Drinking Water Each Day, Keeps the Doctor Away!!

Dear family,

THE HARVEST
     This past week, we as a district HARVESTED MANGOES! At the Magbanua farm. The Magbanuas are a huge member family here on Palawan (unfortunately not in our branch) but one of the brothers in our branch works on their farm...and so we went and picked MANGOES! 
     It was so much fun. It was really hot. But it was really fun. Now I can say that I have officially harvested Filipino mangoes! Climbed trees! (Okay not really: I got about *that* high and then starting freaking out because I'm scared of heights.) Worked like a farmer! I wish I could show you guys those pictures but...the internet is being a little mean today and they won't load. So maybe next time. Or in a year. 

OPEN YOUR MOUTH
     So this past week at District meeting, we reviewed our numbers for the week and we realized that our OYM numbers had gone way down. Basically, an OYM is when you talk to someone/initiate a conversation and then eventually extend an invitation to them to learn more about our message. Or you invite them to go to church. It was a big wake-up call for me personally because I will admit that I've been getting a teeny bit lazy on the OYMs ever since Sister Lockwood left. I don't know; it's just less self-conscious of a matter when you talk to Filipinos with another foreigner beside you. You don't worry as much about messing up on your Tagalog. SO! I made it a goal to get back into the OYM-ing goal this past week. And I must say that I am proud with my efforts! 
     I will keep working my way back to the top. But I guess here's the lesson for you all: until you open your mouths, people won't know. They won't know about anything. If you want someone to know you love them, let them know. Open your mouth. If you want to be someone's friend, nothing's going to happen...until you open your mouth. It's scary, but it's worth it. You never know what will happen. 

AGNES (part II)
     She experienced her own miracle this past week! Her husband/"it's complicated"-boyfriend came back! She told us of how he returned and how she was crying and in the midst of her crying she began to pray. For the first time in forever (No, not "Frozen"), she prayed. What a miracle! I know that Heavenly Father blesses those who accept Him back into their lives. The minute/second they start to make changes in their lives to come closer to Him, He immediately does his part. I know this to be true. 

DEHYDRATION...and diarrhea
     So remember how we went mango harvesting? Wellllll.......because it's been a million degrees here on Palawan (and will continue to get hotter in the coming months), I kind of sort of forgot to drink enough water...and got dehydrated. Which led to exhaustion. Which led to diarrhea. Not sure how the cycle begins or ends but...yup. My last couple of days in a nutshell. 
     I remember waking up the next day (after mango harvesting), looking at myself in the mirror and thinking, "WHOA! It looks like I didn't get any sleep AT ALL!" Later I find out that I'm actually dehydrated, hence the nausea. Hence the tiredness. Hence the diarrhea. Second time now since being in the Philippines that I've gotten sick with stomach flu. Lesson to be learnt here, kids: "Drinking water each day keeps the doctor away." I will remember that. Can't wait to start eating solid foods again....only things I've had in the past 30 hours is water, gatorade, and toast. Awesome.

THIS UPCOMING WEEK...
     Will be exciting! Zone conference happens on Friday and that's where Sister H. and I will give our training to all the missionaries here on Palawan. Still a little bit freaked out, but...we got this! And then on Sunday is district conference. And next week will be full of fun stuff as well! There WILL be more pictures next week! 


I love you all! We are going to a crocodile farm later! Fun fun!

Also: I turn five months old on this mission tomorrow! FIVE MONTHS! That's one month away from being 1/3 done! But okay. I won't get ahead of myself. Know that I love you all, I pray for you all always, and I promise that you will all be happier when you do the little things. Pray. Read your scriptures. Stay close to God. He will never abandon you. 

With love,
Sister Teo

Empathy

Dear family,

You guys wanted pictures so there are a bunch coming your way today!

FIRE BURNING 
     No, not Sean Kingston's song. Fire burning because IT IS HOT, HOT, HOT here on Palawan! I never knew I could feel so hot. And it is only March! What is going to happen when April and May come around?! And we have to start work at 12 noon?! I can't even imagine the heat! Haha. No worries though. We got this. I've been using my umbrella EVERYDAY since I've gotten here (you should be proud of me, Mom!) and although I still don't understand how it is that I still get tanner and tanner even while being shaded...at least I'm protected somewhat from the sunrays. IT IS HOT! 

