Blessings, Left & Right

Dear family, 

What home sounds like

      I cannot tell you how comforting and heart-bursting and heartwarming and wonderful and beautiful and a-million-bolts-of-love running-through-you it felt like to hear Daddy's voice on the phone last Tuesday. It was so unexpected; I didn't think they'd let me talk to him. But because this entire passport application thing has been taking FOREVER and my leaders have seen me struggle to get information from you to them and then from them to me and then back up and down the chain, I think that they just got tired of trying to pass information around and they let me go directly to Daddy. 

     Dad- do you remember that first minute that I heard your voice on the phone, and I told you, "Wait, hang on..."? I couldn't talk for a couple of seconds because I was choking on tears. It's been seven months since we last talked, and I don't think that a child will ever forget her father's voice, or vice versa. I know what home sounds like. Home sounds like the protection of a father, the concern of a father, the love of a father. Home also sounds like the relief of a mother, the joy of a mother, the pride of a mother in her child. And hopefully home will also sound like two younger siblings that will ENJOY TALKING TO THEIR OLDER SISTER THIS CHRISTMAS CALL, PLEASE, THANKS, OKAY <3 

+ + + + + + + + + +

A sapphire ring

     Okay, listen up: CAROL IS ENGAGED! CAROL WHO GOT BAPTIZED LAST OCTOBER CAROL! Her member boyfriend (Josh) FINALLY proposed to her last weekend! Her ring is this huge sapphire stone (I still like diamonds) and they are getting married.......in DECEMBER! Okay. Talk about fast. Carol beats ALL RMs that try to get married in like, three or four months or something (hahahahahahahahahahaha). But this is what really touched me when I found that out (although the proposal wasn't a surprise; everyone knew they were going to get married): Sister Pamesa and I, and even Sister Lockwood- we will always have a part in their lives now. We will be THE sister missionaries that "taught and baptized Mommy,"-- probably something that Carol will tell her kids in the future. We helped bring a family together. We helped two people come closer to God together. We helped one generation. Sapphire rings and full hearts; it'll be a marvelous December. 

+ + + + + + + + + +

Old souls

     We have an investigator on board for December 26. Her name is Sheila and she is 15 years old. She is in the 4th ward and lives with members (she helps them out at home). She is SO prepared. I have no idea where this young lady popped out from, but she is SO smart and SO spiritual and has this great, burning desire to come closer to God. Throughout my mission I have seen how God has prepared each one of his children to receive his gospel. Everyone comes from different walks of life and yet there's always something from their background that makes the message of the gospel WORK for them. We only have about 25ish more days until Christmas, but Sister Esmolo and I believe in miracles. Please let this work, Heavenly Father!

+ + + + + + + + + +

Try, try again

     And on the note of December 26th (our white christmas)...guess who has a goal for baptism AGAIN? Yes- you guessed it: JERRY! 

     We took him to the temple this last Saturday, walked around with him, talked with him, helped him to feel the Spirit, and then sat him down and talked about what he really wants for his life. About what he wants to come out of his investigation of the church. We let him know that it's time for us to work towards a goal again, but that this time around, he needs to be HONEST with us. Like, 100% honest with us. No more lies about how many cigarettes he smokes in a day. I don't know...I guess it's hard to let people in on a weakness of yours. I feel like he thinks that we'd think less of him if we found out that he smokes 10 a day or something. No. We reassured him of our love for him and we expressed our confidence in him. We have him down for March 26 right now. Fingers crossed! I won't even be in this area anymore by the time that comes around, but let's see how things go! 

+ + + + + + + + + +

Be ready

    We've been hearing SO much talk here recently about emergency preparedness and 72 hour kits and stuff like that, and I thought: Does my family even HAVE an emergency preparedness plan??!?!??! If you guys don't have one yet (and I lived with y'alls for 18 years and I'm pretty sure we don't....right now) then this is my missionary assignment/homework to our family, and that is...TO HAVE 72 HOUR KITS READY BY THE TIME I'M HOME IN APRIL! And even if we don't get 72 hour kits, at least have our food storage up and running to date. Okay? Okay :) Blessings will come. Promise. 


Sister Esmolo and I are staying together another transfer!!! Which means that I will be in this area for a total of six months! Wow. Six months on Palawan. Six months in Makati. Three months in Bonifacio...I wonder where my last twelve weeks of my mission will take me. Hmm. But I'm grateful. Grateful to be here. There's obviously more work that the Lord needs Sister Esmolo and I to do. And we will do it. 

