Another rainy P-Day...

July 28, 2014  5:12 am EDT   Another Rainy P-Day... 

Hello everyone!

This is another fun... Pday.  We had a brown-out (our term for black out) for a couple hours so we pushed back our emailing time.  It always amazes me how the people here can continue to do exactly what they normally do even when there is storms out..

This week has been good. 

Did I mention that our progressing areas are squatter areas.  But they are really great.  Sometimes difficult too but never too hard to not make Sister Jandoquile and I laugh.

Some of the Blessings that came this week.

-hearing that investigators have desires to be baptized and are working on their Law of Chastity problems before their baptism.

-having a "normal area's" numbers aka that we can look at our area as not one that is struggling..

-having our less active that is going to church and preparing to go to church invite us to a big FHE (did i mention he is an awesome chief) and going to prepare a bunch of seafood dishes

-working with investigators that are awesome!

-planning to print a tshirt with Sister Jandoquile with a bunch of our quotes on the back

- Going on Splits with some of our members last night and able to get in around 7 lessons in 3 hours!

-having a ward activity

-meeting some of the less actives for the first time in our new areas

-hearing that a poor recent convert is supper dupper strong in the gospel and is working to get her grown kids more interested

Some of those other moments..

-Not knowing when the poorer investigators working on getting married will be able to get all the money they need for their wedding licenses... bummer

-having the Nolasco kids miss church because there is a really really difficult problem in their family. (Sister Jandoquile visited last night and hopefully it will all go alright)

-hearing "Babylonian" music everywhere  #goaway

-having my pineapple stolen......

-being poor missionaries..  we are working on getting some of our traveling expenses reimbursed

-being rejected is never fun but happens pretty much everywhere

-hearing even more random names that people have for me..

This week has been pretty awesome as I was able to learn a lot from some of my scriptures study in Alma! The preparation missionaries have is really great.  I am still working on making it better into true worship and devotional time. 

I am realizing towards the end of each day.  That no matter how hard we work, we are still at the Lord's will.  That He is our strength.  I also think that is why we have companions.  Someone to talk/laugh with. Be accountable to.  This is truly the Lord's work

Random thought.  the person next to me at the computer shop is playing a song all about baboy meaning pig/pork....  that is the entire song... I can't help but laugh #what?!  seriously what happened...

Who knows what this week will bring, but we are super excited! 

I am grateful for the blessings of the temple.  These are our ultimate goal here on earth. 

 We still struggle sometimes to get less-actives out to church, but we will be blessed to witness the return of a really great returning member next week.  Alex is changing his life that he had turned to when he was in his early 20s and is so much happier from what I can tell! He is reading the Book of Mormon and explaining what everything is meaning.  We are grateful that we can always count our blessings.


I am grateful for the blessings the Lord is pouring out upon our companionship.  I am in profound awe of his kindness and goodness that He shows us in this work. 

We are grateful to see investigators changing their lives and testifying of the truthfulness and divinity of the Book of Mormon!

#love

Sister Bishop

Weekly

Weekly         July 23, 2014  1:48 am  EDT

Hello

Things that made me supper happy this week:

-TEMPLE

-having new areas that have a bunch of people we can teach

-my supper awesome companion

-having investigators come to church

-working with investigators (she is 16 and worked with us all day)

-receiving emails from all of you

-having people make the weirdest looks when they hear you speaking tagalog

-not having problems with the weather... too much

-becoming a godmother with Sister Jandoquile. (our kabahay (roommate) just got a new baby comp.  so we take over role as Ninang.  :) she is New Zealand

-getting new missionaries in our district

-a baptism for a 8 year old in our ward who is sooo sweet! has an amazing testimony

-seeing the face of our investigator April (the one who worked with us) when she knew she will be baptized on August 23

-getting hugs from investigators/members that are sisters

-having members be supper happy that they now have sisters in their area!

Some... other things

-hearing favorite songs when you are a missionary

-getting sort of sick after a supper long taxi ride from the temple with many jerkings due to rediculous traffic....

-having our new progressing areas being squatter areas....

-being called 'white-y'

-having what feels like everyone tell you they don't want to be baptized 

-being supper tired

-not having any time on our p-day to do anything as we waited for a taxi for 90 minutes then traffic on the way there and back.....

-having our new baby lose her money..  around 2000+ pesos... around 50 dollars..

-using soooo much money on rides to and from our area!!!!!!!!

Well, life is crazy. It is so much fun! had such a great time at the temple.  It was raining but really fun!

Having some great experiences with working in some of our new areas.  we have such great recent converts and investigators that want to work with us.  It is ... fun .. having to follow up with the elders as we don't really know where we are going... to visit the people they ask us about.... that is why our members are awesome.

The work goes on.  I realize that this is now all I know... I don't know anything else..

love 

Sister Bishop

We work

 July 14, 2014  1:09 EDT    We work

hello family, friends, and now anyone who is reading this..

As I learned from President Ostler, I have more people reading this than just my family... So welcome.

This is my life for the past how many months.  I wake up. Exercise and get ready for the day.  Study the Gospel through scriptures and words of the Prophets.  Then teach people the gospel.  Sometimes, we get punted (meaning appointments falling through)  But it is always a fun day in the mission.  Oh and I forgot to mention that we do eat and sleep if you were wondering. 

The life here is way fun.  here are some pictures at our recent convert, Wennie's appartment with her 4 year old son Wesley (aka Elle) 

Life is good. can't you tell.

