Family!!
So this week has been absolutely insane... My companion has been really sick for the last three weeks, like throwing up everything and headaches and just super bad stuff (pretty much just another Sister Vaka). So anyway we haven't worked a lot in our area in this last week and it's been a little rough, but i have been optimistic for the future... but that was a bad idea. So anyway this week we had MLC in Manila so we left on Wednesday had a really crazy day and ended up just sleeping in the Mission Home to go to MLC on thursday. MLC was soooo good like it always is, but in the middle of it my companion Sister Laug Laug was like dying and actually had to go up and rest in our room.. So then it was just me in the MLC, but i also got to see Sister Holzworth and wow was that the best thing of my whole entire life. Ahhhh i have missed her so much. it was so awesome to see her!! Anyway, then after MLC one of the Sister's in Sister Holzworth stewardship came over to talk to me. She is American and is from Virginia and she has just had a really hard time adjusting to the Philippines. Her trainer didn't really speak English, she had culture shock, and she just had been struggling emotionally, physically, just the whole thing. So i talked to her and it was really good. She is so cute and just such a sweet Sister.
After that we ended up staying in the Mission Home until Friday so Sister Laug Laug could see a doctor and find out what is wrong with her.. i was suppossed to go back to Palawan on Friday night just alone, but i missed my flight cuz of traffic so that was sad.. but then after Sister Laug Laug's appointment President Ostler had decided to just have her stay in Manila for now and be apart of a different companionship. So i just had to stay in the Mission Home by myself friday night and catch a flight in the morning. Which wasn't all that bad considering they had GREAT food and i was with President and Sister Ostler, in this way nice house with Air Con and Hot water... so i'm not complaining or anything, but then on Friday as President Ostler and i were talking and we were thinking maybe Sister Greer could be my companion in Palwan. So he prayed and pondered about it on Friday night and then on Saturday he told me he thinks it would work and be a great idea.
So on Saturday Sister Ostler and i went to the mission office to pick up Sister Greer and help her pack. Then we flew to Palwan and now Sister Greer is my companion. She is awesome! She just came into the field on August 24th and she is from Springfeild Virginia. So i'm really happy that i am now her companion. i feel like we are going to learn a lot together and from each other. it is a little bit harder because i am now training her (and she is a foreigner, but she is pretty good at Tagalog for just getting out of the MTC) and we are fresh starting the area because i have no idea where anything is.. we hardly worked because Sister Laug Laug was so sick, and now i am also a Sister Training Leader. So it's a little bit of stress, but it is okay because i am learning more than ever how to really, fully, completely, trust and rely on the Lord.
The thing that is really kind of hard is i thought it was going to be a little easier fresh starting this area, but when i got home on Saturday and looked at the area book.. there is nothing. Let's just say either things got lost or someone didn't care to touch it in the last couple of months..So it is going to be a little bit harder than i expected, but it's okay because i know that the Lord is here for me and he will help me. We have a member in our area who knows most of the people so i think that will help a lot. i just have to try to get everything organized, do my part, try my best, and leave the rest to the Lord. Honestly i have been praying really hard for strength and help to be able to do everything that is required of me. i haven't felt really stressed. Every time i pray i have felt nothing but peace and love. Honestly, i think this is really an amazing experience for me because i have been relying on the Lord more than ever before and i can literally feel Him with me in every step of this work. So if training, fresh starting, and being a sister training leader is what it takes for me to really put all of my heart and all of my trust in the Lord than i am more than willing to do it. it's crazy how happy and calm i feel about everything right now. i don't feel stress i just feel happy and i really do feel confident in the Lord being right here with me in every phase of this work.i am so grateful to be here. i know it will be hard and i will have to constantly look to Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ for guidance and help, but that is how it is supposed to be.
We have already seen miracles in our area and it has only been like three days. We were able to have a less active come to church on Sunday. After church and coordination meeting we went exploring a little in our area. i remembered one sister who was in our area who was a part member that Sister Laug Laug and i taught last week. As i tried to remember where she lived i had the impression to go down a certain street and ask for directions or to see if the person living there knew her. When we said "tao po" to the house an old lady came out and said she didn't know her. Then just as we were about to turn away and start down to another street, the man who was at church earlier comes out of the house! Then i was in complete shock, knowing that the Holy Ghost really lead us to this man.. Sadly we didn't have a third babae so we weren't able to teach, but we found where he lives. Wow.. it is just amazing to see how the Lord works. This experience just really showed me that the Lord really is here to lead us and guide us in His work and how important it really is to be sensitive to the promptings of the Holy Ghost.
i am so excited for this transfer and i can't wait to see how much more i grow. i have learned so much on my mission and i continue to learn and grow everyday. This is going to be a real test of trust and faith on my part, but i know that with the Lord i can do anything. Thank you all for your prayers and your support. i love you all with my whole heart. Keep reading the Book of Mormon, CTR, and be happy.
Mahal ko kayo,
Sister Barton
Ps. My companion, Sister Greer also makes american food all the time and she is really good at it and it's awesome so that's cool :)
PPs. Sorry i can't do capitalized i's on this computer.. haha
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