Week Four in the Philippines - "love"

This week I thought about dad a little bit and his experience as a convert. We have this investigator, Roldan, whose 23 and super smart. At his lesson this week, we asked about his reading and he said he's been comparing the Bible and Book of Mormon and has found so many similarities. He proceeded to tell us about how in both it talks about the scattering and then the gathering of Israel and how he read John 10, the scripture mastery about other sheep I have that are not of this fold. He recognized that the Book of Mormon fulfills that scripture. He's so smart and was basically teaching us! I just thought about dad and how you were seeking truth, just like Roldan, and you are both so smart and desire to learn. I was imagining how much the gospel will bless Roldan's life and his future family, just like it has blessed dad's life and ultimately my life and our whole family so much.

We had Zone training this week, which was good. I learned a lot from our ZL's and our STL's (sister training leaders). Then after that, we had exchanges. So one of the STL's, Sister Martinez, came with me to my area and Sister Livingston went to their area. I loved exchanges. I was super nervous about leading my area, but it was actually really awesome to get that opportunity. I had to step it up and lead us to each appointment and start lessons and things like that. I was a lot more involved, but she helped a lot. 

Sister Martinez goes home soon and is the kind of missionary I want to be! She's fluent in the language and so comfortable just talking to EVERYONE and she makes people feel comfortable around her and she shares the gospel with everyone. It was neat to see her example and work with her for a day. I had to keep in perspective that I've still only been here a few weeks and still have so much to learn, but it will come. Sister Martinez taught me the importance of really loving people and being flexible so that you are okay with doing unexpected/unplanned teaching all the time. 

We actually visited, unplanned, this lady who's husband just passed away. He was an investigator that was supposed to get baptized, but he ended up passing away from health problems. She had been opposed to the church, but when we visited her, it seemed like her heart had been softened. We just had a short prayer meeting with her. That's where we offer them a prayer and we basically just tried to comfort her. I really felt the spirit and I'm excited to keep visiting her! I know that the gospel is what brings the greatest peace in life.

The next day, after doing studies together, we switched back companions. We rode out to Silay, the STL sister's area, to switch back. Their area is a little farther out from the city and so beautiful! As we were riding away from the city, I was just amazed at the beauty. 

It was pretty beautiful one evening as we were proselyting in Sibucao, which is like a little fishing town right on the water, we ended up talking to a big group of children right on the water. They all gathered around and we prayed with them and shared about how God is our loving Father in Heaven. I love children! They have that light in their eyes and innocence and closeness to God that it so precious. It was a pretty incredible moment.

We found out that Elder Anderson is coming to visit our mission! He's coming November 2nd!!!!! I'm super excited!  I love the church and our awesome leaders.

Well, the ward's great! We had ward missionaries work with us this week, which was super nice. The bishopric bought us lunch one day, which was also really nice.I am being taken care of, don't worry. I love my companion and the other sisters we live with and everyone we're teaching! This work is the best! 

I love my Savior so much. I love that God is so involved in our lives. I am learning to trust in Him  because He knows His children perfectly, and I don't. I need Him and His direction. He loves each one of you and wants for you to be happy. I know that's true with all my heart. He cares about you and everything you care about. Talk to Him! It's the best!

I love you all! Keep doing those little things that gradually bring you closer and closer to God and more and more like Him. I know He will bless you!

Love, Sister Malyon    

Week Three in the Philippines - "grobay!"

I can't believe Pres. Lopez posted a video of us singing! Oh my goodness! I was right in the front, just sweating my heart out and we stood up there for so long in that stinkin hot and sweaty building with thousands of people! But yet it was so cool to be there with so many cute Filipinos and celebrate families with them. I love my family! And I love that God blesses us with families on earth to help us learn and grow and become more like Him. 

Family Week - Bacolod City
Hall -- September 24, 2013






So many funny things happened this week. Life is just funny when you're in a foreign country, living with two Filipino's, getting put into uncomfortable situations everyday!

I will attempt to share with you a few:)

Earlier this week, we got locked out. It was so funny to me because we got stuck. So we have a gate in front of our house with a big lock on it, plus we lock our front door, obviously. The other two sisters had left the house like 30 minutes before us. Just as Sister Livingston and I walked out of the front door and shut it, we realized we didn't have the keys! So it wasn't just that we were locked out of the house and would make sure we came home a little after the other sisters to get in the house, we were stuck. We couldn't get outside of our gate. There was no way to climb over the gate or get back in the house or anything. and it was hot. We texted the other sisters and they were so sweet to come back and save us but it took quite a while. In the meantime, Sister Livingston and I felt like we were stuck in a cage, a really hot cage. And right in front of our house!

