Hello! Monday August 26, 2013

Hey guys!!!

So this has been an interesting week! So on Monday we went out to do our normal P-day activities and it had started to flood in the city so we just thought what ever of it and we get up the next morning and it is downpouring rain.  We didn't know if we should really be going outside.  But luckily a little later we got a text from the zone leaders saying that we all need to go home now and stay inside until further notice.  So not gonna lie we were really bored that day.  We can only watch the district videos, finding faith in Christ and the Restoration (which we don't even have).  So we tried watching FFiC in some random languages and stuff.  I made a fort out of my bed!!! it was pretty awesome and I have kept it up all week :D  That was an interesting day, but that is the life of the city.  I was just able to email you guys on monday before it got too bad and stuff.

But anywho.  The storm made the beginning of our week a bit slow as quite a few of our investigators were stuck in their province, and school and the MIR were closed.  The week was not off to an as good start but it picked up by the end with the last few days being a bit better. 

We relly a lot on the MIR and referrals from our ward so when we were not able to use a lot of resources the work was not as great.  But the work keeps going and it is really looking up for this week. 

We had a great missionary cordination meeting with our ward missionaries and ward mission leader.  being in a YSA ward is awesome and it is so fun.  In the district videos they say that your ward mission leader should be your best friend and you need to have a good relationship with your ward missionaries.  When ever I hear that I just think: check! Our ward is so amazing and the members are great!!!  Have I mentioned that our ward is the ONLY young single adult ward in the entire Philippines?! yeah that is pretty cool.  :D

So at church this week we had 6 investigators attend!!! that is supposidly the most that Sister Moreno has ever had on her mission.  We were so happy when they all came in. We picked up one brother: Raymond.  He is the one with our really cool meeting that I metioned a while ago.  And the others came by themselves or with a friend.  It was so fun to have our gospel principles class with so many people.  Our Gospel Principles class is taught by our Bishop.  He is really funny so that is a great way our investigators get to know him better. 

So our really great investigators who have a baptismal date this next month are Ada, Michelle, and Admix.  Ada will be baptized on the 8th and confirmed on the 15th.  Michelle moved up her baptism to the 14th/15th.  and Admix on the 21st/22nd.  These girls are so great and each is progressing so well!  I am so excited for my first baptism!!! these girls are so strong in the gospel already and have been so prepared for so long. 

Ada is really pretty much a recent convert and seems like she has always been a part of the church.  She is reviewing here in Manila for accountancy and is really busy, but always makes time to read the Book of Mormon. 

Michelle was a referral from the MIR because her boyfriend is actually serving his mission in Canada.  She is so amazing and has already said that she wants to serve her own mission.

Admix is 19 and is also dating a missionary serving in SLC.  It is really cool to see her grow more and more in the gospel, and prepare for her baptism.

So this week we have our Zone Conference and it last from 9-3 and it is quite far away with traffic and everything, so then we will get back and have studies.... no work on thursday.... :(  But I am excited to have our conference and see our Zone.  it is only our zone because ours is so big...

Oh and Liz I found out that Sister Jensen is in my Zone so I will meet her this week.  So that will be cool.  You can tell that to her brother.  and one thing that I forgot about is that I actually met a girl from your freshman ward.  Sister Hayden.  I believe her first name is Kimber, but she recognized me because she said I look similar to you.  :)

So this week I will be able to finish the Book of Mormon.  I have loved reading it with a focus on Missionary Service and it is throughout the entire book. I know that the Book of Mormon is true with all of my heart.  My entire testimony is based on the truthfulness of that book and I am so blessed in my life everyday by it.  I love it so much and it truly has changed my life so much.  I hope that I can possibly finish all of the standard works while on my mission.  Now that would be cool.  If I could get a list of the Seminary Old Testiment reading assignments that would be great so that I do not have to read all of the random stuff in there.  That would be great! haha

I have really loved this week and I absolutely love working as a missionary.  While some days/moments are much harder than others,  the good out way the bad in so many ways.  I love this gospel and this church.  

I love you all so much and loved seeing how each of you are doing and hearing about your week!  You are all so missed by me and know that someone halfway around the world is thinking about and praying for you! Hope you have a good week and stay safe!

Love always,

Sister Bishop

Hello Monday Aug 19, 2013 5:41

Hi everyone!!

I am in my second transfer!!! where has the time gone? there is still more time but after this transfer everyone keeps saying it goes really fast... They also say this is one of the hardest transfers.  

but anywho.  Guess who is in the middle of a flood right now?! This girl!

