2015 - the year that changed my life entirely.‏

Family Friends,

To say the Lord's blessing has been abundently upon me is an understatement.

Thank you so much for all the birthday, Christmas, and New Year wishes. 

Praise God that Legazpi's condition is just fine as a result from that scary typhoon.

Every single day this week Sister Wilkins and I have been in great company with investigators, our mission president and wife, zone mates, and our beloved couple missionary from England, Elder and Sister Mulligan. 

And of course skyping my family was the sweetest Christmas present the Lord provided me with. Even sweeter than the Ghirardelli Mama Minson sent me. 

Fred passed his baptismal interview this Sunday and is so excited to be baptized on Saturday, the second of January. Perfect start to a new year. 

Well, speaking of a New Year, I'm currently reflecting upon the year of 2015.

This year I will cherish forever.

This was the year that I've dedicated entirely for the Lord and have witnessed the hardest challenges of my entire life as well as the sweetest miracles this life has to offer me. 

My family has faced some of the hardest challenges of their lives (Mike I'm not kidding when I say that I'm so grateful you are still alive, lol. And yes Jeremy, your new leg looks great. Also Mom M, your arm looks brand new. Almost as new as your new car.  As well as the sweetest miracles (BABY HAZEL and her beautiful blue eyes.)

I think if I were to sum up the biggest blessing that God has graced me with thus far, in which I am no where done mastering is how He taught me how to love all over again and helping me understanding the true meaning of Christianity. 

In Jeffrey R Holland’s talk “Are we not all beggars?” he says,

“A journalist once questioned Mother Teresa of Calcutta about her hopeless task of rescuing the destitute in that city. He said that, statistically speaking, she was accomplishing absolutely nothing. This remarkable little woman shot back that her work was about love, not statistics. Notwithstanding the staggering number beyond her reach, she said she could keep the commandment to love God and her neighbor by serving those within her reach with whatever resources she had. “What we do is nothing but a drop in the ocean,” she would say on another occasion. “But if we didn’t do it, the ocean would be one drop less [than it is].” Soberly, the journalist concluded that Christianity is obviously not a statistical endeavor. He reasoned that if there would be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over the ninety and nine who need no repentance, then apparently God is not overly preoccupied with percentages.” 

When hearing this conference talk again today, I thought to myself that this is exactly the way I’ve felt this entire year. My whole life, I’ve allowed myself to believe that results always measured success and that little efforts to help others had little value because how small the part is in relation what could potentially happen. 

But that’s not true at all.

The essence of the gospel of Jesus Christ and of true Christianity is love.

Love without guile.

Love without thought of compensation.

Love to trust enough that the Savior’s grace is sufficient for all broken hearts.

Love that longs for the happiness of others.

Love without selfish intentions. 

Love that suffers long, that is diligent, kind, judgeth not others harshly. 

A love that is strong enough to conquer feelings of depression that are either self inflicted or caused from others. 

A love that forgives and forgets. 

A love that is strong enough change men and women completely.  

Results come from God, but the focus of true Christianity is the journey and joy felt in helping others feel of the Savior’s love.

The journey of finding joy in searching the scriptures.

The peace felt during soul given prayers. 

This Love that I’ve felt abundantly from the Lord and His children this year has changed me forever. 

The Philippines has changed me forever.

Legazpi City will forever have its place in my heart.

The Lord placing me exactly where I’ve needed to be, the wonderful people I've met, the joy and sorrow from every challenge, and the testimony I’ve worked at for the past year is something I could never repay. 

2015 has been perhaps the most fulfilling year life has yet offered me.

May you all take the chance to count all the things you are grateful this past year and find it in your hearts to do all you can to come closer to the Savior. 

It's not easy, but I promise you with all the energy of my soul, the journey is well worth it.

Love, 

Sister Delgado 

Christmas Day Skype!
Sister Wilkins and Me.

Meal with the Mulligans from England

My favorite Sunsets and Sunrises 

My green lights. Fitzgerald would be proud. 

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Merry Christmas to all my family and friends!

I loved every single package sent!!!
Thank you family for all the love !!

Does two Americans celebrating christmas
counts as a white christmas?haha
Merry Christmas to all!!

Legazpi Zone Leaders and Sister Training Leaders
at our Christmas party.

Legazpi District!

Birthday Dinner with the Mulligans
and Iza at the Vensesia Hotel.
What a treat!

Christmas Eve at the Guanzon's.