I love you all. Glad to hear that Thanksgiving went fantastic! I'm singing at the Temple Lighting this Thursday! 


With love,
Sister Teo

Fires, Inside & Out

Dear family, 

Best friends

     Especially since going into my young adult life, I have always been very cautious about making girlfriends. I mean, I have many girlfriends but I don't call all these girlfriends my "best friends." Not sure if this is just a Kimberly thing or it's a female thing, but  in female friendships, there can be different levels of "girlfriend"-friendship. ANYHOW. (If Annabelle or Valerina or Jowelle or Helena is reading this, Y'ALL ARE UP THERE ON THE SCALE, SO DON'T WORRY) 

     This last week I got letters from Sarah and Carol again. It always excites me to get to read their letters because they are always so sincere with what they say. I can't believe that it has been 17 weeks since I left that area. And still we are in each other's hearts. These two women, in particular... (I know, I've been off Palawan for a long time but I'm STILL talking about them...they really have a part of my heart. They became my friends, and I am so grateful they trust me. And I trust them, too. In both their letters this week they said that I am one of the best friends that they've ever had. 

     I'm not mentioning this to attract attention; I mention this in the humblest way possible. That I am SO grateful that God let me meet them. That I was able to help. That I will continue to be able to help them. That I am now a part of their lives. These people, the Filipinos. They trust and they love so easily. Maybe that's where I got that side of my from. Maybe it's in my genes. 

     I'm excited to see how my life will continue to intertwine with theirs.

+ + + + + + + + + +

This girl (area) is on fire

     No, not a reference to Alicia Keys (although I miss that song). Meeting with Elder Maynes this last Tuesday was SO rewarding. He is such a down-to-earth person with the chillest personality EVER. You'd be surprised to know how friendly and cool he is. 

     Anyways, he talked alot about making sure that we go out and serve and set our areas on fire. And set ourSELVES on fire with the love that we have for this work. President Ostler must've listened VERY intently to his talk because that night we got a text from him (to all the missionaries) that for the next four days, we'd all have to leave the house at 10 a.m and not come home until 9 p.m. in order for us to be finding new people to teach and to be teaching more lessons! Talk about FIRE. President was on fire and he was spreading the fire alright! (I still can't believe that I work this many hours in a day. I would've laughed myself silly at the thought if you told me about this a couple of years ago!)

     Side note: the entire fireside with Elder Maynes was more or less a Q&A-led type of meeting, and guess whose QUESTION from the Q&A he picked to talk on for the ENTIRE span of the meeting??!?!?!?!?!?!?!??!!!!!! YEAAA. ME. OKAY. THANKS. :) He picked my question. About how to develop the faith to achieve a miracle, about the GOALS it takes to make miracles happen. Yay. Memorable. 

+ + + + + + + + + +

$ VS. NO $

     What an eye-opener it has been, living in the Philippines. And what an even GREATER eye-opener it has been, serving in these two wards. On one hand we have people we work with that live in very, very humble circumstances. So in one hour we could be teaching someone in their small house, where their living room is basically their kitchen and also their bedroom and their bathroom. And then the next hour we could go to a member/investigator from the 4th ward, and the contrast there is STARK. We switch back and forth between money-no money-money-no money places & people, and I cannot believe how much I know now about what it is to live with so little, or to live with more than enough. Before my mission I was such so ignorant about the world! I'm glad that I know just this much more, now. 

+ + + + + + + + + +

Sarah

    Can I just say: Sister Furner is the BOMB. Oh man. I love her. I sent stuff back with her, so hopefully you get it from her when you guys meet up this Thursday for Thanksgiving. Send her my love! And she said that my Tagalog was the bomb? We didn't even talk much in Tagalog except for a few lines! HAHA. She's too nice. I have pictures for you of her and I together.

+ + + + + + + + + +

A child's testimony

     One of the kids that got baptized the same day as Sarah's nephew bore a VERY heartfelt testimony after his baptism. You have to remember, this kid is EIGHT. He is eight years old. And...this sweet thing, in the middle of his testimony, starts to cry. He is legitimately crying. How? How do little kids feel the spirit SO strong? The spirit filled the entire room as he spoke. It felt like we were on FIRE! There are CHOICE spirits here on Earth, I know that. 

+ + + + + + + + + +

Shout-out to dad

     You sent this in your email this week: 

"Abnormal thought patterns: excessive worry can seriously impair a missionary’s ability to serve. Perfectionism, which is a consuming need to be perfect, can also become a crippling mental health issue."