ELECTRICITY
     To top the heat off, BROWN-OUTS HAPPEN! So if you guys remember from my previous email, the Filipinos call 'black-outs' brown-outs. Black, brown...same thing ;) The electricity gets cut at the randomest times and I cannot remember the last time I was so grateful for ELECTRICITY. I feel so blessed to have been raised under privileged circumstances. It only took me a mission to the Philippines to realize how the rest of the world lives! More people live in the darkness than they do in the light! Isn't that crazy? We shouldn't take electricity for granted. That's right. Gla. Krys. "Don't waste electricity," in the words of Mom. TREASURE IT! Especially because you'll never know when the electricity gets cut in the middle of the night and you are drowning in sweat lying in your bed. "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times." Maybe cold showers don't sound too bad anymore... 

ZONE CONFERENCE
     Remember how I said last week that Sister Himarangan and I will be giving trainings at zone conference? Well! At first I was super excited.........but now I am starting to feel so inadequate. The other two pairs of sisters giving the same workshop in Manila are sister-training-leaders. STLs, in short. And what of me? I am still relatively fresh on the field. Granted I have Sister Himarangan as my companion and she is WAY experienced (she goes home in 23 days!!!)...but we aren't sister-training-leaders! The STLs on Palawan aren't even teaching! And yet President called us two to! Inadequacy! Feelings of inadequacy are real. Keep praying for us that we will be able to do our part. It scares me now that I think of having to teach the ENTIRE batch of missionaries ON PALAWAN. Elders and sisters. We. will. teach. all. of. them. AHH! 

J & A
     Remember our golden investigators that came to church about a month ago? The ones that we took with us to an FHE later that night? Remember how happy Sister Lockwood and I were with them?! Well. They haven't been to church since. Killjoy! But it's okay. It's okay because we finally met with them again this past week after A had been out of town for a couple weeks and J was in the hospital. We met with them and things are going to pick up again. Note that I said GOING TO, not "maybe going to" or "ehhhhh we will see." I say "GOING TO" because I believe in them. I have so much faith in them. They are a good couple. I mean...never mind that they told us they are going to get married in May...at the Pentecostal Church! That's still two months away! Us missionaries have time to work with them. I know we can bring them over to be married in GOD'S CHURCH ;) We can do it. I have faith in them. I love them so much. They are my friends now. Please pray for them. 

AGNES
     Been saving the best for last. Agnes is 26 years old and a single/not-single mom. Basically, it's complicated. Bless her heart. Agnes was my spiritual highlight of the week. We met with her on Tuesday and it was a cry fest in her house. The spirit was there. Not because we were all crying but because I KNOW that the spirit spoke to her. It broke my heart when she told us that she feels that God doesn't hear her prayers anymore. She doesn't believe that He loves her because too much "bad stuff" has happened to her. It broke my heart. How I yearned for her to realize that her thoughts are so wrong. How I empathized with her. That one hour in her house will forever be a sacred memory to me. I cried with her as I told her how I KNOW with all surety of heart that God hasn't abandoned her. I testified to her that He loves her, that He is AWARE of her. I told her about my own experiences through which I came to know that God is indeed there. I told her of how at one period of time I, too, was angry with Him. I told her how I didn't understand why He was allowing certain things to happen to me. I told her that I was angry. But then I also told her - I testified to her - that I was wrong. He had never left me. He had always been there. He had heard every tearful prayer, every single plea. I know that He is there for her. 

    If you ask me what I remember from my setting apart prayer with President Dyer on October 8, I wouldn't be able to tell you anything other than this one thing that I do remember. I remember President Dyer telling me that a reason why I was sent here was to be able to empathize with these people. "To empathize." To feel and understand what they are going through, to some small extent. That blessing is being fulfilled. I love these people. I yearn for them. I pray for them.

