Christmas!!!!

Monday Dec 23, 2013 1:48 am

Can you believe that it is almost Christmas!! 

It is fun here.  It is definitely a very different Christmas than I have ever been used to.  Good and bad.  It is not cold!!!! I associate the Christmas with cold so I guess this is just a fun change on things.  

So I am transfered!!! and I am doing another follow up training! I am now in the Bonifacio 6th ward. It is a smaller ward because we just got split not too long ago but that is fun.  It is so different from Manila here!! that was the big city and this is more of still city (aka not province) but here there are just houses, so that is cool.  And we teach people who are not students... weird.... hahaha!! It is really cool here. a very small small area.

Sister Ramos is my new companion.  She is 26 and she is a convert of 7 years.  She is super sweet and very polite!! she is a Filipina.  You will get to meet her on Christmas.

So I did get the small package at the Missionary Christmas Party at Buendia on Thursday!!  I loved all the pictures.  And boy did you send a bunch.  My roommates loved looking at the pictures of the kids! Those were definitly my favorite part of all of it. With that the big package still has not come in.  I guess it will just be an extended christmas! 

So, I do have some really not great news.  I lost my pictures from the last 2 transfers.  I am so grateful the pictures of Maverick's baptisms went through before the pictures on my card got magically deleted.  It was full of heartbreak and I have spent a little bit crying about it but I am having sister montera and a ward member hopefully send you a bunch of the pictures from that time as possible.  if you want the member's name is may and her email is …. i think.  I am going to be more careful, and now be taking a bunch more pictures!!!! I have some printed off.  and I have all of the pictures from my baptisms sent to you.  I will see if there is any one else that I can get to send more pictures from that time to me too!! all is not lost. 

An elder told me about something called snapfish.com i don't know any thing about it but he said he uses it to prevent this type of thing.  

I GET TO CALL YOU GUYSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am so happy and excited.  I get to really try to bring you into the mission!!  I am so excited!! and tomorrow is my 7th month here in the Philippines.  It is a cool remembrance of the day.

Most of all I am so grateful for this time in my life to remember the Savior and his life and the blessings of the gospel as I share them with others.  That is truly the best blessing we can give to others and to Christ.  I am so happy for this opportunity to serve.  And soon having another Bishop serve aswell!!! 

I love you all!!

Maligayang Pasko!!

Sister Bishop

P.S. I will tell you about the christmas traditions here and some connections that I have with the area on Christmas!!

P.S.S. I am off to find the Christmas item I can bring back!!

P.S.S.S. I love you!!!!!!

Almost Christmas!

Monday December 16, 2013. 1:26 am

Hello my most amazing family!

How are all of you doing this week?  Things have been going okay here in the Philippines.  It is crazy that it is almost Christmas! It is very different than what I am used to for Christmas here in the Philippines. Not at all in a bad way at all, just different.  Also, I am currently in the city. So that is... also very different.  

I am currently on the hunt for something that I will be able to bring back to the states.  So that is my mission for the day!! haha.  Pray that I can find something.  

In the news for the mission, I am leaving the MYSA ward.  I am being transferred and will be once again finishing up a sister's training.  Gotta love training.  We found out Thursday and had a Trainer's meeting in Buendia on Friday.  Short notice.  Sister Montera will be getting a new sister straight out of the MTC!  I am very sad to say good bye to this area.  With it being my home for the last 6 months, it will be very weird to leave on Wednesday.

Our ward is having our Christmas Party tomorrow.  They planned it assuming that I was going to be leaving the next day, so that it way nice of all of them.  Ward Christmas Party are way fun.  They go all out here in the Philippines.  Pretty much all of the different auxillaries put on a different "talent" such as singing, dancing (hiphop) and it is way good.  The skits are very much put together with practices for a while before hand.  So I am supper excited to see ours!  It will also be bitter sweet as it will be the last time that I get to see so many people who I have grown to love so much these past few months.  I am predicting a couple tears for some people....  But that is the life of a missionary.

We were able to teach a Law of Chastity lesson to a couple who is dating and living together.  Do you remember Aren and Chriz?  Michelle's cousin is Aren and then Aren's younger brother, Dexter (we have also been teach him in the lessons) also lives with them in this small bedspacer.  But I was super nervous as it was the first time that I would be teaching it when there is something that is known to be a problem with it.  But It was actually a great lesson.  Chriz decided that he will start looking for another bedspacer.  It is hard because he is still looking for a job.  Both of them are... They understood that living the Law of Chastity will be needed before their baptism. 

We are having my last Fhe with our bishop's family and Cherrie Mae tonight! She is from the same province.  So that will be supper fun!! I am excited :)

Of course, We had a baptism this week!! Maverick Beltran! It went really well.  He had some of his friends who are members form other wards come and baptize him, speak, sing, etc.  It was really great.  The spirtit was so strong there as he made the covenant with God.  He bore his testimony by ending that he knows that the Book of Mormon is true and Joseph Smith was a prophet!

Send me pictures of your Christmas!! I can't wait to be able to call home on Christmas day! Let me know how are all of you are keeping the Spirit of Christmas.  Our mission is trying to make it a "white Christmas" with baptisms!

I love all of you!!!!

You are all so amazing! my reading today brought me to D&C 84:88.  Trust in this promise of the Lord in our lives! I promise the truthfulness of this work!

Love Always,

Sister Bishop

Maverick Beltran's baptism pictures

 Rebecca, friend, Maverick Beltran, Sister Montero at maverick's baptism 12/13/13

Maverick Beltran's baptism - Rebecca, friends from the ward, and Sister Montero

Just another week!

