Kumusta pamilya at mga kaibigan lahat!
I hope that you all had a wonderful week back home enjoying your heated homes and running water. Being on my mission has really made me appreciate the little things that i took for granted back home for sure. Like carpet, man I think when I get home, I'm just going to lay on the carpet and never want to move again haha. But this week I had to really appreciate the small things, and be more aware of the tender mercies the Lord has given me. Things have been a little slow in my area. We've gotten punted a lot more than we ever have before, and none of our investigators are progressing because they won't come to church. We even had a really devastating experience after we extended IBD's (baptismal dates) to a family and they accepted, but then told us that they will never be able to come to church because their family doesn't want to switch churches. It was heart breaking really, but made me take a step back and re-evaluate my reasons for being here and wanting to serve a mission. Despite every hard day with punted lessons, walking around trying to find for hours, and then coming home to our freezing cold apartment to find out that we have no water to shower with our wash our dishes, I am still so eternally grateful and happy to be here! This week was hard, but I was able to still be happy and positive despite the challenges, because I know my purpose here, and i know that this church is true. So what if we don't have running water in our apartment every other day, or we get punted 5 lessons in a row, or we have to wander around aimlessly in the night trying to find someone to share the gospel with. It's all worth it, because in the end, the message that I'm offering is eternal life and happiness with God. Knowing that helps me to push through another day, and when i go home at night, I can sleep happily knowing that I tried my best that day to be a good servant to the Lord. I just finished reading Our Search For Happiness by Elder M. Russell Ballard, and he said something that is just so true about missionary work. He said,"I often suggest to those who want to know if the church is true that they spend a few hours working with our missionaries. It doesn't take long to learn that no one can do all of the things a missionary does everyday without knowing beyond any question that what they are doing is right and true." I testify that what Elder Ballard said is true! This work is hard, but so rewarding and I've never felt so fulfilled in my life, even when it may seem to others that we aren't haveing much success, I know that the Lord recognizes my efforts and He's proud of me.
So basically what I learned this week, was to laugh and let things roll off of my shoulders that could bring me down. The worst thing for a missionary is to get discouraged, so instead, I'm choosing to laugh and look on the brighter side of things. God is good all the time, and He has promised that he will not let me fail! I love the Lord and I know this gospel is true more than I ever have my whole life!
Well, I love you all, thanks for your emails and prayers, I really appreciate it! Also, happy late birthday Haleigh and Elder Dunn! And happy birthday to Leslie Carlson and Tatie Tinie!
I hope you all have a wonderful week and remember, come what may and love it!
Mahal Kita,
Sister Bangerter
PS- We went bowling today for a zone activity and I got 4 strikes, just thought ya'll would like to know :)
Monday, February 3, 2014
Sunday, January 26, 2014
Missionary Life 1/26/14
Kumusta lahat!
So this week was pretty normal, just your average missionary stuff went down. I'm liking this transfer a lot though already because of the new co-senior schedule. We go out and proselyte for two hours in the morning before lunch, and it's so much easier to find people at that time! For some reason, everyone in the Philippines takes naps right at our proselyting time in the afternoon, it gets really annoying some days when we make return appointments, and the people are home but just sleeping. Maybe I should bring that tradition back with me to the US haha I could go for a daily nap!
But yeah, nothing too exciting this week, but I am really learning how to open my mouth and talk to everyone more. It really is true that the Lord places people in your path who are ready for this gospel. We have some really interested investigators right now who know that this message is true, but they just won't come to church! I think that's the most frustrating thing, but I just have to be patient, and trust in the Lord's timing. I know that no effort is wasted, and even if I'm not the one here to baptize them, at least I helped in their conversion to the gospel.
Missionary life is the best, I love that everyday I just get to go out and talk to people and bare my testimony about Jesus Christ and His restored gospel. I can't imagine myself anywhere else now, and I absolutely love Baguio! It's the best feeling to be able to know my way around a foreign city haha just makes me realize how much trust the Lord puts in teenagers to help spread His gospel.
Well, I hope that you all had a great week and continue to focus your life on the things that matter most! I love you all and continue to pray for you everyday!
Mahal Kita!
Sister Bangerter
P.S- one random story, this former investigator texted us and asked if we could buy a gift for her baby...yeah, there's a reason she was a former investigator.
So this week was pretty normal, just your average missionary stuff went down. I'm liking this transfer a lot though already because of the new co-senior schedule. We go out and proselyte for two hours in the morning before lunch, and it's so much easier to find people at that time! For some reason, everyone in the Philippines takes naps right at our proselyting time in the afternoon, it gets really annoying some days when we make return appointments, and the people are home but just sleeping. Maybe I should bring that tradition back with me to the US haha I could go for a daily nap!
