THE MIRACLES NEVER CEASE...

This week has been so amazing! Since it's the first week of the transfer, we didn't go on any exchanges yet, so I was so excited to focus all of our efforts on our own area!  And I have just been in awe of His hand in all things. That was one thing I struggled with last transfer, was just hardly ever being in our own area, and I worried that our work would suffer because of it. But at the end of this last transfer and now as this new one starts, we have seen so many  miracles and tender mercies coming from Him. We have so many people that we are teaching that have been so prepared! And baptisms are beginning to line up for March. I just sometimes sit in stunned silence and witness the things that are happening here in our area and I know it is not because of us. This is truly the Lord's vineyard. And He has it all in His hands. Every night, me and my companion literally come in the door and collapse because we are so exhausted. But I have never felt such fulfillment.

The baptism that will be coming the soonest is Timboy! He is 12 years old and his dad is a less-active member that just came back to church. He is so awesome! He always wants us to come teach him every day! And every day that we come back, he has read chapters out of the Book of Mormon and is just jumping with anticipation waiting to tell us about it! He can't wait to be baptized!!

A funny experience happened with cute ReyAnn, too. She's 9, but we still don't have permission from her dad, for her to be baptized. But we go to her every once in a while and have a lesson with her. We laughed when her mom told us, that sometimes, she takes her Book of Mormon and goes outside and plays "missionary" with the little kids! Do you know how when we were all little, we'd play "school" and be like a teacher and stuff. Well, ReyAnn plays "sister missionary" and she goes out and teaches the local kids and reads to them from the Book of Mormon. I love that girl!

Well, this week, I have just been getting eaten alive by bugs!! I don't know what's happened. I woke up in the middle of the night, itching and looked and saw a bunch of bed bugs all over my sheets!! Ay naku! Then, there are these little weird bugs, that have gotten in my bag, and I will start getting bites up my arms as we are teaching lessons. The Permethrin isn't seeming to get them all. I am about to just set everything on fire to get rid of these bugs!! I look like a monkey scratching myself all the time.

So, these last few days, I've been starting to lose my voice...and I think we found out why. My companion told me this morning that every night, I have been non-stop sleep talking. In straight Tagalog and setting up return appointments with people in my sleep!!! Oh my gosh, I feel so bad for my poor companions!  Sister Valikoula was a heavy sleeper, but I think I'm keeping Sister Ordakowski up at night. :( I'll have to get her some ear plugs or something. I don't know what else to do. Hahaha.

So the other day, I had two unique experiences in a row, where the Spirit was literally guiding me. We had discovered a random part of our area that we had never seen before, so we decided to go explore. As we were walking, I just started walking somewhere like I knew where I was going... It's like my feet knew where I was going, but I had never even been in this place before... Sister Ordakowski just followed me and we went right up to this dead end road and for some reason I just kept walking, right up to this little gate at the very end. Right as I got there, a lady came out and I started to talk to her. She was super open and receptive. She said that some missionaries had come to their house one time years ago, but then they never came back. She said that we could come and teach them when her husband was home. So we set a return appointment for her! I was amazed.

Then literally 5 minutes later as we were walking to one of our appointments, I saw a little boy on the side of the road and for some reason I just went right up to him and asked him what his name was and where he lived. He took us down this path to his house and we met his mom, who was happy to see us! But they were busy and she said come back tomorrow. We came back the next day and she was waiting for us to come back! We taught her all of Lesson 1 and she just absorbed it in. It was a powerful lesson, and she accepted the invitation to be baptized!! Hopefully, we will be able to get teach her husband as well and baptize their whole family!

I'm almost out of time, so I've got to go, but I have just been amazed at the work this week. I love being a missionary. It is the most fulfilling thing. I feel the most happy when I know it's not me doing anything, but the Lord. I am just His hands, here in the Philippines, doing what He would have me do, going where He would have me go, and saying what He puts into my mouth.

I know this church is true. It is the loving and perfect way that our Father prepared for us to return to Him again. I just have this burning desire for every one to just understand those simple truths!!

Thank you all for your love! Take care this week!! Oh P.S. Happy Valentine's Day!

Mahal na mahal ko po kayo!!

Sister Oyler

 

P.S.   I'll have to send pictures next week! Sorry!