Wow, I Love The Work! - February 28, 2011

Yummy Papaya!

Sister Gabuyo and Sister Andreasen

Another Beautiful View

Sister Andreasen

So I had some great experiences this week in the work and blessings for missionaries!

At Zone Conference

So first I will tell you about Zone Conference. It was amazing! It was full of fun seeing other missionaries and just plain happiness. But most important it was filled with the spirit. I love zone conference because it is always what I need to hear, something that I need to be better at doing or improve on to make the work better. We focused on using the Book of Mormon more and teaching people - not lessons. Which is one of my favorites! When you really focus on the people they feel of your love and they understand that you are there to help them and love them and not for any other reason! I love that! Then focusing on the Book of Mormon I have always known that this is the way that people will know if this is the true church but what they taught made me realize that I need to be using the Book of Mormon more and that I need to help them understand the importance of the Book of Mormon even in just the first lesson! I am so grateful for the spirit and strength that comes from zone conference!
Then we also got to see David O. McConkie and Elder Edwards! We had a devotional here in San Pablo and only the San Pablo zone was able to attend and I am so glad I am here! The talks were amazing. Elder Edwards spoke of a letter from a sister missionary, who one day got the impression to go visit less actives. They got impressions on where to go and went to work but to their dismay they didn’t find any success. The missionary talked about feeling like she didn’t do enough. To make a long story short she had somewhat of a conversation with herself in her head and came to the conclusion that if she was following the spirit and being obedient we will always fall short even our best won’t be good enough but that is why we have a savior! He loves us and will make up for the rest and will provide a way to make up for our shortcomings! How grateful I am for that! Last week that is what I was feeling and that just gave me a reminder that Jesus Christ is here to help me and make up for what I can’t do. I love in Preach my Gospel it says, "Everything that is unfair about life will be made right through the atonement" I love that truth! Pure and simple if we do all we can the Savior has already provided a way to make up for our shortcomings, heal our broken hearts, and finally make us whole, sanctified through His love and mercy! How great the plan of our Father in Heaven is!
Also! We had investigators come to the devotional! They were so excited! Sister Tess and Brother Joseph (hehe) I love it! I love the name Joseph! It’s dad’s name, its in the scriptures, Joseph of the Old Testament, Joseph of the Book of Mormon and Joseph Smith. My middle name is Jo after Joseph and now we have two great progressing investigators whose names are Joseph! I love it. Then Sister Tess her birthday is may 27! Random facts of happiness hehe. Anywoo, they are progressing and so excited about the church and I am so excited for them and know they will be baptized!
We also have another investigator who is a member of another church here and they always have a lot of questions and are a little hard headed. It took a while to explain the importance of the restoration and the Book of Mormon. He said he would ask his pastors about it and I just thought wow that will never help. So we just testified to him that answers like this don’t come from people but from the Lord through the spirit. It was a really good lesson and after he gave a kneeling prayer and I think it really helped him feel the spirit!
Then we have another investigator Nanay Juliana. She is a little old lady and super cute!!!! She calls us her little ladies in English. She likes to speak English and it is adorable! We went to teach her and she broke down and started telling us about how her husband is weak and that she is scared that she will lose him. She talked about how she has trust in Gods plan but is scared to lose her husband. She talked most of the time and expressed her love for him. It was so sweet! Of course I cried and we shared with her about the plan of salvation and the comfort that comes from the atonement of Jesus Christ! She said that when she talked to her husband about us he said that they are catholic and too old but if they were younger they would be "Mormon" hehe so we just have to help them realize that they have this time on earth to prepare and know the truth no matter how short the time may be. She expressed her love for us and told us that were are her best friends! She is amazing and I think I knew her in the pre-existence.
So Marj our former investigator who moved to Manila, she is the daughter of Tess and Joseph they have another daughter who we were able to teach. I was so excited because she seems really interested but she can’t get baptized yet because she is living with a man and they are going to have a baby but they aren’t yet married and can’t get married for two years because she is only 16! :( But we are still excited to prepare her for the time when she can get baptized!
We also were told of a place to go teach by a member, she has two referrals that we haven’t yet met and then we met her brothers and they are excited and want to be baptized! I am so excited for the work.
I have had a half-day mission but it was in my first area so you probably don’t remember and I probably didn’t really understand what was going on hehe.
But it is amazing we will have all the missionaries from our zone come to our area and ward members will work so that we can split up and go bring back the lost sheep in one great morning of reactivation and spreading the gospel! It is going to be epic! I think it will really bring a good spirit to the ward and help the members feel the joy of missionary work, help reactivate and help to find new investigators! I am so excited! However I will only see day after affects.  Because it is on the 19th the day before I go into the mission home.
It is crazy to think how fast it is coming and I am not ready for it. There is still work to be done so until the last minute it is my job I will be as diligent as I can! I love the gospel. I know it is true and I am so grateful for it in my life!
I love you all and am glad to hear you are doing well. Just like you I hope it warms up of I will die when I go home. Hehe. I love you keep being the great family you are! You are always in my prayers!
Love, Sister Andreasen   

Work, Work, Work, That is the Secret - February 21, 2010

Attack of the Butterfly

I love you all!

