Dear family,
This week has been MARVELOUS. Read my letters and you will know why.
In the meantime, here's an excerpt from my journal that I didn't take a picture of but that I will type out for you guys to read:
"This Church is true. The gospel is true. The gospel has brought me so many blessings in my life. I am who I am today because of this gospel. The knowledge I have of the Plan of Salvation has given me hope for all the tomorrows to come. And I am so blessed to have gone out proselyting today. My in-field kasama was Sister Garcia, and she is a cool cat. I envied how good she was at Tagalog, pero (but) she has already been out para sa isang taon (for one year). Hopefully I'll reach her level when I get to my 13-month mark! Guess time will tell, because there is exactly one more year to go till I get there! Pero, in all seriousness, today was a good experience. I will admit that I failed miserably at OYM-ing (Open-Your-Mouth) and ITL-ing (Invitation-To-Learn), and even during the lesson we taught all I did was bear my testimony, but I am happy. It was nice to experience what my mission field will be like, and I think that THAT was the greatest thing I got out of all this - to know some of the sisters already serving there and to re-affirm to myself that Manila is where I need to be. When we were driving back to the MTC over the highway, I saw all the tall, metropolitan buildings in the distance and my heart just REJOICED. I thought about how wonderful it was that my parents decided to move our family to Shanghai, because living in China has immensely prepared me for serving a mission here in the Philippines. Everything definitely happens for a reason.
I found out today that the mission standard of excellence that Pres. Ostler has set is to OYM (talk) to TEN NEW PEOPLE each day. THAT'S ALOT OF PEOPLE!!! But I have made it a goal that when I get out into the field, I will accomplish that goal.
Also, just earlier we taught Sis. Rina Lopez, a less-active member who is feeling a bit heartbroken at the moment and therefore finding it hard to go to church. This experience with teaching her was definitely another way that God humbled me. After the lesson was over, Sis. Lopez said that she felt like we had come off too strong and that we were chastising her. I'll be honest- I was a little cut by that. I had borne testimony to her that faith without works is dead, that we can all sit around and talk about our pain, but it would do no good to anyone. That really was how I felt!!!!! But I suppose...okay, fine, I'll admit, I guess my words were a little too strong, in some ways. I sat there and heard her feedback and was a little resentful, but then for some reason...I made the connection in my head that this. was. a lesson. to. be. learnt. God is trying to teach me to get rid of my pride and truly love people. Not just new investigators, but even the less-actives. This gospel is one of love. It was a good experience. I've been getting many good epiphanies recently. Cool, cool!!!"
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I LOVE YOU GUYS! Honestly though, read my letters. Many cool things happened this week (diarrhea, blessings from security guards, leg cramps.....you'll find out).
TAKE CARE! The next time I email home, I'll be OUT IN THE FIELD!!! I CAN'T WAIT! This is where I'm supposed to be! :)
With love,
Sister Teo
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