Much Success - February 22, 2010

Last weeks letter was short sorry about that but the FHE was great! We had I think 5 investigators there! We have many investigators with a baptismal date and I'm so happy. We have also been able to talk more to the parents of 

Julie Fe and I am pretty sure that her baptism will go through for March 6! Yeah!!!! I love her so much she is a sweetheart and loves the gospel even if her friends think she is weird for it! She knows it is true and wants to do what is right! Yeah for strong youth! 

(Oh I downloaded more pictures I already have some with me and Julie Fe but so you can know who she is she is next to the ones with me and the joy toilet paper.)  Side note about the joy toilet paper I thought it was pretty funny that the name was joy because people think there isn’t any here! But there is and it is a joy!

Then the Revadulla family, it will be Sister Cora and her son Reymart! They are really ready and excited to learn more. It is hard for Reymart because he hasn’t had much school and just started going back but he is going to gospel principles class every week and I think it is really helping him to understand more fully! 

They will progress well. The father is their fellowshiper but he is in Manila right now.  However they are still reading praying and going to church yes! So they will be baptized on the 6th as well.  We have Sister Suarez who is really ready she loves the gospel and shares everything she knows with her husband who also wants to learn, it is just harder to teach him because of his work. So first it will be Sister Suarez and her daughter Bernadette. She has an older son but he is so shy he won’t even look at us or shake our hand but I think deep down he really likes us so we are hoping that he and the dad will follow shortly after :) so they will be baptized on the 6th too!

Oh and there are pictures of two babies. The one that I am holding is Sister Suarez baby the other is Simon. The son of Sister and President Mendoza! They are so nice both returned missionaries. They have a family picture in there too! They are so nice to the missionaries and very helpful! I love them!
We were suppose to have the baptism of the Jayme family but they haven’t been coming to church and haven’t been home for appointments! I'm so sad! They were so strong! I know that one day they will come unto the fold of Christ through baptism even if it isn’t right now. We just keep trying and keep loving them! I have pictures in there of our last appointment when the youngest girl Kim decided I needed a make over and put baby powder all over my face and tried to brush my hair! We are really close haha. They are a great family and still so kind and I know that at least Jovelyn knows it is true! So one day she will be baptized I know it!

Then we have the baptism of Andrew and Maryann! I love them they are two little kids siblings and they are a referral of a less active family who is active now! They give us so much help with missionary work that is were we had the FHE last week. We are going back this week and I am going to take a picture with the family for you! And Andrew and Maryann. We also get to teach the children of the woman we contacted in that area. The have baptismal goal dates so that is great we just need to be able to teach the parents too. They just haven’t been home because they had family visiting in a different area and have been gone. Sister Susan Daloro was progressing but now she hasn’t been reading and when we taught her about the Sabbath day she didn’t like the fact that we need to go to church every Sunday. So we are going to talk about faith next lesson because she understands faith more as believing and it is more than that. She is great so I hope this will help her! We have families that we are trying to reactivate as a branch and I think it is 7 out of 10 who have had at least one member of the family attend church! It is so great! The Pakil Branch is so strong and it just proves that the members are the true missionaries! Most all of the people with baptismal dates are referrals! Yes! Help the missionaries! Blessings will come I promise!  So I am excited for these next three weeks why do I say three? Because I feel as though I am going to be transferred :( I will be so sad to leave the Pakil area but I know that it is just the Lord who has a plan for me and the people here in the San Pablo Mission! We just keep working hard and whatever change comes, the work just keeps moving forward!  I love reading the scriptures each day! I always get new insights and it helps me through the day. I know the Lord is willing to help us in are every day challenges no matter how simple. I know that the scriptures are the guide to know what we should do.

I went to church this last Sunday and I was shocked when they asked me at the last minute to speak so me and Elder French had to speak, for Elder French it isn’t as stressful because he is really good in the language but I was really worried! So I just sat down and said a prayer! Then I looked for a scripture and I talked about prayer and knowing that the gospel is true through prayer and the spirit.  I don’t know if it helped anyone but I know the Lord helped me. As I thought about the lesson that we need to give to Sister Susan I realized how important it is for us to go forth in faith meaning to act. I was so scared to act and give a talk but I know that if I trust in the Lord and do his will he will give me help and provide a way. I still struggle in Tagalog and I'm working really hard to improve. But even as I struggle with the language I know that each time I trust in the Lord and fear not! the Lord provides a way! He helps me to teach and to let the investigators know what they need to grow in the gospel of Jesus Christ! 

We had 11 investigators at church on Sunday I was so happy! I know that the Lord is blessing the work and he is always lifting us up if we just reach out for his hand like that picture of the two children and Christ. I love it, it is so true! Well another FHE! So I will write next week!

Love, Sister Andreasen!!!!

Shortest Email Ever - February 15, 2010

Hello :)

 I don’t have a lot of time because we have a Family Home Evening we have to go to and I had to upgrade my email to the new one.