Then a few days later, we came home to find a huge Toko in our room! It was in mine and Sister Livingston's room, right above our beds! It was this HUGE lizard, as big as my forearm! And it's called Toko because that's the sound it makes. They're super loud. We didn't know what to do, so we waited for the landlady to come over. She comes over every night to help us with our water or something. We asked her to help us and the four of us watched from the doorway as she tried to get the toko to go out the door. When she moved the curtain, the toko ran and she screamed and we all screamed! And then we got the broom and all watched as she chased the toko back and forth with the broom until it finally went out the door. We were all very girly, four sisters, so helpless.:) We were very grateful for the tagiya and her courage:) so that we could sleep haha.

There's so much I want to tell you! I discovered this week that there are pros and cons to living with Filipino's. I love them so much and they're seriously the sweetest, cutest and selfless sisters ever. But one thing that is sooo hard for me, is when they cook their dried fish. Oh my goodness gracious. It stinks up the place soooo bad! It's awful! Last night, I made some pancit and was eating dinner, and then they started cooking the dried fish! I seriously could not eat my food and felt like I was going to throw-up! I tried to think of an escape. I didn't know what to do. So to just get some fresh air, I pretended to check something with our water outside for a couple minutes. But I couldn't do that for long, without them wondering what I was doing. So I had to just bear it and eat really fast and then go stand by the fan. Seriously, the smell is sooooooo bad.

One more funny thing. So we had a FHE this week with this awesome part-member/less-active family this week, the Takaisans. It was pretty great. We first shared with them a spiritual thought/message and then they wanted to play some games. I was new, obviously, and didn't know any of the games. So I messed up a few times in the game, or lost, or whatever. At the end, (I didn't know this before), they make anyone who messed up in the game, do a talent. They prefer singing. So they made me go first! It made me think of family get-together's at home! No warning, just sing! Hahahaha So I just sang one verse of a hymn, of course:) In the next game, I figured out that they try to get the missionaries to mess up! They love putting us on the spot. It was pretty funny. Brother Takaisan actually has a guitar so we sang "Count Your Many Blessings" with the guitar too. He's super good at the guitar! And the next morning was Sunday and Brother Takaisan was at church! He's a LA and so it was so awesome to see him there. He got there early and was all dressed up nicely and ready for church. It made me so happy.

During finding this week, we tried this new area called Sibucao. It's like a fishing community a little farther from our house and it's right on the water. We found this less-active lady who's really old and kind of sick, so she doesn't come to church. But she was sitting with some people outside. We asked if we could share a message with her and with everyone there. Then this group of high school students came up and we had this gathering of like 10 people or so watching as we prayed with them and taught about prayer and families. It was pretty uncomfortable and I didn't say much, but Sister Livingston was awesome. We invited them all to church and gave them pamphlets.

One thing I've been thinking about this week is that the gospel is for everyone. We have no right to judge someone into thinking they won't accept the gospel, or they won't want to hear about the gospel. You never know! We are all God's children and we all need His gospel to bring us joy and bring us back to Him. I'm working on building that faith that I will know what to say to people. I'm trying to learn how to better trust God and rely on Him. He will help me every step of the way, if I pray for it and allow Him to. He loves us so much. 

I want to testify to you, along with Alma, that "...I do know that whosoever shall put their trust in God shall be supported in their trials, and their troubles, and their afflictions, and shall be lifted up at the last day." (Alma 36:3) Isn't that such an awesome promise?! We will be lifted up at the last day, we will be brought into the kingdom of God if we simply put our trust in Him! That's so awesome! I know that He will help us with everything we go through, if we trust Him by keeping His commandments and doing what he asks us to do and pray for His help and then listen and follow Him. 

We shared Ether 12:27 with Brother Cruze this week. He's a less active, who struggles with smoking. I know that he will receive strength from God to overcome his addiction as he puts his trust in Him.

Also, not only is the gospel for everyone, but His grace is sufficient for everyone. I read this talk by Brad Wilcox in the Liahona this week and he said, "The grace of Christ is sufficient--sufficient to cover our debt, sufficient to transform us, and sufficient to help us for as long as that transformation process takes." That's so beautiful. We can change and truly become like Christ and God the Father through grace, through His power and love. Christ suffered for us not only so that we can live forever, but so that we can live forever with Him! And with our families! And we can become like Him. And Brad Wilcox said that though His grace, we can feel comfortable in the presence of God. That's so amazing.