But yeah, nothing too exciting this week, but I am really learning how to open my mouth and talk to everyone more. It really is true that the Lord places people in your path who are ready for this gospel. We have some really interested investigators right now who know that this message is true, but they just won't come to church! I think that's the most frustrating thing, but I just have to be patient, and trust in the Lord's timing. I know that no effort is wasted, and even if I'm not the one here to baptize them, at least I helped in their conversion to the gospel.
Missionary life is the best, I love that everyday I just get to go out and talk to people and bare my testimony about Jesus Christ and His restored gospel. I can't imagine myself anywhere else now, and I absolutely love Baguio! It's the best feeling to be able to know my way around a foreign city haha just makes me realize how much trust the Lord puts in teenagers to help spread His gospel.
Well, I hope that you all had a great week and continue to focus your life on the things that matter most! I love you all and continue to pray for you everyday!
Mahal Kita!
Sister Bangerter
P.S- one random story, this former investigator texted us and asked if we could buy a gift for her baby...yeah, there's a reason she was a former investigator.
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| My new companion, Sister Aroa from Bulacan! |
Sunday, January 19, 2014
Start of Something New! 1/19/14
Kumusta Pamilya at mga kaibigan!
So this past week was transfer week, it was a bitter sweet moment. Happy because I was done with my training, but sad because Sister Lazan got transferred. She's an STL in the lowlands now, and I know that she'll be great there. I was really nervous to get my new companion, but once I met her, I knew that this would be a great transfer! So my new comp is Sister Aroa from Bulakon (idk if that's how you spell it haha). She's from the Philippines near Manilla, but she knows a lot of English, so we can still communicate. She has helped so much already with my Tagalog though, so I really think that I will be better at the language by the end of this transfer! Also, my other housemate is Filipina too, and she baresly speaks english haha so we will be speaking Tagalog in the apartment which is great!
So not much happened this week since it was transfer week, but we are off to a good start with some investigators that we want to extend IBD's too and hopefully they will be baptized during this cycle. We have a lot of new rules starting this transfer for the mission, so now my P-Day will start at 12, and we have earlier curfews so that we can update the area book each night. It's taking a little adjustment to the new schedule since I'm done training, we have a lot of finding time each morning, but this will give us more motivation to find people prepared for the word and baptize. Our mission president has really emphasized the fact that we are a baptizing mission, not just here for Bible study, so I have a job to do and only a limited amount of time. Even though Baguio is really hard for baptisms (it's the comfort of south america with the success of Europe ha) but I believe in us and I know that this is the Lord's will! This truly is the time to hasten the work, that has been reiterated over and over because it needs to be done! I'm so lucky to be serving a mission at this time, and I know that this is preparing me for the rest of my life and into eternity.
So since not much happened this week, I decided that I would share some funny things that have happened to me since I've been here.
1.It's so cold in Baguio that I sleep in 3 pairs of pants and 3 shirts, and 2 socks. Sometimes it's hard for me to believe that I'm actually in the Philippines haha.
2.There are a lot of creepy old men here that are married to Filipinas, Everytime I see and American here, we just make this weird eye contact and I think to myself, "I know why I'm here, but why are you here??" haha yeah weird.
3. People still can't get over my hair, especially when I wear it down. They all want to touch it and say that I'm like a barbie doll haha.
4.Even though I have my Texas necklace, no one here knows what Texas looks like, until one day this little girl came out to me and asked if I was from Texas! I was so shocked that she recognized my necklace! The only reason that she knows that Texas looks like though is because she watches Spongebob hahah.
4. I have lost all of my fashion sense and I'm a firm believer in grandma sweaters and thrift store clothes, Ukay Ukays are my jam now.
5.Last story, one day at the internet shop, this old creepy white guy was talking to all of us american missionaries asking where we were from. I told him I was from Dallas, and then he went off about how murderers are from Dallas becasue JFK was assassinated there. Yeah, any white person that I see here that's not a missionary is just a little strange.
Well, I hope you enjoyed this random email this week haha I'll be more spiritual and stuff next week once we've done some more. But I love my mission, I love this area, I love my new companion, and I'm excited to hasten the work of salvation! Oh and some final shoutouts! Thanks for the letters Sister Behrmann, Duke, Sydney Wallace, and Elder Dunn! Also, I got the packages Aunt Alice and Uncle Vyrl, thanks for the candy, the Filipino's in my apartment love it haha they've never had starbursts before! And thank you Sherman seminary! I will try to get a picture of a seminary class here and write back!
Mahal Kita!
