Called to Serve: 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.