The Power of Prayer!

Hello everyone! Wonderful news! President Lopez is now out of the hospital and improving(: thank you so much for your prayers! The power of prayer is so unbelievably real. I thought everything would be different not really having a mission president but the diligence of the missionaries is so amazing! The Lord is running this work truly! 

I'm so grateful to be assigned here in Bacolod Philippines. I fall more in love every week(: The people are so wonderful. Like the say the funniest stuff. There is one Brother we pass by everyday and he asks us one day "I always see you two together. Are you best friends?" haha they always have such wonderful conversation starters for us to go right into our message for them! 

My STL(Sister Training Leader)

My STL(Sister Training Leader)

(second picture,maybe, basta she's a Filipina though which is my point) she says to me day "I like your voice, you sound like a Disney princess!" I'm taking that as my sign that I'm going to be a princess at Disneyland some day(: but oh these people just make my day everyday! 

Today was transfer day but Sister Arviola and I didn't transfer so we both get to see our seeds start to grow this transfer! We have so many wonderful things about to happen here! The ward is becoming more established and we've even got ward missionaries to help us! We have a marriage and baptism coming up real soon(:

Me with Sister Mariechell(: she will be married and baptized Feb 14(: I'm so excited!!

and another one just a little bit later(: wow the Lord is hastening His work! I love that I get the privilege to be apart of it right now(: I love you all k bye! Stay fresh!

Just my lunch one day that was so very delicious. I love the food here.

So that spider was as big as my hand!!! Ew I freaked out.

Brother vengie with some star fruit! So so sour! haha

Some women doing their laundry in the river(:

The missionaries of Santa Fe ward and a RM sister Wlima

Prayers For President and Sister Lopez

Hello everyone! So lots happened this week. The pope came to the Philippines, my ward mission leader almost died, I found out coconuts are actually green and my mission president went home. Yeah, please keep President Lopez and Sister Lopez in your prayers. They are very sick. They had to go to the US to get medical treatment and they will most likely not be returning to finish. This really has kinda just put a damper on the whole mission. He is such a faithful servant of the Lord and such a inspiration for me. And then our ward mission leader, okay so we're walk to our next appointment and its down this big, steep hill that turns into a narrow bridge (only one care can drive on it at a time) so when we got to the bottom of this hill and to the bridge me and Sister Arviola jumped right up on the sidewalk while our ward mission leader is walking in the narrow road, and a huge truck comes flying down the hill. Brother Roy jumped up on the sidewalk literally right before the truck was going to hit him (I legit thought he was going to get hit) me and Sister Arviola were freaking out and all he says is "Heavenly Father loves me. It felt like I was pulled out of the road by an angel" Which I can testify to, he's pretty old and he moved so fast to get out of the way. Heavenly Father really does watch over us!! And yeah the pope was like a big deal. Everyone was so excited, like even our members!

MmmmMM Coconuts

These people are so funny! Haha okay so now a funny story. So there are these trees here and they look just like coconuts trees but I didn't think it was because the fruit in them in green so one day I asked "What are these trees that look like coconut trees but the fruit is green?" and they bust up laughing "Sister, those are coconuts" MIND BLOWN!! And they're delicious. Like I hate coconut too. The Philippines is the bomb. I'm so thankful to be a missionary here. I had the opportunity to attend the special sacrament in the Elders area. They are such faithful members there! They truly understand the importance and sacredness of the sacrament. It is such a wonderful gift! Oh I just love being a missionary! Stay Fresh!!

Sister Schimbeck  

At a members house! So beautiful here(:

I finally got the picture of the outside of our house for you!

These super cool looking bird things that made a really funny noise

I saw a real life peacock!!! it was kind of a big deal for me.

My Zone

Rooster wants to know if he is next?

Riding in a Jeepney

At the Elders area

a stolen shot at a dinner appointment. I'm always laughing here.

