FASTING = MIRACLES

HELLO HELLO HELLO!!

Wow! I'll try to get share more this week, I'm always running out of time. This week was incredible!! There are so many miracles that are happening every day!

I'm excited for this coming week as well, because this Friday, we will have Mission Tour. Elder Dallin H. Oaks will be coming to speak to our mission! I'm super excited to hear from him! 

So, we know that I sleep talk sometimes.... Ha, my poor companions. Well, my anak said that she's noticed that especially when I'm super exhausted..those are the nights that I sleep talk..and she's said that every night for the past like 8 days, I've been talking in Tagalog in my sleep! Ha, she even said she woke up so surprised to hear me teaching Lesson 1! But looked at me and I was asleep! Haha. I guess that's a good sign, right? ;) If I'm not exhausted, I'm not working hard enough.

Well, this last week, me and my anak have decided to start fasting once a week. We have been feeling that we need the extra faith and divine help. Actually our whole district came to a decision to do a district fast this last week. And I remember our District Leader telling us that every time he has fasted on his mission, the day has always gone amazingly successfully. Well, we opened our fast and started on our work....and honestly...it was such a hard day. The first investigator we went to, we found out that she was in the hospital because she had to get her foot cut off. So we decided to go visit her. We found the hospital and her room...(oh gosh, the hospitals here....I won't go off on that right now, but it just makes me so sad). Anyway we entered the space where she was and the second she saw us, she began to cry. My heart just filled with compassion as I looked at her lying there with her stubb of a leg, looking at me with tears rolling down her face. I don't think she had bathed in...i don't know how many days, but I just hugged her so tight. We brought her some bananas from the pelengke and we asked her if she would like a blessing. She looked at us with so much hope and pleaded for one. 

Well, we first tried to contact a priesthood leader from the ward to come, but we couldn't get ahold of anyone who was available. So we texted the elders and asked them to come and told them where the hospital was. Well, we waited for over and hour before they told us that they wouldn't be able to come. I honestly was really frustrated at first and it brought me down. I felt horrible telling Fe that we wouldn't be able to have someone give her a blessing at that time. We left the hospital exhausted, and then as we started to work again...things were just so hard. Everything was going wrong. We took a tricycle all the way to IVC, the part of our area that's farther away. And as we walked into IVC, we looked at the time. It was already 6pm. and we hadn't even been able to teach 1 lesson that day. I started to feel really discouraged as we found somewhere to close our fast so we could eat dinner. As I was closing my fast, I reflected on every time that I have fasted in the past, and I realized that for me...it's usually not the same case as it is for our District Leader. Usually, the days that I fast, are some of the hardest days for me, filled with trials and setbacks. I realized that usually the things that I specifically fast for don't necesarily (..<<okay I can't remember how to spell haha) happen. But I've realized that instead....I'M the one that changes. It's hardly ever the outward surroundings or circumstances that change because of my fast. But instead, I learn and grow and become refined, and I change in the end. 

Well....we ended our fast. And then the miracles hit us like pouring rain. 

(long story short, I'm running out of time)

We were able to contact a referral who works at the MTC fixing the air con. He was so excited to see us! He was so open and willing to listen to us. We didn't have another girl with us so we couldn't teach him on the spot, but we set up to come back to him.  We also, talked to the kapit bahay (neighbor) next to him, a whole cute family--3 kids and the mom and dad both there. We ended up teaching them on the spot! I don't know, but something inside me just lights up when I get the opportunity to teach an entire FAMILY. That is my little goal here in the mission. I want to teach full families. Help entire families become united for all eternity. I was so excited to be able to teach them. We also contacted yet another referral! And by that time, Maricel had come back from work and was working with us so we were able to teach him and his sister and her two kids! It was such an amazing lesson, I could see how He had been preparing them to receive His gospel. They are so ready! Overall, we got 8 completely new investigators that day!! In one day! Me and my anak were just amazed. And as we came back to the apartment just glowing, we were informed of another referral of these two girls who live in our area who went to our mission office and asks for a Book of Mormon because they wanted to learn about the church!  We texted them right away, and they replied enthusiastically, wanted to be taught as soon as they come back into town! 

At the end of the night. I just sat in my bed amazed. I was overcome with how much my Heavenly Father loves me and is aware. And hears and answers are heartfelt prayers. And He does use us to accomplish His miracles, if we will show him our willingness and faith. 

