Sister Abbey Hafen // Week Forty-Five // "Sister Cherry:)"

HI.

Another week…another week.

This branch is so awesome, and we had enough sisters wanting to work, we had splits a few times this week. We actually got to see everyone we planned for, and more. Last night, Sister Suay and I were talking, that we just feel so fulfilled. Yes, we acknowledged the fact that we had a ton of lessons (the most either of us have ever had in our mission in one week) but it wasn’t even that that made it so happy- We feel like we saw everyone, and that because we had so many lessons and splits this week, that the whole town of Almaguer just feels “lifted”. It’s always a hard feeling when the end of the week comes and you didn’t get to see someone, or you only saw them one time, or the lesson wasn’t the greatest, etc. But this week, because of splits and smart working, we saw everyone. We prepared. And it was awesome.  The feeling is so hard to explain but it is one that I have never really felt before.

One story:

We visited one of the less actives that our branch president’s wife suggested to us a while back (one that we have been visiting pretty regularly) yesterday. The Family of Sister E. We are also teaching her daughter who isn’t baptized, and trying to reactivate and complete their family. We were on splits, so we had a fellowshipper (RM) who said to me last week that she wanted to come visit this family with me, because Sister E is her friend from childhood. She came along, and holy cow. I told her of some of the things we have heard about Sister E and her background before we went to the lesson- sister E went abroad for a 2 year contract and then came home 4 months early (which is a big deal here). No one knows why, but I guess some “chismis” (gossip in English) started on Facebook and with her neighbors too. She hasn’t left the house since, and has developed some depression. It is soooo sad. And of course, as missionaries, we can’t pry in and give her advice or be her therapist, so it’s been so hard trying to help her. Anyway, so we went, me, Sister Mahy (preparing to leave on her mission), and Sister Cherry (the friend of Sister E). Sister Cherry was so bold and the spirit was thick. At one point, we were all crying, and sister Cherry looked right into Sister E’s eyes and said (in English) “I am here to save you, E. I am here to save you.” It was so powerful. She told her that she was her new visiting teacher, and they already have an appointment set.

After the lesson, I seriously just felt so much love for missionary work, and members’ involvement. I felt such a love for sister Cherry, for becoming the answer to this family. We have been praying so hard for Sister E and her family, and have been blank with ideas. And I know that Heavenly Father is using Sister Cherry to help Sister E. It is so powerful, and Heavenly Father is so smart. It has caused me to ask myself several times a day if I am letting Heavenly Father use ME as HIS instrument. We have a "Commission" for our mission and one part in it says,

 "He is my Master and He has chosen me to represent Him- To stand in His place, to say and do what He Himself would say and do if He personally were ministering to the very people to whom He has sent me. My voice is His voice, and my acts are His acts; My words are HIS words; my doctrine is His doctrine. My commission is to do what He wants done; to say what He wants said; to be a living modern witness in word and in deed of the divinity of His great and marvelous latter-day work. "  (Elder Bruce R. McConkie)

It's so powerful and when we recite it everyday I kind of feel the Saviors hands on my shoulders, as if he's standing behind me. 

Overall, this week rocked. I explained last week about the desire I have been wanting to just fall in love with “the work”, and how awesome my companion is, and how she loves to work. Well, this week, we worked. And we worked. And we worked some more. And it was sooo fulfilling. I have learned so much about Sister Suaybaguio, and never want our companionship to end. I want to know everything about her and get to know her perfectly. I want to develop everything she has as a missionary because she has so much to offer me, I love her so much. We have had some intensely spiritual moments that I wish I could write all about, but I really can’t. I just know that every part of our lives has a purpose, Heavenly Father is NOT random.

I am realizing more and more I think the longer I am here, that it’s so hard to explain what I am feeling and what the weeks are like. And sometimes it’s hard to not speak tagalog to you in my email haha, but if there is anything I have to say, it’s this: this is the best thing to ever happen to me.

I love my life and love the calling I get to have as a missionary.

-abbey

Me on Tatay Tapec's tricee!

This cute old lady we teach and share to so she has someone to talk to.

