The Joy of Missionary Work

September 7, 2014

 

Good Morning!!

I cannot believe it is time for me to email home once again!!! How the time here flies... Sometimes I just wish the clock would slow down!

 

This week was my first full week here in Morong! Oh how I LOVE it! I would send pictures, but the computer shop here has lots of viruses, so I don't want to corrupt my sim card. I'm going to get all my pics backed up on a USB this week and then I'll try sending pics next week!!

So basically I have the BEST companion in the entire world, which makes the work here a billion times more fun! Sister Taufa is honestly the sweetest person I have ever met and just has a heart of gold! I am soo sad that she is leaving at the end of the transfer because we honestly work so well together and I look up to her sooo much! I'm just trying to be grateful for every second I get with her and really trying to emulate the missionary that she is!

 

Last week we went tracting in an area that neither of us were familiar with and came across a man selling balut who told us that he was a member, but that he and his wife are less active. We asked for his address... not a great question because no one has addresses here, but he told us that he lived up in the "bundok" (mountain). SOO last tuesday we went to find him. We tired for a while to find him, asking people if they knew who he was and where he lived. After searching for a little while and traveling down a wrong path, we were confronted by a group of ladies who asked us if we had found the man we were looking for. One of the ladies informed us that she was his neighbor, and she immediately dropped everything she was doing to take us. We hiked up muddy paths until we came to the top of the mountain, and sure enough it was the house of the man, Tatay Boy Silia, in whom we had met.

Tatay Boy met us with great enthusiasm and his wife, Apalonia, was so excited that we were there. They called all their nieghbors to come and listen to us and we had a great discussion. They even invited us to come over the next day to teach their 15 year old daughter who is not a member. And so we came back and it was the most amazing lesson! The daughter's name is Joy and I have never met a more prepared person in my life. She was so excited and answered all of our questions, said a beautiful prayer, and even accepted a baptismal date. It was a miracle!!! We went back to her again on Saturday and shared with her the message of the Restoration and you could physically see the change in her as she heard the experience of Joseph Smith and that we still have a living prophet. At the close of the lesson she explained to us that she knew that all of this was true. It is amazing how the Lord really is hastening His work and that He has prepared so many people!!

The work here is going great and the language really is coming along, thanks to my wonderful companion! I get asked all the time how long I've been here and people are shocked when I tell them 6 months. A lady even asked me this morning if I was born and raised here.. I know my Tagalog is definitely not that good, but I am so grateful that the language is coming. The gift of tongues is real!!!

Thanks for everything! I love you all and I love the Lord! Keep building your testimonies and remember what our real purpose is!!

Sister Anderson