Monday Dec. 9, 2013  10:42 pm

Hi guys!

Can it seriously be the second week of December already?!  I can hardly believe it.... There is not words to describe how fast everything is going.... but anywho... This has been a pretty good week.  It was a little bit slow.  But there were some really awesome moments along the way too.  

A few members canceled to work with us this week, but in there was a small little miracle.  We had one of our ward missionaries, Clarissa, planning on working with us on Saturday.  But that afternoon, she texted us saying she could not make it that day.  That had happened a lot this week.  But we were kind of in a loss of what to do.  We had just had the baptismal interview for Maviric, and we were at the church.  We texted a few girls from another ward to see if they could work.  Nope.  But then out of the blue one of our other ward missionaries, AJ, came to the church.  She was planning on working with the elders and a priesthood.  But she was able to go with us so that we had a member present.  The Lord really does answer our prayer when they are in line with his will.  And that is what prayers are all about.  The Bible Dictionary talks about how prayer puts in line the will of the child with the will of the Father.  

Also,  We had great lesson with some of our Progressing Investigators.  These are the family and friends of Michelle.  Aren and Dexter are siblings and Michelle's cousins.  Then Chriz is Aren's boyfriend for years.  They all live in this small bedspacer (a supper small "room" (they just add 3 pieces of plywood to make a makeshift room) in an apartment).  But they are really beginning to progress.  We committed Aren and Dexter to be baptized on Jan 18 together in a lesson, and this week we taught the gospel of Jesus Christ, and committed Chriz to that day too!! They are really feeling the Spirit and they told us that they really believe the Book of Mormon is true.  

Those were some of our really great lessons this week, and we were also able to contact a referral of a sister in our ward.  We are hoping to begin to progress her more.  We have plans to meet with her a few times this next week. 

We had been asked to read Elder Ballard's Talk from this past General Conference, "Put Your Trust In The Lord".  Wow this talk is so amazing and it really shows the importance of working hand in hand with the members to allow the work of the Lord to move at his rate, which is hastened!  All members have been called and covenanted at baptism to be missionaries and to share the gospel.  It does not have to be big, but it can and needs to be something!  Whatever we can do to help further the work is enough.  We can all become "saviors on Mount Zion" for others as we lead them to the beauties of this gospel.  

This is such an amazing work to be a part of.  I know that it is hard.  This is the hardest thing that I have ever done in my life.  But it is really worth it as I share the gospel with others and help them to understand the love that their Father in Heaven has for them.  

We are about to head up to the temple right after this.  So I am supper excited for that.  We also have our mission Christmas parties next week.  There is one for the MIR on friday and our ward on tuesday.  It puts me more in the spirit of Christmas as I am able to reflect upon the gift of the Savior for us during this time of the year.  

We found out yesterday that the Manila Zone will be splitting to Manila East and Manila West.  isn't that crazy!!  I have not gotten official word from President Stucki that I am transferring but I am pretty sure as Sister Montera will most likely be training.  So we will mostly find out today what will be happening!!

Well all is going well here in the area.  

Miss you all tons!!! You are in my prayers and thoughts. Mahal Ko Kayo!! 

Love Always, 

Sister Bishop

Hello!

Monday December 1, 2013.  12:21 am

Hi Guys!

I hope you all are doing well this week.  Life keeps moving and I can barely believe that it is already December! Where has the time gone.  I can barely believe it!  We are having a good week and the time goes by really fast.

This week we had Elder Echo Hawk and his wife come to speak with us.  Because my zone is so big (they didn't split us and soon we we will have over 50+!  That is crazy.  But we had a meeting with us and the Makati Zone.  Elder Echo Hawk gave us a great talk and he spoke a lot on the hastening of the work and the lowering of the ages.  He shared that he was being trained and was in the meeting with the general authorities in charge of missionary work when it was announced to them under the most strict confidentiality! How cool was that!!!  I am so amazed by this work.  Did you know that he lived in Virginia.  He was Arlington, working for the President for American Indians on the Cabinet.  When he was called.  They were on Glebe Rd.  Near 1-395.  only around 30+ minutes away.

Well I am trying to write more but the time and all.  

Quick spiritual experience: Admix bore her testimony in church.  She was absolutely amazing and I love her dearly.  She shared how she knows that this is so true.  Mom I loved what you shared about truth being that it is never changing! I know that this is true.  I miss you all tons.  So I hope that you feel my love through my emails, thoughts, and prayers!  

you are all the best and I love each and everyone of you!

I know this is the work of God that will roll forward!!!

Love Sister Bishop :)

Elder and Sister Echo Hawk with Rebecca at zone conference 

                                             Package from Elizabeth and friends from BYU

At zone conference 

Questions and answers

Monday Dec. 2, 2013. 12:15 am.

 I got the message last week, there just was not able to get a response out. Sorry!

well here it goes.

  Q. What is the best part of being a missionary?      A.   I would have to have to say the conversion.  Not only the conversion that we help to work in other people's lives, but our own life as well.  The conversion is not easy.  It is not always the easiest road to go down.  But it is so worth it as we feel the Savior's love and the power of the Atonement being worked in all of our lives.   

2). Q.  Have you gotten a package recently?    A.    I got Elizabeth's package at temple tour!!!! I got pictures and letters from girls in utah.  my favorite was of course liz's.  And I loved the pictures.

3)  Q.  Have they started to get ready for Christmas there?  What are some of the ways they decorate or prepare for Christmas?      A.   some people do.  it is harder because it is the city.  but people here do more of the full color wheel for Christmas.  like all the colors (not just red and green).  they do a lot of these large paper stars that they hang up.  Also,  some people like lights.  

