Highlights:

-So, remember how I was frustrated with faith, agency, and unanswered prayers last week? Well the Lord gave me a sweet reminder that he DOES always answer prayers and gives us what we ask for if it is in faith and if it's right. I had fasted and prayed ALL night last Saturday for tatay villanueva to come to church and he didn't show up. I prayed specifically the lord would prompt him to come. When we came back the next week Tatay looked straight at me and said "Sister Walters, I couldn't sleep all night because God was telling me to go to church." YES!! I was so humbled, and happy. I smiled and asked him what he would do so he could sleep better this week. He said he was gonna force himself to stop his work and come to church. THEY ALL CAME TO CHURCH as a fam and their baptism will continue for the 25th. God answers prayers. 

-Hazel said she wants to be baptized as soon as possible so we had to teach the Word of Wisdom right away because they have to keep it for a month before they can be baptized. Her face when we said we shouldn't drink coffee was SO funny but at church she told us she stopped right away and when we husband was a little annoyed she said he could drink hot water with salt in it if he wanted but they weren't drinking coffee because God said it will make them sick. She is amazing. 

-Also my heart melted when she was reading out loud in relief society and struggling a little bit so sister Ortega comes behind her and puts her own reading glasses over her eyes. The ones we bought her got lost and sister ortega's kindness came to save the day!! 

The Other Sister Training Leaders

- Remember that group of little kids we taught last week? They came RUNNING up to us the other day so excited and said in one big burst "SISTER WALTERS! I read every day and I prayed and asked if the sister missionaries were true and I felt something like God said yes, it's true. We believe you." Um, am I surprised that Jesus Christ ministered to little children and angels surrounded them? Not at all. Their faith is incredible. That particular one is Mark and he turns 8 today. 

- No big deal um....I have been on my mission for 1 YEAR! We had a meeting with the other sister training leaders and zone leaders on Friday and they were looking at my pictures I keep with me- one was the day I came into the MTC and the they noticed the back said February 10, 2016. They were like TODAY YOU HAVE BEEN HERE FOR A YEAR! I was like..oh yeah..haha that's a long time. Mission is too fast everyone. 

Missionaries can Laugh Too:

Filipinos say their "p"s as "f" and "f" and "p"s. We were talking in english with the Macabuags for dinner and I said "how was your day brother Alex?" he cleverly replied "Fine- like a fine apple" (meaning pineapple) Maybe you had to be there but I DIED. Filipinos talkenglish SO funny. 

You Know You're in the Philippines When:

You have a list like this to count church attendance :

hahaha 

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Tagalog:

"Kinakonscienca ako ng Diyos" That's an example of "Taglish" They made "conscience" a verb and said God was making them conscience. That's what Tatay said when he couldn't sleep haha.

Spiritual Thought:

Basically, I am inspired again by my amazing friends and this week I want to comment on Sister Hardcastles study of submitting to the will of the father. No matter how happy the mission is there are definitely still hard times, and times where you are treading water and close to running out of strength and breath, wondering when the rescue ship is coming. But I take comfort in studying about the atonement of Jesus Christ knowing that anything coming my way is something he himself has overcome. There is a scripture in 1 Nephi 9: 19 or 19:9 something like that that lists all the pain he went through and after every one it says "and he suffereth it" because of his "long-suffering kindness towards the children of men." We press through these trials on the mission because we love our investigators, and our companions, and mostly our savior. I know with whatever you are facing if you study his sacrifice and his atonement you will find the strength to break the surface of the water and start swimming strong- whether the waves have subsided or not. 

I'd like to close with what my grandma sent me when people are going through hard times and they ask their Heavenly Father why:

"Why are you taking me through such troubled waters?"

"Because your enemies can't swim." 

Love you grandma :) and LOVE YOU ALL!! 

Sister Walters

 

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