Ah I've got to wrap up, but we also have a new investigator who is just golden! Her husband is actually a member, but less-active and they have a brand new..4 week old baby! Their first child. We've only taught her twice and we already have a baptismal date for her on the 15th of November! I hope that it continues this way and she gets baptized on that date! I probably will be transferred on the 19th and I really hope I will be able to be here to see her get baptized! 

I really don't want to transfer, but people keep saying I probably will. I've been in this area for a while....I love it here. I am experiencing so many miracles. And it's amazing as I look back....especially as I talk to the ward members here who say this area was so hard before... There wasn't very much progression at all. But now...this area is ON FIRE! We met another FAMILY the other day with 7 kids that we are going to be teaching! I am just amazed at the hand of the Lord and the fruit that we are now seeing because of our diligent efforts and faith. I don't want to leave it. I AM SO HAPPY!

I've got to go, but I just wanted to say that I LOVE YOU ALL SO VERY VERY VERY MUCH! 

This Church is true. The Atonement of Christ is real. It can heal us, change us, cleanse us, comfort us, lift us up, and make us better. Above all, it's the only way we can eventually return back to our Loving Father's Arms. 

Please don't forget that! Please don't neglect your personal relationship with Him. Anyone who is reading this right now... I want you to ask yourself how your relationship is with YOUR Heavenly Father. Do you know Him? 

What do you need to do?

If there is anyone who may be reading this who isn't yet a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints....I invite you to come. Come and see. 

If there is anyone who is a member, but may have fallen a little bit away.... I invite you to come back. Come back and remember. Come back and discover. 

I want everyone to know of the reality of their God and Father who currently stands, eagerly waiting to help you and lift you and love you.

But we have to let him.

Let him lead you home. 

I know He lives. I love Him. and I love all of you!!!

MAHAL NA MAHAL KO KAYO! 

Sister Oyler 

(Pictures from last week)

 

MTC exchanges

 

MRC (Missionary Recovery Center)

 

 

(This weeks' pictures)

Olympic Medalist! (joke lang...just all the emergency whistles for each apartment in the mission..)

I love Sister Quiban!

 

Reunion at Zone Conference! My nanay! (and my anak :) )

I missed this girl!

 

My brother? ...from another mother....

Nanay Fe's wheelchair

Border of our area

FHE (Family Home Evening)

 

 

Aren't they cute?

 

 

 

Relief Society Mascara dance! (Makes me want to go watch the real thing in Bacolod)

Thank you, Aki, for posting this pic on Facebook!  :)

 

Ay, anak!

Cute little Charisse

 

 

IT'S THE MIDDLE OF OCTOBER.....WOW.

HELLO EVERYONE :)

So this week has been really good! 

We had MTC exchanges again this week. I split with a sister from Pakistan! Sister Bhatti. She will be serving in San Pablo mission. Poor thing, she doesn't really know how to speak English and is having to learn Tagalog too. She said she speaks.. Urul? I think that's what it was called. I had a little bit of a hard time talking with her because she really doesn't know that much English. and even less of Tagalog. She said she was 27...but later said she was 26...so something around there. Ha, but we had a great day together. I'm excited for the experiences that she will have in her mission. She was so cute as we were heading back to the chapel at the end of the exchanges, she told me, "I so happy I met you. Americans are so loving!" Haha aw, she was the sweetest girl!

So remember the miracle tracting that we had last week?? Well, this week was exciting with those two! They are golden! Sister Dudas and I taught them this week on exchanges, and it was such an amazing lesson. We came back and they had read the pamphlet and had so many good questions. We taught them so much. We taught about the Restoration and the Spirit was so strong. It was just solid. It felt so right. And they were so receptive. We gave them each a Book of Mormon and they are now reading! It is such a miracle with them.