4).    Q.  What do you eat for dinner?     A.   Some times it is not so much.  I might not be that hungry or whatever.  Sometimes it is fruit.  I do the Filipino version of ramen.  (it has the powder and a little oil and soy sauce. pretty good). And if we are more hungry and have time (aka only sundays) We will make Filipino spaghetti which is much sweeter than normal.

5).  Q. How close do you live to the church building?   A.   It is probably a 15-20 minute walk or a 10 minute jeep ride.

6).  Q. How do you get around the city - mostly by bus, walking, jeepneys?    A.    we do mainly jeep and walking in our area.  If we need to get to buendia we take a sort of train. or the temple, a metro type train.

7)   Q.   What small miracles or blessings have you experienced this week?    A.   we were able to have a lesson from our stake president about hastening the work with members and missionaries.  After,  one of the elders and I bore our testimonies about missionaries and missionary work.  It was a great experience.  One of the brethren in the ward gave us names of 2 less actives that are not in our ward that we are going to visit hopefully this week.  And Admix, one of our recent converts, bore her testimony in church today.  It was great to hear her bear witness that this is true.  

8)   Q.  Funniest thing that happened this week?     A.   I have been called a lot of things by people passing on the street.  I get "hey joe" "joe" "jane" "americana" "mormon" "maganda" "puti" (white...) "snow white". and some others that aren't as great

9). Q.  Do you know that we pray for you in every prayer?       A.  yes. and that brings me some of the greatest comfort.  thank you.  

Quick note to mom

Oh mom, I really am doing okay.  There were some parts of the beginning that were more difficult than others, but even then, it was still so amazing.  And yes the reason why I sound so happy in all my emails is because I am happy.  Yes, this is hard.  Yes, Tagalog is very difficult.  But it is still great. I hope that helps.  And on that note there is one other scripture that I really like.  3 Nephi 5:13.

6 Months!....huh?

Hi everyone!

so as of yesterday.  I have been out for 6 months.  Please someone just tell me that this is a joke because it does not seem like it has been 6 months. I cannot believe that it has gone by so quickly.  In the mission you are very focused on that day and that week, that you sometimes forget what is actually happening with time.  I guess that is one of the blessings of missionary work. 

Right now I am in a computer cafe sweating a bunch.  they don't have any fans running near us, so yeah... not so fun.

We are about to go out and have a few lessons with some really great people.  I am supper happy with how everything is turning out with our area.  

This week has been really great as we had the baptism of Charlie.  It has taken him long time to get to this moment and I am so blessed to know that the Atonement is real, and it has the power to help us and heal us of physical and spiritual wounds.  When he bore his testimony,  he said he was just so speechless and that he just wanted to jump up and scream.  I know that he has seen the difference that the gospel has in his life and how he is able to accept the gospel fully in his life.  Now he has the desire to hopefully serve a full time mission.  I am really blessed in this area seeing such true converts to the gospel.   

We have our mission tour on Wednesday where we will hear from Elder Echo Hawk. That will be supper cool.  I can't wait to tell you about how it all is.  I just found out that because my zone is again too big it will only be us and one other zone at our session.  Did I mention that now with the Tacloban missionaries we are at around 50 missionaries in the Manila Zone.... We will be soon having 16 missionaries in the Sampaloc District!!

Things are looking good in our area.  We will hopefully be having just one baptism in December from a referral named Maviric.  He is also saying he is wanting to serve a mission!  He is really prepared and it is just fun to be able to work with such prepared SA's. 

All is going well here.  

Something that our r.c. Jane said in our lesson about prayer really stuck out to me.  She said: "Prayer is the most important conversation we will have all day."

I just loved that!!

Like always I love all of you.

Good luck Mike and Vanessa with the move! send pics!

And Liz I am so incredibly proud of you with your decision!

Mahal ko kayo!!

Sister Bishop

Pictures - November 25, 2013

Rebecca- loving being a missionary :)

Charlie's baptism - Nov. 23,  2013. With companion Sister Montera along with Charlie's friend on left.

Baptism of Jane - Nov. 16, 2013

Rebecca with YSA friend and Sister Montera 

Where has the time gone?! Monday Nov. 18, 2013 12:54 am

Hey guys!!

This is going to have to be a shorter email.  there were some crazy slow connections at the computer shop we went to. Frustrating.  But oh well!

Life has been really good this week.  

#1 Jane's Baptism

#2 Charles got interviewed and passed and will be baptized on Saturday.

We were able to have some great moments this week with having our baptism of Jane. Jane has been so prepared and at her baptism, I was so blessed to hear her bare her testimony that she knows that this church is true. She had said that after she had heard the beginning of the lessons in her province, as her boyfriend of 5 years is a member, she came here with some doubts if she knew it was true and if she wanted to continue. But once she made the decision to come to church, which is where we first met her as she sat down next to us, she said her life has been blessed so much and she knows that all that she has learned is true and the Book of Mormon is the word of God. Hearing her say that brought so much peace to my heart that I know that this is the work of God and that our mission is to bring His children back to him. 

With Charles, there were some stuff in his past that he had to work through for the past few years that would allow him to be baptized.  But finally we were able to get President Stucki to be able to interview him, and He Passed!  I was so happy to see him come out of there.  Pres. Stucki afterward said that he will make a great member of the church.  I know that he has thoroughly repented and is now ready to make the covenant of Baptism.  It is so great to see the redeeming power of the Atonement in people's lives.  I am so blessed personally by the Atonement, but it is so amazing to see the change that it can make in other people's lives too.  

