MAGANDANG HAPON!!!!! Or what time is it over there???? Naimbag nga malem!

  Dearest family and friends,

              I hope this week finds you all happy and healthy! How is the weather over there? Raining pa? Here it is hot and sunny, summer starts in March! School also gets out in March, its a bit of a different schedule. 

     Some Filipino cultural things you might like to know.... One thing they are always asking is "Saan kayo galing?" or Where did you come from? It is a friendly question to inquire about.. but it would be creepy if you tried that in English. Also, when people answer the phone, they say "Hello, po! Apay po?" Which means, "Hello, why?" Like why are you calling. It was a bit weird to get used to, but it's not rude, they just want to know the reason you are calling right away. Haha.

          This past week was fantastic! We had interviews with President Barrientos, and it was just sweet to get one on one time with him. He is such a great man. We had two lovely family home evenings, and the members are so wonderful here. I ate this greenish clam, and on the insides, there were organs. I didn't know clams had organs? But it was delicious. I am super lucky, Mom, in this mission, there is a love for vegetables. I have been eating my greens, at least more often than missionaries in other missions. 

        Our members are amazing. They are so great, and so willing to work with us. I am seeing how important it is to have a member testify of how the gospel changed their life. It becomes a different lesson. Domingo came to church AGAIN! He went to 2 family home evenings last week and is down to 3 cigarettes a day! Please continue to pray for him, as well as J, J, L, and R. 

        The Spirit is So essential in our work! It is incredible how following the little thoughts we have leads to miracles. We found a bunch of new and receptive investigators this week, and the work is hastening on! 

          My challenge for the week is to read from PMG ch 4 about the Spirit and try to recognize the messages God is trying to send to you. I know each of us is an important and crucial part of His work. 

           Sorry this is short. I love you all, me and sister andres are GREAT! :)

                 Incamin!

                     Sister Andelin

Dagiti HIMALA!

Hello my dearest family! 
I am going to attempt to share about two weeks, because my last letter was so small. Man it has been a great two weeks! 

      We got to hear from President and Sister Durant and Elder and Sister Echo Hawk. It was a very special training about how to teach as Christ taught. They shared something that really helped me... when someone has a problem keeping commitments, whether it is baptism, going to church, reading the scriptures, etc, the question to ask yourself is "What doctrine don't they understand?" If these people understood the doctrines of the gospel, they would see its importance. As we help them to see the "Why" of the commandments and as we are prayerful about what doctrines they still don't understand, we will be able to help them progress.  

      Last week we saw some great miracles. Nelita accepted a baptismal date!! We also had a very special Sunday. I attended my first Special sacrament for one of our less actives that can't attend church. The Spirit was so strong in her house, I could literally feel the priesthood power as they gave her a blessing and administered the sacrament. I think it was much stronger because it was quiet, the priesthood holders were so righteous, and the ordinance of the sacrament was isolated. It was an experience I won't forget.  Last

    On sunday night we had a surprise going home party for sister Anderson, and a surprise graduation party for me.

We had a BOODLE fight! When you eat your food with no utensils or plates, you just use your hands and eat on banana leaves. It was SO delicious.

 It was hard saying goodbye to my sweet companion and Sister Anderson! But... transfers come whether you are ready or not.

        I have a great new companion, Sister Andres!!!!! She is so super sweet. She has charity for everyone, and she is always smiling and speaking in a cute quiet voice. She is Filipina and speaks both Tagalog and Ilokano! It is SUCH a blessing!

 I am taking advantage of that and studying Ilokano 3 days a week. Everyone here speaks Ilokano as their native language. Most know Tagalog, but usually the older people speak only Ilokano. 

        It has been a wonderful week working with her. It is humbling to be a senior companion. I am realizing more and more what a big responsibility it is and that we are accountable to the Lord for what we do. I am so grateful that I have so many supportive members and that I was able to learn the area well. 

       In our apartment, there are 3 Filipinas and me. Haha I might not be able to speak English anymore. Sister Malobago stayed in the apartment from last transfer, and me and the other two are only 3 months in! It is a party. We are all taking advantage of each others skills, I teach them English and lead morning exercises, they teach me Tagalog, Ilokano, Cooking,

I made mango pie from scratch! And loooook what I will eat for dinner this week!

 and washing clothes. I love them a lot :)

       Our investigators are doing well! We are reaching a break through with J! He is coming to church and reading in the BOM daily, even though he is only 9. Sister Linda came to church again, with her friend who we are also teaching! AND TATAY DOMINGO CAME TOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!! Thank you so much for your prayers.  And little by little he is smoking less cigarettes. We are just so excited.  