Sister Bangerte
So this past week was transfer week, it was a bitter sweet moment. Happy because I was done with my training, but sad because Sister Lazan got transferred. She's an STL in the lowlands now, and I know that she'll be great there. I was really nervous to get my new companion, but once I met her, I knew that this would be a great transfer! So my new comp is Sister Aroa from Bulakon (idk if that's how you spell it haha). She's from the Philippines near Manilla, but she knows a lot of English, so we can still communicate. She has helped so much already with my Tagalog though, so I really think that I will be better at the language by the end of this transfer! Also, my other housemate is Filipina too, and she baresly speaks english haha so we will be speaking Tagalog in the apartment which is great!
So not much happened this week since it was transfer week, but we are off to a good start with some investigators that we want to extend IBD's too and hopefully they will be baptized during this cycle. We have a lot of new rules starting this transfer for the mission, so now my P-Day will start at 12, and we have earlier curfews so that we can update the area book each night. It's taking a little adjustment to the new schedule since I'm done training, we have a lot of finding time each morning, but this will give us more motivation to find people prepared for the word and baptize. Our mission president has really emphasized the fact that we are a baptizing mission, not just here for Bible study, so I have a job to do and only a limited amount of time. Even though Baguio is really hard for baptisms (it's the comfort of south america with the success of Europe ha) but I believe in us and I know that this is the Lord's will! This truly is the time to hasten the work, that has been reiterated over and over because it needs to be done! I'm so lucky to be serving a mission at this time, and I know that this is preparing me for the rest of my life and into eternity.
So since not much happened this week, I decided that I would share some funny things that have happened to me since I've been here.
1.It's so cold in Baguio that I sleep in 3 pairs of pants and 3 shirts, and 2 socks. Sometimes it's hard for me to believe that I'm actually in the Philippines haha.
2.There are a lot of creepy old men here that are married to Filipinas, Everytime I see and American here, we just make this weird eye contact and I think to myself, "I know why I'm here, but why are you here??" haha yeah weird.
3. People still can't get over my hair, especially when I wear it down. They all want to touch it and say that I'm like a barbie doll haha.
4.Even though I have my Texas necklace, no one here knows what Texas looks like, until one day this little girl came out to me and asked if I was from Texas! I was so shocked that she recognized my necklace! The only reason that she knows that Texas looks like though is because she watches Spongebob hahah.
4. I have lost all of my fashion sense and I'm a firm believer in grandma sweaters and thrift store clothes, Ukay Ukays are my jam now.
5.Last story, one day at the internet shop, this old creepy white guy was talking to all of us american missionaries asking where we were from. I told him I was from Dallas, and then he went off about how murderers are from Dallas becasue JFK was assassinated there. Yeah, any white person that I see here that's not a missionary is just a little strange.
Well, I hope you enjoyed this random email this week haha I'll be more spiritual and stuff next week once we've done some more. But I love my mission, I love this area, I love my new companion, and I'm excited to hasten the work of salvation! Oh and some final shoutouts! Thanks for the letters Sister Behrmann, Duke, Sydney Wallace, and Elder Dunn! Also, I got the packages Aunt Alice and Uncle Vyrl, thanks for the candy, the Filipino's in my apartment love it haha they've never had starbursts before! And thank you Sherman seminary! I will try to get a picture of a seminary class here and write back!
Mahal Kita!
Sister Bangerte
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| So, last P-day we went to some tourist sites like the Botanical Gardens and Baguio Mansion, so cool! |
Sunday, January 12, 2014
Meet Virginia (and Melan) 1/12/14
Kumusta pamilya at kaibigan!
I feel like I've had a lot of best weeks ever in the mission, but this truly was the best one yet because Melan and Virginia Valdez were baptized! I told ya'll a little bit about them before, but I'll go into some more detail now. So we met them because they live across from a less active that we visit a lot. We would always see Melan outside his house and just say hi, but one day we talked to him for a bit longer, and asked if we could share with his family. From the beginning, they were golden, they already knew and believed so much about the gospel and the church. It wasn't hard for them to accept any of the commitments we gave them, and once they started attending church, they knew that this was the church for them. The only problem that came us was that they weren't married yet. But even this wasn't a problem, because the Lord always provides a way. Through the help of the ward and the Bishop, we were able to plan an entire wedding reception for them, and get them married in preperation for their baptism. The whole relief society was really excited for the baptism and marriage, and what was going to be a small reception, turned into a ward event haha. It was all just so perfect that they were able to get their paperwork and everything in time for their baptismal date. But of course, right before a baptism is when the devil works the hardest, so there was a minor set back in the actual marriage because the Bishop that was supposed to marry them didn't want to becasue they were both non-members. But another tender mercy of the Lord was proven when our Bishop got one of his judge friends to marry Melan and Virginia wednesday this week. So even though it was earlier than planned, they were still able to be married before their baptism! Then this saturday was their baptism day and it was so wonderful, the spirit was strong, and they were both so excited to be baptized! I think my favorite part was seeing Melan first pump before he went into the water and Virginia yelling "determination!" as she got in the water cause it was really cold since there's no heater here haha. They are such an amazing couple and I'm so glad that I got to be the ones to teach them. I can't wait to see their family be sealed in the temple a year from now. We encouraged them to start saving now so that hopefully I'm still in the Philippines when they can go to Manilla, pray that President Balledos will let me go!
