April 7, 2014 Hello!

Melvin Jakaran's baptism! March 30 2014

Picture of all of us at Melvins baptism

This is the Estipular family

Hello Family!

Well, this week was crazy!  So busy.  The highlight of the week was that last Sunday, Melvin Jakaran was baptized!  He was seriously golden!  After the first lesson with him, he came to church that next Sunday and every Sunday since and had no Word of Wisdom problems.  Unfortunately, his mom wasn't able to get baptized with him because we're working out her marriage but she will be baptized too.  This family is future leaders, I can tell!  Also, the next Sunday (yesterday) we came to church and Melvin was dressed in a white shirt, tie and black pants. All that was missing was a name tag!!!  I was seriously so happy!  We could tell that he felt a little awkward and when his mom came to church, she didn't even recognize him at first!  But he got used to it and he loves being at church.  He's 21 so he has potential to serve a mission.  Hopefully!

Melvin the next week at church!  He went and bought church clothes!!!!

And then last Monday, we had a mission activity because we achieved the standard of excellence for baptisms in the mission: 188 baptisms.  188 missionaries.  It was fun to play at the mission home and we kind of had a water fight which felt SO GOOD.  Holy cow, it is hot here.  I thought it was hot when I got her in August.  Little did I know.  I'm just glad that I've gotten used to the heat and sweating all the time because it not, I'm pretty sure I would melt.  I'm pretty sure there is nothing like the heat here in the Philippines in summer!

At mission activity: This is a real pig's head.  They barbecued the entire pig in banana leaves

Also, yesterday we watched the RS general broadcast and for those of you that watched it and saw the video where everyone was singing I am a child of God, they filmed here in the Philippines!  And the little kids sang in Tagalog!  That was kind of fun :)  I'm excited to watch general conference next week! Also, I was watching and realized that everyone looked really weird on the TV screen.  I couldn't figure it out and then I realize that it is because everyone is SO WHITE!  They have no color!  haha I've gotten used to the Filipino skin :)

And, Sis Salado and I kind of had a miracle here in the mission.  So every month, we set goals of how many baptisms and less active returns we will have for the month.  We didn't have any goals for less actives but we put down that we would achieve 2.  Then we did a lot of praying to find the goals and we asked all the members who they knew that was inactive.  Last week we had 5 less actives come to church.  This week, we had 9 come to church.  Two weeks ago we thought that we had no goals and had no idea how we were going to achieve what we put down but we are seeing the help of the Lord talaga in our area!  We might be able to achieve well above our goals for this month!  I know that sometimes in life, we just need to make a goal, put our trust in the Lord and although the end result might be different than we thought, it will actually be better.

Ellen and Merlina and their kids.  I love them so much!!!!

The mission is the craziest adventure that I have ever been on.  I've met the craziest people, people that have the craziest ideas, done things I would never do in America, eaten things I would never eat in America, and so much more.  But I have also had the neatest experiences here, and I've had a chance to see some amazing changes in the lives of people here and seen a lot of miracles.  And here in Masinloc, I've been given the chance to find two golden families: Ellen and Melvin Jakaran and Alona Esico.  I feel so blessed to be here in the Philippines serving a mission for our Heavenly Father!

I love you all!  Hope that you have a great week!

Sister Sirrine

I don't know them on the motorcycles....they're members from a different area but when you're a missionary, everyone loves you.  Even if they don't know you

March 30, 2014 Surprise! I'm Online! (a day early)

Hello Family!

Well, we got a text in the middle of the day saying to go email at 8 pm because we aren't going to have time on Monday.  Our mission achieved our baptism goals of 200 baptisms in 1 month and so we are having a mission party on Monday.  Crazy!  We were super surprised. I don't really know what to say....I haven't planned it out like I usually do.  Just kidding.

