Abbey in the Philippines: Sister Abbey Hafen // Week Six // THE FINAL COUNTDOWN....!‏

Oh my dear goodness. Today is Saturday. My last Saturday on American soil for 17 months. Well, 16.5 months. CRAZY!

Ever since we got our travel plans last Friday, time has FLOWN BY. Seriously. I can't even believe it. This week was beautifully crazy. As is like EVERY week, pero, I'm used to it.

We had an incredible lesson from Sister Tasha Sharp, (our evening teacher who was our first investigator). the fundemental is "Teach People, Not Lessons." We talk about this all the time, but the language was such a hang up for me. I wanted to just be myself completely, and attend to their needs, but my response is very limited. And often times we can't tell what they are saying. So I was excited for this lesson, but at the same time, knew I would feel frustrated because I couldn't do it. She began the lesson and told us that tonight, she was the investigator for all of us. She would come in the door sit down, and we would all teach her. No assigned topic, we just needed to find out her needs and teach to her needs. She was acting as herself- RM of 4 months, teacher at the MTC, college student at BYU. Just Tasha. She told us if the language was holding us back, don't use it. she came in, sat down, and we began to talk to her. We asked questions, we laughed, just eased in. We asked her where she had been reading in the BOM and she opened up. She read us a verse about how the Lord will smile upon us and will be proud or something like that. She said that she wanted that to happen, and she yearns for that moment. Sister Alyssa Meinzer then took a turn to say something, and told her that Yes, the Lord is proud of you. He is so proud because you have been doing your duty as a teacher to us. You have been an answer to our prayers, all of ours, and he is proud of you for that. Know that he is proud. (something to that affect). BOOM. The spirit was in the room. The rest of the lesson was guided SOLELY by the spirit. We were all edified so much, and there isn't much else I can say about that lesson because it was so sacred that night with our district and our teacher, Sister Tasha Sharp, She is so Christ-like and I hope I can be a missionary like her.

Life is so beautiful and I am so happy. There have been wild and crazy things happen, but everything always gets resolved. I love it.

Olivia Earl left this week. I saw her almost every day at breakfast and what a blessing that was. I went and saw her off the night before in her study builiding. Tears were shed but Livy is going to be incredible. She's helped MY life so much, and there are people in Florida being prepared for her right now. Ah. What a sweet thing that was to see her so often! I love her. and can't wait to reunite with ALL of you post mission :)

Our elders in our district are so dang funny it kills me. Seriously kills me. We just laugh so hard, but we work so hard too. I swear we are the only district who acutally works hard- everyone else is flooding the halls of our building hanging out in the hallway and what not. We know when to have fun, and when to study. I am grateful for that. We have become so close and we are so lucky. There has been some drama with the other districts in our zone, and we always just talk about how grateful we are for each other. Never ONCE have our elders disrespected us. Never ONCE have we had a major problem arise. We are all here for the same reason, and we share that reason with each other often. It's called The Purpose. To invite others to come unto Christ. Our district has become so close and leaving each other Wednesday morning in the Philippines is going to be tough. Last night our elders just came out and said "Man, its going to suck not being able to hug you guys at the airport. Seriosly, we want to just hug each of you for like 10 minutes." Hahaha. We really are just a family and because we've been SO on the same page, we've been able to become that solid family.

We got to host this week! Host the new missionaries! It was SO FUN. Pero, it brought back so many unwanted feelings. Seriously, I felt like I was going to have an accident in my pants (skirt I guess) because watching all those missionaries get out of the car teary eyed, bawling moms, sad siblings, and the "farewell waves" made me remember that SERIOUSLY WEIRD DAY June 19th. That was the weirdest day of my life so far. I hosted a Savannah Teeples going to Germany (she was a ginger), and Kasey Sharp from Bountiful going to California Redlands. I have gone to see them each night this week and that has been fun. At first I thought they might be getting sick of it, pero, last night we decided to just do a door approach and not go in, pero Sister Teeples room opened the door and all the sisters said "We are so glad you here. Do you have a pick me up for tonight again because we need it." We went in and just talkedwith them. They are going to be such good missionaries. I am excited for them. It's amazing how much they look up to us and it's amazing that we've been here for 6 weeks. We dont' know everything, but I remember the impact Sister Cutia and Sister Franks had on me, being almost 6 weeks the week I got here. Just knowing that everything would be okay was SO comforting and that YES you won't feel like such a loser every day after you get used to being here. I hope my new sisters, the ones I hosted, just keep improving every day; and I know they will. They are stellar.

Gym time is great. Because of my foot, I can't run or play basketball anymore, so I usually jet outside and throw the frisb around. Elder Kikel in the other district is so funny, and Elder Crowther as well. Sister Meinzer and I threw the frisb around with themall of gym and had a great time. Hahaha, I love Elders. They are so funny, especially our zone- our zone really is so baller.