This was really such a great week though, and with our baptism and their wedding, it made me really think about how much this gospel does bless families. I'm so grateful for temples and the covenants that we make there that enable us to have eternal families. This gospel really is all that's important in life, and I know that as we put Christ center to our lives, everything else will fall into place. I really miss going to the temple, Mom and Brigham, so go to the temple as often as you can and always be worthy of your temple recommends. I'm learning so much here on my mission, especially what's most important to me. I want to encourage all of you to read the scriptures, the Book of Mormon, Bible and Doctrine and Covenants and general conference talks. I wish that I could study for like 4 hours a day, one hour of personal study is just not enough! Also, now really is the time to hasten the Lord's work. We have the gospel in our lives, and we need to share the happiness that it brings to us with everyone. Now being a missionary, I am realizing how truly hard it is to find people on my own. It's possible, but there really is a better way. If you want to make a missionaries day, feed them, and then refer someone to them. I promise that you will automatically become their favorite person. This work is hard, but it can be easier if missionaries and members really do work together.
I love you all and I'm so grateful to be here in the Philippines. I think this week was a real turning point for me where I thought about my life here more than I thought about life before the mission. I really am losing myself in the work, and I love it so much. I can't imagine what my life would be like if I didn't take this call to serve, I have been blessed in so many ways and I know that my biggest convert will be myself.
I love you all, and thanks for your prayers!
Mahal Kita,
Sister Bangerter
I feel like I've had a lot of best weeks ever in the mission, but this truly was the best one yet because Melan and Virginia Valdez were baptized! I told ya'll a little bit about them before, but I'll go into some more detail now. So we met them because they live across from a less active that we visit a lot. We would always see Melan outside his house and just say hi, but one day we talked to him for a bit longer, and asked if we could share with his family. From the beginning, they were golden, they already knew and believed so much about the gospel and the church. It wasn't hard for them to accept any of the commitments we gave them, and once they started attending church, they knew that this was the church for them. The only problem that came us was that they weren't married yet. But even this wasn't a problem, because the Lord always provides a way. Through the help of the ward and the Bishop, we were able to plan an entire wedding reception for them, and get them married in preperation for their baptism. The whole relief society was really excited for the baptism and marriage, and what was going to be a small reception, turned into a ward event haha. It was all just so perfect that they were able to get their paperwork and everything in time for their baptismal date. But of course, right before a baptism is when the devil works the hardest, so there was a minor set back in the actual marriage because the Bishop that was supposed to marry them didn't want to becasue they were both non-members. But another tender mercy of the Lord was proven when our Bishop got one of his judge friends to marry Melan and Virginia wednesday this week. So even though it was earlier than planned, they were still able to be married before their baptism! Then this saturday was their baptism day and it was so wonderful, the spirit was strong, and they were both so excited to be baptized! I think my favorite part was seeing Melan first pump before he went into the water and Virginia yelling "determination!" as she got in the water cause it was really cold since there's no heater here haha. They are such an amazing couple and I'm so glad that I got to be the ones to teach them. I can't wait to see their family be sealed in the temple a year from now. We encouraged them to start saving now so that hopefully I'm still in the Philippines when they can go to Manilla, pray that President Balledos will let me go!
This was really such a great week though, and with our baptism and their wedding, it made me really think about how much this gospel does bless families. I'm so grateful for temples and the covenants that we make there that enable us to have eternal families. This gospel really is all that's important in life, and I know that as we put Christ center to our lives, everything else will fall into place. I really miss going to the temple, Mom and Brigham, so go to the temple as often as you can and always be worthy of your temple recommends. I'm learning so much here on my mission, especially what's most important to me. I want to encourage all of you to read the scriptures, the Book of Mormon, Bible and Doctrine and Covenants and general conference talks. I wish that I could study for like 4 hours a day, one hour of personal study is just not enough! Also, now really is the time to hasten the Lord's work. We have the gospel in our lives, and we need to share the happiness that it brings to us with everyone. Now being a missionary, I am realizing how truly hard it is to find people on my own. It's possible, but there really is a better way. If you want to make a missionaries day, feed them, and then refer someone to them. I promise that you will automatically become their favorite person. This work is hard, but it can be easier if missionaries and members really do work together.
