Hello! This is Sister Dilag. I am currently serving in the Philippines San Pablo Mission, Batangas 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 had an amazing week of experiences and challenges in the mission. I hope you get into the digging part of this email!
Events: New Opportunities & New People
Interesting vast things happened in Bauan. As we come up with new ideas to help the area progress. We see vast things starting to appear on our work. We see climbing action for the Members and Auxiliaries. For the passed few weeks we had to go through rough challenges. I find this work to be a test of faith through constant prayers and fasting. It made it possible for the area improve.
• Exchanges: New Opportunities
Quick Story: During my exchanges with Sister Abiera. I had this interesting idea to look on our Area Book Planner and find other Members in the Ward. It came into mind, because the Members did not show up during Sundays. We accumulate a few drop pins on map, and we follow the map to meet others. It was fascinating! Sister Abiera and I were astonished to meet others, visit interesting areas and realizing it was the Spirit. I felt a strong impression on the Spirit; whatever idea comes in mind, do it! It is an inspiration from the Spirit, and to find it out if it be true; inquire to the Lord and do it by action.
The New Opportunities given to us was finding on drop pins to meet other Members with other Potential Families to teach. It will somehow motivate to look around the area and feel excited to meet others wanting to learn more of the Gospel. It is a great opportunity to make time even better and track down immediately the needs of every family.
I felt impressed to add up to give them challenges to find it out to themselves. We gave them Book of Mormon Trackers to track down on their reading. We challenge them to remember their promises like, praying thrice a day and track them down. This helps them to create a habit and enable them to see blessings of keeping commitments. It was a smart! I think this should be explained thoroughly and understood by a family.
• Finding: New People
Quick Story: A few weeks ago, our Key Indicators for New People were not increasing. The numbers were the same as ever and we couldn’t go up high. There were days it would decrease and end up nothing. It was disappointing. We tried multiple of ideas to get people coming over to the pool, but it turns out there were not interested. It was my first time to feel discouraged on the work, but somehow it made it possible to planned out a new set up.
We decided to plan out for the upcoming weeks of the cycle. It was a long plan and it couldn’t be done. So we had to take turns on our back-up plans such as finding methods, approaches and other coordination. We had our inventory on the approach on using Media Referrals and OYMs outside the area. Both of these approaches were great, but somehow not great on our area. We had to come up with another strategy to contact our BGDs and create friendly conversations to connect with their friends. We realized it was a good strategy and we start to see improvement on our approaches.
I was so happy to look over to our Key Indicators, it went high as it was before. We looked over on our insights (it’s a graph) and it was impressive to see our improvement on finding New People. We are happy to see Heavenly Father’s hand to us. I bet he saw our hard work and grabbing every opportunity to help Bauan.
I realized a very important principle, “Humility.” I had instances where I felt the need to kneel down and pray specifically for guidance and direction to our work. There were rough weeks, where I felt (with my companion) of holding fast. It felt something. A feeling of hope coming over our week.
Mission Updates: Sharing
• Interviews with President Lohner
On the 3rd, we had our interviews with President and Sister Lohner. It became meaningful. It was my first time to have an in-person with President Lohner and it feels great to receive a blessing from him. It was a good experience to talk to Sister Lohner and share some of the experiences. Interviews are great! I appreciate it every time, it is an opportunity to share and listen to councils from them.
• Rising Temperature
This week was the scorching hot! It gets hotter in Bauan, with all the travelling and walking I realized I am getting the sun tan on my skin. I guess it’s a sign of, hard work? Kidding! Hehe. I am laughing as I am typing this, I realized the mission is so fun, with great unexpected events. I am looking forward for the rest of events.
We had a few meetings on our Facebook Page, we discussed ways and approaches to make our content more exciting and uplifting for others to see. We look over on our insights, and we are quite challenge on the posting. We come up with sort of ideas, until we came into a good idea for the coming weeks ahead. I think it’ll be simple for you to see. It is not as big, but just the right amount of content for others to see.
To find out more visit: Come Unto Christ in Lipa and Batangas.
Thank you for reading! See you in a bit! ♡
Love,
Sister Dilag
