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.