I love you all and I'm so grateful to be here in the Philippines. I think this week was a real turning point for me where I thought about my life here more than I thought about life before the mission. I really am losing myself in the work, and I love it so much. I can't imagine what my life would be like if I didn't take this call to serve, I have been blessed in so many ways and I know that my biggest convert will be myself.
I love you all, and thanks for your prayers!
Mahal Kita,
Sister Bangerter
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| Melan and Virginia at their wedding and baptism |
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Melan and Virginia at their wedding and baptism  |
Wednesday, January 1, 2014
Happy 2014!-1/5/14
Kumusta pamilya at kaibigam lahat!
Wow, this week went by super fast! I can already tell that time will fly after my 12 Weeks training! But I'm getting pretty excited for this next transfer, I need some change haha but life is great right now!
The beginning of the week was kind of slow because of New Years. Filipinos go hard on new years, even more than for Christmas haha. So we had a ton of dinner appointments at the beginning of the week, and then curfews at 7. On the 31st, there were already fireworks going off at about 10 PM, and Sister Lazan warned me that it would be worse at midnight. She was definitely right! At 12 exactly, it sounded like world war 3 was happening outside, I was slightly scared for my life, especially when I could smell smoke and a firecracker hit our roof and it sounded like explosions in our house haha. But all was well,and luckily I sleep like a rock, so I could go back to sleep. And it was way funny to see all the remnants of the fireworks the next day all throughout the city. Maybe next year I'll look out my window to see what's really happening out there.
But after new years, the rest of the week flew by becasue Sister Lazan went down to San Fernando for some leadership training for three days. I'm pretty positive that she will be an STL after she trains me, she's so good! But while she was gone, I was in a trisome with Sister Bircher and Sister Sidwell. I was pretty nervous because the three of us are Americans, and me and Sister Sidwell have only been here for 10 weeks, and Sister Bircher is just 12 weeks ahead of us. But those three days were so fun! I realized that I actually know a lot more Tagalog than I gave myself credit for, and the gift of tongues is real! Especially on the day when Sister Sidwell and I were companions cause Sister Bircher had a trainers training. Throughout the entire day, we spoke Tagalog in all of the lessons, and even understood what people were saying back to us! It was amazing and definitely gave me faith that I will be able to speak Tagalog before I end my mission. The Lord will not let me fail, and I'll learn the language in His time and when I need it. God is good, always!
So this week has been super great, and what made it even better was our two investigators passed their baptismal interview, so this saturday, we will have a wedding and a baptism! Their names are Melan and Virginia Valdez, and they are seriously one of the golden people that everyone told me about. Me and Sister Lazan found them within my first few weeks of being in the field, and it was a little hard to get them to attend church at first, but once they started coming, they knew it was the church for them. Sometimes I swear they teach us the lessons, they just totally accept and understand everything about the gospel, and they're so excited to be baptized and be sealed in the temple a year from now! I really hope that I can be there for their sealing, and I know that they will remain strong members.I know that I was supposed to be in Baguio mission for their family, I love them so much, and that's really what missionary work is all about. Loving the people and seeing how the gospel blesses their lives!
I love my mission so much, everyday gets better and better, even when I have some down moments, it's always happy at the end of the day becasue I'm on the Lord's errand. There is really so much to be thankful for everyday, and I know that this is where I'm supposed to be!
Dad, I got your Christmas package haha thanks so much! And thanks for the letter Grandma! I also want to say happy birthday to Elder White, JQ, and Sister Sawada, I hope that ya'll had a great birthday!
Thanks for your love and prayers everyone, it reminds me why I'm here!
Mahal Kita,
Sister Bangerter
Wow, this week went by super fast! I can already tell that time will fly after my 12 Weeks training! But I'm getting pretty excited for this next transfer, I need some change haha but life is great right now!
The beginning of the week was kind of slow because of New Years. Filipinos go hard on new years, even more than for Christmas haha. So we had a ton of dinner appointments at the beginning of the week, and then curfews at 7. On the 31st, there were already fireworks going off at about 10 PM, and Sister Lazan warned me that it would be worse at midnight. She was definitely right! At 12 exactly, it sounded like world war 3 was happening outside, I was slightly scared for my life, especially when I could smell smoke and a firecracker hit our roof and it sounded like explosions in our house haha. But all was well,and luckily I sleep like a rock, so I could go back to sleep. And it was way funny to see all the remnants of the fireworks the next day all throughout the city. Maybe next year I'll look out my window to see what's really happening out there.
