Abbey in the Philippines: Sister Abbey Hafen // Week Sixty-Four // "Sister Princess Joy Fernandez Maravilla :)‏"

This week was another great one, another busy one, another hard one, another frustrating one, another incredible one..... just another normal one here on this side of the globe :)

The main event from this week was the baptism of Sister Princess :) It was the best baptism yet. Although the jeep was late, people were still showering as we came to pick them up, Sister Princess had a nasty fever, my violin was left at the church in Gamu, and many more small set backs (that Satan tries to use as ways to make baptisms not happen), it was the best baptism ever. On the jeep ride over, Sister Villaneuva mentioned that in her branch, they start the baptism in the chapel, move to the font for the performance of the ordinance, and then go back to the chapel to finish the program. As she said that I rememered- yeah, we do that too in the united states! so for this baptism, we started in the beautiful, air conditioned, soft seated chapel, and also ended there (something I haven't seen yet here in the Cauayan Misson). The program was as follows:

-opening prayer and hymn

(i played the piano... mom, you can now pick your jaw up off the keyboard hahaha, believe it or not, i did play the piano for this service. thank you heavenly father for the gift of piano keys!)

-2 speakers (member of relief society presidency, and our recent convert who is princess' close friend)

-musical number (becuase my violin got left at the chapel in gamu, last minute us 4 missionaries and YSA sang a beautiful arrangement of joseph smiths first vision, to the tune of Come thou Fount)

-PERFORMANCE OF BAPTISM

-testimonies by; princess' cousin (jolvin cabaltica) who referred her to us and was there the entire conversion process, YSA friend of princess (jojomar bilog), Brother Raymundo a neighbor and close friend (also recent convert) of the maravilla family, and Princess' mom (who cannot yet baptized because they aren't married yet).

-closing remarks by president daggaou

-closing hymn and prayer

The testimonies born in the service were so powerful, especially the testimony of Princess' mom. She is so awesome and I wish you could have all been there. It was incredible. Everyone could not believe that she was still an investigator, and she has that kind of a testimony. I have seriously never seen the gospel work this way in anyone else as I have in this family of Nanay Lirio and Princess. IT was so cool to hear our branch president bear testimony to us all at the pulpit, that one day, this family will be complete and be sealed in the temple, to be prepared to enter the celestial kingdom. Nanay is aching to be baptized but understands the doctrine of patience and hope, and is doing everything she can to make it happen. And Princess- man! She has completely changed. She used to not be able to pray in front of us without LITERALLY having sweat drip down her forehead and around her lips, shaking. She couldn't answer any questions, she couldn't get herself to talk really. And now she is giving us referrals up the yang and works with us several times a week. It has been an incredible change that everyone in her town has noticed, and most importantly, she has seen and felt in herself.

It was a beautiful service and I'm so happy everything went well. Heavenly Father is so good and I know he is so happy that another one of his children has committed to live a life to serve Him and keep His commandments. This week was so good, and I was reminded coldly of things I need to continue to improve and do better on. I love love LOVE my companion Sister Cabada and am so grateful for her. I love this work and am happy I am here, I really am. It's a happiness that I wish I could explain; just full, deep, and real. A real happiness that comes from our Savior.

I love you all and hope you have a great week.

-Sister Hafen :)

Sister Abbey Hafen

Philippines Cauayan Mission