Week 23 in the Philippines - "damang"

How's everyone? Kamusta kamo? Happy Valentines Day!!!! What did you
all do to celebrate V-day? I hope you spread the love:) They celebrate
V-day here pretty much like we do. All the red paper was sold out and
bakeries were selling cupcakes with hearts on them. One of our cutie
bum investigators, Cyrell, the little sister of RC Welche, gave us
each a Valentine's card that she made. It was the cutest thing ever.
She wrote mine in English and Sis Parada's in Tagalog. I will
definitely save it forever. We also had a member give us these little
fake roses. So cute! We cut out some hearts and stuck them on our
glass door to add to our Christmas snowlflakes that are still up.
Maybe I'll still be here for Easter and we can add some eggs! 

 We had another awesome baptism this week! Ruel, who is dating a
member, got baptized. He's 19 and super awesome. We had exchanges this
week so Sister Shakespeare who is a STL, came to work with me in our
area. We went to teach Ruel earlier this week and she asked him why he
was getting baptized. He then bore his testimony that it's because he
knows this church is true and that it was restored through the prophet
Joseph Smith. It all goes back to the restoration:) I love how pure
and simple and beautiful his testimony is-- Like, of course I will get
baptized because I know this is the true church! The baptism was
pretty small because he was the only one getting baptized this week
but we had some members come support and it went really well. 

Every third Sunday in this ward, the missionaries are supposed to
speak. So this month was the sisters' turn. Yesterday Sister Parada
gave an awesome talk about the Book of Mormon and how important it is
that we read from the Book of Mormon everyday. I decided to sing
instead of speak this time:) Sister Shakespeare was super awesome and
played the piano for me and we performed the "I Believe In Christ"
arrangement that Mom sent me. It turned out really well even though we
only got to practice once. Because we were bearing testimony of Christ
through the song, Heavenly Father helped touched people's hearts
through the song. Our RC, Pamela, told me it brought tears to her eyes.
She's so sweet and so receptive to the spirit. It's so great. Thanks
Mom for the music! 

One more spiritual experiece and then I'l share a funny story. So when
I was on exchanges with Sis Shakespeare, which I really loved, we went
to teach the moms that I talked about quite a while ago. They came to
church one time, the three moms with all their kids. Anyway, we
haven't been able to visit them in a while and this time when we went,
the only one there was Sister Rowena. She was doing laundry on the
river so we just called from across the river and said we'd come back
in a couple days. We started to leave and then I had this feeling we
should go back, cross the river and share with her while she was doing
laundry. So we did! (I've been working really hard to pay more
attention to the spirit and follow it's promptings lately.) 

We got a banana leaf to sit on and told her she could keep doing her laundry if
we could just share with her. Oh my goodness, it was such a testimony
to me that I need to always follow the spirit. She opened up and told
us all about a couple weeks ago when she had to go to the hospital
and she thought she was going to die. She told us about how she was
just praying so hard and God spared her life. We talked to her about
the doctrine of Christ, faith, repentance, baptism, receiving the gift
of the Holy Ghost and enduring to the end and it was just what she
needed. The spirit was so strong and we felt prompted to commit her to
baptism. We found out that she has her daughter read to her the Book
of Mormon every evening. She can't read so she encourages her kids to
because she wants them to be smarter than she is. She is so
amazing and I'm so excited to help her progress to baptism! 

The gospel is so beautiful! I love the hope and peace it brings into
our lives, everyone who humbles themselves, to accept the glorious
message into their minds and into their hearts. 

Real quick, just last night, Sister Parada and I were getting a ride
home on a tricycle. So we were sitting int the little side car, in the
front with the plastic window of the side car right in front of us.
There was this HUGE spider seriously as big as my fist, on the plastic
window right in front of our faces, maybe a foot away. But then it
started climbing up, getting closer to our faces because the front is
slanted. And then it dropped! We were freaking out but trying so hard
to be quiet so that we wouldn't disturb the driver. It was night and
super dark, so we couldn't see where it went. I just started shaking
around hoping that it wasn't on me anywhere. It was so freaky. Finally
we shone our flashlight and we saw it crawling out through a crack
under our feet. Oh my goodness, it was so terrifying. 

Fun times in the Philippines!!!! I love being here, but I also miss
your cutie pie faces! I love you all so much! Have a fantastic week!

