Strength

Dear family, 

Hell's gates shake

     Thinking back to all the times that I have tried to get to the temple on temple P-days...I swear that Satan doesn't let us go there easy! I can't even tell you how "coincidentally" awful the traffic is that day, or how we never get taxis (wait, this happens everyday), or how the MRTs are crowded with people. Something always presents itself as a trial. Sister Esmolo kept a great attitude about it all on our way there- another reason why I am grateful for companions that make up for my weaknesses. But I promise that every hard thing you have to go through is worth it, the minute you get to step into the temple. That PEACE. SKJDHDSJKHHDSJ That Peace. The peace that passeth the understanding of all men. I love going to the temple. I am so excited to get to live in UT and have a million temples all around me!

+ + + + + + + + + +

Jerry

     Update on Jerry: he's still trying to overcome smoking. We fasted with him two Sundays in a row and then he later told us that sometimes when he smokes now he feels dizzy. Answer to our prayers? 

+ + + + + + + + + +

Sheila

     So...this makes me sad, BUT...we have decided to hand Sheila off to the local missionaries serving in her area. We picked her up and have taught her for this long because she lives with a family from the Makati 4th ward, and goes to church with them every Sunday. But we felt like it was time for her to really experience what church is like in HER culture. And so she'll be going to a different ward now each Sunday, which is GREAT nonetheless because now she gets to understand the talks in Tagalog, now she gets to make Filipino friends and actually understand the culture of the church here in the Philippines...

     It was a tough decision and it made Sister Esmolo a little sad, because that means she won't be baptized under us, BUT. We are saving souls and not counting numbers. We are saving souls, not counting numbers. Our last lesson with Sheila, she cried in gratitude, saying that she was so thankful that we had taught her the gospel. It brought tears to my own eyes. She is SUCH  a great kid. She will be baptized on February 6 instead, in order for her to get well adjusted to the new ward and new elders and all. But I know God has a beautiful plan for her! I will miss her. 

+ + + + + + + + + +

Brave heart

     Yesterday morning was a morning I will never forget. Sister Esmolo and I caught a taxi to try to get to church. We usually start chatting with the taxi drivers the minute we are in, and so this time it was no different. We came to find out that this driver was an active member of the X religion (not going to say what). "Pretty cool," was what we thought. He was telling us about alot of the things that we believe in, and we were really impressed. But THEN...then his voice started getting 
louder 

and 

louder. 

     At that point of time I was just sitting back, quietly listening. Sister Esmolo was trying to engage him in a conversation. Bless her heart, though, because it wasn't even a "conversation." He was basically bible-bashing us. And that would've been okay if he had just used the Bible on us, but he didn't. He knew alot about the Book of Mormon, and so he was bashing us...with the Book of Mormon. (Side note: actually all the members of this X religion know about the LDS Church and every other church, for that matter. They study the different religions as part of their "studies.") 

    His voice got louder and louder as he talked about Joseph having 48 wives and he said that he didn't believe the Book of Mormon to be true and then he started rambling about Adam being our God, and he said other stuff too, and...it got so uncomfortable. So, SO uncomfortable. The spirit was GONE. Sister Esmolo didn't even say anything back to him anymore. Because anything she said would get cut down by this driver. And there I was, on that back seat, listening to him hurl insults right and left. He even challenged us, saying, "See? You guys don't even have any comebacks to what I am saying. You are so quiet." 

+ + + + + + + + + +

A brave heart will act

     Well. It got to the point where I just would. not. have. it. I could not sit there and listen to him say all these things that I knew was NOT true. I could not sit there and listen him tell me what I believe in. What? You, telling me what I believe in? I could not sit there and listen to him insult everything I hold dear to my heart. I could not sit there and listen to him insult Joseph Smith.

     And then I don't know where this came from, but I broke my silence. My voice trembled and I felt like crying, but I told him, "I don't know why certain things have happened in the Church (I was referring to Joseph) but I KNOW that Joseph Smith was a prophet of God. I KNOW that the Book of Mormon is true." The driver quieted down for about two seconds before jumping onto me. The louder his voice got, the louder my voice got. But I would not have it. I could not have him insult what I KNOW to be true. BY this time Sister Esmolo was just silent. I was the only one trying to "fight off" this driver. It was NOT good to be in that taxi. So he drove on, kept shouting, and finally I said,

     "We're just getting off here. Here's our money. Do you have a receipt?"

     And he laughs.

     He laughs at us, and he says, "See? You guys can't prove what I said to be wrong."

     I hand him the money, get the cab receipt, and as I leave, I say, "Mahal po kayo ng Diyos, kuya," meaning- God loves you. And it wouldn't been okay if that ended there, but then he said "Yes, God loves you too, so that is why you should have an open mind." 

+ + + + + + + + + +

Etched

     I will never forget this experience. I will never forget all the emotions that I felt and I will never forget having to stand up for what I believe in. I will never forget a 20 year old girl, untrained in the ways of the world, trying to stand up against a man who was well-versed in religious philosophies. I will never forget feeling like I was NOT alone. I KNEW that when I spoke, that someone was WITH me. I KNOW that what I told him was true. I KNOW that what us missionaries teach people everyday...is TRUE. No one and nothing can take that away from me. This gospel is TRUE. And hopefully one day I will get to meet this driver again and say sorry. Sorry for raising my voice and sorry for not having explained things more in-depth. But I know that Sister Esmolo and I left him with our testimonies, and that will burn brighter than anything else. Our testimonies will forever be etched in that man's heart. Now we just wait for the day to take effect. 

+ + + + + + + + + +

WOW!

     That was alot of talking.

+ + + + + + + + + +

To love a child

     Moving on...GUESS WHO IS GOING TO BECOME A TRAINER AND TRAIN A BRAND NEW MISSIONARY?!?!?!?!?!?!??!?!?!?!?!??!?!?!?!??!????!?!??!?!??!?!?!?!??!?!?!?!??!?!?!?!?

     I AM SO EXCITED YOU HAVE NO IDEA! 

     Her name is Sister Kumari. She is Indian. She is 20 years old. And from the sound of it (President basically told me her life's story)(kind of), she has grown up in the church. 

     I cannot tell you how great of a tender mercy Sister Kumari IS to me. I don't know about other missions, but for some reason in this mission, missionaries get so stoked about training. It's a BIG deal here to become a trainer. And going throughout my whole mission not having trained yet, I always felt a little...left out when people would talk about how THEY have gotten a chance to train a new missionary. And I would always pray. Pray that IF it was God's will, that at some point in my mission, I would train, too. But I always knew. I always knew that whoever I would train would mean SO much to me. I always knew that if the day came that God would entrust me with a new missionary, that I would love this new sister so much.

And I already do. 

"Train up a child in the way he should go and when he is old, he will not depart from it." - Proverbs 22:6

     SO I leave this area on Wednesday. Sister Kumari and I will be fresh-starting an area. Meaning...the previous two missionaries in that area will both be pulled out, and she and I will replace them. Challenge accepted! Alot of logistical things come into play here, because it'll be a struggle knowing the area and figuring EVERYTHING out from scratch...but. Challenge accepted, Heavenly Father! 

+ + + + + + + + + +

     I cannot put into words the joy that comes from serving a mission. If you had asked me 15 months ago how the mission would change me, I would have had NO idea. 

     I am so grateful that I am here.

     I am lifted, everyday. I know I am. That's the only way that I'm still running this race.


With love,
Sister Teo