     The weeks go by like nobody's business. I don't know what it's like in the real world but I cannot believe how surreal time is flying by. While it seems like I have been here for forever...it also seems like I just got here yesterday. Seeing Sister Himarangan about to leave makes me realize how quickly the mission goes by. It encourages me to keep working harder, to not waste any minute that I am here.

     I love you all so much. Friends, family, strangers, all of you guys! I can feel the strength that comes from your prayers. Do not worry; all is well.

With love,

Sister Teo

P.S.
The pictures are as follows:

The street outside our house that we walk on every night to get back to our apartment! Mom. Don't freak out.

Our investigator Hannah, 23, with her two children!

Hannah's son, Liam

Us with Hannah and her kids! They are adorable :)

Me and the chinese neighbours' cat. ANIMAL THERAPY! Playing with cats (my favorite animal) = so THERAPEUTIC. Mom. Dad. Don't freak out.

Sister H in one of our areas! Look at the GREENERY! Beautiful!

Me with Nanay and Tatay Doblado. Two of our new investigators from this week!

Me with Sister Alfeche, our Sister-Training-Leader on Palawan!

New Week, New Battles

Dear family,

SISTERS
     Over here on the mission we call our companions "Sis". Just "Sis". Not necessarily "Sister Teo" or "Sister Himarangan" in full, but "Sis". Sister H is truly becoming my SIS. I think that every trainee goes through their first couple o' days of discomfort when their trainer leaves them. I know that that was me for maybe the first two days or so. But over this past week, Sister H has become my friend. She is becoming my SIS. My sister. I am her tenth "sis", her tenth companion here on the field. Her tenth, and her last! I can't keep emphasizing how privileged I feel to be trusted to send her off! This is her first time on the island, on Palawan, and every morning I hope that I can make this a good experience for her! I love her. She helps me with my Tagalog. She is so patient. She is humble. She is loving. She is exactly what I need right now. 

HOUSE MOUSE
     Sooooo...the house mouse title fell on me when Sister Lockwood left. The house mouse is basically the person who has been in the apartment the longest and will be in charge of everything house-related. Paying bills. Making sure this and that is clean. OH MAN. Mom. How many times did I clean the kitchen back home? Or.........touch the bills? HAHA. Heavenly Father is wise. He is forcing me to learn all these things that I will need for when I become a wife and a mother! I am happy to say though that I LOVE IT! Ironically. I really do! Responsibility isn't always fun but now that I am house mouse I feel like the house is mine to make sure it looks top-notch all the time. And anyone that knows me knows that I can be a perfectionist sometimes. Clean counter-tops! Swept floors! Washed dishes! The only thing I still have to conquer is cleaning the bathroom. Hmmmmmm............when that happens I'll let you know ;) 

MICHAEL
     Take heed: he is 12. 12 years old. And guess who showed up to church for the first time ever...ALL BY HIMSELF?! Michael! BLESS HIS HEART! This wonderful kid. We haven't even taught him lesson one yet and already he is taking the initiative to come to church?! These are mercies of the Lord. He came in with about twenty minutes left in sacrament meeting and we hadn't even been expecting him. There I was, just sitting, listening to the talks, when someone taps me on my shoulder. I spin around. And there is Michael with the ward clerk. MICHAEL! Tender mercy. Tender mercy. Tender mercy. 

     Please pray for him. He is a future missionary. I know it. It'll be hard, the road ahead. We'll need his parents to be in this game as well for things to work out. As much as I love PLANTING SEEDS - can't tell you how many flowers I am expecting to see in twenty years from now - I want to HARVEST ALREADY! I have faith in Michael and his family. 

FROM THE PHILIPPINES TO CHINA
     Did you guys ever get my letters?! No one has said anything about getting any of my letters. I'm a little worried. By now I've sent two off now.........Please let me know! Postage isn't cheap as well! PHP300. 

THE ANTS GO MARCHING TWO BY TWO 
     So I have these random bites on my arm that itch a lot. They are kind of swollen too. At first I thought that the mosquitoes are really loving some half-Filipino blood, but then Sis H. told me that those are ant bites. SWEET! I never used to attract ants but I guess the Filipino ants are really digging some missionary blood! Any advice? Does repellent work the same way for ants as it does mosquitoes? 

