Brrrrrr - it's cold in Manila

Jan 26, 2014

This is part of my "email chat" with Rebecca late last night along with one of her responses.

Sandy:  
You're on early again :)  How was your week?  Things going any better?  It looks like its been a bit colder there than it has in the past...Hope you're not "freezing"  haha

Rebecca:

Yepo -  this is right now our usual time.  It is actually kinda cold, I don't like fans on me any more and sometimes I wrap up in my sheet during studies.... the other day I made a rice pouch thing (she heats it up in a microwave like a hand warmer) and the sad part is I use it quite a bit now....  

FYI - the temperatures in Manila are highs of 82 and lows of 72...yep really COLD!  

So yeah...8 months!

Sunday Jan 26, 2014. 11:34 pm

I can't believe I have now been out for 8 months.  That is so weird.....  I seriously don't know who that all happened. Time is supper odd like that.  

But things are going pretty okay this week.  A few cool moments.  1) we were finally able to teach a part member father whose family is all members.  and he came to church.  I don't know how much everything will happen as he has listened to the missionaries before but never been baptized.  Also, he is Iglesia ni Cristo which is a very difficult religion to teach people.  P.S. The founder was an excommunicated LDS..... so that makes me supper happy. I actually don't know too much of all their beliefs so if anyone wants to send me some more info that would be cool too..

So I just found out that we will be going to the temple as a zone again on Feb 11.  So that will be a fun birthday treat to myself!  Hahaha I love it!

But Sister R is still struggling a lot.  I am trying to figure out what is the best route for me and her to take.  It is hard but I am going to the Lord for the help I need.  

P.S. I was able to find some of the souvenir type things last week so mom will be happy with that! 

Life is good.  I am making really good friends with some of the American sisters in our zone/area. Sister Matu'u and Sister Wells.  They are really awesome and I can turn to them for a lot of support.  

Work here is good we were able to get a few new new investigators and everything.  So that was fun!

Like always way too much to say and not enough time!!

But I really like John 14:18 i think it is. someone can correct me if I am wrong.  But it is the one that says "I will not leave you comfortless. I will come unto you."

Love you tons!

Sister Bishop

Weekly email

  Monday Jan 29, 2014.  12:10 am

Hey Family!!!!

LIZ IS GOING ON A MISSION!!!! You have no idea how happy I am right now!!! This is the best thing ever!!  In the words of Despicable Me: "Best. Day. Ever!" (your welcome liz haha)

I am doing okay this week.  We are still experiencing a lot of difficulties with in the companionship.  I am sort of at a loss of what I am supposed to be doing right now.  So that is a bit difficult.  I have told the leaders the things that are happening.  Sister Ramos has been having a few meltdowns this week and a larger on Saturday were we lost the day to work.  She is still having the desire to go home and stuff.  So that is difficult.  But of course, this is missionary work and it is supposed to be hard.  If Dad or Mike or any of the RMs have experience with this type of situation.  Let me know on your secrets!  Haha.  But life is okay other than that. 

Guess who found Miracle whip at our local market, and has not been able to find it any where else? This girl! It made me so happy because I really don't like Mayonaise. So I made a yummy tuna sandwich the other day for lunch!  

I am going to be bringing home some gifts for the family that I found at Market Market last week.  They have this entire section full of booths called "Gift Market"  Perfect!  So I hope you have fun with that.  

Anywho I love missionary work! I know that the Lord is mindful of all of us at all times!! Thank you all for your support.  I know this is shorter, but I don't have as much time on my emailing this week.  

I LOVE YOU ALL!!

Sister Bishop

P.S.  Liz I love you tons and your decision to serve the Lord.

Miracle

Monday Jan 20, 2014. 12:05 am

This is the miracle that I sent to the mission for an activity that we have to send in a Miracle that we have witnessed on our mission.  Hope you like and enjoy!  share it with others if you want!