+ + + + + + + + + +

     Talk about HITTING BULLS-EYE, Dad! I'm such a perfectionist. I need to be less rigid about all the details and trust the Lord in this. 

     I love you all! There's always SO much that happens in one week that it's hard to decide WHAT to talk about, exactly. Good thing I keep a very good journal (I'll pride myself on this a little, heehee ;). Save any and all questions for after the mission :) Or for our Christmas call! FIVE WEEKS TO GO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


With love,
Sister Teo

P.S. Thank you for ALL your prayers. I felt SO strengthened this week. Thank you. So much. 

Carried

Dear family, 

Over-excited

     Sister Esmolo and I taught again at zone meeting this past week, but let me just say - my mind has been so exhausted recently that I was out of it at the start of the meeting! Right after the prayer is said, we usually recite (as an entire zone) D&C 4 and then the "My Purpose (as a missionary)" paragraph. That's how the flow is supposed to go. I've been here 13-going-on-14 months, meaning I've had 13 zone meetings now, meaning... I should know that that was how it was going to flow. But during the prayer, because I was praying so hard that Sister Esmolo and I would be able to deliver the opening remarks well enough, by the time the "AMEN" was said, I just stood up from my seat and marched to the front of the room. I literally MARCHED to the front of the room, with 100% confidence. 

AWKWARD. 

A-W-K-W-A-R-D. 

     I'd been so wrapped up in my thoughts of giving the opening remarks that I completely forgot that there was someone else who was supposed to come up before us...and so everyone was just sitting in their seats, looking at me like "Whaaaa...." and I'm like "Oh man..." and I could feel my face turning red, BUT everyone burst out laughing because I kept laughing too and there we go. I was just a really excited STL, excited to give the opening remarks. Too excited. Well. At least now everyone knows how excited I am for these things! 

+ + + + + + + + + +

Tender mercy, three musketeers

     I don't know what's been going on with my body recently but I've been feeling SO tired. All the time. It's a different kind of tiredness though- it's almost like exhaustion. And with my body feeling so tired, my mind gets tired too, trying to juggle everything in my head and sort out my thoughts etc. Anyways. 

     We had exchanges again this week with another pair of sisters. I loved it. It is so good getting to be with other sisters to see how they are doing. You start to see that we're not all very different. But by the time the exchange ended, I was REALLY tired. I just wanted to crawl into bed and cry (I know, I'm such a girl). But the work had to go on, and we still had lessons to teach, but thank goodness it was lunch break. Sister Esmolo and I went into Subway, and as we were sitting there, and I was on the verge of tears...I looked out the glass doors...and guess who I saw? 

My friends! Two of my greatest friends. 

That was a tender mercy. That was a miracle much needed. That was God telling me He was aware of me and my thoughts and me needing some comfort, and that was Him sending Sister Lockwood and Sister Veras my way. I ran out the store and just bear-hugged Sister Lockwood and she asked me how I was and tears started flowing and I just said, "I'm so tired," and then I saw tears in her eyes too, and Sister Veras was being like Gladys and jokingly telling me "Stop crying!" and I felt so much love for these two girls. I love them. God is good to have had me be their companions here on the mission. I've seen the hand of the Lord in a lot of tender mercies. But this, by far, has been one of the greatest mercies I've experienced my entire mission. Right when I needed some extra love, God SENT love. I am so thankful. 

+ + + + + + + + + +

Lights, duet... action!

     So every year they have an annual temple lighting where they OFFICIALLY turn on the temple lights on temple grounds. The Area Presidency attends this ceremony, as does a group of local leaders. I am so excited to get to go with the rest of the choir! But guess what? Umm...guess who is going to be singing in a duet? In front of the Area Presidency? At the temple? At the TEMPLE LIGHTING? ...Um. Okay. Yes. Me. Okay. So scared. 

+ + + + + + + + + +

Duet and birds

     On that note: there's this family that I've gotten pretty close to here in the 4th ward- the Titus family. We've sat behind them at sacrament meeting a couple of times, and they've turned around after sacrament before and told me that they like hearing me sing. Yesterday, though - and this is the first time anyone has ever given me this comment - Sister Titus said, "When you sing, I almost imagine, like, BIRDS flying around in the air chirping and dancing around you." HAHAHAHA I laughed out loud at that! She said I'm like Snow White. Singing and dancing with those bluebirds. Like in Disney. Okay. HAHA. Just keep looking out for birds if you hear me sing! 

