Sister Danai Sirrine: November 17, 2014 Youth to teach!

Out in the bukid with Roque kids. The cart that Karibao pull in the fields.

Orion Zone at Mount Samat

Foreigners are more expensive

Missionaries love pictures!

Kind of looks like me and E. Armbruster have twin Philippino sons....haha

This is what happened to Magellum!!! He got lost sailing around the world and landed in the Philippines. He was killed here (I think he was eaten...but don't quote me on that one) This is that scene on the Mount Samat cross. He is being stepped on by Lapu-Lapu as his boat is sailing away. His crew got away but he didn't make it!

Hello Hello!!!!

Well, this week was kind of a crazy week. One day was really good and then the next was...not so good. But it ended great so that's all that matters.

First of all, this week we found a lot of new investigators. We found 4 youth kids that we taught on Thursday. I usually don't teach kids because if you teach kids you run several risks: 1) they don't have permission to get baptized or come to church 2) they'll be baptized and then quickly go less active because they have no parental support. So as a rule, I've avoided teaching kids and tried to get their parents. But these kids live really close to the church and they are 16 and 17 so they do have the ability to know for themselves if this is true and get themselves to church. So we taught them and they prayed about Joseph Smith and then on Saturday were so excited to get a Book of Mormon. They said that they were going to come to church on Sunday but they did ask if there were a lot of youth their age. We only have 2 active youth right now. 1 young women and 1 young man (James!). So we told them not really, but to come anyway. So they said that they would. I was super worried about church on Sunday because there was a scheduled brownout from 8am to 5 pm which meant there was no AC and no microphone and there probably wouldn't be a lot of people to attend. But we had 59 people come to church (lately it's been in the 30's) and all of the less active youth came to church!!!! But the Santos kids hadn't showed up yet and I was super worried that they weren't coming but then after the sacrament, five of them walked into the church!!!! The youth leaders were so excited! They finally had youth to teach! And afterwards, we asked them how church was and they were so excited. They said it was great and we found out later that they asked one of the members how they can be baptized. We're really trying to find youth and primary right now so that the branch isn't just old people here. It was super exciting. And lots of people got new callings today, people that we have been working with and they are excited about it. It is so true that you need a calling to really be active in the church and to feel involved. Otherwise it is easy to fall away.

All the youth that came to church! Including the Santos kids!

The funny thing is that we got to church and after sacrament, the Primary president went home so there was no one to teach primary. Usually, Sis Domingo would teach primary and I went and helped out in gospel principles class. But yesterday, there was no choice. We had to teach it. I was actually really nervous to teach primary (we all know how I am with kids...)! But we grabbed the primary manual and we actually had a pretty good lesson. The Santos kids brought their little brother who is 6 and he was the best kid in the primary class! He answered all the questions, participated in the games, did a great job at drawing and then I taught them 'Book of Mormon Stories' and he sang along and did the actions too. He was really excited to come back next week. The Lord really does help us in our weaknesses! I guess that I can survive teaching primary

And Jocelyn finally came to church again! Her day off from work is Sunday, but lately with all the occasions happening here, her boss has made her work on Sunday. Jocelyn hasn't felt like she could refuse her boss because if she does, she'll get fired and they will have no work. So we did a couple lessons about praying and having the faith to follow the commandments and the Lord will help you. So FINALLY, this week, she told her boss that she can't work on Sunday because her husband is angry and she needs to go to church. Go Jocelyn!!! So she was able to come to church again after several weeks of not being able to and now hopefully her baptism will really happen in December. Kind of a scary thing to do, but she put her faith in Heavenly Father and her boss accepted what she said. No more work on Sunday!

Mount Samat! My new companion Sis Lucillo

I'm loving being companions with Sis Lucillo and our work is getting better! We found a lot of new investigators that were taught before by previous missionaries and we're hoping that now is the time for them to accept the gospel. Just keep praying!!! Love the work! Love my area! I love being a missionary!
Mahal ko kayo!

Sister Sirrine

Photos from trip to Manilla