When I really think about how powerful the Atonement is, and how much it has helped me,  I feel so blessed and loved by my Father in Heaven and my Savior, Jesus Christ.  The Atonement brings about the change and the relief that nothing on earth can bring.  It is only through the Atonement do we find peace in this world.  

During everything that happened there has been a lot of disturbances to people's peace.  We just got 13 missionaries from Tacloban and 2 more on the way.  Those people there have gone through so much but the Gospel of Jesus Christ can give us the relief that we are all trying so desperately to find.  Our ward got one missionary from Tacloban, as the former companion of the elder who is still here went to a regular ward in our stake.  It will be fun and the work does not stop.  

I am so blessed this week.  I know that this gospel is true and I have been so blessed in my service here on the mission.  If anyone says that they wonder why we would go to such lengths to bring people to our church, does not really understand what our church is.  This is the Church of JESUS CHRIST of Latter Day Saints.  We bring souls to Christ.  That is our purpose.  But not going to lie, this is so difficult, but so worth it.  

I love you all and miss you tons!!!  

Mahal ko kayo!!!

Sister Bishop

Questions and Answers - Monday Nov. 18, 2013 12:13 am

Questions and Answers 

1) Q: What is the best advice you've been given to help you thru the tough times?  

    A: Alma 26:27 this scripture came during my first transfer and I was seriously thinking of just stopping and sort of giving up with everything.  It was really hard.  But it helped me know that it is okay.  also  "It will be the hardest times and areas, that when we look back we will be the most grateful for." Pres. Stucki in my last interview.  

2) Q: What has been your spiritual highlight of the week?

    A:  Jane's baptism!  It was absolutely fabulous and so great!

3)  Q:  What is the funniest thing that has happened to you this week?

     A: In a text, I forgot until the end to add the o to the end of hello. I thought it was pretty hillarious.

4) Q: What do you eat for breakfast? 

    A:most days oats with a little brown sugar, powdered milk.  also some days I do an apple and wheat toast

5)  Q:  Do you have hot water for your showers?

     A: nope. 

6)  Q: How has your mission changed you?

     A:  this question I don't even know if I could answer period.  Yes it has. My faith has grown.  I have been trying to develop greater patience.  I absolutely have a deep testimony in the reality of the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon.  I know the Atonement has played a role in my life as well of others for a surety.  Mom I can't even describe.  

7) Q:  What Miracles have you experienced this week?

    A:  Our investigator Charles,  whose sibilings are all members, has been through some stuff in his past that kept him from being baptized when he first learned the lessons.  But now that it has been sufficient amount of time and he went through the necessary steps of repentance, he was able to be interviewed by our President on Sunday and Passed! He will be able to be baptized on Saturday.  

Love ya! 

Hey Guys! Monday Nov. 11, 2013 3:58 am

Monday Nov. 11, 2013  3:58 am

Hi guys.  

I know that I just emailed all of you on Saturday.  So this is a fun time getting to write again.  I am still okay and the city really did not have any damage where I am.  There was not even any flooding.  So that is nice.  The works goes on and my prayers go out to all of the missionaries, members, and people who were unfortunately effected much more heavily than we were.  I am also extremely grateful for ongoing revelation from our Mission President, and for modern technology that we are able to receive the revelation speedily.  But yeah all here is going well. The work goes on!!  I am so happy for all of the blessings that our area has received here for the past few days. 

On to some fun stuff.  The area got split with the new coming elders.  They are nice.  Not saying that I am going to end up being best friends with them, but I am trying to at least look at this as a situation that the area can progress even more and the my work can also be more concentrated to on a specific area and further the work there.  

We just had 2 lessons with some of our really progressing investigators.  One of them being Jane.  Jane is absolutely amazing.  Of course she passed her interview with flying colors.  She keeps saying that she is just so excited for her baptism.  Her boyfriend will be baptizing her, and one of the missionaries who taught her back in her province first, April, will be one of the speakers! Isn't that so cool.  Sister Montera and I are just so blessed to be able to be the ones who get to reap the rewards and see her get baptized.  I can't wait for Saturday.  She is just so excited!!  She has actually been in some of our lessons with some of our male investigators who their fellowshipper is another guy so that we need a girl to work with us.  She loves being able to share what she knows to be true.  

On that note, so many of our investigators who have been baptized our we are preparing to get baptized soon are all saying that they want to or are thinking of serving a mission! How cool is that!! I really am so blessed to be in this area and to see so many lives being changed through this gospel, including my own.  That is truly the power of the spirit.  To convert people to the truth of this gospel and this work.  

So I finished all of the talks last night from the April General Conference.  It was my goal to finish them before tomorrow as we have Zone Meeting where we get October's Talks.  I must say that the talks brought back so many memories and so many good feelings that I was able to feel back when I originally heard them.  It is so amazing how we not only get to hear them once, but get to receive the on going revelation through the talks of the prophets and apostles.  

All of you I love you so much and am so blessed to see how much the Lord loves each of us, everyday.  I know that this is truly the work of God.  He has his hand in all that he does.  I know that this is true.  I know it.  How blessed we are to live in a day and age where we have the fullness of the everlasting gospel restored to the earth.  There is nothing better than knowing that and through this gospel we can return to our loving Father in Heaven with our Families.  

I love all of you so much and pray for you everyday!! I can't believe how fast this mission is going so I am trying to do my best.  It is not easy, but it is so worth it.  I love that you are all doing well and I hope that those who are sick feel better.  LOVE AND MISS YOU!!

love always,

Sister Bishop

Rebecca's Safe Friday Nov. 8, 2013 11:40 pm

Friday Nov. 8 , 2013  11:40 pm

Hey family!!

