Week 8. Ano bayan?! How fast time flies... (Sept. 23, 2013)

Tello :)

   This week has been fun. I've learned a lot and really felt myself stretching and growing. I've really been improving on the language and it's coming more and more easily.

   We've taught a lot of new investigators and really been able to help people. There have been disappointments (a couple of our investigators have told us that they can only be taught once a week because they're "busy." And one of them has a baptismal date....) And happy moments too (hearing that one of our investigators will do anything that he can to become a member because he knows that it's for his salvation). I am constantly amazed by these people, whether for good or for bad.

   The best part of this week has been when we've worked with the relief society president, Sister E. When people ask me where I'm from and after I tell them that I'm from America, she loves to tell them that I'm a Filippino now :) She says that when I get home I need to go find some Filippinos and talk to them in Tagalog and tell them that I'm a Fillipino too :) Sobrang masaya ako.

   The language really is coming easier. It just takes a while to learn it. Every day I just keep learning new things.

I've learned this week that when I forget myself and the things that I want to improve in myself then I become truly happy and the work is more fun. I actually truly want to help these people. I want them to be happy, as happy as I am, and the only way that can happen is if they have the gospel. And luckily for me, I'm authorized to teach them :) So I can really help them.

   I absolutely love being a missionary. As a missionary, we desire the salvation for all people. And through our message we can help them.

   We work every single day as hard as we can. Kahit sobrang ulan o sobrang mainit. No mattah. We will be out there.

   Oh another funny story. We went to visit Sister A and her family (Brother A is the branch mission leader) and Sister A had her nephew climb a tree and picked these ginormous fruits that are like grapefruit but not as sour. sister A told me this, "Remember this your whole mission, Sister Hess, All work and no play makes you ugly." bahahaha definitely not gonna forget that.

   And sadly no baptism this week because Sister V's daughter had her baby so she was at the hospital all Saturday. Hopefully this next Saturday she will be baptized.

   I know that the church is true. I know that our Heavenly Father loves us and wants us to be happy. He gave us the gospel to make us into the best people we can be.

   Mahal ko kayo. Salamat po para sa lahat support at love binigay nyo sa akin. Salamat din po para sa lahat panalangin.

   Until next week,

-Sister Hess

a.k.a. Filippino Barbie ;)

Week 7 already?! Ano bayan...? (Sept. 16, 2013)

Magandang umaga po! 

   Sister Hess here ulit ulit :)

   This week has been very eventful just like it is every week. So on Monday, we moved into our new gorgeous apartment. If you want to see pictures, ask my mommy :) It's probably the most amazing and nice apartment in the whole mission. We are definitely going to enjoy the next six weeks the best we can in case we get transferred. We are most definitely spoiled here. We're living right next door to Elder and Sister D, the senior couple here and they are so sweet. Sister D even offers to do our laundry since she has a washer and a dryer. Man, we are a bunch of spoiled kids over here :)

   So we also had transfers over here. And some big changes were made. There are now 6, count 'em, 6. As in S-I-X missionaries here in Masinloc. There's us four sisters and now we have two elders too :) They moved into our old apartment. The work is progressing and no one can stop us. The elders are Elder To and Elder S. Elder S is from New Zealand and has the coolest accent EVER. He and I are pretty good friends :)

   Because there are now six of us we had to split Masinloc again. So Sister Je and Sister Ja moved more north and our area is in the middle. The only part of our old area that we got to keep is Santa Rita, which is very sad because that means out of the 6 investigators with baptismal dates that we had, we now only have 1... But that's ok.

   The elders get to take over every muddy place down south. Sad for them but happy for us :)

   Oh and because we got a new area and because we are being obedient and working diligently, blessings will follow :) So for the past couple of weeks we haven't had any investigators come to church. But yesterday, we had 5 investigators attend church. Man oh man we were so happy :) Blessings will follow if we are obedient. 

The language is still coming, slowly but surely, And the food is still really really good. I haven't had to eat anything really weird yet.

   No problems over here. The church is still true and I still love being a missionary.

   Thank you for all your prayers and support.

   I love you all. Mahal ko kayo

-Sister Hess

Week 6: Psst... Hey Barbie... (Sept. 9, 2013)

Soooooo this is the 6th week already. It's gone by so fast! 

   I've learned a lot this week. And there are transfers tomorrow and who knows what's gonna happen. 

