Okay, before I update you all I want to say HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MOM!!!! I love you and miss you soooo very much! I'm glad you got my card, but I just want to take time to tell you again how amazing you are! You are a wonderful, incredible woman and I'm so grateful that you are my mother. I hope that one day I can be at least a little bit of the mother and woman that you are! If I even can achieve a little of who you are, I would be happy. YOU ARE AMAZING! I miss you and love you, but I am doing well and I know that you are being taken care of too. So Happy Birthday, Momma :)
Alright, well you're probably wondering about the subject line...haha wow!! Where do I start?? So, on Sunday nights we have a big devotional with all the missionaries from both campuses. Well, guess who was talking? President Matthew Holland (Elder Holland's son). He gave a POWERFUL talk on the prophet Joseph Smith. And the UVU institute choir sang--oh my goodness. I closed my eyes and thought I was walking through heaven's doors. At the end, they joined with the massive MTC choir and sang praise to the man. It echoed throughout the entire MTC. It was sooo powerful. The Spirit was physically tangible and my testimony has been deeply strengthened.
Well, guess who else was there? ELDER JEFFREY R. HOLLAND.
He gave an introduction about his son before he spoke. And it was Sister Holland's birthday, so we all sang to her.
And guess where I was sitting? ...On the stand!!!
Why? I gave the closing prayer for the meeting! Yeahhhh! When he walked in, my heart stopped. And I was so nervous to give the prayer right in front of a mass of missionaries and ELDER HOLLAND! I have never felt my heart physically pounding in my chest as hard as it was then (coupled with the strong spirit that just made me weak). But at the conclusion of Praise to the Man from the choirs, I got up and gave a prayer that amazed me....It was not my words. And complete strangers are still coming up to me and thanking me for the prayer I gave. It was an experience I will never forget. I thought that I would get to shake Elder Holland's hand, but he didn't shake anyone's hand. It's okay though!
Anyway, this week has been awesome!! Happy Valentine's Day!!
So, I had a great experience teaching one of our investigators this week. The gift of tongues is real. I was amazed as we were teaching about the Restoration. I suddenly was speaking so fluently. Sentences were coming out in perfect Tagalog with no hesitation. I opened my mouth to attempt to say what was in my heart and suddenly the words were flowing out in Tagalog. I didn't even realize until after we left the lesson...and then I was like...woah. It was incredible. My kasama just hugged me and we were both speechless. I know that it was only through the Lord that that was able to happen, but I also know it happened because I put in everything I had. I didn't just sit around and then when the time came, I was given what I needed to say. I studied hard and put in all my effort--and I know I came up short. I couldn't possibly get to that point by myself. But I gave my all and the Lord made up the rest. How grateful I am for that!!
I'm not even close to being fluent in Tagalog! haha, but I am surprised at how far I've been coming along! We did our first TRC appointments this week, where we just teach volunteers as themselves. Well we were teaching Annabelle, this cute old Filipina lady. And I was so surprised at how much I was understanding! She was talking fast! And normally I understand about 5% of what's being said and the other 95% goes right over my head...haha but when we were teaching her, I suddenly realized that I was understanding like 95% of what she was saying! I was totally following along and laughing and talking with her! The MTC is a place of miracles! I am so excited to be here! I love it every day. It's hard, I won't lie. But I'm truly loving it and growing so much.
Okay one more spiritual story. There have been some sisters in my zone that have been really, really struggling in the MTC. I am so grateful that I have been doing so well, I know I have been blessed and thank you for all of your prayers. Anyway, one of the sisters in my district has been really down and having a difficult time. For days, she had just kind of shut down and we all didn't really know what to do. Her companion was doing all she could to try and help her, but nothing was seeming to help. Well during gym one day, she just went to the bathroom, and for some reason I just decided to go too. Well when I was done, she said that she was just going to stay in there for a little bit and I could go ahead and go to gym. My first instinct was to leave and give her some space. But for some reason, almost without thinking, I just walked over and wrapped my arms around her. She broke down and started to cry. And something you told me once Mom, came into my head. I told her to cry. I told her that she doesn't need to hold it in. Just cry, and cry hard--let it all out. So we sat in there and pretty soon we were both crying and suddenly I was saying lots of things to her. I don't remember what I said, but I remember the Spirit was so strong inside that little bathroom.
She's been doing SO much better now. And I know it is not because of me at all. I was just used as a tool for that sister's Father in Heaven to tell her what she needed to hear. She's been getting some counseling help here at the MTC too and it is just a night and day difference. She is SO HAPPY. and it makes me so very happy to see her doing so well!
I learned an important lesson from all of this too. When all of this was happening, I didn't realize that I was being prompted by the Spirit. It's only now when I look back that I realize His hand. And I think that is important to understand. I believe we often think that we recognize spiritual promptings BEFORE they happen...and that does occur...but I think that the majority of the time we don't realize that it was a prompting until after it occurs. And it's so important to "trust int hat which leadeth to do good". Whether you think it's just your own little thought or not, ACT ON IT. The spirit isn't loud and obvious. So always listen carefully for the quiet urges to do something good.
Okay, now for the nakakatawa mga kuwento :) (funny stories)
So, I have another language mix up except this time it wasn't me. Haha! Sister Fewster is so cute! She thought of a scripture she wanted to quote so she just tried writing it down and looking up the words instead of finding the direct scripture in Tagalog. Anyway, it's the scripture, "Trust in the Lord with all thine heart and lean not unto thine own understanding..." Well, haha she was looking up the words and then asked the teacher if it was right. hahahahaha okay I'm already laughing. So when she looked up the word "lean" she found "payat" and that's what she used. Well "payat" means lean as in...like skinny or thin. hahaha so basically she was saying "Trust in the Lord with all thine heart and skinny not unto thine own understanding." hahahahaha it was so funny :)
Okay, I'm running out of e-mail time so I've got to cut it short now. I'm so grateful that I'm here! It's probably some of the hardest times of my life right now, but some of the happiest! I've got 3 WEEKS LEFT before I'm on a plane to the Philippines! Isn't that crazy??! I cannot wait.
Mahal ko kayo!!! I love you all so very much! Always remember that I love you and more importantly that you've got an all-knowing Father that loves you too! That is sobrang mahalaga!! Never forget it :)
Patnubayan kayo nawa ng Diyos!
XOXO
Sister Oyler
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