Feeling Soggy in Laoagy, But there is SUNSHINE IN MY SOUL TODAY! :)

August 23
Dearest Family,

     Happy Monday! Or Sunday over there. How is everyone doing? I am doing great here, don't worry at all! Yes we did have a bagyo this week but it was nothing but lots of wind and rain ;) We are all fine and safe here.  

How fun for mom and dad to go out on a special getaway. You two certainly deserve it. :) And looking as young as ever. Don't worry, not only will you have a 70 year anniversary!

     So this week was a very special and significant week. The baptism of the C and M Families

. It was so special. We had some opposition, as there was still a bagyo going on the day of their baptism. But it was only the tail end. Another challenges was that once we got to the church, to our surprise the water in the baptismal font was dark brown. Ay ay ay! So we had a debate about what to do, and the people being baptized were okay with brown water, and they proceeded without complaint. It was a good memory. Sister Malobago and I got to sing a special remix with the song "I'll Find you my Friend" and it was so special. But the best part was hearing their testimonies of the gospel. It was really special that they were so thankful to us for finding them and not giving up on them, but even more to hear their rock solid testimony of Joseph Smith, of this church, and of Thomas S. Monson. It is so assuring, knowing that they know and will not fall away from the church. I love them all so much. I am just filled with pure joy. Missionary work is truly the best work ever. There is no happier work on the planet. 

       I continue to learn a lot, especially from the scriptures. They are such precious treasure. It really helps us remember the eternal perspective when we are so easily distracted by the here and now, the things people do around us. I have recently been reading Alma 5 and doing a self-evaluation. It is so humbling and makes me want to be a better and more Christlike person. 

        Thank you for all your letters and prayers. I love you all very very much and I am so grateful for the incredible family I have. I know that the people around you see what examples you are. Keep it up! Have a great last week of SUMMER! :)

          Sumasainyo,

                    Sister Andelin

Holding a butterfly, Sister Mercy's weaving skills

August 16

Ang bilis ng Panahon!

August 9

Dearest Family,

       How is the week? I can't believe it is August 10th already! The time is so fast, it seems like it is still June! Here in the Philippines, it is hard to measure what season it is because it is always sunny and hot! :) With rain occasionally.. Another week has flown by with it's ups, downs and glimpses of eternity. What I mean is seeing the eternal perspective of our day to day activities. Everything we do, even the small things, makes a difference. 

    Camalaniugan is doing great! :)The M family are feasting on the gospel, reading praying and going to church. They are so excited for their baptism on the 22nd, Also, K and V C will also be baptized this August, on the 21st! They are attending primary and young womens for the first time. Their mother only is a member but the dad will soon follow, once he overcomes his addiction to cigarettes. It will be special to see, because I have been teaching them since I arrived here. They have grown a lot in the gospel knowledge, and V is the first to volunteer to pray :) 

      These are people I will never be able to forget. It is the best feeling to be an instrument, and you know that it is ALL Heavenly Father, doing the work. 

        Sister Malobago is doing great! She is down to 4 weeks before she goes home!!! but we always say 4 months so she doesn't get worried. She is so funny, loving and crazy. I hope you get the chance to see her maybe next year when I will skype her. This is God's work. I could never do any of these things on my own. My investigators could not do what they have been doing on their own. I know it is God's power helping us. I know that the Book of Mormon is true, and I am SO grateful for it. I really took it for granted before my mission. It is evidence of God's unquantifiable love for us. I pray that we can all feast upon it daily and share it with those who hunger around us. I love you all so VERY MUCH!!!!  You all are so so special to me!

          Your missionary sister,

                          Sister Andelin

 

My dearest Pamilya!

    Wow! How are you all? Sounds like you had a blast at the Family Reunion! Thanks for all the pictures,

     As for me, life is great as always here in Camalaniugan. We just got back from Laoag today from a training from our Mission President, President Andrada. He is an amazing guy. He is very logical and owns a huge business, so he really focuses on Leadership Principles and strengthening the wards and branches where we are assigned. He has a great sense of humor. This week I finished the Lyrics for our Philippines Laoag Mission song. I thought I wouldn't be writing songs here, but I was wrong, haha!

