Sister Abbey Hafen // Week Thirty-Two // "oh my heck"

oh my heck time is flying by, and life is SO GOOD. Seriously, i am so happy. I love my companion so much, that I just want to be her best friend forever. We have so much fun and laugh our heads off everyday, and it makes working our bums off that much better. It's so good and the work is so good. 

Monday night after pday, we had an appointment with an investigator and also with a less active we found through street contacting (thats what usually happens, we contact someone and then find out they're a member) whose wife isn’t a member nor are his kids. We went there and the investigator’s husband wasn’t home yet, and our Part Member family wasn’t home, so we were kind of stuck with what we should do. We decided we’d stop by our investigator that had been working a lot so hadn't really been home lately. Her name just randomly popped into my head. We walked on over, and there she was. Almost like waiting for us. 

I know that sometimes, (maybe a lot of times) the things we learn here on the mission, or the reason we’re prompted to go see certain people, isn't really for the benefit of them, but for the benefit of us missionaries. For the benefit of me, sister hafen, a 19 year old missionary in the Philippines. I honestly felt like i was being guided by the spirit to go see her, asking inspired questions in the lesson, and being given the words i needed to say the whole, entire, lesson. The spirit truly guided sister atienza and i, and that lesson was so special to me. Honestly, Sherly (the investigator) really needed us that night. She was so engaged in the lesson and had some testimony building experiences in the questions we were led to ask.

I have been studying so hard every day on how to receive answers through prayer, because we have so many investigators have "a pretty good feeling the church is true." I have been studying to know how to receive answers TO specific prayers, and how to follow and recognize the spirit and his answers. I want to just BE that vessel for the Lord and do everything he is needing me to do here. I realized (and have realized this so many times in my life, haha.) that the answers to the spirit and answers to our prayers really can be simple. They really can just be "a pretty good feeling" about something. If its good, it comes from God. That is truth.

Thursday we had a Church Tour for 2 of our investigator families (Dela Pena & Tungpalan). Oh my gosh, it was beautiful. I honestly can’t even believe how awesome it turned out. I am sitting here in this little computer shop in Alicia, tricee’s flying by outside, little kids "gaming" their brains out on the computers, and here i am just smiling so big at my computer screen. The tour was perfect. We had the two families who referred these two families present, and it was just perfect. We went from each room and had people explaining what was done in that room or what the purpose of each organization was. Then in the sacrament hall, we explained hymns and the point of sacrament meeting. Then my awesome companion had the idea to invite everyone to pray a personal prayer, just one minute long, while we were in the chapel. It was so spiritual. That building, that sacrament room, although usually soo noisy, full of kids running around, crying babies, usually very dirty, was filled with the spirit that night. The tour was awesome, and The Tungpalan family came to church on Sunday. The kids had such a good time and sister loved relief society. It was such a success, and the morning of the tour, I was thinking about how if it doesn’t work out, thats okay, but then during personal study my faith just felt so strong. I honestly had a real belief and trust in the Lord that everything would be fine. My faith felt so powerful and thick and strong, full of substance. It was so awesome and we are just being so blessed in our area, I can't even believe it.

Saturday and Sunday were the ending days to seal the best week ever. Marieto (the last member of the visperas family to be baptized) was baptized Saturday and a lot of people from our branch showed up! the meeting was powerful and Michael (marieto's brother who used to be less active) baptized marieto. We had investigators attend the baptism, and the day was perfect. Our recent convert RJ (20 yrs old) blessed the sacrament  on Sunday for the first time, and Michael (22, his brother who is now active again and our asst. Bml) sat up there as the 3^rd person for the sacrament. The tungpalan family came to church and our less active gave a TALK in church. I honestly said like 1000 prayers thanking Heavenly Father all day on Sunday.