So this week as well, we had a spontaneous opportunity to go spend the night at the MRC (Missionary Recovery Center). One of the sisters in our mission that I know really well was in there and our mission president called me to go spend the night with her because she needed some help. So my companion and I packed our bags and went right away. I ended up staying up all night with her talking and crying. She is such a strong girl and has been struggling through so much. I am just amazed at her. As we sat on my bed and I just held her, I suddenly had a powerful experience. I was bearing strong testimony to her and promising her things that I knew the Spirit was giving to me. My words were not coming from me. The Spirit was so thick in that little room and my heart just went out to her. She hugged me tight and thanked me for the things that I said.  I told her that it didn't come from me, and she just cried. She seemed a bit relieved after that as we sat talking a bit more. I could just tell that her mind was racing a million miles an hour with all these events, and her thoughts and worries. So I told her that we'd do a relaxing exercise so she could fall asleep.  I tucked her in to her bed and then talked her through a relaxing exercise, starting from the tip of her head...all the way down to the tips of her toes.  When I was finished, she was breathing deeply, falling asleep.  I was so grateful that she could get some rest.

It was a really good experience for me. I'm glad I could spend that time with her. It was also a nice place that we stayed in, so for the first time in...what 8 months?? I took a warm shower!! Man, I forgot how good that feels compared to a bucket of cold water. haha 

Ah, shoot. I always have more to talk about but I am short on time, so I've got to wrap up for now. I'm grateful that I get to read emails from you all each week. I look forward to it!  It makes you all feel a little closer :) I miss you all a whole lot. But know that I wouldn't want to be anywhere else right now.

This work is amazing. 

Take care all of you, I will talk to you next week!

MAHAL NA MAHAL KO KAYO!

Sister Oyler 

 

P.S. my SD card isn't working in this computer shop.. so no pictures this week :(

MISSIONARY LIFE=BURNT CHICKEN NUGGETS IN VINEGAR

HELLO ANG LAHAT!

Ha...so the subject line pretty much describes our life sometimes... haha that's what me and sister Quiban ate for breakfast this morning while we were deep cleaning the fridge... Haha, we didn't even realize it was weird until halfway through eating it and then I paused and looked at her and was like, "...ano kinakain natin..??" (..what are we eating?) haha we burst up laughing. Life gets weird here. 

Well, this transfer has started out great!  I'm glad to still be here training my anak :) I really love this area and all of the wonderful people here. We were able to watch General Conference this weekend! Ah. It was not nearly long enough, I loved it so much! I wanted it to still keep going, I was being so spiritually-fueled with everything being said. There were so many of my prayers and pleadings that were answered during Conference. 

There was a cute moment as well during the Sunday session, when the choir began to sing, "I Am a Child of God". I was sitting next to Nanay Delia, and she perked up and whispered to me, "This is the song we sang!" Ha, we have sung that song a couple times in lessons with her. She was so happy and she started to quietly sing along. I just smiled. :) 

This week, I had a cool experience... We were walking down the street and I saw a woman ahead of us.  I really wanted to try to talk to her (we try talking to as many people as we can as we're walking), but as we got closer she started to get into a car. At first, I started to look away like ah, sayang, she's leaving. But suddenly there was almost like a distinct voice in my head that said, "Smile." 

I looked back at her even though she was kind of far away, but we ended up catching eyes, and I smiled. She stopped as she was getting in her car and smiled back, "Good Morning!" she almost shouted haha. 

"Magandang umaga naman po!" I replied and we began to walk towards her. We ended up talking to her for a good 5 minutes. She was in her late 50's, never married, but she has a PhD, she's been studying like her whole life, she is an absolutely brilliant woman!  She told us she would like us to come visit with her sometime, she wants to learn about our church. She's read many things online daw, but she is interested in meeting with us.  She is so busy...but we got her information and she took our number and hopefully sometime soon we will be able to teach her.  I was just amazed at how the Spirit guided us though. That was the first time in my life that I heard the Spirit as a distinct voice in my head! It was so clear. I walked away feeling so grateful that He blessed me with that prompting. 

Me and my anak also decided to do some door-to-door tracting this week... haha I've got to be honest.. I hate tracting. Really. It's awkward, not usually successful...I just don't like it. Ha, I love just street contacting! I love talking to people on the street. That's the kind of contacting I like to do.  But I've been wanting to give my anak some experience tracting...kept pushing it off...but last night, we decided to go tract.  Well....it was the easiest and best tracting I have ever done. haha! The very first door we knocked on..someone in the window on the second floor answered, "Sandali lang!".....they came down and opened the door, "Pasok!" (come in!) We were like....uhh okay. haha no introductions, no, "Who are you?" but just, come on in! we came in, "Upo kayo!" (Sit down!) they pulled up some chairs for us to sit down. I was so suprised haha we sat down...and were like umm.. hi. 

