Best Week EVERRRRR!!!!

Area:  San Marcelino

Companion:  Sister Rowley

                                                                                                December 2, 2013

Hellloooo hello :)

This week Sister Rowley and I focused on finding finding finding, due to

the split of our area we had to give half of our investigators to the

Elders. We were out tracting in the gorgeous bukid this week in the

countryside and were walking down this beautiful path. All of a sudden we

see a group of boys about 50 yards of head all sitting down, they all turn

and look at us, then get up and take off sprinting. Sister Rowley & I turn

and high-five because we figure they were scared of us or knew we were the

"mormons" so they ran away. We were all proud, and joking about it. Then we

get to the point where they were all sitting and realize why they were

really running. There was a 7 foot long COBRA SNAKE right in front of us,

I've never seen a faster reptile in my entire life, Sister Rowley & I

followed in the footsteps of these little boys, hugging each other screaming

and running away, easy to say we were humbled real quick. Scary!

We are however truly humbled actually because we saw the hand of the Lord

in our work incredibly this week. We hit the all time high attendance at

church this Sunday with an attendance of 137. My first week here it was 76,

it has almost DOUBLED. It's incredible truly. My goal is to leave San

Marcelino better than I found it, and I can definitely say that will

happen. We had TWELVE investigators at church, another blessing! Not to

mention it was fast and testimony meeting so church was already raging with

the Spirit. There were so many people that ALL the seats were taken, the

chapel was full, and people were now sitting out in the hall because there

was no room inside for them just so that they could listen. We need a new

building! I cried tears of happiness, I never could've dreamed that this

would happen. San Marcelino is on it's way to becoming a ward no doubt.

Highlight of the week: Friday night Sister Rowley & I went over to the

Sevillaga's home to teach their boys. When we walked up, there was

something not right, I couldn't figure out what it was but something was in

the air. Turns out they had a huge incident happen the night before. We sit

down and Nanay quickly starts explaining to us what was going on.

The Sevillaga boys were extremely distraught and were all crying the whole night. (These boys do NOT cry,they are tough kids, but they were a MESS.)

The night we came they ALL grabbed chairs, book of mormons, hymn books and said, sister this is our problem, help us, what do we do? we're embarrassed, we don't want to go to church now, people are going to judge us, nanay was extremely embarrassed as any mom would be. Sister Rowley and I were both shocked and nervous, I had NO idea what to say to comfort them. We started scrambling for scriptures to help them, through the help of the Spirit we were able to share some incredible scriptures with them. Then at the end of our sharing,

a thought popped into my head, this was the FIRST TIME my whole five months

that I have been here that the ENTIRE Sevillaga family had faced up to us

and listened to us teach. My heart began to pound out of my chest as I felt

the spirit so strongly. It's like those moments in fast and testiomony

meeting where you know you need to go up but you're on the edge of crying

so you don't want to. Right then, I grabbed my hankie out of my bag, and

began to bear my testimony. I began to say "I know the Church of Jesus

Christ of Latter Day Saints is true", I couldn't even get through that

sentence before I began to cry. The Spirit was soo strong, I managed to cry

my way through my testimony and bore the strongest one I have in my life. I

told them how much this gospel will change their lives if they will let it.

I told of experiences in my past where I wasn't exactly the most obedient,

but that my Heavenly Father was there for me, I told of times when I felt

completely and utterly alone, but He was still there for me. I told them

that the only way to resolve this problem, is to come unto him, to forsake

their sins, and change. At the end I looked up and there was not a dry eye

in the room. We were all crying, they each began to share their

testimonies, AJ said from this day on he is changing, he said "sister, I

will go to church for the rest of my life, Mom, I'm changing for you, this

is it. I'm going to be baptized." The rest of the boys said the same, they

ALL said they are going to be baptized. I can't explain how HUGE of a

miracle this is. A week ago they wouldn't even come out of the house when

we would share, and now they are saying they will be baptized! I told them

that I know everything happens for a reason, and maybe Heavenly Father gave

them this challenge to help them come unto him. They all nodded in

agreement. Needless to say, they were all dressed in white at church this

Sunday, and last night we gave them baptismal goal dates for January 1. The

ENTIRE SEVILLAGA FAMILY IS GOING TO BE BAPTIZED. Jenny then promised me she would never work another sunday in her life, and Nanay & Tatay promised they will go to the temple in a year and be sealed. Incredible. Friends, Family, there is no better time than the present to change. For any of you that feel unworthy of His help, reach out to Him, He is ALWAYS there. In 2

Nephi 19 it talks about people that feel they least deserve His help,

people that rejected the Savior and even betrayed Him, yet His arm was

stretched out still. He is HERE for you always, forsake your sins, do NOT

procrastinate the day of your repentance. Come unto Him.

It would be fair to say that this has hands down been my favorite week of

my entire mission thus far & to top it all off, it was THANKSGIVING! &

 Yes, I was able to have a delicious Thanksgiving dinner because there is a

family in my branch that is American. Winners! :) So, in the spirit of

Thanksgiving this past week, I would like to express all my thanks &

gratitude.