Work is interesting.  We just got a new area added to our area.  It came from when that one area was supposed to be added to our area, but our bishop wants elders there supposedly so we got a bunch of area added to our area.  We will be able to go there on Tuesday.  Strange things are a foot at the Circle K.

We have so much fun together.  Sister Jandoquile and I come from very different backgrounds but we are able to have a blast.  It is so much fun to just be able to laugh through everything.  It really makes so much of a difference in our work that we are able to have so much fun.  Well keeping everything within missionary limits... :) 

With the changes we let a good amount of area go as well.  That is okay.  The only thing constant in life is change, so we just have to get ready and go!

We were able to have this really awesome lesson with this mother and daughter.  They live at the same apartment complex as some of our recent converts and members.  (look up Chateau Elysee, it is more like a hotel)  and it is really really close to the chapel.   We met the 12 year old daughter Mikee on the street of the apartment and she said we could come back.  We met just briefly in their apartment and set a time to come back.  Sister Fe is a widow of 12 years.  She experienced a stroke a few months back, but is really open to listen.  When we came back and taught the full first lesson we had focused on the eternal family.  When we asked about any questions that she had she asked at the end of the lesson: "Does that mean, that if we are married in the temple that I will be able to see my husband again and know him?"  The spirit was so strong as we testified that YES! we will know them and we can become eternal families!  I asked her if she wanted to see him again and with tears in her eyes she said: "Yes, yes I do."  We invited her to be baptized on August 30.  She quickly accepted the baptismal date. 

That is one of my really big highlights this week. 

We supposedly have a storm coming in this week, but we are not too worried.  Not gonna lie, it is kidda fun.  as mom said "Memories"  We take what the Lord gives us, and just keep going. 

I had a really great personal study this morning as I was studying about the Sacrament. I was reading about a bunch of scriptures and words of the Living Prophets about the topic.  I realized (well the better word would be re-realized) the way that we remember Christ is by becoming more like him.  It is not just remembering the Atonement and his suffering (while that is so crucial), but we remember all of Him.  His whole life.  And then apply what we learn to become more like him in our life by developing the Christlike Attributes (see PMG chapter 7).  It is so much more than a small piece of broken bread and cup of water.  Just as the bread and water are internalized within our bodies, the life of Christ needs to be internalized with in our hearts and minds. 

I am grateful for this opportunity that I have to serve.  The desire to serve a full time mission many not have come until I was 18 and the age changed, but the missionary preparation had been a lifetime.  I am grateful for all of those who have influenced me to be the person that I am today.  My friends, teachers,  my family, and most importantly my Savior.

With love,

Becca

Happy Fourth Of July!

July 7, 2014 1:19 am EDT   Happy Fourth Of July!

Hello everyone!

Where has this week gone?  Seriously?!

 

First things first HAPPY BIRTHDAY DADDY!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

ALSO BELATED HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO VANESSA!!  (never forget the entire country celebrates your birthday;)

 

This week has been really fun.  Kind of crazy on some points, but way fun.  We were able to meet our new mission president on Wednesday!

 

We had this huge devotional where they spoke.  And all the metro manila missionaries were there.  It was kind of crazy becuase there were still a bunch of missionaires that I don't know because they are brand new..  It was cool to see some old friends too. Though it feels like we have all seen each other a bunch recently with different devotionals and such. It was so cool they are from mesa, arizona.

 

So during the closing remarks President Ostler brings up the point that he has checked blogs of philippines missionaries to find out more of what our lives are like.  He says that many people's blogs are not locked so he got to know many missionaries.  He then scans the crowd and says "Where is Sister Bishop?"  I then raise my hand tentatively, when he replies: "Well it is nice to finally meet you in person."  I was so shocked!!  All of the missionaries joked about it after and it was really quite funny.  It just scared me half to death for a second, because in the Philippines blogs are not a big thing.  but it continues to make me laugh.

 

We had our personal interviews with the Mission President.  Usually they are done in the nearest stake center, but because the Ostlers are all about family (did I mention that they have a 14 year old son with them (their youngest))  We were able to do all of them at the mission home!!

 

President Ostler is amazing.  And He knows Uncle Jim! as well as their family. as well as Grandpa!!  The craziest and most amazing part was when President Ostler mentions this to me.  He tells me that he also knew grandma really well and was in attendance at her funeral.  Not gonna lie I started crying in the middle of the kitchen as he tells me how amazing she was.  I could feel her spirit so strongly at that moment.  I could not believe that the Lord would bless me with such an amazing mission president.  He is litterally the kindest, sweetest, and spiritual man ever! (well besides you daddy!)  And they are BYU fans!

 

This has been a hard week with not much work that we have been able to get in.  There have been some hard moments but we are hopeful and prayerful and fasting-ful..  The Lord knows what his children need, and what they need is the gospel. 

 

We had some trials getting appointments in this week.  It is just hard when it feels like everyone is comparing you to other missionaries, which makes you wonder what you are doing wrong and why things are going slow.  BUT we are still really hopeful.  Singing helps and having such a supportive and fun companion makes ALL the difference!!

 

P.S. We had a flash flood in our area.  When we got out leaving one of our subdivisions, the flooding got up to above our knees!  Not gonna lie it was part gross and part really really fun!

 

We are doing well.  The Lord is at the helm!

 

I am so grateful for the scriptures!!

 

Thanks for all of your support and love this past week.  You are all in my prayers. 

 

Sister Bishop