So this week we've taught a lot of lessons. Siempre. We're missionaries, that's what we do. We go around and share the gospel with all of God's children and try to get them to change their lives. Sometimes it's hard for us because they don't understand the importance or they don't want to change. "As missionaries, we desire the salvation of all of God's children."

   We've been teaching L.F. for the last couple of weeks. She's so smart and receptive. Sobrang mabait. Pero, as we've taught her she's become less and less interested. She has a BGD pero she won't come to church and we don't know why. She just isn't as interested. We still continue to teach her and try to help her because that's our job and we are very very very stubborn.

   But on another note, we received and referral from the district next door to ours, Candelaria. The referrals name is R.A. His mother is a member and she wants him to receive the gospel. He's never been married but he used to have a live-in which is normal here. We taught him the first lesson and I extended the BGD to him (I'm not scared to ask people to be baptized at all and Sister C's always surprised when I do because I never tell her I'm going to do it, I just do) and he accepted. He knows that the only way he can receive kaligtasan (salvation) is through our message and following the commandments of God. Yesterday, we taught him the Law of Chastity and the Word of Wisdom because we felt that that would be his biggest concern. Surprisingly enough, it wasn't. He accepted them as commandments of God and is going to follow them. Wow. Amazing. Out of all of our investigators with BGD's he is the one that shows the most promise right now.

   I love being a missionary. This is the hardest thing that I've ever done but the most rewarding thing as well. It's also super fun. Going out and finding the people that Heavenly Father has prepared for us and helping them come unto him. It's so  rewarding to see the improvements in their lives because of what we've shared with them.

   I know that this is the true church on earth. There isn't a doubt in my mind. I know that through His missionaries, Heavenly Father can bring about salvation for all men. This is my testimony. I'm so grateful for my decision to serve a mission. Greatest thing ever. I will never regret it.

   I love you all and I'm so grateful for all of your prayers and support. Keep it up :)

   Mahal ko kayo!

-Sister Hess

Week 5: Here Comes the Sun Do Do Do Do :) (Sept. 2, 2013)

Well Hello there! Long time no talk hehe

   past week was Waaaaaaay better than last week. Last week was really frustrating because everyday my list of weaknesses and things to improve was getting bigger. There was something holding me back. it was like I had an invisible barrier in front of me and I had no idea what it was. But good news! I got it figured out and now I am so much happier. 

   I'm still striving to become more humble and teachable and forget myself. It's becoming easier and easier to focus on other people. I love that I can forget myself. 

   This past week, it rained for maybe the first two days. But then! The sun came out. Hallelujah! And it also got hot but that's ok cuz I love it when it's hot out. I have already started to get an awesome watch tan hehe

   Everyone still stares but the other day I saw a white old man that wasn't a missionary and I stared at him too so I guess I can understand how the people feel when they look at me. It's gonna be so weird to come home and be surrounded by white people. 

   One of the pieces of advice that Sister C gave me last week really stuck with me. She said that I need to stop thinking of myself as a foreigner. I am a Filipino now and I need to remember that always. I really am striving to become one of them and as I do so I can understand them better and know what they need. 

   I love the people here so much. All the people we're teaching have different problems and I love that we can help them figure out those problems through our message. It makes me so happy. 

   I love being a missionary. Greatest decision I ever made. At a past missionary meeting, Elder A said, "You must have done something great in the pre-existence to be called to the Olongapo mission." I really do feel blessed to be here. I love the people and I love my mission. I know that this is the only true church on the face of the earth and I know that it is the only way to return to our Heavenly Father.

   Thank you for all your prayers and support. I love you all!

   Mahal ko kayo!

-Sister Hess

Week 4: Weekly Email from Barbie (Aug. 26, 2013)

Magandang umaga po!

   Sister Hess here with your local news from Masinloc, Zambales, Olongapo, Philippines :) 

This past week has been very interesting. I've learned a lot. The language is becoming easier to understand but when I speak it, my grammar is horrible.... I am constantly working on it....

   I've really tried this week to really listen to the people and try to understand. It really is becoming easier. 

There hasn't really been any flooding in my area. We're high up. The only adventures this week has been more mud. But! I bought a pair of pink rainboots to I can walk around without any problems now :) YAY! I love those boots.

   So this week, we had follow-up training. I got to see all my sisters from my district in the MTC and it was amazing to see them. We've all grown so much. It was kind of like when Alma runs into the sons of Mosiah to see them again.

