Also I have a few favors to ask DAD!! You remember that picture you gave me forever ago- with the blonde young woman in the armor... you told me it reminded you of me... well that is my favorite picture. And I lost it in the storm... soooo... if you see one anywhere on sale.... I would love another (=
Favor number two... this might take a bit so I apologize. Dad do you have pictures or names of the direct line from Christ that you got your priesthood?
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| The baby is KEA and her mom Ritchell is our investigator who believes but the keeping commitments is a struggle. I love her so much and we are praying sooo hard for her! She just had her baby boy two days ago. She is doing well (= |
So not a ton happened this week, a few small adventures here and there. We were walking out in the POURING more bucketing rain one night holding on to each other with one umbrella and we had to hold the umbrella at a slant because of the way the rain was coming at us and all of a sudden a tricycle showed up out of NO where and was coming right at us! There was no time to respond for us. We just screamed and saw our life flash before our eyes... it slammed on its brakes and stopped not even a foot in front of us. It was a night of thanksgiving for us... that's for sure.
Speaking of being home...It's more.... looking forward to the bed without bugs. There is constantly blood trails left on my sheets from all the mosquitoes, I'm assuming. And the mice poop on our beds is increasing as well, haha, lovely.
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Ok this
picture we were out working and it just POURED!! You can't see the rain well...
but just pretend like you can.
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| My shoes molded 3 times this week because of how wet and nasty they were. Lovely hahaha |
We have yet again another stalker. He stands at the gate when we come home and pulls down his pants. He has now been upping his game so when we do laba (washing) in the morning... he is there as well. We told the ZL and he said next time we see him they will run over and teach him a lesson... so that is good to know.
We went on exchanges (the picture below) with our sister training leaders (SLT) for just a few hours but I enjoyed it. We taught a less active who is now returned actually and it was a really exciting experience of watching the power of the Book of Mormon. I was inspired truly by the spirit to teach him about the law of chastity. We normally read from the Book of Mormon and have a good gospel discussion but I felt prompted to teach this specific commandment. We started off with the over arching... not good to be with someone outside of marriage and he was good with that. Not married yet. Then we were prompted again to talk about clean thoughts and viewing only good and uplifting things. I said so when something comes on the TV to turn away or turn off, cover your eyes etc.... and his response was "I'm not a child"... WOAH! BUDDY! Was that a Red flag or what????
We went on exchanges (the picture below) with our sister training leaders (SLT) for just a few hours but I enjoyed it. We taught a less active who is now returned actually and it was a really exciting experience of watching the power of the Book of Mormon. I was inspired truly by the spirit to teach him about the law of chastity. We normally read from the Book of Mormon and have a good gospel discussion but I felt prompted to teach this specific commandment. We started off with the over arching... not good to be with someone outside of marriage and he was good with that. Not married yet. Then we were prompted again to talk about clean thoughts and viewing only good and uplifting things. I said so when something comes on the TV to turn away or turn off, cover your eyes etc.... and his response was "I'm not a child"... WOAH! BUDDY! Was that a Red flag or what????
I asked him what he meant by that and he went on telling us about how he needed to find out what was in the world and that "if we are being realistic and he is with a group of friends that want to watch a bad movie.... in reality... he will too." "We all are imperfect and have weaknesses." he said,...etc. OH BOY! So we went on to talk about where his desires were etc and he was still stubborn and told us not to judge etc etc... THEN YET AGAIN I remembered my personal study from two days before in Alma 42 about the justice and mercy of Christ. No matter what we said... nothing sank in until I asked him to read ALma 42: 31 (I think?) about not excusing our sins.... When he read that... he said "OH YEP! You're right! You got me! I'm guilty!!" He thanked us and said he would try to change. It was so amazing to see how obedience (personal study everyday) with the spirit and with the Book of Mormon really working together as a whole in this work! I love missionary work! It's amazing!
One of the things that drives me crazy here is stubborn old people... who are Catholic. We taught a few this week. And don't get me wrong... I love them! But man!!... they all say the same thing. Teach my kids. They can be Mormon, but I'm Catholic and I was born that way and I'm going to die that way. Yep your message is true, I feel the spirit. But.... I'm Catholic!! AH!! Shoot me now!
Easter was much like every other day. But Friday was for SURE SUUUPPPPPER QUIET. It was weird. Everything was shut down and there were only three or four people outside. It was crazy. Can you imagine how much better the world would be if we treated every Sunday like the way Catholics treat Good Friday? They had a bunch of celebrations but we did not get to see because it was not ok to work on Friday. We, all the missionaries, went to the church and watched Joseph Smith videos. We enjoyed ourselves but at the end of the day I learned something. Even though our activities were focused on the Gospel and we felt the spirit... it just was missing something. We enjoyed the activity but afterwards it's kind of this feeling of... well sweet... now what? But on the other hand... when we work... part of you does not want to teach, a little part of you wants to stay in bed all day and eat food in an air-conditioned room... BUT At THE SAME TIME... working teaching people, helping and serving.... is SOOOOO satisfying! it's always coupled with this battle of overcoming the natural man inside us. But ITS the best more satisfying feeling. I LOVE missionary work!
Easter Sunday all the Catholics go to the Beach and party at the beach, hahahahahahahha is that not ironic? Haha. Even though Heavenly Father sent a huge thunder storm that morning and it rained like crazy.... STILL, they go to the beach. I got a good laugh out of that.
Oh also, one of the STL's was my companion in my last area and so she told me that that HUGE white house that I lived in before with her.... well.... haha, the white lady started going crazy after I left. "White lady" is what they call ghosts here. And she was angry and upstairs would slam the doors and cupboards over and over again in the middle of the night. Soo.... grateful I left that place! I still have not figured out why the Philippines seem to be stalked with these types of experiences.
I am going to go to the beach now, haha. I love you so much! Thank you for letting me know of your desires. I miss and love you so much! Take care!!
LOVE FOREVER,
Sister Ralph
P.S. Mom, sorry the letter was not super great but I tried, hahaha.
Sister Kathleen Ralph,
ReplyDeleteI am Sister Kelly Baldwin. I had to write and say hello. My son, Elder Burton, is serving in the Tacloban mission and is currently in the same area as your daughter. I found your blog because my nephew, Elder Shields, served with your daughter prior to the Typhoon. My son is the tall one on the left in your picture of Sister Ralph at the beginning of the blog and my nephew is the Elder inside the jeepney. It was fun to see your pictures this week. I told my husband, I need to look at your blog more frequently since I got the great surprise of three pictures of my son! Anyway, I just wanted to say hello. Your daughter's testimony is inspiring. Kelly