Magandang hapon sa inyong lahat! Kumust po kayo?
This week has gone by so fast! What?? Crazy how time flies here, and yet it feels like everything is frozen at home. Weird.
This week has been good! Not much has happened, but we had some really good days! First, we had MTC exchanges again on Wednesday! I'm learning to love them I think. My Tagalog may not be perfect, but it's ok! So I went out with a Sister Paasi. She's super sweet! She's from Australia, but she's Tongan. The best thing about the day was just how excited she was about everything! I told her we were going on two jeepneys and one trike during the day, and she was way excited! It was so good to see that 'new missionary glow' on someone. It just reminded me how fun and rewarding this work can really be. We just had a really great day that day. We talked to lots of random people, and met some really cool ones. Don't worry, no proposals this time ;) Afterwards, she was asking if I could be her trainer... Unfortunately, she's going to Naga mission. So I (unfortunately) probably won't see her again, but I'm so glad that I was able to go out with her for those few hours!
This is Sister Pacinio, the STL from last week who "encouraged" Sister Wilwand to try Balut
My language is definitely progressing! At least I think. We had a few lessons this week where I was just sitting there, and I could understand everything they were saying! And then sometimes, we had lessons where I was struggling a bit. So I'm still working on the language! It's hard, but my kabahays are always willing to answer questions and help with translations of things. I'm hoping I get a Filipina companion next transfer so I can really develop this language.
I think I'm learning to love OYMing. (Just talking to random people on the streets.) You seriously meet some of the coolest people out here. Now that I can actually sort of understand them, it's so fun! I still get nervous just to go up to someone and talk to them, but when you do, it's so rewarding! We've met some really neat people here. I challenge you all to try it. Just go up and talk to some random stranger. In the store, in a class, on the street, in church. Whatever. You'll make a new friend, I promise. It'll be a good experience.
We had a Zone Activity this morning! It was so fun. I played a lot of frisbee with some of the Elders in our zone. At one point, I threw the frisbee threw the tiniest slit between a chain fence and a wall. Unfortunately, on the other side of this fence was a building. So some of the Elders had to go around to the building and squeeze in between the back and this wall to get the frisbee. I guess I'm better than I thought ;) But seriously though, it was way fun! Maybe I'll join an ultimate frisbee team when I get back. Anyone want to join?
Our Sunday yesterday was great! We had 5 investigators come to church. Let me just repeat that again in case you're still in shock (I definitely was...). We had 5, FIVE, investigators come to church!! WOO! That was so cool to see them finally come to church!!! And our ward mission leader is great. We had a fantastic fireside yesterday with the ward. The only problem was that it was a little long, right after fast Sunday. So lots of people left about halfway through. But we're working on some ideas to get the ward to stay for the next few firesides this month. They are all geared towards missionary work, and I love it! We're developing a ward mission plan, and family mission plans. For those of you who don't have a family mission plan, I would encourage it. OYMs a week, Books of Mormon handed out, baptism goal for the year. Things like that. If you're not with your family, try an individual one. It'll be great!
Sister Wilwand and her kabahays with the ward mission leader.
Hey look, Sister Wilwand is not the shortest!
I think that's about all that happened this week. Here's just a last little thought. As missionaries, and especially as missionaries learning a new language, this work is hard. We are asked to go out of our comfort zones everyday to talk to and help the people that we are serving. A lot of people here speak English. So if I preached the gospel in English, most people here would probably understand. But I have been called to preach the gospel in Tagalog. Why? Here's my thought. It's better for me to be a little bit uncomfortable trying to speak a different language, than for these people to be uncomfortable speaking a different language. Again, why? Because I already know about this gospel. They need to understand, in their own language, about this precious gift that we have. It is better for us to be a little uncomfortable trying to help people, than for us to not try at all. People out in the world need what we have. They may not know it yet, but it's true.
"You don't know how often the Lord walks in the streets to prepare people to accept the gospel." Brother Ian Ardern
This is so true! How can we know who the Lord has prepared if we don't talk to them? Exactly, we can't. I challenge you all to go out of your comfort zone and talk to people about the gospel! It's important! Go find those people who have been prepared, and bring them to Christ!
I love you all!
Love,
Sister Wilwand
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