   It's crazy to think that we've already been here a month. It's gone by so fast. But I'm still loving it and still working hard and because of that I can feel Heavenly Father's hand in my life. I've never felt closer to them than I do now. I know that they really help their missionaries.

   The people are still so amazing. I really want to become like them. They care about EVERYONE even if you're a different religion or just are different in general. I really hope that can rub off on me.

   Sister C and I are working hard together. She still tells me ways to improve every night and I'm really working hard to make sure that those things happen.

   So today, we have a zone activity :) I'm so excited. I get to wear jeans! Sister C thinks I'm crazy because wearing jeans is my favorite thing ever. I just hate wearing skirts constantly.

   The food is still amazing. I eat everything. Even if I don't know what it is. The food is definitely not a problem for me :)

   Ok so yup. That's this week. Thank you for all your prayers. I know that this is where I'm supposed to be right now and I know that the church is true. I love you all!

   Mahal kita!

-Sister Hess

Week 3: Weekly Email!!! (Aug. 19, 2013)

   So this week, because of the flood, EVERYTHING is muddy. On Tuesday, We decided to be geniuses and visit the investigators in Santa Rosario which is full of rice fields.... So! We had to march across the rice fields and I am a extreme klutz here so I kept getting my shoes stuck in the mud and ended up walking barefoot for most of it. It was actually really fun. A definite adventure if I do say so myself. 

We had mission prez interviews this week. They were fun. I love President Q. I know that he is called of God and I feel the spirit every single time he testifies to us. He's an amazing man. I'm so grateful that he is my mission president.

   Yesterday, I had to give a talk in church. Totally impromptu and it was about praying with faith. One of the sisters came up to me afterwards and thanked me and said that it was very inspirational. Cool :) 

It's very interesting here. We try to teach families but the couples are usually not married. It's very hard for people to get married here because it's so expensive. It's very sad for them.

   Yesterday was weird in the teaching department. We taught a man who was so prepared for us. That was really cool. I asked him to be baptized and he said he would! YAY! But after we went and taught two other investigators. The first is a 14 year old boy. We asked him to be baptized too and he say maybe. The last people we taught was the weirdest. They were very friendly but they were also very into their religion. They're Baptist. We tried to teach them but one of the men kept interrupting us and wanting to teach us the words of the Bible. He was very well versed in the Bible. He didn't want to hear what we had to say. He just wanted to debate. It made us very sad. I hate when people are hard-hearted and close-minded. We just keep praying for them.

   So yup. That was this last week. The food is still amazing and we're still good and happy. The main thing that I'm learning is that I have a lot of things to improve on in myself. I am proud and stubborn and I have a very strong personality. I am working on becoming more humble this week and more teachable. I'm trying to become more patient. I am constantly praying that I will be able to be humble and start focusing on the work right now. I need to learn to forget myself. So that's what I'm going to work on this week.

   I know that this church is true with all my heart. I know that Heavenly Father will help us with whatever we ask him for.

   I love you all and I miss you!

-sister Hess

Week 2! (Aug. 12, 2013)

   Sorry this is coming so late but it's kind of been flooding over here. We were told to stay home so we kind of got a day off... but not really. 

   Since we stayed inside I wore a t-shirt and jeans that whoooole day. It felt so good :)

   This might be really short but I'll try to make it as full of stuff as I can.

   First of all, the language is coming along pretty well. It's still really hard pero because I'm immersed in it I've learned more in the last week than I did my whole stay in the MTC. My kasama is really helping me too. She's pushing me and that's really what I need right now. We trade off in taking turns talking in the lessons. Most of what teach is in Taglish but that's ok because my kasama has my back. She takes good care of me and is always pushing me to talk to EVERYONE. Everyone stares at me. I'm so white! They think I'm beautiful. They will randomly come up to me and tell me that and they always want to touch my hair. The boys here are the funniest though. They will stop what their doing and just stare with their mouths open. Sobrang funny.

   Sister C says that if she had my beauty she would have thousands of investigators.

   It's been a bit frustrating this week because a couple of our investigators have decided to stop listening. I hate Satan. He always finds a way to bug us... Pero I know that Heavenly Father is in charge and he will make sure that everyone gets a chance to hear his gospel.

   Ummm what else. The food here is still good. It's raining a ton. I miss you all so much. I hope you have a great week!

   I'll talk to you again on Monday if the rain permits :P

   Mahal kita! The church is true, just so you know ;)

-Sister Hess