So it was another very good week here in Naga as we worked, and worked and worked. I say worked a lot because that really is what this whole week was about: working even harder because of some new adjustments in our area.
So last week, I was sitting in my room when I started thinking about our area, as I was thinking, I started to realize just how mixed up our area is with that of the Zone Leaders. Instead of splitting the two areas down the middle, we have kind of boxed each other in as all of our areas are now a little mixed up.
Thinking about this problem, I realized that the only way to fix it would be to give the elders conception pq, one of our progressing areas. At first, I really didn't want to do that, because we have a lot of awesome investigators there that I have really come to love and care about, but the more Sister Raneses and I thought and talked about it, the more we felt the switch needed to be made.
So last Sunday, we proposed the idea to the Zone Leaders, and they agreed to the idea, giving us their area Tabuko and we agreed to give them Conception pq. Which means we had to work extra hard this week to make the necessary changes in preparation to give conception pq. to the elders.
One of those necessary changes included track-ting in Tabuko. Because the Zone Leaders had only recently received the area, they actually didn't know where it was, meaning they had never actually proselyted there and had no investigators. In addition, the last missionaries to proselyte there were the office elders, whose schedule is a little different from other areas, so when they left the area, there weren't really any more investigators there.
So I will say, when we went to scout out the area on Tuesday with nothing but 5 member's names from an outdated 2014 ward directory, I was feeling just a little bit nervous about the whole thing.
When we headed out though, it actually ended up being really easy to find the area, because it is right next to our other areas (Lerma and Triangulo) and once we got there, we were surprised to find that all the people are SUPER NICE! It didn't take us long to see that the area has a TON of POTENTIAL to progress, and we had a lot of fun as we literally talked to everyone throughout the day.
When Thursday came around and we returned to Tabuko. we were already up to about 15 names of people where were interested to listen, and by Saturday, we were able to start filling our schedule with lots of return appointments, which was awesome!
From all of our track-ting in Tabukop this week, this is what I have to say: TRACK-TING IS EXHAUSTING! But it is also a ton of fun, especially since I have slept like a baby these past few nights from all the walking.
Besides that, we have been helping our investigator Ely to prepare for his baptism this upcoming week and even got to have an FHE at his home, along with the Lalas family and Bishop's family. It was super fun! Additionally, Sister Raneses has been getting better and better at leading the area this past week as her training is coming to an end. And let me just say, she is an AWESOME missionary. I am SUPER lucky to be her companion.
Also, the Lalas family who lost their mom seems to be doing better. We went over to teach the other night, and their house felt so... empty without her. I could feel the weight of it in the room. It almost made me want to cry.
So I know it is rough for them now, but in the end I think it will actually end up being a good thing for their family. Tay has turned his life around a lot since it happened, and I think if he continues, he will be able to do this. Also, the ward here has been supper supportive, so that's nice.
Remember the special cars my AWESOME Grandpa McDougall made and sent me to give away??? Well, I've been saving them for someone special so I decided to give one to their little boy . . .
I know he's struggling right now after losing his mom so I wanted to cheer him up. I think it worked! Thank you again Grandpa! You made a little boys day a little brighter!
In addition, with all the rain we have been having, it has actually started to cool down here and I have even started to get cold! (Oh no! I'm turning into a Filipina!!!) at Zone Conference, I even had to bring a jacket, which I definitely used.
At Zone Conference, I learned a ton--as usual--which has really come in handy as we have focused on finding and teaching more people by the spirit.
On the day of conference, there was also a bagio (typhoon), but since it was just a little one, work continued as usual.
So after the conference, we ended up wading through water past our ankles and got soaking wet in the pouring rain as we made our way from appointment to appointment.
At one appointment, we got freaked out when one of our investigators told us to be careful wading through the water because there is rat pee in there, which is apparently really dangerous because it can give you this incurable disease that is almost sure to kill you.
That really freaked me out and after the lesson, I was honestly scared to leave their house because there was no way out except through the flood water!
As Sister Raneses said: "What will we do if we die? Who will teach all of our investigators", I agreed, adding that I am definitely not ready to serve a mission in the spirit world.
On the way home, we had to hop along the railroad because that was the only place that wasn't completely flooded.
So the end of this week and Saturday marked our last heart-wrenching day of work in Conception pq. as we said good-bye to all our investigators there.
Sunday, at church, I gave the Elders a map I had made of the area and all the former teaching records. It was sad, but Sister Raneses and I both felt it is right and that the elders will have a lot more to offer the area. They really are awesome teachers/missionaries. And now, we can really start getting down to business in Tabuko, which I am excited for.
So I guess to finish, I will just say that God loves you. He really does. He loves all of us, and because He does, He will always make up for what we lack and help us achieve our goals when we truly seek His help.
I saw that this week as we have watched Tabuko slowly start to bloom with His help. For me, even on the hardest days I think that is the greatest comfort: that God will never desert us, He is always right there and ready to help. We just have to let Him. Or as Carrie Underwood would put it, we just have to give him the wheel.
I love you all and hope you have an awesome week!
Love,
Sister Matheny
P.S. Meet my cute little friend . . .
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