Love, Sister Malyon

Week 22 in the Philippines - "paglaum"

Wow, this week was great. But how are all of you? Thanks so much for all the emails and love and support. You are all just so great. That's exciting it snowed in Bellevue! WOOHOO!!! Just be careful and don't slide into any ditches...hahaha I'll do the same and try not to slide in the mud:) 

So we had another baptism this week! I love this work so much. I feel so blessed to be here! We've been teaching a group of people in this one neighborhood and this one mother and her son have been progressing so quickly. The son, Mark, who's 8, was baptized on Saturday. His mom, Rowena, is totally ready to get baptized, but we're waiting for her husband to come back from Manila so they can get married first. It's really hard for people to get married here because they have to pay the Catholic church lots of money to get married, so lots of people just don't. Thank goodness for the beautiful services of the LDS church that offer FREE weddings. We have a stake president here that is authorized to conduct marriages. It would be awesome if the father of this family will listen and accept the gospel as well so the whole family can be members! 

Anyway, about Markie, he's this crazy but super cute little boy and his BFF is a boy named Bonjoy who is part of a super active family in our ward. I'm sending a pic of the two cutie bums. We asked Bonjoy to speak at the baptism and he did! He was so nervous but he did it. It was the cutest thing ever. He got up in front of everyone with his mini Book of Mormon and talked about Nephi and faith and then bore his testimony. Then when Markie got in the water to get baptized, Bonjoy was right there as close as he could get to watch his friend:) Markie was so funny. As soon as he got in the water and the elder was holding his arm, he kept trying to go down in the water! He kept thinking it was time! He was so excited to get baptized! hahaha The elder had to keep him up until the right time. 

On Sunday, during sacrament meeting, I was in the back trying to help with some of the kids. Markie was running around so  I finally got him to draw me some pictures in my notebook. Then I gave him one of the pictures you sent me of Jesus getting baptized. I told him he got baptized just like Jesus and he was just staring at the picture and said "Just like Jesus?" It was so cute. Thanks mom for sending me those pictures to give to people! They love them!

Remember Pamela who got baptized a few weeks ago? Well, this week she worked with us for a it! She came with us to visit this LA sister that we've been visiting ever since we got here and she has never come to church. Pamela came with us and bore such a powerful testimony to Arline, the LA, about how grateful she is for the gospel and the impact it has made in her life and in her family's life. She helped sort through the LA sister's different concerns and things that were holding her back from coming to church. It was amazing. And guess what? Sister Arline came to church!

Also, we started teaching two more of Sister Pamela's grandchildren. Remember Welche? Who got baptized with Pamela? Now we're teaching her two younger siblings. They are 10 and 8. The first time we taught them lesson 1 and invited them to church and they came with Pamela and Welche. The second time we taught them, we gave them Book of Mormons and they were so excited! They had both already started reading their sister's Libro ni Mormon and were so excited to get their own! We hadn't even asked them to read yet and they already had! They're so cute. Their mom is supportive, but believes she can just learn on her own from reading the Bible and doesn't need religion. I'm sure she and their father will come around at some point:)

This week we went to this far area and met the family of one of our ward missionaries who helps us  a lot. On our way, we were riding in this super packed tricycle and then we stopped and the driver told some people they had to get off. A little ways up ahead, there were some police men doing a police check. Apparently having people ride on top of the side car and hanging off the side was "overload", so that's why the driver left them. So we passed the police check, went a little farther, dropped off some more people around the corner, then went back and picked up the other people, passed the police check once more and then picked up the other people around the corner and continued on our way. I just found it really funny:) Working the system!

Another funny cultural thing that happened this week...:) So this week was Sister Parada's birthday! I made her a sweet poster and the other sisters bought her this awesome superman pinata and stuffed it with soo much candy. For lunch, Sister Shakespeare had told me they had this idea to get candles and roast marshmallows and hot dogs for fun. So lunch time came and Sister Shakespeare was getting the candles and stuff and then Sister Buban (filippino) was over at the sink cutting up the hot dogs. Sis Shake told her we didn't need to cut them up and Sis Buban was all confused. Long story short haha, Sister Buban and Sister Shake had diff ideas of what marshmallows and hot dogs meant. Sis Buan wanted to make SIs Parada this thing that's tradition for kids here, where you stick a marshmallow and a piece of cooked hot dog on a bunch of little sticks. Sis Shake thought marshmallows and hot dogs meant roasting them over fire like we do in the states. So we ended up doing both!

