Companion: Sister Rossberg
Area: Mandama
Sister Training Leader
Monday,
June 30, 2014
MABUHAY friends and fam.
Great week this week.
Sister Rossberg and I knocked some doors every day this week and it was
probably the most fun I have had on my whole mission. Even though 9 out of the
10 people rejected us every single time, I felt so good at the end of the day
coming home knowing that we had invited those people to learn. Something I've
really come to understand as a missionary is that everyone has their free
agency to accept or reject the gospel, whether they accept it or not doesn't
make us any better or worse of a missionary, it's all just part of the calling
to serve.
The weather has been
typical, weird. haha It will pour all morning, and then as soon as we go out it
will get SUPER HOT, and super sunny, then it will rain again that night. It
can't make up it's mind! This July though the weather should be getting more
constant...straight up rain and humidity. That's it. Looking forward to it! We
also experienced an earthquake this week. We were sitting in a lesson, and all
of a sudden I felt super dizzy and felt like the room was spinning, I looked
around and everything was moving, then I realized, it was an earthquake. All
goods though, no harm done.
The four of us sisters
here in Mandama somehow went broke this week, we had absolutely no money left,
so we were literally living off of bread and energen (hot chocolate with
oatmeal in it). Well somehow the ward found out and they all sprang into
action. Every single day this week we were fed by the members of the ward. They
would text us every day making sure someone was feeding us. Lots of members
dropped by rice, snacks, ulam, and all sorts of things just to make sure that
we could survive. It was amazing to see them turn around and serve us. We don't
need to be served at all, but to see the happiness and the unity that it
brought to our ward was really a miracle to watch unfold. I am so grateful for
this church. We are such a family. No matter where we go in the world, we
automatically have 100 plus brothers and sisters one call away to help us with
anything we need.
I got to go on splits with
our Bishop's wife this week, it was super fun going and visiting all the less
actives in our area. I also went on exchanges with Sister Echon. It felt just
like old times when we were companions back in good 'ol Floridablanca! We
picked up where we left off. We got three new investigators and extended three
baptismal goal dates that day, it was awesome.
The Dabuet Family is
progressing more than ever. We had a break through lesson with them yesterday.
It ended up being a two hour lesson, they opened up to us about everything that
they are going through and have been through. Charlene and Hazel are the nieces
of Jo. Jo however is now their guardian. Their parents split and now both have
new families, leaving their 5 children to fend for themselves. Jo took them in
and is doing all she can to support them emotionally and financially. They have
all been to church twice and we have taught them twice, and they have already
told us they want to be baptized and that Charlene (16) and Hazel (15) want to
go on missions. We told them they still have a few years until they can do so,
but they can work with us and serve as ward missionaries until so. We set them
to be baptized July 26. Sister Jo (37)and her daughter Mitzi (13) are extremely
excited to be baptized, only problem is that Jo and her husband are not married
yet and he is working abroad. We will have to talk to our leaders to see what
we can do about that, he won't be coming home until November. She also has a
son (19) that is going to school in Manila and will come home for Christmas
break. We plan on teaching them when they come home and getting this whole
family baptized and sealed.
Saturday night we had a
Ward FHE on Saturday night which was a BLAST. We had lots of investigators in
attendance, and they just played played played all night. All of our
investigators really enjoyed and were able to make good friends with our
members.
Sunday was thee best day
ever. We had seven investigators and three less actives at church. The Dabuet
Family, Nancy Sanchez, and Maldwin Nunag all attended. (They are our baptismal
goal dates for this month). I also was assigned to speak on being truly
converted, referring to the talk by sister Bonnie L. Oscarson last general
conference. I was super nervous, mainly because I had to talk in tagalog for 10
minutes. But with the spirit, it all just flowed, and I actually realized, I
really enjoy speaking in front of people. I guess after a year of being a
missionary, it kind of is what I do all day every day haha. My main point in my
talk was that nobody else can be converted for us, it's something we must do
for ourselves. Conversion is not an event that happens in our lives, but rather
a process. I shared the story about Brad, who had a friend that ended up
being introduced to the missionaries and later baptized because of his example
to her. If we are converted as members, it is our duty to help strengthen those
around us. My challenge was for those that aren't fully converted yet, or don't
have a strong testimony yet, to do what they need to become so. I know that
deep conversion is necessary to battle the adversary in these latter days. We
need to not only have a testimony, but to act upon those principles that we
know and hold so dear. This gospel is the only way to happily and safely return
to our loving Father in Heaven. Let us find the courage and strength to endure
to the end, receiving the greatest blessing of all at the end, eternal life.
Sorry this letter is a
little scatter brained. I love the Philippines, and I love missionary work even
more! Have a great week. Be Safe. And congratulations to Paige Michelle Boice!
:)
Love,
Sister Pilkington
HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY TO
ALL MY AMERICAN FOLKS!
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