So I am completely aware that this is not my p-day.  We have gotten permission for 20 minutes to send a letter to our family letting them know that we are safe.  There was this huge storm here in the Philippines. Monsoon. Luckily our area was really not effected at all by the storm.  No floods.  Not even that bad rain.  It at most it was normal (American normal too).  We were called in to our apartments at 8 o'clock.  It was barely drizzling where we were, so I honestly thought it had to do with something besides the weather.  We were able to get home really quickly.  So that was good.  As far as I am aware all of my district is safe and our area is doing completely fine.  It is actually really sunny right now, and kinda hot....  Supposedly there was some really bad weather in other parts of the country, especially down in the lower parts.  We are completely okay.  We really didn't exactly know what was going to be happening that last hour of the day, so we were able to get back really fast from our 7 o'clock appointment.  I have a baptism on Saturday so that is exciting.  Her name is Jane and she is great.  Once again, she is dating a member who is about to serve a mission, and she wants to too.  (Admix, Michelle, and now Jane :) ).  She has her interview tonight so that is supper exciting. She is so ready.  In other news our ward got a set of elders.  Not going to lie, it has been quite tiresome and at times frustrating.  They are great elders that will help progress the area, but it is a different type of area and I sometimes feel as they talk to me that they are not totally excited about it or understand what they are to do.  For me I love the area. I am kinda protective of it as this is where I was "born" and I have been here for almost 5 months.  But oh well. I love the area and am supper exited about everything that is happening here.  Like I said, I am safe and all is well! I love you all and miss all of you tons!!!

love,

Boo aka Sister Bishop

TYPHOON HAIYAN - Updates from Mission Pres. and Stake Pres. Nov 8, 2013

Typhoon Haiyan

Nov. 8, 12:38 am

           Dear Parents,

Just want to give you an update from the Philippines Manila Mission because of super typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda) that you have probably heard about.  All of our missionaries (your sons and daughters) are doing fine.  The typhoon is traveling far south of Manila so we will be on the northern edge of the storm and will experience heavy rains and wind tonight and tomorrow. Those in the Manila Metro area should do just fine.  The storm will hit the northern part of the Island of Palawan in about 11 hours where some of our missionaries are serving.   We are taking every precaution for their safety.  We have moved some missionaries away from the storm so they will be safe.  We are encouraging them to stay inside until it passes.  Thank you for your prayers.  We are trying to take care of them like we would our own children.  After the storm passes we will send out an update.  We don't want you to worry.  The Lord takes care of His missionaries. 

With love,

President and Sister Stucki

On Nov 8, 2013, at 5:43 PM, "Guy M. Hicks" <guymhicks1@gmail.com> wrote:
> 
> Dear Brother and Sister Bishop:
> 
> Just a quick note to let you know that Susan and I are praying for Sister 
Bishop's safety and good health.  I'm sure the mission is taking every 
precaution.  Please let know as you receive information.
> 
> President Hicks

Nov. 8, 2012  9:01 pm 


      Dear Parents,







The super typhoon has passed and all of our missionaries and members in the Manila Mission are fine.  Thank you for your faith and prayers.  The affects of the storm in the Metro Manila area were minor.  The northern part of the island of Palawan was hit hard with a lot of downed trees and damage to homes.  However, all of the missionaries there were safe and unharmed.  We moved the missionaries we could in Taytay and Roxas away from the storm area before it hit.  




We feel so blessed with how the Lord has watched over His missionaries here in our mission.  We love them and are so grateful to serve with them.  We feel of your love and support and the power of your prayers. Thank you so much!




With love,




President and Sister Stucki

Hello Everyone!!!

Monday Nov 4, 2013  1:11am

Hey guys

So where has all of the time gone!!! Is it seriously November already.  Time seems to move faster and faster.  It feels like I was just commenting that it was crazy that it was October already.  Oh well.  

Any who.  This has been a... week.  It started out last week after emails being able to go up to the temple.  I just love the temple.  It is truly my favorite place on earth.  I am always so amazed by how much I learn every time that I go.  I believe I get to go back the first week in December.  (Just so everyone aka mom is aware temple/pday is on tuesdays when we go).  Just a reminder.  I loved the temple so much.  

A spiritual experience that I had was last week, of course when we had our temple trip. I had been slightly stressed with how this week and next transfer will turn out. As I was walking out of our session, I had this overwhelming feeling that everything would be okay. That despite the challenges that we face, this is His work. He will help us and give us the strength and power. 

I saw the manifestation of this power when we were trying to see if a less-active on our ward directory still lived in his listed house (he didn't) but we met this man who is actually a teacher of the catholic religion at the University of Santo Thomas. He started questioning us and "testing us on our faith" as he said about who is Christ. He asked me how I could convince him that this was all true. As soon as I opened my mouth, I felt this overwhelming power come into me, I started speaking in much better Tagalog than I normally do, I was able to bare testimony of the power of the Holy Ghost as we read the Book of Mormon. It was such an amazing experience to see the scripture fulfilled that we "shall not be confounded before men."

It has definitely been a hard week.  Sometimes are much more stressful and seeming that it is not as successful.  With everyone being gone for Sembreak, days seemed to be much longer than others.  But that is okay.  It can always seem like there are excuses for not working as hard, but if we put the trust in the Lord, He will always make a way.  Granted we did not have a supper busy, or super high key indicators.  But it was a good week non the less.  

So some cool/crazy news is happening to our area.  

1) our ward is getting a second set of missionaries: elders

2) our area is going to be split. our boundaries are kind of confusing because it is the entire stake and they gave us the safer areas... so it is really odd.

3) our zone is getting split.  currently i think we have around 35+ missionaries in our zone.  so on transfer day we are being split.  I don't really have any more info than that.