Family, things are so beautiful here in Alicia, but I think by February 26 (the next transfer day), it will be about my time to leave. I will have been here 6 months and 3 weeks... and I truly have fallen in love with this place. Everything that's happened- every companion, every situation and experience, have prepared me for every OTHER experience that has happened. Especially training. Each thing I learned from my first 2 companions has helped me specifically in training S. Atienza. Honestly, the Lord has prepared me so perfectly with every part of my mission so far. He also has let me stay in this area so long so that I could get comfortable with everything here in the Philippines. He knows I am so bad at remembering names and directions and that that really is a weakness of mine. He let me stay here so I could gain the language skills to build meaningful relationships with the people here. He let me have such wonderful companions that compliment my strengths and bring out my weaknesses so I know what to work on. He has been SO aware of me, that some days, I really do feel a little guilty. But. I love Him and I am so happy as a missionary and feel such a duty to my Savior and His work. 

This week rocked. I am so sorry if this email doesn't even explain how great it was, but just know that IT WAS GREAT. I literally am so happy, and cannot believe how much the Lord is blessing this area and the people here, especially us missionaries. I heard a quote once, 

"God loves everyone equally; but I think He loves His missionaries a little more."

Peace out.

-Abs

                                                      hey there, sister brown... be carefie.

getting a little trim.

The Cailer family (the family who referred the tungpalan fam) This is them riding home after church!
the sun finally came out, so we ate breakfast and personal studied outside. also, i love people giving us fruit from their yards every day- saging at buko (bananas and coconut)

Baptism of Brother Marieto Visperas.
hey there s.atienza (at the Josue Family house)flowers at s. policaripio's house
we love buko! (coconut)
waki waki! (do something crazy)
New housemate, Sister Brown! Sister Funaki (tonagan), Sister Brown (utah), Sister Atienza (manila philippines), me (illocos norte, philippines)

Sister Abbey Hafen // Week Thirty-One // "Missionary work is fun, but even more fun with your BFF"

Seriously, this week rocked. Sister Atienza and I are best friends so working every day is so great. Honestly we just love everything and have so much fun. We laugh so hard and it's so fun that we can joke in tagalog and english, and just switch back whenever we want. I remember my mtc teacher telling me the day he realized he could joke in tagalog, he really felt confident and started to have fun in the langugae. I love being funny in tagalog and I love having a filipina companion- I have been so blessed. i love this culture so much and know its going to be weird coming home. I almost feel like the day i get transferred from Alicia, I'm going home. Haha. i've still got plenty of time, so no worries there. ps i hit my 7 month in the mission mark yesterday. what the!

So we had transfers, but I didn't get transferred. We got a new roommate, ANOTHER FORIEGNER. So our apartment is now 2 americans, tongan, and only ONE filipina! haha, s.atienza and i always joke "nasa philippines ba tayo?" (are we in the philippines?) hahaha. our zone is out of this world. 8 filipinos/20 foreigners- australian, new zealand, americans, tonga, samoan, EVERY WHERE. its seriously sooo awesome. i know i definitely was sent here to learn to love and embrace other cultures. i absolutely love my roommates. 

So the work is the same, our investigators rock, life is good, and i'm starting to see the digression in my letters happen... i saw it happen in other missionaries when i wasn't a missionary, but always said it would never happen to me. but really, i don't know what to write about! the work really is good, we are being soo blessed. our investigators stress me out some times, and my heart is always feeling and hurting for them. we had an investigator ask to borrow 100 pesos a few days ago, because everything was going to be shut off if they didn't pay it, and the house where she does laundry at, the owner wasn't home to pay her, so she had zero money. ZERO MONEY. we aren't allowed to give money, but honestly, my heart hurt so bad. 100 pesos is like... 2 dollars. it broke my heart so much and i have really come to grips with this place i am living in. this is real life for them, and for them to give up one tiny job opportunity to come to church is LITERALLY asking someone to give up a way for them to get food for their hungry little kids the next day. it's asking them to give up their life almost. i have been so frustrated/sick/and hurting for our investigators this week and am just now realizing how much i really do love them and how much of a sacrifice it is. but. i am also gaining such a stronger testimony in the principle that when we are asked to do something from the Lord; a commandment, a hard trial, or are treated badly or feeling lonely, we can ALWAYS find the strength to do the things the Lord is asking of us. These scriptures in Moroni really clarified that doctrine for me this week:

