Sister Abbey Hafen // Week Thirty-Six // "My Name Is On The Transfer List"

I'm transferred! Out of my first area...3 companions, 5 transfer cycles, and 7 months later. I have never really ever wanted or found motivation in change, but for once, I just feel so excited to see what it is Heavenly Father has for me to do next. The mission life is so good, it really just is so good. 

We had one of the best weeks I've ever had on my mission. (ps right now, as i am writing this, there is a bakla (gay) singing kareoke to the song 'hit me baby one more time' by christina agularia i think? oh dear..)

Before I talk about the week I just have to explain how much I love my companion. Grant once told me that he thinks the closest you can ever feel to being a parent before you actually are one, is when you get to be a trainer of a new missionary. I seriously testify of that. I have never loved someone like this and I honestly have learned so much from her. She is seriously so cute and in our last district meeting, she shared the "message from the white handbook" and she shared about companions. She talked about how much she loves me and what she's learned from me,  and the sweetest of all that she said was "alam ni sister hafen yung way to touch yung mga puso ng mga filipino. alam niya talaga." that means "sister hafen knows how to touch the hearts of the filipinos, she really does know." I can't belive our 12 weeks is up, but I guess it's time.

This week was absolutely awesome. Seriously, we worked hard and saw soooo many miracles. We had experiences that I have never had on my mission and we worked so hard.  It was so fun and we really just wanted to finish strong as a companionship. We went to new areas, tracted, got referrals and contacted former investigators. We visited recent converts from the past 5 years and helped them get started with their own missionary work, and help them feel that fire of their testimony again.

Every week I come to write you guys or president, I just think, ‘man, I know I had an awesome week, why is it that when I start writing them, they don’t seem as glamorous as when it happened…?’ haha, but that’s okay. One day when we went to a brand new part of our area, we were looking for a less active name that Alicia 3B gave us. We saw this nanay as we were walking and asked her if she knew this less active. She then just pulled out chairs and had us sit right down! Her granddaughter came out, and as we shared with them about our message and purpose as missionaries, they just were on the edge of their seats, totally interested. The 16yr old granddaughter was just eating up every word we said. During the closing prayer, I just felt prompted to ask her if she likes to read, if that’s one of her hobbies. After I asked, she said yes she loves to read. We gave her a book of mormon, and set a return appointment.

Just as we were leaving, the gate to this huge house opened, so we walked over. I asked her if she knew this person and what do ya know, she was the LA we were looking for! She let us right in and we shared with her. She shared how she used to work with the missionaries and that she really remembers how happy she was when she was active. We clicked so fast and she wants us to teach her husband, who is not a member.

As we left her house, her dad told us of some members to visit, and so we wrote down the name. As we’re walking, we talk to these young kids and found out they were former investigators in that area (we saw their name in the area book that morning). We seriously couldn’t believe how every turn we made, we were led to something that had been set up perfectly for us.  As we walked down the road a little more after giving them our number and pamphlet, a tricee offered to pick us up because we were so far away from this members house that the random tatay gave us. The tricee driver knew the family and took us there. We got there, and they let us in. I shared 2^nd Ne 31, about after we’re baptized, we aren’t done yet with our journey. A goal we’ve had as a companionship is just asking more questions, really giving people the opportunity to feel the spirit and feel their testimony grow. She then shared that the night before she had a dream she was in the church again, and that she felt like she needed to go back. She felt sooo nervous to go back, and then prayed and said she just wanted to be sure that she should go back, she kind of asked for a sign. And then we showed up the next day. 

It was such a cool experience, one that I just haven’t really had- one of those stories that I hear happen to people, but as I was sitting there I literally realized again that heavenly father is so wise. And he is very aware of our needs, he knows everything. Not because he’s magic, but because he really, really does know us. Because of that, he knows how to HELP us.

President, I am just so happy that I’ve come to realize that that really works for us as missionaries, as companions, and as children of God. As we come to know someone, we can help them, and often times, we can learn to help ourselves. I learned that so much with Sister Atienza. I honestly love her, and I KNOW her. So these past 2 cycles we literally had no problems. I got to know her, and came to love her, and was then able to help her- and then same thing for her. She knows me and loves me, and so when I needed her or felt weak, she was there for me.

I know my letters home are so long... but i'm not really that sorry :) This mission is saving me and helping me become. I know what they mean when they say it’s the best decision you’ll ever make- and I’ve still got half left, just imagine what else there is to learn. Ah! 

