Hello! This is Sister Dilag. I am currently serving in the Philippines San Pablo Mission, San Pablo Zone.
I will give you weekly updates on my current mission. I will also attach interesting attachments! I hope this finds you entertaining!
Heads up! I am changing the format a bit of this email. I thought it would be a great kick-off to talk about my working experience in the mission. I had to put it into categorized sections: Reports, Studies and Mission Updates.
Report: Teaching Appointments
On the 12th, we had the greatest opportunity to travel to Sta. Filomena which is an hour drive to our Apartment. It was a huge blessing, we got to see a different sideview of our city area. I’ll give you some of the best events happened:
• Pullo Family
The Pullos are closely members of the Church, meaning half of them are Members and a few are not. This family lived simply, they owned a land of Coconuts and Rambutans. For much of their time, they plants, harvest and sell to earn support for their family. To give a background of them, they come from a family of a bunch (8) and they live in a compound relative.
Quick Story: We decided to surprise the Pullo Family. We did not get the chance to visit them for closely a month, due to travel restrictions, but we received an update on our travel plans and surprisingly we can travel farther! We commute to their area, it’s a half an hour to get to there, and commute again to their road to visit their house. As we got to their compound, we waved and shouted, “Tao po! Hello po!” The Family was surprised and waved back, welcoming us to their compound. It was great to see them!
As we got to their compound, we couldn’t help but to visit a few of their nearby homes. We were excited to meet and see, Sister Relen and Brother Richard Former Investigators (Part-Members). They were taught by the missionaries long before, and attempted few times on their commitment to baptism. It kept postponing because of their current situations, they need to get married, before getting baptized. It was challenging to invite their live-in partners, they had the busiest jobs. We are hoping to find a way to get them into the lessons.
Despite of our, ‘Kumusta Efforts.’ We saw Sister Relen, we waved so happily, but ignored our waved and couldn’t looked at us. She was busy doing her laundry. We attempted to visit her house to meet her kids and asked if we could talk to her personally about her interest on the discussions. We received a sad update, she wasn’t ready and would wait for a year to get into the discussions. We were sad, and headed to the next house near hers. We, ‘Tao po-ed‘ Brother Richard’s House, and with all our efforts on greeting him, he did not respond. We went back to the Pullos’ house, and gathered our thoughts.
We looked at the bright side, “Maybe it wasn’t their time and probably it wasn’t our time to teach them.” So I thought it was okay, I know a batch of missionaries will teach them. It was okay to see it coming.
Surprisingly, Brother Richard came out, went to us and greeted us with a warm smile. He gave us a big Melon, it looks like a coconut. I thought it was, and funny I thought of it. Tatay Pullo came over too! He gave us Coconuts, he asked if we can slice Coconuts. I got excited. I did and it turned out good. Try to imagine a beginner slicing coconuts, funny. Hehe. I had a great experience.
After slicing coconuts, we asked the family if we could share a message with them. The family hesitated, “Yes!” And, we went inside to their house and talked with the family, along with Brother Richard. We had a discussion about the Prophet Russell M. Nelson, and testifying as a Living Prophet of our time. We provided a video reference on, “The Message of Gratitude.” They weren’t able to watch it, it was a great timing to let them watch it. As we watched the 11 minute video, they felt peace and comfort to the Prophet’s message. The Pullos’ had good comments on the Prophet Russell M. Nelson.
I couldn’t remember the words they said, but I felt comforted to hear those comments on them. It added their knowledge on the Prophet, and felt greater peace of the Prophetic voice. They love it and I love to watch them loving the Prophet.
We ended up with a Prayer and asked Tatay Pullo to help us navigate Less-Active Members in the Ward on the area. Tatay Pullo got excited, prepared himself and worked with us!
• Punzalan Family
The Punzalans’ are former Members of the Church. They’ve come to a family of some, they were active but some part of the years went by, they stopped attending church, due to their job travels. They travel back and forth to Manila and to San Pablo.
Quick Story: We headed to the Punzalan Family. It was a rough road to their house. We walk towards a small road and rocky ones too. It was tough, but it was worth to see them. As we were walking, a thought came into my mind, “If you love them, find a way to meet them!” I got excited as the thought came into me. We walk with excitement and the closer we get, we went to their house. It was a cement house, it wasn’t fully build, but it was enough for them to fit.
Sister Elvie, happened to be our contacted person for a few days. She was happy to see us, and admittedly told her misses of the missionaries coming over to their house. She talks a bunch, the funniest and best experiences she had with the American Missionaries. Oh, she missed them. Brother Galie came into the house too, he was surprised and he missed missionaries! I was awed to see them, and representing those former missionaries to them. I think it was timely for them to talk and meet us!
We got the chance to get to know them, a bit of their background, and they introduced their son to us, Adrian Punzalan (14). He was formerly taught by the missionaries, and extended an invitation for his baptism, but his baptism got postponed many times. As they were explaining, I kinda get their point, because the former missionaries left, and they want the former missionaries to witness his baptism.
