :D

No matter how hard or discouraging or exhausting or heart breaking this work is, its the best. I'll never be able to explain how but its so true.

I just want to share one experience I had this week reading in the Bible (guys I love the bible, it is true) I was reading in Luke 22, which you guys know, is about the atonement of Jesus Christ but the cool part is is when we went to follow up training the next day and the AP started his training off with this picture that is attached, Agony in Gethsemane,

and he testified that we have angels ministering to us if we form our will to the Fathers. And I cried a little bit a won't lie. Because that picture went perfectly with words I just read the day before in Luke, "Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done. And there appeared an angel unto him from Heaven, strengthen him." So beautiful, right? It calmed my stressed out soul. I too testify that we have angels ministering to us and strengthening us in our times of need, of course, as we form our will to his. I just love this picture. It has changed my look on the Atonement of Jesus Christ and our Heavenly Father. He loves us. He will never leave us alone, even if we may feel like it. He never sends trials that we cannot overcome. "Now when our hearts were depressed, and we were about to turn back, behold, the Lord comforted us..." I know the enabling power of the Atonement is real. I've witnessed it.

Faith and Ronwell came to visit at our follow up training! 

I love being a missionary a lot guys. You all have a great week and stay fresh!

John! He is my favorite ever and has such a beautiful story! He was a less active and was addicted to all kinds of bad things and wasn't going to school or working. Just really sad life. But then something in him just changed and he has returned back to church straight up stopped his vices and is preparing to go on a mission(: seeing less actives return is just as rewarding as a baptism!! 

This is what you call a bahay kubo.
I want to buy one and take in back with me. They are so peaceful(:

mirror shots with the bea! I forgot about mirror shots,
that was my game back in the day.

Mission Shirt Designed by My Taytay(dad)

I got my trunky letter this week :(
but then I got chewy chips a hoy cookies too so its okay(: 

This is a caterpillar. It was huge and really cute so I wanted to hold it but it felt so weird!
 You can tell by my face no? hahah

Kari kari kamo mga santos

Oh where to begin? This week was honestly awful. Haha. Everything that could've gone wrong did. Like do you guys remember Sister Virgiana that I've been bragging about? She backed out of her baptism. We lost most of our progressing investigators. And I could go on about the bad things. But thats not what matters.

#swag (if thats still what the kids use these days)

I love what President Barredo says 'learn from the past, live in the present and look to the future.' That is his motto! He always repeats it. But its perfect no? I think we'd be some very depressed people if we just thought about the past. My favorite thing we do every night is when we come home is to pray and give thanks for the trials but then to focus on the tender mercies Heavenly Father has given us that day. It just turns the bad days around(:

So do you guys remember about a year ago now when I likened companionships to marriageship? And how I said I'd marry Sister Cruz because of all her wonderful attributes? Yeah well I'd marry Sister Cansanay too.

-Filipinos love it when you eat with your hands! 

She is such a great companion to me! She makes me want to do better and keeps me positive. Sometimes I feel like she's training me. She's such a good missionary and person! I read a verse this week, Matthew 18:20 "For where two or three are gathered together in my name there am I in the midst of them." So I was familiar with this verse before. But it was so different reading it this time. I know that no matter what Sister Cansanay and I go through in this area we are not alone. We are gathered together in His name and He is with us! I could not do this work if I had to rely on my own strength. I know this is His work and we are only but tools is His hands. I love being a missionary! Remember, there are latter day saints and there are latter day aints. Stay fresh guys!

Sister Schimbeck

Our mission tour with Elder Shane Bowen!

-Inday-Inday! Its a native food. I can't tell you if its good or not.
I thought it was disgusting but Sister Cansanay loves it.
(But I'm probably right) hahaha joke(:

Stolen shot of me and sister cansanay eating!
They love when I eat with my hands ahaha they think its hilarious!

"We are called to serve..."

Hey, Hi, Hello. So this week was your basic week when you try to follow up on OYMs, none of them were interested. Yeah that's usually how it goes sadly. But our miracle, Virgiana is progressing gd! She will be baptized on September 12, can you tell I'm excited? Shes my lola here(: like she reminds me of my lola Schimbeck and my lola Sommer(: you know what I loved about this week though? Sister Cansanay. No matter how hard it was she kept me so strong. She is such a positive person! Ah I love her. Like sometimes I'll be like okay Sister we need to find some of these inactive members (and I say it in a not very excited tone because its hard) and she says "alright, we'll find nemo!" haha shes so weird. But I love her.

-Brother Gino is getting ready to serve in New Zealand!!
And then theres Sister Cansanay
and Michelle just looking pretty as always.

STORY TIME: so every morning Sister Cansanay and I will do our morning exercise (usually just laying on the floor pretending to do crunches) but one morning we felt like going on a walk, so we started our walk and we were like yeah this is nice. It wasn't hot and the dogs were asleep so yeah, super peaceful. Then we were approaching this house and there was a lady struggling to pull weeds in her yard. So we stopped and talked to her for a minute and then asked her if we could help. She hesitated and said no at first, Filipinos like to do things themselves, but then agreed to let us help. So I hate pulling weeds. That's one chore at the house that I just avoided. But as I saw this woman struggling to pull a few weeds I remembered  a chapter I read just the other day during my personal study. Matthew 25 the parable of the sheep and the goats. "Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me" That verse really hit me when I read it just a day ago so as I remembered it walking up to her it was not a chore for me to offer help, I was serving my sister and my God. And I've never enjoyed such a service.

-Me and Sister Cansanay being guapa and stuff haha(:

Not to mention the wonderful promise "come ye, blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world." We are called to serve, and that service can take so many forms. This woman wasn't interested in our message but I know she was touched by our service and maybe someday she will accept it. All that matters is that we serve. Serve with all our heart, might, mind and strength. I love being a missionary. This mission has been the hardest thing I've ever loved. The gospel is so true! Yup. Bye stay fresh!

Sister Schimbeck