Christmas in the Philippines

Dear Friends and Family,

Well I had a great  Christmas here in the Philippines although it was not like home I still had a great time.  The Pilipino love to video oke when there are holidays and they are everywhere.  So we spent Christmas eve at the Samson and video oked and had a great time we laughed and ate a lot of food.  We ended up staying up until 12 and just had a blast.  Then the next day, yes were tired but we had breakfast at the Samson's and opened gifts and it was so much fun to sit there like we do at home and open one by one, one of our gifts.  Sister Baui was so happy to have gifts to open which came from me and to see her get so excited and laugh and smile made my whole day.  I gave her one of my scarves mom the blue one and she loves it so much.  She is wearing it right now.  Sister Taylor and Sister Penaranda got a lot of candy, Sister Baui got a lot of random stuff and I got CLOTHS!!  we then got ready and went and baked at the senior couples house for a little and then we went  out to work we ate a LOT OF FOOD!! I was so full by the end of the day I think my stomach grew a second stomach just to fit it all.

As for the work it is slow but going.  With the holiday season there are a lot of people that are busy or doing other things like.........drinking.  Yes! that is so much fun.  One of our investigators the Perez family was drinking one night and it is so hard to teach in that environment but we go on.  We are a little bummed that there is no progression there right now but as it says in preach my gospel no effort is wasted.  One lesson I would love to share with all of you is to Bobbi Altera and his wife (who of course he is not married to) desere delacruz.  They live in Wawa too and we have been teaching him for about a week and a half.  He is 30 and she is 40 and they are having their first kid together.  She is 7 months pregnant and they have only been together for almost a year.  he is so excited about this baby but sometimes she seems to be really annoyed by him but who knows.  anyway, our lesson on Saturday to him was on the gospel of Jesus Christ and as we started the lesson, every question and every answer he gave was literally perfect and it all led up to him wanting to change wanting to get closer to Christ and we asked him if he would be baptized and he said yes! we didn't give him a date because his wife listens and is not really involved and he being so young and the gospel being all about families it is important that we get them both on the same page. we really focused on her at the end of the lesson and throughout the lesson I was feeling the spirit so strong in my heart and to know that this was the lesson they needed.  After much fighting we got her to say the closing prayer and she started out a little rough but she did it and she LITERALLY talked to heavenly father like she was telling him her life story. I really felt the spirit as she was talking about her life and I think that is why prayer is so important however it is done if it comes from your heart than it is right. Of course we still have some work to do but this is the start and I hope that they continue to progress.

On Sunday we had a wonderful surprise, one of our less actives from barrio maasim came to church and I was so excited. I never thought they would come but it was amazing to see them there and to see them smiling and it literally made my whole day I can't even describe it.  It just goes to show that nothing is impossible when you keep going on and showing them that you care. 

Well not much this week but I want you all to know that I love you and am seeing the importance of family in this work.  it is so hard to see broken families and to know how blessed I am to have a whole family and to get together with them often.  Thank you for your support and I look forward to talking to you all next week.  love you!!

Sister Snow

Christmas Fun

Dear Family and Friends,

Well it was so good to get a call from my family and see them all I wish I could have called you all and talked to you but I know that you are all doing fine.  

As for me this month has been trying because of course it is Christmas and no one is home and there are times when the Pilipino sleep so lately we have really been having our faith and patience tried.  

One a brighter note we had a great lesson the other day with the Trinidad family.  we were really struggling trying to figure out what we should teach her we had taught her lesson 1,2 and the book of Mormon and she was praying and reading a little but I knew that she wasn't feeling the spirit or didn't know what it was.  so in my heart I said a silent prayer that she would feel it so strong and that we would know when she was feeling it so we could explain it to her.  as we ret aught lesson on again we really focused on the principles and then I told her as we told the Joseph Smith story to pay attention to her feelings and she felt it.  she said that she felt the difference and she had her heart and mind open to receive the information and she remembered it.  I was so excited and the spirit was so strong that I wanted to scream and jump for joy. we are now teaching her sister in law I think and they all came to our Christmas party which was so good.  I hope we can get them to come more to church.  