        So many blessings, and it is all Heavenly Father's hand and His Spirit touching hearts and changing people. I love all so much and I hope you have a fantastic week!!!

           Ayayaten kayo!!!

                  Sister Andelin

The District

The Zone

Here in Laoag they have a fiesta on February 9 and 10. That was way fun. They have lots of super duper beautiful floats and a parade. All the floats are handmade ingeniously with flowers, paint, and even coke bottles.

A cocoa tree!! Chocolate comes from treeeees?!?!

Linggo ng mga Himala

Hello Family and Friends!!!!!

 How are you all? I hope this week has found you happy and healthy, and that God is teaching you the lessons you need to learn every day. My week has been so wonderful! I have really seen the hand of God working in Laoag 3 area, and I am seeing how the Spirit changes hearts and people. 
We have a new investigator, Sister Josie, and we shared to her two times this week.  We also were riding in the tricy past a place where a referral of ours was said to live. We hadn't met him yet, but as we drove by, I saw a man inside and something told me it was him. So we stopped and met him, and we taught him a lesson, it was great. And then, as we walked away from his house, we stopped at the store of one of our progressing investigators moms, and taught her. She, and one of her friends now have baptismal dates.
On Saturday and Sunday we saw more miracles pa. I'll just share one. There is this sweet Nelita, and she speaks pure Ilokano (the language I don't speak). We have been teaching her for a while, and she is willing to listen every time but there is no progression. It is hard for both of us to teach in clear Ilokano,( Sister Jolo is much better). But we were teaching her about Baptism, and I was about to end the lesson, when I felt to stop and listen. She then spoke and asked where our church was! So we invited her to church and asked her if we could come and pick her up, and ride together to church, and she said YES!! And we were like WHAT?!! You should have seen our faces. The next day when we came, she was there and beaming, all ready to go to church. At church the lesson in Ilokano, and she started crying. It was so special. These moments are really soooo special. I know that it has nothing to do with us as missionaries, it is all the Spirit. It is so real, and changes people. We had 4 investigators at church.

      As for investigators, Sister Jr is the closest to baptism now. Feb 21! and she asked if she could go on splits with us! She is golden, she is watching a lot of church videos, reading and coming to church every week. We are so excited for her! J got chicken pox, and sadly couldn't come to church. So he will likely be baptized on the 21st as well. Please pray for them, and also for R, he is working on his word of wisdom. 

      I love you all so very very much! I have never been happier in my life. Before my mission, I was seeing all the ways that Heavenly Father had blessed me, His great love for me. But here, I am seeing that He loves everyone just as much as me, and He has so many great gifts to give to all who will accept His gospel. It is amazing to see how He directs us and His children and His work. 

      I know He is directing His work in all parts of the world.

      Love you all, have a fantastic week :)

                 Sister Andelin

Food we like to eat.....

How we eat our fish! Yum:)

Kalamaris or Squid! First the buying.....

then the cleaning and chopping

dipping in baking soda

then frying in oh-so-healthy oil

 Then....the eating! This is our famous cook Sister Molobago!

Our gorgeous Loaog night sky

Bloggy from Laoaggy

Family!!!! Thanks to everyone who wrote me!! How are you all doing? How is school? Sounds like you are all super busy in your sports and classes!

This week has been ahhhhh so amazing!!!!!!!!! We saw so many blessings and miracles in our investigators hearts and in our ward. The work is hastening! And Heavenly Father's the one in charge. We met the most goldenest investigators I have ever seen. It started on Wednesday, we were passing by a random lady reading a book in her yard. We almost passed her and then decided to talk to her. She was very willing to let us share to her. She had had a hard life, her husband was killed when she was a young mother with young kids. We shared to her about relying on the Lord in trials, and gave her a book of Mormon (Our mission has been emphasizing the use of the book of mormon, giving more away and sooner.) We set an appointment for the next day. When we came the next day, she had 3 younger girls with her, Linda,12,  KC, 11 and Maeville, 16. They are all boarders in the house with Josie, the first lady. They all were so eager to learn, and all wanted Book of Mormons! 2 of them had gone to our church with friends before. We came back the next day and they had already started reading. And the next day again. Nanay Josie was already in 2nd Nephi 1!! They have baptismal dates, two of them came to church yesterday, they are truly prepared by Heavenly Father. It was funny, I was teaching and I said "Kung matatanggap ninyo ang ebanghelyo na ito, (If you accept this gospel) and before I could finish, Linda said "I'll accept it!" Haha they are so cute.

      Thank you so much for your prayers everyone!! Jerome came to church!! :) I really think he'll be baptized on the 14th, it is so exciting.

