Philippines Mission--Week 8 & 9

At a Zone training meeting in Valencia with fellow American, Elder Larson

Kamusta mo! So a couple of missionaries and I weren't able to email anybody at all last week because something was wrong with our emails and we couldn't open them.

On May 27th, Sister Lagan and I took a motorcycle to the Pampelon family's house. All of the missionaries got ready and went over because they needed help building their house. When Sister Lagan and I got there, we started off by clipping some metal rods and building them. After, we went down this hill and washed all of the dishes and cooked the lunch for everyone. While the lunch was being cooked, I decided to go see what all of the Elders were doing. Some of them were shoveling rocks mixed with concrete, and so I took a shovel and said "Step aside, I got this," and started shoveling the concrete mix into a bucket. It was so funny because everyone's reaction was of shock. They kept saying, "Wow, Sister Johnson, you're so strong! Sister Lagan, come look at your companion, she's so strong!" haha. It was really fun being able to help the Pampelon family out with building their house. I absolutely love their family. Brother Pampelon is a recent convert, and he loves being able to help out the missionaries. He's always giving us rides to the houses we need to go to, but he never accepts plete (fare), so it was nice doing a favor for him since he's always doing something for us.

On May 30th, I had my very first baptism!! Sister Lagan and I were looking forward to this day. Sister Jessa Jamero was our investigator being baptized, and we all were so excited! Especially since the date for her interview and baptism kept changing because things just kept coming up. We were also worried that her father wouldn't want her to be baptized. Every night he'd mention how she shouldn't take lessons from us, and that the church was wrong, there isn't a true living Prophet, etc. Sister Lagan and I would pray every night for the Lord to soften his heart and let him accept her baptism and accept lessons from the missionaries. Then on Friday, the night before Sister Jessa's baptism, we were teaching her and she told us that her father is going to come to her baptism!! Then on May 30th, he came like he promised and got to witness his daughter being baptized into The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. For the program, I gave the first talk, (which was all in Cebuano, so hard!), and Sister Jade Barbon gave the second talk. Then Elder Talan got up and sang, "I Am A Child of God." He really brought the Spirit! After all of the talks and musical programs, everyone walked outside to witness Sister Jessa's baptism. Elder Robanakadavu got to baptize her (His very 1st baptism!), so he was pretty excited about that. It was an amazing experience that I and Sister Jessa will never forget. Watching her walk into the water with Elder Robanakadavu, hearing Elder Robanakadavu announce that he was baptizing her with the power and authority of God, and then dunk her into the water. The moment her whole body was dunked into the water, the Spirit just filled my body. My heart was full of peace, and love and happiness. As Elder Robanakadavu lifted her up, I started to cry because I knew that she was made clean. She could start all over with a new, clean slate in her life as a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. After the baptism, Sister Lagan was talking with Sister Jessa's father, and he told her, "I was very inspired with the baptism, Sister Lagan."

Then On May 31st, we were able to witness her being confirmed and receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. Just looking at Sister Jessa, I can tell she is going to grow and prosper in this church. I love her so much and will be heartbroken the day I transfer and have to leave her.

I also went on my very 1st split by myself with a member. Sister Lagan went with a member, Sister Salamanca, and I went with Sister Jade Barbon. It was really scary going by myself and not having another missionary, especially my trainer, by my side helping me out with the lesson. But it was really good practice and really made me step up my "game" as a missionary. After our splits, Sister Lagan and I got back together and visited Sister Jessa. We wanted to check up with her and see how she feels being a recent convert. She said she was so happy and just felt like she was a new person. The most amazing news she told us that night, is that after her baptism, her father told her that he wants to start taking lessons from us and see what our church is about. Oh man, Sister Lagan and I jumped for joy when we heard those words. Prayers really do get answered! The Lord knows exactly what He is doing. He had to prepare Sister Jessa first for her baptism, in order for her father to want to take lessons and eventually be baptized. And now that Sister Jessa is a member, she is now able to go and do baptisms for the dead! So now she can go and baptize her mother and her older brother and help them to accept the gospel as well! It's all working out. I can see their family becoming members and being sealed together for time and eternity.

On June 4th, Sister Lagan and I traveled to Valencia (about 30 mintues away) to have a Zone Training Meeting. This training meeting was the 1st training meeting with new missionaries, because a lot got transferred/went home. I was so excited to go to the Zone Training Meeting, because I found out that one of the Elders from my batch in the Provo MTC was now in our zone! So now I have two missionaries from back home that I know; Elder Robanakadavu and Elder Laga'Aia. When we arrived we all socialized a bit and then had our Zone training meeting. There were a lot of things that our zone leaders taught us that I really want to apply into my life and my missionary life. I like one quote that they told us that the Mission President had mentioned to them. "The Lord is easy to please, but hard to satisfy." I remember reading Alma Chapter 5 during one of my personal studies. In that chapter, Alma is talking to the memebers of God's church and asking them if they as members are ready to face the Lord. If they were to die today and stand in front of God to be judged, would they have done the things that they needed to do here on the earth, to be able to return to Him and inherit the Celestial Kingdom? It really made me think about the things that I'm not doing that the Lord has commanded me to do here, and it makes me really want to change, so if I were to die today, I would stand in front of the Lord, guiltless, knowing that I did everything He has commanded me to do. I really suggest that as a family, or by yourself, you all open up your scriptures to Alma Chapter 5 and ponder about what you can do more as a member of the Lord's church, to satisfy Him.

Some more exciting news:

We were teaching one of our other investigators, Sister Angelisa, and I got a prompting to invite her to be baptized. In the past whenever we have committed her to baptism, she never said yes. But when I committed her, she said, "Yes I will be baptized." We have set her baptismal service for July 18th, my mom's birthday! So that'd be a cool little birthday present to have, right Mom? haha.

I'm seriously so excited for the many more miracles the Lord will bestow upon me during my mission! I know that the more we rely on Him, are obedient to literally everything He asks of us, He can perform miracles for us in our lives.

I love and miss you all! Stay strong and always rely on the Lord...for everything!

See you in 14 months!!

Love,

Sister