Not gonna lie the floods in the city are really quite gross.   There is trash and nastiness everywhere in the water. Last night when we were walking back to our apartment it was up to our mid calf or higher.  It is supposed to be raining pretty much this entire week.  So that is interesting for the work.  Well see what all happens with everything....

Thank you everyone for telling me more about everything and sending pictures! I love seeing them!! I am still currently working on trying to find a way to send mine....

So the work here is going really well!! We have these two amazing girls who are our investigators: Ada and Michelle.  These two are oh my goodness so prepared each is so excited for their baptisms this month.  They are the two that we are really focusing right now with their baptisms.  

They are each so excited and keep telling us they can't wait to be baptized.  Michelle has a friend (Elena) that we are just starting to meet with and all three of these girls came to church on sunday and they all said that they just want to be baptized! How cool is that!!

These 3 girls attended our ward fhe and so we were able to go. It was so much fun.  We had a really great lesson about the atonement and we played a bunch of games.  The YSAs here are just a lot of fun to get to know and work with.

This week has been harder with finding as there has been a lot of rain so school is suspended for that and the ysa's are just difficult for finding anyways.  But the work is still going forward.  It is still hard but we are doing some really great things.  I am still quite nervous with the whole Tagalog and everything but it really does get better when I am in the lessons.  Power of the Spirit!  I still just wish that I was fluent already so that would not have to worry me any more.  I just keep thinking that by the end of the mission everyone leaves knowing the language really well.  So hopefully I will be able to get better soon.  I really don't like not knowing how to actually talk to people in there language.... but it is fun when I am able to say something to them that I was not able to say before or just surprise them by saying something in Tagalog.  

I still find it so weird sometimes when I realize that I do not see any americans or white people who are not missionaries.  I think I have seen a total of 5 white people in Manila who are not missionaries!  That is quite an experience.  

It is cool to see how everything is going in our work and it will be cool once we have some baptisms this month!  So I am really looking forward to that.  The weeks are going by really fast!  

I also think that the days can be so long with so much to get done in each one.  

Oh and I am still healthy!!! my sleep is doing a bit better only a few nights is it not as great sleep.  But overall I still have enough energy!  Everything else is doing really well and I feel fine overall.  

My mission president is really big on exact obedience and so that is something that we are constantly trying to do better at and we can see a difference in our work.

Guys, I really hope all of you are doing well.  I miss you so much and I love hearing from all of you every week! It is so much fun reading the letters and seeing your pictures!! I promise I am trying to take a lot for all of you and even if it is only after the mission that you can see all of them it will still be worth it!!

I will be able to finish the Book of Mormon this month and make my goal!! I am already in the Book of Mormon (in the Book of Mormon hehe :) )!  So that is super cool.  I have loved reading about the Savior's Ministry in the Americas and it really truly is the crowning moment in the Book of Mormon.  It has become really special to me and I have gained so much strength from the Book of Mormon.  And it is cool to see the change that it can make in other's lives as well.  

Oh and I have been reading Jesus The Christ and it is such an amazing book!! I am already a fourth done and it has been so cool about getting to understand more of the life of the Savior.  Not gonna lie mom, I learned a ton of it from you and from your seminary ;)

Well, I love all you so much and I miss you guys!  You are all in my prayers.  LOVE YOU!!

love,

Sister Bishop

P.S. if you can find it the talk/ quote from Gordon B. Hinckley called "We will work for the Glory of our Lord" is our mission theme and is really great! y'all should read it!!!

Mahal ko po kayo Monday Aug 12 2:33 am

Hello everyone!!

 

I hope everyone is doing well over there!! A few things that I just want to say about all of your lives from your emails:

daddy:

-I am excited about all of the work you are doing

-is it all from home

- send pics of the basement and peaches

mommy:

- like I said pictures of the basement and peaches

- I GOT MY PACKAGE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

-literally that was one of my favorite parts of the week!

-tell me more about the temple and stuff

Rachel & shaun

- glad to hear about your wonderful news

- how was the conference in St George?

Michael& Vanessa

-... how are you guys doing...

-more pictures please!

Sarah& Chris

- how is the one sister who is getting baptized

-tell me more about her

- once again more pictures pleeease!

Elizabeth

-email....

- I have told you about what all I want: pictures!, stories, and more pictures, and everything else :)

 

So on to everything else....

 

This week was really great!  I made the goal to finish the Book of Mormon by the end of the month and I should hopefully be able to even finish with time to spare!  I am currently just starting the Saviors ministry in the Americas and I started my first day of the MTC.  So that makes me supper excited. 

