Count your blessings

Companion:  Sister Rossberg

Area:  Mandama

Sister Training Leader

                                                                                    Monday, July 7, 2014

Hello Friends and Fam!

Another great week has come and gone here in Mandama. The week was full of anticipation as Sister Rossberg and I were just looking forward to meeting our new mission president, and wow is all I can say. He is INCREDIBLE. And his wife, ah just amazing. I have never been so sure in my life that two people have been called by God. They are going to do some AMAZING things in this mission. It must be hard to fill big shoes, the Querido's were incredible. President is so humble and is always acknowledging how amazing the Querido's were and the love they had for us and their calling. 

Housemates at church

We had MLC on Friday and the best words I could use to describe it would be spiritual and inspiring. I felt the Spirit as strong as I did when I was in the MTC, and that is saying something. The MTC just RAGES with the Spirit. President and Sister Dahle taught us about becoming consecrated, not only consecrated missionaries, but consecrated in all things. Being consecrated is not a one time event that happens in our lives, but rather a process. 

We had costco size pizza slices for lunch with salad (filipino style-the lady cut up the cucumbers and carrots like fries it was soo funny haha, A for effort). Sister Rossberg unfortunately came on with a major migraine so she had to go upstairs to take a nap and get some fluids in her. The missionaries all left before she was feeling well enough to stand up and get out to the car. I enjoyed the opportunity to pick the brain of President and Sister Dahle. I enjoyed a 20 minute piano session downstairs, then I sat at the little kitchen table with sister Dahle on one side and President on the other. We both felt like it was a Sunday afternoon just chattin with the family. It was awesome, I was able to get to know them a little better. Eventually they drove us home, they were so cute, every toll bridge we stopped at when President would pay, he would hand the person working there a pass along card with our beliefs on it. They're awesome. They also said they would love to come work with us some time! I told sister to buy some rain boots and a sturdy umbrella and she will be set! Haha. They then picked our brains and asked us all about the culture, missionaries, etc. I felt a little spoiled having all this time with our new mission president, I won't say I'm sorry though haha. They asked to come in our apartment just to see our living conditions, man was that embarrassing. It was very obvious that I had changed my outfit 4 or 5 times and that we had left the house without glancing back at what we had thrown around the house in a rush to get ready earlier that morning at 5. I'm definitely not a girl scout, always prepared. haha.

notice the dog..hahaha

Sister Rossberg and I were really struggling with the Lord this week for our area. We pretty much humbled ourselves and prayed to Him letting Him know that we are putting everything in His hands. We know it's not our work, but His, and prayed that through the Spirit we would know the places we needed to go, and the things we needed to say to the people. It's cool to see the miracles begin to flood when we allow His hand to be in the work. All of our baptismal goal dates that we weren't so sure if they would be baptized this week became sure na sure that they would be baptized. At church we had the Llego family, Nancy Sanches (again!) and her daughter Jo Ann, and Maldwin Nunag. (all of which should be getting baptized this July. Nancy and Maldwin have been investigators since forever, and through some miracles they are finally progressing and will finally be getting baptized. The Dabuet family was unable to come because they had visitors in town but said they would be there next week.

Went on exchanges with my batch!

Earlier this morning,
we switched clothes for the day

We are starting to have some real break throughs with the Llego's. We have been having a hard time teaching them three times a week like we would like to because their son Vincent has decided he wants daddy to go to school with him everyday and won't let him leave. So Fritz has been going to school with Vincent, and then had to switch his work to night shift, aka he was never home. Brother suggested this week that maybe Sister Tet should get baptized before him because he still has some word of wisdom things to work out and sabbath day--sometimes he has work on sundays and there's no way to get it off. I got bold and basically laid it out for him. I say brother, what's more important to you, your job or following the commandments of God? I promise you that if you follow the commandments of God, and think of things in the eternal perspective, God will provide for you and your family, and you will be blessed. I also promise you that if you choose your job, you may or may not continue to be employed for the rest of your life, you may or may not be able to provide your family all that they need, and you definitely won't receive the blessings from your father in heaven. The choice was obvious, he needs to follow the commandments. I know it got in his head, and to make things even more sure that he was ready to be baptized we reviewed the baptismal interview questions. He had at testimony of it all, at the end we said, you see brother, you are ready, you just need to learn to sacrifice a few things in your life. We are praying for a miracle that he will somehow figure things out with his job so that he may be baptized. 

Sunday dinner with the llego fam, love them!

sister gemma has the cutest little puppy ever, 

                       amber!

Yesterday's testimony meeting was very touching. Every testimony the members all testified of how grateful they were for food, shelter, clothing, their family, and the gospel. Wow, what a humbling service. I wonder how many times I actually thanked my father in heaven for those simple things. We then had a lesson in relief society about developing gratitude, we were told to choose the biggest blessing we have been given in this life. I sat there for about 5 minutes pondering which one to choose. How blessed we are to have so many blessings in our lives that we can't even begin to count them all. So many more promised blessings will come as we are obedient, consecrated, submissive to His will, and faithful. I love this gospel. I love my Saviour, I know that he lives. He loves us. He knows us.

they're so cute but remind me of gremlins haha

Have a great week everyone!

Sister Pilkington

p.s.happy birthday to kati!!