This is Kelli - Carlee's sister. I will updating her blog about twice a month with experiences and thoughts from her weekly e-mails. She is doing so well and we are all very proud of her!! As you can tell from her e-mails... she is one excited, spunky missionary and learning so much. Stay tuned to hear more about her mission!
Week 1:
The first day was suuper tough! We went right to language class and he started speaking in Tagalog. And I was like WHAAATTTT!? Haha he still never really speaks English to us. It's crazy how much I've learned already. I'm not fluent or anything by any means but I've learned a lot of Tagalog in just the short amount of time I've been here. I can introduce myself and do a few kind of get to know you questions and I can say a simple testimony and prayer in Tagalog.
The first night was really really hard! But the second day went soooo much better. I felt really confident in what I was doing and why I'm here. I still miss all of you everyday. But I know I'm supposed to be here. I can tell that this is going to be one of the hardest things I ever do. But also one of the best and so so so worth it! The gospel is true! Totoo po ang sa espanghelya! My testimony has grown so much. I definitely underestimated the amount of work it takes.
For now I'll leave you with a little testimony :)
Alam ko po na tagapaglitas natin po si Jesucristo. Alam ko po na gumagabay at tumotulong po siya atin. Alam ko po na mahal tayo ng siya at Diyos. Alam ko po na pwede taylo buhay kasama mga pamilya natin para sa walang-hanggan. Sanpangalin ni Jesucristo. Amen.
Week 2:
So let's see.. every Saturday we go to the temple. There was this lady there and she stopped me and she had tears in her eyes. She told me how her daughter is in Argentina and she just loves sister missionaries and she gave me a big hug. And it was just really reassuring and comforting! Everyone is so nice to missionaries!! And then when we get back from the temple we have dinner at 5:30 and then class at 6:15 so we have to be dressed right back up in our church clothes! Haha I cherish the time I go to bed and get to wear pants! Haha its the best.
Sunday was amazing! I felt the Spirit so strongly. There's a lot of meetings and devotionals but it was really good. They ask everyone in our branch though to prepare a talk. And the spirit guides them to who they want to speak! It's so nerve racking! And then we had a temple walk which was really nice. And Brother Allen gave a devotional. He was really funny and just talked about how we need to not worry about the stuff we left behind at home and just truly get lost in the work.
So our first investigator is Angelyn. I don't know if I told you about her or not but we finished teaching her the other day. And we committed her to baptism on the third lesson saaayyy whaaattt?? Haha. It was sweet. Like I know it's fake but you totally feel the spirit- it was so cool!
I know I'm set apart as a missionary. And I have the authority to invite the spirit if I have enough Faith and am exactly obedient. I just want to get out there! I love the Philippino people so much already! I love learning about them and their language!!
Week 3:
Okay! This week flew right by!! I can't even believe it! Still feel like I've been here way longer then 3 weeks! But almost half way!
So I learned that we actually go to the Manila MTC for 5 days when we arrive! How crazy is that?? I'm scared! Haha so much less Americanos and probably not very much English! But it will be such a cool experience and we'll get to go to the temple there and do a session in Tagalog!! That will be SO awesome!
A quote that I still love! Which I'm not sure if I shared with you yet but it's about faith. "Faith is not knowing everything will turn out okay, it's about being okay when things don't turn out." Gosh I just love it!
My testimony of the Book of Mormon have grown IMMENSELY. Like I have such a love that I didn't have before, about studying him and studying the Book of Mormon, it's really really cool. One thing that my teacher pointed out really stuck out to me. About a lot of people who don't believe Joseph had the vision. He was like there was witnesses there. Joseph Smith was there, Jesus was there, God was there, and Satan was there. So what better way to know that it happened then to ask God! Cause he was there! I don't know I just never thought about it before that way! And I didn't realize how much Satan almost overtook Joseph. And how the only way he overcame that was through God and Jesus Christ. He couldn't have done it on his own and it's because he called upon them with all his heart! Ah I just love it! And I know that that's the only way we can get through things. And the only way I'm learning this language and going to be able to teach the people of the Philippines is through God and Jesus Christ helping me!
Starting our 4th or 5th we do Skype lessons with people from the Philippines! It's nuts! I've been super humbled with my lessons. Cause at the beginning they were all going really well and then they kind of took a turn. And I think it's because I was trying to think of everything on my own. But once we learned to work as a companionship and having the spirit be our Senior Companion things have been going a lot better!
The church is true. And I know I'm doing the Lord's work and am at the right place at the right time!
Temple Trip
Sister Ethington & Sister Ferguson (her companion)
SO MUCH TO LEARN!!!