-Sister Hafen

3 generations... Nanay Acoba, me, Sister Atienza.
My name on a transfer list? that's weird...Those babyswinger things are sooo cool. this is our investigator Sister Carig and her dang cute babe.
The rankiest, stankiest street in all of the universe.
Sister Shori, Sister Atienza, our 2 investigators Lorda and Milen, me.
My tatay (father) here in the mission, Tay Furuc.
Sister Brown.

Sister Funaki.

Kabsat!! haha that means like family member in ilokano. Sister Lorna. She's a hoot.

The Yuzon family! cloudwind, tatay, eloheim, nanay, hanzel, patrick, michael.

hahaha, the picture i took like 4 hours ago in our apartment for the visa cooperation... hahah

English Class! bro kade, investigator ferdinand abrida, s.atienza, me, elena visperas, flory mae (investigator)

ABUAN FAMILY HOME EVENING

Happy Bday Nay Rosalina.

s.Vi, Fanugao, funaki,  brown, atienza, hafen, seiuli, lotoanui, allred, young. the best district!

Love My Life!!

Sister Abbey Hafen // Week Thirty-Five // "My Days Are Numbered..."

Another week, what the heck. Seriously, time is flying- I couldn't believe P-Day came around AGAIN. This morning we went to the Co's house for personal study and companionship study- their land is soo big and so quiet, so all 8 of us sisters here in Alicia went out there to study and eat lunch for pday. It was so peaceful and we really enjoyed ourselves. I brought my violin and played as we sang hymns. It was so peaceful and we all just had time to relax and think about where the heck we are right now and how grateful we are that we're here. Awesome awesome morning. I was reminded and filled with love of this earth- seriously beautiful.

The week was good, I really just do not know what kind of things you want to hear about... i never know if i'm boring or if the things i share make sense. ha!

We went on splits with our Sister Training Leaders and it was AWESOME. I really needed them and learned so much- they always seem to answer questions or fears or thoughts I didn't realize I had. It was so awesome. I know they were inspired (the splits) because I realized that in a new area, new companion, new investigators, I still felt that same feeling inside as I taught and listened to them, as I feel when I teach the people in our area. It calmed to and reassured me that everything's gonna be just fine when i leave my first area :)

One thing I've noticed more and more, is the love the people here (members and nonmembers) have for the missionaries. It's just something I didn't really know because I never really knew the missionaries in St. George or Salt Lake (which now that I'm a missionary, I am ashamed of) There's just not a set of missionaries for every ward in Utah, like there is here (but here there are 4 or 6 in each ward!) They literally are honored when we are in their homes or stop by, and i really feel like they know we are representatives of our Savior, even when they aren't members of the church. We have been accepted so well lately by the people we meet and they truly are so open to learn more and build a better relationship with our Savior- something I can't say I would be the same as if I wasn't born in the church. 

. Another thing I have noticed more and more is how much satan wants to pull us down. He knows if he can get one missionary (or one child of God) to have an off day, he's gonna effect more than just that one missionary. I experienced that feeling of weakness one night this week, a feeling that has not come in looong time, a feeling that I thought I had overcome and had 'done away with'. It was scary and it was lonely. I was thinking about how many miracles and blessings we've had, how progressing our investigators are, the experiences they are having, and everything I have experienced and been given here in Alicia and thought, oh no where I am headed off to this next transfer (next wednesday). I then began to reflect if I really have done my best. I became so overwhelmed and began to feel so nervous if I had really done my best here. And I just began to feel so guilty for all the blessings we have and have received. Satan took a mean twist on me and the worst part is I let him- I felt so unworthy for the blessings and love that I've been receiving from Heavenly Father. After some tears, prayers, sleep, and my companion, I came to the conclusion that we are never really worthy for all the blessings we receive. We really aren't deserving of the things we receive every day- but what's important, is that we're grateful. And that we do everything we can to show how grateful we are. By living worthily and by doing our best everyday- by turning outward like the Savior with every decision we are faced with. Everyday we are just moving- either forward or backward, it's up to us.

I shook off that little creature that was sitting on my shoulder that day (satan) and told him to get out. These past few days have been awesome and I just feel so happy all day because I realize how blessed I am. Instead of feeling guilty, I just feel overwhelmed with love. 

Speaking of blessings straight from the heavens, our family referral investigators were all at church yesterday- they were a complete family :) They also have a baptismal date for March 22. and our other 2 investigators who are siblings attended the baptismal service of Alicia 3 and now both want to be baptized. Their date is the 29th. It's hard not to feel sad that I won't be there for that day, but I know that the baptism is just a day- I feel so lucky to be a part of their story!

Okay well that's it for this week- "I love my life" <--- the phrase everyone knows me here for. Also "oh no... i hate everything" hahaha. Just know that I'm still kickin' it here in the philps and loving every day. I spoke in church yesterday and it was actually fun.

the days are numbered here in Alicia...