So this week was pretty good.  We were kind of punted this week but we found some new investigators.  We run into some really interesting people here in the mission because we literally talk to everyone.  We talked to a lady yesterday whose name is Resurrection.  Yes.  That is really her name.  She was very talkative and very religious, Born Again I think....not quite sure.  Unfortunately we had a member present who was also very talkative.  We didn't do much teaching and eventually we just ended the lesson.  She was very nice but some people think that us going there is a chance for them to share too....haha

One interesting thing that happened was that we went back to a less active that we had stopped going to because she was just not progressing at all.  She was very offended by the district president here and so became less active because of that.  I remember my first lesson with her, I think it was an hour and a half, and she spent most of the time being angry and offended and telling us her story of what happened.  She now goes to the Iglesia Ni Cristo church although she knows this church is true.  And it always seemed like we were such a bother to her.  She was never happy with whatever time we went to her.  So we stopped going to her.  But the last two weeks, I kept thinking her name when we were in her area.  So finally one night, we were punted on our last appointment and it happened to be right across the street from her.  So I told Sis Salado that we would try her.  So we went there and immediately she let us in and said "Why did you stop coming?  I thought that you'd been transferred.  I read the reading asigment that you gave me and was ready to share what I learned."  She was so nice during that visit.  She said that when we had been going to her in January, she had been feeling like this was probably God telling her that she needed to go back to church.  And then we stopped coming to her.  And then she said, "If I go to church on Sunday, will you come back more often?  Every day even!"  I tell you that I spent the whole lesson in shock!  This was not the Melody that I knew back in January!  I literally said hardly anything the entire lesson because I could not believe what I was hearing was true.  Afterwards, I told sis Salado, "That is a different person than I knew!"  Back in January, if you'd have asked me, I would have said that she was too offended and that that if she came back, it was going to be a long time.  But this just goes to show that we really can't assume about other people.  We don't know their thoughts and we don't know how the Lord is working in their lives.  In fact, she admitted "I turned my back on the Lord and rejected him but the whole time he is still waiting for me." And I am so glad that I listened to the Lord's prompting to go back to her.  It was a lesson to me to listen to the small thoughts in my mind because the Holy Ghost really is quiet and sometimes it isn't apparent that that is the Holy Ghost.

And also....Herson is progressing!!!!!!  We went to him on Thursday after not having been to him since last Saturday.  He told us that on Sunday, after hearing the talks in Sacrament meeting, something changed inside of him.  He said that he doesn't know what happened but something changed and he really wants this for himself and his family.  He set a goal for himself that he is going to be totally smoke free by April 16,his wife's birthday.  He said that even if we are transferred, he is going to be baptized.  He is down to two a day and tomorrow he is going to try zero.  Before, he never wanted to set a date or goals of how many cigarettes in a day because he was afraid that he wouldn't be able to fulfill his goal.  So he didn't want to set any.  All the goals would come from us and he would hesitantly agree to them.  But now he has set a goal for himself and he is excited about it!  I am so happy for him!  I just know that he is going to be baptized!  Something has truly changed in him and he really wants this for himself and for his family.  And although he has lessened his smoking, he is happy.  This is seriously a miracle.  Prayers really do work!

Sometimes we would joke that our purpose is to force others to come unto Christ by receiving the gospel and dragging them to the baptismal font.  And maybe that's sometimes how it starts out but ultimately, it has to be our individual commitment to follow Christ.  No matter how committed the missionaries or other people are, it is everyone's individual commitment to obey the commandments of God and come unto him.  Sometimes it's disappointing as a missionary when you are so so committed to helping a person be baptized and ultimately they decide they don't want to.  But I've realized here how important free agency is in our life, otherwise our actions don't mean anything to us.

Well, I love you all and hope that you have a great week!

Mahal ko kayo!

sister Sirrine

March 24, 2014

Me, Sis Salado, and Jasmine Tugas

We're eating squid this week!

Hello Family!

