Hello! This is Sister Dilag. I am currently serving in the Philippines San Pablo Mission, Lucena 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 a wonderful week. We do have limited visits to other places in our areas. We managed to work out with our Media Referral on our Area Book Planner. We had a baptism and much events happened! Hurrah!
Events: Media Referral & Studies
• Media Referral: Sister Hazielle Luna
I felt impressed to share an impressive and warm-felt experience with the Sister Hazielle Hong-Luna. She was a Media Referral on our Area Book and we decided to contact her over the phone call. We immediately received a response on the phone call. We had a good conversation and provided answers on her questions. Sister Hazielle felt excited to listen to the messages and she would like to know more about God through the Holy Scriptures. It was an impressive thought from her. We thought it would be nice to meet with her by the chapel and discuss relatively of the Bible and the Book of Mormon.
We booked on Thursday Afternoon. We invited our Ward Couple Missionaries, Sister Joy Lagado and Brother Marc Lagado in the Tayabas Ward to participate on our teaching. We headed to the chapel on the day of our appointment. We felt tense and hoped she would come over. We received a phone call and she was close to the chapel. We waited for her outside. As she came by to the chapel, we gave her a Chapel Tour. She immediately felt the ambiance of the Holy Ghost inside the Chapel. She started to cry and we conducted our First Discussion with her.
As we led the Discussion, my companion started to cry and Sister Hazielle cried too. Eventually our Ward Misssionary Couples cried too, they felt the spirit as they listened to my companion. She mentioned of the hand of God reaching to us despite of shortcomings, God loves us. She added a verse in the Book of Mormon on 3 Nephi 9:14,
“14 Yea, verily I say unto you, if ye will come unto me ye shall have eternal life. Behold, mine arm of mercy is extended towards you, and whosoever will come, him will I receive; and blessed are those who come unto me.”
It was hit on her, she felt the Spirit. Afterwards, the Ward Couple Missionaries, Brother Marc Lagado and Sister Joy Lagado shared their testimony of the Church and Restored Doctrine. It came in mind I felt prompted to provide a soft BGD invitation for her. Afterwards, we did! It was a pivotal moment for her and she exclaimed, “Yes!” My heart jumped with excitement for her, and we invited her to come over for a Baptismal Watch for Sister Fen Elises on Saturday Afternoon. It will be a cool opportunity for her to see the performed ordinance. Afterwards, we could teach her an in-depth lesson of the Restoration of Jesus Christ. I felt excited, not only to teach her, but to give her an opportunity to received those gifts and revelations from God. I know her life will be blessed and gradually receive those revelations for her family.
• Studies: Finding through Members.
I studied a recent talk from a recent Prophet, President Gordon B. Hinckley, “Find the Lambs, Feed my Sheep” (May 1999). I highlighted a statement from his talk stated: “The process of bringing new people into the Church is not the responsibility alone of the missionaries. They succeed best when members become the source from which new investigators are found.” As I studied and pondered on his talk, it felt more accurate to invite Members to invite others to Come Unto Christ. There is a pattern to this, Members have the opportunity to reach out others than Missionaries can. Missionaries were set apart and given the authority to teach the Doctrine on Discussions. It clearly stated, ‘…they succeed best when members become the source from which new investigators are found…” Members are the key to Finding!
I had a previous experience last week, we contacted a referral from a Member, she was in different ward in our Stake. The Member found a family on her former area, and she thought it would be best to refer it to the Missionaries. She send out a text and called us right away! She had numerous phone calls with us and asking a bunch of questions to our contact with them. We abruptly say, “No, we could not teach them, because of time.” Shortly after, she called us again, “Sisters, I think he needs to listen to the Messages, please contact him.” Immediately, I felt more eerie, but I felt I need to be sensitive on the referral she referred.
We contact the referral, and surprisingly we received a response from them, “Hey Sisters, it’s been a while I apologize for not accepting your phonecalls. I had a difficult time dealing family. I couldn’t get you in it, but I would love to hear the messages from you.” I felt more like to be hit by a truck. I felt guilty for getting into the thought of not contacting the person right away, or be patient to him. I jump into conclusions, and just a thought of God’s time.
