pm3 (Philippines Manila missionaries)

pm3 (Philippines Manila missionaries)  Monday June 30 1:53 am EDT 

so pm3 is Sister Jandoquile's band that she says that we will put together when we are all rm's...

Hi family & friends!

how is it there where you are?  life is good here... having fun.

It has rained a good amount this week, and so the work has been slow to progress.  It is hard to proselyte when no one is out side..................

We had exchanges which really help our work, but are just a lot to worry about..

The work is going well.  We had difficulties getting investigators to church... which means no baptisms in July....  We have good plans and goals for August!!

As for other news.... We have a new mission President!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

President and Sister Ostler are here!!

They are so cute.

They have a 14 year old son caleb with them.

We have a full mission meeting with the new mission president & wife on Wednesday, and then personal interviews on friday!

So exciting!

Well i love you all.

mahal kita!

Sister Bishop

Wow. Another week

June 22, 2014  2:49 am EDT.  Wow. Another week

So crazy stuff has happened this week...

Our baptism was great!  He is so prepared!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  I am just so amazed.  He was actually fully taught in his province before he moved to our area.  He is a part member with the cutest kids.  Sophie is the most adorable, cute, and well mannered 2 year old ever.  They also have 2 newborn twin boys.  Luis and his wife Jean are planning on entering the temple soon.  Jean is a great example to Luis. 

The fun part of our week came yesterday, when they announced that they will be taking part of our area (our most progressing areas with all of the recent converts, including Luis) and give it to another set of the missionaries in our ward (elders), not only that put they are adding one half of a ward where part was added to a newly formed stake, and half was given to us.  We got an area book with a bunch of information.  Just not the easiest info to understand if you have never been there.... We are stressing a little but I am just grateful for my companion at this point.  Our area just tripled or quadrupled in a few minutes without prior knowledge of what was happening...... SO FUN!!

So we have given up a lot of our less- actives and all of our Recent converts.  We are just really grateful for all the work that the other missionaries did in the Bicutan area. We are super excited to see what is in store.

When going into an area that neither of us had been to.  it is another barangay.  Sort of like the difference between Ashburn and Brambleton.  We were stopped by this amazing couple who just turned out to be the former 1st councelor of another stake that just moved into that area!  they drove us to their home and we shared a great message with them.  it was awesome!!  We were being lead by the spirit to be in the right place at the right time.  they have been married for almost 9 years but do not have any children yet.  They have told us that they will 'adopt' us and we will be their nanay and tatay.  they are the sweetest couple.  They are awesome.  We had originally gone to that area to hopefully find a taxi drive we met on the way to the temple.  So far we have found a handful of new investigators and the coolest part is that the driver is now an investigator.  Cooler than that, he has a son who is 19 who is deaf and knows sign language!! I get to use sign.  It is really hard having to think in 3 languages at the same time. but it works..  Jeric (the son)really opened up when he knew that I sign.  It is hard because I have not used it a long time but it was the most amazing feeling getting to testify in all of my languages of the truthfulness of our message!!  I love it!!!!!!!  We will see them tomorrow!!!!!

Getting a little bit stressed with the new area but I think it is just the nerves and we just need to get into the area. Excited to jump head first into the area. 

I am doing healthy.  The rainy season in now in full swing.  Definitly cooling off a lot more! 

I love the work!!!!

Life is good.  Change is fun.  God is great.  

Just another manic Monday

Monday June 16, 12:31 am EDT.   Just Another Manic Monday

yes i just mentioned a babalonian song.  but that is what we feel like every monday which is our pday..  Super crazy having to get everything done.  but the work is good!

P-days include of waking up early to sometimes get some of our laundry done before 7.  The Filipinas are doing all of their wash, while us americans just do the stuff that we can/want to do and get the rest taken to the labandera.  We then get ready. study.  email. grocery shop.  clean the house.  and other random things all before 6 when we are back to work.

One of the good things happening in our district is that we have set new goals for oyming .   I can really testify that as we keep a good outlook and attitude about this work we will see such rich and rewarding blessings.  In our lives and in others lives as well!  Our baptism for this week is so incredibly prepared.  Luis understands so much and is putting in his plans to enter the temple as soon as possible and then to be sealed as a family.  He is a part member and father of these 3 adorable young kids that will be raised in a home where the gospel is not only taught but lived!   How blessed and glorious is this work and how great it is to be a servant of the Master during this outpouring of the Spirit!!

The Stake Conference was so great!  I don't know if it was all of the Philippines or just part.  But Elder Cook presided from SLC and there was also.  Bishop Davies.  Elder Teh, and Sister McConkie.  Spiritual Feast!  Although it was really far from our actual area, we had a less-active come to church for the first time in 2 years.  We had a Spirit filled lesson this week with him about repentance, and then another great lesson with a recent-convert family member (she was baptized in Hong Kong)  and he stayed for the entire lesson!  When they arrived at conference, His mother thanked us and began crying that he had chosen to come to church, and that through her prayers and fasting she has witnessed a miracle.  The Spirit touched his heart.

