Hello! This is Sister Dilag. I am currently serving in the Philippines San Pablo Mission, San Pablo Zone. I am waiting for mission changes on my original assignment to the California Sacramento Mission.
I will give you weekly updates on my current mission. I will also attach interesting attachments! I hope this finds you entertaining!
Heads up! It is a must! You need to finish the whole email! This week we ran crazy from a man! I bet you’ll find this funny and entertaining. I went curveballs for this email, but I hope you don’t yawn on this, because I am going straight on my proselyting!
Walking Appointments: The Craziest!
I got my jaws on this but we ran to this one man, on our area. Woopsies! You gotta read the whole story, make sure you have your water because this is going to be scary and funny!
• Woman trying to escape and does her laundry, without Rinsing? Who does that? Haha!
Oh, “She doesn’t like us” for real!
Quick Story: We had this one day where my companion and I thought it’ll be cool to roam around the area a bit. While the whole area is getting better (I think?). We decided to walk on this long road, based on the Area Book. There were 7 Members on the List, and they were Less-Actives. So I thought it would be cool to open up with my Companion, Sister Arbutante to walk on the road and find them.
Speaking of, “Finding” we were, “Hunting” for them. Literally on the platter list! We are hunting for them to come back to Church! We kinda failed on the 6 Members (it was a downfall, we couldn’t find them). We went to the very end of the road, where it leads to the bottom of the river. I couldn’t describe the area, but it was “bukid” for sure. We went downward, and we asked a few neighbors on the names we were looking and they were so nice to point the location.
We went downward, and knock on a house and it was a Member, but a Less-Active! I apologize I won’t tell her name but let’s call her, “Lily.”
Sister Lily was doing her laundry, and we were really excited to get to know her and talk more about her and the church. She looked at us (angrily) and suddenly pumps up finishing her laundry without rinsing her bubbly clothes. She told us to go away, go somewhere else! I was surprised! Like, holy cow! Haha! I wasn’t thinking of any of those, but it was something I couldn’t brush off my mind on her.
She said, “Matagal na ako hindi nagsisimba, siguro pumunta nalang kayo sa iba, bumaba nalang kayo.” Sister Lily was kind (sort-of) to us. So, we said, “Okay po Sister, maraming salamat po, kung may kailangan kayo, huwag po kayo mahiya sa amin na magtanong.” She heard it, but never said a word. She was literally, ‘avoiding us.’ It looks like she wanted us to cover her house with clothes (kidding), and I don’t know but it was a gut in the mind. Haha! I had an unforgettable experience there.
• Man with a Stick!
Oh no, we ran on this man! It was –
Quick Story: This is kinda long but the whole thing is this is the most interesting part of my experience. We ran away from this man holding an ‘cabra‘ crazy experience there. Phew! I wasn’t expecting any of this, but let me give you the details of this.
Let’s continue on the first bulleted story. Sister Arbutante and I left the house, and went downward to the river, and it was definitely ‘bukid‘ area. We went down and saw a woman with a child! She was smiling at us! She was familiar with us! Haha, obviously we’re wearing our tags it was us, “the Missionaries!” She was so happy to see us, her name was Sister Erlinda Perez.
She was so happy to see us, and she took us inside to her home. They live near the river and their house was cement but not fancy, it was a province type of house. It had wood and the groud was kinda muddy, but it was all good for us. We were talking about her life in Church and she missed church. It has been 30 years, she did not attend church. She explained, “Hindi ako umaattend sa simbahan gawa nang may pamilya ako, at may asawa ako at apo na Sisters.” I told her, “Ganon po ba Sister, edi masaya kami na makilala asawa mo at mga apo mo! Pwede ba namin sila makausap?” Then Sister went up saying, “Nako Sisters, huwag na, hehe. Baka maano pa kayo ng asawa ko.”
So, on that line I was brushing that off like in my mind I was like, “You gotta be joking there, it would be a simple talk with him, just an invitation.” While talking with her, we saw her husband going down and carrying a wide metal stick (it definitely looks heavy and it could be heavy pounds). It was cool too, because he looked, ‘very skinny.’ And! He looked at us like a ‘warning signal.’
Okay it gets scary too, it was getting dark. He started whimpering and whispering of, “Mormons” about some ‘Book‘ we are offering. While we were talking to Sister Erlinda on her attendance to church and our offer to provide messages with her. Then, Brother Perez stood up and talks about his opinion of the church and challenges us to go to the river. Uh, crazy there like, “What challenge?” He asked to challenge us, if the ‘Book of Mormon can carry us to shore’ he said, “Your ‘Book’ could not take you to shore, that’s foolish.” He then continued, “I’ll take the cross and it’ll take me to shore.” I got ticked on his line. But, honestly I can’t I’m a woman there and definitely he’s a guy so it’s scary to talk to him.
My companion felt tense as he was talking. At the back of my mind, I felt bad for Sister Erlinda. I understood her difficulty attending church. We left her a Book, “Aklat ni Mormon” for her to read, if she has time to read.
Then Brother was whimpering the stick and like thought process on there, definitely he doesn’t like us. He said, “Pag kayo ay pumunta dito, hindi kami magkaayos ng asawa ko!” And he starts whimpering, we literally ran away from the house. It was like imaging women running-out-the-gut for their lives (kidding). Lol, kidding there. Haha! We left their house in a respecting manner (running manner) and as we got to the very top of the road. We were thinking if we could visit them again, but I don’t think this week. Hehe.
Will we ever visit them? I don’t know. I felt really bad for the Sister, I hope nothing happens to her badly. You know like beaten up, because he saw us. I really don’t know, I’m guessing a few on her, but I know she’ll be fine.