       I wish I could share all the amazing things happening, but kulang yung oras. There is not enough time. Just know that Heavenly Father is hastening the work. He is so involved in the intricacies of this work. I am so humbled and grateful to be a part of it and witness the miracles happening in the ward and in peoples hearts.
Thank you for your emails and love and prayers, you inspire me so much!

     Have the best week ever!!!!!!!!!!!!!

           Sister Andelin

Yoo hallooo!

Hello my dearest family!!! How are you all? Sounds like you are all so busy with school and everything else. Wow, Spencer and Joy both in basketball, how fun!!! I am sorry to hear so many of you are sick!    A lot of people are getting sick here as well, they say its because of the cold... but man it is so warm here!!! It is funny sometimes how a cool breeze on a sunny day is their winter. They are always asking why I am not wearing a coat.

       This was a superrrrtastic week! Yesterday was Sister Jolo's birthday. 

 

She had to give a talk, and teach a lesson at church, both surprises to her! She is so great! We also watched the Philippines area broadcast and got to hear from Elder Shayne Bowen! There are so many exciting things happening here in the Philippines to strengthen the wards and branches.

      We found a bunch of new investigators and had some great experiences. I am learning that it doesn't matter how perfect your language is, as long as you are loving the people and listening to them and the Spirit. We have such great ward leaders and members who are so willing to help us

 

 

I am sorry this is kinda short, I sent lots of pictures! I love you all and have an amazing week!

         Love Sister Andelin

Pictures

Lechn!!! Live cooked pig for our new years feast!

 These are the two types of brooms we use here. The dark one is very stiff and used for outside only. the yellow is very fluffy and fun to use! :)

 

Our main cooking ingredients

An Old Well

Sister Anderson's Birthday

A Black Carabou

Beautiful Tourist Area

Sahagun family and our happy helping members!

My Mom and My Grandma

On the mission we affectionately refer to the sister who trains us as our Mother.  So of course, Grandma is the one who trained Mother.

MERRY CHRISTMAS PO!!!

Ahhh hello all my dearest family and friends!!

 I want to wish you all the BEST Christmas of all time this week, and I hope you are all remembering the real reason and meaning of Christmas. I challenge you all to write a definition of what Christmas means to you. I love the quote by president Monson, that to know the meaning of the spirit of Christmas, we only need to drop the last syllable, and it becomes the Spirit of Christ. 

    This week has been so lovely! We had our Christmas conference as a whole mission! There are about 200 missionaries in our mission, and it was so fun to meet many and reunite with friends from the MTC's. . 

      I want to tell you about Christmas in the Philippines! One thing they do is have parties, tons and tons of parties. They gather and eat and do videoke (which is their word for karaoke, which actually originated here). They are very good singers! They sing American pop songs, all the ones popular now. And sometimes its hard to study because you can hear it inside your apartment! Haha. Also... caroling. This is funny actually... the little children all go door to door and carol! At first I thought it was so cute, how they were so willing to spread the holiday cheer. Then I learned that after they sing they say "Namasko" which means basically, "Will you give me money for my singing?" Hahaha, it's kinda like trick or treating but for money. Even adults do it, people travel in bands, its great. It so fun here though! They love music and food :) Which is what I love, so it works out quite well. A side note also... Filipinos walk for exercise only. Or basketball for the boys, that is their favorite! But they have a stadium, and every time I go running there, I feel so fast and pass everyone, because they all walk! Haha but they are so skinny and they eat so much, it doesn't make sense. 

    The weather right now is cooling down, there's a lovely windy breeze and it is heavenly! This is typical in the Laoag City area until end of February, so yay! :)

       I think for the first time in my life I am starting to understand the true meaning of Christmas. I am so grateful to be away from home, away from all the familiar aspects of Christmas so that I am able to ponder what Christmas really means. It's all about Christ. Not the baby Christ, but the adult Christ and what he did for us. I have realized as I have taught many different people, in so many difficult circumstances, that Christ is truly our hope, or "Pag-asa." Without Jesus Christ, there would be no hope of returning to our Father in Heaven. We all sin and make mistakes, there is no use denying that. But Jesus, he loved enough, he cared enough for us to become a mere baby, born in the humblest of circumstances to experience what we do, and pay for our mistakes. I know that He lives. He is so willing to help us in all of our struggles, we just need to let Him into our lives, trust in Him, follow His beautiful commandments, and become like him. He loves each one of us and knows each one of us, more than we can fully comprehend. He is our hope, and there is no other way given, only in and through Christ. 

            I love you all and hope you enjoy this Christmas and remember and cherish the knowledge that we have a Savior. What are we all going to offer Him because of all He gave to us? 

            Merry CHRISTmas all my loved ones!

                         Sister Andelin