Kung Walang mga Pagsubok, Walang mga Pugunlad at Kagalakan

My Dearest Friends and Family,


     Unfortunately, I have been sent home from my mission to receive medical help.  This past weekend, the fact that I needed medical help became too obvious to ignore, so my Mission President suggested I be sent home for help.


     It hurts my heart to write this, because I loved my mission so much.  I treasure every moment-both the trials and the achievements.  I wish I could still be out there serving the Filipinos; trying anything to make them laugh; complimenting them in every possible way to build their self esteem; testifying of Christ with every fiber of my Being; teaching the children how to follow along in hymn books; singing "I am a Child of God" with the children; praying with the members for the success of the Work of Salvation; falling to my knees to plead for guidance in this work; sweating everyday under the hot sun to find the One who is prepared to receive the restored Gospel; sharing the people's sorrows by simply sitting and crying with them; witnessing true conversion in progressing investigators; reading the Book of Mormon with less active members; waiting eagerly at the door of the church on Sundays to see if our investigators arrived; shedding tears of joy while witnessing someone come unto Christ by entering the waters of baptism; feeling peace and joy when an investigator learns the true steps to prayer; hearing one of our new converts stand up in fast and testimony meeting and say with conviction, "Alam ko po na totoong propeta po si President Thomas S. Monson", when for so long we pleaded with God to help us know how to help him gain a testimony in living prophets; soaking in the beauty of each sunset at 6:25 pm; and going to bed exhausted, knowing I worked hard the whole day.  I will treasure these moments for eternity.


    And though my time was cut short, I know God is aware of my situation.  I know He loves me, and wants me to receive the help I need to become the instrument He needs me to be in this life.  My fervent prayer is that I will never forget what I learned on my mission.  Though it was short, I learned life lessons.  I learned of true conversion.  I learned how to truly come unto Christ.  I now just need to make sure I incorporate all of this beauty into my life here at home.  I pray that I can get the help I need.  I am hopeful.  This first while will be hard. I know it will.  My thoughts turn back to my mission constantly, and oh, how I long to be back there.


   However, again, I testify that God is aware of my situation.  He is aware of ALL of our situations.  He wants us to experience everything in this life that will prepare us to enter into His Kingdom.  I know that each individual has their unique trials to face in order to be molded into the character Heavenly Father knows we can develop.  He sees us as how we can become.  It is our job to faithfully and hopefully accept God's will and always move forward with conviction in our hearts that this is God's Plan of Salvation.  We accepted His plan when we chose to come to earth.  I know I chose to be here.  I know without a doubt that in the Pre-mortal world, I shouted for joy for this earthly experience.  So, amidst my trials I will forever magtiis hanggang wakas (endure to the end).  I know that though I have broken, I will one day be mended fully and completely sa pamamagitan ng pagpabayad-sala ni JesuCristo (through the Atonement of Jesus Christ).  His atoning sacrifice is both redeeming and enabling.  Let us all come to know Christ a little more personally as we endure this life with joy.


I love you all.  I am sorry I couldn't stay out and continue to serve in the Philippines.  But I promise you all, my mission is not over.  It never will be.  I will work and work until "The work is done"!

The Standard of Truth has been erected;

no unhallowed hand can stop the work from progressing;

persecutions may rage, mobs may combine,

armies may assemble, calumny may defame, but

the truth of God will go forth

boldly, nobly, and independent,

till it has penetrated every continent, visited every clime,

swept every country, and sounded in every ear,

till the purposes of God shall be accomplished

and the great, Jehovah shall say,

"The work is done!"

Crazy Week!!

wow, what a magulo week!  every thing was weird, haha.  So, Sister Butler, my MTC companion, has been my house mate during this transfer.  It has been her adn her comp and then me and mine.  She went home this week... :(  SHe was struggling with depression and stuff.  So then I got put into a threesome with me, sis perez, and sister Dial (Sis Butler's comp).  We had to work in TWO different areas!!  wow, rough!  We were running around like crazy!  Really hard.  It will be like this until Thursday (transfer day).  I can't believe I am already done with another transfer!  wow.

Okay, sorry if this email is way confusing.  I don't have any time because I had other people to write and such!  But Brother Conrado was baptized last Saturday!!!!! Yay!  He is doing so great!  Magaling siya talaga!  REally though.  He goes around himself and is introducing himself to the ward.  It is great.  I hope he keeps staying strong.

We also met this AMAZING family last Monday.  We had a referral from the Ochoco family.  We had FHE with the Ochoco's and the family they referred.  Then on Tuesday we visited the family by themselves.  wow, so humble.  I love them!  We already extended a soft baptismal invitation to them twice and they accepted!  We pray they keep progressing and really come to know for themselves of the truth.  We can't set a specific baptism date with them yet because they aren't married....  They have four beautiful children.  the oldest is seven.  

We also wanted to extend IBDs to Melody and Arnel and STILL haven't been able to because they are never both home!  Satan is working on them.  Please pray for them.

OH! We met a golden family!  So there are these two sisters we went to teach.  they are awesome and have so many wonderful questions.  When we went to teach them this weekend, their older sister joined our lesson.  wow, she is so prepared TOO!  It wasn't our plan to talke about Joseph Smith's first vision, but the Spirit prompted- so I pulled out the pamphlet and turned to the picture of Joseph smith's first vision and explained it and the 1st vision.  She immediately started to describe how she was feeling.  She said that she always does bible study because she is catholic, but that she has NEVER felt the way she did when she saw the picture of Joseph Smith in the Sacred Grove.  she said she felt chills even thoough is was mainit.  She said she felt it in her back and through her whole body.  she said she knows something is different about our church.  Wow, the spirit bore witness to me that I really am testifying of the true church.  We testified that her feelings were from the Holy Ghost. She committed to read the intro to the BOM and pray to know for herself.  Also, we asked if the three of them would come to church.  The two younger said yes, but the oldest sister (the one who felt so strongly about the first vision) said she couldn't come becasue of work.  We asked her the days she works and asked her if she could try to work saturdays instead of sundays.  Then on sunday, SHE CAME!  Wow!  We are so happy for this family.  they have 6 kids and their mom.  We are hopeful that we will eventually be teaching ALL SEVEN of them! :)  and sister Aurea already has an IBD for May 14th!  Please pray for this golden family!

I love you all!  My time is up.  I know God lives.  I testify that our Savior Jesus Christ has His arms outstretched for us all to come unto Him.

Love!!!!!

sister Wright