Everyone watch this....

http://www.mormon.org/christmas

Merry December!

... and happy Thanksgiving! My companion and I thought that Thanksgiving was the week before.... I guess we were really wrong. (: We were on exchanges and one of the natives told me that it was "my holiday" today. I asked her what she was talking about... Yeah, long story short, I don't even know what day is what anymore. (:

Also, happy birthday kay Riggin!!! I can't believe he is already 2 years old. 

Well, this week has been just a rollercoaster of emotions and things happening. 

Monday we had a great p-day. We went to the chruch and played volleyball/soccer and then it started to pour rain. but We kinda just kept playing. It felt so good to do something other than walking.. (: then we had planned another FHE with the boys in brgy 5.. but nothing seemed to be working out... So right before we walked all over sipalay looking for someone to drive... it is a lot harder than you might think. there is only 2 people in our branch with cars... and only one lives in our area... So anyways, god prepares people in crazy ways to accomplish his purposes... because earlier that day we saw President Victoria as we were walking to a little island.. and we told him, then when we found him. it was a no hesitation yes even though he was still selling his fish and stuff at the market. Such a blessing.

We got to the church and President Ramirez had set up a little mini movie theater for the movie. We planned to watch the Joseph Smith, prophet of the restoration movie. Galing.. its all in english and all the boys just could not understand. But they had so many questions about joseph smith and we just felt so impressed that they needed to see that movie... so I took one side, and My companion took the other side, and we translated the WHOLE movie into Ilonggo for them. While explaining the back ground and everything. I remember sitting back for a second to catch my breath and I remember just being overwhelmed by the spirit. Only Missionaries could do this. And only by the spirit can missionaries do it. 

The spirit in the room was so strong. And The boys understood everything. It was just so amazing!

One of them was baptized this past saturday... supposed to be all 14 of them. but they are having the hardest time stopping their word of wisdom problems... I would love any advice on how I Could help them. They have such great desire, but it is just so hard for them to stop. 

Yesterday, they actually came with us after church to BRGY 4, which is like a 1 hour hike in the mountain to find an OYM. We got there and he just wanted to bible bash us, and afterwards Sunny, one of the boys, told us that he didn't feel the spirit and that he felt bad for the man cause he didn't know what he was missing. How amazing.. and then they hiked abck with us and stayed with us to teach more of our investigators. They want to be missionaries so bad!!! Just that darn word of wisdom. 

The work is hard. But it is good. Satan is trying hard to stop the work, but nothing can stop the work of the Lord.

Have a great week! 

Love, Your sister missionary,

Sister Young

Family History

Hi! how is everyone's family history coming? I hope you are all
diligently working on it. The time is running short(: only about 3
more weeks until I need all the information(:

I love you all so much!

Love, Sister Young

Well. I got to go to Manila this week, and got to sit inside the
temple. It was really busy so we didn't get to do a session or
anything, just sit there and ponder. We also didn't have a lot of
time. But Manila is so busy and loud. It was so refreshing to walk
into the holy walls and feel refreshed and apart from the world. It
was such a blessing.

I finally got back to my area. I only walked in the door long enough
to set my bags down and then we left and went right to work. The only
way to not be trunky is work. And I can't afford to feel that way. It
was so good to get out and work. I just have to give more than
everything I have to these people.

In the 3 nephi 7:18, Nephi had such great faith that no one could
disbelieve him. And that Is my goal this last couple of my weeks. To
have such great faith that everyone will want to repent and come to
the waters of baptism. ANd I am so excited!

I love you all. have a great week!
Love, your sister missionary,
sister young

What do we see?

 This is sister Mengutio. she is in my very first area... and this is my Favorite old man. Remember Bro. Noynoy... the paralyzed one, and then he walked. at the very beginning of my mission. he is still strong in the church and walks now with his walker, and has read the book of mormon almosty 8 times now... in just a year...and a couple of months!!!!  LOVE IT. Miracles never cease.

This week has been wonderful and uplifting. We had mission tour with the area president, Elder Ardern. It struck me was strange as he was training us... it wasn't like he was training us at all... but he was using us to train him. What I mean is... Bacolod Philippines mission is one of the highest baptizing missions, kuno, in the world, and the number one in the PHilippines. So basically he just wanted to know the "secret". But... There is no secret. He asked questions like, "how do you find your investigators?" "what makes you so successful" "Why is YOUR faith better than anyone elses faith" "how can you have weekly baptisms"  just strange questions like that.

ANd the only thing is... our vision. We are exactly obedient, we study preach my gospel every single day in personal and companion ship study, we invite everyone we meet to come unto christ, and we have weekly baptisms. That is not just our vision, but its the Lords vision. Its hard, oh grabe is it hard, but its like we don't know what else to do. we just work work work.

It was just so interesting that he would have a mission tour and just try and grill us to get answers to his "unknown". At least I thought it was strange.

One thing, though, that I am so thankful for is my mission President. President Lopez. The way he runs the mission is strict, we don't get to have "fun" (going to ward parites, staying longer than 45 minutes to and hour in a persons house, zone and district activities...) we do none of that. We seriously just work. We walk out that door and we have our lines our for fishing. we talk to everyone. It was so scary at first, but you get used to it when you have no other choice but to talk to everyone. President Lopez has shaped every single missionary in this mission. He has shown us by example how to be dedicated, powerful servants of the lord. He has motivated us in a way that is unknown to me.. I just know that I don't ever want to disappoint president. So, I guess that it is not that we have magical powers here in the bacolod mission, or that our faith is greater than anyone else, or whatever else Elder Ardern was looking for, but I really believe that it is just how unified we are as a mission. everyone is motivated by a strong desire to do the Lords will, and even if you don't have a lot of "fun" miracles happen. This is the Lords work. Not our time to have "fun".