More likely, we should not justify on our thoughts. Instead, take a few pauses and think of the persons’ time. Sounds hopeful, it does. I never felt in line in the mission to be hopeful for those we contacted. I felt more into the excitement of sharing the Gospel to them.
Eventually, we had a lesson with them. We taught them the Atonement of Jesus Christ. We thought it would be applicable to them, and the message let them feel the Spirit. They would like to listen more and understand the lessons taught to them. It was exciting to see their progress and commiting to listen more. I think the Spirit kicked us to listen to the Member and somehow led us to a blessing!
Mission Updates: Challenges
• Challenges: Sister Hazielle Luna
No, I cannot tell my challenges on the mission. I had a few challenges, but I would like to share a challenging trial from our Media Referral, Sister Hazielle Hong-Luna. After our discussion with her, we received a phone call and message of her in the Hospital, her husband had a terrible heart attack. We were surprised, and we felt it was challenging for her. Despite of her desire to attend baptism on Saturday, she had to adjust and postponed to watch.
During our phone call with her, she felt challenged and agonized on the pain of her husband. Our conversation was hopeful, she added a few lines, “I can do this, I have to trust God if it be his will, then let it be. I will take it, even though it crushed the peak of my spine.” On my thought right there I felt, “Dang, I couldn’t be certain of this, but she is so humble.” Just a thought came in there, really hit like a truck.
We offered her a prayer of comfort and soon after discussed the accident to the Ward. The Members approached her and contacted her. Surprisingly, they do not know our referral which was cool. Afterwards on Sunday, she attended Sunday Devotional via Zoom. It was great to see her attending Relief Society Class, she was welcomed by some of the Sisters in the Ward. They shared some verses in the Scriptures and other Commentaries from the Apostles and Prophets. It was fascinating to listen to them.
After class, Sister Luna hit us for a phone call and immediately she said to us, “Sisters, I want to be baptized, how long will I take the sessions? When will I be baptized with my family?” I was smiling ever so, I never thought her time would come. We explained the lessons and schedules for her to finish and she might have the chance to be baptized by next month. I hope it will come. It will take time for her to get into the Lesson and full attention to the Commitments given to her. I think she’ll be an outstanding!
• Baptism: Sister Fen Elises
We had a baptism on the 24th of April. Sister Fen Elises by the age of 13th, performed the ordinance of Baptism by Brother Shazer Ambas and Confirmed by Bishop Ahries Lorca, Brother Adrian Sambajon and Brother Shazer Ambas . It was a great watch to witness her baptism and her conversion. I was impressed on her testimony and her desire to learn more of the Church. The attendance of her baptism was worth the wait. Some of the Members’ were excited for her to come to church and participate to online activities for the ward.
I felt an ‘awe‘ moment from her. I learned to listen and to be patient with her studying. I could remember before she could not answer our questions or commit to read the Book of Mormon, but with continous teaching with her and pushing her desire to keep up to the lessons. She felt more comfortable to the Church and desire to learn more of the teachings. We are so grateful for the Members and for their participation to help her progress through the Gospel. Oh I forgot to add up to this email. Awesome thanks to the amazing Ward Mission Leader of Tayabas, Brother Leon Ambas Jr., he is awesome! He did a wonderful job managing the program. We had the Limyocos‘ performed a musical number, the Ellas‘ send out food with their famous ‘halo-halo’ and much of the attendance out there. It is the key to happiness! I had charity for others to feel the same way as she did.
• Good News: Transfers
I couldn’t think of a good title, but we will be having transfers on the 28th of April. We received an update from President Lohner. Sister Guarde will be transferring to Candelaria and stepped down as a Trainer before she’ll end her term. She will be training a brand new missionary in the mission! I will be staying in Tayabas, and continue to be a Sister Training Leader. I will be leading Sariaya, Tayabas and Lucena Areas with Sister Villacanas.
I will miss Sister Guarde. She is the best of the best! I grew to learn and love her during our stay in Tayabas. We had the craziest moments, of pranking and crack up jokes with Missionaries (kidding). But, we soar high and trying our best to work hard for our areas and for the Zone. I love her so much!
This is all I could share. More to next week!
Love,
Sister Dilag
