CHOCOLATE WORLD

June 22, 2015

Magandang Hapon!!

Well today was such great day as we got to attend the temple!! How blessed we are here that we live in the boundaries of the lovely Manila temple!! And we went to a place called CHOCOLATE WORLD!! Yep, that totally has mine name written all over it, right?! 

This week has been AMAZING!! My cute little trainee is Sister Duque from Baguio, Philippines! She has such a big heart and really loves the people. She is such a natural at missionary work and is adjusting so well to missionary life. We have officially made it one week in our new area here in in Quezon City 2nd ward, and it has been great. Because we are whitewashing, we are having to do LOTS of finding and so we are talking to EVERYONE!!! And walking A LOT!! But it has been so great! The members have been super supportive, especially Bishop Gatpo. IT has been such a blessing!! Our area is pretty big and so we have been doing a lot of adventuring as well, but I am proud to say that I haven't gotten us lost one!!

In other news, the GIMINA FAMILY WAS BAPTIZED!!! I am so sad that I was not able to attend, but it went great!! Sister Maricel sent me some really cute photos of the baptism that I will have to forward:) 

Thanks for all your support and prayers!

Sister Anderson

The Final Stretch

June 15, 2015

 

Good Morning!!

Well tomorrow is transfer day, and guess where I am going?! The Lord has assigned me to serve in the Quezon City 2nd Ward- I will be whitewashing and training!!! My kabahay is the one and only Sister Lopez (my batch)!! She is also whitewashing and training as well! Wow!!! I could not be more excited!! I feel so privileged that the Lord has enough trust in me to fulfill this assignment, and I pray that as I rely on Him, I will be able to do it. As hard as it will be to leave Quirino, I know that I am needed somewhere else.

Quirino is doing AMAZING right now, and I am pleased to say that it is finally progressing! It took lots of hard work, fasting, and prayers, but the Lord has really opened the heavens and poured out blessings here.

Because the temple is here in my area, we had the opportunity to do a temple tour this past Saturday and we took the Gimina Family, Kristine and her kids 9 (Judy and Gian), as well as Andy and Sonia (the non-member family of Anton who is leaving tomorrow to serve in Australia). They all enjoyed it so much and they really felt the Spirit.

The Gimina Family had their baptismal interview on Friday, and they passed!! They will be baptized this Saturday!! I am so sad I cannot be there, but I am sooo happy for their family and everything that they have been through to make it to this point. At church on Sunday, Tessie came up to us and said that Hector was looking for Brother Encabo, the member who offered Hector a job. Throughout all of last week, Hector was still pretty set on going abroad, but a MIRACLE has happened and he said that he wants to forsake his job opportunities in Saudi, and stay here with his family to enjoy the blessings of the gospel! Ahhhhh!!! I literally wanted to cry when I heard this!! I know that Heavenly Father really does hear and answers our fasts and prayers!!

I love being a missionary and wearing the Savior's name on my heart each day. I pray that I can continue to represent him well and serve this last transfer with all my heart, might, mind, and strength. This final stretch is going to stretch me, but I am ready. I know I need this opportunity in order to accomplish what Heavenly Father has sent me here to do.

I love you all!!!

Sister Anderson

Ps I will send pics next week.. The computer is being a stinker:)

Fasting and Prayer

Hello once again!!

Things here in PQCM are still going great!! Sister Pau and I are staying busy and LOVING it!! We went on exchanges in Marikina, we had MLC, and we had an awesome FHE at the Pamittan house with all 6 of us missionaries here in Quirino 1st ward and all of our investigators! (One of the Pamittan daughters served with Megan Betillyon) And to top things off, we had a GREAT turn out yesterday at church -The Gimina Family, Kristine and her two kids, and Glory and her 3 kids!! The Lord is just pouring out blessings!!

The Gimina family is progressing so well- they have already read the entire gospel principles book, they read the Book of Mormon everyday, they have come to church 4 times in a row, they fasted before we even taught them about it, and they even paid tithing out of their sincere desire to obey all of God's commandments. They are doing amazing!!