Life is so funny here. I just love it so much. I hope you are all finding "joy in the journey" too!!!! If not, just try to imagine poor Sister Malyon working so hard to overcome her fear of chickens. It's a constant battle:)

I love you so much! Keep holding on to the iron rod! The word of God, the Book of Mormon is so powerful in keeping us on the strait and narrow path that will lead us to everlasting life in the presence of our loving Heavenly Parents! Think of how awesome it is that you get to have your very own Book of Mormon, just like Pamela's grandkids, Cyrill Jane and March, that I wrote about earlier.

Lots of love,

Sister Malyon   

Week 21 in the Philippines - "there will be miracles if you believe"

This week was so amazing. We had so many members work with us this week, which was just so great. The works moves soooo much faster when members and missionaries work together side by side. I have such a testimony of that. It was so neat this week we went to teach Sister Pamela and Welche and some of their cousins were there so we taught them the first lesson. We invited them to church, they're like 9 and 10 years old I think, and they came to church! Sister Pamela was so cute and so happy to tell us she brought her grandkids to church with her. She's already such an awesome member missionary and she just got baptized! Also another one of our investigators brought a couple of her grandkids to church as well! One of them is maybe 18 or so and we only met him once and he came to church! So awesome. It helps big time that he already has a friend that's a member. I love Sundays when people come to church!!!!!! 

We had Mission Pres training and interviews with Pres. Lopez, first the two of us together and then separate. In our companionship interview he videoed us teaching him the law of tithing in Ilonggo. It was a little intimidating. It was so funny though cuz part way through, the tablet he was using to video, fell over. President started laughing so hard. He thought it was the funniest thing ever. haha There's this new elder in our zone who just arrived a few weeks ago and talking to him just brought back so many memories of when I first arrived and couldn't understand or speak a word! It's crazy to think I've been in the field for almost 5 months now. It still feels like I just got here! 

The other day we were riding back from one of our far areas, like 20 minute tricycle ride, and it was dusk so the sun was setting.I was squeezed in this little tricycle with more people than should be allowed and had one of those moments where I just felt so amazed and so blessed that I am here. I was just admiring the beautiful sun set behind the sugarcane fields and palm trees with the mountains in the background. It looked so magical and to think that this is where I get to live and serve and be right now. I know that Heavenly Father loves me:) We were actually on our way back from visiting a family who lives totally secluded and they're Less-active because the dad can't walk anymore. I think I told you about the mom before and how she climbs the coconut trees like it's no big deal.Well this time they sent us home with like 10 coconuts! So the coconuts were rolling around on the top of the tricycle as we were riding home. I love the coconut water so much, just drinking it straight from the coconut. 

I also have a new lola, grandma here. We've been teaching her daughter who sells these donut things. We met her when we bought her donuts one time. We've been teaching her and now we're freinds with her mom, who is 88 years old and sews pot holders to sell. She gave us four pot holders this week as a gift! So sweet. The other day we were teaching Bebe, the daughter, and while we were saying the closing prayer, the lola came out and just went up behind me and put her arms around my neck.She just stayed there til the prayer ended. She's the cutest old lady in the world. It's so awesome how as soon as you meet someone here, you become family to them. Everyone is so welcoming and loving.

Well, sorry for making you all jealous that I'm here in the most beautiful place ever! But trust me there are lots of challenges as well:) I love you all so much! I truly appreciate your prayers and support and love soooo much! You're the best! You all inspire me.I love that you're so involved with missionary work!

Love you all tons and tons!!!!

Love,Sister Malyon

Week 20 in the Philippines - "SALAMAT!!"

