So on to more important matters..... labor went well, and I'm proud to introduce you to my child. Sister Atienza. She is 23, turning twenty four in February (feb 4. holler for feb!), and she is the best person ever. I love her so much. It has been such a good past few days, and I seriously am happy we have 12 weeks (2 cycles) together. It's so weird that she was in the normal world just two weeks ago. Like, I didn't put that together until last night. I've really tried to be so aware of the way I felt those first few days, and weeks, as a brand new missionary. And really, these past few days, we have just worked really hard. And then, last night, we were walking home, talking, and she said (in tagalog), "There really just hasn't even been time to be homesick. Just work work work, ya know?" and I smiled at her and said in tagalog, "Sister. I promise you, that is the secret to missionary work. WORK. There won't be time for homesick if you're working hard" (that actually comes from PMG I can't really take the credit, ha) We then just had a really good talk the rest of the way home. I love my anak, and I have really come to appreciate my trainer. I can't imagine training me, haha. We opened an area (double transfer), I am an american, and a million other reasons to make training twelve times harder than it already is, haha. My anak (trainee) came pre-trained I swear. I think the hardest thing I've had to tell her so far is that we wear proselyting clothes on pday in town if we don't have an activity. Haha.
Anyway. So the work really is going good. It's been so hard to schedule, because all of our investigators want to be taught anytime from 5:30-8. But we can't teach all of them at the same time! So we've really had to figure out planning. It's been rough. But we are grateful we have so many people to teach, honestly, such a blessing. I honestly have grown such love for these people this week for some reason. I don't know why, but I love my area so much and after I am done training Sister A, I will have been here for 7 months. Leaving will be so hard, but they say that's the mission life.
So I wish I could express what I am feeling right now, but it's so hard. I am just so happy. I am just so happy. I love my calling right now, and even though sometimes there is just this sick feeling in my stomach because I am not sure what we're supposed to do, where to go, or what, and I still sometimes just take a step back and realize I am an american 19yr old girl, in the philippines... but every time, things just work out. I realize that I can't fix everything here, or expect every single investigator to gain a burning testimony on my time frame, or my desires. I know that even now, as a trainer, I still am not fluent in tagalog, so I have to rely on other people. But honestly, everything that has happened the past few days, has almost been handpicked and placed in my path. Heavenly Father is SO aware of us, and knows what we need. He knows what we can and can't handle. And everything that seems unfair, or dumb, too hard, or not realistic at all, can be made fair, awesome, easier, and realistic through the power and reality of the atonement.
We taught RJ Visperas (our investigator, 19yrs old, part member) last night about enduring to the end, in lesson 3. One thing that our fellowshipper (she's an RM) said is that this gospel isn't "basta basta" meaning like "whatever" or "something casual". This gospel is a life long pursuit to become better every day, and our covenant at baptism is so important. It is not going to be easy, at all. It almost seems like as you come closer to Jesus Christ, more trials come. But when we know the gospel of jesus christ, we are equipped to handle them. It was such a cool lesson, and honestly, when I bore testimony to him that it really isn't just "whatever" and that if it was just a "whatever" kind of a thing, I wouldn't be here in the Philippines. I am here in the Philippines for a year and half because this is the most important thing in my life. The spirit was so strong as I explained this to him. The Visperas family has honestly changed, and they are growing so close and realizing the importance of the gospel. I can't even explain to you how much I love them and how they have helped me see the importance of the gospel in a family.
This is really hard. This is really awesome. I am so dang blessed it almost seems unfair haha. But I am happy and I really don't know what else to say. Maybe next week I will have a cooler story to tell or maybe something crazy will happen. I just am being so very blessed right now, and I am almost nervous that one day I'm going to wake up from the dream and realize I'm still in the MTC. (i really hope that doesn't happen haha)
Thats really all for now. I feel like my emails are getting more and more lame, so maybe next week I'll be better. Haha. Really though, its just to the point where I can't explain how I feel or what it's like here. I forget that I came from a completely different world. I forget that I used to shower with hot water, sit in a sacrament hall with cushioned seats, drink tap water, drive a car, study anatomy, text my friends, instagram, wear lots of make up, lay around all day sunday, cruise on facebook for hours, forget to read my scriptures, use bad language, gossip all the time, and forget who my heavenly father is. I forget that is where I came from and what normal life was, and when I remember, I just thank my Heavenly Father that he allowed me to come here. I apologize and tell him that i should have prepared better, I should have been a more "ready" misisonary for the hastening work of salvation, but then I just tell him that from here on out I will give my 100%. And I know really thats all I can do.
With a full, thankful heart,
Sister Abbey Hafen
Sister Obnias, her new comp, me, and my anak! (trainee)
Right before transfers. We all matched :) Sister Bates, Sister Palomo, Sister Obnias, me.
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