This week has been much of the same.  Such is the life of a missionary.  But, I have really learned about the power of prayer this week.  So when we first started teaching Ellen, we were really worried that her husband wouldn't agree to the baptism because they are Born Again and he was pretty adamant about that.  Also, he doesn't really like to talk to us and when we show up there, he always leaves.  So we were really worried that he would feel like we were taking over his family.  So every day we were praying for him and that he would agree to the baptism.  About two weeks ago, we were finally able to have a conversation with him and he said if they wanted to get baptized, they could.  And then last week, we double check with Ellen and she said that he said it was fine.  (He kind of has a stern appearance so we weren't really sure.  We're a little bit nervous of him) So last Tuesday, we were getting all their information for their baptism and we found out that Ellen's last husband is actually dead.  Here in the Philippines, there isn't divorce, just annulment and it's really expensive.  So we have permission from the first presidency that if they were married before and separated and now are living with a new spouse, they can be married. If it's been at least 7 years they've been together.  So we knew that Ellen wasn't married to this man but we thought it was okay because she had a previous marriage.  But then we found out that the past husband died.  So the marriage is automatically annulled. So we were all so excited about her baptism this Sunday, but then we had to tell her that they need to be married before she can be baptized.  She got really sad looking and we assured her that we would help her.  She then asked, "What if he doesn't agree?" She said that for a while now she's been feeling like they need to be married but it just hasn't happened either for money reasons or maybe because he doesn't really want to.  So we told her to talk to her husband.  Then, of course we prayed for them.  Every day.  Every prayer.  We were a little scared to go back to them on Saturday, I was almost sure that there was going to be a problem with the husband.  We asked how her preparation for baptism was going and she smiled and said that they've got all the paperwork except his death certificate and that he agreed.  He actually said, "When is the wedding?"  We were so so so happy!!!!  So Happy. We have been praying for them so much and I realized that day the Lord did a miracle for them.  I realized that miracles don't always mean that someone is miraculously healed of cancer instantly or something of that sort.  Sometimes miracles take a long time but they are still miracles.  But it can take time to soften someones heart or heal some deep wounds that are caused by sins but the Lord will work miracles and make the impossible happen.  And I know, that prayers are powerful.  Ellen will be baptized but it will take a few weeks for us to get the marriage in place.  I hope that I am still here for the wedding!  We would get to go to it!  That would be exciting!

We've also been praying every day, every prayer for Herson and slowly, I think we are starting to see a miracle.  I think that it might still be a while before he can quit his smoking but slowly the Lord is working with him and I know that he will be baptized.  I told Sis Salado that I have never prayed so much for one person in my whole life.  I know that the Lord hears and answers our prayers but it is definitely not all at once and immediately.  If we are patient and continue our heartfelt prayers, they will be answered.  Just like in Alma.  Who knows how many months or years his father prayed for him until the angel appeared to him and his heart was changed.  I'm sure there were many people that thought that kind of change of heart was impossible.  I know that there are many people here that it is impossible to give up smoking or coffee or they don't have a desire to get married.  It impossible that that would change.  But somehow it does because the Lord is always working with them.

Well,that's pretty much all.  Of course there's more but too much for 1 email.  I know that the church is true.  I know that Heavenly Father loves each and everyone of us and that he is doing everything for us to be able to return to him and enjoy all the blessings that he has to give us.

Mahal na mahal ko kayo!

Sister Sirrine

March 17, 2014 Another week in the mission

This is our cooking demo that we had as a zone this week.  We cooked Estopado (so delicious but I felt like I had high cholesterol and diabetes afterwards!) and this is our high tech stove.  You can see how big the woks are here!  I love it!  Mom this is what we need to feed our family!

Hello Family!

Well, this week was busy and there was lots of work for us.  It was nice because we were kind of punted last week but this week was good.  First of all, I am so EXCITED for Ellen and Melvin to be baptized!  They are seriously golden investigators.  Sometimes  I kind of don't believe that they are really going to be baptized because they are progressing so fast.  We literally taught them and the first week they came to church and keep all the commitments that we give them.  Also, when we taught them word of wisdom, Melvin stopped immediately and Ellen cut down from 7 cups of coffee a day to 1.  And then we told her that she has to stop altogether to be baptized and so far she hasn't had coffee.  The only set back was that yesterday, Melvin didn't come to church because he hadn't washed his clothes and he was embarrassed to come to church in just t-shirt and jeans because he saw how formal everyone is.  But he was really sad that he didn't go to church and we think we have permission to get him baptized if he'll come to two more Sundays, since he is so ready.  Also, it's so great when we go there because they complete their reading assignments and THEY UNDERSTAND!!!!  It's crazy!  They tell us exactly what happened in their reading.  And, the last few times, Melvin's little brother has sat in and even though we are halfway through the lessons, he started reading the Book of Mormon too and basically has his passages memorized.  They are really smart and totally ready to be baptized.  And that's how the whole family is!  They are very spiritual.  Even though Melvin and Ellen will be first, I feel like the whole family will be baptized eventually.

