Read the Book of Mormon...it will change your life!

What a week! So this week I definitely have to say that things seemed to take a bit of a turn when our work went down and instruction went up as day after day we gained priceless opportunities to learn from our leaders. Now, of course that means we didn't get to teach nearly as much as we would have liked--leaving me a little anxious and over-energized by the end of the week to get to work--but I am so grateful for the valuable instruction we received which will definitely and ultimately help us to be better missionaries.

Speaking of becoming better missionaries, I have been so grateful for this transfer and companionship as I feel like I have seen and been surprised by so many of the changes I have seen in myself over these past few weeks. To be honest, I knew that a mission was supposed to "change a person" before I started, but before now, I honestly had no idea how much or in what ways.

For example, the past few months I feel like I have become happier, more comfortable with and more confident in myself. I know that's kind of a "weird" change, but to be honest, I remember sometimes I used to almost feel awkward with myself and others. But if there is one thing I have learned from non-stop talking to people over the past year, it's that people are weird! So we just have to accept that and then be happy with ourselves because there is nobody else like us. 

When it really comes down to it, I think that if we will just be comfortable being ourselves instead of trying to be a "half-rate" version of somebody else we will always be happier and will even be surprised by how many more people we will be able to reach out and influence as well.

I feel like I learned that again last Tuesday after some awesome exchanges where I got to work with my kabatch, kabahay, and STL: Sister Segovia!

So exchanges actually ended up being an awesome opportunity for me because I learned so much from Sister Segovia and her AMAZING teaching skills! For one, she can really get through a lesson in a clear and concise manner, which I sometimes have trouble doing. As I have sometimes said to my companion, I feel like I have a tendency to get "principle stuck" as I call it, where I have trouble moving from one principle of a lesson to another.

That wasn't the only thing that I learned (and have been able to use) from Sister Segovia and exchanges, and upon coming home I felt so happy and grateful to be able to work with and learn from her. In addition, what made the day even better was during our group companionship studies, where I got to make all three of my Filippina companions sing "America the beautiful" as our opening song.

In addition, on Thursday, I was once again grateful when we got to take an hour and a half bus ride (me squished shoulder-to-shoulder between two people I didn't know the whole way) to Naga for Zone Conference. But for me, the waking up early and being squished in the van were all worth it when I got to see both Sister Raneses 

 and Sister Black at Zone Conference.

When I saw Sister Black again, I ran over and gave her the hugest hug ever and as usual, couldn't hold back a few tears since I was so happy to see her!  And of course, I loved seeing her companion, Sister Sorenson as well!  Long live the "white girl club"!   lol

 Besides that, the conference ended up being really uplifting and inspiring, giving us some awesome new ideas to use in our work.

Finally, we received another special opportunity to learn on Saturday and Sunday when we watched general conference. At general conference, I learned so much and received so many spiritual impressions that left me feeling so lucky.

One impression that seemed to hit me again and again during that Conference was the Book of Mormon. As authority after authority talked about the divinity and authenticity of the Book of Mormon, I started to ask myself: "what is the Book of Mormon to me?" Just from this past year, I have really developed a strong love for and testimony of this divine book, which I really don't have a way to describe in words. It is true. It is the word of God. And for anyone who is struggling with doubts, a problem, or anything else, this is my advice: read the Book of Mormon. It is the key. It is God's message written specifically for you and it is the key to feel God's influence in your life and infinite love for you. 

That being said, after conference I really felt that I needed to put more emphasis on my reading of the Book of Mormon. Because as I have seen, it is always the investigators who are reading who end up being the ones converted.

I know God loves each of us and has an amazing plan... recorded in the Book of Mormon. So I hope you all have an amazing week, and don't ever forget that you have a Loving Heavenly Father and Savior right there to help with whatever you might go through in life :)

Love,

Sister Matheny 

P.S. My mom asked me about this picture I took last week . . .

It's a weird fruit in the Philippines. It grows on the trees (we just picked that right off) and is full of these weird seeds all stuck together by white stuff. You are supposed to just suck on them and it is really sweet, like candy! It tastes kind of like a jolly-rancher type candy but the flavor is not quite as strong.

One year of Learning!

As usual, what a week!

 If there is one word I could use to describe this week it would definitely have to be LEARNING! This week I have learned so much about myself and really had the opportunity to grow through all of the awesome experiences we have had. 

 And as the week draws to a close and the new one begins, this is what I have to say: I am so grateful for awesome kabahays (roommates),

~ Sister Sosoter & Sister Segovia ~

 an awesome companion

~ Sister Matheny & Sister Habla~

 and an all-loving God who have helped me to push through.

