Pamilya at kaibegan ako!!!
Kamusta po kayo? Mas Mabuti ako! Masaya ako sa MTC!
So
this week literally flew by! I feel like I had a p-day two days ago! We
have been learning the language like nobodys business. I finally can
form my own thoughts and sentences and conjegate! It is so fun to talk
in Tagalog! I love the language! I still get frustrated when I am in a
lesson and can understand the investigator, but I have no clue how to
respond because I don't have all my verbs memorized. It will come
though! I just have to remind myself that I have only been speaking this
language for 2.5 weeks. I know it will come. I know the Lord will
help me, he already has. I am getting so excited for the Philippines!!!
Our teacher brother Trebas showed us some pictures from his mission the
other day and I almost started crying because I was so excited. Except
for the picture of the spider on his bed that was bigger than my
hand...Our Branch President read us a letter from a Sister that left for
the Philippines 3 months ago. She said that she was already in love
with the people and the country and she never wanted to leave. I
thought about how much I fell in love with the Philippines in just 2
weeks. I can't believe I get to go back and I am so excited! I can't
wait to be able to talk to the wonderful people of the Philippines and
share the gospel with them!!!!! I just know I am going there for a
reason. Brother Gay of the 70 spoke to us on Sunday and he said that it
is no accident that we are going where we are going. We have been
called of God and he has people in the Philippines that need US. That is
so powerful to me and I can't wait! GUESS WHAT!? The entire 12 is at
the MTC RIGHT NOW! All these areas are blocked off because they are
teaching seminars for the new mission presidents. AKA my mission
president is here too! President Gwanzon and his wife! We get to meet
them tonight!!!!! I AM SO EXCITED!!! The 12 will be at our devotional on
sunday which will be broadcasted, so you should all watch it!
I read this talk called The Fourth Missionary. It seriously
changes my life. Anyone leaving on a mission should read it. It changed
the way I think about missionary work. Ever since I read it I have
been so much more focussed on my purpose. It made me want to serve in my
heart also. To be a good missionary you have to be in it with all your
heart and mind or it is not enough. You are only wasting the Lord's
time. I have also learned a lot about the Holy Ghost while I have been
here. I can always tell when the spirit is present and when it is not.
The Holy Ghost is something I will NEVER deny. I can't because I have
felt it and there is no feeling like it. When the spirit is present
during our lessons the investigator never cares what we are
saying...they always just ask us what the feeling they are feeling is.
It is the Holy Ghost. I am so thankful for the Holy Ghost. It is the
only reason that I know truth. The reason I am here. I would not be
here if I didn't know what I was doing was true and important. I
would not waste this time doing something I wasn't commited to with all
my heart. I just wouldn't.
We now have 3 investigators. Jay, Rombi and Rombi's neighbor...we
forgot his name so that will be awkward when we go see him on Monday.
But they are all really tough! Jay is angry with God because he doesn't
think God cares about his family. Our goal is to make him smile
tonight! Rombi is very sad and lonely. He has no family in America and
doesn't think God cares either. We are going to try and get both of
them to think about the blessings they do have. We commited both of
them to prayer on our last visits and so we will see how that goes for
both of them. Rombi's neighbor wants to be happy like us, but he won't
put away his phone when we come so it is tough to get through. We have
some awesome lessons planned to hopefully it will go well. D&C
121:7-9 is going to be the key to helping them.
I love my district more and more and more each day! We seriously
have SO much fun! I am already dreading the day when I won't get to
spend every second with them. Some funny stories: On Monday Elder
Joseph showed us how he was going to propose to his wife. He acted it
out to Elder Manning. NEVER have I laughed so hard. Elder Joseph was
dead serious and Elder Manning was dying. He sang and all this other
stuff. We were all on the ground. I videod it, but unfortunately the
file is too big to send. Something to look forward to in a year and a
half. Another funny story- Brother Trebas was showing us how to begin
teaching and Elder Packard was being the investigator. I wish you knew
Elder Packard because then you would understand...but he kept saying
such awkward and strange stuff that didn't make sense when brother
Trebas would ask him questions. At one point he said "I've given my life
to celibacy." Our whole class died including our teacher. We had to
stop class for a good 15 minutes and just laugh. The rest of class was
just not the same. Those are just a few stories. Oh also me and my
Kasama make up songs in Tagalog all day long to memorize words and
phrases and pretty soon the entire zone has these dumb songs that don't
make sense stuck in their head. "Ako rin, tungkol sa, handa awit, mahal
kita." That one is super catchy. Everyday during gym time our whole
zone plays kickball, four square or volleyball. It's so fun! We just
got 2 new districts in our zone and they aren't as fun haha. We just
aren't as close with them as the two districts ahead of us or the one
that just left, but hopefully they will come out of their shells and
have fun with us! Philippines Tagalog zone is the best!
I finally got to see Zach! I was walking to the field for gym and
ran into him! It was so good to see a familiar face! A girl in my zone
also knows him and was happy to see him! Thanks for sending letters to
my district! They love it so much! Elder Joseph started to cry when he
read his. He wrote a note back that I sent, but wouldn't let me read
it. Let me know what it said haha. You should also send them to the
girls so they aren't left out. Sister Christensen, Ianezi, and Carr.
Thanks for the treats mom! My district loved the lemon bars and
carmelitas! I just eat treats all day instead of nasty cafeteria food.
Thanks for all the letters from everyone! I LOVE to know what is going
on at home! That way I don't have to be caught up on a year and a half
of events when I get home! Your words are all so comforting and make me
smile on hard days. I really do miss all of you so much, but this is
where I want and need to be! I have become so close to the girls in my
zone that it feels like home. Night time is the best when we all gather
in one room and talk and some girls cry and we laugh and eat all the
treats you guys send. So thanks for the treats! They all say thanks!
Alam ko po na totoo po ang ebanghelyo. Mahal po ako ninyo!
KITAKITS!
-Sister Gardner
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