I am so blessed this week!! I am enjoying every day that the Lord has blessed me with.  God is at the Helm of this work!

I learned so much from the prayer of Alma in Alma 31.  At first he was asking the Lord to change the other wicked people at times complaining. But the change comes when he then chooses to let the Lord mold and change him into the missionary that he needs him to be.  Christlike.  Alma then prays for the Christlike Attributes that we each need to accomplish this work. Wow! He is such a great example!

Life is good.  I made a mistake last week when I said that our house was owned by the mission 1st councilor it is actually our stake president who lives in the same sub division.  It is nice.  

Well we are of to go see SISTER MORENO and possibly her boyfriend who is from her first area.. I am soo excited!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! NANAY!!!!!!!

well love from the Philippines.

Sister Bishop

P.S. strange things are afoot at the Circle K.. that is for shaun and rach.

Love y'all

Monday June 10, 2014  6:02 am EDT.    Love y'all

Why hello everyone!

I am in Paranaque! Paranaque 4th ward to be exact.  I am having a really fun time and really starting to love the area. It is supper different than my last area and I am already getting close to the members. We were able to just have our amazing temple day. It was so rewarding to be able to go to the temple. I am so thankful for all of the blessings that I have received from being able to spend so much time in the temple. Something that thousands of missionaries do not get to do. I cherish the revelation that I have received from the temple. 

The ward is good. I have been able to meet with quite a few of the members. The ward is very big so that is fun. A lot of the active members live in the nice subdivisions.  It is a nice area to be in.  

We are progressing one of our investigators, Luis, towards baptism on the 21st. He is super prepared. Very insightful about the Book of Mormon. (he completely understood and explained the doctrine of the Allegory of Zenos!) He is great. He is a part member and has these 3 kids who are supper dupper cute!  (the 3 month old boys are twins)

I am companions with Sister Jandoquille. It is a lot of fun with her... we are batch!. We are doing good in our area. I can really feel the Spirit when we teach, which makes me feel like we are accomplishing our goals.  She is from Ilo-Ilo (ilo-ilo) and is super sweet.  

Some of the blessings that I have seen this week come by way of Tagalog. I had been questioning my progression with Tagalog and everything. But I come her and I realized how much I have really grown with the language and understanding. 

One of my roommates is from West Jordan, UT and knows some of my friends from back at school!  small world! She is amazingly sweet. Our bahay (house) is supper fun.  

Mentioning our house.  WE LIVE IN A HOUSE....  not just a small apartment.  or even a big apartment.  I mean a house.  It is owned by the 1st councilor of the Mission Presidency who is in Palawan.  It is really nice.  our bedroom for just me and Sis. J. is bigger than my first apartment in Manila...  

Some of the huge blessings has been with trying to find the Part- Members in our area.  Sis J. has only been here for 6 weeks so we are both relatively new to the area.  We have already had success with trying to teach them.  One of them is Jene.  She is sweet and the mother of 2.  She took a little bit of time on Monday to let us in to talk.  But we gave an intro to the Restoration and Eternal Families.  She really liked our message and agreed to have us come back to teach on Wednesday!  I am trying to do my best to be super excited for the area.  It is the best way to do it.  Really it is the only way to do it!!  I am having fun..   

Our area wise is really big.  So we spend a ton on tricycle far.  That is okay..  It works out in the end.  

Sister Moreno comes back this month.  So she said she will make time to try to work with us!!  Good times.  

The Lord is blessing us tons here in the Philippines!! I am so grateful for all the opportunities that the Lord has put in our path.  He shows us how much he loves us in so many ways.  

This week we have been studying about our authority and power.  I am really seeing the miracles happen through it.  We have a ministerial certificate, but we are really able to apply it as we tell people we are representatives of Jesus Christ.  Doors Open!   

I am reminded of one of the comments that dad would always say: "Remember who you are and why you are here." 

Mahal ko po kayo! 

Sincerely,
Sister Bishop

Oceans apart

Mom sending her love from Massachusetts - across lands and oceans - love you Becca

Hello family

June 2, 2014  12:58 am. Hello family

Hello everyone!

Crazy week this one..

We had an amazing missionary devotional with Elder Christensen on friday.

We moved on Saturday.

All the missionaries bore our testimony in sacrament meeting.  Masaya naman ang tagalog

It has been a harder week for teaching with all of these days away from our area and stuff. 

BUT 

one of our investigators: Helen, and her two daughters (one of whom is our inv. and was her birthday) came to church!!

It was a good week.

I am so amazed by everything that is happening here in my life.

I got our copy of General Conference and it is amazing!!

I am so blessed by the people here. 

I will be forever changed by my mission.  I am not the same person that I left with.  I am so blessed by what I know now.  

I love being a missionary!!!!

Sister Bishop