Magandang Hapon sa inyong lahat!
Hello family and friends, I hope that you're all doing well! It was a great week here in Baguio. Well, more like a great weekend haha the week it self was pretty normal, but this weekend was amazing! I have seriously been so blessed and spoiled here in Baguio, I've gotten to experience so many things that I could never even dream of doing. Like for instance, this weekend, we had the special privelage of having a devotional with the Relief Society General President Sister Burton, the Young Women's General First Counselor Sister McKonkie, and the Philippines Area President Elder Nielson come and visit us in Baguio! They gave a devotional on Saturday that was centered on women and our duties to become good mother's and raise a righteous posterity. This is why sisters come back from their missions hungry for that temple marriage haha. I'm telling ya, everything on a mission turns back to marriage and eternal families, so this devotional was no different, but it reminded me of the covenenants that I made at baptism to always remain worthy and endure to the end so that I can raise righteous children in the gospel one day. So the devotional was great, and we even got to shake their hands and hug them at the end! Funny how I had to come all the way to the Philippines to meet some general authorities when I lived in Utah for over a year and even went to general conference ha. I know that these people are truly called and inspired by the Lord, and I'm so grateful that I got to hear their counsel and meet them. But what was even more exciting is that on Sunday, all three of them came to my ward!!! I was so stoked, they all spoke in our sacrament meeting, and then Sister Burton herself taught our RS class! It was so cool to have the general relief society president talk to us so personally and share her experiences and the experiences of other women that she's met around the world. I love this church and the modern day revelation that we receive, and we are so truly blessed to have these church authorities and to feel their love for us no matter where in the world we are.
So this weekend was really great! And this was probably the best Sunday that I've had here so far, not only because of the general authorities that came, but we had 3 of our investigators at church this sunday and a few of our less active families too! Sunday is usually like D-day for us, and I was really scared that our investigators wouldn't come to church because of the Panagbenga parade, but they came!! If I end of getting transferred this week, it was the best Sunday to end on, I got to see the ward progressing and know that I had a hand in helping these people come closer to Christ and gaining a testimony of this gospel.
Sorry, this email is a little bit random and scattered, but it's getting harder to remember what all happens during the week now. But I can definitely tell that I'm becoming more and more filipino now, and I'm starting to forget what America is even like. I seriously forgot what a snowcone was, and then when I saw one I couldn't remember if they had things like that in America or not haha. Also, things that are butter flavored are just normal and delicious, as well as putting cheese on random things like cinnamon rolls, you have to be in the Philippines to understand I guess. Also, I got to see the floats from the Banagbenga (flower festival) and it was awesome, these floats are made entirely of flowers! I'm trying to send pictures, but my SD card is being dumb, so hopefully next week!
Well thanks for your love and prayers everyone! Sadly, I think it's getting to that point on my mission where I'm not getting as many emails and letters, so remember that missionaries need love too! Blessings to those who write me ok :)! And happy birthday shoutouts to Sara, Beljica, and Cara! I love you all and hope that you had fantastic birthdays!
Sige, I hope you all have a great week and remember to be nice to the missionaries!
Mahal Kita!
Sister Bangerter
Sunday, February 23, 2014
Sunday, February 16, 2014
Happy Valentine's Day 2/16/14
Kumusta family and friends!
Happy late valentine's day, I hope you all had a great week this week and did something special on Valentine's day regardless if you had a valentine or not. Just remember, there are thousands of valentine's-less missionaries who are in your same boat haha! But I did have a good valentines day/ half birthday here in Baguio. Me and Sister Aroa went and treated ourselves to some McDonalds at te end of the day, so it was a good day haha.
Well not too much happened this week, we have some progressing investigators now but they're special cases so we need permission from the parents for their baptism. Hopefully by next transfer they can be baptized though and we have received a few referrals for the first time ever that we're trying to contact! So far no luck, but we'll keep trying!
But the greatest thing that happened this week was that we got water again!! It's such a great sound to hear the water running in our apartment again, but those long weeks without water made me realize that I can survive of the minimum, so I'm grateful for the experience!
Sorry I don't have much to say this week, it was a good week though and I'm so grateful to be here! Also, I got some letters this week so that always makes for a great week! Thanks Sami, I loved the valentines day card haha Parks and Rec for life! Also thank you President Rogers for the letter as well!
