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!