I'm in this computer shop and of course right outside is a huge videoke/kareoke dealio and i think we're comin' up on round 3 of "Let it Be", sung by a really terrible sounding filipino...maybe i'll take the hit of getting sent home from my mission and just go knock him out so it will stop. Hahah. Ha.
This week was so great, as always. I seem to always get sick every saturday/sunday (just like a nasty cough and runny nose) but then pday (blessed p-day) comes around and I usually feel fine after. This is like the 3rd week in a row, oh well.
So oh my HECK we are being so blessed here. We have some awesome investigators, and the Branch Christmas party was a SUCCESS. Although dang long (1-8pm but filipinos love to just do stuff like that, and just party and chill and play game after game after game), it was a BLAST. I used to dread parties because I had no idea what was going on, but now that I get what's going on, it's so fun. We had 6 of our investigators attend, and several less active families, and then members brought friends that aren't members but that want to be taught! We are seeing so many blessings here in our area I want to just cry every day.
One cool story- so we received (i hate the word received because i spell it wrong every single time) a referral from the other alicia sisters, just an OYM of theirs. (they just saw her and talked to her, and got her info, found out she was in our area, and gave us the info). Their directions of her house were sooo confusing. Anytime we got panted (a word that means like they aren't home) we looked for "Jennie". We spent probably a total of almost 7-8 hours over the past 3 weeks looking for her. We would joke about her and pray for her every day, and like, if we saw a volcanizing shop or green gate (those were the directions we were given about her house) we would just like go try that house to see if she was there. Haha. We asked everyone we saw "pwde po kaming magtanog?" (can we ask a question) and then asked if they knew her. I think we asked every living filipino here in the Philippines. Finally, last wednesday, we had a feeling we were close and we asked the owner of this street restaurant if she knew jennie. She pointed to a house and said "dyan" (there).We saw this man there at this tiny little house that has a volcanizing space in front (where they fix tires and oil changes of tricee's and motor cycles) maybe the space the size of our front porch, and behind that was their house maybe the size of our laundry room. I asked if he was Edwin (the name the sisters gave us of her husband) and he said yes. It was a little awkward just like HI we're here at your business/house asking if you are you. HA. anyway, after a few words, he totally loosened up and said to come back the next day. We came back the next day, got to know Jennie, and invited her to the christmas party. we for sure thought she'd say she couldn't come, but low and behold, she accepted and just said yeah she'll come. I honestly was taken back. We offered to come stop by the day of the party and she said yeah! So Saturday, we stop by around 12:50 and she's all ready. I honestly was ASTONISHED. We walked to the party, stopped at the palengke (market) on the way and then got to the party. She was such a champ and brought her 2 yr old baby. She stayed the entire time from 1pm-7:30. She made some friends and was so sad she couldn't come to church because her baby had a fever. She wants to be a mormon, she wants religion for her family and wants to be married to her husband. SHE IS GOLDEN. I am not sure what will happen, but she was such an answer to my prayers. That yeah, some people really are prepared. Some people really will do what they say they will. Some people really do want to change. Some people really want a better life and are willing to act. Thank you Jennie, for answering my prayer.
RJ is getting baptized on Saturday!!!! I literally am SO EXCITED. The Visperas Family is ON FIRE. Honestly, when I think about them, my heart burns (get it, cause like I used the analogy of "on fire" so my heart is burning? ..get it? HA) and I just become sooo happy. I was really worried inside about him, that maybe he wasn't really keeping our commitments or really changing inside, and i have been praying so hard for him lately. I was really doubting that he was going to be ready. But of course, Heavenly Father always takes my doubts and slaps me across the face (okay maybe not that harsh) and proves to me that my doubts are stupid. This is what I wrote to my mission president this week about RJ: I was really worried about RJ, our investigator, I didn’t know if he really was keeping our commitments, but last night our lesson was really beautiful. He has changed and is truly repentant. I can’t wait for his baptism this saturday. His family, the Visperas Family, has honestly changed, President. Michael, the boy who hid from the missionaries just this last february, now wants to serve a mission, comes to church every week, and just received a calling as assistant BML. RJ, the INV, is attending the YSA overnight activity and wants to invite his nonmember friends, Sister Marie (their sister) is fellowshipping our other investigators at activities without even being asked, Marie, Elena, Michael, and RJ all attended the christmas devo, and their family is working towards attending the temple. I love them and they truly have caught the light of this gospel. They are reading the BOM everyday, and its so awesome.
I seriously love this family and love the people here so much. Sometimes I let the old Abbey come in and get all stressed out/freaked out inside about planning and trying to make sure things work out, and fulfilling my duty as a trainer even when we have few lessons, and blah blah blah but it seems to be that every time I just relax, do what I'm supposed to, pray hard, and do my best... everything works out. Every single time. I love this work and am realizing how every single thing I learn here is going to help me be a much better member when i get home, a much more aware and grounded person. I am so grateful that heavenly father trusted me in coming here, honestly he's got a lot of faith in me.
Happy happy holiday season. We've been celebrating it here since September 1 so yeah.
-Sister Abbey Hafen
I love the Philippines, I love Tagalog, I love Christmas. So I guess I just love life.
Me and the Marlyn Policarpio family. They are THE BEST. They gave me a purple towel and card for christmas- it was the cutest thing. Marlyn loves that both of our favorite colors are purple.
At the Christmas party. Me and Milene Visperas, and Brother Abuan (Anak Ni Shori)
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