Through our missions we are able to see miracles great and small, long and short, but most importantly, all from God.  A powerful miracle that I have witnessed was pefinityly a process.  It came when I had been in my first area for a few months when I was with Sis. Montera. I had been thinking about the miracle that we needed to have good referrals while being in the YSA ward.  There was one week where I had been praying really hard so that we could receive prepared names.  We had a miracle by receiving a text from the office.  His name is Charlie.  He was in a part of the stake that was further than we normally went.  We tried contacting the next day but as we went to the area, we could not find the address.  Once again I knew we needed a miracle.  With some help of the missionaries who made the first contact, we were finally able to meet Charlie.  All of his siblings are members and he has been reading the Book of Mormon for a long time.  His best friend and roommate, Jade, is also a member and recent convert of just a few years.  He said he had not been baptized with the last missionaries, but really wants to be baptized! Miracle!  I knew that something was missing from his story, but we continued.  He already had such a great testimony of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the Book of Mormon.  He was truly a "golden investigator".  He know all the doctrine that we taught, and was already living it.  As we were nearing his baptismal interview, I was told by other missionaries who had met him before the reasons to why he had not been baptized.  In his past there were some serious transgressions that required a deeper repentance process.  I thought to myself: "Heavenly Father, We need a miracle. Charlie needs a miracle."  We went into the lesson where we were reviewing the baptismal interview questions.  I was praying so hard for this miracle.  Charlie completely opened up about his past, crying, saying that this had caused him so much pain.  We talked about repentance.  I had no idea if his baptism would go through.  I called our district leader.  Then, in a miraculous turn of events, Charlie was able to have an interview with Pres. Stucki just one day after our original day because of the amount of time that had past and his repentance.  He had his interview and the entire time I was praying for Charlie to have this interview.  Charlie finished his interview and passed.  Jade, who was there, was so happy for his friend.  I thanked Heavenly Father for this miracle.  Charlie was baptized that Saturday, on the original date we set with him to be baptized.  I saw the miracle of repentance and the Atonement of Jesus Christ in the life of Charlie

Love

Tuesday Jan. 14, 2014.  (Monday 11:07 pm in VA)

Hi!

So this week has been one of the craziest whirlwinds ever.  There was not to much happening with the whole investigators, something really amazing happened where I can now speak in perfect tagalog with out trying or anything, but there were just some things that I would have never expected to happen ever.  

Some of the cool things that happened.  

Our zone (bonifacio) and Makati East zone did the Mtc exchanges with the language training missionaries.  I was paired with Sister Davis.  She is supper sweet and is going to the Philippines, Angeles Mission.  She is a few years older than me and if I remember correctly is from utah.  She was so great.  It was such a blessing to actually see the progress that I have made and how bad I really was before with tagalog!  I promise I was not that good before.  I am still not as great, but still improving.  

We have had some difficulties within the companionship that have been discussed thoroughly during companion study.  We are working to improve.  But I am realizing the level of misunderstanding that I had about the situation before.  It was nothing that from what I can see now, was not out of the ordinary.  But now for me is becoming very difficult.  (I will take back the semester break in MYSA please!)

I am getting along more with some of my roommates and people in our zone.  I still miss the mysa like crazy, as it was just a ward full of friends.  but the ward here is really nice too.  

Presidents Interviews could not have come sooner and they were so needed in my opinion.  I do not know if they could have waited very much longer!  Mission Presidents are the best and so helpful and know exactly what they need to say and do.  I know that they are such a benefit to our work.  

We discussed some of our miracles that we have seen in our mission.  I chose the miracle of Charlie's baptism and the things that lead up to that.  I will probably send that in a separate email next week.  

I love hearing from all of you and knowing that everything is going well there.  Keep the updates coming.  

I am really grateful that May was able to email the pictures to mom with some of the fun activities that I had in the Mysa area.  But if the pictures of Maverik's baptism could be sent to me so that I can print them off to send to him that would be great!!

I love all of you so much and now I get to go off to the temple!!!!

With love,

Sister Bishop  

2014

Monday Jan 6, 2014  12:32 am

Can it seriously be 2014?!!! I am very weirded out by that concept right now!  Life is going really well here in the ward that I am in!!  Some cool things that have happened this week.

1)New Years.  we kinda had a party in my apparent watching the fireworks here and everything :)  They put off so many fireworks here in the Philippines.  It's fun.  I learned some Filipino New Years traditions.  Most definitely taking some of them back with me!  