Milligan Couple Missionary
and President and Sister Guanszon.
Such a Merry Christmas 

President and Sister Guanzon's
cute daughter Sariah :)

Cagsawa Adventures!

Linton Hill!

Na na na na na na na Thank you thank you thank you for the LOVE!‏

Kumusta po family and friends!

Wowowowoww. Thank you all so much for the birthday wishes!! Ya’ll are so sweet and I love you all. Here’s to living for 2 decades.
TTTWWWWENTTTTAAAAAAAYYYYYYY.
Wait, this is so weird. I'm 20 tomorrow? Woah. Yeah. Haha. 

Anyway...

What an amazing week! 

Luckily for Legazpi, not too much damage was done due to the bagyo (typhoon). Apparently the eye of the storm turned its course to Sorsogon, which is a couple hours away from the big city. Most of our investigators have homes, so everyone was safe. Sister Wilkins and I spend much of our week helping missionaries with getting settled during transfer point and going on trisums and splits with sisters who are being transferred. And President Guanzon gave me this new packet thingy thanking me for accepting the new calling of being the newly called Sister Training Leader here in Legazpi. The other STL is my kabahay sister Infante. Everyone was so sweet and made it this huge deal. Lol. Basically, we will be taking care of/ training the sisters in Legazpi zone. Legazpi is also the biggest zone because its combined with Guinotbatan (Guinobatan, Daraga, Camalig, and Legazpi). There are about 8 sister companionships in Legazpi zone. So this should be an adventure with all the exchanges! Haha.

Well of course, the highlight of the week was Fred and Iza’s lesson with PRESIDENT and Sister Guanzon. Fred and Iza live next door almost to the mission home and aquainted with Guanzons and so President told us he wanted to come with us to our lesson. I'd  have to say, that was the best lesson on my entire mission. The spirit was so strong and President did all the talking. Haha. He shared his conversion story and taught the entire teaching record in one sitting. Sister Wilkins and I were just awed with the sprit and are so excited for Fred and Shin to be baptized. Ichigo, Iza’s son who is not yet baptized and never joins in our lessons even committed to investigate more into the church. 

The Lord has surely blessed Wilks and I. 

We see miracles in our area everyday and love the Christmas spirit here in Legazpi.

I will never not love this area and pray I never leave it. 

Love always,

Sister Delgado 

CAAAGSSSAAAWAAAA! 

On our way home after the bagyo! 

LEGAZPI FOR PASCO YEUSSSSS‏

Hey family and friends,

This was a glorious week.

I recieved tons of loot from my glorious grandparents for the entire mission. Candy, chocolates, toothbrushes, floss, santa hats, pens, pencils, notebooks, and scripture sets!!! They are literally saints. The entire mission was so grateful to recieve them. Especially the missionaries who wont be recieving presents from their families. Generosity at its finest. Also big thank you to mommy josie and dad for sending a bunch of canned foods for the people here last transfer for all the people here. I have such a giving family. 

I'M STILL IN LEGAZPI WITH SISTER WILKINS.

I'm telling ya, the whole ward prayed that we would all still be together for Christmas. 

SO BLESSED TO STILL BE HERE. 

Fred is truly progressing and only has two more Sundays until he is baptized. Miracles! Hes progressing so much. Then Denise gave her first talk in church about the true meaning of Christmas and she did an amazing job! She is growing so much in the gospel. 

Also....

Typhoon Nona is here.

Last night I went out on splits with Stake President Pangan's daughter Trisha and Bishop's daughter Karen. Then suddenly it started to rain super heavily and the wind was getting strong. Then I get a call from President that we should go home because the typhoon was at stage 2. I didn't even know what that meant, but once the crazy weather started happening, we all freaked out and retreated inside a hotel to wait for a ride home. haha. Fun times.

And today for pday, we're supposed to have an 11 am curfew back at the house, but apparently the typhoon will hit pretty hard here in Legazpi, Albay. haha so transferes are postponed and the APs told us that we need to pack our things good for 3 days because we'll be sleeping at the Daraga Chapel. So might have freaked me out. Just a tad. 

Please keep the Philippines in your prayers. 

I guess this will be my first legit typhoon experience.

I'll let you all know how its goes when I can! 

Love,

Sister Delgado 

Goodbye to the legendary Elder Ferarer. 

Set the record for 102 lessons and 35 baptisms. 

Numbers don't matter, BUT COME ON. 

Cleanin up for the holiday season. :) 

The office elders are obsessed with us. 

Saying goodbye to Elder Perigrino! 