A FRIEND FOR EVERYONE
     Now that I am a missionary I will never, ever go to Church the same way. Ever. Again. When you guys are at Church, please look around for those who need fellowshippers! I can't tell you how important it is to fellowship EVERYONE. Just do it. They are probably more scared than you are. And by the end of talking to them, there will be two happy people. Please do it. It helps the missionaries
so much. It helps the work move forward. I testify! 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY! 

     Auntie Fely! GAETANA WILSON! MIA LAU! ZOE LAU! 

Just four people that I love :) Auntie Fely and Mia and Zoe probably won't read this, but GAETANA! If you see this! HAPPY BIRTHDAY NEXT WEEK! Just wanted to wish you happy birthday in advance! I LOVE YOU! 

PICTURES
     SO Krystal requested for more pictures of everything. The two for this week- I got my hair cut last P-day; in the other picture is Sister Falgui and Sister Himarangan! I will work on taking more pictures next week!

ZONE CONFERENCE
     President assigned Sister H and I to give trainings in the upcoming Zone conference on March 13.............................YAY! I am excited :) I love President. I love that he trusts me. President and Sister Ostler- two of my biggest role models. Fingers crossed that Sis and I will prepare well for this! 

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Here's to another great week! I love this work! Obviously it is hard to maintain a 110% happy attitude all the time but I am trying! This mission is all about self-mastery. At the end of the day I am accountable to God for what I did with the time he gave me. So far, so good! I love you all! Since being here I have come to love you guys so much more. Something about missions...it changes hearts. 


With love,
Sister Teo

To Love

Dear family, 

A goodbye
     Saying goodbye to Sister Lockwood was the hardest thing I've had to do in these last twelve weeks. I love her so much and I learnt how to be a missionary - all from her. Twelve weeks, 24/7, side by side with my sister. My sister in life and my sister in the gospel. Words cannot describe the respect I have for her! This is almost like a tribute email to her - although I know she won't even be reading this (but maybe her Mom will! Hi Sister Lockwood!)- but I can't help it. I have to tell you guys how great she is. The goodbye was ironic because it wasn't really a goodbye. I know that I'll be seeing her again at BYU. But we went through a good bit of the mission together and rightly so I felt sentimental sending her away to Manila. As the van pulled her away and I stood on the sidewalk with two other sisters - their companions were being transferred to Manila as well - one of them began crying. And then I did too. I though it would stop but...no. Haha. It didn't stop. It was a little hard to refocus my thoughts and for the rest of that night I was a little shaken...but. Guess what! Heavenly Father stretches us this way. He makes us do things that was feel uncomfortable doing - like saying goodbyes - so that we can grow. I love Sister Lockwood and I will carry on every thing that she has taught me! Hopefully I'll get to see her on the mainland! 


A hello
     Sister Himarangan arrived a little after 7 pm. We all went to the airport to pick up our new companions. Won't lie- I was still shaken. Still a little scarred from saying goodbye to Sister Lockwood. It was a little hard. I remember praying non-stop that God would help me learn to love Sister Himarangan. To learn to love this new companion He has trusted me with. Cooler fun fact: This is Sister Himarangan's LAST transfer! She GOES HOME! After six weeks! Her 18 months is almost over! What! I went from the youngest trainer in the world -Sister Lockwood - to Sister Himarangan, the oldest companion (in-the-field) that I could get! Heavenly Father is funny. I feel so privileged, though. Heavenly Father trusts me enough that He is allowing me to be the last companion that Sister Himarangan will have. And guess what again! I LOVE HER ALREADY! We are so alike, it is crazy. And by "alike" I mean in reference to our mannerisms. We are more alike than we think. It's great. She is Filipino and from Mindanao. Her native language is Bisayan. Bisaya? Bisayan? Mom, you know what I mean. SHE IS THE BEST! I love her. 


