It's
true, I'm training! The assistants called Sister Bendoy and I last
Monday, we found out that Sister Bendoy would be transferred and I would
stay in the area to train! Pretty much all day Tuesday and Wednesday I
both wanted to puke and cry at the same time, but since actually meeting
Sister Luke on Thursday, I've felt at peace and almost excited to train
and be the one to help not only her but our area progress and grow. At
times I definitely feel like I'm not ready, especially when I feel like I
just finished training and still have so much to learn, especially
regarding the language, but this gives us both an
opportunity to learn together and become better and successful
missionaries.
This
week has definitely been eventful! Sister Bendoy left on Tuesday, I had
a temporary companion until Thursday, Sister Luke arrived on Thursday,
A was baptized on Saturday (!!!) and now it's p-day again! It's
been an adjustment now having an American companion, because now the
stares and comments have doubled haha, but it's been fun. This week
we've really tried to focus on expanding our investigator pool, and we
found the most precious family. We've taught her and her kids twice now,
and we're really hopeful that she will progress, especially because she
totally accepted the aspect of prophets, about Joseph Smith, and
especially Thomas S. Monson today. I felt the Spirit so strongly during
the lesson, I even teared up a little bit when Sister Luke was saying
the first vision. In that moment, I truly just felt the power of the
gospel and the conversion process, and how truly blessed we are to have
it in our life. That it truly is for everyone, and as a missionary, I
feel blessed to spend each of my days trying to help others realize
what we already know. We also taught this older, retired couple last
night. We were walking home, and this lady was opening her gate about to
walk inside, so we stopped to talk to her. She invited us inside, and
we ended up teaching her and her husband. And, the exciting news was
that we could do it in English, which was a weird but really fun because
I'm so used to teaching in Ilonggo. He had a lot of questions about the Mormon beliefs (maybe because
he figured this would be the first and last time he would let the
missionaries in) so the lesson was all over the place, but they were
both really receptive and I could see their interest to know what we
believe. I feel like a lot of the time, especially back at
home, people just think Mormonism is just one big secret, but if they
actually just took the time to listen, to read and to learn what it is
we actually believe, they would realize the truthfulness of it. We're
really hoping we have the opportunity to teach them again. J and F also came with us to church yesterday (!) which is always
exciting
Now,
to tell the story of A's baptism. So Friday, the district leader
came to interview him. It was one big hot mess, because at first he
wasn't home, so the DL's left, and then two minutes later he arrived
home, so then they came back to interview him, and then I didn't bring
his teaching record, so we went back home to get it, and then we came
back, and almost didn't have the BR but thankfully we did. So he was
interviewed and everything was set for Saturday. So then Saturday comes,
and there was leak in the water, so the font had brown water... (which
wasn't too bad), but then bishop said to wait for him to get there, so
the baptism which was suppose to be at 2, started at 3:30....but in the end it was a spiritual and happy
experience. After he was baptized, he shared his testimony, and the
Spirit really did testify to me that he was ready, and I felt that joy
that I think comes when you know that you're helping Heavenly Father's
work here upon the earth. That's definitely something I"ve been thinking
about a lot the past couple days, because over and over again in the
scriptures it talks about that joy that all these missionaries in the
BOM feel while they're teaching. And that truly is what I've felt the
past week, pure joy. I truly love being a missionary, and I'm so grateful
that I decided to serve, and I truly can't picture myself anywhere
else, than here in the Philippines at this
time.
I
love you all! Anyways, send my love to everyone!
xoxo,
Cami
 |
| Sister Fitzgerald and her new companion, Sister Luke |
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