But after new years, the rest of the week flew by becasue Sister Lazan went down to San Fernando for some leadership training for three days. I'm pretty positive that she will be an STL after she trains me, she's so good! But while she was gone, I was in a trisome with Sister Bircher and Sister Sidwell. I was pretty nervous because the three of us are Americans, and me and Sister Sidwell have only been here for 10 weeks, and Sister Bircher is just 12 weeks ahead of us. But those three days were so fun! I realized that I actually know a lot more Tagalog than I gave myself credit for, and the gift of tongues is real! Especially on the day when Sister Sidwell and I were companions cause Sister Bircher had a trainers training. Throughout the entire day, we spoke Tagalog in all of the lessons, and even understood what people were saying back to us! It was amazing and definitely gave me faith that I will be able to speak Tagalog before I end my mission. The Lord will not let me fail, and I'll learn the language in His time and when I need it. God is good, always!
So this week has been super great, and what made it even better was our two investigators passed their baptismal interview, so this saturday, we will have a wedding and a baptism! Their names are Melan and Virginia Valdez, and they are seriously one of the golden people that everyone told me about. Me and Sister Lazan found them within my first few weeks of being in the field, and it was a little hard to get them to attend church at first, but once they started coming, they knew it was the church for them. Sometimes I swear they teach us the lessons, they just totally accept and understand everything about the gospel, and they're so excited to be baptized and be sealed in the temple a year from now! I really hope that I can be there for their sealing, and I know that they will remain strong members.I know that I was supposed to be in Baguio mission for their family, I love them so much, and that's really what missionary work is all about. Loving the people and seeing how the gospel blesses their lives!
I love my mission so much, everyday gets better and better, even when I have some down moments, it's always happy at the end of the day becasue I'm on the Lord's errand. There is really so much to be thankful for everyday, and I know that this is where I'm supposed to be!
Dad, I got your Christmas package haha thanks so much! And thanks for the letter Grandma! I also want to say happy birthday to Elder White, JQ, and Sister Sawada, I hope that ya'll had a great birthday!
Thanks for your love and prayers everyone, it reminds me why I'm here!
Mahal Kita,
Sister Bangerter
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| Me and the cutest little banana! |
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| FHE with the Milanes family |
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| Lunch at the Pablo's house |
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| Sister Bircher, Sister Sidwell, and me wearing our clothes Mommy Bennet gave us |
Sunday, December 29, 2013
Happy New Years...Almost!-12/29/13
So I hope that everyone had a Merry Christmas! My Christmas here was great, and probably one of my favorite ones ever! On Christmas Eve, we went out caroling with the other sisters in our apartment, Sister Bircher and Sister Sidwell, and a couple of families from the ward, The Velasco and Vinoya families. We made little cards and bags of candy and caroled to a bunch of members from the ward. It was a little weird that it was so hot yet slightly cold if that makes any sense haha? I was wearing a sweater, but by the end of the day, I was so sweaty from climbing up all of the stairs and hills to get to peoples houses, but it was still a great day and well worth the exercise haha. When we got back home, Sister BIrcher prepared a feast for us with chicken, mashed potatoes, gravy, corn, and even develed eggs. It was an american Christmas in the philippines! Then we made a giant blanket fort in our living room, and put all of our mattresses in there and watched The Errand of Angels about sister missionaries in Germany, so bascially, the best missionary Christmas you could imagine! In the Philippines, everyone celebrates at midnight Christmas Eve, so right at midnight, I was woken up by fireworks and parties going on right outside our window until about 3 or 4 AM. Hahah good thing I sleep like a rock though, so it was pretty easy for me to go back to sleep.
Then on Christmas day, I got to skype the fam! I love you all, and I'm so glad that MC, John, Kyrsten, and Babou were there too, ya'll are the best, and Pais I wish you could have been there again too! I was worried that skyping would make me homesick, but it actually made me more motivated to work harder and try my best out here! And next time I talk to ya'll on Mothers Day, I will be better at Tagalog, promise!
So Christmas was the definite highlight of this week! Teaching was a bit rough cause no one was home really, but the lessons that we did have were really great! I definitely learned this week that I am not the teacher the spirit is. I really can't teach if I don't have the spirit, and in order to have the spirit, I need to do my part and be worthy of it always. I found that the days I really focused myself in my studies and remained positive and served my companion, our lessons were so much better! It's hard to not rely on my own strength sometimes, and that's something that I'm still working on, but I know that this work is not mine, it's the Lord's, and only the spirit can change people, not me. So all I can do is be worhty of the spirit, and help others to feel it, and they will know that our message is true! I love this work, it really is so amazing!
