Week 4

Feb 12th -

Kumusta my sweet family!

Thank you for all the dearelder letters you have been sending me, last week was rough with me being pretty sick and all so it was nice to be able to get those nice surprises each day. I am feeling much much better this week hallelujah! The Dr. here gave me more meds and they really seemed to have finally kicked in. I also received a blessing from my sweet elders in my district which I know played a huge part. How grateful I am for the priesthood. That night after my blessing I sat writing in my journal about the day and I just started thinking about all the times I’ve seen the priesthood work miracles in my friends lives and in my own. I feel so blessed to have grown up in a home that had a priesthood holder and I feel even more blessed to live in a time where we have priesthood keys here on the earth. I love you DAD!

This week has been awesome regarding our two investigators that we teach regularly. Daryl and Jenifer both accepted the invitation to be baptized! Sister Wilson and I were so excited! Especially since one of them was a big surprise hah. We've been having a little trouble with Jenifer, she is really shy and doesn't respond much when we ask her questions etc. But our last lesson with her went so well, she kept all the commitments we asked her to do like praying about the Book of Mormon and reading it regularly also praying to know if Joseph Smith was a true prophet. As soon as she said she had done those things I just knew we needed to invite her to be baptized, and we hadn't planned on it at all. When we finished our lesson on the Plan of Salvation Sister Wilson looked at me and we could just read each other’s minds, I turned to her and asked "Gagawin po ba ninyo susunod ng halimbawa kay jesucristo at pagbinyag?" and she said yes! Best feeling ever, it’s funny how much we get into roleplaying here because these investigators aren’t even real investigators they are our teachers but they encourage us to take it reall seriously. We constantly role play here, at least 2 to 3 times a day of teaching each other lessons. At the moment we have 4 investigators. We start teaching another companion in our district this week we have to teach them twice every week. Than we have Daryl Jenifer and Oni, who are all our teachers. Plus TRC on Wednesdays, that’s another lesson there too! To be honest I didn't really care for roleplaying at the beginning it was hard to get into it and take it serious but I've grown to LOVE it and I’ve realized how helpful it is and how much experience it gives us. I've noticed that it helps us learn the lessons really well also. Sister Wilson and I don't bring any notes in with us; just our scriptures and  we let the spirit guide us in what we should say. It's also helped me in learning how to rely on the spirit. Especially in Tagalog it’s hard to know what you want to say and knowing that you don't know exactly how to say it, but when you have the spirit, it guides you and it will fill your mouth with the words that your investigator needs to hear. It’s so awesome!

We had a great fireside this past Sunday. His name was Mark J. Lusvardi, and I can't remember exactly what he is in charge of. He’s not a general authority but he's some kind of program director, they mentioned a few things that he kind of looks over and one of them is church pageants, so I'm sure he has something to do with the Easter pageant. (By the way mom thank you for my pageant pictures they were perfect!) Anyway, he spoke on Divine Love. He talked about Ammon when he came to King Lamoni and told him that he was willing to spend his time there and teach them until the day he died (Alma 17:22-24). Also about Mosiah 28:3 and how the missionaries were so worried about the welfare of the peoples souls that it caused them to "quake and tremble". How much love for the people they must have had! I know thatI will love the Filipino people so much, I hear almost every day about how caring and nice they are. I’m sure I’ll probably feel the same way as those missionaries in the book of Mosiah who quaked and trembled just thinking about the people not accepting the gospel. I can’t believe that 2 weeks from today I will be on my way to the Philippines ahh!! We had to say goodbye to part of our zone today a few of the elders are actually going to Quezon City as well so it really wasn't goodbye. They told me about their flights and in total the flight to the Philippines is 20 and half hours! We first go to San Francisco which is 1.5 hours. Then from San Francisco to Hong Kong is 16 hours. Then another 3 hours to Manila. That’s crazy!! We should be getting our flight info soon probably in 5 or 6 days. I’ll write next week in my email all the flight info and when I will be calling. I’ll probably call from San Francisco becauseI heard that we have to sit and wait for 7 hours for our flight to Hong Kong, that will be perfect timing . Sister Wilson and I decided that we’re going to bring a few Books of Mormon and hand them out and talk to people while we wait :O) perfect!

Well I’m a little over my time on the computer, I love you all so so much. Thank you for keeping me updated on all that’s going on I hope Amelia is feeling better, and Grandma S. I've been praying for your recovery! Hugs and kisses to you all! Mahal Kita!

 Love, Sister Jones

p.s.

I love you guys, be safe! Andelyn and Amelia make good choices! I pray every night that you will so you better! Also HAPPY VALENTINES DAY in a few days! MAHAL KITA!

Ammah's Dorm Room. It looks like Ammah has on the left side of the desk and Sis Wilson on the ight. It's so neat and tidy?? Good to know. Notice the heart headbands on the top. I sent them these for Valentines Day.  Hope they got to be goofy and wear them

 

 Valentine Socks we sent the girls too.

* Pictures stolen from Sis Wilsons blog since Ammah hasn't sent any pictures in a few weeks. Yay for Sister Wilson and her Mom who keeps up her blog.