Week Nine in the Philippines -- "I'm safe!"

Hi family and friends!

Thank you so much for your prayers and love. Wow, it sure is exciting living in the Philippines, that's for sure. You never get bored. Well, thank goodness for a mission president called of God who is so on top of things.

We got word of the super typhoon-- I was not really sure what to expect-- on Wednesday and were told we had to be home by 6:00 pm on Wednesday. We had to stay indoors all day Thursday and Friday. The storm didn't really hit until Friday, but I guess it was wise for us to err on the safe side. It just stunk because we didn't get to visit very many people this week. My companion and I have a super nice house that's concrete, so we were totally fine through the storm. We got to study A LOT.

Our sweet neighbor came over Friday morning to make sure we knew what was going and to know that if we needed anything, he's right next door. It was pretty insane all day Friday, watching the typhoon out our windows. I was praying my heart out all day for all of our investigators and members and everyone that lives here. I couldn't stop thinking about their little homes held up and made out of bamboo and so many people in our area live right next to the ocean and in areas that flood all the time, even when there aren't typhoons. It was hard to concentrate on studies when I couldn't stop thinking about all of them.

We found out that the church was opened up for people to evacuate to, which is a relief. A lot of people sought refuge in the church. I'm grateful they were able to do that. On Saturday, we had a mission-wide CSP and tried to do whatever we could to help people and serve them. We weren't allowed to go in any flooded areas, which made it impossible to visit a lot of the people I was most worried about. But we were able to serve the people in our neighborhood by sweeping and then we went with the elders in our ward to help repair a family's home. We were also able to just visit some people to make sure they were okay. 

Everything looks so different. There are so many less trees and many destroyed homes and fences and whatnot. Our job this week is to help the bishopric find out what people need so we can help deliver the necessary resources to them. I wish there was so much more we could do to help, but we will keep trying to do all that we can. I'm grateful for the services the church offers and even more grateful for the message of peace and comfort we have to share with our brothers and sisters here.

I love this scripture about faith in 1 Nephi 7:12 "Yea, and how is it that ye have forgotten that the Lord is able to do all things according to His will, for the children of men, if it so be that they exercise faith in him? Wherefore, let us be faithful to him." 

When we exercise our faith in Christ, meaning we keep doing all that we can to live His gospel and trust in Him, He will truly make up for our in-capabilities, for our weaknesses. I know that's true. I know that He will give everyone in the Philippines the strength they need to overcome this trial in their lives, if they just put their faith in Christ and keep doing all they can to live His gospel.

It applies to me as well, of course. I need to keep exercising my faith in Christ, in order to see miracles happen in my area. We have an investigator and a recent convert who are struggling with addictions and I want so much to help them understand this principle of faith in Jesus Christ. I know that with Christ, they can overcome their addictions, but we have to do all we can to show our faith in Him and desire to follow Him.

Thank you so much for all of your prayers for my dear brothers and sisters here that were affected by the damage caused by the typhoon! I love you all with all my heart! I know that Christ is our Savior and the only way back to live with our loving Heavenly father. He wants to help you return to live with God and inherit the kingdom of God with Him. All we need to do is follow Him, accept His invitation to come unto Him. I love you!

Love, Sister Malyon