Ok, time for some shout outs! Thanks for the letters Brigham, Shanoah, Penn-White, and Katie! I loved the post card Shanoah! And little Brooklyn Hill, I love you so much and I RELLY miss you too :) I hope you had a wonderful baptism, I'm so happy that you are now a member of this true church! Keep sharing your sweet testimony, and you will be blessed by the Lord, He's so proud of you and I love you for writing me! Also, thanks again for the package Dad! We have candy galore now haha we are trying to ration it off to people cause all of our new years resolutions are about losing weight I'm pretty sure haha.
But I hope that everyone has a wonderful new year! Something that I'm really going to focus on this year of 2014 is to be the person that the Lord knows that I am. I want to use every hour of my day to prepare myself to be worthy of the Lord's presence and be optomistic always! Remember to find joy in the journey, we are so blessed by the Lord everyday! I love you all, and thanks for your love and prayers!
Mahal Kita,
Sister Bangerter
Then on Christmas day, I got to skype the fam! I love you all, and I'm so glad that MC, John, Kyrsten, and Babou were there too, ya'll are the best, and Pais I wish you could have been there again too! I was worried that skyping would make me homesick, but it actually made me more motivated to work harder and try my best out here! And next time I talk to ya'll on Mothers Day, I will be better at Tagalog, promise!
So Christmas was the definite highlight of this week! Teaching was a bit rough cause no one was home really, but the lessons that we did have were really great! I definitely learned this week that I am not the teacher the spirit is. I really can't teach if I don't have the spirit, and in order to have the spirit, I need to do my part and be worthy of it always. I found that the days I really focused myself in my studies and remained positive and served my companion, our lessons were so much better! It's hard to not rely on my own strength sometimes, and that's something that I'm still working on, but I know that this work is not mine, it's the Lord's, and only the spirit can change people, not me. So all I can do is be worhty of the spirit, and help others to feel it, and they will know that our message is true! I love this work, it really is so amazing!
Ok, time for some shout outs! Thanks for the letters Brigham, Shanoah, Penn-White, and Katie! I loved the post card Shanoah! And little Brooklyn Hill, I love you so much and I RELLY miss you too :) I hope you had a wonderful baptism, I'm so happy that you are now a member of this true church! Keep sharing your sweet testimony, and you will be blessed by the Lord, He's so proud of you and I love you for writing me! Also, thanks again for the package Dad! We have candy galore now haha we are trying to ration it off to people cause all of our new years resolutions are about losing weight I'm pretty sure haha.
But I hope that everyone has a wonderful new year! Something that I'm really going to focus on this year of 2014 is to be the person that the Lord knows that I am. I want to use every hour of my day to prepare myself to be worthy of the Lord's presence and be optomistic always! Remember to find joy in the journey, we are so blessed by the Lord everyday! I love you all, and thanks for your love and prayers!
Mahal Kita,
Sister Bangerter
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| The great Christmas hat dad sent me |
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| My Christmas presents, an igorot skirt, dog stuffed animal from Sister Lazan, and tons of hot chocolate and energen and bingos (oreos)! |
Sunday, December 22, 2013
Maligayang Pasko!-12/22/13
Merry Christmas everyone! Wow this was the week of Christmas parties for me, and I loved everyone of them! The down side was that since we had so many parties to go to, we didn't get to teach a lot of lessons, but no effort wasted, this was probably my best week so far! I have really learned a lot for these past two months that I've been in the field. I've learned to rely on the Lord in all that I do. I've learned to be patient with myself and with others. But most of all, I've learned that blessings come after the trial of my faith. I feel bad that I've been a bit of a debby downer at times, because I really love my mission so much! I've also learned to look for the good in everything and to stay positive always. I am choosing now to belike President Kimball when he askedfor more mountains to climb, because that's when God makes Himself manifest. If I endure my trials well, the Lord will bless me, and this week was proof of that.
So like I said, this week was a little slow with all of our christmas parties, but it was also so great because our investigators came to church again, accepted their baptismal invitation, and want to get married so that they can be baptized!! So if it's God's will, they will be married and baptized next month! It really is the best feeling to see someone who we found grow in the gospel and love coming to church and being friends with the members there. I know that I will love my first area because of all of the great people here, the investigators, less actives, and members. Also, this week was so great becasue this less active family that we have been visiting every week since we got here came to church this sunday too! I love this family so much, they are the ones who fed us and gave me a sweater. At first, Sister didn't want to go to the Christmas party or to church even until her husband came back from abroad, but we got her to come to the party, and she loved being there so much that she came to church the next day! Me and Sister Lazan were feeling on top of the world haha just goes to show that sometimes the stats don't really show our work justice.
