WEEK 78: HOMEBOUND

Hello everyone :) It's surreal writing this one because it means that my mission is already over. I can't believe how fast the time has gone! It feels almost like this past year and a half didn't even happen.

I'm so grateful for all the spiritual experiences I was able to have in the course of 18 months and witness the hand of God in all things. My faith has grown greatly and I feel I've changed so much more into the person that Heavenly Father wants me to be. But more important than myself, I've met so many of Heavenly Father's children that I've come to know and love greatly. Nothing could replace the time I spent on my mission and I know I will never regret the decision of making a mission. 

I just want to thank everybody for all the help and support that was given. My mission was such an amazing experience and I hope that in the future I'll be able to help others the same way that I was. 

I love the Philippines so much and it will always hold a special place in my heart and I know that one day I will go back and be with the people again that I love. And eat the food that I love!

Kabalo ako nga mga anak kita tanan sang Dios kag palangga Niya gid kita tanan. Kag tungod sina nga pagpalangga, ging hatag Niya ang iya anak nga si JesuCristo satun kag nag sakripisyo sya para satun mga sala. Palangga Niya man kita tanan. Kag kabalo man ako nga may ara kita ang isa ka buhi nga propeta subong, si President Russell M. Nelson. Amuna nag pamaagi ni Heavenly Father para maka hatag sya sang iya mga kasuguan satun hasta subong. Kag kabalo man ako nga paagi kay propeta Joseph Smith, ging panunumbalik ni JesuCristo ang iya simbahan sa kalibutan, ang Simbahan ni JesuCristo sang mga Santos sa Ulihing mga Adlaw. Kun sundon natun ang mga kasuguan sang Dios kag ang doctrina ni JesuCristo, maka balik kita tanan sa iya ginharian nga ging prepare Niya para satun tanan. Palangga ko gid si Heavenly Father kag si JesuCristo kag kabalo gid ako nga buhi sila. Kabalo man ako nga matuod ang Libro ni Mormon. Ging basa ko sya kag paagi sa balaan nga espiritu, nabal-an ko nga mga pulong gid sya sang Dios kag damu natun pwede matun-an halin sa mga ging sulat dira. Kabalo ako nga ini tanan matuod gid kag ini tanan gina bilin ko sa pangalan ni JesuCristo, amen.

He lives.

1) My batch going home with President and Sister Barredo

Week 76: COLD!

Hey everyone, it's been a good week! And for me it's been SUPER cold which honestly it probably isn't even that cold but when we go out I wear socks and when we sleep at night we don't use the electric fan. Maybe this is God preparing me for Missouri's cold weather haha. 

The work went great this week with the help of our branch members, referrals are amazing! We were able to teach three new families and some were able to attend church on Sunday. I'm actually really tired right now haha but in short they're all really great and some show some real promise. 

I'm just really grateful to be a missionary and that I have this time to serve Him, there's really is nothing like the mission life. I really appreciate all of your guys love and support to me, it means the world. Love you all!

Sister Pope

1) My beautiful area!!

Week 75: BUSCOPAN

Hey everybody, so it's been an interesting week, lots of ups and downs! But mostly ups :)

First, the passing of our prophet Thomas S. Monson startled our zone but we're also happy he'll be reunited with his wife in the next world. We were out teaching and then the Mina elders texted us that he had passed away. We were so shocked we called the finance elder, Elder Klingonsmith (my batch) and he confirmed it was true. He's been the prophet almost all my life but I'm also so happy and blessed that we live in a dispensation where a new prophet will be called and we'll receive guidance from Heavenly Father always. 

Our investigator Francis is doing great! He came to all 3 hours of church on Sunday and always has so many questions. He's still progressing well towards his baptism though and always talks with us when we buy ice cream at 7/11. He's great!

Trisha is doing great too, still progressing slowly but surely. She enjoys coming to church but is still really shy of a lot of the members given her past. We're trying to find her a good fellowshipper but everyone there is so old haha. She'll be alright though, she's doing great. 

Things are pretty much the same here though, actually there were transfers on last Monday and it's STILL us four missionaries in Sipalay; me, sister Santos, and elders Steffen and Tabligan. We've all been here for four months together now haha. I'm so grateful still though that I got to be assigned here in Sipalay, it really is the best! Although I got a little sick this week and it was a WEIRD sickness, like I felt hungry all the time even though I had just eaten, it was super weird. But I just got prescribed this medicine here called "buscopan" and I'm all better :)

That's about it though, thank you all for the love and support! It means everything :)

Sister Pope

Week 74: HAPPY NEW YEAR

Hey everyone!!! Sorry I wasn't able to email last week, I skyped my family which was really fun. Christmas was a treat, which was my second Christmas here. I love Christmas in the Philippines, people here love Jesus Christ so much so it makes the holidays here even more special. 

So actually so many miracles have happened here I don't even know where to start. Brother Mark was baptized on Dec. 23rd and it was such a special day! He was baptized with his son JM and his whole family was just so happy! He's been an investigator for ten years and we're so happy he finally made the decision to be baptized. He has such a strong testimony and we're so happy for him and his family. They're one step closer to being sealed in the temple. 