So you made me a little trunky in that last email when you said that we are going to TOFW in April! I am so excited and John Bytheway will be there! Wow! I am so excited! Haha. I am going to send pouch this Thursday because we have zone conference and then I will send the doll to Sister Remy. I was able to send the package today they said it could take up to 25 days. So it should be there before me. Haha. Wow that is so weird to think. Haha. I sent some shells, ties and clothes too. I didn’t write that great of a note because I didn’t have a lot of time and I am writing you right now. Sorry. Just know that I love you!!!! :)
So first the weather it is hot now. But not too bad but I have a feeling I will die of cold when I go home.
So lets get to the work. I love it! I love all the people I am meeting in this area! But I had a hard week this week. We gave Sister Marj a baptismal goal date and then the last time we taught her she told us that her job in Manila called and she is going back to work in Manila, so she left this Sunday :( I was so sad! But at least she still wants to be baptized and so we gave a referral to the missionaries in Manila. So I hope we get good news.  Her best friend is a member so I think it will all be okay.
Then we weren’t able to see Tatay Lino this whole week... again! I was so sad! Then we went to see Sister Lain and her kids just came out and said that there dad doesn’t like it and tried to give back the Book of Mormon :( it was so sad! I love that family so much and we were hoping to give a baptismal goal date to sister and I really think she is ready and knows the truth! So I hope that one day they will come to the church! Sister is ready and it just breaks my heart that she can’t even come and talk to us face to face. Sister Lian’s kids said that she was too embarrassed to come and talk to us. So we are going to go back and try to talk to her again. So after that I was feeling a little sad and I just felt like it is may last area and my last transfer and what do I have to show for it! How can I leave the mission and this is how I leave the area and these people! It just broke my heart!
So Saturday night I went home feeling as though I was lacking in the work and so I just wanted to find out what the Lord needs me to do. As I was reading my scriptures I read in 3 Nephi and it talked about how people won’t accept the gospel even when it is right in front of them and it just made me realize that these are the last days and so they aren’t all going to accept the message but that they need to be given the opportunity. Then Sunday was an amazing day! We met new people and we were able to give baptismal goal dates! Then that night I looked over the work that we had done and we met 23 new people and they are amazing! I think the Lord was just helping me see the positive and to remind me that we need to be finding those who will progress and to focus efforts on those who are truly going to accept the gospel! I am excited for the new people that we are meeting and I am excited for our investigators who have baptismal goal dates. I know that I won’t be able to see the fruits of our labors because they need to come to church four times but at least the Lord gave me reassurance that I am making a difference in this work and in this area and that I am doing his will. I hope that I can help people come closer to Christ. We just set a half-day mission and I know that it will give so much help to the ward and to missionary work! I love this work! I know that the Lord has a purpose for me and that he needs me to find the elect and it is hard to see some not accepting the message and I just think about our Father in Heaven and Savior. What must they feel when we don’t accept them or when we go against their will!
I was so grateful for your testimony in the last email it really gave me strength and helped me realize how important this work is and that I just need to keep doing what the Lord wants me to do, continue to read my scriptures, say my prayers, and just work work work. That is my mission "slogan", "work, work, work that is the secret" and it truly is to be happy in the work and to know you are doing the Lord’s will just work! I love it!
I know that this is the true church of Jesus Christ! And I am grateful for this knowledge and for the opportunity to be one of the Lord's missionaries!
Please tell Abby happy birthday and that I love her! Travis too sorry I didn’t say it last week, oh and Aunt Jill!!!!! I love you all!
Sorry if this email is a little crazy we have a member that is here and she doesn’t know how to use a computer so she keeps asking for help and then so does my companion for spelling on English. Hehe. She is writing to president. Haha. Sorry if this is a little crazy! I will write more next week!
I love you all!!!!!!!!
Love, Sister Andreasen 

Hello Again - February 14, 2011

Getting Our Planning Done!

