Tuesday, December 9, 2014~Week 69

Cainta; 2:53 PM Tues (PH); 11:53 PM Mon (US)

Hellooooooooooooo!!! First off, I'm alive! Haha we barely felt anything of the storm here in Cainta so that's a miracle because that means there wasn't really any flooding! I hope everyone else that was affected by the storm though is doing okay. More prayers, as always! :)

TODAY
{I forgot to take one at home so
I took one this morning at the chapel! haha}

Well, it's been quite a week! First off, Zone Interviews were A M A Z I N G! I received SOOOO much revelation for so many things. The Spirit was just teaching me left and right and answering questions and testifying to me and everything was just wonderful! I absolutely loved this time because we focused on Joseph Smith. The Restoration is my very favorite thing to teach to anyone. My whole life I've believed in the Prophet Joseph Smith. My whole life I've revered him and honored him. I've always had a special love for Joseph Smith. I was specifically told in my setting apart blessing that I have a gift when it comes to a testimony of the Prophet Joseph Smith. So anytime Joseph Smith is talked about or taught about, it's like my spirit wakes up a little more and listens so intently. We got to watch Elder Andersen's talk again and that was amazing for me because during that session of General Conference, we had it in Tagalog. So that was a tender mercy for me. And then we all got to go around and share something new that we learned from his talk. One thing that I learned is that there are so many ways to gain a testimony of him and the work that he did. I had never thought before about the fact that when I stand in the Celestial Room of the temple, it's because Joseph Smith restored those sacred keys back to the earth. I LOVE that! So many more things just came to my mind of why I'm grateful for him and all that he did to restore the truth back to the earth.

Garsha and Zollinger

And just a little experience to add to this, on Saturday we went on exchanges with Sister Garcia and Sister Zollinger. During our companionship study, we all shared what we learned from our personal study and it just so happened that every single one of us studied about Joseph Smith and gaining a testimony of him. It was THE most powerful and spiritual companionship study I've had my ENTIRE mission. It was so amazing to sit there in that little space and feel the spirit testify to each one of us through each other's testimonies that Joseph Smith is a prophet of God. It was an incredible experience. 

The package! It came!
It came on December 3rd! I knew you'd be so happy to hear that. :)

#christmascountdown
Sister Garsha said, "CHOCOLAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAATE!!!!!
Yummmmmm!!! Hehehehehehehehehehehe" 
{hugs and kisses}

Look at my beautiful companion
and her beautiful hair!! 

#craycray 

But anyway, I loved the workshop from the APs. It was all about shortening and simplifying the way we teach, especially the message of the Restoration. It answered EVERY question I had about how we can improve the area that we have right now. I was so so grateful. And then on Thursday, after the interviews, we were able to apply what we learned in the first lesson that we taught and it was a miracle! So remember Nanay Ligaya? She was the one we taught and told us that she might not be interested in our church because of tithing. Well! We went and re-taught her the Restoration and applied everything the APs taught us and BOOM! A light switched on inside her and she accepted baptism for December 27 and promised to come to church again on Sunday no matter what happened! And here's the best part! SHE DID!! She came! Haha she was an hour early.... which was kind of funny. But she came! And then the lesson that day was about tithing and fast offerings and it was so great! And our recent convert, Emma, has like THE strongest testimony about tithing ever! She's had one for years. And so Emma went over to Ligaya after church and explained to her the beauty of tithing and helped her understand it and they became cute little old lady friends at church! It was the BEST! I could not have been happier! :)

#McDo

This is Sister Sauni laughing because
everyone in McDo was staring at her.

#cuties

#trikerides 

#trikerideswithmembers

Also, another little thing that I want to share is an experience that we had on Thursday. So we went to teach Emma and William and start reviewing all the lessons again with them. So of course, we started with the Restoration. And because the ward is supposed to take part in these lessons, we had a ward missionary meet us there and he taught the lesson. And as he was teaching, I was just thinking. So this ward missionary has been home from his mission for a while now, but he can still teach the lessons like a full-time missionary. He teaches very simply and clearly and still remembers every principle of the lesson. And I was just thinking about everything that we had talked about in Zone Interviews and about everything that had been talked about in General Conference about Joseph Smith and about testimony and it just hit me right then and there how much I ALWAYS need to be strengthening my testimony. I know that I have one, but I need to constantly strengthen it and help it to continue to grow and then SHARE it. Because if I don't share it, all the teaching skills and knowledge that I've gained here on my mission will just go to waste. I never want to lose what I've gained here. Ever. I'm grateful for the example of this ward missionary and countless other members that I've met and worked with. That's one amazing thing about the Filipino members. They are literally always sharing the gospel and they LOVE to work with the missionaries. I want to be just like them for the rest of my life! I know that this is one reason that my Father in Heaven sent me here to the Philippines. Because He wanted me to learn not only how to be a missionary right now, but forever. And these beautiful people are the best example of that. I LOVE THE PHILIPPINES!! :)

Ariel!!! 

What a beaut.

I just want to say that I know with every fiber in my being that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the only true and living church here on the earth today and that Jesus Christ is at the head of this church. I know that the fullness of the everlasting gospel was restored through the Prophet Joseph Smith. It doesn't matter what the world says and thinks of him because we know him to be chosen of God. And that's the ONLY thing that matters. I know, with every fiber in my being that Jesus IS the Christ. He is the reason for the season. He IS the Gift. Our loving Father in Heaven gave His Beloved Son to US. How lucky are we?? We just need to receive this incomprehensible Gift and then share it! "Joy to the world! Let earth receive her King!" I hope you're all enjoying the Christmas season!! Treasure it while it lasts! It seems to go so fast! I can't wait to see all your wonderful faces in 16 days!! Have a great week!! Merry Christmas!! LOVE YOUUUUUUUUUUUUU!!!! 

Love, Sister Andersen