I love you all and hope you have a great week, remember to put your eye single to the glory of God, and all will work out!
Mahal Kita,
Sister Bangerter
Also, Happy Birthday Deanna and Sister Tapusoa! I know there's a lot of birthdays coming up this next week too, hope ya'll all enjoy getting old ;)
Happy late valentine's day, I hope you all had a great week this week and did something special on Valentine's day regardless if you had a valentine or not. Just remember, there are thousands of valentine's-less missionaries who are in your same boat haha! But I did have a good valentines day/ half birthday here in Baguio. Me and Sister Aroa went and treated ourselves to some McDonalds at te end of the day, so it was a good day haha.
Well not too much happened this week, we have some progressing investigators now but they're special cases so we need permission from the parents for their baptism. Hopefully by next transfer they can be baptized though and we have received a few referrals for the first time ever that we're trying to contact! So far no luck, but we'll keep trying!
But the greatest thing that happened this week was that we got water again!! It's such a great sound to hear the water running in our apartment again, but those long weeks without water made me realize that I can survive of the minimum, so I'm grateful for the experience!
Sorry I don't have much to say this week, it was a good week though and I'm so grateful to be here! Also, I got some letters this week so that always makes for a great week! Thanks Sami, I loved the valentines day card haha Parks and Rec for life! Also thank you President Rogers for the letter as well!
I love you all and hope you have a great week, remember to put your eye single to the glory of God, and all will work out!
Mahal Kita,
Sister Bangerter
Also, Happy Birthday Deanna and Sister Tapusoa! I know there's a lot of birthdays coming up this next week too, hope ya'll all enjoy getting old ;)
 |
| Me and Sister Aroa in some traditional igorot clothes |
 |
| Me trying Korean food, so spicy! |
Sunday, February 9, 2014
Almost 5 Months! 2/9/14
Kumusta pamilya at mga kaibigan! Tomorrow marks my fifth month on my mission, it's crazy how much time flies! Not that I'm really counting down, but I just look at my calender and suddenly it's halfway through February and I've been living in the Philippines for like four months now. I had one of those moments the other day when I realized that I can approach people and have a semi-understandable conversation in Tagalog, and I know my way around Baguio like the back of my hand. Taking a jeepnee is no problem for me, and I'm pretty sure I've climbed up and down stairs and mountains so much that walking on flat ground just seems weird. I love it here, and I especially love how I don't feel like a stranger in a foreign land anymore. Yeah sometimes I have to remind myself that I'm literally the only white person in the neighborhood, but I just feel so comfortable that it doesn't even phase me anymore! I'm truly becoming Filipino! Being on my mission has really made me realize how wasteful I used to be. Filipino's are so creative and find ways to conserve and reuse just about everything. I now know that I can live off of a budget, and I only need about half a bucket of water to shower with. The pleasures of a simple life for sure! And for those of you freaking out about my water situation (aka Mom haha) don't worry because we have a really good system going now. You really only need about a couple buckets of water to do everything that you need to do like shower, wash dishes, and even flush the toilet haha so life is happy, I'm still clean everyday!
Well this week was another normal week of missionary work. It's starting to get a little bit hot here, and I don't know if I can take the heat in the lowlands yet, but I think I'm ready to experiecnce the rural Philippines now that I've experienced the city. We'll see by next transfer if I'll be blessed to stay in Baguio or not, but I already bought more than enough souvenirs that I'll have to lug around my whole mission haha but you never know, I could only be in Baguio once! But I am way excuited to be here in February because only in Baguio they have a huge flower festival called Panengbenga that like everyone comes here to see. So my last P-Day in February I get to see Session Road in Bloom and the entire main street of Baguio will be covered in flowers and souvenir shops, I can't wait! Also, the General Relief Society presidency is coming here to talk to the Baguio stake and we get to go to that too! It will be next week I think, so I'll talk more about that when it happens, but I've been so lucky to be here because only the missionaries in Baguio stake have gotten to see Elder Ardern of the 70 and now the releif socitey presidency and another member of the 70, it's awesome!