Oh did I mention that I am not transferring.  Sister Montera and I are both staying here in the ward.  Elder Washburn, our district leader, told me that President Stucki probably wants me to stay here during the changes to the area to help assist all of the changes and the Elders who are shotgunning.  Yippy!  

The good news is that I will be able to see some of my investigators who I started with Sister Montera baptized.  Jane (she is absolutely amazing and I will talk more about her next week), and Charles (everyone in his family got baptized except him.  Completed Family in the MYSA ward!!).  So that is exciting.  

I love this mission!!

Miss all of you tons!

Love always,

Sister Bishop

Michelle's baptism Oct 26,2013

Sister Montera, companion 

 Sister Bishop, Michelle and Sister Montera at Michelle's baptism on Oct 26,2013

This is Exciting! Monday Oct 28, 2013 11:11 pm

Hey guys!                                                                                 Tuesday Oct 29, 2013

So I got all of your emails this week and I loved hearing from all of you! I especially loved hearing the news from Mike and Vanessa!! I am so happy for them and their family as their family is expanding. I am glad that I won't need to wait too long to see him/her after he/she is born.  I can't wait to get all of the awesome pictures of everything.  I loved hearing all the exciting things that are happening in your lives.  It sounds like the Bishop family is doing pretty awesome this past week! I am supper happy for all of you!!

So this week has been really awesome.

I was able to have another baptism this week!! Michelle was baptized on Saturday and confirmed on Sunday.  It was such a great moment and I have been so blessed by her.  She bore a great testimony how she knows that this church is true.  As one of her missionaries who was able to see this from the beginning, she is such an amazing person who will do amazing things in her service for the church.  And on that note, have I mentioned that Michelle wants to serve a mission?! So yeah she had said that this is what she wants to do so that she can share what she learned to be true to others so that they can be as happy as she is.  I am just so happy that she was finally able to make this covenant with the Lord, and see the blessings that are and will come into her life.  

We are working on trying to keep busy during this little bit.  It is kinda hard sometimes when we don't exactly have a very big teaching pool during Sembreak.  But that is okay. The Lord is continuing his work, as evidenced by Michelle.  

So in a few hours I will be going to the temple!!!!!!!!!!!  I am so excited to go! It is such an amazing opportunity to go to the temple here in the Manila mission.  I am so happy! The Spirit is so strong at the temple!!! It is truly my favorite place on earth.

I love hearing from all of you!!!

You are all in my my prayers.  

Spiritual Nugget for the Week:

"Do you want to be happy? Forget yourself and get lost the this great cause.  Lend your efforts to helping people... Stand higher, lift those with feeble knees, hold up the arms that hang down.  LIVE THE GOSPEL OF JESUSECHRIST."  - Gordon B. Hinckley

Love you

Sister Bishop

Rebecca and Ada - Oct. 21, 2013

Ada and me earlier today.  Right after we finished our last Recent Convert lesson.  She leaves this week to go back to her province. 

Rebecca taught Ada the discussions and was her first baptism in Sept.  

Hello po!

Monday Oct. 21, 2013  7:44 am

hey everyone!

It is just another great week on the mission.  I am so grateful for this time that I am here and serving.  It has kinda been a crazy week.  I am doing good. Still feeling fine. 

Some of the highlights of the week were the interview with President Stucki.  That is always a great thing to have, I love being able to hear his counsel for each of us individually.  I was such a great time just being able to talk one-on-one with him.  I am so blessed here in the Philippines Manila Mission to have such a great Mission President.  He was able to talk with me about some of my worries and the stresses of becoming a new trainer.  It is stressful at times but it is also really rewarding.  The church is putting a focus on the stresses of missionary work, so they came out with a new booklet for all missionaries that talks all about stress and stress management.  It is so true that the mission field comes with a ton of stress: good stress and bad stress.  I am trying to handle all of the stresses a bit better which is something that I think that we are able to become better at.  I think that that was something that stood out to me in General Conference.  Is that when it is all said and done and we are stress, worried, depressed, "ready to turn back" (Alma 36 I believe), that the Lord is always there no matter what.  That his Atonement is always in effect and if we can just remember that than it will all be okay.  I am so blessed to know that I have a Father in Heaven who loves me and wants to see me succeed in my mission and in life.  That He has not left me comfortless.  He provided me with a Savior who is always there to help me through all of the trials of life.  And also the Holy Ghost as our constant companion if we will be worthy.  What a great blessing of our Heavenly Father.  He truly loves each one of us individually.  

So we will be having one baptism this next week.  Michelle will be baptized this Saturday.  She has such a great testimony of this gospel! She loves sharing her testimony with us and her friends.  She has already brought 2 of her cousins to meet with us (one of them has a baptismal date: Aren) and Aren's boyfriend too (also Bap Date).  She had her interview and guess what?! She passed!  hahaha! She is absolutely amazing and I am so blessed to have her in my life and in this mission! She is absolutely so ready for this step in her life.  She has such a great faith in this gospel and in the Book of Mormon.  She says that her day is never complete until she reads.  Isn't that how we should all view the Book of Mormon, as essential to our day?!

We just finished up our last lesson with Ada.  She found out today that she passed her CPA exam!!!! I was so happy for her! It was actually quite emotional as she will be leaving to go to her province this week... But I love her so much!!!!!  She shared her testimony that she knows this is the church of God and that because of that knowledge, she will never leave. She asked if there was anything that we could tell her that she should do and we said: pray, read the scriptures, go to church, and always be worthy of a temple recommend.

I love you and sorry this is short.  But I love you all!!!!!!!!!

