Hello To All - October 25, 2010

Sister Pascual & Sister Andreasen

Another week has gone by so fast it is so hard to believe! I am still loving my area and I had a great week! I was so nervous to talk to Tatay Emiliano but it was actually really good and we were able to work out what his problems are and we taught about how we have agency and power over Satan! He really liked it and I hope that it will help him and that he can overcome this! We also met some great new investigators. I have been trying to fix our schedule to fit with all the people we have to teach and their free time and going to all our area! We went to Talao Talao and it is the furthest part of our area and as we were going I thought to myself that maybe we should go back because it is so far and it might not be worth the time, then I thought we will just see how it goes. Then we met the Panillia family! They are amazing!!!!! Brother said that he was praying that God would help him know what he needs to do with his life and then we came! I am so excited to teach them! Sister cried when we told her that families are forever because it had been one month from when her father past away! It was a great lesson and they are really receptive! Then we got a referral from a member and we went to teach him and he wasn’t home. He is 17 and his aunt referred him but it is great because he has some friends and a cousin that are members and his cousin told us that he would bring him to church. Then we taught him after and he wants to be baptized! He is so awesome! I am so excited! Then this Saturday we have a baptism and it will be in Barra! It is two little girls and they will be baptized in the ocean!!!! Ahhh! I'm so excited! Hehe. We also have investigators in the island of Ranzohan and they are really progressing so I am hoping the fact that they are on the island won't be a problem for them to come to church! 

The Island of Ranzohn

I love them! I love all our investigators and I know that the Lord is really blessing this area and I know that I have so much that I need to do to be worthy of the call to this area! I love it! I know that there is so much work to do in this area! It is such a small area but it is great in Barra everyone knows everyone and you just feel like family! I love it! I really do feel like I have a home away from home! The work is truly moving forward at a fast pace and that is the hand of the Lord! How grateful I am to be a missionary at this time to see the great power the Lord has.  We have a training coming up and I'm excited but sad. It is three days for all trainers so I will be able to see my batch again because we are all training! 

The Batch

But it means that we won't be in Barra for that long and I will miss it so much! But I am excited to learn and grow and get answers to my questions!  I can’t explain in words how happy I am for this work! I just want to work work work and invite all people to grow closer to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ! I love the word for mediator here. In Tagalog it is tagapamagitan. It is hard to explain why but it is so amazing and I am so grateful that Jesus Christ is our tagapamagitan! He is the only way and I know that as we turn to him he will be able to help us all and as we do are part we will all have a way to return to live with them again!!! The work here is great! I feel so close to our investigators! Members and even people that we just see a long the way. It scares me because I know that I will have to leave but when I think about that I just know that I need so much more to strengthen everyone I talk to and invite them to come unto Christ so that one day we can all see each other again! Sister Clave used to say that she knows we were friends before and that we will be eternal friends and I know that it is true! All the people I meet and love here are my eternal friends so how important it is to endure to the end so that we can all gain eternal life!
I love you all so much and am so grateful for your example and love for me! I know that everything that has lead me to go on a mission and become the person I am is because of your influences in my life! I can’t believe that Kristy is 30! Life goes so fast! I love that we all are able to share the special moments. It is true that distance make the heart grow founder! My patriarchal blessing says that one of the great gifts and blessings in my life is my family and I know that is true I am so grateful that you are the people I call my family! I am so proud to be your daughter, sister, granddaughter, and niece! I love you all!!!!!  I know that this is the true church and we are so blessed to be a part of this marvelous work!!!

Smiling Faces

I hope that all the pictures will go through if you see one with me and a girl and then a little boy and I am holding my shoe that is from my last area in Calamba I forgot to tell you the story. We sat down to teach her and then her little brother came up to me and said, ihi zapatos, which means pee shoe, he peed in my shoe!!! Hahaha! It was gross but funny and the same time. He was so cute about it. I hope I can take another picture soon of those same shoes because a dog ate them and now I can't wear them :( we went to an appointment before the baptism of Karen and I left my shoes outside like we always do and then when we went to leave one of my shoes was gone! Then when I found it the strap was gone and there was a big hole in the back. We went to the baptismal interview and right before the baptism I was able to buy new shoes but they aren’t anywhere as nice as my old ones. Haha it is a funny story though and just more experiences! Hehe. I love it! I hope you love the pictures! And that they all go through! If you have questions just ask. I will be sure to get all the pearls you asked for :) I love you all so much! I love the work and I know that the church is true!
Love, Sister Andreasen