This week we had 18 new investigators.  We were really hoping to get to 20 yesterday, but it didn't quite happen.  And we had 5 investigators at church.  After 6 months in Gua Gua where it was a miracle if even 1 person came to church and was progressing, this is like a missionary's dream area.  I feel like there's got to be a challenge coming soon....

We went and taught Merlina (who was baptized Feb 28) and were reviewing the WoW and Chastity lessons with her.  She said that on the day of her baptism, when we went to her house in the morning, and she wanted to move her baptism to Mar 8.  She said it was because there was a birthday party on Mar 6 and she knew there would be alcohol and she wasn't sure that she could keep the word of wisdom.  So she wanted to move her baptism.  Of course, we pushed her and she was baptized on Feb 28.  Then she said that on Mar 6, she went to the birthday party but didn't drink.  She told her friends that she had become a good girl now.  But she said that if she hadn't have been baptized, she is sure that she would have drunk.  I felt the spirit so strong in that lessons because originally, her date was March 8.  But then our baptism for February fell through and so we pushed her to Feb 28 to be able to meet our goal.  I knew then that there was a reason that the other baptism didn't happen and that pushing Merlina forward two weeks was inspired by Heavenly Father.  Because she was able to obtain the spiritual strength in those two weeks to be able to keep the commandments of our Father in Heaven.

Also, Merlina's two daughters came to church yesterday!!!  They are SUPER shy and never come out of hiding when we are there so we haven't been able to teach them. But now we have hope!  Merlina really wants her family to accept the gospel and hopefully this is going to be the time for her two daughters!

Herson is doing okay but still can't give up the smoking. We're trying everything we can think of and then we had a lesson with him last night and I felt inspired to tell him that the Word of Wisdom is a revelation from God to his prophet Joseph Smith.  Then for some reason I asked him if he believed that Joseph Smith is a prophet of God.  He said that he didn't know.  We realized that he couldn't keep the word of wisdom because he doesn't really know if this is a commandment from God and he doesn't have a testimony of Joesph Smith.  I was so thankful for the Holy Ghost in that lesson that prompted us to talk about prophets!

Well, I just feel so blessed to be on a mission right now.  This really is a special privilege from the Lord.  One of the members here in Masinloc just returned from her mission and worked with us one day. We went and visited a less active who is an RM. They both told me and Sis Salado how hard it is to be an RM, that there are more challenges AFTER your mission.  I don't want to be an RM! haha.  But I know that a mission is a big blessing and I have already learned so much here.

I know the church is true and I know that Joseph smith was a prophet of God.  I know that hanggang ngayon, nagpapahayag ang Diyos sa kanyang propeta si Thomas S Monson.  At alam ko din na ang ebanghelyo ni Jesu Cristo ay ang makakatulong sa atin buhay. Kahit anuman ang problema at pagsubok natin!

Have a great week!

Sis Sirrine

March 10, 2014 Hello! Hello!

FHE at Herson Estipular's home.  With a lot of branch members too.  Sobrang masaya!\

A pretty flower I found.  There are TONS of flowers here! Flower is bulaklak in Tagalog.

Kumusta ang pamilya ko?

