Well this past week has been most interesting!
So we left for Tacloban on Pday last monday with the intention of flying to Manila to get fingerprinted on tuesday morning. Then we get a call at 10:30 saying that our flight has been cancelled and rescheduled for thursday. So on tuesday we got our chest x rayed and some departure stuff taken care of then we had MLC devotional Tuesday night.
Wednesday was MLC. It was rather interesting to be an observer when so many people were new. 2 new APs and 15 new STLs and ZLs. I looked around the room and realized that I had been to MLC with most of these missionaries trainers... yeah I'm pretty old in the mission. I'm not really sure how to feel about a lot of things. Mostly, a lot of things are changing. I used to feel like I was being pushed out of the mission. But after this past week, I've realized that I'm not immortal in this mission. Other people need to learn how to do the things I've learned how to do. This was a good experience for me to realize that the mission is in good hands.
But after this past week, I've realized that I'm not immortal in this mission. Other people need to learn how to do the things I've learned how to do. This was a good experience for me to realize that the mission is in good hands.
So,Thursday we flew out to Manila. It was me, Elder Harvey and Sister Simkins. Other sisters still flew out on Tuesday, so it was just us three. We landed about 8 and decided to have breakfast at burger king. Ahh Manila what a great place. Our driver picked us up and took us to the Bureau of Immigration. Such a familiar place. This is where they took us last year to get
fingerprinted and whatnot.
It was probably
fitting that it was the 1 year anniversary for me to be back there. Surprisingly they had a system going much better and we were able to get everything done in an hour and a half instead of 4 days. Afterwards, we had the wonderful opportunity of going to the temple.
We arrived at the area office/MTC/Temple and saw Sister Pongyan! (one of the STLs during the typhoon) she was so happy to see us and we got to do a session in the temple together.
The temple was so amazing. It's so peaceful. You really can just drop everything at the door and just feel the love of the Savior in every
fiber of your being. When I got into the celestial room, there was a family just standing in a group hug, holding eachother and crying. I was overcome by the Spirit and started crying too. I sat down next to two young men who had just gone through for the first time. They were going into the MTC the next day to serve in the Davao and San Pablo Missions. One was very, VERY homesick. I put my arm around him and comforted him telling him that things were going to be alright and that he was going to have a wonderful time on his mission and see lots of miracles and that God would take care of his family. I shared D+C 100:1 with him. After the session, this same homesick elder found me in the locker room. His shirt and tie had gone missing. So I gave him my tie, but I didn't have an extra shirt. He asked me to go to the area office where his luggage was and get a clean shirt for him. I did and we returned and I took pictures with these two. I'm so grateful for that opportunity. Heavenly Father just puts us in the right place at the right time to help others and be an answer to their prayer. I left the temple feeling so full of love and with a desire to follow the promptings of the Spirit better.
That night we got to talk with some missionaries from San Pablo mission because they were getting fingerprinted for their exit visas the next day. It was fun to talk and share mission experiences. Some were very similar which just made me laugh. Another good thing about going to Manila, was that I got to test out my Tagalog. I think I'm going to do just fine next semester. I could speak and understand just fine. The next day we flew back into Calbayog and then caught a van ride to Catarman. We were absolutely exhausted from waking up at 2 in the morning.
Good luck to both of you on your mission!
You are both going to be fantastic missionaries!!
Sunday, church was chaotic. Catarman 2nd ward is not the most reverent but it has been improving since we asked Bishop to emphasize it. I'd still be very ashamed to bring investigators there just because it's so noisy and hard to feel the spirit. But even so, it's impossible for me to get a baptism now since Carlo didn't come to church for the second week in a row.
Anyways, I finished the biography of Thomas S. Monson To the Rescue and the Continuous Conversion. Such great reads. I hope to pattern my life after President Monson's. His is one so filled with service and following spiritual promptings.
I love you all. Thank you so much for the prayers and especially that note about uncle Mark and Elder Neilson. That's what I needed to hear most today. Thank you for the love and for raising me in the Gospel.
Have a wonderful week filled with miracles!
Love you!
What trunky looks like
Oh and yes I got flight plans. I will be in PHX Sky Harbor at 2:38p.m. Wednesday, December 3rd. I'll forward you the rest of the flights next week but yeah... it's getting close!
....we saw Sister Pongyan!
Oh yeah and Sister Llano works at the Distribution center! Small world filled with tender mercies. She was in the Provo MTC with me. She was in my zone. She served in Cape Verde Africa Mission. She's from Macrohon Southern Leyte. Heavenly Father has a plan for each one of his children!
Pray that I'll have the strength to finish strong and to stay strong. I'm trying to keep in perspective that this isn't really an ending, just another beginning. As President Uchtdorf said we are made of the stuff of eternity. That's why it's hard to say goodbye because we don't like endings. I am going to miss this place and these people so much! My heart is starting to split in two. I love it here. I love these people. I love missionary work. I love my nametag. I love being in a position to help others. I do feel the Spirit every single day. It is so fulfilling to act on spiritual promptings.