"BUT THE GREATEST OF THESE IS CHARITY"
     I just realized that I've used the word "love" a lot in this email. Charity. Love. The pure love of Christ. I cannot tell you how much I've prayed for this gift- the gift of charity. Charity is a MUST on the mission. You HAVE to love these people or the work will NOT move forward. I HAVE to love my investigators. I HAVE to love my branch and the members in it. I HAVE to love my companions. If I don't, I'll only be miserable. And God KNOWS I will NOT live my mission that way. I chose to be here. I have to make the best of my time here! So I love. I love and I love and I love. I try my best to love. The scriptures say that charity is the greatest gift of all, even above faith and hope. I pray everyday for this gift and I hope that you guys pray for it too. Life is so much more beautiful when you are able to love those around you the way that Christ did. 

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     I will keep you guys posted on the rest of my adventures with Sister Himarangan over these next six weeks! I am looking forward to all that I will learn from her. In the meantime, enjoy the pictures! There are a bunch that I have for you guys this week.We visited a cave on P-Day last week (hence the helmets) and it was.......a little strange.....but....you know! It's more fun in the Philippines, no matter what it is! :)

     I love you all so much! Thank you for your kind emails and your prayers. I feel strengthened. I feel loved. I miss you all. I pray for you always.

With love,
Sister Teo

If You Want The Rainbow, You've Got To Wait Through The Rain

Dear family,

     TWELVE WEEKS! Twelve weeks. I am officially out of my training. Bye-bye to the twelve-week program! I am no longer a "trainee"! These twelve weeks have been the most beautiful roller coaster of my life. The ups and the downs have scared me and at times I have wanted to get off of this ride - but I have stayed, and I know that I will stay on, and hold on, because it is the only sensible thing to do. Face your fears, isn't that what they tell you? Everyday I wake up at 6:30 a.m. and beg Heavenly Father to help me do this. To give me strength beyond my own. And I testify that that is exactly what He has done for me over these first twelve weeks on the field. I love my Heavenly Father.

AN 18-MONTH HIKE:
     Before the mission I loved the times that I would be able to go hiking with my best friend. The Utah terrain is beautiful beyond words and there is still so much exploring left to do in that state. But this past week Sister Lockwood and I realized that our mission here in the Philippines...is an 18-month hike. We don't have the luxury of driving cars. We aren't serving in the Visitors' Centers. We walk. We walk. And we walk. Basically, we hike. And if we had ever complained about hiking before the mission...well, seems like we will be professional hikers with excellent stamina by the time we get home! Sis and I like to joke that we will climb up Y-mountain (by BYU) faster than the boys will.


THE ANASIS':
     Brian and Fatima. They were the couple that came to Church three weeks ago with their two children. I love them. I think that I can safely say that they are the first investigator family that I fell in love with. And am still in love with. You meet these people, you pour our your heart in prayer for them, you talk about them all day with your companion, and you just love them. You love them more than you thought you would be able to. They become people you want to help. You know that things can be better for them. You WANT it for them. I love the Anasis'.

     And yet this week was also the first time since being here that I truly felt my heart break. My heart broke, for them. For these people that I have come to love so, so much. Words cannot describe the sinking feeling in my stomach as Sis and I walked away from their house.

     "Wait...so when you invited us to be baptized, it meant being becoming a Mormon? Wait a minute...we're fine being Catholic! We're Catholic, for SURE."

     What do we say to that? Well. We didn't. We didn't really say anything. Because at first we started laughing, both Sister Lockwood and I, and then we just started crying. Tears of laughter turned into tears. Actual tears. Sis and I think that we must have just weirded them out completely. Two foreigner girls, sitting in front of them, crying. We just didn't know what to say except to tell them how much we love them. And I kept thinking, "Why isn't my Tagalog better? Why can't I tell them everything they need to know and tell them perfectly?" I remember thinking it was my fault for not helping them understand better.

     But I have come to know that maybe it just isn't their time yet. Maybe they still have to wait. And maybe we still have to work on them, slowly. Little by little. There has to be SOMETHING about the gospel that they like. There has to be SOMETHING.