Well, this week was really great.  It started off that on Monday, we had an FHE at the home of one of our investigators, Herson Estipular.  He really really wants to be baptized and knows the church is true and if other people ask him, he says that he is Mormon (he's been an investigator for a long time).  The problem is that he smokes.  So we decided to have an FHE at his house and it was super fun.  We had the branch president there and RS president and other branch members so I think that they really felt the support of the branch.  (In the picture, I have flour on my face.  That was one of the games we played) We have been praying for him for several weeks now and trying to think of what we could do to help him quit smoking because lots of missionaries have gone to him and so far, no luck.  So we need to do something different.  Then I happened to pick up a missionary book and there was a section just on helping investigators quit smoking.  The way is by focusing on the atonement of Jesus Christ and asking them to quit smoking for 24 hours to show their love to the Savior.  Then you go back before the 24 hours are up and recommit them.  So that's what we are trying to do.  The first day, he promised that he wouldn't smoke and he didn't!  The second day he wasn't able to do it.  The third day, he smoked one cigarette but his daughter caught him and so he didn't finish it.  So now we're on day 4.  I think he's kind of sick of us coming to him everyday but I just know that he can do it!  He really wants to be baptized and he really loves his family so that's what we are going to really focus on.  Hopefully this is the answer to all our prayers for him!  He is really smart and good at the scriptures and has the potential to be a leader someday so we are trying to really focus on him.  Hopefully he will be our April baptism!

Also, I think I told you about Ellen and Melvin...or maybe not.  I forget.  Everything kind of runs together here.  But anyway, they are golden investigators!  They came to church again this week and they are on track to be baptized in March.  Ellen cried a little bit in church yesterday because she said that all of her kids were baptized in the Born Again church, except Melvin.  He didn't want to.  She said that he's never wanted to go to church until now.  So she is really grateful and wants all of her kids to listen to us.  It was a little funny because on Saturday, we taught them word of wisdom and the 6 year old daughter walked in on the lesson drinking coffee.  Ellen was a little embarrassed.  She said that they are all addicts to coffee but they will stop.  Melvin stopped immediately.  He went and bought some chocolate powder instead.  Ellen just had one cup yesterday but is trying really hard not to.  I'm so so so excited for their family!  We're just a little nervous about the father not agreeing to their baptism but we'll keep praying for his heart to be softened.  I know that with faith, anything can happen!

Other than that, pretty normal.  We were punted some days this week and some investigators are hiding from us but that's okay, we found some new ones.  That's the nice thing here:  there are lots of people that are ready for the gospel.  Unfortunately we have 4 investigators that have Word of Wisdom problems.  That's been our biggest challenge this week in trying to seek inspiration to help them.  It's just so hard when you want to do everything to help them but it's just so addictive.  I'm so glad that I never even had the desire to try any of that stuff.

Well, I know that the church is true.  I'm so grateful for all the challenges that I have faced here in the mission and am continuing to face.  I know that I have grown in so many ways here.  Also, I'm so grateful to be a part of people's lives in this way.  It's really humbling to be a part of such a big change in people's lives.  And I've also really grown to realize how important the atonement is for us.  The more that I learn about it, the more I realize I don't know.

I love you all!  Hope you have a great week!

Sister Sirrine

And......

This week we had a wild morning.  So apparently here in the summer time, the water is kind of weak.  It's been sputtery and sometimes has only a little bit of water.  But then one morning, I exercised and ate breakfast and ran up to take a shower.  I was the last one.  Sis Salado came out of the room and said "I've got bad news for you.  There's no water." As in none.  The pipes were dry. But I really really really needed to shower.  (You can't miss a day of showers here!) So I decided to study first and see if the tank would fill up with a little bit of water and then shower just before proselyting.  I was so lucky that after an hour we had just a trickle of water coming out of the pipes.  So I put a bucket under the tap and got it filling up and took a bucket shower.  Not super effective because the bucket never did fill up and there was only a tickle coming out.  But it was better than nothing.  And then, at lunch time there was still no water.  So, we used our water storage for drinking and the food and then came the time that Sis Salado and I needed to wash the dishes.  There was water outside in the garden (I don't know where it was coming from) so we filled up a bucket with water.  But the water had dirt in it.  So remembering all my survival skills from when I was back at home with Johnny, we got a piece of cloth and held it over a pot and strained the water through it.  And then proceeded to boil our water so that it didn't have bacteria in it.  (the water really isn't safe here if it isn't filtered) I felt like such a boy scout!  And like I was camping.  But eventually, we got clean water (a little bit hot) and were able to wash our dishes.  It was an adventure!