Another Day in Paradise...Lake Ranch

Hello everyone! So the weather this week was so wonderful(: no complaints there haha. Heavenly Father is so aware of everyone's needs and desires I just know it(: So this week I remembered that I'm in the Philippines (I think I forgot that I'm half way across the world and in a totally different culture) and I just really started to enjoy everything like I did when I first got to the Philippines(: Heavenly Father is so aware of my needs and desires. Last pday we went to this lake ranch place and it was so beautiful and peaceful and I was just like wow Heavenly Father loves us so much, he's given us such a beautiful place to learn and grow to become just like Him! His love is so real and I'm so thankful I get to feel it everyday(:

This week with the work was so hard. We had investigators drop us that were close to baptism, we've had investigators hide from us when we go to visit them, we've had recent converts really being tested and tried. It is so unbelievably hard! My faith is definitely tried and tested everyday too. But Faith is like feet. It will either move you forward or backward. We just need to decide what kind of faith we have. And the people here have strong faith in Jesus Christ!! So inspiring for me. I know trials come and go and through our Savior we can endure any trials! Guys I love being a missionary so much. Stay Fresh! bye.

Sister Schimbeck

 Lake Ranch right out side Charito!

 Lake Ranch right out side Charito!

 Lake Ranch right out side Charito!

Sister Arviola and Sister Schimbeck

Sister Schimbeck @ Lake Ranch 

At Lake Ranch, chilling hard

"feed my sheep" (us feeding the sheep the word of God) 

At Lake Ranch, chilling hard

At Lake Ranch, chilling hard

Me and Sister Pattillo my MTC compaion!!(:

Happy New Years!

Hello everyone who still even reads these letters! So Happy New Year! For New Years Eve and Day we had curfew at 6 pm, truly inspiration from God because guys, the Philippines go nuts during New Years. Their fireworks and fire cracker things set off car alarms and then the little kids throw those popper rocks at you. Like it was insane! I feel bad, this letter is going to be short (dad don't be mad!)

Our investigators are all so wonderful here and truly have the desire to change! I can't wait to see that baptisms start coming in(: they're all so prepared! So this is the first New Years I have a New Years Resolutions, "Cry unto God for all they support; let all thy doings be unto the Lord, and whithersoever thou goest let it be in the Lord; let all thy thoughts be directed unto the Lord; let the affections of they heart be placed upon the Lord forever" Alma 37:26. So I used to be so against New Years Resolutions, I just thought they brought disappointment and couldn't be kept. But how do we change and become the best us if we don't have goals! I've seen lives change just from simple commitments or, a resolution. And we have divine help from our Savior to help us along the way. I'm so grateful for this time to be a missionary. I love being a missionary! Stay Fresh.

White Christmas in the Philippines

So my Christmas here in the Philippines was so so wonderful! Not at all like Christmas in the states. It's hot and rainy. There's no fudge or crapes. The houses aren't all decked out with decorations and lights or Christmas trees. And only some families even have gifts to give. I'm away from my family. But I had a Philippines Christmas. My Christmas was white in its own special way, the baptism of Albert(:

White Christmas with Albert

(you know cause he wears white) I didn't get my Christmas eve crapes but I did get rice at every house we visited (literally every visit, I could feel my skirt getting tighter and tighter around my waist) I had three packages to open Christmas morning from my wonderful family(: and I got Skype my family!! So with or without these things my Christmas was prime, mostly because I felt the true spirit of Christmas. The spirit of Christ! I love these people I get to serve here in the Philippines(: they have all become family to me!

The baptism of Albert was the most spiritual baptism I've attended. He has been an investigator for five years. He's attended church regularly all these years too but he never just had the desire to get baptized. My companion and I decided to follow up with him and he just really had a desire after a couple visits!! Its the spirit of Chirst I just know it. Albert is going to be a powerful leader of the church someday I just know it. He is like a robot. He had everything memorized!! Like he understood repentance so well. His testimony was so powerful! Him and Genie Love just got married that day too and he is so excited to go to the temple with her in a year! I love this gospel and I love seeing it change lives everyday! I love you all! And I love being a missionary! Stay fresh.