     Walking away from them that day was hard. But I knew deep inside me that Sister Lockwood and I had touched their hearts that day, different from any of the other lessons that we had had with them previously. The Spirit was there. We had testified to them, through our tears, everything that we knew. And what surprised me was that the words came forth from us, in that moment. Right when we needed it, they came out of us. I know there is something for the Anasis'. We will keep trusting in God's plan for them.


ATE TESS:
(Preface: "Ate" is a respect word for "sister"/addressing someone older than you.)
     TESS! Oh, Tess. 12 weeks I've been here. AND TESS WAS THE FIRST ONE TO ACCEPT MY BAPTISMAL INVITATION! The first time that I extended the invitation perfectly, and the first time someone said YES...without any struggle! I know I speak about the Spirit alot, and maybe before the mission I would've been one of those kids who thought, "Why are these missionaries so...religious? So into this 'Spirit' thing?" and maybe some of your reading this on the blog are thinking this too. But it's true. The Spirit drives this work. And I know that the Spirit testified to me in that moment that Tess said "Yes," that this work is moving forward. It won't stop. It'll go on forever.


NANAY AND HER FAITH:
     Yesterday in Gospel Doctrine's class (where all the recent converts/ investigators attend during second hour), a Nanay shared her testimony about Heavenly Father answering prayers. I thought that her experience was really cool and just wanted to share it with y'all.

     That morning before Church she'd had zero money on her to get to church. She had no money for fare. She was sad that she wouldn't be able to attend. And then as she said a prayer in her heart, all of a sudden her grandchild came into the room.

     "Nanay! The jackfruit is ripe!"

     They cut it open. Took a bite. It was so sweet. So good. Nanay knew that they could sell what little they had- ONE JACKFRUIT- to get the money she needed to come to church. And that's what she did. She sold a jackfruit. Sunday morning. A jackfruit that, out of nowhere, had ripened perfectly that morning to help her get to Church. Miracle? I think yes. These people teach me every day about what it means to be humble and to trust in our Savior.


J & A:
     At the start of this email I told you guys how great these last 12 weeks have been. I would not trade any of the hard times for what it all boiled down to last night. Our two investigators at Church. J. And A. (For confidentiality's sake I'll just stick to initials.) "Husband and wife", though not legally married. Technically we would call that cohabitating before marriage. But here in the Philippines if they decide that they're going to live with each other they just go ahead and call each other husband and wife.

     ANYWAYS. They came to Church. BY THEMSELVES! AND J! The brethren were SO impressed with him! After Church some of the brothers came up to Sis and I and told us that J had LED the discussion in Elders' Quorom! What! And he had done so too in Gospel Doctrine's class! WE LOVE when investigators PARTICIPATE. It makes Church SUCH a better experience for them.

     Later that evening they'd also gone to an FHE with us. FHE at the Magbanua's. They were members. It was SO great that J&A were able to come. Once again they fit right into the scene and J was talking to everyone and before we left he said, "Mamaya na!", or in English, "Let's leave later!" He didn't want to go! I know that God has prepared these people to receive the gospel. There is still a ways ahead for the two of them but I know that they can get there. I don't want to jinx myself either, but I KNOW that J and A are prepared. We will keep working with them and family it'd be great if you could keep them in our prayers. They are definitely our friends.

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     SO! WOW! Long email today. Better wrap up. Transfer day is this Wednesday and we still have NO idea what is going to happen. No word from the Zone Leader yet so I'm not sure if I will stay or not. Either way! The work is great. Heavenly Father is watching over us. And you guys too. Trust in Him. His timing and will is the only correct way to go. Things go so much better when we don't fight against Him.

I LOVE YOU ALL! I am so happy! Tired, but happy. Greatest paradox in the world. Who knew that work could be so much fun?

With love,
Sister Teo

P.S. Shout-out to Krystal! So proud of you and your performance in GREASE!

P.P.S JUST GOT WORD THAT SISTER LOCKWOOD IS LEAVING! I WILL HAVE A NEW COMPANION THIS WEEK! AHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! OH MY GOSH!!!!!!!!!!! Sister Tee-mah-rah-gan. That's how you pronounce her name! Not sure how you spell it yet. BUT....I'M GOING TO HAVE A NEW COMPANION!