I am so thankful to have been assigned here in Bacolod Philippines mission, Under the direction of President Lopez. And to have worked with so many other missionaries that have the same great conviction as I do of the truthfulness of the gospel of Jesus Christ. There really is no other mission like this one.

Have a great week.

Love, your sister missionary,

Sister Young

P.s. I am going to Manilla tomorrow so get my fingerprints done so I can come home next month... crazy how fast time flies. Also, I get to attend the Temple! I am so excited to be reminded of my covenant, and deepen my relationship with my savior. love you all!

Faith and miracles

Family!!!!!!!

So this week has been a great week! We worked hard and like I always say, the miracles are endless. Heavenly Father really has his hand in EVERYTHING. It never ceases to amaze me how little I do, and how much He really does. It is very humbling. 

My companion and I are doing great! she really helped me with the training we had to give last friday. I was so nervous... having to stand up and train a bunch of missionaries. But it ended up being so good!!! And even though I had left the paper of notes at my apartment, the spirit helped me. It was amazing. And it wasn't because I got to tell a bunch of missionaries about what they could be doing better, but because as I and my companion were training, I was also learning. That edification of the spirit is just indescribable. 

So because this week we will be in Bacolod for mga 4 days, we were stressed about how our investigators will progress with us not being here... so after church on sunday, we prayed and then we started spitting out ideas of how we can help them even if we wont be here. We decided, with the help of the spirit, to have a family home evening and invite all those boys.. you know the ones that all came to church, 

anyways, so we planned to get them all there and bring lots of the church magazines and have them make those "cut-out-the-picture-things-of-what-you-want-in-your-life" things... I don't know what those are called. SO we talked to president dela serna and his wife and asked anothermember if he could drive them.. but come monday... we hadent heard from anyone.... I didn't think much of it, but my compnaion came to me about 1 1/2 before and expressed her doubt. It was strange cause I hadn't thought much of it... i was just in lala land I guess. and I told her, everything will work out. then at 6 we walk to the place, and all the boys are all ready and in the truck! it was a miracles! 

So we went back to our house and grabbed all the stuff we needed, and grabbed some snacks, cause Filippino people can't live with out snacks, and went to the church. It was so much fun!!!! they were kinda confused at first, but we really wanted to know what they desired and we wanted them to SEE it. TO give them extra desire to be good. At the end we had them share why they put the pictures on the things, and it was so special. THey had pictures of people getting baptized, and said they wanted to be baptized in this church. and family in the temple and missionaries cause they want to be missionaries.

it was so special. then we walked home and it just felt so good. it was just great! 

If you just have faith, miracles happen. 

So, anyways, have a great week!

Love, your sister missionary,

Sister Young

wala tiempo

Sorry, I just am writing this to tel you that I will be emailing
tomorrow so you don't freak out. We have mission tour this week so we
will be in bacolod starting tomorrow so I will just email you all
tomorrow. I lov eyou all!!!!\

Be on tomorrow if you wanna talk. sorry gid.

Palangga ta ka!

Love,  sister young

Family History

Hi everyone! I just wanna check up and see how your family history is going? how have you started? how is it going? are you being full of all sorts of love for our family? have you spread the word? I sure hope so! I have started... and I can't tell you how much I have been filled with love for each of you. I can't wait to see you all again and get to know each of you again. I know it sounds kinda funny, but thats just the way it is!

Love you all!

Love, sister Young

Transfers

Hi everyone. Well, its that time.... today starts the last transfer of my Mission. I can't believe it. I really can't. I still feel like I am such a baby in the mission and I just got here..

Today we had a transfer. My companion, Sister Rosario, Transferred. I was so sad, and so was she. But I know the Lord has so much in store for her! She was a great companion and I learned so much from her. We experienced so much together, and saw many miracles together. I will truely miss her, but I am excited what the Lord has instore for her. 

As for me, I am staying in Sipalay, and I have been called as a Sister Training Leader. Which is the same as a Zone leader for the elders. I feel so inadequate ... It is a lot of responsibility, and a lot of training, and a bit overwhelming... but I know that the Lord's plan is always better than MY plan. 

Because of that I am just barely emailing you... right now its 6:15pm on monday. We woke up at 1:45 this morning to ride the bus here to bacolod, and then I had a Missionary leaders council and it just got over with. I am SO tired... I could not sleep on that bus. But I have felt the Lords hand helping me stay awake. I mean if you could really imagine... a missionary is always tired. But, enough about that! My new companion and I will stay here in Bacolod tonight and travel back tomorrow morning so we are safe. It is a 6 1/2 hour ride... 

My new Companion is Sister Char. She is great! She is from hawaii, and absolutely beautiful. She is great and I am excited to work with her in Sipalay!

In other news, I can't believe it is already November!?! Where does the time go? Happy Birthday Vianna!!!! TOmorrow. (: You are getting so old... just like the rest of us. hehe.

We had a great baptism this week! A part member and her friend who was a child of record. Hershy-an and Elaysha. They are a hand full... but they are so much fun! 

Well, I can't stay here much longer I'm so sleepy. But I want you all to know that I know that this church is true. I know that God loves you and has a plan for each one of you, and as we make our plan what his plan is, we can never fail! 

I love you all, have a great week! 

Love, your sister missionary,

Sister Young