There is so much that happens in one week that weekly emails are really difficult to write. This week has been a particularly great week. Our mission president initiated a "relentless week" where your goals are extremely high and you account to your district leader every night. I honestly have never been so exhasted in my whole entire life than I am after this week, but it was an amazingly rewarding week.
Our greatest improvement occurred in our "OYMs - open your mouth/ oh youre mormon" basically it is when you go to people's gates or because everyone here hangs out side, you walk up to them and offer your message, you introduce yourself and try to set up a return appointment. Our goal was 20/day (our last weeks total was 5 so that tells you how insurmountable the seemed). I hate OYMs, they scare me, but we did it, and it was our most successful week here in my mission. The Lord truly blesses you for sharing His message. It was amazing to see how some people were actually really ready to hear His message and really receptive. It was a lot of fun too to meet different people and get to make new friends.
Our second greatest improvement was LMP (lessons with members present). TO ALL YOU PEOPLE. WORK WITH THE MISSIONARIES IN YOUR AREAS. If you have never worked with the missionaries, Repent. They need you. Members are essential for this work. Like with no members, there is no success. Every single one of our recent converts in my mission had a member present in their lessons with the missionaries. Every single one of our stagnant investigators, dont have a member at all of their lessons. RIGHT NOW, go and contact the missionaries and tell them you will work with them, even if it is just for 1 hour. They will be so grateful, and most importnatnly God will be happy. Invite them to family home evening, to your house for dinner, anything. JUST WORK WITH THE MISSIONARIES, GIVE THEM REFERRALS. Members are essential. There. my rant is over. I'll be following up.
Dearest people, everyday is an adventure. This week, I watched as members literally took their dead goat and transformed it into dinner. The whole process. (the head comes off, then the insides come out, they are cleaned, its quite amazing actually). People keep calling me barbie even though there is literally NO resemblance. If you give children candy, they'll remember your name and chase you down the street screaming your name everytime you pass their house. I sat in a lesson, where one man kept asking me if we could get married and if I was attracted to filipino men, Then introduced me to his 19 year old daughter, Samantha.
I also sat in some amazing spiritual lessons this week, as people poured out their hearts, and I didnt understand everything they said, but the Lord gave them the words they needed to hear. Yesterday we sat around a kitchen table with a bunch of women, who had prepared an amazing meal, as we ate, we laughed and then when we taught, they poured out their souls, I looked around the table and saw how beautiful these women were and how much our father in heaven cares for His daughters. There were tears, and beautiful words spoken, the members present poured out their hearts to the Sisters we were teaching and it was one of the most spiritual expereinces I have had here in the mission. THe gospel blesses all people, but women recieve some of the greatest blessings from the gospel, they are vital to His plan and Heavenly Father pours His blessings to His daughters.
Well friends, Ingat po kayo.
MAHAL KITA.
BTW plz make this my new profile pic, people here have found my facebook, and keep commenting that I look so different here in the philippines (bc here I am always wet, my hair is wild and my makeup doesnt even try to stay on.)