A lot of stuff has happened but I'll just write about it next week because we're really short on time. I just love you all and hope you all had a great New Year!

Sister Pope

1) one of our five Christmas dinners on the 24th

2) we played Christmas gift swap in our zone and I got a rubiks ube and 20 pesos :)

3) one of our four appointments on the 31st, that is our branch president wearing the hat

4) our mission Christmas devotional 

Week 72: MERRY CHRISTMAS

Hey everyone!! It is sooooo christmas-y here in the Philippines! I was really feeling the Christmas spirit yesterday.. after our work was done it started raining pretty hard and this strong cool wind came across the ocean and cooled down all of Sipalay! We were actually COLD!!! We didn't use our electric fans! We just wrapped ourselves up in blankets and drank some hot chocolate my mom sent me. It was probably only like 70ish degrees but we were so cold. All the filipinos here were wearing big coats haha. It's really Christmas time! 

Because of the "cold" weather a lot of people were in their homes this week so we got to teach a lot. Trisha is doing good as usual, she just turned 18 and we're going to celebrate with her later tonight. She really is the best and continues to fellowship all her friends. She progresses slowly but surely! 

Mark is doing great. His wife is totally supportive of his baptism and we have committed him for this Saturday. He has such strong faith and after being an investigator for 10 years, we are really encouraging him so he can be prepared for this Saturday. It would be such a miracle!

Also in the Philippines like every store here is a guard that watches outside, including 7/11, and one of the guards there is like reeaallly progressing! We invited him to church and he went, he's been twice now! We extended baptism to him and he said "I think this is what I really need to change", he's so awesome! We're really excited to see how he continues to progress. 

We also had another beautiful p-day at a place called sugar beach, we barbecued pork on the beach and played frisbee. I serve in literal paradise!!!

But I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas and find a way to show Christ's love to someone this season. I love being a missionary and I'm so grateful I get to serve Him for another Christmas. 

Thank you all for the love and support, you guys are the best! 

Sister Pope 

Week 71: DASIG ANG TION!!

Hey everyone!! So today was sad because a lot of my mission friends went home today but I'm so happy for all of them and they all will return with honor :) So Sister Fawcett and Sister Ducado is going home.. so sad. It really feels like Sister Fawcett and I just got here and were going out on exchanges straight up struggling on speaking the language and I just said goodbye to her earlier both speaking fluent ilonggo... time is sooo fast!! (dasig gid ang tion!!)

This week was fun because we had zone conference and received trainings from our mission leaders. We really think it has helped our zone and we made it extra fun with a gift exchange at the end of it. Our zone has bonded so well and we're all going to cry on transfer day (which is on the 1st of January).. a lot of missionaries are going to be transferred! 

Our investigators are continuing to progress well, Trisha is progressing slowly but surely. She really shows her faith through church attendance and prayer but really has to work on losing her vices. She is so committed though and seriously teaches her friends the gospel and commits them to keep commitments she's the best.

We have a baptismal date for Mark! We're soooo hoping it will all work out and the stars will align haha. We also got a referral from a member of this guard that works at 7/11, his name is Francis and is amazing! He already has so much desire to change and has a good group of fellowshippers. We're so excited to see all their progress!

So.. I have officially eaten balut!! Haha, it was actually pretty good! It kind of was hard swallowing down the chicken fetus though.. but mostly it just tastes like chicken soup. 

Also! The Semillano family from Magsungay, my second area, came to Sipalay for vacation and I saw them!!! We were so surprised that we saw each other haha, they're so strong in the church and I'm so grateful I was able to meet them.

Well thank you all for the love and support and hope you all enjoy your Christmas season, I'll enjoy mine in the 80+ degree weather in grass huts. I love the Philippines!!!

Sister Pope

1) Me and sister Bartolome at a meeting :)

2) BALUT!!! mmMMmmMm 

Week 70: ZONE CONFERENCE

Hey everyone! This week went by REALLY fast.. in fact the weeks have been starting to blur by! Which is really scary I don't want the time to go by fast haha. 

This week was good, on Tuesday we went to the city for zone conference which was good, we were combined with the other zones in the mission so it was fun to see some familiar faces there, especially the ones that are going home in two weeks! Which are TWO of my companions!! Bye bye Sister Fawcett and Sister Ducado :( I'll miss them a lot!

Sister Santos got a little sick this week so we weren't able to be out long, her back is really sore. We got a doctor to look at her, but being assigned in the most mountainous part of my mission the doctor was kind of a funny sight. He had this crazy hair, glasses that had one missing lens, and his t-shirt that he was wearing had at least more than ten sizable holes in it. He seemed pretty smart though and Sister Santos has been getting a little better with the pain medication she's taking. Let's just say I'm glad that I'm not the one that got sick haha.

Trisha is doing great! She really has a difficult past but she is so willing to change and is so kind and open to everything! She's also fellowshipping everyone that lives by her and she's already committed like three people to come to church with her next Sunday. She's so great! 

Anyways we're really excited to get back to the work this week now that my companion has been able to recover a little. Thanks everyone for the love and support!

Sister Pope

Sorry no pictures :( actually I think my SD card got a virus... maybe all my pictures got deleted haha that would really be a bummer