So how is everything going? I hope well. I know who uncle Joe is but I didn’t know him that well, mostly just hearing his name. But I am sure it was hard for grandpa. I am glad to hear that he is doing well though! Speaking of family, when I was in Barra one of the member’s Brother Jerome just came home from his mission and he said that he trained an Elder Andreasen. So I wrote him because he is still in the mission. I figure we are some how related because Andreasen isn’t a very common name. He didn’t tell me his name but he said his dad is Bryon and they are from Logan Utah. He said his grandpa is Clifford but goes by "Boose". He also said his great grandfather is Aaron Andreasen. So I don’t know if we are related but I'm sure some how. So yeah, it’s just a small world!  I got a new companion at transfer day; she like my anak is also from Tarlac, Camiling in Tarlac. She didn’t know Sister Pascual before the mission but they met in the MTC because they are batch. All of my last companions are batch, Sister Pascual, Sister Tacbobo and Sister Gabuyo. That is my new companion, Sister Gabuyo! She is amazing! She is very sweet and very humble and I am blessed to have her as, yes, my last companion. I also got the Liahonas at transfer day. So I hope to get the money and send them today so that they will get there, also some other stuff so I don't have to worry about the weight of my luggage when I.... Anyway, I got your package!!!!! Thank you so much! I got it at transfer day :) thank you for all its wonderful goodness hehe. My companion was also excited because I was able to give her a little Book of Mormon! She loved it. And the rest I will just send. 

So I am loving the work. We had a hard week with work this week. First the sisters were getting ready to leave, we had sisters come stay with us, and we were punted so it was a hard week with numbers and everything but I know that next week will be better. We didn’t even get to see Tatay Lino! He wasn’t home!!! Then Sister Marj committed to baptism and they said they were coming to church but then they weren’t there! :( so I am not sure what happened. But I am excited to move the work forward this week and get our investigators to come to church!!! Have I told you about Sister Kawit and Brother Ephraim? They are great members! Sister Kawit is the Relief Society President and Brother Ephraim has lots of callings but he works with us and helped us with the baptism.  Anyway, Brother Kawit is less active. The one that I said I felt I should go visit. Well we went to see him. I think it was affective! Although we cried, both Sister Tacbobo and I cried because he told us that he has to deal with the fact that he won’t be with his family forever and he said that this life is enough :( it was hard to hear that. I think he was offended. He is a way nice guy though. At first he didn’t want to come out and talk to us but I just started talking to him from a window and then I think he felt bad so he came and talked to us. We didn’t have a lesson we just talk so that we could build his trust but we set a return appointment and I am so excited! Hope it goes well and he understands the importance! I love this work! I love inviting people to come closer to Jesus Christ. Brother Kawit is a jeepney driver so he actually ended up taking all us missionaries to the mission home on transfer day :) 

The bishop really wants to help us in getting the ward to give us referrals and to even work with us as couples! I am so excited! I think it will really help the work. Then we set a day for a 1/2-day mission and I think that it will bring in a lot of referrals and help the less actives to come back!!!! I am so excited for the progression of this area and ward! I love them! 

People always say stuff about how close march is. I guess I have come to the realization that that is true soon I will be leaving but it just means I have to work extra hard! I know that I will be leaving but I don’t feel it! I just feel that I need to push myself and do as much good as I can in this area! It is a large area and one thing that it says in preach my gospel is "leave the area better than you found it" I really want to do that! Help member, less active, investigators, and non-members to come closer to Christ! I love this work! I love my Savior and I love that he makes up for all my imperfections. So even if last week wasn’t as good as it should have been I know that we can always do better and that the spirit will guide and direct where we need to go and how we can be more effective as missionaries! Because this is the best work ever! And I get to be an instrument in the hands of the Lord and I just want to do all I can to please him and to help my brothers and sisters! Because this is the true church and we all have to know the way to return home to our loving Heavenly Father. 

I will be sending pictures so hopefully you get them all!  

The Pullos grandkids, they are so cute and always want to wear our name tags!

The baptism of Brother Jerry!!!!! :) Brother Dwayne Salayog baptized him.

A picture with bishop, his father in law, wife and cute little boy! Bryce is the little boy he is so cute. He is supper shy but always wants to "flirt" with us. 

Brother Danny, he is the ward mission leader. His daughter Mau works with us so he was sleeping waiting to pick her up. Haha.

We went to a butterfly garden for pday and saw some cool animals too, along with a lot of butterflies. 

Then we got to see Sister Ganaden, Elder French, and Elder Holland before they went home! 

Elder French

Sister Ganaden

Elder Holland

President came over for the birthday of Sister Tacbobo. He promised her a meal at the mission home but didn’t have time so just brought it to our apartment real quick.  

A picture of Brother and Sister Kawit! :) 

Me and my companions in the "sacred grove" hehe. On the way to our area :)

Then miracle fruit, that little red berry looking thing. It is really sweet and after eating it if you eat something sour it will just be sweet! It is so crazy!!! :) One of our less active members gave them to us.

Sister Trinidad.