So this was a really great week for the work, and on top of that, we had our Christmas conference! I am definitely in the best mission and have the best mission president, and the christmas conference was just proof of that. It was so fun to gather with 4 other zones and just be with missionaries for the whole day. Each zone did a 10 minute skit about Christ's birth, and then we had a gift exchange (I got a baguio city bag and a restoration pamphlet haha), and then we got to watch a Babylonian movie! All week we were trying to guess what movie it would be, I was guessing Rudolph, but it was even better! We watched We Are Marshall, the football movie haha to get us inspired for our missionary work. It was so good, and even though it was about football, it reminded me that I should never give up, and that there are so many people back home who are supporting me here, and of course my Father in Heaven, I'm doing this for Him. So after the movie, we were all inspired and sang our mission song and changed "We Are Baguio", it was the best! Then later this week, we had our ward Christmas Party where we played minute to win it games, and each auxillary did a performance.Filipinos really know how to throw a party, and I think I ate enough food to last me a month haha they kept coming around and loading it on my plate so I couldn't refuse! Yeah missionary figure is a real thing!
Well, as you can see, this week was really great! I honestly love it here and can't imagine myself anywhere else now. I am learning to find joy in the journey and appreciate the tender mercies I receive each day. Thank you all for your love and prayers, it gives me the motivation that I need especially in times of down. Shout outs to Sara, Brooklyn, Mom, and Sherman 1st Ward for the letters, and Mom for the package! Keep them coming! Also, Happy Birthday Ryan,and Shanoah on the24th! I hope that ya'll have a merry christmas and remember serve others. The best present I can give this year is my service to the Lord, and I'm so happy that I have two Christmas's to do just that!
Mahal Kita,
Sister Bangerter
PS- I'm in charge of the blog for my mission! Go check out philippinesbaguiomission.blogspot.com and I'll have more about the Christmas conference!
So like I said, this week was a little slow with all of our christmas parties, but it was also so great because our investigators came to church again, accepted their baptismal invitation, and want to get married so that they can be baptized!! So if it's God's will, they will be married and baptized next month! It really is the best feeling to see someone who we found grow in the gospel and love coming to church and being friends with the members there. I know that I will love my first area because of all of the great people here, the investigators, less actives, and members. Also, this week was so great becasue this less active family that we have been visiting every week since we got here came to church this sunday too! I love this family so much, they are the ones who fed us and gave me a sweater. At first, Sister didn't want to go to the Christmas party or to church even until her husband came back from abroad, but we got her to come to the party, and she loved being there so much that she came to church the next day! Me and Sister Lazan were feeling on top of the world haha just goes to show that sometimes the stats don't really show our work justice.
So this was a really great week for the work, and on top of that, we had our Christmas conference! I am definitely in the best mission and have the best mission president, and the christmas conference was just proof of that. It was so fun to gather with 4 other zones and just be with missionaries for the whole day. Each zone did a 10 minute skit about Christ's birth, and then we had a gift exchange (I got a baguio city bag and a restoration pamphlet haha), and then we got to watch a Babylonian movie! All week we were trying to guess what movie it would be, I was guessing Rudolph, but it was even better! We watched We Are Marshall, the football movie haha to get us inspired for our missionary work. It was so good, and even though it was about football, it reminded me that I should never give up, and that there are so many people back home who are supporting me here, and of course my Father in Heaven, I'm doing this for Him. So after the movie, we were all inspired and sang our mission song and changed "We Are Baguio", it was the best! Then later this week, we had our ward Christmas Party where we played minute to win it games, and each auxillary did a performance.Filipinos really know how to throw a party, and I think I ate enough food to last me a month haha they kept coming around and loading it on my plate so I couldn't refuse! Yeah missionary figure is a real thing!
Well, as you can see, this week was really great! I honestly love it here and can't imagine myself anywhere else now. I am learning to find joy in the journey and appreciate the tender mercies I receive each day. Thank you all for your love and prayers, it gives me the motivation that I need especially in times of down. Shout outs to Sara, Brooklyn, Mom, and Sherman 1st Ward for the letters, and Mom for the package! Keep them coming! Also, Happy Birthday Ryan,and Shanoah on the24th! I hope that ya'll have a merry christmas and remember serve others. The best present I can give this year is my service to the Lord, and I'm so happy that I have two Christmas's to do just that!
Mahal Kita,
Sister Bangerter
PS- I'm in charge of the blog for my mission! Go check out philippinesbaguiomission.blogspot.com and I'll have more about the Christmas conference!
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| Ward Missionaries at the ward missionary Christmas party |
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| Sister Lazan and I at the ward Christmas party |
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