As for jenny she is doing good she is a normal 18 year old who acts a little too much like me as in she stresses about little things and worries so we are working on strengthing her faith and that is what we shared with her the other day that she can't just believe but she need to act along with that and she got it.  that is what I love about her she gets it once we teach it.  so we will start teaching her again after the new year when she comes back.  

I finally got the Liahona and I love the talk about meekness and that is something that I have been working on a lot in controlling how I act with different situations.  I have a learned a lot and I encourage you all to read that talk again.  meekness is truly loving people and becoming like Christ and in order for us to grow our faith we have to be meek and willing to change.  that is the most important willing to change it cannot be forced.  I know that there are a lot of people who struggle in live and it is not easy but nothing is impossible if we ask god for help and truly believe that he is there.  I am learning the power of prayer and being humble and not repetitive.

But who wants to hear what I need to work on.  Ah ah I am doing well and I really have become close with this branch.  it will be so hard to leave and say goodbye to these amazing people.  I truly see the effect we have with people here.  they truly are my second family.

as a heads up we had a missionary Christmas party and it was so fun.  we got to see all our batch and actually wear pants which I had to go buy because we were not informed.  Ah ah. well let's just say there is a lot of cool things to buy in Zambales so if I get transferred there I will be in so much trouble money wise.  we also had our branch Christmas party and I loved it.  we had dancing and singing and the primary did a program that reminded me of the one we do at grandma snows which made me so happy.  I had a little bit of home.  i was more excited that so many investigators showed up and I hope we made a lasting effect on them that they will want to come back.  

Well I love you all and I wish you the best.  Merry Christmas from the Philippines and I want you all to know that I love you and I know that Jesus Christ lives and loves us.  I Love the nativity part of Christmas and to know that although he was the greatest of us all he was born in the most hardest circumstances and still is the greatest.  I love him and I am grateful for all he does for me.  I love this season and i pray that you will all remember him and who he is to you.  Merry Christmas!!!

Sister snow

FHE begats gratitude

Dear Friends and Family,

Well we had a pretty epic day on Saturday where we held an FHE at the Perez family but it was more like an FHE for all of Wawa.  we had Tatay lero buy food and sister Perez made soup we than had a whole caravan of kids who we are currently teaching along with their families and we had a blast.  we shared a thought and played games and the families loved it.  Tatay Monico, princesses dad said he was very grateful for us and for the happiness we have brought into their home.  it is so funny because before I was so scared of him and now they are one of our favorite families.  along with that we are also teaching princesses friends family and they are so amazing.  it is so fun to see them light up about Joseph Smith and about the book of Mormon.  the only thing that is so hard is that money is tight and they live so far away that most of them walk to church.  we are so lucky in the states and I honestly have no idea that life in the church was like this in other areas.  yea I am naive. 

so as for church as you can see in the pictures we got princesses family to come or at least some of them and I was very grateful for that.  I feel like they got a feel for how different our church is and the members were super supportive and friendly.  sister Lourdes gathered a huge bag of cloths that we sent to them in Wawa so that they wouldn't by shy to come to church .  ah I love that women.  

so funny joke, as we were in Wawa we were trying to go to our appointments and once we get there we literally have a line of kids following us everywhere and sometimes it is ok but they are so loud when it comes to teaching so we try to leave them.  sister Baui turned to me and said (in English) didn't Christ say "come follow me" we are representatives of Jesus Christ and they are following us.  I cracked up.

Also the Pilipino don't realized what half of their clothing says and one of our investigators was wearing a shirt that said "fart loading 35% please wait " I cracked up and then I asked if they knew what fart meant and they had no idea.  sister Baui explained in tagalog and we all laughed.  so funny.  some of the members wear shirts that say swear words to church and me and sister Taylor just laugh.  