Love,

sister abbey hafen 

Sister Abbey Hafen // Week Thirty-Four // "#byebyeteenagedream"

Yeah. I turned 20. And it ROCKED.

So of course, as I always say, this week rocked. But really, I hope you all believe me that it really did rock! Except the fact that its summer now and I swear that cold streak only lasted like 1 month (ha oh wait, it WAS only 1 month.)

So we split our area, just one of our barangays (neighborhoods, like equivalent to like country lane or something of that size maybe?). and gave it to the other Alicia sisters because all of the active members are in our side, so we were getting so many investigators and referrals and they weren't really getting any, so we split it. and that pretty much gave them all of our investigators haha. so that was actually pretty sad because we don't teach them any more, the other sisters do. but I think maybe this was just a small preparation for when I get transferred... because we still see all the investigators we gave them every sunday, but after I'm transferred, there's a chance I won't see any of these people ever again. ever. and that concept still is just not very real to me. like, I know one day, i'll leave this area, one day i'll leave the Philippines, but it all is still in that 'one day' part of my brain.... but I learned that the gospel's the same, no matter which missionaries are teaching it and giving them our investigators was very humbling. maybe for a second I felt a small piece of how Heavenly Father feels giving us opportunity to take care and teach HIS children. and that when we left the pre-mortal life, he knew that he wouldn't see some of us again, that some of us wouldn't return to him. And that he was, in a sense, leaving US in the hands of other people. That thought just flamed my testimony even more and I really did feel the real, raw, love that heavenly father has for us.

So because we split that barangay and lost a lot of investigators S.Atienza and I have had to do a lot of FINDING. Something that I don't like (or thought I didn't like). This week we have been so blessed and are finding so many new people to teach. Finding is actually fun. (I almost don't want to say that because referrals and other ways are tons better, but at least now I know that finding isn't the worst thing ever)

One thing that I never really realized or tried, is fasting or praying for literally VERY specific things to happen in the mission. I've heard plenty of stories of people fasting for. for example, an investigator to get a baptismal date this week or fasting to find a family to teach, or stories like that, and then it happens and wow what a great story! But I always kinda felt like that was almost telling Heavenly Father what to do. (and I think I'm already naturally kinda bossy.. haha) But this week, after reading our Sisters in Zion Newsletter (the newsletter me and all my missionary sister friends write in every month) and reading an experience that Grant sent me from his mission, I was inspired to try it. as a companionship we fasted to find new investigators in the area we had tracted in the few days before, and then fasted for a baptismal date for angilyn. Man, the Lord really is mindful, and he blessed us with what we fasted for. We found a new couple to teach, a new less active and part member to reactivate, and 2 families that are interested and set return appointments with. And although angilyn isn’t in our area anymore, Angilyn is now on the way to getting married to her boyfriend and is sincerely going through the steps of repentance so she can be baptized.

 it was so cool. literally, I can't even explain how many blessings we are receiving and how the work truly is hastening.

It was my companions birthday, AND my birthday, and we really just got spoiled (I guess that's what you get when you've been in an area for over 6 months..). it really was so awesome. We had 2 dinners almost every night. I'm not kidding you. Here’s a little rundown of how spoiled we got.

Monday- FHE/ dinner with our old branch president

Tuesday bday dinner/&lesson to Angilyn (inv) because her mother in law shares a bday with s.atienza (this dinner/lesson was in ADDITION to the normal one we always have on Thursdays)

Tuesday later that night, dinner prepared by visperas family (the family that is now active and has 2 of our recent converts)... so sweet. they are one of the most struggling families financially in our area and they offered to feed us and prepared all day. it was so humbling.

Wednesday- dinner with our investigator and his 2 referrals that we taught and ate with that night, and then later that night, another birthday celebration with our less active neighbors. side note, I was sooo tired and sooo full of food this day, that when I sat on the hammock as we were all talking.. I fell asleep. yep. I fell asleep. (I blame dad) hahaha only for like 10 minutes maybe but I was dying when I woke up, I felt so bad but it was so funny.

Thursday, we toured the sisters around Calaocan (the barangay we split) all day and at one part member's house, we were waiting for the little boy to come home from tutoring, and the mom left and brought us back Jollibee hamburgers and shakes. then that night we went to angilyn's again, and had ANOTHER birthday celebration for me. complete with cake and gifts.

Friday was my bday and we had a dinner with Nay Mesa but the visperas thought we were going there again, so they prepared too! we felt bad but it all worked out. Saturday was Marieto Visperas' bday so they invited us there and ate there again and then headed to our last normal saturday appointment, dinner appointment.