      And this week, in our testimony meeting, one of the recent converts last April, Bro G, got up and bore his testimony. I felt like Brigham Young, when he heard the humble testimony of one man and was converted. When Brother G testified humbly and so thankfully for how the gospel has changed his life, I felt the Spirit so strongly testifying. Missionary Work is SO important. It changes the lives of people from Night to Day. Before, G was a heavy drinker and smoker. He would argue with his wife and not help out around the house. He is a new man because of the Gospel.

      Another experience we had this week, is we taught a Grandmother, whose daughter is a member in a different branch. As we shared, her other daughter came in to listen and participate. They had SO much good to say about their family members. They said, "Their family is so spiritual, they never say anything bad, they are close family!" And then the one shared how a different member of the church she works with gave her a book of mormon one day and said "Basahin nyo na lang ito" (You just read this.) It is so simple what the member did, but it made an impression on that nonmember. .

            I love you all, and have another great week!!

                   Sister Anderlin

 

Alariao family and Mauricio family

 

Snails, Snakes and the Spirit

    Dearest Family and pals,

      So I am here in Camalaniugan to stay! For this transfer at least. YES!! :) This is the last transfer of Sister Malobago.

So maybe you were wondering about the title of my letter. This week... wait for it... I ate SNAILS! It was actually quite delicious. I didn't know it was snails until I finished eating. Good thing too! Haha. And don't worry, I didn't eat snake. But this week, a snake randomly came into our apartment through the window. Snakes here are different. They are very long, and their bite kills. Two of the sisters were huddled in the corner and Sister Catubig, our brave Filipina, pushed it out with a stick. Sister Catubig is great, she has no fear. She kills giant spiders with her flip flop. Like spiders as big as your hand. She is good to have in an apartment. :)

       Our investigators are doing great! This week we had our first experience teaching a pastor. It was an interesting experience. Brother J A came to church for the first time. He took an absence from work. And that night he called us and thanked us, told us that he felt so happy inside. He also got a priesthood blessing to help him in the WOW and he felt a very different feeling afterward, like something entered his body. He is very spiritually sensitive.

 

      I love this work and I have a testimony that the Spirit is real. It is what need daily to guide us in our lives and guide us to help others. Treasure the opportunity of taking the sacrament each week. 

       Have a fantastic week!

                  SIster Andelin

P.s it is us four that live in an apartment. None of us will be transferred. YES! ;)

 

Zone activity in the Caves

Not district meeting, district EATING! haha and the caves!

Masaya! Naragsak! Magayaya! in other words HAPPY!!!

Hello hello hello! How is my dearest family?
 Are you all drying up with the heat? Here, it is Tag-Ulan! or Rainy season! It is raining every day or every other day. And we love puddle jumping! haha. The frogs here are ginormous by the way. The people here work so hard in the rice fields.

  Also, I tried some new fruits. Here you can eat just about anything on the trees. They even cook the leaves of one of the trees here, its called Malunggay, and it is delicious.