+ + + + + + + + + +

All that potential

     As you all ALSO know, we've been fasting and praying as a companionship to find new investigators. And I know that there aren't any coincidences in the Lord's work, because over this last week, we've talked to so many people on the streets (tracting) that have made for SUCH good, potential new investigators. Not a coincidence at all! We are really trying to follow up on these people and to go back to their houses ASAP, because we don't want to lose them. But I know it to be true what is said in Preach My Gospel: God will place people in your path that are prepared to receive the gospel. Fingers crossed that these people will be part of the miracle story of our mission's White Christmas 2015! 

+ + + + + + + + + +

Second parents

     I also have to let you know how much I love the Ostlers. 
     
     Last night we had an FHE at the mission home with our recent converts in the 4th ward, as well as with Jerry (only investigator present). President and Sister Ostler are SO loving. Their home is FILLED to the brim with the Spirit. I LOVE President and Sister Ostler. Thank you, Dad, for your wisdom and persistence in making sure that we met President and Sister Ostler before I even came on the mission. President hasn't forgotten that meeting. He brings it up all the time. And last night, at the dinner table, as we were all seated around eating, he tells everyone, "Did you know that we met Sister Teo even before she was a missionary? Yup, the first time we saw her she was this innocent, young, scared teenager...and now, look at her: she's matured so much." (#thankyousomuch) I am so grateful to have second parents here on the mission field. They have so much of my heart. I will forever be indebted to President for the impact he has had on my spiritual growth. I love them so, so much. Always keep them in your prayers, okay? 

+ + + + + + + + + +

     I'll be honest: I AM. tired. Maybe my body is just reacting to having done this rigorous routine for so long. Ain't never worked a day in my life before this mission. But this is a happy work. And God won't let people be sad while doing something so happy. I think I just need to up my water intake!

I love you all! We get to hear Elder Maynes tomorrow. I am so excited. But don't worry. I don't think I'll march to the front after the opening prayer is said. 


With love,
Sister Teo

Trust, pure trust

Dear family, 

SOMEONE IS AWARE

     I just want to put in a quick note about how loving God is. And that he never, NEVER forgets any one of his children. He is aware of them ALL. 

     This last week I went on exchanges with a sister under our stewardship, Sister Toa, and she and I traveled quite some ways in search of an LA (less active) from the 4th ward that I'd never talked to before, although I'd seen her at church once. We weren't sure if we were even going to track her down because I'd never traveled to that area before, and all these houses were huge and gated (it was a pretty affluent neighborhood), and it was just scary trying to combat uncharted ground. We weren't sure if she'd be home, let alone if she'd let us in. But I felt very strongly that day that we should make the effort to head up to see her. A couple of times I thought to myself if it was just me making up the thought in my head or if it was really God telling me to "JUST DO IT!" But I am SO glad that we just DID it. 

     Because we succeeded. 

     And we ended up having a wonderful time getting to know this sister. Turns out that she's just been feeling really, really lonely. She told us how she hates that in an expatriate ward, that people come and people go. I thought it was amazing that she was talking about such a matter because I've (we've) grown up in an expatriate ward my whole life. People have come and people have gone. I felt like I was able to testify to her of God's plans and that I was more able to FEEL with her, BECAUSE I know what it feels like being in such a ward. Isn't it great how God knows ALL his children and he knows who we need to meet and where we need to serve? God is so concise. He's an awesome master planner.

+ + + + + + + + + +

JOHN 11

     At MLC this past week, President shared with us the story of Christ raising Lazarus from the dead, as found in John 11:  

25 Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live...

     No one is ever so spiritually dead that they cannot be brought back to life. No one is SO far away from God, or from Christ, or from the world, or from any of their loved ones, that they cannot be brought back to life. No one is so cut off from life, so far away from others, that they cannot be saved. That they cannot be touched. There is no death that is unconquerable, if we will but let the Atonement help us. I've learnt that lesson SO well over these past three, four years of my life. Just a quick thought that I wanted to share with y'all! So beautiful. 