Dear awesome fam,

I have the best family ever!!!!!!! THANK YOU SOOOOO MUCH!!!!!! I finally got my christmas package on saturday, so I got to celebrate christmas all over again! OH my goodness, I have the best family ever. Thank you so so so so so so much! You should've seen how extremely excited I was when I got home and found your package on my desk. I screamed:) The couple missionaries had dropped it off earlier that day. I also got our family christmas card. Jonny pots did an awesome job! That's super sweet you put a pic from my mission on it:) 

Well, about this week. The coolest miracle happened this week. So we've had this investigator ever since we got here that we were so excited about. She was referred to us by a super strong member and when we taught her she seemed so goldne. but then she got a job working on sundays and could never come to church. She stopped progressing and we were having a really hard time getting ahold of her. THis week we talked about her in our district meeting to get some ideas. They told us to try talking to her boss and teaching him and stuff like that. The same day, after district meeting, I texted her (Ann is her name), and she responded by saying that her contract ended and she didn't have a job anymore. She then texted and said that since she didn't have work, she wanted to go to church this sunday, without us even saying anything. It was crazy!!!! God answered our prayers! So we got to teach her this week and she came to church for her first time! She was so cute and brought her Book of Mormon with her and everything. She's 19 years old and I'm so excited for her to keep progressing. I know that if she keeps her commitments and follows Christ, God will help her find a new job or something. He will take care of her no matter what. 

Also, we had another baptism this week!!!!!! His name is Gregin and he is soooo awesome. I don't think I've told you much about him yet. His girlfriend is a member and so she referred him to us. He's 22 and super smart. We've been able to teach him pretty quickley because he had been going to church for a while before we even met him and he caught on to everything super fast. His baptism was on Saturday and he bore his testimony and it was so awesome. He's sooo strong. He was so happy all day. He spent the day with us and the ward members doing different service activites. We first helped out with a feeding program thing the relief society put on in one of our areas. We got to find a lot or new investigators! And then a group of members came with us to have a FHE at the home of a LA member who lives in our farthest area, Bulanan. It was so great. Gregin came with his girlfriend to the FHE and there were like 10 or 12 members that all came with us. We had such a great FHE and after Sis. Parad ana I shared the lesson, everyone went around and bore their testimony. The spirit was so strong. It was such a neat expereince. I felt so happy and so much love for everyone in that room. THey strengthened me by their testimonies. Gregin bore his testimony for the second time that day and he was still just grinning and beaming so much! On Sunday he received the gift of the holy ghost and was ordained with the aaronic priesthood. I'm so happy for him. I know he will be such a great example to his family. 

Every time we have a baptism, I am overwhelmed with feelings of such gratitude. It's so incredible that God is allowing me to participate in such sacred and beautiful and incredible work. He has put His trust in me to qualify people, His precious children, for baptism. It's such a beautiful miracle every time I get to witness someone gain a testimony of the gospel and apply the gospel to thier lives and enter into the sacred and wonderful convenant with God to follow and respresent christ for the rest of their lives.It's just so amazing!

Thanks so much for all of your love and for supporting me and making me so happy! I love you all sooooo much! Family, friends, everyone! I feel so blessed to have such awesome support. I hope you are all healthy and feeling strong and happy! God loves you and will take care of you because you are His precious child. I love you so much too!!!!!!!

Love, Sister Malyon  

P.S. I'm sending a pic from the FHE. Gregin is on the far right in the red shirt with kind of spiky hair:)

Week 19 in the Philippines - "miracles happen"

How's everyone? Sounds like everyone's been getting sick:( I will keep you all in my prayers and hope you'll all get better quickly!  I love you all so much! It's actually been pretty cold here the past two weeks now, in terms of cold in the philippines:) It's been Seattle weather lately haha. It's actually kind of nice not to be sweaty all the time, really nice actually. 

Oh my goodness this weekend was soooo amazing! Pamela and her granddaughter, Welche were both baptized and confirmed! I love them so much. Witnessing their baptisms on Saturday was like the happiest day of my life. Sister Pamela got up to bear her testimony and started crying as she talked about how we met her. She told about how she asked if we would come back and have Bible study with her. Yeah she was the one to invite us to teach her! She then told about how she couldn't understand the feelings that she felt when we taught her, it was like indescribable for her. She bore her testimony of the gospel and it was so beautiful.She's sooo grateful to be a member of the true church of Jesus Christ and she's so strong. Hearing her brought tears to my eyes and the spirit was so strong. Welche, who's 13, also bore her testimony. It was the best. Then on Sunday, Sister Pamela's father came! We've met him before but never taught him or anything. Pamela bought a skirt so she could look her best for getting confirmed:) She and Welche were sooo happy when they received the gift of the holy ghost. They were just glowing. 

