ANG BILIS NG ORAS NG DIYOS

KAMUSTA! LUMIPAS NA PALA ANG ISA PANG LINGGO!

This week has gone by so very fast. We have only had one day in our area this week!  Sister Valikoula and I have attended both days of Zone Conference to present our workshop to the mission, and then we have been on exchanges with the San Isidro sisters! Such a busy busy, exhausting week. But it has been the best!

Well first off, we have had no water these past few days. In our area, something went wrong and now we have no water... We get clean drinking water delivered to our house by a service so we don't have a problem there...but for washing dishes, clothes...and showering. We've run into a problem. We've had some reserve jugs we've used. But this morning the only water we had left was in a big basin out infront of our house..... So.... guess how I showered this morning?..

Haha yes.... out infront of our apartment, dipping a ladle into the basin. #noshame.

Hahaha we draped some sheets over drying rods to make kind of a block and I showered outside this morning. It was kind of awkward when I could hear people walking by... but they couldn't see me. haha hopefully ;)

It's more fun in the Philippines.  I just hope we get water back soon. I'm running out of clean clothes.  

Anyway, I had such a fun week, being able to work with so many sisters on exchanges. I wish I had time to write about all the amazing experiences. But I have limited time.

On one exchange this week, we got punted in the morning and we're walking by a lady washing her clothes. We stopped and started talking to her and offered to help. She looked so tired and exhausted as she was washing.. Suprisingly, she accepted! So me and Sister Gasu crouched down in our skirts and started washing her clothes with her. We started talking to her and getting to know her and I asked if we could share a message with her right there. She said she wanted us to. We opened with a prayer and as we introduced our message and I asked her a few questions, she opened up and began to cry. Talking about how her first husband abused her and would always beat her. She got away but now her 16-year old daughter has gotten pregnant and her boyfriend abuses her daughter now too. But her daughter won't come home because she thinks she really loves him. She just broke down in front of us and I could just see her need for the hope and light of the gospel. Sister Gasu and I shared with her a powerful lesson, the Spirit was SO strong. I don't even know how to describe it. She thanked us and said she wanted the gospel. She wanted to be baptized. We closed with a prayer, and helped her finish her laundry and then went back home for lunch. But I was just amazed at the healing power this gospel has. I am so grateful for the plan that our Father has prepared. It doesn't matter what the struggle, what trial we pass through, we can always find peace and resolve in the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It is the only way. I feel so honored to be carrying this to these people who are hungry in need of it. 

I am almost out of time. And from now on, my emails might be quite shorter. Our mission has now cut our e-mail time in half so that we can be more consecrated and hasten His work. 

But I want you all to know that I love you so very much. I am honored to be His representative as a missionary of His church.

Alam ko na ang itong gawain ay tunay. Ito ay ang tanging paraan upang makabalik tayo sa Kanyang piling. How great is this work :)

Mahal na mahal ko kayo!!

Sister Oyler

 

So cold last week!

 

Baliw si Joey haha

 

I saw Maricel again!

 

Sweet Sweet :)

Life of the STL's....

 

 

Man-made road blocks

 

 

The bugs just love me here... :(

 

Sister Gasu

I met another monkey! His name is Moy too.....

I think most monkeys here are pala named Moy.

I fed him some bananas too.  :)

 

UTAH!

ay naku....another gagamba

 

 

 

Working with Sister Celpides!

 

 

She was so scared on the hanging bridge, haha!

 

COLD, COLD, COLD

HELLO FAMILY AND FRIENDS!

This might be a quick e-mail this week, I'm running low on time now and everything has been so chaotic this past week. We've been so busy. We literally only had 2 days working in our actual area. 

There have been a lot of things on my mind lately and it's been hard to get sleep this past week with personal stresses and with all the stresses and needs of the sisters that I get to work with. I feel physically and emotionally exhausted, but I am amazed at the continued strength and capacity that I am receiving from the Lord. It amazes me. 

I wish I had time to share some experiences from this week, because we have honestly seen so many miracles. But I don't have time for now.

You might be surprised to hear though that it's cold!! There was a minor typhoon that passed over us this past day, nothing bad, just rain..but it was COLD rain. And guess what?! I SAW MY BREATH IN THE AIR! I didn't think that was possible in the Philippines!! We were all so cold, because none of us had anything warm in our ward drobe haha! I was SO COLD yesterday as we were working out in the rain. Which was funny to me because, if you were all there, you wouldn't think it would be cold at all. Ha... I'm going to die when I come back to Utah. Luckily today, it has warmed back up to normal. 

Well, I'm out of time, and I ran out of time to send pictures this week, but I just want to end with this: 

 "I am part of the fellowship of the unashamed. The dye has been cast. I have stepped over the line. The decision has been made; 

I am a disciple of Jesus Christ. 