+ + + + + + + + + +

WHITE CHRISTMAS, WITH NO SNOW

     President also announced a goal- a vision - that he had prayed about that he wants for our mission. On December 26, 2015, we are goaling, as a mission, to baptize 200 people. That means that each companionship will bring two people to the waters of baptism on that day. And so, yes, there will be no snow. BUT, there will be white. And hopefully it WILL be a white Christmas. This requires SO much faith. I'll be honest- I've been doing deep soul-searching recently to figure out if this can really happen. Our area right now, though having been so blessed over the last couple months, is kind of seeing a slow-down in the work right now. We've helped all our golden investigators get baptized...and now...out teaching pool is really small. And so it takes/will take ALOT of faith on my part and on Sister Esmolo's, to make this work. Faith. Faith, faith, faith. I just talked about Lazarus rising from the dead. If God did that, if Christ did that, surely they will help President Ostler and his missionaries here in the Philippines Manila Mission...right? Have faith. 

+ + + + + + + + + +

MANILA TRAFFIC

     The traffic is SO bad here that it deserves a paragraph of its own. Manila traffic..............might be the death of me one day. 

+ + + + + + + + + +

MEMBER MAGIC

     I wish that there were missionaries in China! I wish that Gladys and Krystal could see how wonderful it is to get to work with missionaries. I wish that MOMMY got a chance to work with the missionaries. The work is SO much more successful when members and missionaries work together. Before my mission I just thought that missionary work...was for missionaries. That members' roles were limited. How wrong! It takes more than two missionaries to help move this work forward. I will never go to church the same again in my life! I will always be looking for ways to help the missionaries/the work. 


     I love you all! I am so excited for Christmas to come around because I'll get to call you guys! I've missed you all so much. I remember our Mother's Day call ending and just thinking, "WOW. Seven more months before I get to see my family again." I've come to love you guys so much more. November is going to fly by!!! 


With love,
Sister Teo

No-vem-ber

Dear family, 

NOVEMBER

     Okay. Can I just ask - HOW IS IT NOVEMBER ALREADY?!??!?!?!?!? I can't even think about 2015 ending. I REMEMBER it being the end of 2014 and me being on Palawan and I REMEMBER being a NEW missionary. How am I now an old missionary?! How am I only 22 weeks away from going home? I think it helps that the Philippines is just hot all year round. I don't have changing seasons here and so the days go by faster (good, or bad?) and well. Time is just a weird concept when you live in a country that has the same weather 24/7, all year round.

     November holds good days up ahead! Sister Esmolo taught a family (a recent-convert family) on Palawan (her last area) and they are actually going to be SEALED as a family at the end of this month! She gets to attend their sealing in the temple, and since I am her companion, I get to go too! It will be my first ever time witnessing a sealing. I can't wait!

     Also, Elder Richard G. Maynes of the Presidency of the Seventy is coming to tour/visit our mission this month! He comes the 17th, if I am not wrong. All the missionaries will be gathered together at the Buendia Chapel to hear him speak. All missionaries on Palawan will be flown off of Palawan, too! Isn't that cool? 

+ + + + + + + + + + 

FIESTA NG MGA PATAY (FIESTA OF THE DEAD)

     Weirdest fiesta I've ever come across in my life! Sorry Mom. I mean, it's kind of like how the Chinese have tomb-sweeping day, but here it's like a party in the cemetery! Our apartment sits on a road where a cemetery lies, and yesterday the entire road was blocked off so that no cars could enter. People had to walk to get from one place to another. Sister Esmolo and I ended up having to walk from our area all the way back home. It was like a carnival just finished or something- the roads were filled with little stands and litter and candles everywhere. Hmmmmm.

+ + + + + + + + + + 

COUNTING MY BLESSINGS

     This past week the thought came to me about how blessed I am to be here in this area. I get to speak ENGLISH and serve the Lord! I cannot TELL you how good it feels to preach the gospel in my own tongue! I love Tagalog and I love teaching in Tagalog, but nothing feels better than bearing my testimony in English. And it is also such a privilege that I get to attend church at the Buendia chapel! The FIRST chapel EVER to be built in Manila! SO special. God is so good to me. I am so thankful. 


     This week has come and gone! This next week will go by even faster too because we have MLC again at President's home on Thursday. I love getting to meet with him.

     Also, shout-out to Sister Pamesa, if she is reading this: I MISS YOU SO MUCH!!!


I love you all! And I miss you all. So much. 


With love,
Sister Teo

P.S. The 3rd ward had a Halloween party this last Saturday. We had our dinner there. Jerry cracks me up in the pictures. Also featured: Caizy (in a mask). 
P.P.S. There's a picture of me and a sister by the big mission sign. That's one of our investigators. Her name is Bebelyn. She is a sweetie. She is 20. She has some ways to go...but she can do it!