This week has been another great one. It is ALWAYS a great week when we are serving the Lord. I also continue to learn many things. This week, I really tried harder to love the people, and it really made a difference. Love is truly spelled T-I-M-E. When I was a new missionary, I thought that hard work mean teaching a lot of lessons. But its not that way. We are successful and hardworking if we give our hearts to the people we teach.
    One thing I realized this week that even though we have weaknesses, the Spirit can still work with us and be present. One of the most joyful things this week is to notice how our investigators view us. One brother, the Father of the A family, asked us why his skin tingled and the hair of his arms stood up every time when we teach him. We told him "Iyan po yung Espiritu Santo ng Diyos na nararamdaman mo."( That is the Holy Ghost you are feeling).  And he thanked us, and talked about how it was God who led him to meet us when we were teaching his sister.He said, I usually don't buy things at my sister's store, but God was the one who taught me to go there. He is so excited to go to church, he was smoking 2 packs of cigarettes daily and now, only a half pack. He says all of his prayers have been being fulfilled since he started taking the lessons.  Another brother told us since we started teaching him his work in the ricefield isn't tiring at all. And the M family thanked us and told us that when we met them, we opened the door for them to change their lives, that we are like angels. It is SO humbling and joyful to be a part of this work! Because you know it is NOT YOU who did anything. The Lord let us to meet them, the Lord helps us teach them and gives his Spirit to testify to them. It is amazing.
      I know that God loves us. That he is mindful of each of us. We can repent and change and receive his forgiveness. His son Jesus Christ is the Reason for our hope. And as we receive the gifts of the Gospel, the joy that we feel must shine out of our faces as "lights on a hill" and the gratitude we have must be evident in the way we live our lives. . I have the best family ever and I am so grateful we are sealed in the temple.
     Looooove,
        Sister Andelin

This is what it's ALL ABOUT!!!

Dear Family,

 

      This week was the T FAMILY BAPTISM!!! 

 

Ahhh it was the best. When we arrived at the church, they were already all dressed up in their white baptismal clothes and ready for pictures! The baptism was performed by a recent convert of February, it was his first time. My favorite part was when M C, the oldest daughter and her dad C bore their testimonies. C is so so quiet and shy, but he voluntary got up and shared his testimony and cried. I felt like a big bubble of joy was filling up the whole inside of me!! ;) As they were being confirmed on Sunday, I thought of just how much of a blessing the Holy Ghost is, Wow. They will have heavenly guidance daily, warnings, comfort, promptings, direction, and more. It is one of the best gifts to receive. 

       Also, the A family came to church for the first time! Sister R, the mom, has been so prepared for the message. She is really smart, And her husband J, has a lot of questions, especially because his brother recently passed away. We were able to teach his parents as well. Junior has great desires to quit smoking as well. I love them so much! And the M family is doing great as well. 

       On sunday was the first Camalaniugan 2nd Branch Conference in History!!! It was a privelege to be a part of it. We organized a choir number which was really special, Joseph Smiths First Prayer.

        And our new mission president! He is the best! He is from La Union, Philippines, which means he and his wife are ilokano speakers! His name is President Andrada, and he and his wife are both in their 40's. They are so kind, inspired and called of God. I have been so blessed by his counsel already!

       I just want to testify that I know that all of us have the privilege and gift of repentance. I had my own "Enos Experience" this week. The Atonement is Real. God is so willing to forgive and forget our sins as we confess, forsake and humble ourselves, pleading for his forgiveness. The Atonement is available to all of us. 

         I love this work and all of you too! Have the best week, and don't forget to love others around us as Christ does.

         Hugs and kisses from Asia,

                  Sister Andelin

Soggy in Laoaggy!!!

