Monday, May 26, 2014

Week 37 n the Philippines - "truth"

Dear lovely family!

How are you all doing? I hope you're loving life and despite the hard times, seeing the hand of God:) That is what I need to work more on too! I'm so so glad that Grandad is okay, but I will for sure have him in my prayers. I love you all so much and just have to trust that Heavenly Father is taking care of you all. It was fun hearing about the adventures Jare, Jaim and Josh are having in Ecuador! That sounds like so much fun!!!! 

We had the craziest rain storm this week! It came out of nowhere. I guess it's starting to be the transition between hot hot hot season to rainy season, which means it is constantly extremely humid, more so than I've been used to and super hot, but then we randomly one evening had this HUGE rainstorm. We were in a meeting with bishop discussing missionary work when we heard it start. We could hear the thunder and rain and then the power went out. SO we ended our meeting in the dark, bishop passed out a black garbage bag to each of us (us and the elders) for protection haha and then was so sweet and gave us all a ride home in the rainstorm. The rain was so heavy that even after like 15-20 minutes, the roads were all flooded. Sister Moser said it was the closest she's felt to boating, riding through the floods with water spraying up all around, since being on her mission:) We didn't have power again until the next night, so it was difficult sleeping without fans;) Fun times! It was actually really nice to have rain! but crazy at the same time.

A few things I learned this week:
1. The Lord blesses you when you work towards your goals and vision.
2. I would not rather be anywhere else
3. Super powers are real
4. Kelsey Mack's not the only one I can die laughing on the floor with:)

1. So after our training, we've been working really hard on finding, teaching and establishing families. President told us to focus on the fathers/husbands. So we went out to teach Gerald, 16 year old getting baptized this Saturday! And his family was all there. They were watching basketball on TV (Filipinos fave thing to do) but we invited them all to join the lesson. First his mom and sister joined, but we kept waiting and finally the dad joined and brought over his other sons. It was so awesome. We had the whole family together and taught Lesson 1 about the restoration. It was seriously one of the most incredible lessons I have ever been in. When we taught about prophets and how we have a living prophet today, just like Moses, one daughter looked at us and said "Tuod?" meaning "Really?" They all thought that was the coolest thing they had ever heard! They asked all these questions about Pres. Monson and it was so awesome. The whole lesson they were all listening so closely and the Spirit really seemed to guiding it and it was so powerful. We are so excited to keep teaching this incredible family!

2. We had the most amazing baptism this week. We had one candidate, Brother Rodel, 12 year old whose dad is a member. Then the sister-in-law and parents of a recent convert in our ward got baptized (the elders taught them). Actually cool tangent-Elder Wilstead was serving in Maoo, which is a group that was recently started in our ward, and his parents got in on Saturday to pick him up from his mission. They came in the morning of Elder WIlstead's last baptism before going home, so they got to be there for it. Then the sisters in ward 2, had a whole family that got baptized! It was so incredible. The whole baptism was sooooo beautiful. Sister Moser and Elder Wilstead performed a beautiful musical number, really good talks were given, it was all so sacred and beautiful. The spirit was so strong! It was so neat to witness all the baptisms:) I was sitting there in the chapel during the closing remarks and just thought to myself that there was nowhere in the whole world I would rather be. It was such an incredible way to end this week. We actually had a really rough week with teaching, but ended so wonderfully!

Also, when we went to pick up Rodel before his baptism, he was all ready to go and had on his best clothing and was so excited and had done his hair and everything. It was the cutest thing ever, especially because that's not like him at all haha.

3. We found out this week, well, our district leader found out during the interview, that Brother Rodel, who got baptized, had a super power. seriously. My whole world was turned upside down this week. He can move things with his mind. It's like Matilda!!! The crazy part is that it is real! I didn't believe it at first either. He opened the door from across the room and things like that. Apparently his grandma is a voodoo doctor of some sort. I really don't know much about it, but all I know is that super powers are real! and it's a lot more normal to Filipinos than to us Americans haha. 

4. We had the funniest FHE this week of my life. While waiting for the parents of this recent convert family, the Zapanta's, to arrive, we played a bunch games with their three kids. They are like 10, 9 and 7 or something like that. They were so loud and so hilarious. We played the funniest games and would all get so into it and were all just dying laughing. 

I'm so grateful to be here! I love the gospel and missionary work so much! I love each of you with all my heart and care and pray about you! We had a rough week, but still saw so many tender mercies and miracles happen. It's so amazing how merciful and loving our Father in Heaven is. We are so important to Him. Each one of you is sooo incredibly precious to Him. He wants so much for you to become like Him and will help you do so if you let Him. and in order to become like Him, we have to be tested and tried. 

I love you all!!! Never lose hope:) You are all so beautiful!

Love, Sister Malyon 

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