Sister Schimbeck

Found my Daddies name in stone

Laundry Day! 

These are just a few of my favorite people here in Santa Fe(:

These are just a few of my favorite people here in Santa Fe(:

Merry Christmas in Zombieland

MERRY CHRISTMAS! So its Christmas soon. I'm so excited(: we just get to proselyte allll day:D I've truly learned the true meaning of Christmas here. These people are so humble and they truly understand the meaning too. Its such a privilege to serve here. I hope you all remember the true meaning of Christmas this week! Because its the best Christmas remembering this for myself(:

So this week here in Santa Fe has been very stressful since neither of us really know the area. It kinda feels like white wash (or at least how I imagine a white wash would be) for all you missionaries and future missionaries, UPDATE YOUR AREA BOOKS!! And do a good job too. Because this is so frustrating. But we have a wonderful ward here! And they all just love missionaries(: being a missionary is the best guys(: So I can really testify that the Lord calls us to this work. Even the areas we are assigned to. The difference I feel between one week in Alijis and Santa Fe is insane. I know I'm supposed to be here in Santa Fe right now with Sister Arviola! She is an amazing missionary! She knows how to really help this ward!

So its different in the city! I have a real shower head in my house!!! :' ) and the water is so much warmer here! Like its still cold, but warmer(: and our house is a box! Its so cute. I love it. so tiny(: so I realized this week that I live in a Zombieland scene. Like we've got a big sign that says NEGROS PROVIDENCE (it looks like the Hollywood sign)

Providence Negros

but its all rusty and creepy and then we have creepy ripped flags flapping around everywhere and its just looks old. Yeah. But other than I feel like I'm going to be murdered when I'm walking home, I really love it here(:

(For we walk by faith, not by sight:) 2 Cor 5:7. Like this verse for two reasons. Because it has a smiley face(: and because its explains perfectly mine and Sister Arviola's week. We had to walk by our faith. Everyday my faith is tested and growing! Oh I love being a missionary(:

MmmMMmmm Balut....and a Transfer to Santa Fe

Back with Sister Cruz for one week!

Balut

Welcome to the Bacolod Philippines mission where every week we have transfers. I was just transferred to Santa Fe today and my new companion is Sister Arviola. She is so funny! We're gonna get along great I think(: and our area is in the City again. Its gonna take time to get used to the city, its so different! I'm really home sick for Sagay but its okay I'll get over it.

Will she do it? Looks excited.

So I was transferred to Alijis last Monday and I was with Sister Cruz again and it was so fun! I thought I was going to have to learn the area in just a week but then they called me yesterday and they pulled the Sisters out of that area and Elders will take it over. The area was pretty great too. We had an investigator that lived in Florida for like 14 years so he had a sweet accent and he was so cool and then when he would speak in Hiligaynon it went away! I want that. Lots of adventures in Alijis. I got to eat the famous balut that everyone has been asking me if I tried yet.
Haha it was crazy. Not as bad as I thought it was going to be either! Like sucking the juice out tasted just like fried chicken!!

Down it goes! MMmmM

And I taught the kids how to have swag. My one week there was pretty great(:

Brother Generoso's Baptism

Brother Generoso was baptized too(: I know I wasn't his missionary but oh I love him! The week I was there and got to see how much he loves this gospel made my love grow even more! So the church is very, very far away from his house and he walked to his baptism!!
He was an hour and a half late, but he was so determined to be baptized! These people make my faith grow everyday! I love this work, I love my Savior and I love being a missionary!! Stay fresh!!

Sister Schimbeck

Jacey with cute Filipino children

Sister Schimbeck

Secret notes from Dad 

The power of prayer is real people!