Monday, December 9, 2013

My Mission is Now Complete‏

5 months! :)

Mabuhay pamilya at mga kaibigan! Kamusta po kayo? Bakit walang sulat mula sa inyo? Google translate it. So this week started out with us finding out the tree down the street is full of demons. For real though. And we ended it listening to an all night party of drunk karaoke-ing in front of our house to celebrate the christening of an infant. And in the middle of all that, we had 3 baptisms!

Joel and Ariane and Noli finally got baptized! They are seriously so amazing! Noli works night shift so he came to the baptism with 2 hours of sleep and then went back to work and came straight to church the next morning.And he acted like it was no big deal that he hadn't slept in 3 days! He is seriously a trooper. And such an example to his mom who is a returning member. She is so excited to have someone with the priesthood in her home! Joel and Ariane of course overcame a lot of obstacles and are my favorite people in Canlubang. These 3 people deserved the very best! And I wish I could say that is what they got. But instead I am afraid to leave them with this ward. There was a RS activity that started 2 hours after the baptism and we had offered to change the baptism if it was going to be a problem and we were told to leave it. Well, these wonderful brothers and sisters whom I really do truly love and can't show up on time to church decided to go to the activity 3 hours early and skip the baptism. There were literally like 5 people there. And the 2nd counselor who was conducting chastised us for planning it on the same day as the activity and then asked if Noli's mom, who has been reactived for the last 2 months, if she was an investigator. And as much as I wanted to be okay with it, I am human and I wasn't. I had to walk out of the room I was so mad. Nanay Pataueg, the best member missionary I have ever met, came with her family and told us she had plenty of time to get to the activity but this was important. I literally almost started crying and just gave her a hug because at least these new members will have her. She deserves all the blessings of heaven, that woman is so darn amazing! 

So I prayed and prayed that they would have such a great experience that they wouldn't care that no one was there or that our Canlubang Sisters' musical number wasn't the best. And ya know what, Heavenly Father is there. Both Joel and Ariane told us that when they were being baptized it wasn't Brother Billy's voice they heard, it was something more powerful. Ariane thought maybe it was the voice of Christ and Joel recognized it as the power of God, the power of the Priesthood. And Ariane told us that when she was confirmed, she felt a tingling start in her feet and go up through her feet! All 3 of them got up and shared their testimonies, which was awesome as the missionary who taught them, to hear how far they'd come and just how strong they are now. I literally felt so happy I could burst listening to them. I hope that it's enough, that they'll continue in their strong testimonies even though the ward is a struggle. I was reminded this morning though that I am not leaving them in the hands of the ward. I am leaving them in the hands of the Lord. And He doesn't lose people. He will make sure they have what they need. I just love them so much and I want them all to make it to the temple! I am so thankful for their faith and pray that they will never lose it. 

Also, I survived another transfer without becoming a trainer. I will probably be trained the rest of my mission. That is completely fine. 

Have a great week and be a friend to the new members in your ward! The missionaries love these people so much and they need you to help them out. Mahal kita!

XOXO, Sister Brown

I hope they call me on a mission

Love them!
Happy missionary :)


Noli, Joel and Ariane
Most uncomfortable bus ride ever...
This is coming to you with all my love inside! <3





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