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 got transferred to Lucena Zone! I will be working closely with a Senior Companion and holding three areas: Tayabas, Lucena and Sariaya. It sounds surprising! I would like to share my experiences with you.
Events: Best Experiences
You bet! I will share some of the main points of the week. I bet you’ll be surprised, and perhaps interested to visualize the crazy experiences.
• Transfer Call: Quezon Province
On the 21st, I received a phone call from my Mission President, President Lohner. He addresed some of the changes in the mission, and added my transfer to Quezon Province. My immediate reaction was surprised, I never thought I will be transferring soon. I felt sad, leaving closely to 20 Potential BGDs for Batangas. I couldn’t witnessed the Baptisms upclose, it was a tap-in-the-bottle to get into the conversion of others. I thought I will be staying longer with Sister Catacutan, she is the closest companion. We worked hard for our areas from scorching hot sun to uphills and downhills.
It was crazy shots for us, but I will definitely miss Batangas Zone (the best zone). I had the greatest time serving with the greatest missionaries: Elder Cauilan, Elder Nisperos (Batangas 2), Elder Gamas, Elder Alpay (San Jose), Sister Ancheta, Sister Badajos, Sister Diaz (Batangas 1), Sister Magno, Sister Abiera (Rosario), Sister Catacutan and I (Bauan). They are the best of the best. I grew to learn and love them, despite of differences it has been incredible to be with them!
On the 22nd, I packed everything on box and suitcases. I had 5 boxes, it seems many. I don’t know where the other stuff came from. Hehe. Anyways, I got picked up by Brother Allan. He is the best! I get to know him and his family on my previous services to San Pablo Zone. It was so good to see him. He dropped off Sister Diaz, she will be working closely with my former companion, Sister Catacutan. I got into the van and talked to Sister Guarde. She is the sweetest and the greatest missionary! We get along very much!
Afterwards, we travelled to other places in Batangas to Rosario, San Juan, Tiaong, Candelaria, Guis-Guis and many more places. It was an exploration moment for Sister Guarde to see other parts of Batangas Zone and I get the chance to see other areas of Lucena Zone. It was the best! We flicked and clicked together!
• Travel: Tayabas and Lucena
On the 23rd, I had the opportunity to work with Sister Guarde and we visited a few members of Tayabas Ward and slowly with Lucena 2nd Ward. Our travels on both areas were not too far and not too near, it was an-okay travel. I love the landscape of Tayabas, it has rice fields and farming. I never get to see farming in the mission, and we live near at Mt. Banahaw (an inactive Volcano). It is a city, but not congested. We get to travel to Lucena, very congested and it is a city! It feels great to see other places of Lucena, there are some Subdivision Areas (good-looking housing) and other congested buildings. It feels cool to see interesting places!
• Teaching: Mountains & Rice Fields
On the 27th, we head out to find other people for our Teaching Pool. We figure out, it would be nice to have some improvement for our area. We asked for Members’ help to find others. We received a referral from a Member Family to teach a Former Investigator, Sister Kheysie. She was taught for two years, and surprisingly her Baptism got postponed multiple times.
We get to walk forward to Ipilan, somewhere part of Mt. Banahaw. We get to meet her in person, and she was surprised! We invited a good amount of Members (not too many) to work with us. We get to know her and start a good conversation with her. She start to share her experiences with the Missionaries and she felt impressed to make a covenant with God by being baptized. We start up with the lesson, and the lesson went smoothly. We start to feel the Spirit kicking us to extend a Baptismal Invitation. We asked her to be Baptized for a couple months passed. She answered, “Yes!” It was incredible! We had a fun time with her and with the Members.
Another walk to Ilayan Ipilan, now this is very interesting. It was my first time. I was not informed on our walk towards to an Investigator Home. We walked through the Rice Fields, and it tooks us an hour to get to the house. We went through the ‘muddiest‘ parts of the area. I had a fun time, and I chuckle a few times on my walk. I stepped on mud and soaked my feet on fields. It feels remarkable to experience these. I was not informed there will be other creatures like snakes. There were no snakes during our walk! Hehe.
We head to the Investigators’ Home, it was made in Bamboo and it looks really nice. It was the only house standing and the surroundings were all Coconuts and Rice Fields. We had a lesson on the Atonement, and extending a BGD for them was a, “No.” They were not open to perform the ordinance of Baptism. We had to drop them, and it was sad because they were hard on us. I think the other Missionaries will teach them soon.
• Meetings: Other Meetings
On the 24th, we had our District Council Meeting. It was my first Meeting with Lucena Zone, with the presence of Sister Lohner and other Young Members of the Lucena Zone. It was fun to see everyone participating on our Meeting. We mentioned on Key Indicators and our Young Members, start to set up Goals and Plans and it was fun to listen to their suggestions. They have the desire to serve others and find ways to reach out, it was so sweet of them!
It feels great to meet the Missionaries of Lucena Zone: Elder Cabuyaban, Elder Rolloque (Lucena 3), Elder Enriquez, Elder Socorro (Barra), Elder Namoro, Elder Raguinan (Lucban), Sister Villacanas, Sister Mirandilla (Candelaria), Sister Guarde and I (Tayabas). I start to love them, and I hope to have a good relationship with them. I am excited to grow and learn from them.
Additionally, we had other meetings with the Tayabas Ward. The ward conducted a good meeting on focusing Key Indicators for the next cycle. It was incredible to witness the Members’ act to participate on the church, without Pride or anything. They are so, “Humble.” It is a good quality of any Member, understanding others’ opinion and somehow make it easier to act on the Goals and Plans set for the ward. I hope to see other Meetings conduct by the coming weeks!
Mission Updates: Best People
• Companion
I had an incredible time with Sister Guarde! She is my favorite companion. We automatically clicked, we get to know each other better. We had a fun time working and finding other people to teach. I had the chance to get to know her better and finding the best approaches to feel good and comfortable. I love her so much!
I think the best thing I get to practice with her were studying. I seemed to forget my studies in the mission. During my stay in Batangas, I do not get the enough study I need, because we had no time to study because we had much to teach. I am currently studying and create meaningful habits to get into the study habit. I love her! She is the best!
• Tayabas Ward
I got to meet a few cool Members this week! I met the Ambas’ they are the best and hits joke without exagerrating. I had lunch with the Lorcas’ they are the coolest leaders, Bishop Lorca happens to be the Bishop in the Ward and his wife works in Seminary. I met the funniest family too the Lagados’, they are the best in the best way! Brother Marcey is the funniest! I laughed at him and he served in the California San Francisco Mission. I get to see cool pictures and the best experiences. He speaks different languages too! I get to talk on video with the Suaybaguios’ they are not from my area, but on my zone. Somehow, we get to meet up near Lucena, they are my parents’ closest friends. I hope to see them soon! I had to say this is the coolest experience!
I would love to say much, but I realized it gets longer. Hehe. I will share some next week!
Love,
Sister Dilag