I love this gospel. I love you all so much! I love our ward and I'm starting to feel more comfortable here, which is nice. I hope you're all happy and healthy and doing wonderfully! You are in my prayers and I love you tons and tons!

Love, Sister Malyon

Week Two in the Philippines - "ulan kag balangaw"

Trainer's Training Meeting - September 11, 2013

Remember to always find joy in the journey. You can choose happiness and find joy every single day! Isn't that so awesome?! We have the gospel! We should be the happiest people on earth! I love the gospel. It gives me so much peace and comfort to know that we will get to be together as a family FOREVER!

I'm doing great:) Happy and working hard and learning so much every single day. The Lord is working hard to shape me into someone that can bless the lives of His beautiful children here. I love the people here! They are friendly and welcoming and just great. I'm so blessed. It's easy to love them and care about them and I'm grateful for the love God gives me everyday for the people I come in contact with.

We had Zone Conference this week, which was awesome. It was fun to see the missionaries from my batch and to realize I'm not the only who can't understand anything or say anything that anyone here understands! Woohoo! haha It was fun to be with a bunch of missionaries and to feel of their spirit and learn from them and from Pres. Lopez and his wife. They're awesome. We are preparing for a mission tour next month. The Area president is coming to visit, so we had a practice for that. We ate delicious food and were also fed spiritually. We watched this super powerful video about the Savior and what He did for us. I know that Christ is my Savior and He died for me and for you. He suffered soooo much. Pres. Holland said that Salvation is not cheap and that's why life is hard. Missionary work is hard. It was never easy for our Savior, he said. I'm truly so grateful for all that Christ did for me and for all of us.

First Zone Conference -- Sept. 18, 2013

Since we live close to the mission home and where zone conference was and everything, we had sisters come stay with us for a few nights that came in from farther areas. It was super fun! Some of them went proselyting with us. They showed me the importance of still having fun when doing missionary work! We were walking down the street and Sister Ang started belting the primary song singing "The wise man built his house upon the sand!" super loud. It was pretty hilarious because she's this tiny Filipino singing in English and singing the wrong words! We're definitely a sight to see here.

We also had a few storms this week! YAY! It was actually kind of exciting in my opinion. The other day was so funny because Sister Livingston and I got caught in this down pour. We were on our way to visit a lady and it just came down super hard! We got out our tiny umbrella's and just kept walking really fast. Everyone prob thought we were crazy these two white Americans with their matching blue umbrella's doing nothing to keep them from getting wet and pretty soon we were walking through rain up past our ankles. Oh goodness. Good times:)

We have this awesome investigator named Roldan. They found him before I got here, but we've taught him a few times an he's soo golden! He's so ready! He already read the whole Book of mormon and told us about the story of Alma the Younger and how much he loves that story. He also told us he wants to serve a mission:) He's in his early 20's and we teach him at a member's home. They're so great. He is friends with a member who's his age and then this little boy Marjo, a recent convert, also comes to every lesson with him. Marjo is the cutest kid in the whole world! He's always smiling, always and I just love it. He's maybe 12.

Well, I hope you're all well and happy. God is so merciful and so loving. He cares about you and wants to hear from you everyday! He will help you become stronger and more than you can on your own. As you lie in bed, just think of me trying to fall asleep to the sound of 5 million frogs and barking dogs and waking up to 10 million roosters:) It's great.

Helaman 5:12 Remember! This scripture is so awesome.

First Week in the Philippines - "wow I can't believe I'm here"

Lunch in the mission home - Sept. 11, 2013

emailing home - day of arrival

 

Mission Training from President Lopez

Dinner at the Mission Home

I'm glad you got to see all those pictures and get a taste of what's been going on. I love my mission president so much! He's so cute and hilarious! We were talking about sister missionaries dress at our orientation and he was talking about how we should wear bright colors because "we are going to birthday parties! Baptisms! Not funerals, but birthday parties!" That's one way to look at it:) He's great.

I love the Philippines and I'm so excited to be here and to get to know these amazing people and all the members in our awesome ward! My trainer is from Southern California and she's great. She's been letting me bear my testimony and pray in our lessons so far, but this week I'm hoping to start actually teaching with her. We had a lesson my first day here, which was pretty awesome.