2)I saw my mtc teacher on Sunday.  Bro. Surio is in my roommates ward, Boni 4th. There was also a few of the missionaries who had served here who came back to visit.  

3) I found my new favorite roll/bun/bread-thing called everlasting.  I am trying to find out if there is some other filipino name for it but oh well. It has coconut and is delicious.  

It has been a fun week.  Some points were definitely harder.  But I am truly loving the mission and everything.  That is getting more and more needed here as I found out that Sis. Ramos had a harder first transfer, with her nanay and adjusting, and 3 weeks in asked to go home.  I am trying to be very positive all the time so that she can see how exciting and fun and important this work is.  That in itself is difficult.  Anyhow, the work is going well.  School starts back up today, so work will hopefully get up again.  

I am really happy. I have been studying the scriptures,  and going at a faster pace this time and will finish with in this month or the beginning of Feb.  It is way cool to see how much the Savior is in the Book of Mormon!  He is everywhere.  I have gained this deep testimony that this is His testament and His work.  We are never alone in life.  John 14:16 I am in love with that scripture.  I have set some goals for this next year and we have President's Interviews this next Friday.  We get to go over our goals with him. 

It has also been cool going through 2013 and thinking about all the memories that I have had and all the changes.  How different we can be, but still the exact same.  I believe that this mission is helping me become the person that I can and need to be!  The Atonement is real in our lives. I have seen people who have been waiting for the remission that can come through the Atonement in their lives and how happy they are afterwards.  We can become "born of God" everyday as we choose Him and His Atonement.  I know of the power in the gospel!!!

I love this work and miss you guys!! You are the best support team ever!! 

Sister Bishop

P.S.  We are going to the temple on the 14th so I will be emailing then (Tuesday).  Talk to you then!!

P.S.S. Send pictures of Christmas and everything that happened!!

Photos! While serving in the Manila YSA Ward

Rebecca lost a bunch of photos from her first area - one of the YSA adults in her ward sent me her photos from their ward and of Rebecca.  She is so sweet.  We are now friends and one day we hope to meet.  Thank you so much!  It made my holiday.

2014?

Dec. 30, 2013. 12:42 am

Hey family!!

What is up with y'all this week?  It is now the last few days of 2013.... weird.  I am so happy that I was able to call home this past week. I think that mom and dad record the call so I hope that all of you could hear it.  Yeah I was not able to get the video recording on my end so there was no video of me.... that stunk.  but oh well.  Maybe in may...  but I only have one more call home before I am home...  

But this has been an okay week.  Christmas time here in the city is hard for the missionaries as most people return to their provinces for the holidays.... but that is okay.  Our numbers were kinda low this week, and I was very aware of that fact. Then last night our district leader started questioning us about why our numbers were low and that sort of frustrated me by how it had been handled as we are really trying to work hard.  We are working to progress more people and work on them actually progressing people towards baptism.  It is just hard sometimes.

We are working with a family the Ramos family, who their cousin is actually friends with Maverick my last baptism.  So that is a way cool connection.  We are trying to progress them more towards baptism as they have been a long time investigator, and there are just a few struggles with the mom's work and some other stuff that we are working out right now.  But it looks hopeful.  

Christmas was fun.  We met with a few families in our ward and ate a bunch of food.  I have now talked to a few of the sisters in my ward about getting me a bunch of their recipes! Haha

But guess who got a massive package this week!!!  I had to go to buendia this week so that I could get it and take a taxi back to our area... yeah it was awesome!! I got a bunch of food.  Soooooo delicious!!!!!  and I love all of the other stuff too! the clothes are so cute!! I have already word a few of them already!!

And I went with a family from our ward who was returned and we got to see them sealed!! when I was there I saw Jane (my RC) going to do baptisms and also one of my best friends from the MTC in the Quezon City mission!!

It was such an amazing day to go to the temple and witness!!

Work is good!! I am now out in the mission 7 months! crazy!!!

I love all of you!!!  I am trying something that I make sort of video logs every night or so.  So lets see how that goes!

I miss y'all!

Love,

Sister Bishop