Hello family and magandang buhay!
 This week was a great one. How are all of you? It sounds like you are having a great time, the fourth of july celebration sounds like fun. We don't celebrate it here, of course. We are a different country. But Man! We celebrated it by having the Talosig family pass their baptismal interview!!! Whoo!! That is way better than fireworks. They will be baptized next week, I am excited to send pics.
     The Mauricio family is still doing great! And the dad FINALLY came to church this week! He had a great time, and they came even though it was a signal 1 bagyo. What faith! We taught them about fasting this week, and they fasted that very day. Their grandpa is in the hospital. He could use your prayers. We had already extended baptism to the Mauricio parents, but this week, we finally extended to the kids. And their daughter asked her dad. "Are we going to get baptized?" And his reply was so awesome.  He said, "If one of us gets baptized, we are ALL getting baptized!" This gospel is really for families.
      This week was a full one, filled with exchanges, baptismal interviews, traveling to Laoag for our MLC, and lots of great experiences.
       One thing I learned this week is the constant need the world has for service and love. There are SO many opportunities around us to serve others. We have to do what Sister Burton said... first observe, then serve. My companion is a great example. We stopped by the house of a recent convert who was going to work with us and found out she had a terrible fever. I would have left and prayed for her to get better, but my Christlike companion went in and got a damp cloth and cooled her hot forehead. And then we called the elders to give her a blessing. Service is so important and so needed. For the server and the one serve. We are all called to serve, No one is exempt. We were all placed where we are now because there are people we can help. I love you all and challenge you to show your love by God by doing an act of service you wouldn't normally do. Then tell me about it! :)
       Have a great great week!
        Nagmamahal,
                     Sister Andelin
      P.S. Don't worry about me, even though there are bagyo's. We just get lots of rain and wind and excitement. But the Lord's watching out for us here. Bye!

Wowowowowowowowow!!!!!!!!!

 Beautiful Philippines!

Wash and dry!

This is HOW WE DO IT!!!!! Brownie the bumba (water pump) and our handy dandy homemade water filter!

Large snails, and the sting rays tail I bought from an old man

 

 

 Our tribute to our "Dying" mission president

June 21 
 My deeeeeeearest family,

         This week has been a huge learning and miracle-witnessing and testimony building week. On Tuesday, we had our transfers and I was reunited with my dear Sister Malobago. I just want to tell you more about her. Sister Malobago is incredible. Her whole family is nonmember or less active. She was converted as a 19 year old, but then was less active herself for 13 years. But the Lord has led her and guided her to come back to the church, and the next year after that, she left to serve a mission... she is incredible! 

         

       We had one... really tough thing happen in our branch. The only child of a young less active couple got electrocuted and was killed this week. He is only 4 years old. We went over to their home that night to give them strength and comfort. We shared with them about the Atonement, prayer, God's perfect love, and the surety that that child is going to the celestial kingdom. At the end of that, we sang the hymn Families can Be Together Forever. As we sang the words, I was filled with joy at the knowledge that we have, that whatever happens we will see our families again. The Spirit testified to me of the truthfulness of that message. That is the first message we share to our investigators, how there is power for their family to be sealed together forever.

        

       We have seen many miracles this week. Sister Malobago is an incredible teacher. She focuses on the investigators really understanding the doctrine. We saw that "True doctrine, understood, changes attitudes and behaviors. The study of the doctrines of the gospel will improve behavior quicker than a study of behavior will improve behavior.-boyd k. Packer" Sister Malobago teaches in a way that makes them thirsty to know the answer, She leaves them hanging by saying "Next time, you will know why... etc"  It is such a joy to teach with her, and to see the investigators in awe at knowing the truth. And because of how we taught the doctrine, we had two families come to church this week!!!!!!  At first, we didn't see one of the families, and we were so sad, "Why didn't they come to church?" Then we found out they came to church in the afternoon! In the other branch. I am really witnessing conversion, especially brother Christopher Talosig, the father of Merry Cris, Clarissa and Christian. He used to be very shy quiet, wouldn't answer questions, read or pray in front of us. Now, he is reading, even though it is hard for him. He prays out loud without hesitation. He has stopped coffee. He is the one encouraging his kids to come to church. He is a changed man. And all of this I have seen in the last 2 months. We are excited for their family to be baptized next month.

        The gospel is for families. It is for everyone. But the gospel really blesses the family. I pray that each of us will strengthen our families through the tools the gospel brings.

            I love you all so much and I am so thankful for my mission. This is the most incredible miracle of all... to see the gospel change people and families. I am so happy for Jess and Tim, so excited for them to build a gospel cultured family! And Catherine and Hyrum will soon follow. We are on the half mark, 6 married, 6 single! 

        Have the best week. Cherish live and share the gospel.

             Mahal ko kayo,

                         SIster Andelin