Then at Brother Jerry’s house with his mom! :)

The one in orange is Sister Eve! We had dinner with her. She is so sweet she served her mission here in San Pablo mission :)

then a picture with Brother Patty, Sister Jenny, and Sister Marj :) Sister Marj is in pink.

Happy Valentines Day at SM hehe.

Brother Belda took us to have dinner at SM because sister was in Manila. Haha he doesn’t look very happy but he really is. Haha.

President left his glasses at our apartment hehe.

 So I cried at transfer day! It was the last time I would see a lot of missionaries! Almost all my batch going home was at transfer day! :)

With Elder Muller and Sister Tacbobo.

Then a cute random picture of little kids taking a bath on the street. So cute hehe

That’s it I hope they all send! I love you all! And am so grateful to have you as may family!!!!

Love, Sister Andreasen
p.s. Happy Valentines Day. Hehe.

So Now Let's Get To The Good Stuff - February 7, 2011

The baptism of brother Jerry!!!!!!!!!! It went so well! I am so happy for him. We were so scared because as I said last week he didn’t come to church and we weren’t able to contact him but he was sick, had and emergency, and his cell phone is broken so it has been pretty crazy but he was so excited and really anxious and ready to be baptized! His testimony is amazing! He knows that this is the true church and I know he will never depart from it|! His baptism went really well. 

The Elder's Quorum President baptized him he bore and firm strong testimony and the spirit was just really strong.  Then we went and taught him and it was about the priesthood, which was perfect because the bishop had actually talked with him about the getting the priesthood after church. He is really excite and he knows how great an opportunity and responsibility it is! I just can’t help but picture him as a strong active member. One day going through the temple and raising a family in righteousness! I love it!  So we had a little bit of a crazy week! We weren’t able to see as many investigators as we had planned to but the work was still being guided by the Lord! We met this man Jason and were able to start teaching his wife and they are awesome. When we went to teach them about the restoration they had a girl name Dina at their home who will now be living with them. We taught her and she is so interested to know more and really excited to read the Book of Mormon!!!! I am so excited for her!  So we had a crazy thing happen they broke up our threesome for a couple hours! Sister Batan had to go back to Pakil and get her things because they are now leaving that area to Elders!!!! No sisters in Pakil! I was heart broken! But she had to go get all her stuff and so Sister Tacbobo and I worked in the area. But that day I talked with president and he told me that Sister Batan will be going to Barra at transfer day and that Sister Tacbobo is being transferred so before today I already knew that I will be losing my great companions! I am so sad I love them so much and have learned so much from them but I know it is just another change that will help me grow, although I am nervous for this transfer. But I know the Lord will continue to guide me if I put my trust in him and stay worthy of the spirit!

So after Sister Batan came back on Friday night I had one of the greatest experiences of my whole mission!  Well I have told you about Tatay Lino the one who wanted to sing "How Great Thou Art". Well the last thing we taught him was about the Book of Mormon and praying to know if it was true. Then when we came back he didn’t read but wanted to talk to us. So he told us that he has been praying for the past four days and the answer he got is he cant serve to churches, which is true. But he just said he wished that we were first and everything. So we left a spiritual thought, bore testimony, and committed him to read the Book of Mormon and pray to know if is true. Well we tried and tried to come back and he was never home! I was so sad each time we went to see him and he wasn’t home. Then on Friday we got close to his house and I saw him! I was so happy! We asked if he read and he did. It was in 3 Nephi 11 and so we taught about Jesus Christ and baptism. We asked him what he felt when he prayed and he said that it is true and that the book is about Christ and he knows it is and true book, but he said he just needs some time, because he is so supper active in his church. So we just told him we understand and we want to give him that time and help him to learn and grow in the church but that we wanted him to start preparing himself now so that he can be baptized! And he said yes!!!! I am so so so happy! I love him! I just feel like I am supposed to be here for him! I know he will make a strong ember especially when he grows in the gospel and learns more truths and sees through the scriptures, prayer, and coming to church that this is the true church of Jesus Christ! I left that appointment feeling so good! 

I love the work and I am so excited to keep moving it forward. We talked to the bishop about having a half day mission and I think it will be a really good thing for the members, the less active (because there are a lot), and it will help us get referrals all around it will be such a great missionary tool! I am excited! 

The members in this area are so great! The have a dinner calendar for the missionaries hehe.  But its not just good because of food but it really helps you to grow close to them and to gain their trust so I'm hoping that we can get some good referrals. I know that it will really help them if our investigator has a friend to give them strength and courage to attend church and to help them with questions! Like Sister Jenny and her friend, our investigator, Marj!

I love the work I am so grateful for your love and strength to help me through! I especially need it right now to help me! I love you all! 

Love, Sister Andreasen