I won't look back, let up, slow down, or be still. My past is redeemed, my present makes sense, and my future is secure. I'm finished and done with low living, small planning, smooth knees, colorless dreams, tinted visions, worldly talking, cheap giving, and dwarfed goals. I no longer need pre-eminence, positions, promotions, plaudits, or popularity. I don't have to be right, first recognized, praised, regarded, or rewarded. I now live by faith, lean on His presence, walk with patience, am lifted up in prayer, and labor with power. My face is set, my goal is heaven. My road is narrow, my way is rough, my companions few, my guide is reliable, my mission is clear. I cannot be bought, compromised, detoured, lured away, divided or delayed, will not flinch in the face of sacrifice, hesitate in the presence of theadversary, negotiate at the table with the enemy, ponder at the pool of popularity, or meander in the maze of mediocrity. I won't give up, shut up, or let up until I have stayed up, stored up, and paid up for the case of Christ. I must go till He comes, give till I drop, preach till all know, and work till He stops me. When He returns for His own He will have no problem recognizing me, my banner is clear."

MAHAL NA MAHAL KO KAYO!

Sister Oyler

I have no time for a subject...

KAMUSTA KAYONG LAHAT?

Well, this week has been crazy! So many things have happened. And I was able to work with some sisters on exchanges. I'll try to write about a few of the events of this week. We went to the temple earlier today though, I'm so happy! I've missed the temple.

So, we have one investigator, little 9-year-old ReyAnn. We are teaching her and her little brother Ryan. Well, we taught them Word of Wisdom the other day, and about 7 or 8 little kids wanted to join in on the lesson. We helped them all learn about the Word of Wisdom and I wrote down a little kwans to help them remember the things that are bad for our bodies, with "SAKIT" (in english it means "sick"). S-sigarilyo (cigarettes) A-alak (alcohol) K-kape (coffee) I- ilegal na gamot (drugs) T-tsaa (tea).

 Well, they ALL wanted a copy so I wrote them each a little card with the letters to remember. When we came back a couple of days later. They all came running up to greet us as we arrived and then started shouting off the Word of Wisdom things, "Sister Oyler! Sister Oyler! Naaalaala namin ang mga bawal! Sigarilyo! Alak! Kape! Ilegal na gamot! Tsaa!" ("..we remember the forbidden things! Cigarettes! Alcohol!...")

I was impressed, but then even MORE impressed when ReyAnn's mom told us that all of the kids went around after we had left and gave away the little papers to the mga tambay (just guys that stand around and smoke and drink and don't do anything all day) and told them that cigarettes and alcohol were bawal! Hahahaha! I laughed so hard. The kids told me that the men told them that it wasn't true, but I told them that Heavenly Father knows it's wrong and He is happy that they taught the mga tambay what was right. 

Well, sayang. I think we have bed bugs. Me and Sister Valikoula have both been waking up with itchy bites all over. Ay naku! It's so frustrating. We took our mattresses outside the other day and sprayed them with permethrin and had them drying while we went out and worked... Then... someone hopped our gate and stole sister Valikoula's mattress! Haha grabe. I hope they get eaten by bed bugs too :P haha joke

This week has been amazing though. We had one day this week where me and Sister Valikoula got 9 new investigators in ONE DAY! We have just been on fire. Things are going so well. It's hard, but I can see the blessings and the Lord's tender mercies. He is more aware of us that we realize. He is in every fiber and aspect of our lives. 

I attended our mission's Missionary Leadership Council this past week, and I have been inspired with the direction that our mission is moving in. The Lord is definitely hastening His work. I can see it and feel it. And after this past Area Broadcast that we had, I can see the things the Lord is doing in every aspect of the church not just in missionary work, and it's all connecting, and hastening, I can feel that His Second Coming is growing nearer. I can see the preparation taking place. This is an exciting time.

Oh yeah. I gave a talk in sacrament meeting this past Sunday. The bishopbric asked me to give a 15-min talk about Christ as our Chosen Leader and Savior. My testimony was strengthened so much as I specifically studied and prepared for it. It went better than I was expecting too. I feel like I have reached the point where I can express anything that I want to in Tagalog with no hesitations on the language side of it. 

...Ah! Okay, I'm running out of time. I wish I could keep going and tell about more, but I've got to wrap it up. Anyway, I am just loving being a missionary right now. I see so many miracles each day. It still amazes me to watch the change in people's lives as they accept this gospel. The Atonement is real. Christ lives. I can see it every day.

I love you all so much! I'm so sorry if I didn't get to email everyone back. Time just goes so fast as a missionary! Everyone take care and be safe this week! 

MAHAL NA MAHAL KO KAYO!

Sister Oyler

 

 

 

Frog in the apartment!  :)

Bowling after MLC

 

 

 

Eastwood!

Frogger didn't make it this time...

 

 

I hate bed bugs.  Ew!

Rupee coin from Sri Lanka!

 

 

 

 

Sweet little Norma

 

 

 

 

Moy!  The monkey

I fed him a banana!