JANUARY 3, 2016

Happy New Year!!

Sister Thayn and Sister Manilay

Hello Everyone! Happy New Year! This is my letter from last week but I guess it never got sent to anyone so here it is for last week! I hope you all had a fun a safe New Year! This week was a little crazy it was transfers week, Wednesday morning we got a phone call saying Sister Hein and I would be training! We were so excited because we would be training together! We stayed in the same areas but now we are both training! Thursday morning we had Transfer day and I received my Bata (Child) which is what we call the person who we train and I am her Nanay (Mother). Her name is Sister Manilay and she is from the Philippines. She doesn't know any Hiligaynon so I will be the one teaching her Hiligaynon so that will be the next challenge but the Gift of Tongues is so incredible! I have only been speaking this language for about 6 months and I know so much and can talk to people and understand what they are actually saying it is so cool! 

Lesson with Tatay Edwardo

This week we had an amazing lesson with our investigator brother Clyde. We had a member working with us during this lesson and we taught Baptism and Confirmation. During this lesson we were able to invite him to be Baptized and he accepted. The spirit was so strong in that lesson and I know that the spirit was confirming to him that this is the next step he needs to take in his life. And this Sunday he came to church and it was like everyone who bore their testimony was talking straight to him and testifying to him that this gospel has changed their lives and this is the best choice they ever made. It is so incredible what heavenly father does in our lives everyday to help each and everyone of us grow and how he answers prayers. 

New Years Eve here is the Philippines is very different than it is at home. It seriously sounds like World War 3 is going on. It was all fireworks and it was absolutely insane!!! Unfortunately we weren't able to watch them because it was past curfew but we couldn't fall asleep with all the noise so we just listened to all the fireworks from our beds. The next morning we went out to work and all the streets were covered with fireworks it was madness, but so much fun! 

Yesterday we were able to have a good meeting with our bishopric about the ward and how we as missionaries can truly help the ward grow and become more unified. We are really struggling on less actives in the ward. So if any of you guys have an ideas from your missions or ideas at all on how to reactivate less actives and help them return back to the church let me know! 

I am so beyond grateful for this experience I have to serve a mission. Although it is probably one of the hardest and most challenging thing I have ever done and currently am doing it is so worth it! I am so grateful for my savior and I know that even though I am not a perfect missionary and I make mistakes he is always there with me leading my and holding me all along the way especially when I fall. I am so grateful for this gospel. I love you all! Thank you for everything!

Philippine Sunset

-Sister Thayn