We have quite a few investigators and the coolest thing ever is that we had a baptism on Saturday! Can you believe it? My first Saturday here! What a treat! We have a mission goal to have baptisms every single week! The work is moving super fast here! The girl that got baptized is named Annamae and she is like 10 or 11 years old and just so stinkin adorable. I got to speak at the baptism, yay haha and one of the YW sang for a musical number. During the whole baptismal service, Sister Annamae had the BIGGEST smile on her face! She was sooo happy, well she's always happy and smiling, but it was especially so at her baptism. She has members all around her that are her friends and family, so it's awesome all the support she has. Actually most of our investigators right now are referrals from recent converts. And often at lessons, new people will join in to listen and we'll get another new investigator!

It's super exciting doing missionary work and teaching everyday. I'm so grateful for this incredible opportunity and to be able to assist God in bringing others unto Christ.

After zone conference we had a missionary apartment inspection with Elder and Sister Anderson
Sister Tampos, Sister Dequina, Sister Livingston and Sister Malyon

 We have this super nice apartment and live with two other sisters, Sister Tampos and Sister Dequinea. They are both Filipino, which is good because they are going to teach us how to make Filipino food! Yay! I really hope to get more immersed in the culture. It is soooo hot and humid! :) Gosh I am sweating constantly. Hopefully I will get used to it soon.:)

I guess my mission pres knew I could sing from something I said in my papers. I'm not really sure. I sang with Sister Evans who was in the other district with me at the MTC. We sang "Lead Kindly  Light". It was pretty good I guess. I'm getting used to pulling together talks and musical numbers and spiritual thoughts in really short amounts of time! I guess it helps that we are studying so much everyday.

The mission president likes to keep the sisters close to him, so all of the sisters are close to the city. I'm serving in the Bacolod north zone and all of my friends from the MTC are pretty close by I think. We have zone conference this week so I'll get to see them all again.

It's so beautiful here! So green and so many awesome trees! Rambutan is this fruit that's in season -- I love it and it looks so cool. I'm blessed to be here.

My p-day is Mondays. Packages take forever, but we can get letters pretty quickly. You should send everything to this address:

Sister Krista Dianne Malyon
Philippines Bacolod Mission
PO Box 660, Bacolod City
6100 Negros Occidental
Phillipines

That will be the same for my whole mission!

Jaimie sent me this awesome discourse on love that I read on the airplane. I want to leave with you a quote from it "Do not grudge the hand that is molding the still too shapeless image within you." Henry Drummond

God knows us perfectly and He wants us to become like Him. Sometimes it's really hard to let Him shape me into who He needs me to be, but I'm trying to learn how to be humble and allow Him to shape me into someone so much better than I can even imagine.

I love you! Keep being awesome examples and missionaries!

Sister Malyon and her trainer, Sister Livingston

I'm here!

 

Hi family! I made it! I'm in the beautiful city of Bacolod at the Mission home right now with my sweet mission parents and all of the other missionaries that arrived today. There are a bunch of missionaries that came in today from the Manila MTC too! This island is the most beautiful place I've ever seen! I can already feel that this is my new home and I already love it:)

I'm safe and happy and full of love! You are all in my prayers and I love you tons!

24 new missionaries arrived in Bacolod, Philippines on Sept. 11, 2013

President and Sister Lopez

The 24 who are starting their mission together

The new sister missionaries

Week Five in the MTC - "the kingdom of God is worth everything you can give!"

We got our travel plans on Friday! We were super excited to get them and think about going to the Philippines, but also sad because the two sisters, Sister masse and Sister nonu going to Iloilo mission, are on a different flight then the rest of us:( Saying bye to them will be the saddest thing ever. We are supposed to meet at 3:30 am at the MTC on Monday morning to leave for the airport.

My district thinks it's funny that I'm a tree-hugger!

Wow, i can't believe how fast the time has flown by at the MTC. It's definitely bitter-sweet. I love the MTC and know I'll never really have an experience quite like this ever again. I have learned SOOOOOO MUCH here. it's crazy. I feel like a different person than before the MTC. Well at least i hope I am from all I've learned. It's so awesome that through the Atonement we can progress and change and become better every day! I love the hope that brings. 

This week I have been thinking a lot about the law of consecration, about trying to consecrating all that I have and all that I am to the Lord. Sister Masse, our Sister Training Leader for our district, gave me some awesome quotes and a scripture about it earlier this week. The scripture is Mosiah 2:34 "ye are eternally indebted to your heavenly Father, to render to him all that you have and are". Nothing could be more true! I owe everything to my Father in heaven!he has given me everything, created me, sent me to earth, helped me countless times, provided me with a way to return to live with Him, given me his Son. wow. he has also blessed me with the most amazing family and friends in the whole world! and this incredible opportunity to share the gospel to the world. 