Other than that everything is going well here in Pilar.  we are getting punted so much because it is Christmas but we are doing our best and are looking forward to the Christmas party with the ward.  it is funny because it doesn't feel like Christmas here there is no snow. 

well I as for me I am doing good and learning a lot about letting little mistakes go.  I know that I get wrapped up in all the little mistakes I do and that is not part of our purpose here in this life.  so patience is a huge thing especially here on the mission.  I hope you all have a very merry Christmas and take the words that President Monson said in the devotional to make this a time for giving and remembering the savior.  I know we hear that a lot but it is so true and that is when you feel the love our savior has for each one of us. I love you all and I wish you the best.  take care,

Sister Snow

New investigators and advances

Dear Friends and Family,

Well this week has been full of challenges but full of lots of learning.  One thing I learned is to be patient in all things.  we were punted a lot this week and we had a lot of time to kill with just walking trying to find someone to teach.  we did a lot of I2Ling and it only brought little results.  of course me being who I am blamed it on myself but it really was just a trial. I am still working on that!  Nonetheless we pushed on and have gotten some great investigators.  

Jenny Navares,

she is doing so good.  we can actually have more in depth personal lessons with her because she gets it.  she makes all the right connections and we are seeing her progressing so much. she came to church for the first time yesterday and she said that she loved it.  it is a lot different from the other churches we do more with the people and it is not just one person on the stand talking but everyone is helping.  she also said that she learned a lot and felt full.  I was so excited for her and our lesson in gospel principles was about the temple. she said she understood and that this was the first time she had ever heard about temples.  then that night we taught her law of chastity and she said she will follow it that that is something she wants to have happen in her life and stay clean for her husband.  aaahhh she is just my favorite and now we just need her to make the connection that she has received and answer and that she needs to be baptized.

Zipagan

then we got some new investigators that are sisters 15,11,10 and they were actually taught by the sisters a long time ago.  the first couple times we have gone there their dad has been SO drunk but he said it is fine with him if we teach them.  they are so interesting and love to hear our message.  we taught them the book of Mormon the other day and they loved it and got it.  I love seeing the light bulb go on in their minds and to see their face light up.  they are so excited and hopefully we can start teaching their family when the mom comes home from being abroad. 

Perez,

they are doing alright the mom really wants to learn but she seems to want to sit and listen only.  princess will be baptized this Sunday and we are hoping to get their whole family to come to church.  the two brothers want to be taught but they are super shy.  we are still working there but the dad is actually telling people who we are and the people around them in Wawa are super interested in this white person who is always coming to their house.

so with that we went to Wawa yesterday and in one lesson to a former investigator we got 8 new investigators surrounding the Perez family and they are all super willing to listen. I am so excited to go back and one is a friend of sister princess.  we taught her mom and let me tell you all to see her face and her focus turn to us when we talked about Joseph smith was something I cannot even describe.  she was so focused on us when we told the story and seemed to have her burdens lightened because of it.  I don't know and it might be too early to tell but days like that make this mission worth it.  

also we had a rescue caravan on Saturday and it was really good to get to know some of the less actives here in our area that have been less active for over a year.  it is so hard for some of these people to stay active and I am beginning to appreciate my live in America.  we are working on the area and I am working on my patience and faith.  someday are a lot harder than others and I am learning so much.  

OH I have one experience I want to share.  on Tuesday we had a night of punted so I finally said ok lets go over here and say a prayer that the lord will help us to know where to go and after our prayer we just started to walk and we ended up I2Ling a bunch of guys that said they would listen we are working on going back to them but it was neat because the lord answered our prayer and although small it meant a lot to me to know we had followed the spirit.

 I know that this work is important and although hard at times the good days are what makes everything so much better.  my tagalog is ok and sometimes it is hard to say what I want but I am learning to talk slower and more simply and not to get frustrated.  I want to thank you all for your support and tell you I love you.  I hope you all have a great week and I will talk to you next week,

Ingat,

Sister snow

Struggles and Confessions

Dear Friends and family,

well it has been a rough week needless to say but I am here now and ok.  We have been I2Ling like crazy trying to find new investigators and let's just say it is really hard sometimes to see other areas progressing and feeling like our area is not doing so good.  BUT, we have been getting a lot of member help and we have a referral that was probably one of the best lessons of my life.  his name is Ephraim Pizzaro and he is around his 60's he had a stroke about a year ago I think and as a result he cannot use his right side of his body it is literally dead.  he has a hard time speaking but he knows English so it is a little easier for me to understand what he is saying.  he is the next door neighbor of brother Jumao-as a member and when we came to teach him after the prayer i looked up and he was crying like literally crying.  I was a little shocked at first but we kept teaching and at different points during the lesson he would just cry.  he really cried when we talked about Joseph Smith and prayer and he said that when he was in college that he read about Joseph Smith and when we asked him if he wanted to be baptized he said that he would after he did some reading.  it is really sad to see this old man who used to be so strong to have to suffer like that and to hear some of his family problems but I feel the spirit so strong and I hope that with time we can build up confidence I himself once again so that he knows that not all is lost with the loss of his right side of his body.  