We were awed of their strong relationship with the missionaries. I was sad to hear it and with sudden joy to keep them accompanied! We start with an invitation to share a message with them. We talk about Prophet Russell M. Nelson (again, to the Pullos’). We showed the 11 minute video, and they were able to gather their thoughts and share it with us. It was remarkable to hear their answers. It was exciting to see Adrian, coming over to listen to the messages. We are impressed to their answers, it was same as to the Pullos. I honestly felt good on their answers, because I felt peace, it gave a sudden smile for me.
We left and booked an appointment for the upcoming week! It was great, we left them a reading assignment. I hope they commit on reading it, I bookmarked Mosiah 14. It is a visualization of the Savior’s Sacrifice, give it a read!
• Pandiño Family
The Pandiños are former Members of the Church. They got baptized a few years ago, 2016. They were preparing for their sealing on the Temple, but got postponed a few times. We happened to have their daughter to be our BGD for next year, Sister Kate.
Quick Story: We headed to the Pandiños. We got excited! The hard part of our travels was their home owned dog. Tatay Pullo is scared of the dog, because it bites and sniffs aggressively. I too was scared, but my hesitation to see them, went over my patience, we scared the dog too, and it ran away! Haha, it was a funny experience, Tatay laughed with us!
We saw the Pandiños and waved at them with excitement. They were surprised and hesistated to let us in to their home. It was our greatest joy to meet and see them. It was welcoming, they let us in and invited a few of Sister Kate’s friends to her home, and to listen to Missionaries. It was great timing too.
We talk a bunch and as we got into the conversation, we asked a few questions on their concern (if there is any). It went silent for a few minutes, and I felt bad at that point, because I was thinking I could asked the wrong question, or it wasn’t exactly as understood. Oh geez, it was in my head of worries. But! Sister Pandiño replied back, she had doubts of the Book of Mormon to be a Word of God. She added her former religion and it did affected her much. I felt sad, while listening to her. I could tell it to her eyes and facial expression, it must be hard to understand.
We felt prompted to talk about the “Book of Mormon”, but we changed it and talked about, “Endure to the End.” We weren’t prepared to talk about the Book of Mormon to her, and my companion wasn’t too. I forgot to bring my Old Testament and I couldn’t teach the lessons without my added scripture resource. We taught the last principle, because it was the last principle to be taught to Sister Kate for her baptism. It was all good. I know the Spirit is the guide and it will testify the truthfulness of the message brought to them.
As we were talking to them, it felt lighter. I quickly observe Sister Pandiño and she felt good listening to the message. I felt good to see her face lighten up. We ended the discussion, and booked an appointment with them next week.
Studies: Missionary Work is the Lifeblood of the Church
On the 11th, I had a great study topic on, “Missionary Work Is the Lifeblood of the Church, by Elder H. Verlan Andersen.“
“There is an aspect of missionary work upon which I would like to comment briefly, and that is the joy which comes to those who engage in it.
The Book of Mormon sums up the whole purpose of existence in this short sentence: “Men are, that they might have joy” (2 Ne. 2:25).
If joy is the supreme goal of life, then everyone should be intensely interested in how it may be obtained. We should be equally concerned about how we may avoid its opposite, misery. These vital topics are discussed and illustrated in the Book of Mormon, and the information concerning them is directly related to missionary work. The book tells us that those who completely devote their lives to the task of spreading the gospel experience exquisite joy, while those who oppose it and seek to promulgate falsehood suffer a misery equally intense.”
Mission Updates: Added up.
I thought of not adding questions here, but I have an update on a few weeks up coming on our transfer, the missionaries will be ending their term. For now Elder Solis (Batangas Zone), Elder Jamorol (Lucena Zone), Sister Montevirgen (Cabuyao Zone) and Sister Mara (Sta. Cruz Zone) will be leaving soon. It was too sad to see them leave, but with great joy ending their mission term, honorably!
Sister Mara transferred to San Pablo Zone, San Pablo 1 with Sister Ocfemia and Sister Liam, but she stepped down as a regular missionary, because she’ll be leaving soon. I had a great time with her on videocalls, she is fun to be with, and I love her!
Despite the sad news and the good news of it. I don’t know if the original assigned Missionaries will be coming over to the mission. It is tough to figure out possible ways and listen to rumors, but I do hope they come to their original assignment. It is hard to be serving not on your assigned labor, the blessing to be called on your assigned labor will be a great blessing.
I got a phone call on my Mission President, I’m not going to my original assigned labor, I am sad to hear this, but I know God provided time, I may not be able to serve on my original assigned labor, but I have been helping and serving the mission of the best capacity.
It gets way longer, but thank you. I apologize for not responding back on your emails, I had a technical difficulty on my email system, but throughout this week, I will try my best to read it. I hope this made your day!
Love,
Sister Dilag
