JULY 24, 2015

I am called to speak the ILONGO Language

 27 more days until I head for the Philippines! I am so excited I can hardly wait but at the same time I am scared out of my mind. I don't know this language , people or culture! Yesterday I had a cool experience, we were talking with our teacher about our language studies and he said something so profound! He said in the worlds eyes this language we are learning is pointless, we will only use it for 18 months and we most likely will never use it again! He said you aren't learning the language for you, the people that you will teach in the Philippines this may be their first and possibly last chance to hear about the gospel and you are the only one who can help them! Their salvation depends on this language! So I realized I cant think why am I learning this crazy language because I will never use it again but I need to think how incredible it will be that I will be able to teach and bring others unto Christ while speaking another language! After he said this it really changed my mindset. I was having a hard week with the language but I realized this language isn't for me it is for the people that I will be teaching! I am really understanding now that this mission isn't for me and I was called on my mission to speak in the Illongo language. My companions and I made some goals to memorize 50 words a day. When we decided on this goal we knew it was going to be so hard and we knew some days we wouldn't be able to meet that goal but with God all things are possible! He called us to this mission to learn this language for a certain reason and without a doubt he will be there the whole way to help us! 

On sunday we had an amazing speaker come talk to us, her name was Mary Ellen Edmunds. She said something that has stuck in my mind ever since. She said "There have been over 1 million missions served since 1830 , but not this one. NOBODY has served this mission yet. It is your missions and your time to serve!" I thought this was so Incredible! 

There are so many incredible spiritual things that happen daily and I wish I had time to share them all! This past sunday we had a lesson and they were talking about how the Book of Mormon is the keystone of our religion and a questions got asked "We know the BOM is the keystone of our religion, but is it the keystone of your life?" So I want you all to ponder on that question and ask yourself if the BOM is the keystone of your life! 

Okay something funny that happened was we were all sitting in our classroom talking and one of our teachers makes really funny gestures with his hands and the sister in my district from Samoa who doesn't speak very much english she said he was like Michael Jackson! We all busted up laughing and her companion said "Out of all the english words you know you know Michael Jackson! You don't know Atonement, Restoration, or Plan of Salvation but you know Michael Jackson! That will be super helpful in our lessons! LOL we laughed so hard! 

Well life here at the MTC is pretty much the same! Both of my companions have been sick so I have been praying so hard not to get sick and have been successful so far! Hope you all are having a good Pioneer day! Have a good week! :)

Here are a few Illongo Words!

Halong! (Take Care)

Palangga 'taka ( I love you)

Astig (cool)

Dumdum (Remember)

Yuhum (Smile) *It is pronounced "you-hoom" it reminds me of the guy off of the movie Frozen who says"You-hoo big summer blow out!"

Palangga (love),

Sister Thayn