Brother Hector brought up to us last Wednesday, however, that he just received his Visa and will probably be leaving to work abroad in Saudi within the next couple of weeks to work as a personal driver. When Sister Pau and I heard this, we were devastated as we want more than anything for their family to stay together so that they can receive the blessings of the temple and becoming an eternal family. We committed them to fast and pray about this decision, and we committed ourselves to do the same to help them. 

Yesterday at MCM, we brought up this concern, and right after doing so, the Elders Quorum president came who just happens to have his own driving business. He talked to us for a minute about Hector's situation and said that he would come work with us later on that day when we went to visit them. Our lesson with them last night was about following the prophets, and we used President Monson's counsel to us from last conference about going to the them temple. The EQ President, Brother Encabo, was able to testify how if Hector were to stay here with his family, his ultimate goal would be reached- to be sealed together for eternity with his family. Right then and there, Brother Encabo offered Hector a job as a driver and said that he would be there to help him in anything that he needed. 

Although Brother Hector is still praying about his decision, I know that they Lord truly answered our fasts and that he really hears every single on my pleas. I have really gained a strong testimony that He really knows and cares for each and everyone one of his children, and that sometimes he uses other people to answer our most earnest prayers. And thank you so much to everyone who continues to send prayers and fasts our way. They are being heard and answered!!!

 

Well transfers are next week, and I think that I might be transferred to one more area before my time here comes to a close... But we will see!! I will email on Tuesday and let you know!!

I love you all!!

 

Sister Anderson

 

 

We celebrated sister Moeakiola's 1 year mark!!

FHE at the Pamittan home

 

Me and Ate Maricel!

These cute girls that we see everyday:) They wanted to take a pic

 

Elder Condes and Elder Blakely

Kristine, Judy, and Gian!!  Our office buddies!!

 

 

 

He is Preparing Souls

June 1, 2015

Magandang Tanghali!!

This week has just flown by, and I really don't even remember what happened! I just know it was great!!

We were able to go to Tandang Sora this week ang go on exchanges with Sister Oyler, Sister Lonitenisi, Sister Maravillo, and Sister Kumar. It was so fun be to with Sister Oyler again and it was like we were back in the MTC! It was so fun to reflect with her on our past 16 months in the mission field and see the changes in ourselves.

 During our two days in Tandang Sora, we were pretty punted from all of our appointments, and so it gave us the great opportunity to find new investigators. As Sister Lonitenisi were walking back home for lunch on thursday, I saw a lady in her early 30s standing by her gate. I had the impression to go and talk to her, and so we did! Her name was Sharin and she was super sweet! We even set up an appointment to teach her later on that afternoon. 

 

As we went back to teach her later that day, you could tell that the Lord had really prepared her for the gospel. We taught her about the Restoration and she was so touched, especially as we shared with her the First Vision. She committed to read the Book of Mormon and to pray about it. We then extended her the invitation to be baptized. She responded, "I want to talk to my husband first so that we can all be baptized together." Wow!!!! It was such a testament to me that the Lord is constantly preparing souls for us to find.

 

The Gimina Family is also doing great!! They came to church yesterday for the third time and LOVED it! We also did a Family Home Evening with them the other day at the Sere's home which they really enjoyed. Last Friday, Sister Pau and I taught them about tithing and it was one of the most beautiful lessons I had ever been in. Tessie and Hector expressed their desire to pay tithing and had even been wondering where the tithing was at our church, because they never saw a basket being passed around. At church yesterday, they asked us to show them where the tithing slips were and we explained that they didn't need to pay,as they were not yet members. Their desire to pay was so great, and so they did- pulling a few meager bills and coins out to give to the Lord. Their faith is a true testament to me of what it means to trust in the Lord.

Everything is going great here in PQCM!! I just cannot believe it is June already!! Love you all!!! Keep spreading our good news of the gospel!!

Sister Anderson

The Gimina girls!!!

 

Maria Flor wrote me a cute love note yesterday:) Bless her heart!

 

This is Jenny, our recent convert!!! She is headed to Utah tomorrow to stay they for 2 months:)

We had FHE with the Sere Family, and the Gimina Family came!!

 

I got my trunky letter... BUT I AM NOT TRUNKY. The letter is hiding in my desk, still unopened:) 

Me, Sister Pau, Maricel, and the Gimina Family