March 3, 2014 March Already!

My las pic with Sis Pati-on!

Me and syril De Claro (granddaughter of Merlina)

Hello Family!

Wow this week went by super fast!  We had transfer day on Wednesday and I got a new companion: Sis Salado!  Again!  Everyone couldn't believe that we were assigned as companions again.  It's kind of unusual with how many sisters there are in the mission now.  But I was excited because I learned so much from her.  And I guess I still have more to learn.  Hopefully she was excited to get me as her companion again...haha

Baptism of Merlina De Claro!!!!

The big news of the week is that we had a baptism this week!  Sister Merlina De Claro was baptized on Feb 28. It's been a long road to her baptism because at first her husband wouldn't agree to it.  But eventually, he agreed.  so we went to her the morning of the baptism and she was really sad that Sister Pati-on got transferred.  And, she was really feeling the influence of Satan trying to get her not to be baptized.  She asked if we could do the baptism on another day.  She said that she didn't feel ready.  We got really worried and assured her that she was ready.  We read some scriptures and told her that was what Satan wanted her to think, that she wasn't ready.  So she agreed.  She showed up to the church and we could see she was still hesitant.  But when she came up out of the baptismal font, she had the biggest smile on her face.  She said that she had the best feeling and all the other feelings from earlier were gone.  And then she bore a wonderful testimony afterwards.  It was short, but definitely from her heart. And it was so great to see her on Sunday at church because usually she is really quiet and shy and doesn't talk to people at church.  Just us.  But yesterday, she was smiling and talking to people and looked like she was really enjoying church.  That's one of my favorite things about a mission:  seeing the change in people when they accept baptism and the Holy Ghost.  It is literally an immediate change.  It's really neat.

We had one sadness this week.  Our investigator Norgito eguita (77 years old) was really sad that Sis Pati-on got transferred, espcially that it was so sudden.  so now he doesn't want to come to church.  I think that it's because he's afraid that he'll get attached to people and then they'll leave him.  that's the hard thing about teaching older people.  They get attached to the missionaries really easily.  But we're going to work hard to find him fellowshippers and hopefully he'll realize that he needs the church.  He's already finished the BoM and he's only had it for 2 weeks!

Our investigator Norgito Eguita (in pink) and Elder Doyle the couple missionary

Other than that, it was a pretty normal missionary week.  We have one family that I'm getting really excited about.  They came to church yesterday and they are really interested in the lessons.  They are keeping their commitments and I'm really hoping that the mom and the son will be baptized this march.  I'm a little worried about the father because he doesn't want to listen to us and so we are worried that he won't agree.  But we are trying to talk to him and soften his heart so he'll let his family be baptized.  And hopefully him!!!

well, I love you all!  I hope that you are all doing well and reading your scriptures daily.  I know the church is true!

Mahal ko kayo!
sister Sirrine

February 24, 2014 Hello Hello

All the mangoes that we have been given (we're so lucky!) There's even more in the fridge.  We've pretty much lived on mangoes thislast week.,  It's been great!

The Candelaria Zone!

Kumusta ang minimahal kong pamilya!

Wow, another week has flown by and another transfer!  I'm pretty sure that I'll get a new companion on Wednesday because Sis Pati-on has been here for a long time.  I'm really going to miss her.  This has been the best companionship as far as teaching and so it's been really fun.  Not hardly stressful at all!

This last week was so awesome!  We have tons of really progressing investigators and really are really excited about all of them.  We have 10 right now with baptismal goal dates for March...hopefully that actually happens :) Yesterday in church, we had 7 investigators come!  Sis Pati-on and I were soooooo happy.  We saw the first one and we were happy, and then another walked in and another and another....and we just got happier and happier!

