22 December 2013

Hello Family,

Mark and Kurt and their little Bro. They are getting baptized on Jan 4th.

   Well I am so happy to be able to write you right before Christmas and tell you about my week and how it went. This week we have some new investigators and one of which I love like Crazy. His name is Chris and he is 14 years old. I love teaching him. He is such a gem, he listens with his whole heart and asks great questions. He lives out in the bukid and has no money. He goes to school and works in the field. His family is Catholic, and so we are just beginning to work with him and the spirit is always very present when we teach him.
   We also did finally move into our new apartment! Woot woot! it's not bad. It is nice that there is always running water now. But the bathroom.... ahhh scary, haha, you have to go outside like 10 feet in order to get to the bathroom and the owner of the lot has 8 dogs that fight all the time but it's all good. We are happy to be settled finally. Ohh, man .. ok so has this week been full of adventure. I don't know why but twice this week we happened to end up talking to women that are just GUNG HO (however you spell that) that they are already saved because they have accepted Jesus and it does not matter what they do now because they are saved. Man... the first experience was actually really really neat...
 

 Its a crab! there are thousands along the sand literally.

 We are not allowed to swim. We can put our feet in.

The Zone leaders with us putting our feet in the ocean...

   Alright so this first lady is a wife of a LA and she is just SUPER set in her religion. She just kept talking and talking and honestly I was not scared at all. I was not intimidated either, I just listened. I'm finding that SOOO many times the things these people say are either almost exact quotes from the people described in the BOM or they are truths that are just interpreted wrong. It's really incredible. But thankfully I learned a long time ago, actually in High school. I remember there were these Jehovah Witnesses that came to our house and dad let them in and talked to them and told them that he was grateful for what they were doing. I was really surprised. He took what they offered and was so kind and gentle to them. I learned a lot from watching the example of my Dad that day and I'm using it here in the mission field. But at the same time I am able to listen to the spirit and testify of truths... GRABE!! the experiences of testifying are sooo beautiful!
   After that first experience my companion was like WOW Sister Ralph, that was so powerful! AHH! I love the spirit soooo much! I love Heavenly Father for allowing us weaklings to teach with power and authority. We had another experience just like it the other day except it was less spiritual unfortunately. This lady could not believe I was a missionary and could not name all the Books in the Bible... I am unqualified to be a missionary, haha. Oh well. She gave us a pamphlet and we testified and gave her our pamphlet. I read her pamphlet and once again I am just amazed... the pamphlet is great... it's all about Christ and being saved through him. It really opened my eyes to just how subtle Satan is. He is just a little turkey. It's ok....That's what prayer and the Book of Mormon is for! I love the Book of Mormon with all my Heart! There is no better feeling than opening up that Book with a pen in hand expecting to receive revelation and receiving it.
   The last incredible thing this week was we had zone conference. And our president said the Focus of what we will teach is Tithing. I was soo surprised. 

Escalantes Zone during a Zone conference. My companion and I are the only sisters in the zone.

   Any way... soo tithing. I was surprised that he wanted to focus on tithing. For me, up until the point. This was just a commandment that was simple and obvious in order for the Church to progress. I have always paid my tithing and never really given it a second thought -- I know this is because I knew I would never have to worry about it. My parents could help me if I REALLY needed it and so no problem.
   WOW! Has my perspective changed. Tithing is incredible!! This is what we are commanded to do. We meet our LAs walk in and say are you a full tithe payer? They say no. Then we say, "How is your life?" And they say "Pigado" (or poor). And we say... "that's why." period. BAM!

   Here in the Philippines tithing is a HUGE deal. People get scared whenever you talk about money. But president Hinckley promised the Philippines Specifically that if they always paid a full tithe they would ALWAYS have three meals a day, roof over their heads and clothes on their back. WOW! that's a promise! Its real! This is the only commandment where these people are promised temporal blessings. - just like a math equation. And it's true! WOW! How incredible is that! I know God lives and this is HIS work! How blessed we are to have the opportunity to pay our tithing and receive temporal and spiritual blessings.
  Could you forward me Benjamin's last two letters? I never get to read them but want to hear how he is doing.
   

Sr. Turtal and me in the ocean up to our ankles.

Thank you! Ok! I love you all so much! Enjoy singing... Dad .. no falling asleep during Joy to the World again hahahahahahahah love you all so much! Talk to you soon! aHHH!!!! (=

Thanks for the Christmas package.