Turning 20 and having a birthday on the mission was so awesome, but it was a very, very humbling experience as well. Honestly, so many of the members here and our investigators and recent converts really sacrificed for us, knowing it was our birthday week and that we are far away from home doing the Lord's work. I mean, I knew that the members loved us and that the people we teach love us, but honestly, this week made me realize how giving people are here. they literally are SO grateful that we are sacrificing our lives to be here, that they sacrifice their lives for us. I seriously wish I could bring you all here for a week so you could see everything, feel everything, and taste what this country really is. I am so blessed to be serving here as a servant for the Lord. Honestly, I am being so blessed personally and with the language, our area is being so blessed, our companionship, branch, and sometimes I really don't know why. I am so grateful for repentance. I can't remember if I shared this last week, but honestly I have never repented so much in my life, than I have and AM repenting on my mission right now.

That’s all for now. Thanks for EVERYTHING. I am so loved and blessed and above all, so grateful that we can change and be better everyday. <--- that is the real message of the gospel- that we have a Savior who is waiting for us to change and to become better so we can receive the blessings he has waiting for us. And we really can change. One, tiny little thing, every single day. One quote I have by my desk that I read every day is this:

Another principle of truth which will guide us in our determination is that boys and men can change. I’m reminded of the words of a prison warden who taught this fact. A critic who knew of Warden Duffy’s efforts to rehabilitate men said, “Don’t you know that leopards can’t change their spots?”

Warden Duffy responded, “You should know I don’t work with leopards. I work with men, and men change every day.”

This the restored gospel and  Jesus is the Christ.

Love,

abs

At our new investigator's land.
They're so cute!
Holler!6:40am... my housemates/companions are SO cute and thoughtful.
20 notes from my bff Sister Atienza.hahaha a note in the CR (bathroom)
Their tiny house on the left, and on the right is where we eat and teach because all 5 of us don't really fit in their house.Birthday celebration with our investigator and her family! they gave us presents and had birthday dinner :) this pose is called "Look Up" the filipinos love itCalaocan, Isabela.Nay Rosalina's house. They have like a little farm here!Nay Rosalina's house. They have like a little farm here!At Brother Mackey Co's house (the old counselor in the branch presidency), having lunch with his wife! their house/land is beautiful!At Brother Mackey Co's house (the old counselor in the branch presidency), having lunch with his wife! their house/land is beautiful!Me, JM, MJ, and Sister Marie Conception. This is where and how they eat- I joined right in on the way the eat (with their hands and sitting on the table) and they LOVED it (but not as much as I loved it). (bday dinner at the visperas)Happy Birthday Sister Atienza (Birthday dinner at the Visperas)HAPPY BIRTHDAY ANAK. This was at Nay Rumbaoas (mother in law of our investigator, Angilyn).Sister Vi, the other tongan sister in our district! She is so sweet, so so very sweet.Birthday jogging on Sister Atienza's birthday.

Sister Abbey Hafen // Week Thirty-Three // "It's SAVING my life I think"

This week was so awesome. Tuesday was so hard (and so crappy) because nothing worked out. I started feeling so out of control as a missionary and trainer, and it was just so lame. We had plans to teach this one referral of our investigator, and then she left, and a million other things fell out of place. Tuesday night during planning, I thought, hey let’s tract tomorrow in some of the areas we never really go to. Why the HECK i thought of that, i don’t know, because i do not like tracting. We usually have so many people we could see, less actives, investigators, former investigators, members, RecenConv, potential inv,so that we never have to just straight up tract. But we planned to do some tracting.

Wednesday morning i literally just felt sick because i knew we were going to tract and i did not want to! (hahaha sooo lame but it was true, i'm just being honest) I went in our back yard, sat on a stool and just prayed. I prayed so hard and just told heavenly father that i am going to completely trust him and do this thing i don’t like, but do it with all HIS strength. We left for the day and seriously, it was AWESOME. We got tons of potential investigators, found some less actives (which are now part member), did some awesome BRT, etc. It’s so funny because Tuesday people literally were avoiding us, and Wednesday, they were literally flocking to us as we sat on the front yard of this lady’s house talking and sharing about jesus christ and families.