So the week was good I'm adjusting to the different way things are now. We haven’t had a baptism and we might not have one until the 6 of March but we are hoping it will be a lot of people. 

The Revadulla family keeps progressing and doing well. They know our messages our true! Sister Susa’s husband Jerry hasn’t been to church yet :( but the elders said that they haven’t been able to teach them lately :( the elders did have a baptism this week so that is awesome for our branch.

That is about all that is way new we have some new families that I will write more about next week if they progress. 

Sorry I couldn’t write that much this week we had an activity this morning that got over later than I thought it would so now we are running behind and I just have to tell you I love you! 

 I love you! I’m so sorry this is so short! I love you all so very much!!!!!!

Love Sister Andreasen

Thank You For The Love! - February 8, 2010

I am always excited to get your emails! They really help lift me up! The mission is great it is getting easier with Sister Macabenta and I do love her. And I am so happy to be teaching these wonderful people.  So about the Revadulla family. They are progressing and I am excited for their baptism, they came to church and they read and pray and are keeping the Word of Wisdom with no problems! I love it!

We are teaching a lady named Susan and she is progressing but hasn’t been to church yet. We went to teach her the other day and she wasn’t home. So then we ended up talking to her neighbor and we shared the first lesson with her and her family! So I hope we can continue to teach them. I know that the Lord’s hand is truly in this work when we are "punted" meaning we aren’t able to teach the person we planned to teach but the Lord has something else we need to do and we just need to stay positive and find out what that is and keep working. I love it! He has a plan for everyone!

We are also teaching a young boy and girl who want to be baptized! They are so cute! Maryann and Andrew!

The Jayme family is doing well. They are preparing for baptism and excited about it.  We taught about lesson 2, which is the plan of salvation, and I think it gave them a lot of comfort and answered a lot of questions and I know that Jovelyn is ready for baptism. Sister Macabenta wants to teach their mom and it is a great idea but she already told me and Sister Clave that she isn’t ready for it and that she is fine with her family joining the Church but she isn’t ready herself so we will see what happens with that.  We taught her the plan of salvation too and so I think she liked it but I still think she is just caught up in the Catholic tradition. Like the sisters of our recent convert Luisa Rodriguez.

So thing are great! Sister Olivia Suarez went to church and it was great! I think she really wants to be a member she just has a hard life and doesn’t yet see that if she puts things like reading the Book of Mormon and going to church first everything else will be better! But she came this Sunday and I am so excited! We had three babies blessed this Sunday! It was so cute! I love it! I will be sending pictures of cute babies soon!

So everyone here thinks that white skin is so pretty, if you have white skin your pretty and I love the dark skin they have. I just thought that was a funny note. So Kristy and Heather, even though I get darker than you everyone here would say you are more beautiful! That is true by the way :) I love you!

So I'm glad you were able to go to the temple. Sometimes when I study the scriptures I think about the temple and just wish I could study all day and go to the temple and then I remember that I get to share what I know and help others to feel the feelings that I have and I am excited every day to share!

Elder French asked me if after teaching with Sister Macabenta I felt like my Tagalog had improved and I thought about it and I did feel like that. Then he said it is normal. That when you get your follow up trainer you don’t rely on them like you did your trainer and you realize things that you can do! It is true I am realizing that I can do a lot more things and say a lot more things than I thought I could. Tagalog is still hard everyday and I struggle everyday but it is coming and it is slowly yet surely! It was funny. The other night we were walking down the street and there was a group of guys which every time I see I think what are they going to say because they almost always say something to me even if it is just what’s your name. Or hey. But this time one of the guys said "do you like this?" and held up this food. But I didn’t understand his English and as I was trying to figure out what he said in Tagalog. I said ano. Meaning what? Then they all laughed because I was speaking in Tagalog and didn’t understand the English. Haha. It was funny.

So I got the packages you sent me!!!!! I shared some of the candy hearts with the kids in our apartments and they loved them! Then they came to the door and said "Happy Valentines Sister!" they are so cute! I love the kids here! Our investigator Maryann! I just want to take her home with me when I leave she is so cute! So I'm so thankful for your love and all that you give to me I love you all!

I hope everyone has a great birthday! Jill, Travis (today right?) and I'm excited to hear about Abby's baptism!!!! I wish I could be there but I know I am in the right place and I just smile because another baptism! You have to send pictures!!!!!! :) I'm just a little excited haha!

Well that is about it. I love you all. Things are going well and I'm doing great! The Lord is always helping me because I can’t do it on my own! But he always gives me the help and strength I need! I love the gospel more each day and I know that it is true! I love you again!!!