On Tuesday, we had a really incredible and spiritual experience at the end of class. Our teacher, Brother Speiser, shared with us how he imagines the kingdom of God as a place full of love and forgiveness. We can build and be fit for the kingdom of God while still on earth. We are to share the gospel with others so that we can all help build the kingdom of God on earth. The kingdom of God is worth EVERYTHING I am, everything I have. I need to work on giving up those things in my heart that aren't fit for the Kingdom of God because it is truly worth it. 

After he left, we had a group hug. I love those 5 sisters in my district more than I can express and we had such an incredible, life-changing experience there together in our little MTC classroom with our teacher, the Spirit and the many angels present. I know that everyone can feel of God's love and of His spirit wherever they are! you can have experiences like this if you listen and heed the promptings of the Spirit. I love you all so much and wanted to share this with you so you can feel the Spirit that I feel, the love that I feel and be reminded of our ultimate goal to return to the kingdom of God.  

next time you hear from me I'll be in the Philippines!

Picture with Elder Brendan Smith  (my brother's close friend) and his companion

Week Four in the MTC - "mei palangga ang Dios para sa inyo!"

I know that miracles happen everyday and that prayers are answered. Heavenly Father loves you all so much and wants the best for you. He hears you every single time you pray. He wants to hear from you! I've learned to appreciate praying so much since being here. I'm so incredibly grateful for prayer.

 A little about life here. I am living on the main campus, not the West campus at Raintree. I entered the MTC with 700 missionaries, 600 on main campus and 100 went to the West campus. We heard they are going to start construction on the main campus-- I don't really know what they're going to do. I love the MTC so much! The spirit is so strong here! This place is so sacred and so wonderful. I love being around so many missionaries all the time!

Our sister training leaders who left on Monday

Three districts from our zone left on Monday. They were all Cebuano speaking districts going to Cebu, Cebu East and Tacloban in the Philippines. We miss them a lot. A lot of them were internationals from places like New Zealand, Tonga and Samoa and we became really close to them. It was sad saying good-bye. But since they left, we got four new Cebuano speaking districts in our zone this week! They all arrived yesterday! 

Sister Peterson and I were asked to be the new Sister Training Leaders, which means we are in charge of taking care of all of the sisters in our zone. We just got 20 new sisters and 17 new elders. All together we have 30 sisters in our zone. We're so excited to have this new opportunity to really get to know the sisters in our zone and help them the best we can. On Tuesday, four international sisters came in, so we welcomed them and then Wednesday, the rest of them arrived and we welcomed them and showed them all around. It was lots of fun! It made me think about my first day! Time is going by so fast!

We picked up the internationals on Tuesday.
This was taken after running in the rain, coming from the devotional at the Marriott Ctr.

A typical day for me is: personal study, breakfast, class  for 3  hours  (part of it we teach our progressing investigator/teacher, learn language, learn teaching skills), then language study, lunch, companion study, class for three hours with our other teacher, planning, dinner, Gym and this thing called TALL (computer program to help us learn Hiligaynon). We're very busy everyday! It's really awesome! I'm learning tons:)

Last Thursday, we had this awesome experience at TRC. We taught a lady name Sister Konishi, who is from Bacolod, but has lived here for a while and volunteers all the time at TRC. She's so sweet. We talked to her about faith (in Hiligaynon). The Spirit was sooo strong, it was amazing. The Spirit taught her through us the things she needed to hear about faith and she said she was strengthened by our message. When she gave the closing prayer, she started crying, which made me start crying. The Spirit was so strong. She reminded me of why I am here and how incredible awesome it is to get to bring hope into people's lives and remind them through the Spirit of God's love for them and help them come closer to Christ. The gospel is truly so wonderful and I feel so blessed to have the Gospel in my life. I love the joy that the gospel brings into everyone's life. 

We had an awesome devotional this week Tuesday with Elder Anderson! He talked about love and sacrifice. He said "we sacrifice for the things we love, we love the things we sacrifice for." The greatest sacrifice of all, is the atonement. When he was talking about that, I thought about my Savior and how much I love Him and how incredible it is for this opportunity to testify of my Savior all the time. I get to wear His name on my chest, right next to my name. I am a representative of Jesus Christ, which is the most amazing thing ever. I feel sooooooooooo blessed for this opportunity.  

Love, palangga,