We left that barangay (neighborhood) and taught some of our recent converts, headed back closer to home, and went to our investigator/dinner appointment (Pablo) at 6. They invited their brand new babysitter (Mae)  to come listen because she came to church last sunday with them and wanted to be taught. We taught her that night and it was AWESOME. She opened up about a dream she had about a man wearing the same outfit as Jesus on the front of the restoration pamphlet, just telling her to "come back"- hard to explain to you guys in english because she told the story in tagalog, but just know it was stellar. She iss so awesome. Teaching is so fun when you just are 'in sync' with your comp 100% . Mae is devote catholic but when we asked her if she did find out this was the true church, would she be baptized, and she said yes. She is spiritually driven and our discussions were so cool. She really has been prepared came to church again this week. She is AWESOME. Then as we left, our investigator’s (Pablo) sister in law referred us to our new investigators brother (Mae’s brother). So overall, Wednesday was just SO FULL of blessings.

 .......Its so funny because EVERY time that I tell the Lord I am going to trust him, every time that I just try and do something out of the ordinary or out of routine, it ALWAYS turns out to be such a good experience. We always get blessings and my testimony is always strengthened so much. I just hate that I have to go through the same process of deciding to humble myself and rely on the Lord. I want the day to come that I am just that way naturally. 

Then of course, our Zone Conference was incredible. I always look SO forward to those- President always shares stories or use examples i used to know, or that i’m only kind of familiar with, so i love adding it to my knowledge. This time he used the story of Joseph in Egypt. Our mission president is so smart as is so Atonement based. I love him and LOVED zone conference. Seeing Sister Meinzer was the best thing ever too, and of COURSE my nanay, s. acoba. Still one of the biggest influences of my life, S. Acoba. 

Saturday and Sunday always seem to be the the hardest for me to face mentally, but EVERY TIME they end up wrapping up the week so completely and perfectly. We had an awesome lesson to our investigator family (Tungpalan Family-referral of 2nd counselor in the branch presidency) and we found out at coordination meeting our branch president and him are good friends. President Soriano (our new branch president) and his wife fellowshipped for us and it was so incredible. The Tungpalan Family have been coming to church and are blooming in the gospel already. We set up a family prayer schedule for them, and its going well so far. They are so awesome.

This week rocked. I love Sister Atienza- I love being her companion- This training has been such a good companionship. I love training because I’ve never been so obedient and never seen so many miracles or felt so good as a servant of the Lord. This upcoming transfer i just really have no idea what is going to happen, but because i know our Mission President is called of God, because of past experiences i have had with where i’ve been placed and who my companions have been, i will completely submit to whatever and wherever i am sent.

One cool experience I've had, or am having, is realizing how much more my mission doing for me than I ever thought (and being so young still, i STILL don't know all the effects it will have on me). For example, the power of scripture reading. If I'm being totally honest, I really never read the scriptures on my own before my mission, but yet I always had questions, wondered why my questions in prayers weren't being answered, etc. I would read in Seminary, Institute, or when preparing for lessons, but never just a normal reading. I read last week in D&C about the condemnation the Lord has on those who "do not use the things they have been given, like the Book of Mormon." I seriously realized that my mission is saving my life. The things I am learning here are helping me repent and honestly, I have never repented as much as I have here on the mission. I love my Savior, and I just tell Heavenly Father every day how grateful I am that although so unprepared, he still trusted me to come and be a servant for Him. It's so awesome, missions are so awesome. This gospel is perfect and I am so happy to be here. I have had to really repent in order to tell our investigators and less actives to trust in the Lord and Keep the Sabbath Day Holy and to trust that if they put the Lord first he'll provide, because before I never really did that myself. I am so happy for the gift of repentance and am so happy we're never not worthy for the Atonement.

Jesus is the Christ, and he is the head of the Church. His gospel is perfect and I love the Philippines.

-Abs

some randoms:

rode home on top of the jeep on the highway in the Philippines

had LBM again this week

laughed so hard during weekly planning, i fell on the floor

one recent convert told me "you're prettier with straight hair". haha thanks, good thing its naturally curly.

On our way to do some young men/young women visits with the branch! love filipino travel.

Alica Sisers (we accidentally matched). Sister Brown, Sister Atienza, me, Sister Funaki.

I'm so brave haha

Our recent convert Godfrey making 'spin tops'.

It started to rain, jl policarpio and his friend coming from JLs house.

SANTA CLARA haha best day ever.

shyra cailer, me, john lloyd tungpalan.

The Santiago Stake Center where we had zone conference.

The Santiago Stake Center where we had zone conference.

President and Sister Rahlf ate with us. I was so lucky to eat/visit with my bff Sister Meinzer, my mom, Sister Acoba, and my Anak, Sister Atienza.

A house in Gumbauan.

That baby and I share a birthday :) Some of our potential investigators in Victoria.

Waiting to leave for the service project. Sister Brown, Sister Funaki, Sister Atienza, me.

Service project at Sister Policaripos with the RS.

Making cookies!

I love ALICIA!