Ok, here is my week.... I
LOVE MY LIFE!! hahahahaha
Ok so let me tell you
about a few of the experiences I had this week. First is Gloria. We contacted
her just through OYM or "opening your mouth" on the streets. We
shared and she really paid attention and the spirit was there. Then we tried to
go back and go back but it just never worked out. So last Saturday we were
waiting for her outside of her house and we ended up talking to her neighbors- Ritchel
and Luke. They are in their 30's and she is prego with their 2nd. This was the
first lesson I ever started off just answering questions. They wanted to know
more about us and our families and why we were serving. It was different but it
set a really nice tone and environment for the spirit. The lesson was
WONDERFUL! It was completely focused on Baptism and they both feel there is
something missing in their life and they felt the spirit. They are very willing
to learn and be baptized! We left that lesson just bubbly happy because it was
picture perfect. That family was prepared for us. THEN we went back to teach
Gloria and she asked us why whenever she saw me and my companion she got this
happy feeling inside. She wants SOOO bad to go to church and find out what
makes us so happy all the time! AHH!! Miracles! I love the Holy Ghost!
I have more to say. The chicken is.... so here in the Philippines
COCK fighting is HUGEEEEEEE... that is a cock that was just killed and we
watched them take it from the owner and clean it up... super nasty.
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| Tonsils are good... medicine is all gone (= |
Any way so ANOTHER crazy that happened this week was in a place
called Sabang south- fishport! So this was the first time we decided to go to
this area, and look and see if we could find any LA's or former investigators.
We were told by a random stranger that Mormons lived down the street. So for
the first time in my mission I was asking strangers if they knew where the
Mormons lived... it was weird, haha, and I would not normally do that but ...(
it was inspired haha).
We were pointed to various places until we finally either had to
swim in the sea, turn back or enter this tiny little path that led to who knows
where. We were slightly confused but being missionaries... we saw a few people
doing their laundry outside so we starting talking to them. I asked the lady if
I could help her and instead of waiting for a response... I grabbed her laba
basket full of clothes and while she carried her baby we followed her through
this tiny little entrance. BAM!! Houses and more houses.... and she was soo
tickled that I would carry her laundry that she commented on it to every single
person we saw.
We stopped and I was going to help her hang her clothes but she
would not let me... at this point there were TONS of people surrounding us just
staring. And they were all adults... almost no kids. We asked the sister if we
could share with her but now so many people were listening to us that we were
unsure what to do. They quickly realized that I was speaking
Cebuano rather than Waray and they were soooooooo excited! Turns out they
all were from Cebu...Cebuano speaking! CRAZY! So I stood up and in front of
allllll these people and told them who we were and what we were doing and
invited them all to listen to our message. We got 70 potential investigators!!
It was insane!! I've never had an experience like that but I know we were
guided by the spirit in order to share the gospel with these people.
We have only been able to teach a few of the families and some
want to listen but are not super excited about not being Catholic and others
are sooooo receptive and recognize the spirit and the lessons have been
incredible- of course there are still challenges we have to help them overcome.
Coming to church and being baptized into the Mormon church when your whole
family is Catholic and your neighbor and gossip is guaranteed.... not an easy
thing to do. But slowly I know miracles are going to continue to come (= HAPPY!
Also I met an American!! Her name is Judy and she has been in the Philippines
for 8 years or so teaching about using your body's energy and healing ....
Something like that. Wow! I realized how WEIRD I am! I'm sooooo weird! The way
you approach pinoys (Filipinos) is so different than in America. I was sooo
nervous that I was offending her and I was asking all these questions that
sounded soo dumb in English... and speaking to a stranger in English was hard!
I can't really explain it but, blahhh!! I'm weird ... that's the moral of the
story.
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| Sister Agreda, my anak and other missionaries. |
I had another stalker moment this week. We were on the hunt
searching for an investigator and this short (hahaha, they are all short but
you get the idea) guy just put his head down and stared at us and followed us
for a good mile. We stopped and talked to people to let him go by and they
turned back. Guess who followed? I grabbed my companion to let him keep going
again and pass us but he didn't!! haha. He just walked straight up to me and
reached out to touch me. He was clearly insane, so I just grabbed my companion
and did missionary walk on steroids till we could hide around a corner, hahah.
OHHHH the Philippines, haha.
Noema is going to get baptized this March 22. She decided for
herself that she will get baptized even if her parents do not agree- she is 20
years old. I love her so much! She has such a clear understanding of the Gospel
and devotion to the Lord. I love her and we are so excited for her.
Ok, well I'm going to get some serious shopping for groceries
done. Thank you both for being such incredible parents and people. Yesterday
during R.S., the lesson was on strengthening the family. And families here tend
to be broken. But the sisters in RS decided to take more time complaining about
their spouses than teaching the lesson and it was not a good feeling. I stood
up and bore my testimony boldly that I KNOW that the only way to have a truly
successful family is when both parents put the Lord first, above all! Second
is their spouse and third their children. I know that is the pattern to be
successful because of my parents' example. I cannot thank you both enough. I
love and treasure you both so dearly. Please be safe and happy.
ALL my Love,
Sister Ralph
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| I had to treasure my foot tan before it is all gone because I have different shoes... I'm going to miss it, hahahah. |
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