 22 And if ye have no hope ye must needs be in ^adespair; and despair cometh because of iniquity.

 23 And Christ truly said unto our fathers: ^aIf ye have faith ye can do all things which are expedient unto me.

 The commandments are things that are "expedient" to Jesus Christ. Feasting upon the word of christ, praying often, the word of wisdom, the law of chastity, keeping the sabbath day holy, etc. They really are expedient to Him. and if we have faith, we will be able to do all things he asks, with exactness. Jesus Christ is the head of this church, missionary work really is the best, i love this gospel more than i thought i could, i still thank heavenly father every day for letting me be a missionary, and i love my mission. i love my mission president and know Jesus Christ is leading our mission. I love my companion, i love the book of mormon, and love the philippines. I know the days when my tagalog isn't as good, it's an opportunity for me to rely on the Lord and stop thinking i'm able to be here in the field on my own. i know i am being blessed with the work, the language, and everything. 

Love,

Sister Abbey Hafen

This little pizza place we found!

Lunch appointment at the shop of the Cailer family for Shyra's 12th birthday!!

Sister Abbey Hafen // Week Thirty // "not transferred... again"

So yep, i'm still not transferred, and I'm still in my first area. I'll probably get transferred after I'm done training Sister Atienza, and that will mean i will have spent 7 months in one area. And a few weeks after that I will be halfway done with my whole mission, and only in my 2nd area. Holy COW. I love Alicia, and can't believe the real "count-down" to leave begins now. That day is going to be sooo hard, I'm so in love with this place. 

We just got back from Madela again, the cave place with water falls and the big ole river. so dang fun. I actually entered the caves this time, despite my claustrophobia (thanks lori) and it was SOO fun. I loved just dumping water out of the sinking canoe and laying on my stomach to get through the caves. so fun. YOGOAMO (you only go on a mission once.. but i'll probs go again with my hubby but thats not important right now) I love my zone, all the missionaries are so awesome, and I love PDAY so today was just the BEST.

Brother Pol is a member in our branch for lots of years and just had his 50th birthday. I don't know if you can see in the pictures, but he has lots of body deformities. He is so faithful- he home teaches, plants and harvests rice, works to support him and his mom, and is at church 45 minutes early every week. We celebrated his bday this week and met his mom. (They actually were featured in some story for the church, try googling Pol Faira in the Philippines). Anyway, the whole experience was just so spiritual. We talked with his mom (us girls) and honestly, they live the simplest lives. They are so grateful and just keep it real every day. It was such a cool experience for me, one that I really just can't put into words. But there are some cool pictures, not very good quality, but hopefully you can get a feel for what their living circumstances are. They are so solid and I can't even explain how grateful and humbled I was that day.

The little incident that happened last week actually had a bigger effect on me than I planned. I ended up really just getting eaten up by Satan and had a real rough first part of the week. I let Satan get in and just take up my confidence as a daughter of god, a foreigner, a missionary, a trainer/senior companion, and a servant of the Lord. Tuesday (the day after) I could NOT speak tagalog. i literally was tripping over my words, as if I actually had a speech problem or had a stutter. Wednesay I was in the mission home all day writing the new mission song with about 10 other missionaries and Pres. Rahlf and his wife, so that was a way spiritual experience, and then Thursday was just bad. I don't really know what happened, but I just was so anxious and was really starting to worry about every part of my life here- Whether we were working hard enough, whether i was doing my part, EVERYTHING. It was a horrible feeling. I recieved several priesthood blessings and the rest of that day was fine. I am 100 percent now, and have realized that honestly, when I let Satan think he's got a place in our lives out here, I can't do it. I really found strength this week i didn't know I had. Prayers were answered and i know that if we let Satan in, he'll snag up that invitation sooo fast. 