I just feel like the luckiest person in the world to get to be apart of such incredible work, God's work. He's allowing me to witness the incredible miracle of conversion, of seeing people change their lives to come unto Him. It's the best thing ever. 

We've had such an amazing week. God has been blessing us so much. We started teaching this awesome family this week that we are so excited about. We met the father because he is a c-cad driver and gave us a ride home one day. We both could feel something different about him. He has this really soft voice and was like the nicest person we've ever met. We visited and taught his whole family this week and as soon as I pulled out the pamphlet, the youngest son got really excited and said that his dad had that! We had given his dad a pamphlet before. So Jason ran and got the pamphlet to show us:) 

I just can't even believe how many people God has prepared here for the gospel. SO many people are ready to hear the truth and it's so awesome to be led to them or when they are led to us. I know that God is in control and He wants all of His children to hear of the glorious news of the gospel restored once more on the earth. He wants so much for all of us to be happy and to return to live in His presence. 

I love you all so much! I hope you're all doing well and staying warm! If you ever start to feel down or have negative thoughts, just pray:) I've learned that that is the trick. God wants to help us be happy and will answer your prayers every time you pray. 

Love, Sister Malyon

P.S. I held a chicken. Can you believe it? me either

Week 18 in the Philippines - "tiki and ilaga"

Hi family!

It's so good to hear from some of you cutie pies! I love you all so much. It sounds like you all had a really nice Christmas break and got to really focus on the Savior and spending time with eachother. That's soo awesome. I'm so envious you spent time in the Olympic Peninsula! That sounds so beautiful and peaceful. It's probably a little similar to what some of my area is like:) I'm sending a pic of when we went to Bulanan, the area I talked about last time that where the sister was climbing coconut trees and stuff.
 

We still have the baptism date for Pamela for Jan 18! I'm so excited for her. We feel so close to her and her family. Yesterday she had her interview after church and she was just glowing when she got done with the interview. She's so ready! It's been raining a lot this past week and it's actually gotten kind of cold! I got out my cardigan for like the first time! It was pouring rain yesterday and whenever it rains, less people come to church because it's harder for them to travel in the rain, especially from the far places.

I was a little worried Pamela might not show up because she lives kind of far and her house is always super muddy, so I knew it would be really bad. We were sitting in the first class Relief Society, with like 4 other sisters, and she walked in! She told us it was really hard to get out because of the huge puddles/rivers and mud, but she made it! She's the best. I love her so much. She has so much faith, it's amazing. She has so much faith that her husband will change and will someday come to church with her. She has such a desire to so what's right, to trust God and do His will. She's such an awesome example to me. I really hope her children and grandchildren will follow her example.

A couple weeks ago, we went to teach one of our investigators and when we showed up at her house, her casket was sitting there in the middle of the room. It was crazy. She passed away on Christmas day, only 13 years old. She had heart failure and they couldn't get her to Bacolod in time to get help. Here, when someone dies, they set up the casket in their house with the body for people to come visit and then they gamble until they get enough money to pay for the burial and everything. So for a couple weeks, Nia's body was in her house and we would go visit her mom, who was always sitting there with the casket, and try to comfort her and share scriptures with her. One time, we gave the mom a Book of Mormon and taught about the spirit world, Alma 40, about spirit paradise. The next time we went, the Book of Mormon was open, sitting up on the casket. 

Anyway, this week, we got to hold a little service for her from our church. Her family is Catholic, but they said we could have a service for her. The bishop was really awesome about setting it up. So on Friday, the day before they had their service at the Catholic church and the burial, a group of maybe 15 of us members gathered at the family's house. The family joined us and Sister Parada gave a really great talk about eternal families and bishop talked about the Plan of Salvation. Nia's dad said a few words and they seemed touched and grateful for the support. 

On Saturday, Sister Parada and I went to the burial at the cemetery. I'm so grateful for the knowledge of the Plan of Salvation. I know that Nia will accept the gospel in spirit paradise and I hope and pray her family will listen and accept our message as well. 

I'm so grateful for the gospel and the opportunity to share it with my beautiful brothers and sisters here in Bacolod mission! I'm so blessed. I'm grateful that God is so directly involved in this work and He is leading the way. He is so good to me, always giving me what I need to do His work. 