 

We had a zone meeting where before hand I found out that I had a package!! I was so excited and they told me that I would have to wait until the end to get it.  We had President and Sister Stucki there so that was fun.  They told us that we should try to foucus some of our studies on the life of the Savior through the Bible as well as Jesus the Christ.  I loved that advice and it is so great to be able to learn more about Christ's life and teachings.  So finally at the end I was able to get my package!!!  I also got letters from Dear elder and one from Jessica Hadfield with her graduation announcement (CONGRATS!!).  It all made me so happy to get and open!!!

 

A cool experience came this week on Wednesday, when we smelled something really bad, sort of like burning marshmallows in really bad way, so we looked outside our window and we saw a guy standing there who was delivering food for someone who lives on one of the floors beneath us.  But low and behold it was Raymond.  Raymond is a guy who we met probably a week or so previous on the street just briefly.  Since that first time we had seen him 2 other times and were never able to really talk to him but we kept running into him.  on Tuesday we saw him again and Sister Moreno and I told each other that this cannot be a coincidence and the next time we see him we are really going to talk to him. Then Wednesday morning came and we saw him!!! We gave him a lesson one pamphlet and we got some of his info.  He texted us a little later and we will be seeing him this week!!  It is cool to see how all of that happened in the course of one week.  :)

 

Our lessons are going well and I am sort of seeing my Tagalog improve.  It is still really difficult, and I sometimes have no idea what is going on.  But that is the life.  I am getting more used to everything here.  I have continued to say healthy which is great.  I hope that I won't have to deal with some of the things that I am already seeing some people and missionaries deal with. So that is great.

 

So far we have 6 people who have baptismal dates in September or October.  They are Jay-Ar, Ada :), Admix,  Michelle, Arianne, and Reynalin. They are all great and most all are progressing really well. 

 

The work here is going really well and am beginning to get more used to everything here. Still I am not totally used to being called out to and stared at because I am white, but it is not exactly like I can change that aspect.....

The food here is still delicious :)

 

We had Stake Conference this week and Sister Moreno and I attended the morning and afternoon sessions because she was playing the piano for the stake choir.  So that was fun.  After the afternoon session (my ward's) our ward had sort of a lunch/dinner thing at the church with siomai.  which is delicious by the way.  All the other missionaries were really jealous :) teehee

 

The work here is good and I am really liking it here.  It is cool being a missionary in these last little bit.  It is cool seeing the work hastened and everything. 

 

Wednesday is Transfer day and I am almost positive that I will not be transferring this one.  We are getting in another 31 missionaries this week so that is cool.

 

My spiritual nugget this week is Matthew 11: 28-30.  I love this verse and no matter what we are going through the Lord will be there and he will help us through it all.  He is always there waiting for us to come to him.

 

Like always I love you and I miss you tons!!!!!

You are all amazing!  I have been so blessed by you and your example has shaped the person I am today.

 

With Love,

Sister Bishop 

Mahal Po kayo! Mon August 5 1:08 am

                                                                                                Monday Aug. 5 1:08 am

Hello America!!!

This has been a really great week over here in the Manila YSA ward!

We are progressing investigators some towards baptism.  We right now have Bro. Rayan, Bro Jay-Ar, Sis Dez, Ada, Sis Arianne.  All of our baptismal date investigators are referrals.  So that just shows you how important referrals are in missionary work! It is really fun and seeing everyone here grow and learn in the gospel.  For a cool missionary moment, the lesson with Ada was so amazing.  She is so prepared and it is not so much that she came into our path but we came into her's.  She pretty much kept the entire lesson flowing with questions that would lead perfectly to the next topic of Lesson 1: The Restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ ( Ang Pananumbalik Ng Ebanghelyo Ni Jesucristo).  When we got to Joseph Smith's First Vision she was saying that she had chills during it!  The Spirit was so strong and so cool to see her recognize the truth of the message.  She has texted us since asking for reading assignments.  She is so great!  After church I was talking to her friend Bmae  (pronounce Bee- May) and she said that Ada just kept saying she wants to be baptized!  So that was freaking awesome! Her baptism date is August 31 :)

The tagalog is coming along.  Not as fast as I would want it to be aka I am not fluent.... But it is coming.  It is really helping in our lessons and it is fun to see when I can get a phrase that I was not able to get before.  

My ward is so great and they provide us with a bunch of referrals, and because we are in the Manila Institute of Religion (MIR) building a lot (it is pretty much heaven aka Air-Con) we receive a ton of referrals there from people from all over the stake who go there!