we are also working with jenny and I don't know if this was this week or last week but after we gave her the lesson on the book of Mormon the next day I think we went back and she had read all of the beginning and the first 4 chapters in Nephi and was MARKING IT UP!! what talk about progressing investigator.  then we are now teaching her uncle or something like that (the relationship of families here in the Philippines often confuses me because they all live so close and the names confuse me) anyways we are so excited about her progression and I hope that I will be here for the baptism because she really wants to be baptized.

we are really focusing on finding all the less actives in this branch and it is proving to be a very hard task.  I find nights that I go to bed so exhausted because I am starting to take on other problems of not being able to come to church because they have no money or they are sick or whatever it is.  there are so many problems here and it is hard sometimes not to get frustrated or think that I am not doing my best to help others to come unto Christ.  lately I have been getting frustrated and me and sister Baui are really struggling with the area.  last night I finally opened up to her and told her all the things going through my head and she ended up feeling the same way so we are able to get out all our stress and move forward with the work.  we are both working on finding our purpose here on the mission and I think it will be a really good growing experience for both of us.  one of the elders that just left said that "growing hurts but it the way we grow and we need to push through and become stronger"  so we are pushing through and growing and although progress is slow we are finding strength within each other and in our savior.  Lets just say relaying on him is a lot easier said than done but I know that that is what we need to learn, to relay on him when we are punted and when we feel like we are not doing our best when we don't have progressing investigators because they have the agency we are just the warning voice.  I know that this work is important and with that I also know that a huge part of this work is the atonement.  i couldn't do it without my saviors help in all things especially when I make mistakes and do things that are not right. sorry this is a short letter. I love you all and I am so so so so grateful for the support.  I hope you are all doing well and I will talk to you next week.

take care,

Sister Snow

Are you still there? what is I2Ling?

B-inviting people to learn it is basically street contacting and let me just tell you I hate it!! so out of my comfort zone

B-how is everything going? I am doing alright it has been hard lately.  last night I broke down I hate it when that happens. but I am really struggling trying to find a balance in working hard and being time conscious and focusing on the members.  the last two days we focused on time and I hated it.  I literally felt this empty feeling and I could not find the spirit at all.  you know me perfectionist and it got to me.  I felt like sister Baui was all about the stats because that is what they really focus on her and the Filipinos hate to look bad in front of leaders like REALLY.  I finally talked to her about last night and she confessed that she felt the same way to.  I am really struggling finding a balance and feeling like I am doing a good job because sometimes I feel like I come home and I could have done better that I am not focused on the work and that I am not being obedient.  I HATE all the rules and I don't' know what to do anymore.  I have having a tug a war here!! sorry I don't have anyone who I can call and talk to about it so I can get it all out.  it is too hard in tagalog ha ha. 

I am always here for you, vent away babe Girl! I know this is hard. It will make you stronger, you just need to do some yoga breathes. remember.. they help you relax and gather your own thoughts. Get all of this out, refocus on what the Lord tells you. he knows what this area needs. you have been there a long time and have a good feel of the people, don't discount that in yourself. Yoga Breathe, a little nostril breathing and little lions breath maybe even some quick abs breath. we love you!

B- yea I have been getting back into exercising I get up at 6 now and exercise when I don't need to do laundry.  Ha ha I can't wait to have a Philippines day when I get home and show you all how to eat with your hands!!

that sounds fantastic, maybe we will have a Philippines days several times a month.

B-you would hate it we literally eat rice every meal, but their fish is fantastic, yep I said it.  I will bring some of the food home for you guys to try. of course not the fish.  Ha-ha