I'm so grateful for all of your support and love! Thanks so much!

Love, Sister Malyon

Week 17 in the Philippines - "a new year"

Wow, it's 2014! CRAZY! A new year and new beginnings. It's so great. We had super high attendance at church yesterday. Aren't New Year's Resolutions so great?:) A member asked our investigator who has a baptismal date on Jan. 18 what her new year resolution is and she said to get baptized into this church! She's the best. Another LA told us that since it's a new year, he's gonna forget being offended and start over by being active in church again. YAY! And this LA family that we've been visiting ever since we arrived, finally all came to church together! It made me soooo happy and they were so cute all sitting together at church. 

I have gained such a testimony of miracles happening all the time this past week. God is so merciful and loving and he answers prayers and helps us accomplish and fulfill our righteous desires. He is leading His work and making sure that His purposes are being fulfilled. I love being a part of it!

The other day we were visiting the moms, the ones that remind me of the Tribe women. They haven't been coming to church or really keeping their commitments, so we were getting kind of frustrated. We were feeling like they just aren't progressing. And then we taught them a lesson and at the end, I asked this one mom to pray for us. We've asked her so many times to pray and she never has. She's kind of like the leader of all of them. And this time she agreed to pray! It was so beautiful! I was so happy her children got to hear her pray out loud and be example to them. Most people are religious here and pray, but often they feel uncomfortable praying out loud. When someone prays out loud for the first time, there's like this added power and it feels like they are coming closer to God in a way. I don't really know how to explain it.

Also, another little miracle has to do with our awesome investigator, Brian. He's dating a member, 19 years old, and the nicest person on the planet. He goes to church every week, but there were some concerns he had about getting baptized. He told us like 2 weeks ago that he proabably wouldn't get baptized for another year or so. awesome. BUT last weekend he went with friends to the YSA conference they had in Cadiz. He told us all about it and how it changed his life. He said he felt this burning in his heart when they had a testimony meeting and they talked about missionary work and did some role playing. He said he felt like that's what he needs to do. He wants so much to serve God and he knows that he needs to serve a mission. His testimony grew and his desire to be baptized grew as well. His grandma's heart has been softened and she's accepting of his decision, which he was worried about. The only person left is his mom. She comes home this week and he's gonna talk to her about his decision, so we're praying that she'll be accepting as well. I'm so happy for Brian and that God is helping him come closer to Him.

Back to Pamela, who is super excited for her up-coming baptism. She's so awesome. Every time we teach her, I feel like she's teaching us, but in her humble awesome way. The other day, we asked her about her reading and she said she read Jacob. I thought we were gonna have to try to explain the allegory to her, but she just proceeded to explin the whole thing to us! She also came to the Christmas party this week and brought all the kids with her that we've been teaching in her neighborhood. She's so sweet. Also, she went and visited a LA member who lives near her and invited her to come to church. She asked her why she doesn't come and told us she didn't understand why she made up these excuses. Pamela is already fellowshipping people and she's not even a member yet!

This week we went out to this part of our area called Bulanan. It's like a 20-25 minute tricycle ride away from the city. We went on a serious adventure to find this LA family--their daughter contacted us on FB and asked us to visit her parents. We had a sister come with us to show us where they lived. It had rained like the day before, so it was super super muddy. (Sis Parada slipped pretty bad) 

This family lives super secluded, away from everything, in the middle of the jungle. We had to cross a river going over a bridge, which was sooo beautiful. We were seriously walking through the jungle.Indiana Jones adventure:) When we finally got to their house, the sister right away started climbing trees to get down coconuts for us. She was so talented oh my goodness! She just climbed these super tall coconut trees without anything, just her hand and feet! She was so fast! she carried a knife with her and then cut down coconuts for us. I was amazed. so cool. The coconuts were delicious! We drank the coconut water and then scooped out the coconut.

The work is moving forward in our area, which is super exciting! I'm so grateful to be here! Thanks so much for all the love and support! I have the best family and freinds ever!

I love you all sooo much! I wish you all the very very best for the year 2014! I'm excited for what this year holds in store for all of you cutie pies! Keep the faith! I love you:)

Love, Sister Malyon