Hahah, this is the craziest man I have ever met. We are best friends. (member)

:)

Sister Abbey Hafen // Week Forty-Four // "Holy Week (as in like, the week that Jesus Christ died, not like "holy week" like "holy flames!"‏

what a week. WHAT a week. So many awesome things, and of course, also some not so awesome things. First off, I will honestly just say I am learning so much I sometimes just walk around all day saying prayers thanking heavenly father over and over. Sister Suay is such a good, hard, worker. She is so deep in this work- an answer to my prayer. I seriously prayed specifically 2 weeks ago that I would find a way to lose myself in the work, that i would find additional ways to never think or daydream about home and to have my mind running all day with what the investigators need, and i even prayed that i would get stressed out about the work- in order to get me to lose myself in it. He answered my prayer EXACTLY.

We had SUCH an awesome work week this week- 5 new investigators, 30 lessons- just awesome. Investigators and less actives came to church and it was so happy. It was seriously fun working SO hard. We prepared an Easter Message, as our mission president asked us to try, and we SHARED IT WITH EVERYONE. We had an INCREDIBLE zone conference this week, and the things we learned in Zone Con- we applied, we really did. I honestly felt the spirit guiding sister suaybaguio and i this whole week, and it felt so good. After Zone Con Sister Suay and I talked and just cried that night, feeling the Love of our Savior- and not just his love for us, but for his other children. Our desire to work hard and serve grew more than ever. It was seriously a very special and sacred day for me and for her.

One miracle of Holy Week and the message we shared of Easter: 

We were walking from one of our appointments, and decided to stop by a former investigator (like we always do) (the mom of our AWESOME recent convert). We sat down at her little street store, and she talked to us, and we got a snack, and then she invited us right in. We sat down, got talking for a while, and then I asked if we could share an Easter Message with her. She said of course, and then her HUSBAND walked in. We invited him, and he sat right down. We shared with them Mosiah 14, and the things we learned at zone con about Christ and his last days on this earth -It was incredible. Our testimonies of Christ were strengthened so much at Zone Con, that as we testified in every appointment this week and shared all about Jesus Christ, the spirit was thick. They agreed to investigate again, and we are so excited to keep teaching them- maybe we can complete the family of Jan Jan so they can go to the temple :) 

On a sad note, we taught 4 different crying mothers this week, 4 different mothers with 4 different husbands who have selfishly lost themselves in alcohol, leaving these women to fight this life by themselves. It was seriously so hard to watch, and I just became even more grateful for the family I was sent to. I am always asking myself why I was so blessed, but instead of thinking about it for too long, I just let that question drive me to find other families I can share this gospel with. 

Seriously, things are great here in Almaguer. We honestly saw so many miracles this week. One thing I noticed this week, is that because we have agency, Heavenly Father has to use the crappy situations we put ourselves in, or others put us in, to bring about miracles. I hate that one of them had to be a crying mom with a drunk, wasted, asleep husband in the other room, but because of that, she accepted our invitation to come to church. She accepted the invitation to come worship our Savior, in order to get energy and strength to fight the next week. She brought her entire family- all wearing white t-shirts and clean jeans- to church yesterday. 

As we went to pick them up, there her husband was; no shirt, ripped jeans, inside their little store. the look on his face as his cleaned up family, his 3 sons, wife, and baby daughter loaded in the tricee, was empty. I shook his hand and said "Brother, come with us next week." and a small, sad, smile with the tiniest bit of desire was on his face. We have been trying to visit this family and share with them for weeks maybe months now- and because of one Saturday afternoon that we dropped by, with her husband drunk and wasted in the other room, she was able to feel the love of christ and the need to come to the house of the Lord and worship. We have been so patient with this referral family, and our faith and prayers are starting to be answered- small ways are finally starting to sprout.

Sister Suay and I are happy. We are united. We are seeing miracles and loving this work. We are working hard and are soooooo tired at the end of every day. Sister Suay was an answer to my prayers and I honestly still can't believe some days that I am here on a mission. 

