June 19, 2016

I promised to make these shorter so you're not all bored to death so I'll try to wrap up the week! 

HIGHLIGHTS:

I will truly miss our mission president and his wife!

- Last P-day one Samoan elder taught us all the Haka after we played basketball hahaha you get creative as a missionary for non-proselyting activities 

-We got a new ward mission leader!! He is such a humble father of 6 kids, all of them including his wife recent converts and he is a fairly recent returning member! He didn't have the chance to serve a mission so he is so grateful for this chance to work with us. We will be kind of training him as well :) 

-ZONE CONFERENCE! This was an extra special one because our mission president will be going home at the end of this month! We got to see lots of other missionaries, learned some awesome lessons, and ate some good food. The lessons were all geared on really being connected with the powers of heaven and the Holy Ghost to tailor our lessons to our investigators and not just teach doctrine.  

-Also...TRANSFERS! I AM NOW DONE WITH TRAINING! Crazy how fast that went huh? My cute best friend/kasama will be going "sa baba" to the lowlands. I will miss her so much! As for me...I will be here in Baguio City for another three months because I am becoming a trainer!! That was SO unexpected but I will talk more about that later :) 

Missionaries can laugh too:

-Something funny this week was when the Zone Leaders told me President has called me as a trainer and I about died and didn't say anything so they thought there was something wrong with the phone haha they were like "Um sister walters are you there? Did you die?" Yes. Yes I did. 

I am going to miss this kasama!

 

Surprise package from a  friend in Provo means...

You better share the candy inside!  LOVE USA chocolate
!

You know you're in the Philippines when...

If you didn't hear what someone said you just look at them a little closer and open your mouth really wide but you don't make any sound. You look kind of like a monkey but then they know they need to repeat it louder hahaha 

Tagalog Word of the Day...

Last FHE with the pescua family with this kasama

Pagdarasal or Panalangin- Prayer. Pray for the typhoons coming our way! haha just kidding mom, I think that's next month still. Don't worry. 

Spiritual Thought:

I would just like to say I need to eat my own words from my spiritual thought a couple weeks ago about God calling men in their weaknesses to strengthen them and magnify their callings. I say this because I have SO many weaknesses as a missionary and if I had it my way I would be in training my whole mission because I have so much to learn. I feel so incredibly humbled by this calling and although I lack confidence in myself to fulfill this (I am just this random blonde American in the middle of the Philippines still trying to speak Tagalog and now I am going to introduce a greenie to mission life) I have full and complete confidence in God. We recite D&C 4 every day and one verse in that chapter states "If you have desires to serve God, ye are called to the work." I have the strongest desire to give my all to the Lord, to pay back what I can to him for his incredible sacrifice for us all. I know the Lord knows me so personally and knows the fear I may be experiencing now but through the atonement of Jesus Christ, he has walked my path and therefore knows how to strengthen me. If I am humble and willing to be taught and learn, he will shape me into the trainer he needs me to be. I know this is true for each and every one of us and I challenge you to counsel with God with whatever your current fears or stresses are at this time (whether they be gospel related or not) and let.him.help.you. Read Alma 7:11-13. I am so grateful for his sacrifice and the love that our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ have for each and every one of us. 

Wish me luck!!!

Mahal Kita!!!

Sister Walters