My companion and I taught our last lessons to each of our investigators this week. It went great. I finally feel like I can bear testimony from the heart and say the things I want to- Ha this will all change come a few days though, because they won't be speaking the same tagalog our teachers speak- slow, clear, and loud. Haha. But that's hindi mahalaga (not important). My companion did a stellar job and extended the baptismal invitation to Jonabelle. She smiled and said "I want to but I don't think my mom will allow it." I had no idea what to say but then just told her to invite her mom to our next lesson. I told her that WE have noticed her bcome happier and that if she continues to read and pray, and then do that with her family, they will become happy. she said she would invite her mom and I jsut couldn't stop smiling. Where the HECK did all of that tagalog come from?! Seriously?! I was so grateful for Heavenly Father and his sweet sweet tender mercies. The lesson went so well and we ended confidently. I was so happy and grateful.

We had our last lesson with Brother Trebas. He got us all ties and signed them, and then us sisters learned how to tie them.Haha, it was SO funny. Elder Hall taught me how to tie mine and we had the funniest names and phrases for each step of the process. It was so fun. We all went outside and took pics and then came in and we each taught him one last time as companionships, and then had story time. He read parts of his journal, told stories, and just talked. It was so awesome. We knelt for prayer and he offered to say it. We all knelt down and there was a long pause. He then started the prayer in english. It was such a powerful prayer and he said so many things that were answers to our prayers. The spirit was so strong and it was so hard to say goodbye. And it was so hard not to hug him, pero what do you do?! It was a great day of class and I seriosuly am so grateful for Brother Trebas. He was such an influence to me and I love him.

Infield Orientation was yesterday. SO FUN. And so overwhelming. THERE IS SO MUCH TO DO IN THE FIELD. Haha, seriously, how do missionaries get everything done!? It got me so excited and the main director of the whole thing served in the philippines, so that was so fun. His stories were WILD! I had so many confirmations and personal revelation yesterday. Man. I leave the US Monday morning to LIVE in the Philippines for a year and a half. When I say it out loud it gives me the chills. I can't even believe it. Yesterday was seriously SO awesome and I got super stoked to leave. I dont really know what else to say about leaving. Its just so unreal. Kind of like right before I came her, the whole idea of a mission was just fake and I had no idea what was coming. It's like that, but in a different way and like... times 1000000000000 more wild. Haha.

I seriously don't know a lot. And I find myself treating my SELF as an investigator; asking so many questions and then planning my study around my questions, looking for the answer and gaining a testimony of it. But there is one thing that never changes. There's one thing that I never have to keep reseraching over and over to convince myself. There is ONE thing that I can ALWAYS go back to, and that is Jesus Christ. Even being here at the MTC, where the say the spirit is so thick you can cut it with a knife, I still feel the adversary getting at me. I still find myself doubting what I know. But one thing I never doubt is Jesus Christ. and honestly, I am so grateful for that. I love my Savior and I ALWAYS lean back on that tesimony I have of Him and his atonement. This gospel is simple, and this work is wild. I love it and I love Jesus Christ. I can't wait to leave for the Philippines and I seriously don't even know what to think.

Thanks for everything. this email was dfl (dang freakin long), but I had so much to say! Next weeks email wil be a little more exciting. Cause I will be across the globe. BLEH!! Haha.

special thanks to GMA Haf, The Brad Esplin Clan, The HAfen Fam Reunion attendees, and mom, al, and tor for the package. I love hearing from you guys, I really do. I am so blessed.

Masaya po ako. Sobrang masaya (I am happy. SO happy)

Love sis haf

Elder Poulter, Elder Tribe, and Elder Baker. STUDS. Temple walk sunday.

Me and Sister Hardy, the sister training leader from St. George. She was friends with Telisha Pantalakis. SUCH a sweet heart.

Sister Nosler, Sister Judd, Sister Smith, Sister Escobar, me. This trio of sisters are so dang cute, we love them so much. it will be sad to leave them. Temple walk on Sunday.

Zach Bess, Tanner Olsen, me. SCHS! SCHS!

I love my casama.

Me and Sarah Moore! We had mission prep together at the U. I love her and saw her like her 2nd day. She's so awesome.

At the doctors office. Field trip!!

Me and Livy on her last night.

Me, Sister Nosler, Preston Trebas.

Elder Baker, Elder Tribe, Elder Hall, Elder Poulter. Hahaha cheeeeeeeeese it.

Us with Sister Sharp!! We LOVE HER SO MUCH.

A sweet surprise from who knows who at our dorm!

Me and Sister Sharp. She is so celestial, I love her.

Us with the ties that Brother Trebas gave us!

G SHOCKS. Everyone teased me so bad for thinking g shocks were so cool, and so when mine finally came they gave me such a hard time. Brother Trebas wears one every day and the first day of class i told him I liked his g shock. He was impressed that I knew what that was! haha. Me, Sister Meinzer, Elder Poulter, Brother Trebas.