Love,

Sister Hafen.

us with our investigator family at church yesterday!Almaguer North, Bambang, Nueva Viscaya
picture 1.

picture 2. hahahaha.Brother Allan and his family on their daughters birthday :)

Almaguer North, Bambang, Nueva Viscaya

6:35 am... picture: hahaha, we have one room in our apartment that has AIR CON! (air conditioning, which is RARE). so we all sleep there every night- and i get freezing. Who would have thought during SUMMER in the philippines i would be wearing a jacket to bed, hahaha. 
After Zone Conference... when we planned this night we just cried and felt SO much of our Savior's LOVE.

I love this sister! And the best part is we are related :) Sister Maddock

Zone Conference- Pres and Sis Rahlf, me, and my best friend

REUNITED WITH MY BEST FRIEND

watching 17 miracles in the mountain for FHE.

17 miracles in the mountain

hahaha, i keep getting cuter and cuter here.

Sister Abbey Hafen // Week Forty-Three // "You'll Never Guess"

you will NEVER guess who my companion is!

.... SISTER SUAYBAGIUO. Yes. My housemate in Alicia for 3 months :) I honestly thought it was a joke when the zone leaders texted us the list of our comps. Haha. 

She got sick her 2nd day here, so we didn't leave the house friday, and saturday during conference we had to leave early. then saturday night she couldn't leave the C.R (bathroom) so we stayed home after conference. Its been crappy not being able to work, because our first day of work together was AWESOME. As in, so easy to teach together, so fun, and the spirit was so strong. Sister Suaybagiuo is so awesome, and goes home July 2nd. So next cycle is her last cycle! She loves to work hard, so we are just going to have the best cycle. And we haven't had to "get to know eachother" because we already know each other! its sooo good, i am loving this companionship already.One of my absolute favorite things about the mission is COMPANIONS. I love studying with them, talking with them, learning the gospel with them, teaching the gospel with them, laughing with them, crying with them, telling them everything, loving them, getting notes from them, and just being WITH them. I am hoping heaven is a little like that :)

The work is good, we are finding new investigators and trying new ways to help our investigators really progress. Sister Suay is so experienced and is soo good with helping people on their conversion process, so i am soo excited to get working this week. But first we have zone conference tomorrow :) And I get to see my nanay (trainer), anak (the sister i trained), my best friend (sister meinzer) and many more tomorrow. I am dang excited!

General Conference was absolutely amazing. I seriously enjoy it more and more every time. I honestly received soo much revelation and really prepared for this conference- more than any other time before. I prayerfully prepared questions and wrote them down in my notebook. I set a goal to really just write down the feelings that came into my mind prompted by the things the speakers said, instead of writing down only what they actually were saying. I realized (again) that when I just shut up, or when I just turn off my loud brain, the spirit actually talks to me. (haha how many times have i had that realization on the mission? soo many haha,) Conference was one of the most revelatory experiences so far on my mission. 

I love being a missionary, and I love the spirit I feel. I honestly have made so many promises to my Father in Heaven about things that I promise I will continue to do even when I am not a missionary; this feeling of the spirit is just too good to give up after I'm released as a full-time missionary.  I remember elder neilson (the general authority that visited our Zone Conference last november) saying something like that its so important that we as young kids, learn to understand the spirit here on the mission, because after our missions, we’ve got much bigger decisions to make, that hold MUCH more weight than the decisions we are making here on the mission. I have never forgotten that. And for the first time in my life, I feel like I'm starting to get the tools to face the "real life" when it comes after my mission. To face it with the right tools and the right outlook.

I love everything. Thank you for just being supportive of me. I am amazed at all the missionaries that don't have support, who's familes aren't active, who aren't members, who have loved ones die on the mission, but yet are still strong. I am among the few (as in seriously, the very very few) who have a "completed family" (sealed) and have siblings who have served missions as well. 

I love each of you, the Savior, this gospel, my companion, mission president, area, country, and everything, more than an email can really express.

-Sister Hafen

District pic! e. roy, e.latu, lacona, maagad, cousin, waldron, bangal, thrope, bien, fugaban, dasalla, me, maddock, barril, karavanua

The pictures above were from last week that she was just able to send this week!!

FHE at our BML's house (he's the one on the far right, in the tie). sooo fun . I love this famly so much.

laughing.. of course.

Me and Elder Bangal (our zone leader) we are the same person.

singing happy birthday to maricel!

family home evening at the libreros

the youth in Almaguer!