November 18, 2013

family!!

Thank you so much for your emails! LOVE getting them. Especially when there are pictures. Thank you! it sounds like you're all alive and doing well-that's what is important! 

So sorry last week if my email seemed depressive. I was so distressed about all that happened with the storm. Looking back I'm sort of amazed at how badly that storm affected me mentally and emotionally. But seriously. I felt like I had lost so many of my brothers and sisters and it broke my heart. I did loose so many of my Filipino brothers and sisters. My Nanay-Sister Frejas. I haven't yet had communication with her since she's gone home but she's from Bicol and they say the storm wasn't too bad there but just the not knowing how she is.. .it's hard. I feel like she's fine though with her family and I'm trusting that's the Spirit letting me know she's fine so no worries. Check it out though-the Lord has a plan for each of His children. That is something that I've learned and gained an incredible testimony. No matter what happens to you, me, or to these sweet sweet people here in the Philippines; our Heavenly Father is mindful of each and every one of us. 

So because they have taken all the missionaries out of the Tacloban mission... we have 15 new missionaries from the Tacloban mission here in our mission! They came in this morning. Hearing some of their stories... even though we didn't really have any time to talk to them, they just kept saying over and over again how many miracles they witnessed. One Elder was saying that in many areas every apartment, building, etc. was flattened except for the missionaries' apartment. They said that they evacuated to Manila and were chilling in the MTC for about a week before they decided to do with them. After the storm though they had area representatives coming and looking for all the missionaries. It was harder in some areas as they had no cell phone service, etc but all were found. So the missionaries until they had contact with the area representatives just did service as much as they could all around them. I pray these 15 new missionaries from Tacloban will feel welcome in our mission! 

This weekend we had 2 baptisms! Sister Arizza and Sister Kristaleen-2 Young Women! They have been taught by the missionaries for forever and they've finally been baptized! The best part about it was that their mom's came to watch them get baptized! The mom of Sister Arizza is a non-member and the mom of Sister Kirstalleen is a less active who hasn't been to church since she's been baptized like 10 years ago. It was so great! the mom of Sister Kristaleen also came to church to see her daughter get the Holy Ghost. SOO exciting! This week we also had 5 less actives officially return to church!!! Soooo exciting! That's the most I've ever seen return in one Sunday! Sooo exciting! We are having so many less actives return. it's so great. I love watching the light that comes from living the gospel return to their eyes, their countenance change. It's inspiring. I love it. Ah man. This gospel changes people's lives. Watching people come closer to Christ-it's amazing. I love it. I'm so blessed to be a missionary!!! If anybody is on the line of 'should I serve a mission or not?" i vote go! do it! It is so rewarding. So many blessings. You won't regret it I promise. Ya it's hard. ha ha wow yes it is hard. but soooo rewarding. all the hard times, there are a million good times that make up for all the bad. So rewarding serving the Lord. I love it and I want to do it for my whole life.

Well that's about it folks. I love you. Wow yep I love you so much. This storm, just I don't know, knowing that you're all alive is so comforting. Even if you were sick-knowing that you're alive yep it's a blessing. Some things in life matter and some things don't. What to eat for breakfast, what to wear to school, things like that are not as important as family. And what a blessing we have that sort of choice! What a blessing that we have the choice of different clothes to choose from, we have different cereals to choose from every morning for breakfast. Little things like that-we're incredibly, incredibly blessed.

Mahal ko kayo! Stay strong. Do what you know you should. Fulfill your calling! Go to all 3 hours of church. Say your prayers. Read your scriptures EVERYDAY, especially the Book of Mormon. Serve your family. Serve your friends, serve those around you. Say kind things to each other. Remember nobody is perfect including yourself-so be kind to those who are trying their best. We're all doing the best we know how to so be patient with one another.

love you!!!

Love, Sister Davidson :)

Pictures!

1. Some kittens that live in our back porch. This picture is more for those animal lovers-ahem Darla. :)

2. It was Sister Amber's birthday! We were invited to eat some delicious food at their house and we hope they will let us come back and teach them! They are so kind! Sister Amber is an investigator and her grandpa is a recently returned less active!

3. Tatay and Nanay Sicam!! These 2 adorable people are less actives who are on their way to returning back to church! This is their adorable granddaughter who they take care of and who is sooo cute! 

4. Sister Kristaleen and Sister Arizza on their baptism day!!!

5. Their families who came to support!!! SOOO exciting!!!

1. Wacky!

2. Chicken feet.... mmm!! ha ha actually I didn't really want to try it. But they all say it's delicious! So you can guess what I did. :)

3. Pero first high five. Also this is Nanay Wy! She is like our nanay here we love her soo much!

4. boom!

5. Yep did that. Ha ha okay it just tastes like chicken. naturally as it is a chicken foot.  

 1. This morning we went to the Stake Center to pack clothes to send to Tacloban!

2. more packing!

3. even more packing! it was sooooo fun to see some of the ward members from Ward 3 and Ward 1 again!!! as in soooo much fun! I miss them so much and I just want to visit them all over again! ah man they're great. 

4. We're missionaries and we love to serve!!

That's all folks! love love love you all so much! Keep doing what you know you ought to. Fear God more than you fear men. Keep these sweet, sweet people in your prayers. love you!!!