I am beginning to like the food here so much more and am finding things that I like a lot.  One thing that the Philippines is amazing at is bread! they have such good rolls and such that I would be worried if they had a bakery type store closer to our apartment.  \

Our apartment is a small studio style and has a set of bunk beds and tile floor it is pretty nice comparatively 

I am in the middle of the city so it is actually quite loud most all of the time so that has been fun... to get used to..  But all and all it is going well.  The bugs I have been able to handle.

Oh!!! this week we had my first flood! Parts of the city came up to my knees so our day was not as productive.  It is cool to see how the city still keeps going even with all the water and rain.  Speaking of the rain: it rains everyday and just downpours for a quite a while and then will be done.  Sometimes more than once.  it is crazy.  gotta love rainy season!!

Well remember that i love you all!  I have to go! now but you are all in my prayers D&C 100:1!

Much love 
Sister Bishop!

Hello - Monday July 29 8:48 am

July 29, 2013 8:48 am                                             
Hey guys!

I am writing this week almost done with my first month in the field.  It is crazy how much time flies out here.  It seems like just the other day that I was leaving the mtc and brought to the field.

Lets think,  This week has been fun.  I was able to go to the temple last week with the zone and so that was a fun day.  we got caught in the rain of course but that is pretty much everyday now that we are in the rainy season.  It will down pour at least once a day. But that is okay because it is not so dreadfully hot all the time.  Sundayactually I was cold in the chapel!! I had goosebumps!

The work her is really beginning to progress and we now have 3 people who have baptismal dates for August!  It is cool to see how our message can change their lives. The work is difficult but it is coming along.  The YSA are a lot of fun and I really like working with them.  A sister in our ward just left this evening to go serve in the Dominican Republic!. I was able to talk with her and it was fun being reminded of how I felt right before I left.  

Overall my favorite thing to do is to testify.  I am still not so great with the actually teaching in tagalog yet.  but most all know english really well and understand when I say something or everything... in english (we have one investigator who does not know any english but I am seeing my tagalog get better when we work with him).

It is cool how I am able to use my experiences to help others.  From different situations, I am able to teach to meet the needs of my investigators and help them.  That even though the situation is the same, I can use it to benefit others differently.

So we have a recent convert named Mart. He is just barely 18 and was baptized in February of this year by some elders and he did not have his parents consent....  He has been abused by his brother for his conversion and is not allowed by his father to attend church.  It is so hard for him because he has a strong desire to come back but he cannot do it with his father.  We are trying to get him to read the Book of Mormon on his phone because the Book of Mormon is not allowed in his house.  He is always in our prayers as we continue to teach him so that his family will be receptive of the gospel.

So far I have been able to stay very healthy in the field.  I have not gotten sick, but am hearing of batch mates who are.... The other week I was having a very difficult time at night with sleeping but it is better now.  I guess getting not much sleep in HS with seminary was actually a mini preparation for the mission.  But I am still feeling good and am getting a better hang of the work. Granted I am tired all the time, but that is true of every missionary.

Here in the city there are absolutely no white people..... Sister Moreno is half spanish so she has darker skin, but there is no one here!!! It is absolutely crazy here because I get called out to because I am white... That I still have not adjusted to....  It is so different here because in America everyone is trying to get tanner while people here do everything they can to be white.  they use umbrellas all the time.  whitening soap which bleaches the skin....  all to become more whiter....  So I guess I can sort of embrace my whiteness here.............

I have loved hearing about all of your great missionary experiences back home!! Keep up the amazing work.  This work is so important!  Our salvation depends on it!! In preach my gospel pages 12-13 i believe it has quotes from the prophets.  It is President George Albert Smith who says that in order to receive salvation we need to share the gospel!

I love you all and hope you have an amazing week!!!

You are in my prayers and I miss you guys so much!!

Love Always 

Sister Bishop

Tuesday July 23, 2013 12:25 am Almost One Month In The Field

Hello po everyone!!!!

So this has been a really good week in my opinion.  Sister Moreno and I are beginning to see some really good success in the area. 

We now have a couple investigators who have baptismal dates and who we are working on getting towards baptism.  A few of them have come to church.  We are seeing how much the ward really needs to be of help to missionaries for the work to truly progress.  Our best investigators are the ones who are referred by a member of the ward.  

Our ward has been a huge help here and it is such a huge benefit.  Our ward mission leader, John, is a 18 year old student who is planning on serving soon.  He goes 150% all the time when it comes to missionary work.  He is always going above and beyond our expectations.  Also, the sisters in the ward are amazing. We pretty much never have a lesson where a member is not present.  Sister May is one of the biggest help.  She pretty much works with us everyday from when we finish our studies to when we go home.  She is a Ward missionary and is absolutely amazing!!!

