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! I got a call back to San Pablo Zone and on my First Area, San Pablo 3A. I bet this email will be far more interesting, because the content of this is all about, “Miracles.” I do hope you find this entertaining as much as I do.
Lipa Zone: Members, Baptisms and District
But, before I jump into San Pablo Zone. I had to snuck in Lipa Zone, because I do love my previous area, Lipa 2, Lipa Zone.
I had the most incredible cycle in Lipa 2. I love my service on both the Area and Members. It is an incredible area, with monthly baptisms and great retention from Members and Investigators. We had a good amount of teaching appointments and teaching pools. We were able to set BGDs on the coming months ahead. It was a roller coaster ride, but it was all worth the mission experience.
I do missed my companion, Sister Estrella and the whole District and Zone, Darasa: Elder Laranjo (Zone Leader) and Elder Rivero (District Leader), Sto. Tomas: Sister Cusile (Sister Training Leader) and Sister Catacutan, Tanauan: Sister Madriaga (Sister Training Leader) and Sister Rio, Lipa 1 and Cuenca: Sister Rapanut and Sister Limnoan and Lipa 2: Sister Estrella and Sister Dilag. I had the best District!
For this month, September. We will be having two sets of BGDs, a family and two individuals. Both of them touched the very bottom of my heart. I was able to witness and teach conversion with them. It is hard typing down their names, I do want to witness their baptisms personally, but I got transferred quickly. It was indeed a great roller coaster experience on my previous area, with a short amount of time. It was the best time!
San Pablo Zone: Members and Service
I received a call from the Assistants and President Lohner. I will be returning back to San Pablo 3A, San Pablo Zone. Surprisingly, I got excited to go back. I packed my things and jump right into the carpool and drove back to my first area. I was picked up by President and Sister Lohner, and Elder and Sister Brown, along with Sister Pastores (she finished her mission).
As we were driving back to San Pablo City. It was a different level of feel, it is a feeling of ‘missed.’ I do missed my companion, area and the people I get in close with. You can tell, ‘another adjustment.’ Transfers are tough, and it is not easygoing. I bet some can get into the transferring, but I don’t. I think I will get along, as I get indulged on my current area.
Anyways, I came back and saw the apartment. I knew I’m home, back where I came from in the mission. I met my new companion, Sister Arbutante, she is the nicest person I ever met! I jumped and hugged Sister Guzman (my nanay), I loved and missed her so much! I am so happy she was able to finish her mission, happily and memorably!
We had pictures before the Mission Leaders and Departing Missionaries, depart on our Area. As I stepped down on the apartment, I asked my companion if we could pray together, we had our companionship prayer. Then, we started to talked almost everything out about ourselves to give a majority of heads up! We are getting along so well!
For almost a couple of weeks, we received miracles from time to time. It was amazing to see the hand of the Lord helping on our work and on the unique challenge were getting into. It was incredible.
Last Cycle, less than a three lessons discussed in a day, and right now we are on track for 6-8 lessons a day! We provided free reading of English and Tagalog, Book of Mormon Reading, for those cannot access Gospel Library Apps. We also provided service for anyone, “Find to Teach and Serve to Teach.” San Pablo was on Fire! We are working real hard to improve the Area!
Also, the Members of San Pablo 3, went enormously excited on my return! We had dinner appointments with them. Surprisingly, they would take us a ride to their home and eat whenever! We had appointments for their kids on their languages, pretty cool! We had permanent appointments too, it was even better! Unlike before, we would had to call and ask for FHEs, but currently it was blast of appointments!
It feels great to be back on my first area. I am giving it all on my current area, with tons of ideas to find New People and getting engaged with Members. It is a miracle to be back to San Pablo 3A. It is ‘rare’ for a missionary to be assigned back to their first area. I had, ‘unfinished business’ to do in this area. It is improving so much and miracles do happened! I love San Pablo 3A, San Pablo Zone.
Mission Updates: Teaching Appointments
Do you miss Lipa Zone?
I do missed Sister Estrella and the whole District and Zone, I bet they will do great. I will definitely missed Lipa 2, Lipa Zone. I will come back and visit the area. I had a good amount of good memories of the area. It was a great experience to witness my growth and ‘drastic change’ in the mission. It was an incredible roller coaster ride!
Are you getting along with your companion?
Yes! We do! Sister Arbutante is a trainee of Sister Keller and a Follow-Up Trainee of Sister Maningding and Sister Riparip. She is incredible! I love her humility and desire to serve the Lord. She is giving her all in the mission. I am currently helping on her language both in Tagalog and English, she is doing great! I am so happy to offer help to the best I can.
Have you ever thought of going back to San Pablo Zone?
Oh yes, I actually did. I send out an email regarding about Families. The night we were riding back to our apartments. Sister Limnoan and I talked endlessly about San Pablo 3, of every single person we taught and met. As we were discussing San Pablo 3, I will say I missed it, and I wished I could witness the growth and conversion of individuals we taught. Also, improve the area. Surprisingly, the following on Preparation Day I got a call from Elder Solis (Assistant), I am picking up and dropping off back to San Pablo 3. It was a coincidence!
Were you able to call and message the Ward on your return?
Definitely! They were surprised and happy as ever! I am so happy I got the chance to call and talk to them. Before I left to Lipa Zone, I didn’t got the chance to say my goodbyes with them, but I guess the Lord paused that chance, because I will be back in San Pablo 3. It was a coincidence!
Were you able to meet up with the Members?
We had dinner appointments, every week! It was crazy! It wasn’t like this before, lockdown was pretty bummed. Anyways, as I got to call them on my return the Members set up dinner appointments with us!
The San Pablo Stake President, President Guevara and his wife Sister Gigi set up daily dinner appointments with us! We will be teaching their kids on their language and enhance Sister Arbutante’s language barrier. We love them so much! We happened to received a message from, Elder Maligon of the Seventy, he will be setting up an appointment for us with the Maligons! Also, the Madriñan Family an incredible family in the ward, with weekly dinner appointments with them! So much more Families to mentioned, the Reyes Family too and many more! I love all of them!
Phew! This is the longest email, hehe. I bet you yawn and flicker, reading, kidding. I do hope you enjoy reading this. It is great to be back, with a new life ahead in the area.
Oh, I also learned this from Elder Primero, “It is not by coincidence, but a miracle!” I will update you by next week! Have a great week ahead! ♡
Love,
Sister Dilag
Sacramento • San Pablo
