How is everybody?! I heard you are all in Disneyland! Whaaat? No way! I hope you are all having fun though :) Stay safe! How is summer going for everyone? It's crazy to think it's already summer there. Here....the kids just started their first day of school yesterday. You can see them all in their brand new school uniforms. They are the cutest :)
It's transfer week this week! I'M STAYING IN PATEROS!!! I am so very very happy. I was worried because they have been talking about white-washing our area with Elders, but I was feeling so very strongly that I should stay still in this area. I keep feeling strongly that my purpose here in Pateros isn't finished, I don't know what it is exactly but I felt like it was not my time to transfer. So I prayed and prayed and transfers came and I'm staying. Not only that, but I'm staying with Sister Soliven!! Literally, I cannot be more happier. I know Heavenly Father is aware and loves us and wants to make us happy. I have seen so many of my prayers answered especially in these past few weeks. But anyway, I am excited for this next transfer here! The area is still hard...I know we're going to continue to have trials with this work, but I am excited.
So there was a big rainstorm the other day!! Aaand....I had forgotten my payong (umbrella) at one of our investigator's houses a few days before. So Sister Soliven and I got to take a shower ;) haha basang basa kami!! (we were so wet!) but I was loving it :) as you can assume..
So, in one of my pictures you will see a pamphlet for "Pastor Apollo C. Quiboloy"...haha oh geez. So at first the flyer threw me and Sister Soliven off because of the logo at the top, it looks really similar to the way our logo is printed in our church, but this is definitely not church material. haha 2 of the elders in our district showed it to us, they had run into the mass of people listening to Pastor Apollo and agreed to listen if in turn, they could share our message. So they told us about him...apparently he is claiming that he is the new Christ. That because Jesus Christ died, now he came and through him everyone can be saved. And only through Apollo can people receive the Spirit and get to heaven. Everyone else has "serpent seed" and worships the devil. haha anyway, a lot of people over here are listening to him....it doesn't really make sense to me. But anyway, I just kind of laugh inside.
Also, here in the Phlippines, they have these ice cream carts that come around. But it's a little different...because they serve it inside bread. haha they have rolls and they put a scoop of Ube ice cream inside. I've heard it's really good! But I haven't tried it yet. Anyway, this week me and Sister Soliven were wanting to have one...so we've been hoping to see an ice cream guy. Well...God has a sense of humor. haha because fast sunday came...and it was around 10:00 and we were walking down the street when we heard the little bells! And we looked and there was the ice cream guy with bread!! Noooo....haha we were fasting.....sayang! haha we both saw it, and then looked at each other and started laughing. Oh well, hopefully soon, I can try it :)
So one of our investigators, Milagros Williams, is half black, half filipina. She is awesome, maybe....like 60-something years old. We have just been able to finally teach her an actual lesson. She lives in this tiny little bahay with one of her grandkids and one of her sons. The son that lives there is baklat (gay). ...I was going to go into the mga baklat in this e-mail...but I think I'll just save that for later...haha oh boy.
Anyway, I am just amazed at Milagros's faith though. As we were talking to her, she said that sometimes, when she doesn't have enough money to buy medicine when she's sick, she just drinks a cup of water and prays and that works as her medicine because she says that God makes her better. I love her. I'm excited to keep teaching her.
Also, I want to share a little about Aida. I think I mentioned her in one of my previous emails. She's a member but her husband isn't...they were separated...came back together...sound familiar? Anyway, it has been a roller-coaster ride with their family. A lot of trials and heart ache and I am just amazed at how strong she is. They had actually been doing well for a little bit. Allan (her husband) had gotten a job as a jeepney driver, they were coming to church, everything was good. It's a long story that I won't go into, but as of now...Allan has gotten back into drugs again. They have almost no money. They get in fights--physical as well as verbal. The kids are starving. They are all going hungry. Aida's dad came, but his situation is hopeless too. He is old and frail...his house in the province got washed out by Yolanda ( I forgot what that hurricane was called in america), so he has no where to go to now, and not really any way to help Aida.
Anyway, still...Aida has been praying, reading the scriptures, and somehow she makes it to church with her restless kids--even though she is physically, mentally, and emotionally spent.
Well, we went to go visit her as I was on exchanges with Sister Cutia (our STL's are awesome! I love Sister Cutia.) and the second we walked in the door, we could sense that things were not okay. and my heart just broke as I looked into Aida's eyes and they were full of pain. I looked at her kids and their eyes as well, were just absent of hope. The kids were on the floor helpless and hungry--it was hard to watch. And as we sat down with her...I just looked at Aida. And she broke. She cried and cried and cried. And she opened up and vented it all. She said she didn't know if she should try and endure--because she had this vision of her family as a whole..sealed in the temple for all eternity. Or..if she should separate from Allan again and work to get money so her kids won't starve. She said she doesn't know what she should do.
And as I sat there...I had no idea what to say. I didn't know what to tell her. I felt hopeless as I looked at her. But I just stopped. And looked at her....looked into her eyes. And I was reminded of the story of Joseph Smith in Liberty Jail..how all the trials and persecutions that he had endured didn't cease..even when he was doing what was right. So I opened up my scriptures and shared that with her from D&C. and we talked about why we have trials. We talked about how God knows all...and even when we don't understand why things are happening...He knows. And he still loves us. Even when it seems like all hell is breaking loose in our face... He still loves us and is aware of us, and is still there for us. We don't understand his mysteries. We don't understand why sometimes....but through the Atonement of Christ, He can heal any pain, hurt, sorrow or grief. We talked a lot about trials and the Atonement, and enduring. And I was inspired to promise her that the day will come when she will have peace..and she will have happiness with her family, if she continues to put her trust in God. It was a powerful lesson....a hard situation....a very very strong, tiny woman.
Well, I'm out of time! I love you all so much! This week has been great! I am excited for this next transfer and the things that are ahead! I wish you all the best and love you all so very, very much!
MAHAL NA MAHAL KO KAYO!!
Sister Oyler
No comments:
Post a Comment