haha we asked them what their names were, introduced ourselves and explained why we were sitting in their house. haha they were unbelievable open and receptive. the main girl that let us in is 22 years old and she knows a little bit about who we are because she has some cousins that are serving missions right now! But she's not a member. We taught her and her 17-year-old sister there in their bahay and they are willing for us to come back! After we left, I just kind of laughed to myself at how much of a miracle that attempt at tracting turned out to be :)

So something I've been struggling with recently with learning the language here is how varied the speaking is here in the city.  Almost everyone we come in contact with is not from here, but from other provinces that speak different dialects. So there is virtually no pure tagalog here where I am serving. Everyone has different accents and nobody speaks the pure, deep tagalog. In my area right now, lots of people are really good at english and especially when I'm there they speak in mostly english or tag-lish, even though I'm speaking in Tagalog. It's kind of bumming me out because I really want to learn this language to the deepest point I can. I was talking to another missionary that says in other areas, like Cavite, or San Pablo, the Tagalog is pure, but that you won't ever find that here in our mission. 

I have been feeling recently that I'm not progressing really any further in the language, or that I'm even getting slowly worse. Sometimes though, I just can't see my progression in the moment.

Ah...so I'm running out of time. I wish I could share with you all more of my experiences this week.  But I've got to go. Thank you all for your love and support and prayers!

It's good to hear from all of you, I'm sorry that I can't reply to everyone with the limited time that I have, but know that I still love you!! SO MUCH!

MAHAL NA MAHAL KO KAYO!

Sister Oyler

 

 

J.CO doughnuts :) mmm

My MTC comp transferred out of the bahay :(

 

 

Pogz!

 

 

Maricel!

Haha! I love Aki!

Rhose and Prince and Queeny

 

Silverino

 

 

General Conference Sunday :)

 

 

 

ANOTHER TRANSFER TO AN END

KAMUSTA??

How was Conference?? I am so jealous of all of you.  I am so excited to be able to watch it this weekend!! We just watched the Women's Session on Sunday--it was SO good :) So I'm super excited for this weekend!

So last P-day, we got hit with a big thunderstorm! SO MUCH RAIN. ha it flooded again, worse than last time, at the end of our street we live on, the water was chest-high. But in the other areas, it was up to the ankle, or mid-calf... it's really filthy, black water.. it always drains fast though.

We have transfers tomorrow...I'm staying here with my anak!! I'm so glad. I didn't want to transfer. I really love this area and these people, and Sister Felipe! I'm excited to have another transfer here and see what these next 6 weeks bring. This past transfer has been great with everyone involved. We had the greatest district.  I'm going to miss those who are transferring.  I learned so much from these people! It was full of fun and so many miracles. 

 

I have learned a lot this past week....and this whole transfer actually.  I'm learning more about His ways... A lot of the time, I know I have in my own head what I think His plans are and what He wants to be done, but most of the time... I am wrong. I'm learning that He almost always has something different in mind. But that His ways are perfect and beautiful.  I'm learning to truly give all of myself to Him. It's hard.... but I'm learning and growing in ways I never even considered before. 

Sorry, I am out of time!! Ha, this will have to be a short email this week.

I LOVE YOU ALL!

Keep staying happy and healthy and smiling! :) 

Sister Oyler 

 

 

(Pictures from last week)

 

So many different churches...

Sister Quiban sewing a dress for Sister Teddy haha

MTC exchanges

 

pelengke

 

Nanay!

 

 

 

Ricky

"Everyone, get in!" haha

 

 

Ward activity

 

 

Aki :)

Love this girl

 

 

 

 

 

Birthday ni Sister Doig

 

 

Comp love :)

 

Early-morning temple

 

 

 

 

 

District!

 

With Maricel----basically Kylie's older sister!  :)  Thank you, again, Maricel, for the pictures!

 

 

 

 

(Now, this week's pictures)

 

 

 

 

 

Flood time!

The water was so black and filthy

 

Pusit! (squid)

This is my cute anak :)

Puto bongbong! So good!

 

There was a baha sa IVC..

 

Lugaw

 

Weekly planning...

 

 

 

kambal kami

 

Lanie and Prince!

 

 

Our awesome district