For one, Monday ended up being a GREAT start of the week. After having a few hours to rest, and even an opportunity to take a NAP, we were all pumped up and ready to go. 

As we were working, I really felt the spirit was there, pushing us along and helping us as we went from house to house teaching. 

I think that day really helped motivate me throughout the rest of the week.  So just to share a couple of the awesome moments we have had this week:

Tuesday night, we went over to one of our investigators homes only to find them washing laundry by candle-light in the pitch dark! So quickly, we pulled out a flashlight and started helping them to finish their load. I remember as I sat there in the dirt, helping wash laundry, just feeling so happy! I had this huge smile on my face as we laughed and had a good time. As we washed, all of the neighbors slowly started to gather around in order to help instruct me on how to "better wash" the clothes, haha! So by the time we were all done, there were about 10-15 people gathered around and we were even able to teach them a short message before heading out.

As we walked away from the house (me all covered in mud), 

we both felt so happy and accomplished for what we had been able to do to help.

In addition to great experiences, we also experienced some challenges (as usual in missionary work). I remember when I woke up with a headache on Friday which continued to Saturday and left me feeling so guilty as I tried to push through and put in my best effort to work hard, yet feeling that there was no way that I could do enough.

 I just remember praying on Saturday morning as we were about to start our personal study and just begging Heavenly Father to know what we should do. As I prayed, I suddenly had the strongest impression that we should change our schedule to make room for the General Woman's Conference that they had just told us about the night before.

So quickly, we got our stuff together and headed out, making it just in time for the first talk. As we watched, I slowly felt all my inadequacy drain away and as we left, I felt the spirit so strong that the messages shared in the General Woman's Conference were true.

More than anything, I felt God's overwhelming love for and trust in me, and a stronger desire to help others to feel His love for them. 

As we were leaving the chapel, I realized that Heavenly Father doesn't expect us to be perfect right now, He just expects us to do our best. And our best won't always be the same. We all have times when we are not feeling our best--whether emotionally or physically--and in those times, I know that God does not expect us to run faster than we have strength. But he does expect us to do what we CAN to do our best.

So as we started leaving the chapel after the General Woman's Conference, I started to ask myself: "What CAN I do?" For one, I couldn't make my head stop hurting, so I decided not to worry about it so much. But I could walk faster and say hi to the people around me, so that's what I did.

As the day went on, I gradually found myself becoming happier and happier as I focused on what I could do instead of worrying so much about what I could not. Coming home from that day, I felt happy and surprised by how much we were able to do with the time we had and was so thankful for the help we had received from Heavenly Father to accomplish it.

As I thought back on this experience, I couldn't help but be reminded of 1 Nephi 7:12, which says: "Yea, and how is it that ye have forgotten that the Lord is able to do all things according to his will, for the children of men, if it so be that they exercise faith in him? Wherefore, let us be faithful to him."

I know this is true as I have seen God's hand time and time again, helping us to push through all these crazy experiences in life. He really is there, he really does care, and he hears all your prayers.

I learned that again this transfer when I finally got to experience a BUDO FIGHT, which I have been praying to experience since Sister Stackhouse told me about them back in Goa.

In a budo fight, you basically set out a bunch of banana leafs in a row, 

 on which you set all your food . . .

 and then everyone goes for it . . .

 with their hands.

 No plates, no silverware.  Just lots of fingers!

Well, it ended up being just as fun as I expected and by the time it was over, I was SOOOOO FULL!

In addition, we also had a good time when earlier this morning, we got to do a service project in the Elder's area, where we sat for a couple hours on hands and knees pulling weeds out of the ground.

 That ended up being SUPER FUN! Especially since the service was towards the top of a mountain, so the view was BEAUTIFUL!

 Finally, I am SOOOO happy that this week I have hit the one-year mark! 

 

To be honest, the time has gone so fast! And it's weird to think that just a year ago, I was sitting in the MTC with Sister Mosher and Sister Whaley all worried about if I was going to be able to learn the language or what it would be like in the Philippines. Thinking back to that time, I am so happy to say that now, I'm a lot tanner, a little thinner, and have a grasp on the language. 

Thinking back, I wonder why I worried so much! Because as I am learning now, God can do all things for us if we just exercise faith in Him.

 So that's what I'm going to do. And that's my invitation for all of you. 

I know trials can be rough, but with the Lord's help, we CAN always make it through. So "let us be faithful unto him" and I know He will do the rest.

Have a great week!

Sincerely,

Sister Matheny

P.S. I also want to give a big shout-out and happy B-DAY to my mom. Thanks for everything mom! You deserve the best B-day ever! I love you!