Kamusta, family! nagmimis ko kayo talaga!
Today has been a crazy day, so we're getting our emailing in late. But it was raining earlier....POURING actually!! And as you can imagine, I was loving it!! I wanted to go out and play in it, but the other Sisters wanted to stay inside and keep cleaning. But I got to watch it..haha. (and I stepped out in it for a little bit ;) )
Anyway, transfers are over! Sister Soliven is my new companion. SOBRANG MAGALING SIYA! She is awesome. I love her. She is a powerful teacher and brings such a strong spirit into each of our lessons. She's teaching me a lot. I have never seen a more powerful teacher. The way she looks at you and delivers her message, it pierces people to the center. I'm so glad I've been placed with her. I'm leading the area now, and it's going a lot better than I thought. haha I actually remember how to get around, and it's been forcing me to lead everything with our lessons and investigators, so I think my Tagalog has been improving faster. It's good for me!
The other day actually, Sister Verdeflor (our new kabahay, companions with Sister Sione) had a baptism in her previous area. So they went to go attend it, but Sister Sione was having a headache and wanted to stay. So we had splits, and my companion went with Sister Verdeflor, and Sister Sione and I stayed and worked my area. Well, we are both foreigners..(she's from Samoa) and working on our Tagalog...She's been out 7 months now, but it's still really hard for her to converse in Tagalog. And in our lessons, I was having to step up and teach. I was terrified at first, but I'm glad I had this opportunity to push myself, because I realized just how far I've come and that I have more strength in the language than I realized. But I know it's purely the gift of tongues. I keep comparing myself to the native speakers and thinking wow...I am so bad at this. But my new companion has been really impressed with my Tagalog. People don't believe that I've only been here in the Philippines for 7 weeks. I am truly being richly blessed with the gift of tongues. It's not me that's accomplishing this. And I'm so grateful for what I've been given.
So at the start of the new transfer, the 2nd day, I was just getting down on myself. I was exhausted, and things had changed, and my new companion was really serious...like no laughing or lightness (which is like opposite from me) so it was kind of awkward at first, and I was scared to lead the area, and it was hotter than hot outside and I was just in a bad mood inside. Well, we caught a tricycle...a random tricycle, but I know it was inspired. There was this message on the inside:
Like I've said before, almost everyone is Catholic here and pretty religious. So there is often spiritual things written places, mostly like "GOD IS LOVE" or things like that. But when I got into this tricycle and saw this, it was just a little message meant for me. I was focusing too much on myself. I am here on a mission not for me. This is the Lord's work and His children that I'm serving. So right inside that tricycle, I forgot about myself, and reminded myself to just love my Father in Heaven and serve. Just serve. and Never give up. And honestly, the rest of the day was amazing. It's true what they say, that when you're having a hard time, just serve those around you. It works. and that's all a mission is 24/7. Serving. And if you do it right, you will be happy 24/7. :)
So one of our new investigators is named Jocelyn. She is amazing. She is 7 months pregnant with their 2nd child, but their family is worried because they have no money to be able to go to the hospital to have the baby in 2 months. They live in this tiny, tiny square cement home, right next to this "river". (it might as well be sewer). Her husband is working all day every day trying to get enough money to be ready for their baby. When we went to teach her first, she wasn't home. She had told us to come at that time because their house has no light so she wanted us to come earlier, well we went to our other appointment and came back. it was the time of day when it was starting to get dark (the sun sets so early here!). She was there this time, and she was so happy to see us! Luckily, I had a flashlight with me and we used that for light during our lesson. There were mosquitoes EVERYWHERE! Because we were so close to the river. And she got up and found us little pieces of cardboard that we could use as fans to try to keep them away. She is an amazing woman. The Spirit was so strong during our lesson with her. Before we left, she began to cry and just thanked us for coming and for coming back a second time. She hugged us each--the lesson meant so much to her. She is excited to learn more and I am excited for her too!
Anyway, I'd better wrap up, but I wanted to just say how much I love all of you. I think about you all the time, and what you might be up to. I wouldn't trade this experience here for anything in the world! But I still miss you a lot, too :) Keep updating me! I love to hear from everyone. Even if I don't get the time I wish I had to email everyone personally, I still LOVE reading all the emails.
MAHAL NA MAHAL KO KAYO!
Sister Oyler
P.S. Last night I had a dream that I was eating at Wendy's...and I woke up with the BIGGEST craving for it. hah, sayang... be grateful! but....be jealous of my mangoes ;) Love you!