I did have my first interview with President Balledos this week though. He gave us a workshop about obedience, and we had to do a quiz from an email that he sent us. He said that if we got less than 25 points we wouldn't get our lunch (jokes) but it was really hard and fill in the blank and since I had only read the email about 5 minutes before hand, yeah didn't do so hot on the quiz haha but don't worry, I'm still obedient and I still got food! But I was super nervous for my interview with president, but it only took about 5 minutes and it was very laid back. I love my mission president, he's seriously an inspired man and he cares so much about us missionaries. Especially with the situation with the water in my apartment haha he's doing all that he can to make sure that we get water again asap!
Well family and friends, I love you all, and even though sometimes I day dream about life before the mission, I still know that this is where I'm supposed to be. I can see myself growing and changing in so many ways, and I know that what I learn on my mission will set the pace for the rest of my life. I know that God is our loving Heavenly Father and that He would never forsake us. Sometimes the days go by slowly when we're trying to find people and they reject us, but I still find happiness in the fact that the Lord is aware of my efforts, and He will lead me to those who are prepared. We're hoping to get some referrals from the memebers soon, becasue it really is true, there's a better way to do missionary work and it's if the ward and the missionaries work together. I hope all of you can find time to go out and help the missionaries whether it's feeding them, letting them share a message with you, or even better, giving them a referral!
I love you all and hope that you have an amazing week!
Mahal Kita,
Sister Bangerter
PS- thanks Mom for the packages, I've been craving those almonds for days now! You're the best :)!!
PSS- I forgot to mention that I ate dog this week...it tasted like beef, but it was dog and I just can't forgive myself for eating it.
Well this week was another normal week of missionary work. It's starting to get a little bit hot here, and I don't know if I can take the heat in the lowlands yet, but I think I'm ready to experiecnce the rural Philippines now that I've experienced the city. We'll see by next transfer if I'll be blessed to stay in Baguio or not, but I already bought more than enough souvenirs that I'll have to lug around my whole mission haha but you never know, I could only be in Baguio once! But I am way excuited to be here in February because only in Baguio they have a huge flower festival called Panengbenga that like everyone comes here to see. So my last P-Day in February I get to see Session Road in Bloom and the entire main street of Baguio will be covered in flowers and souvenir shops, I can't wait! Also, the General Relief Society presidency is coming here to talk to the Baguio stake and we get to go to that too! It will be next week I think, so I'll talk more about that when it happens, but I've been so lucky to be here because only the missionaries in Baguio stake have gotten to see Elder Ardern of the 70 and now the releif socitey presidency and another member of the 70, it's awesome!
I did have my first interview with President Balledos this week though. He gave us a workshop about obedience, and we had to do a quiz from an email that he sent us. He said that if we got less than 25 points we wouldn't get our lunch (jokes) but it was really hard and fill in the blank and since I had only read the email about 5 minutes before hand, yeah didn't do so hot on the quiz haha but don't worry, I'm still obedient and I still got food! But I was super nervous for my interview with president, but it only took about 5 minutes and it was very laid back. I love my mission president, he's seriously an inspired man and he cares so much about us missionaries. Especially with the situation with the water in my apartment haha he's doing all that he can to make sure that we get water again asap!
Well family and friends, I love you all, and even though sometimes I day dream about life before the mission, I still know that this is where I'm supposed to be. I can see myself growing and changing in so many ways, and I know that what I learn on my mission will set the pace for the rest of my life. I know that God is our loving Heavenly Father and that He would never forsake us. Sometimes the days go by slowly when we're trying to find people and they reject us, but I still find happiness in the fact that the Lord is aware of my efforts, and He will lead me to those who are prepared. We're hoping to get some referrals from the memebers soon, becasue it really is true, there's a better way to do missionary work and it's if the ward and the missionaries work together. I hope all of you can find time to go out and help the missionaries whether it's feeding them, letting them share a message with you, or even better, giving them a referral!
I love you all and hope that you have an amazing week!
Mahal Kita,
Sister Bangerter
PS- thanks Mom for the packages, I've been craving those almonds for days now! You're the best :)!!
PSS- I forgot to mention that I ate dog this week...it tasted like beef, but it was dog and I just can't forgive myself for eating it.
Monday, February 3, 2014
Come What May, and Love it! 2/3/14
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 :)
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 :)
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.
 |
| 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
 |
| 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
 |
| Melan and Virginia at their wedding and baptism |
 |
Melan and Virginia at their wedding and baptism  |
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)