Miss you and Mahal ko po kayo!!!

Sister Bishop

Answers to mom's questions Oct. 14, 2013

1) Are you fully recovered?   

 I am totally recovered. I promise! there are seriously no problems that have left over from the sickness!  I am out at work everyday. Eating well.  Sleeping Good.  Staying Healthy.

2) How much weight did you lose?

Not that much.  People here are just very conscious of when people lose weight so they were all telling me, it was not that much really.  But most foreigners do lose weight here in the Philippines.

3) How are you feet holding up - blisters?

 My feet are doing fine.  Have not had any problems with them so far!

4) Have they started to decorate for Christmas?

We have not, the christmas music has been starting to play since around mid sept.  and there are some places that are starting decorating.  Things go up a bit slower with all the time people have before christmas, unlike america where it is pretty much black friday it is up in lights. 

5)  What is the strangest thing that you've experienced? 

 Hmmmm I don't know what the strangest thing is.  ummm sometimes there are naked children running in the street.   I have had whole fish, head and all, a few times.  jeepneys and tricycles are quite the experience.  Being called out to is interesting "Hey Joe".  Oh and having these pretty old Filipino men tell me that I am beautiful as I pass by is not the greatest.....

6) Did you get your last box I sent you?  It was a small one.

So guess what? It came!!!!!!!! I was so happy!! Because I have been in the same zone and have been with some of the missionaries here for all that time, some of them were very jealous and I just said that I have the best mom ever! hahaha it is true.  But I forgot my camera and the cord at the appartment!!! I got into the internet cafe and was so upset! I so badly wanted to send so many pictures to you so you can see what my life is like. But I have written in a bunch of reminders in my planner so I will not forget! and I absolutely love the post-its and lemonade (so filipinos don't like lemonade because they say it is too sour, I just over here in heaven haha) 

Hope that answers those questions for you!

love ya!

Another week in the City and General Conference Monday Oct. 14, 2013 4:43 am

Hi guys!!!                                                       Oct. 14, 2013

So it has been a fun and exciting week.  To start off we are now starting Semester Break.  So that means that all of the universities and schools have let out so all of our teaching pool are pretty much all in their provinces except for a select few.  So that will be fun and exciting!  We were not able to get any new investigators this week because all of the people who we would talk with are leaving for like 3-4 weeks.  So that was kinda a bummer.  We are seeing what this week is going to be like with all of the students gone.  We are hoping for the best!  

But it was kinda cool this week as we were able to go to a few other areas in our stake besides the Sampaloc Area that we do most all of our work in.  So that was cool we had to ask our bishop for a lot of help finding out where a few addresses are.  Then they turn out to not have lived there for 3, 4, even 8 years..... Oh well.  We got a referral for a guy in another area so we will be able to go out there again and to another less active in another random area.  

We are still working with Michelle on her baptism.  Wow she is so great!  I have no worries with her and as we have a lot of time with her we are able to take things much more slowly.  So that is fun :)  She is just amazing I am so blessed to know her and be able to work with her during this time.  

Jet we are going to have to reextend his baptism because we have not seen him in over a month (he has job training ) then he also missed church.  So that was kinda a bummer.  But we are meeting with him in a little bit so that will be good to see more of where he is at with the gospel!  

The greatest part of this week came, of course, during General Conference.  How amazing it is that we have this gospel and that we are able to here the Lord's word for us right now!  I have received so many blessings from listening to and heeding the councils of the prophets.  There are just so many points of General Conference that I love!  

Dieter F. Uchtdorf

Jeffrey R. Holland

M. Russell Ballard

Henry B. Eyring

Richard G. Scott

President Thomas S. Monson

Neil L. Anderson

Wow there was so much great talks that we received from the Lord this conference.  It was such a spiritual experience to be here on the mission and to be a part of what so many of the leaders were talking about: Missionary Work!!! I know that this is the work of the Lord and that when we are on the Lord's errand, we have his protection, his Spirit, and his Love!!  This is truly such an important work of the Saints in these last days

Also there was a big emphasis on the family and the Priesthood Power in the family.  I have been so blessed by having the Priesthood in my home and as a constant source of power to me.  Even as I do not have the Priesthood, I have such a deep love for the Power of God.  It has blessed my life in so many ways and I love being able to testify that it has been restored to the earth. 

Finally, one of my favorite topics that seemed to be a connections with what seemed like all the talks was the Atonement of our Savior Jesus Christ.  How this has blessed my life. I know that my Savior loves me and that he is always there for me.  Even in times of trial in sorrow.  He is there.  He is with us during the good times, as well as the difficult.  If only all men could know of the reality of the Atonement in there lives, how much more wonderful this world would be.  But until then, that is my calling: to spread the news of the Savior and His Atonement.  

I love all of you and hope we can all heed the words of the Lord.

Miss you all tons

With Love,

Sister Bishop

HEY GUYS! Monday Oct. 7, 2013 8:30 am

Hi eveyone!!

How is everything going!! I loved hearing from all of you this week, it is so fun to read all about what all of you are up to!

I have not gotten to see General Conference, but we get to watch the broadcasts on Saturday and Sunday! I am so excited.  It is crazy to think that exactly one year ago my life completely changed with the call from the prophet about the age change of missionaries.  It is weird to think that only one year ago, I really had no plans of serving a mission and now I am out here in the Philippines.  I can truly accredit being so prepared for being willing and ready to serve a mission to all the people who have made a difference in my life,  my parents, siblings, teachers, friends, and just everyone.  It is such a blessing in my life that I have this opportunity to serve the Lord in this calling!

