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