I was invited to go to the mission home to write the new mission song. It was SUCH a spiritual experience working with other musical missionaries and President Rahlf and his wife. We studied scripture, prayed, and then really just used the spirit to write the song. It was so cool and President and Sister Rahlf actually left when we actually wrote and put the song together, so when they came back hours later, we sang it for them. President Rahlf was smiling so big, and then began to cry. It was a soft cry, but so sweet. It was one of the highlights of my mission, and it's cool i got to be a part of that and be a part of something that will be here in the mission for a long time.

I have thought a lot about my mission this day, and why I came and what the heck it is I'm doing. I had a lot of thinking time at the beach today in madela and just talked with some of the sisters. I am just so glad i came. I'm so glad my family supported me. I'm so glad that my friends supported me and that I've been supported so much since I've been here. I've learned so much. SO MUCH. Take away the spiritual side and I've learned so much about this culture and people. My weaknesses. My faults. Patience. Hard work. Honesty. Love. Simplicity. Take away the culture part and I've learned what this gospel really is. What it is that I really believe in. I've learned more and more of who my Savior is. So really, put those two together, the culture of the Filipino, and the most perfect gospel there's ever been... and I'm really just in the best place I could ever be right now. I said something to Grant earlier that I really am striving to do. 

I said: "I love our Savior so much and am trying so hard to be like him, so that the people here will recognize me as His servant and try the things we ask them to do in order to come closer to him" That really is the goal. Take all the love the Lord has given me, and is giving me, and become the person the Lord needs me to be. and THEN, then, give these people that same blessed opportunity to feel how much their Savior loves them and what the He needs them to be. 

I'm so happy and so grateful the Lord trusted me to come here as a full time missionary. I have honestly asked for forgiveness for my lack of preparation in serving a full time mission for him. Maybe because I wasn't prepared, I wasted some of His time. But. He knew that I would come unprepared and he blessed me with companions, leaders, members, and people that would understand and help me while I'm here. I love my Savior, I love this work. I can't believe I hit my 7 month mark this week, and I know time is just going to keep flying by. Thanks for everything. the work is so good here in Alicia, the gift of tongues is real, and the God of Israel leads the Philippines Cauayan Mission.

Love,

Sister Hapen

(Madela Zone Activity) inside the jeepney we rented to get there

Madela Zone Activity

i wish words could describe this... so pretty

Madela Zone Activity

davis, allred, ____, volpe, perkins, maddock, stabenow, datario, warr, hafen, young, pavino, matatiou, hawlader, atienza, daelo, tenepere, brocheza, costalis, lotoaniu, pareja, renada, hall.

the owner of the boat's little boy

after i exited the cave!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sister Stabenow

of course jump shot…. i'm in the philippines

This guy washing his (horse, mule, idk) in the river. (Madela Zone Activity)

Elder Datario, me, Sister Daelo

Sister Atienza, me. (Madela Zone Activity)

Madela Zone Activity

Working with the YSA!!! Brother Eddison, Sister Diane, me, Sister Abby

sweet soccer cleats….

president abuan shaving off the cleat parts of these soccer cleats

after the CSP- echague.

the water pump in the boarding house for washing dishes, hands, and laundry.

the hallways of the bedrooms in the boarding house

from the top floor of the boarding house we cleaned. those are borading houses too for the college students

Elder Benosa, Sister Stabenow, Elder Datario, me.

Sister Berghout

working on the Mission Song in the mission home!

Carr, Tulikihifo, Bates, Lange, Me.

Sister Janet.. my friend i made on the van. she was such an answer to my prayers! and she loved me.

breakfast err day.

Pol.

Pol at the party.