I am feeling so much better.  No residual symptoms or anything from the sickness so that is really good.  I did lose some weight from it just because I was not eating too much with being sick.  But that is really all that came out of it... I am glad that we are back to work.  It was fun to get back into the swing of things after being sick. 

Sister Montera is great and I am having a lot of fun working with her.  It is a definite change from being with Sister Moreno and being the trainee to being the trainer of Sister Montera.  But it really is quite fun.  Granted I do feel more stress and I feel busier just because there is more responsibility with being a trainer.  

We went on last minute exchanges with the sister training leaders on tuesday.  and that was really fun.  I stayed in our area again this time and I was glad that I was able to learn more from some of our leaders.  

Our investigators are doing really well.  We are still working with Michelle (who is absolutely and totally amazing) and Jet (we were not able to see him this week because of his job training schedule)  but they are both great.  Michelle actually bringing her pinsan (cousin) to our lessons so that she can learn more and we are excited because Aren and her boyfriend Chriz came to church with Michelle on Sunday :)  Also, we have this amazing new investigator Jane who started meeting with the missionaries in her province.  She also has a baptismal date that she is already so ready for on Nov. 16.  I am so blessed in this area with seeing so many prepared people for the gospel!!

I am so excited for General Conference!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It is one of my favorite times of the year! It is such an amazing blessing in this church that we have a living prophet who receives revelation from the Lord for us right now! There is nothing better than being able to hear his words and to also receive our own person revelation to our lives and answer the questions of our heart.  

Oh and we had temple tour this weekend.  I love being able to feel the spirit there and to walk around the temple.  There were a lot of investigators there (unfortunately all of ours had school or work... bummer)  but the spirit is so strong there!!!

I have loved the scriptures in D&C about the calls that were made to the elders of the church around D&C 30. They are all so great!!!!!!!!!!

I love you all and miss you so much!!  It is so great to be here and serving the Lord!!

Mahal ko po kayo

Sister Bishop

I'M BACK Monday Sept 30, 2013 5:47 am

Hey guys!

So I know that it has been a long time since I have been able to email.  First things first... I got really sick last week starting the 18th with what we later found out was dengue fever.  It lasted for around 12 days and I had a wide array of different symptoms that came and went at different times.  The worst was really the first 3 days and then it was just dizziness, headaches, and some body aches.  I am really okay now.  We actually only thought it was the flu until I got some tests done.  It is okay and I feel great now.  

Now we are getting back into the swing of things.  That is honestly one of the hardest parts about being sick for so long because I have not seen anyone for such a long time.  

But anywho.  I have a new companion!!!!! Her name is Sister Montera.  She is from the Philippines and she has been out 1 transfer.  (6 weeks)  It is so much fun getting to know her, but it is quite difficult making the transition to trainer.... I know that it will all be okay and that this is where I am supposed to be and what I am supposed to be doing, but dang it is kinda hard.  and it is also hard because the first 2 days I was still sick.  

Sister Montera is great and she was actually first trained with one of the Sister Training Leaders.  So that is cool and it is nice having someone who already knows the "ropes" of missionary work.  We are getting into a grove more with our work these few days.  It is so different (in a good way) working with another companion.  I know that this is what the Lord wants us to be doing here in the Philippines Manila Mission.  

So Ada is feeling better so all of you know.  I told her that you all had been praying for her and she was very grateful.  

Also, Admix got baptized on the 21st.  Unfortunately, I was unable to make it to the baptism as I was sick.  But Sister Moreno was able to arrange for splits so she was able to go to both the baptism and conformation.  She said that it was a great baptism and that despite some rocky beginnings to everything, it turned out to be a great baptism.  I saw her yesterday at church and she just seems so happy and she is doing great.  

At church we reconfirmed Michelle to her baptism, which will now be on October 26!!! She is so happy and we will also be having our investigator Jet be baptized on that same day too!

Jet, like Michelle and Admix, is dating a member.  His girlfriend originally asked him to go to church and it took him a while to finally go.  She is not here, but it is so great seeing him now grow more in the gospel.  When we first met him, he was very very shy, and yesterday in Gospel Principles class he said the pray for the first time in public.  He was evidently very nervous and you could see it on his face.  

Michelle is just so excited! She just could not wait until November so she choose to move up her date! I am so proud of her and can see how happy the truth of the gospel is making her!!  She told us that almost every night she has a dream about being baptized or about the church.  She knows so well that this is the one and only true Church of God on the earth.

It is fun and difficult getting back into the swing of things, but I am glad to be getting back to work.  Because of my sickness I actually did not know that there was such bad weather outside.  We were safe and we stayed inside throughout it all.  I guess you could call that a blessing in disguise.... haha.  

But I love hearing from all of you this week!! It sounds like all of you are doing some really great things.  I love seeing the pictures from all of the trips that you guys have been on!!  Some of them are just so pretty (aka mom and dad). Thank you for all of your emails this week.  It is so amazing knowing that I have such great family and support back home :)

You are all so amazing! I hope all of you know that I know that this gospel is the most true thing of anything on this earth.  God Lives.  He Love Us.  Each and everyone of us, He knows and cares for.  What a blessing it is to know this and that he wants to hear from us.  He will tell us and give us answers to our prayers if we will ask him.  When we are at the end of the rope and we have no where else to turn to, He is there.  We can pray to him for help.  We can pray to him for answers.

I love this Gospel and am so glad to be a missionary right now.  Yes sometimes life gets hard, and that's what it is supposed to be but that is all right.  I am so blessed by this Gospel that nothing can stop this work.  I love the Lord and all that He has done for me.  

Like always, I love all of you so much and miss you dearly.  You are all in my prayers.  

Love,

Sister Bishop