• She can’t hear us!
Oh she could be deaf, I don’t know. Ehem. Ehem.
Quick Story: We walk again (again and again). You could definitely tell our effort on finding people. We walked passed to this house, and it was a gray cement house and it was kinda not in a good shape too.
We saw a woman throwing trash and we grab the opportunity to talk to her. We were getting her attention and getting into the talking. As she was getting into the conversation, I was excited to offer her a blessing and then straight up with a lesson. I was talking and straight up finishing up, shortly. And then the winds were blowing into us and then the storm rapidly went into us. It was horrible and funny too. We were talking, but the woman could not understand a thing we said. I was like, “Uh, hindi po ba kayo nagjojoke? Huhu.” I was getting her into the topic. We found out she was half deaf.
I felt bad on that part, she tried her best to listen to us. We asked for her number, if she wanted to learn more on the Gospel. She would love too, but she doesn’t owned a phone. I felt sad on that line, because we couldn’t go house to house to teach. But, we promise her we would come back and give her a copy of the, “Book of Mormon.” We went the other and she was happy to receive it, she would love to read it (I hope she does, hehe). Oh, her name was Sister Imelda. Hehe. Forgot to mention the name hehe!
• Women Selling Eel on their Post.
Never seen a rare animal selling on the street! It was cool, cool!
Quick Story: We were walking to ‘Talipapa‘, because we were heading to the Hilario Family. While walking, Sister Arbutante grabbed my back to pause a bit, because she let me see the eel on a post store. She knew I’ll be interested on those. She asked if I will try to buy and cook eel. I was like tarsier eyeballs like, “Holy, I don’t know eel food, like I tried it once but I don’t even know how to chop and measure eel for soup!” Haha, funny on my thought there, but I was like, “Of all good looking ‘tasty’ animals, why brought an eel to this store?” And, just imagined I was confused for sure.
We met the owners of the store and I thought it’ll be cool to asked if they ever caught the eel on their post. It was nice of them to respond my question. It was even nicer to get to know them, ‘ehem ehem I mean you know what I meant there right?’ We got into them and getting into a conversation of, seafood. I love seafood, but eel (woops, I don’t know hehe).
The women on the store were Sister Lani and Sister Susana Macatangay, and they owned the store for a couple of years. It was cool to see their store selling different seafoods. We were prompted to ask if they got the chance to talk and meet missionaries like us! Sister Susana opened about her Sister was a Member, and she asked a bunch of questions about the church. She never attended one, but I guess it was her time to ask about it. Then, Sister Lani was quiet and we asked her a few about her thought of us and then she responded a few. We felt prompted to ask for their numbers and set up a phone call appointment with them. It was a yes for them!
It was like a, ‘booked the next day appointment‘ for us! We were excited to call them and talk to them! But the eel part, oh I might have to skip. Kidding! No, I wasn’t able to buy it, I thought of buying the eel, but I paused on my mind on cooking it. I have no clue on cooking eel. Like, “Do you think eel would be great for sinigang soup?” It sounds dangerous to me! Hehe! Let me know your thoughts on this! I love to see you laugh on my lines! It was definitely funny for me. If not, oh were gonna have a hard-, kidding!
Mission Updates: Zone P-Day!
• Zone P-Day!
Yes yes! Today, we’ll be having our Zone Activity. I know lucky we! I know and for sure some parts of the mission, may have asked for Zone Activities. I gotta say, the Zone Leader was good on asking. Kidding on there. It’ll definitely be a great activity, because Sister Lianto and Sister Rafon will be leaving soon. I might have to tell the rest of the event next week!
• Exchanges.
Sister Lianto and Sister Rafon will be ending their mission term on the 24th. My companion and I decided to surprise them on their last exchanges with us! I cooked alot until I realized I’m running out of support, kidding there! I never ran out of support in the mish, I haven’t. But! Going back, I love the outcome of our exchanges. We surprised them. We visited the Briones’ to meet their MTC Batchmate, Sister Susan Briones served in the Utah Salt Lake City South Mission. It was so funny, they thought we were visiting a Less-Active Member, but they were surprised to see her! Haha! I love it.
By the end of our exchanges. Sister Rafon and Sister Lianto was so grateful to have exchanges with us. They are the best of the best! I love them so much. I had a great time surprising them. I have to thank my companion, she agreed on my plans on our exchanges. It was an unforgettable experience.
• What else do you do?
This week, I focused on the Old Testament. Every day we are receiving, ‘Bible Scholars‘ and ‘Biblical Teachings.’ I honestly don’t know much about the, “Old Testament“, but it’s a good study goal. I had to understand the scriptures better and understand dispensation of the gospel. My companion and I were really challenged. We are not trying to impress everyone, but we really want to learn more of it too. It’ll be an added testimony for our experience. I hope to finish it by the end of my service.
I’ve been listening to podcast, alot! It took back my previous self driving around the road, listening to podcast. I enjoy listening to, “Extreme Genes.” I love it! Give it a listen, and you’ll experience listening to incredible experiences from different people! This also adds with your knowledge on, “Family History.”
Recommended: Please Listen to, “Latter Day Saint Women Podcast: Haidi Fajardo | We Are All Children of God.” It is a 30 minute audio stream. Give it a listen on, “The Saints App.”
Also, a few good looking pictures at the bottom, hehe. I think it’ll be better to see the goodness of our week too, and not crazier photos. I wish it was documented, just for you to watch but we ain’t live on, “The District Series.” Kidding! But, I hope it made your day and I made you laugh. I love to make you smile and read my crazy mi casa hermana experiences!
I hope you have a great week too! ♡
Love,
Sister Dilag
Sacramento • San Pablo