Family & Friends: Big shout out to all of my friends and family that have

been supporting me my whole way through my mission, I really could not have

done this without all of your love and support for me. You all mean the

world to me and I truly am soo grateful for all of you. Especially to my

parents, mom & dad you two are the absolute BEST. I'm pretty sure every

missionary in my mission is jealous because of all the packages & mail I

get, you two never fail to make my week when mail day comes! That is the

best day of any missionaries life when they receive mail from home. I feel

so blessed to have been surrounded and grown up with such incredible

friends and family members that have good morals and are strong members in

the church. I am so grateful that my family is all members of the church

and to have the knowledge that families can be together forever, there is

no greater blessing truly. Thank you, thank you, thank you!

Philippines: I LOVE THE PHILIPPINES. Yes, I am biased, but the Philippines

Olongapo Mission is the BEST mission in the world. I have learned so much

from all of the cultural differences here that have forced me to grow up

and accept the differences that this place has to bring. The people here

are some of the nicest and most humble people I have ever met. Most of

these people have absolutely nothing, yet they are SO WILLING to give. This

is something that we as Americans are no where near as good at them

culturally. It is considered offensive if you are eating a snack and you

don't share it with them, where as in America it's considered nice if you

are eating something and decide to share. I never realized how stingy I am

with the little things like sharing my snacks. The culture here has really

made me realize how much I need to change and just get over myself. I have

no reason not to share my little crackers or whatever it may be. I am

grateful for the beautiful nature that this incredible island has to offer.

Some days are rougher out here on the mission, but there is no better

feeling than walking out into a peaceful, quiet field with flowers and big

huge trees drooping everywhere, leaves all over the ground, birds chirping,

cows working out in the fields, it is so picturesque here, no pictures I

send home really do it justice. It feels like the sky is so much closer

here, the sunsets and stars at night are AMAZING, more beautiful than I

have ever seen. I'm grateful for the poverty that I have had to seen people

live in, as twisted as it may sound it has truly made me realize how happy

they are amidst all that they don't have, it has made me more appreciative

of all that I have been blessed with.

Trials: I am grateful for the trials that my Heavenly Father has given me.

Sometimes it is easy to wonder why Heavenly Father lets bad things happen

to good people. I used to wonder the same, but after much scripture study

and prayer, I have realized that he does this because he loves them.

Heavenly Father gives us trials to make us stronger, it's like the Kelly

Clarkson song, "what doesn't kill you makes you stronger", it's so true.

Think to the hard times that you have had in your life, you are ultimately

given two choices, let it get the best of you, or be strong and overcome

it. I know that my trials have only made me stronger and have refined me,

making me realize the things that really matter in life. I love this quote

by Brigham Young, it says "every trial and experience you have passed

through is necessary for your salvation." Oh how true this is, I am a

strong believer that everything happens for a reason. May we face our

trials head on, with the choice to only make ourselves stronger at the end.

You have a loving father in Heaven that will never forsake you in your

afflictions, turn to him, become submissive to His will, and He will carry

you when you can't do it on your own.

The opportunity to serve: One of my favorite scriptures from the Book of

Mormon comes from Mosiah 2:21, it says "I say unto you that if ye should

serve him who has created you from the beginning, and is preserving you

from day to day, by lending you breath, that ye may live and move and do

according to your own will, and even supporting you from one moment to

another--I say, if ye shall serve Him with all your whole souls, yet ye

should be unprofitable servants." God has given us a gift beyond all price,

this life, he allows us to breathe each day, he has blessed me with an

incredible family, friends, etc. The least that I could do to return my

appreciation to Him is to serve Him for a period of 18 months. I am truly

grateful for this opportunity, it is no sacrifice at all, but rather an

honor and a blessing. I have learned more about myself and how I can be a

better servant, daughter, friend, and future mother & wife these past 5

almost 6 months that I have been serving than in my entire life. I have

never loved a people so much in my entire life, I didn't even know it was

capable to love strangers so much, missions are INCREDIBLE. If you haven't

decided whether or not you want to go, pray & if you feel it's right, GO.

You won't regret it.If you aren't a full time missionary or preparing to be

one, be a missionary within your own homes and community, we all can look

for opportunities to serve, for when we are in the service of our fellow

beings, we are truly in the service of our God.

My testimony: I know that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints

is the only true church on this earth today. I know that Thomas S. Monson

is a living prophet, a witness of our Savior Jesus Christ, and that he

holds the priesthood keys to receive revelation to guide and help us

through these perilous latter days. I know that the gospel of Jesus Christ

was restored here to the earth through the Prophet Joseph Smith. I know

that the Book of Mormon is the most true of any book on the earth, the

keystone of our religion, and the Word of God. I know that families can be

together forever and that if we continually strive to apply the Atonement

of Jesus Christ to our lives each day, we will be worthy to someday return

to the presence of our loving Heavenly Father and Savior Jesus Christ. I am

grateful for an incredible family that loves me and supports me in all that

I do and for the blessings that they have received since I have been away.

I know that the Lord protects His servants and their families. I know that

this gospel can bring someone that is bound in the depths of despair due to

their past transgressions, that they can feel light, happy, and worthy

again through repentance and submission to the will of the Lord. I know

this gospel is true, I will preach it to the ends of my life and then again

in the Spirit World after this life. I love this gospel with my whole

heart, I encourage you to seek a testimony for yourself, and even if it is

just faith that you have now, lean on my testimony until you can gain one

for yourself. I know these things are true and I humbly leave it in the

name of our Beloved Savior, Jesus Christ, Amen.

I love you all, I pray for you all always, Come to our Savior, He is here

for you, especially during this Christmas Season. May we always remember of

His love and endless Atonement for us all.

Until next week!

Sister Pilkington