Philippines Mission--Week 53

Maayong palis! Can you all believe that I have about 3 more months left on my mission?? Time is seriously the fastest. Well, here's my letter for the past week and a half!

April 11th, Monday, I woke up at 2:30 a.m. to Sister McMaster talking in her sleep.But it wasn't just her having a random conversation, she was actually teaching a lesson out loud in her sleep! haha. It was so funny. She started teaching about Heavenly Father and His love for us. It was the cutest thing ever.

April 12th, Tuesday, Sister McMaster visited Brother JunJun Arnaiz (the one that chose his own baptismal date) and we had actually ended up just talking to him instead of teaching. We planned on teaching him about Joseph Smith, but then he told us that his girlfriend gets really angry if we ever go over and teach him. She tells us to our face that its fine if JunJun gets baptized, but then behind our back she yells and fights with JunJun saying that if he gets baptized, she won't support him anymore. JunJun recently had a stroke, so his girlfriend is the one that takes care of the house, so if he were to get baptized, she wouldn't support him anymore. He REALLY wants to be baptized. He told us that when she comes home from work, she always asks if the sisters came over and taught him. We thought that maybe she is like that because we're girls, but she didn't even like the Elders. It was the cutest thing because when we were talking to him, he kept saying, "She's not here. You can teach me now. She won't know!" haha. But we really don't want to break up their family. So as badly as it hurt my heart to tell him, we told him that we couldn't come back and continue teaching him. I had the strongest impression to teach him about the Plan of Salvation and how he can have another chance in the afterlife to accept the gospel if he doesn't get the chance here. But we had the senior couples with us, and they kind of refused to let us teach him about that because his girlfriend would get mad. It was kind of frustrating because he really needs to know that it's not over for him, he has another chance! But we ended up giving him a Plan of Salvation pamphlet so he can read it on his own time. We then got in the car and started driving away, and he just stood by his house and waved the whole time we were slowly driving away. My heart hurts so much! It's the saddest thing when people either know the truth and deny it, or they know the truth, and someone else denies them the chance accept it fully. But I'm so thankful for the Plan of Salvation. That JunJun will have another chance to accept the Gospel.

April 14th, Thursday, Sister McMaster and I traveled with the senior couple; Elder and Sister Bock, to Liloan because we had a zone conference with a lot of the missionaries and President Tanner. I accidentally left my notes at home, but it was SUCH a good conference and it was filled with SO much Spirit! I love being able to get together with all of the missionaries because you really do feel the Spirit so strongly.

April 15th, Friday, Sister McMaster and I went and visited RhenRhen (Sister Pino's grandson) and wanted to teach him about Jesus Christ. He's only 5 years old, but he's pretty mature for a 5 year old. We started teaching him, and of course, a 5 year is going to put his fingers in his mouth because hey, he's 5 years old. But Sister Pino kind of treats him like he's 25 years old, not like a little kid. So she just kept yelling at RhenRhen when he would put his feet up on the bench or his finger in his mouth. And for Sister McMaster and I, we weren't annoyed/angry with RhenRhen when he did that, so we never mentioned anything. But Sister Pino thought that maybe we were frustrated with him, so she kept hitting his hands/feet and yelling at him. It just completely drove away the Spirit. We didn't really know how to tell her to stop without hurting her feelings, so we, in a subtle way, told them both, "If people are talking/yelling, we can't concentrate and the Spirit won't be there," but because we kind of "beat around the bush" and didn't come right out and tell Sister Pino to stop, she thought that we were talking to RhenRhen! So then RhenRhen got pretty upset and ran inside the house. Sister Pino then got up to go take care of her goats, and Sister McMaster and I went inside the house and found RhenRhen leaning on the bed with his hands on his face crying! It was the saddest thing ever. Sister McMaster and I just knelt down on the floor and prayed out loud for him. Afterwards, we slowly walked away and then Sister Pino stopped us and said, "I'm very sorry for RhenRhen's bad behavior" (when he wasn't even being bad). I've really seen the change in RhenRhen now compared to when I first got here. Before, he would pinch, bite and actually hit people. He never wanted to be baptized, pray, or go on a mission. But now, all he wants to do is sit down and listen to the missionaries/be baptized, and go on a mission! It was SUCH a huge change for just a little 5 year old boy. And when you take into account all of the bad circumstances in his life, he's SUCH a good little boy. And I can just imagine Jesus Christ picking RhenRhen up and holding him on His lap. I love that kid so much!

April 16th, Saturday, Sister McMaster and I worked with Sister Babylyn Olivar and Aldrin Barrios in Canhabagat. We visited one of our investigators, Brother Arnel Jr. Arnaiz. We really didn't know what to teach him because he's been really hard-headed right now with us because of his father. We decided to teach about prayer and how it can help him to receive answers to his prayers. He then started telling us that all we do is teach him the same things. That we're always teaching him about Joseph Smith and we have nothing more to offer him. That all missionaries preach about is Joseph Smith. So we then gave him other pamphlets to read/look at and he seemed a little more open to talk. He told us that he really wants to be baptized/come to church, but because his family has so many things to do every day, he's too busy to focus on the church. But he wants us to continue teaching him because one day he wants to grow up and teach his future family the Gospel and be baptized. It's so sad! Everyone is slowly not progressing. But I'm still grateful to have known their family. I know that in the future, Arnel will accept the Gospel.

April 17th, Sunday, I was supposed to go to church in Canhabagat, and Sister McMaster in Medelllin because we have investigators in both places, but my companion wasn't at church yet, so I ended up going to church in Medellin. I also ended up giving a talk! I gave it on obedience and how we can receive the many blessings the Lord is promising us, if we are willingly obedient to His commandments. It was reminded of this video that I saw on lds.org called, "A Shower of Heavenly Blessings" by Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf. It's a good video, and I suggest you guys watch it because it helps us to more fully understand the blessings that Heavenly Father has in store for us.

After church, my companion for the day, Sister Babylyn Olivar (in the youth) came with me to Canhabagat and we went looking for Brother Jobi Ansit, who said that he was interested and wanted to listen. Sister Babylyn came to a home and this lady came out and I asked, "Is this the Ansit family?" And she said, "Yes!" So we went over and started introducing ourselves/talking. And her son Richard came out and I thought it was so weird because I've met her son before. He's always joking around with me whenever we're waiting for a bus to ride back home. But then when I asked where Brother Jobi Ansit was (thinking it was the father), they pointed to a different home! haha. I was like, "Oh man! Wrong home!" But we ended up teaching them anyway because it's not a coincidence that I made that mistake. After teaching them, we went over to Brother Jobi's home and talked with him a bit. We had to set up a new appointment because his wife wasn't home so we couldn't teach him. But so far he seems pretty interested! He even mentioned the temple and how he really wants to know more about it.

April 19th, Tuesday, today is the day that we find out who transfers and who stays in their area! A lot of people kept telling me that I'd transfer because I've been in the area for 12 weeks, and Sister McMaster only for 6 weeks. And usually you only stay in an area for about 12 weeks, and then you leave. So everyone kept thinking that I would transfer. But we were all in for a little surprise. I'm actually staying here in Medellin and Sister McMaster is the one transferring! It's so crazy! I'm usually the one to transfer after 12 weeks. I never get to stay in one area for a long time like other missionaries. But this time, I'm staying and I'll be able to witness some of the baptisms that we have coming up!

This week I've seen a lot of ups and downs, but I know that Heavenly Father is there to help us in our times of need. We just need to let Him help.

I love you all so much!

Love,

Sister Johnson