I can't remember if I told you about Norgito Equita.  He is 72-ish years old and he really loves when we come and teach him.  We've invited him to church before and he'll never promise, he always says it's hard to promise but we'll see.  So we went to teach him on Tuesday and found out that he had gone to the church last Sunday but he didn't come inside!  He said that he didn't see us waiting outside and he was too shy to come in because he didn't know anyone there.  So he waited outside for an hour and then he went home.  We were so sad when we heard that!  So we told him to come to church again on Sunday and we would wait for him.  He said "It's hard to promise...but we'll see."  And.....He came to church!!!!  We were so excited!  And he really enjoyed the church too.  He said that he'll come again next Sunday and he already has lots of friends.  Also, we gave him a Book of Mormon 1 week ago...he's already in Alma.  Yep.  He's beating me.  But he's also retired so when he has nothing to do, he reads.  He said that he likes it but sometimes he doesn't understand it.  But he does understand the story line.  We have high hopes for him that he'll be baptized.

Also, we have another investigator, Sonny Dait, who is also excited for us to come to teach him.  It's so fun to be a missionary when you know that they want you to come back again.  But he has so many questions, and they're deep questions too, and he listens intently.  One of his questions was what if someone was shot and were dying and then the missionaries came and taught him and he accepted it and had faith and repented of his sins and then he died.  So he didn't have the chance to be baptized.  But he would have.  "What then?" he asked.  It was PERFECT because our lesson to him right then was the Plan of Salvation.  It was such a good lesson!  We invited him to church but he said that he has to go fishing every day, otherwise his family doesn't have food.  He said that maybe in March because he hopefully will be getting a more regular job.  We told him that he needed to exercise his faith and put the Lord first. And that the Lord gave us 6 days to work and one day to go to church.  He just smiled and said maybe in March.  And then.....he came to church the next day!!!!!  We couldn't believe it when he walked in!  And he actually knows a lot of the members so he wasn't out of place and he participated a lot in all of the lessons.  I am super excited to go back to him and ask how church was for him. He really seemed to enjoy it.

Also, our two recent converts that got baptized this last month, Mel and Gabriel, have been working with all the missionaries.  It's so cool to see that they are so excited about it and they want everyone to be baptized.  (The recent converts are the best to get to work because they are still so excited from their baptism!) Yesterday, we went to Gabriel and he was so excited when we got there and he ended up teaching us the lesson.  He is anxiously preparing to be able to serve a mission and can't wait for his one year to be up.  It's so great to see the confidence that he has gained in just the last 6 weeks because when I first got here, he loved the lessons and the church but he was still quiet and not really super outspoken about it.  But now, totally different Gabriel!

I seriously feel so blessed to be serving a mission right now!  I now know what Alma and Aaron and the sons of Mosiah were talking about when they said that they felt so much joy from sharing the gospel.  I have never been so happy in my life as I have been the last few weeks, especially last week.  Of course I was happy at home, but this is a different happiness.  It's a joy that is deeper than happiness.  I get so excited to see people come to church, to see people reading the Book of Mormon, to pray for the first time.  We have three kids in the branch here that come to church every Sunday by themselves.  Their parents are less active and working in other countries too.  But by themselves, they get themselves to church (the oldest is 11).  I just feel so blessed that I get to see people here showing their faith to the Lord in so many ways and to see the change in so many people’s lives.  A mission is hard, but there are so many blessings that make it worth it!

Well, there is more to tell from this last week (it really was so good!) but wala na ang oras.  Hope you all are doing well! I love you!

Sister Sirrine

PS... One funny story: I texted the Zone leaders about that family that isn't married.  I said we had a question and asked if they would call us later that night.  They forgot to call, so last night I texted them again and said "May tanong kami kay E Batausa tungkol sa kasal.  Ayos po ba ngayon?" (We have a question for elder Batausa about marriage.  Can we now?)  So Elder called us and said "Sister!  I am not yet ready to get married!  Promise!" Basically, I proposed to the zone leader. It was just a really funny thing about how sometimes my Tagalog doesn't come out exactly how it should :)