Becoming His Instrument

Going to lunch with the District President's wife

Eating sea snails

Surprise birthday party from the sisters of my zone

One member made me a cake! I am so lucky, and don't worry, I was really spoiled for my birthday

Goodbye to Camalaniugan

The S family

The T family

August 30

Pinapabilis Niya Ang Gawain

Dearest Family,

First of all, I have to thank you all for your super sweet and hilarious letters. Man, I am so blessed to have all of you for my family. You are all so special to me and I feel your love and hugs and prayers from many miles. It is crazy to hear you had a crazy windstorm over there! I hope everyone is safe. And what fun you have all been having, trying to use up this final week of summer! haha. I can't believe it, school is starting for all of you this week! The summer flies when you are having fun.

All is well here in Camalaniugan. All is wonderful. It is the last week of Sister M! She will be going home next sunday. It is crazy. And this week has been a joyful one. I really see that the Lord is Hastening the work. This week, we were teaching in Casili. The people of Casili are great. When we start to talk to them, they say, "Kunin mo yung mga upuan!" (or get the chairs!) And they sit us down and are ready to hear the message. They are very polite. And this friday, we were just about to start our lesson, when two men came over to us and said "Can we join? What is your religion?" Man, heavenly father prepares people. And the funnest lesson this week to teach was at the neighbor/ relative of the M Family. For a long time they have wanted to be taught, but were shy because they don't understand Tagalog, only Ilokano. They were surprised to know that we speak Ilokano! haha and the M family came with us when we taught their family. These are the most precious lessons for missionaries... lessons with members present who are already close to/ friends with the investigators. The testimony and friendship of members does a TON!

Oh and this week, the A parents and their cousin came to church! Also, Sister P, the daughter of a less active who has not yet been baptized. It is so exciting.

The miracles continue daily. I am so grateful as well for the Spirit that always sends us little thoughts that are actually promptings, and as we follow them, we see where he needs us. I am so thankful as well for my companion, who is so Christlike and patient with me. She is also very crazy. I will miss this crazy Filipina... Mom, she is like a mom to me. She is always cooking, cleaning, teaching me how to do things more effectively haha. She is special and will be missed. We'll see what this next transfer brings!

I am so happy, and thanks again for all your birthday wishes. I am leaving the teens behind! Love you all.

Sister Andelin

August 16, 2015

Magandang hapon po sa inyong Lahat!

Hello dear Family? How is the week!? The pictures are great! How fun to have all the nieces, nephews and siblings around! :) Thank you so much for all your letters, emails and prayers.

This week was fantastic, the C and M family was interviewed for baptism and they rocked it! :) And we celebrated their birthday with a fun family home evening. It was a one in a kind family home evening because our district president and his wife attended, and our MISSION PRESIDENT and his wife attended! I love them so much, I need to take a picture with them so you can see them. They are so good with the missionaries, and are always wanting to spend time with us, give us food, and joke with us. They are also hard workers, and we are seeing a lot of changes in the mission because of them.

I was inspired this week during one of our exchanges. Sister B came and worked in my area. She is from Kiribati, a small island near Tonga and Fiji. When she came to the MTC, she didn't know any English or Tagalog. Even now, she still struggles with the language, but she is such positive, kind and strong person. I was really inspired by her conversion story. She is also an only member in her entire family, baptized in 2013! Straight to the mission. Wow.

And in our exchanges we taught an older woman, and she told us that this blue house of their neighbor, there are mormons that live there, the M family. I didn't know that, so of course we went to investigate. When we came in, I recognized the old man who lived there with his kids and grandkids. This old man comes to church every sunday by himself faithfully. But I learned that he is very deaf, you have to yell in his ear for him to hear. And yet he comes to church weekly, he can't hear the songs, the speakers, anything. He apologized that he didn't attend priesthood, because he cannot participate.

After we left the house, I asked myself, why does that man go to church every sunday? He can't hear! And then it hit me... the Sacrament. That grandfather knew the importance of the sacrament.

Here in the Philippines I have really come to love and appreciate and anticipate the sacrament. It is such a miracle that we can be forgiven of our sins, and receive the Spirit to be with us always. The Spirit is what sanctifies us and purifies us every week. It is our guide in every day. And because of the Atonement of Christ, the Spirit becomes available to us. I hope we can all consider and treasure our weekly partaking of the sacrament.

I love you all so much and have a fantastic week canning fruit and enjoying the cool sun! ;)

Ingat palagi

Sister Andelin