It is so important for people to really want to be learning and willing to accept the gospel, because if they are not ready personally, it really does not matter how many times that you say it is true until they are ready to accept that.  That is the difference that we are seeing with our investigators who are truly progressing.

I am getting better in Tagalog.  I am understanding more of what people are saying in lessons.  Outside of lessons it is much more difficult to communicate because they speak so much faster..... I am able to teach more of the lessons so that is fun.  But it is such a help that I am in the city and mostly with students because even if they respond and talk in Tagalog, I am able to teach in part english and tagalog.  Because they all know it.  

A cool experience we had in a lesson came when we we teaching a group of students who are younger around 16.  We call them the Batas because bata means kid in tagalog.  We were confused by how much they were wanting to be there and in the lesson we were focusing on the Book of Mormon when they were all sort of joking and laughing through parts of it.  All the sudden I felt this though come it to my head saying you need to get them to understand.  It kept repeating and getting louder.  So finally Sister Moreno finished what she was testifying about and  I was able to say what the Spirit had been prompting me to say.  It was so cool. I told them how this is not just a pretty message, but it is truth.  That Joseph Smith was only 14 when he prayed and he found out the truth FROM GOD.  They were amazed when I told them that I was only 19 and that I know with a surety that it is true.  It is so cool to be able to teach by the Spirit and teach what the investigator needs to hear.  I love being able to teach the youth of the church here in the Philippines as they are being so prepared to hear the word of God.  

All in all this week is really good.  We are about to be going to the Temple as a Zone so that will be really great.  I love the temple and I love this work.

My spiritual insight comes from this morning's readings.

Alma 48:11-3;17 

that if we would develop the qualities of Moroni, that the Devil will have NO power over us.  I just really like that.  I am beginning to see why we have the "war" chapters in the Book of Mormon as they apply to our days so much.

I love all of you so much.  You are all in my prayers!!!!

"Look unto me in every thought.  Doubt Not. Fear Not."

D&C 3:36

Love you 

Mahal Kita!!!

~Sister Bishop

Mahal Kita!

Monday July 15, 2013  7:51 am

Hey everyone!!!

It is so good to hear from you!

This will be a shorter email but it just remember how much I love you!!!

We have had some amazing help this week from members of our ward.  There are a bunch of people who are giving us referrals and/or helping us visiting/teaching.  It has been such a blessing and a lot of the sisters in our ward are wanting to serve missions themselves.

A lot of people here speak english and they understand when I talk in english.  But most respond or naturally communicate in tagalog.  That has been fun.... It is hard with the language barrier and keeping perspective that I will actually learn tagalog!  But that is something that will come with time I guess.  

That is where my spiritual note comes in.  I am amazed by how aware our Heavenly Father is in our lives as we study the scriptures. The chapter 26 and 27 of Alma came at the exact moment when I needed them and I am taking so much comfort from my studies.

Sister Moreno and I have been able to get a lot of new investigators and referrals so that is exciting.  It is cool to see how well some people are being prepared by the Lord.  Some people are a bit more difficult to teach but there are a few who are so receptive of our message and keeping commitments.  I love some of the people here!!!

I am doing well.  I can't think of any thing I need currently.  It will be fun to get some of your DearElders soon so I look forward to that! (keep sending them! I love hearing from you guys).  

The food here is really good.  I am getting more used to it and like it a lot!!

As I teach i has been such a blessing have a deeply rooted testimony in the gospel and then being able to testify of that.  It is very powerful to say that I KNOW that this church is the one and only true church of God.  I am able to see the change in people's expression as I say that.  The Holy Ghost then is able to testify of my words.  Baring testimony is in my opinion one of the best and most effective ways to teach in a lesson.  Just sharing that you know that something is true is so powerful.  

So on to a really cool story.  My mtc companion Sister Atata is a convert to the church for a little over a year (May 10 2012).  She is from a small island in the Pacific called Kirabati (pronouncd Kirabis).  Her family is cathoic and very against the church when when she began taking the lessons.  They even kicked her out.  She has been hoping that they will change their minds, but it seemed to no avail.  She has had the hope that one day they will receive the message of the gospel from the missionaries so that they can be together for eternity.  THAT DAY IS HERE!!!  She just emailed me saying the missionaries in her ward are now beginning teach her family for the first time.  She is so excited.  She told me "MY DREAMS ARE COMING TRUE!!"  I am so excited to see that and the blessing of her service is what is making that change.  

I love hearing all of your amazing missionary experiences as well!! Keep it up!! It is so worth it! 

I love you and I love this gospel so much!!  You are in my prayers!!!