Love, Sister Andreasen

Work Work Work, That Is The Secret - February 1, 2010

Okay, so “work work work that is the secret” is part of our mission song and I have realized that it is true. And it isn’t just work but it is hard work! I'm going to have a hard time adjusting but I know it will be okay. My companion speaks a little English but she knows more words than she does how to speak if that make since. Like if I say what is this word in Tagalog she usually knows but I think we don’t always understand each other, but I know the Lord will help us. My first week as "senior" is not going very well. She just wants to tract and contact new investigators because she never got any support in other areas, but this area gives so much support that we have to just focus on the ones who are really ready because we can’t teach everyone in one week. So she set appointments with people who aren’t really interested! It is hard but I talked to her about it last night so it should get better. She is really sweet though. By the way her name is Sister Macabenta. I do miss Sister Clave but it is okay the work will go on. I just have to get used to a new schedule and a new way to do things. It is hard but I know it is just so the area can grow and I know I will grow so much; I already have in these past couple days, so I know it is going to be a good change. She said she wants to help me with my Tagalog because of course I need the help. So that is good, sometimes it is hard because I am corrected a million times a day, which is good but also makes me realize how much I don’t yet know. I just keep smiling and know that this is the greatest work and if it wasn’t hard it wouldn’t be worth it. The Savior’s life wasn’t easy yet he was always happy and I know that I can be the same. Just like the quote you gave me from Sheri Dew! (Thank you for that by the way). So I like hearing about what you are teaching in seminary because I love youth so much! It is amazing I really feel that when I am in a home ward again I will have a calling with the youth. The youth here are great and these past couple of days would have been much harder if they hadn’t helped us with the work. I started tearing up in one of our lessons when one of the youth helped me explain about prophets and it was what Sister Clave would say and I always want to use it but I don’t yet know all of the vocab. they are so amazing! They also help me so much in my Tagalog because they will listen to me and want to understand me no matter how long it takes! I love them! Mary Ann! Laiza Mae! John Mark! Sherlyn! Harris! They are amazing!

Okay about our investigators. We were able to teach the Jayme family even the mom about lesson 2, which is the plan of salvation we just talked about pre-earth life and our purpose on earth. We gave them a reading assignment and told them we would answer the question about what happens after this life in the next lesson but the scriptures we gave them should give them a lot of comfort. The Revadulla family is doing great! They are all keeping the word of wisdom - no coffee! alak! And no smoking! Yeah! Plus they are reading and praying!

Loraine was baptized! Yeah! However Julie Fe got in trouble, her dad got mad at her and told her that if she was baptized that he would disown her :( so we need to talk to her but we haven’t been able to because her dad was at her house. We will keep trying though because she is ready!

The elders are doing great things in Peate! I miss Sister Susa so much! But she knows it is true and won’t do anything until her husband Jerry does. So Elder French is developing a relationship with him and teaching and answering his questions I love it! So I hope he comes to church with her soon!

Elder French is training and he has done it before but it was an American from my batch and so he said that this one would be harder. He told me that he thinks he will only train for one transfer and thinks that he and I will be transferred next transfer. Who knows I don’t want to think about it because I love this area so much.

So today we climbed up to Three Cross I already posted pictures so you should know where that is. I thought Pakil cross was hard, this one is harder and I almost died! Haha. So I think I just lost about 50 pounds. Haha. Oh one thing I do love about Sister Macabenta is that she likes to exercise in the morning and Sister Clave wouldn’t so I didn’t but now I do and I love it so I will hopefully lose weight but it just helps me to feel better through out the day too.

I think that Sister Macabenta is going to be a great follow up. It’s hard to adjust but I think once the adjustment is over we will be really close! She is so sweet! We do have a problem though. We are both indecisive. I will say what do you want to eat and the she will say what do you want and I will say whatever and she will say me too. Haha! So I will have to make more decisions. Which I think will help me grow even if it is silly things like what we eat or if I want mango juice or pineapple juice haha.

So I am supper glade that Elder French is still here! Sister Clave said that now I have a dad too. Haha because as my first companion she was my mom. But I feel like Elder French is an older brother who knows how I feel and just helps me! It is great! It will be weird not having Elder Darang he was a great guy but Elder French's new companion seems nice his name is Elder Dela Pina.

So the work is great and the church is true! I know that the Savior knows all our troubles and he gives us help and strength through it all.  I’m so grateful for that because even when we have hard times we can turn them in to good things when we keep an eternal perspective! How grateful I am for the gospel each and everyday. For the little tender mercies of the Lord in my life like the testimony of a youth and them playing little games with me to help me learn new words! How I love them dearly! But I know that those blessings are from the Lord and that he loves me because of all the blessing in my life! I wanted to come on a mission to help the Lord bring his children unto the gospel but I think that he is just giving me more help and blessings! When you give all that you can to the Lord to try to pay him back for all he has given us we just end up more indebted to him because he pours his blessing upon us. It rains a lot here and I have been thinking that in life we have storms and are we complaining about the harsh weather or are we learning to sing and dance in the blessings that the lord is pouring down upon us! I know he loves us and I am grateful for his love and for the gospel in my life! I love you all so much and am grateful for you examples! Stay strong and remember someone in the Philippines loves you!

Love, sister Andreasen

PS Please go to the temple often. I can’t right now and I miss it so much! Please go it is so amazing it really is heaven on earth and we can learn and grow so much there! I love you and am grateful that through the temple we can be together for eternity!