Um brella brella brella ay ay ay.

Rainy season has been really setting in the last few weeks but it has rained very little.  I tell my companion everyday that it is going to rain.  Then it never rains.  But this week, for the first time, I said it was going to rain and it rained.  Cats and dogs.  Or los gatos y los perros. Or mga pusa at mga aso.  Whatever language you speak, it rained.

 

We taught some really cool people this week in our area.  Each time we meet someone new, we quickly find out that we did not find them by accident.  There are no accidents in the plan of God. Let me introduce three special ladies:

 

Meet Marlene, 40+ (sells fish)

-her husband doesn't want her to change religions

-she wants to listen because she does not understand her own religion

-she flooded us with questions that she has been holding in for years

 

Her answer: http://www.mormon.org/beliefs/restoration

Meet Lovely, early 20s (many tatoos)

-released from jail last week

-her baby has been in the hospital for one month with meningitis

-her child was declared dead but later returned to consciousness

-she is looking for money and, more importantly, something more to life

 

Her answer: http://www.mormon.org/values/choice

Meet Kuh, 30 yrs old (loves speaking in English)

-working on fixing her broken family

-her husband works in Korea and will not come home for at least 5 more years

-loves to listen to all religions, thinks they are all good

-wants to mend a broken marriage

 

Her answer: http://www.mormon.org/values/family

One of the greatest lessons I have learned on my mission, is whoever we teach and whatever their problems are, the gospel is the answer.  It is the easiest math problem - whatever the numbers or the calculation, the solution is always the same.

P.S. Sorry that I have no pictures this week.  The computer I am using just deleted every picture on my memory card.  I love computer shops in the third world. 

Let's see a doctor...

We became well acquainted with the local doctors this week in Aparri.  My companion had a series of asthma attacks which we considered extreme only until one of the elders was also admitted to the hospital...hyperventilating and seizing.  He is better now but at the moment we saw him stumbling in, we thought he was going to die.  His experience has added to my testimony of how the Lord truly looks over His servants.  Missionaries get sick, especially those of use who are foreigners, but somehow our recoveries are quicker than expected and we end up stronger than we started.

Speaking of the hospital, the Mabbun family was released this week from the hospital and are doing great.  Slowly but surely Sister Imelda is recovering from her shoulder surgery.  She is much stronger after her accident...physically because she has stainless steel in her shoulder and also spiritually because she has exercised so much faith.  We had another small miracle happen again concerning the Mabbun family this week.  Out of the blue, Sister Mabbun asked us if the church offered wheelchairs to those in need.  We told her we were not really the ones to ask but that she could ask the leaders if they knew of something available.  At the same time, we told her nothing was probably available because their family member who needs a wheelchair is not a member of the Church.  Then, yesterday we were informed by our mission that the Church has begun a new program offering medical supplies free of charge to those in need, whether member or not.  What a blessing for their family member who recently had a stroke and has no possible way of walking!

Interested in the program?

http://www.ldsphilanthropies.org/humanitarian-services/funds/wheelchair-distribution.html

Find out how we reach out:

http://www.ldsphilanthropies.org/

It is easy to see miracles when you are a servant of the Lord and a member of His true church. I love this work and I love to see the blessings others receive through us as servants of God. 

Happy Birthday, Sister Ufagalilo.

My companion is 24 and we partied like rock stars.  Not really, because we live in the armpit of the Philippines and we are missionaries, but we did have cake!  I love her so much.

This was an all-star week, mainly because the Mabbun family was baptized.  They were prepared by the Lord, not by the missionaries, for the gospel.  I feel so blessed to have been part of their conversion.  When Brother Mabbun shared his testimony with the branch, he related how there were so many "dakes" things in their life before we met them.  "Dakes" is Ilocano for "bad" and "ugly."  He said that the gospel erased their problems and made their home a peaceful place.

It has been raining a lot here.  When we were leaving the apartment one day, it was drizzling outside. I asked my companion if she would like to walk or take a tricy, but she returned the question.  We decided to walk in the end and about 15 steps from our apartment, it poured.  It was raining oceans, we got soaked, and we taught some wet lessons.  Nothing like being soaked to the bone.  People always ask us when we are out and soaked in the rain, "Are you going home now?"  We always say, "No!  We are missionaries!"  They seen to be satisfied with that response and they get to better understand that the work of the Lord never stops.  

We have been working closely with the district president here the last few weeks.  He just "loves" my Tagalog (not true), but he insists that I sound like Chris Aquino.  I do not know who Chris Aquino is, so you better look her up and tell me if the district president is honest.  

 

I love you all.  Send some chocolate.  XOXOXOXO