Some photos from Christmas conference last week. 

Assembling the goodies at the mission home

The neon blobs waiting for pasco!!

Mama Minson I'm emailing early because theres a huge typhoon coming
and we're going under evacuation in two hours and living at the chapel for who
knows how long.... its scary and I just withdrawed money because
 of how crazy things are getting here I don't know what will happen!!??

December 7, 2015

 Dearest Family and Friends,

I hope you’ve all had a wonderful week. 

I’d first like to give a special shoutout and say Happy Birthday to my biggest fan, best role model, most organized and intelligent woman I know……. Mama Minson! She has been the best mother and grandmother to me my entire life and is such a gem for always forwarding my emails/photos to you. There is no one else like her. We’ve been through so much together, and im so grateful this mission has taught me to never ever take her love and care for granted. She is effortlessly beautiful, has the best taste in all things (to which I accredit most of my taste to ;) , and is full of love and charity for all. She didn’t even need to go on a mission to learn to become more like the Savior. I'm forever grateful Heavenly Father blessed me to be Leslie Minson’s number one and number six.  I love you so much! Now if you haven’t yet, please wish her a very happy birthday. 

Alright, so this week was absolutely crazy.

It was cool because we had our annual Christmas Conference and each zone was able to present a presentation for the mission. So we all met up at the Legazpi chapel and listened to the wonderful words of President Guanzon. I will be eternally grateful I've had the grace of meeting that man. I testify my mission president is called of God, thus accrediting validity to the truthfulness of the restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ here on the earth. His direction is so inspired and he is full of such love for all his missionaries, as well as Sister Guanzon.

After our Christmas conference, Sister Wilks and I went out to work, and suddenly a huge funeral was in session during the night. I've been in this Victory Village since June and so to see a  funeral happen was a complete surprise. As we come closer to see who’s dead body was inside the casket, I instantly melted and swelled up in the bitterest of sorrow. The body was an investigator that sister Ramada and I found when I first got here. It was Rafiela, who was only 15 years old and she died of a stroke from her high blood disease. I finally found the girl’s mother and embraced her with tears flowing down our eyes. I was speechless, and still am. Rafiela’s family had been passive about our lessons, but perhaps this is the right time for them. Sister Wilkins and I did our best to comfort the family and promised them that all isn’t lost. Then the next day, our progressing investigator (whos name I won't mention) told us that she is so afraid to leave her home because she was recently adbudted and that the man attempted to rape her, but drugged her and tattooed his last name on her lower back. She said she’s trying so hard to learn to forgive, but that permanent reminder haunts her. She showed us the tattoo and Sister Wilkins and I lost all composure.  I wept with her like I've never wept in front of someone I didn’t know very well. We testified of the atonement’s healing power, but in no way could I ever judge how hard it is for her to move on. At that moment, I felt the magnitude and depth of the atonement because there truly isn’t anyone or anything that could help and heal her, except it be the atonement and love of Jesus Christ.

This week was filled with so many challenges and trials and the world I've noticed is getting scarier and scarier. I cant imagine living in this world without the gospel of jesus Christ and thinking that I knew everything this world had to offer.

As we approached the higher class people’s home and offered to share a special message with them, they all claimed that they knew what our message was a about and that it’s the same as their religion. Of course, we tell them its not, but they’ve already made up their mind.

I don’t feel angry or frustrated. 

There have been so many instances this week, where I've felt like there’s not much I could do for these people because of the magnitude of their situations and the set mind sets of many who are comfortable with believing what makes them happy rather than the truth. But I know hope is not lost for these people. These experiences are allowing me to grow closer to my Savior because in a world where right and wrong is becoming more and more clear and the second coming is at nigh, I find peace reading His scriptures and strengthen my faith in the smallest principles of the gospel.

I am serving this mission for my savior, Jesus Christ. 

I am sacrificing who I am so that I may one day be worthy of his mercy. 

No matter how dark the night or day may seem, I believe there is hope. 

I know our heavenly father is building us to be strong dicisples and learn the importance of clinging to His safety when things get difficult. 

I know the Book of Mormon is true. The strength it gives me the help is brings to my soul in coming closer to my savior is everything I need.

I love my mission and the Philippines and pray that hope will still abide in all when things are hard.

Love,

Sister Delgado

my nonforgetable american kasamas. :)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MAMA MINSON
SURE LOVE YA!!!

Baby Princess

Buko!!

Fred and Iza came to church today! t'was a glorious sunday for sure.