8 months! I have personally learned so much as I take a minute to look back over the past year or so.. I really just feel so blessed to have this opportunity to serve here in the Angeles Mission in the Philippines. Sometimes it seems like a lot of work, which it is because we go all day long almost every single day. Even at the end of the day there are more things we could have accomplished and someone we could have reached out to - but most of the time it is just a wonderful way to spend life. I think the reason we don't get too worn out is because of the huge variety of things to do that we have to do, or get to do. Michael has emails to read each Monday - and really into Tuesday, so that gives me time to connect with family and friends at home. I love it when he shares with me some of the miracles that the missionaries share with him. Also it feels good when he tells me when some of the missionaries tell me hello or say thank you. I know it is petty on my part - but sometimes hearing a thank you can be just the boost I need. I did a short training on gratitude and I have heard a lot of missionaries express more gratitude lately. Also I can do some shopping and cleaning on Mondays. We love to get in some extra exercise time on Mondays. My exercise is mostly walking or riding my missionary bike in the neighborhood, or doing my exercise bike in the mission home. I have also tried some weights, usually with a video on YouTube. We enjoyed hiking last p-day. But boy were we sore the next day. In fact I laughed so hard watching Michael try and walk down the stairs.
Oh the hike to Arayat. It was steep. But it felt so good. We enjoyed being outside in the beautiful landscape. We enjoyed working hard. We also enjoyed interacting with 4 of our missionaries. I told M that those missionaries learned more than just how to climb a mountain. It felt like a good learning experience for all of us. Climbing mountains has always been a good analogy for our life together. One of the best parts of this mission is doing it together with Michael. We get to laugh together. We get to cry together. We get to experience spending so much time together. It has been awesome. I know that we both have to continue being patient with each other, but the Lord is really blessing both of us - or at least I can say that He has blessed me with an understanding that could only come from spiritual eyes and a soft heart.
How I feel about the Savior Jesus Christ has changed and deepened the past year. I love what I have felt and what I have learned. But getting that knowledge has not come without a price. It's the really hard times that have driven me to my knees in prayer. It's the hard that has made my fasting more meaningful and tender. Knowing about the challenges of our missionaries has also given me more empathy and love for each of them. Some of our missionaries thank Heavenly Father in the trials that they receive. I have never really wanted to thank Heavenly Father for the hard things and I have definitely never prayed for trials. I guess because that would really scare me. But I do know in my heart that it is during the trials of life that I cry out in more faith to my Heavenly Father. I testify that Jesus Christ lives and that He loves each of us. I have really felt like the answer is always Jesus Christ - just like President Nelson reminded us was it just the last general conference?
It really is just so much fun to be with missionaries. I love it when we get to interact with them. Zone Conferences are always inspiring. The missionaries really love being together. It is always amazing to see what is planned at the Mission Leadership Council by the Sister Training Leaders & the Zone Leaders come to fruition. At MLC we usually start off with what is going well in our mission. That's the fun part! Then we talk about what we need to be doing better. After that list is made we can figure out the best place to address those concerns - zone conference, district council meetings, short training (our Friday Zoom meetings) or by other means.
Sister Connie is helpful. She comes in 3 afternoon's a week. She does the laundry. She will buy fruits and vegetables at the market when I leave money with her and then she will prepare them for us. She usually buys bananas, apples, asian pears, mangos, papaya, melon (I love the golden watermelon) and sometimes some unique Filipino Prutas. I also love broccoli and cauliflower that she par-boils and I roast in our airfryer. But she also prepares corn, beans and carrots. Oh and something called sagot - kind of a potato thing, but not really. We miss potatoes. I can buy them at S&R and usually do so. She also does a little cleaning - emphasis on the little. It's ok, I can usually do a bit of it myself on Monday's while Michael is reading emails from the missionaries.
Hopefully that gives you a little insight into our life here as mission leaders and also about some of the feelings of my heart.
Love YOU!
MOM
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