Sister Delgado serves in the Great Legazpi!

Tuesday, January 26, 2016

New Beginnings

Friends and Family,

I've got so much to say, and no time at all.

Long story short.

I was transferred.

So dramatic.

SO rough.

I love Legazpi ward and the area so much.....

But I know its time to move on.

I'm now on Masbate Island.

Sister Surigao and I are the STLs and Elder Rupp and Elder Raven are the Zone Leaders.

I'M LIVING ON A LEGIT ISLAND, PEOPLE.

When Pres first told me I was scared out of my mind.

Everyone who knows me knows why.

I've heard so many things about the travel there and all sorts of scary stuff.

I was also the only sister going to the island.

My temporary comps were a bunch of polynesian Elders.

Elder Raven, Elder, Withera, Elder Malu, and many more.

Too many elders. haha.

I felt so safe with all these polys helping me with my luggage and whatnot.

I was def in good hands.

Then when we got to the island and basically the entire zone welcomed us and it was the best thing ever.

My fears slowly eased as I saw so many of us.

All on the same team and such.

Willing to help.

There's such a spirit of love and unity with the missionaries here on the island.

I dont feel alone of stranded or anything.

My comp is also the sweetest thing in the world.

The language is no longer bicol here. Its bisaya na.

But i love learning more about the Philippines.

Well, im excited for the new adventure and all that will happen.

Here's to new beginnings and moving on.

love yall!

Sister Delgado

See you soon Legazpi ward.

Journey to Masbate!

Saying goodbye to the little girl who changed everything for me.
Without her decision to come to church our very first Sunday,
my entire Legazpi experience would have never been the same.
I love you Chelsea Gonzales!!

My beautiful girls.
The Gonzales family will forever have a special place in my heart.
Because of them, I've been given the opportunity to change forever.
Odette, Chelsea, and Denise and Miley!

Will miss these Young Women of Legazpi ward!

I will miss my kabahays way too much. MISS KITA MGA KABSAP.#lagidekit

Goodbye Legazpi ward and Legazpi district!

Close as can be ;)Love my Sister Jimenez!

My eternal friend.My 6th companion.The funniest goon I've ever met.I will sure miss Caroline Wilkins.

Journey to Masbate!

Masbate district! Elders Rupp, Rave, Winkler, Plata, Baker, and more!

Masbate beach beauties.

My new comp sister Surigoa!

Sunday, January 10, 2016

Listening to the Spirit‏

Dear Family and Friends,

This week was a busy one.

BUT. First thing is first. President gave us Fred and Iza’s house! We still gave away our area, but President was so nice to still give us Fred’s house. The best part was we didn’t even ask.

Sister Wilks and I were thinking that we probably needed to learn to give everything up to Lord before experiencing blessings. Good stuff.

So I went to my first MLC (missionary leadership cousel) last Tuesday and apparently Legazpi was the highest baptizing zone and we’ve increased in number of investigators coming to church. GOOD STUFF. We have some awesome goals to help us improve and become better missionaries. President gave us a workshop about the power of the Book of Mormon in helping others become converted to the gospel of Jesus Christ. I was actually thinking about the reason behind why I feel so strongly this is truly the restored gospel of Jesus Christ. The strongest evidence I can find is the book of Mormon. It truly is another testament of Christ, and is powerful enough to help me endure life’s challenges. It is always such a powerful experience everytime I read it. And everytime I compare it was the history of Bible, I am never led astray. I’ve never found any reason for me to believe otherwise. What a blessing the Lord has given us. So MLC usually runs from 9am-3pm. Ours ran from 9am-6pm because of all the many counsil topics and discussions we had to help improve the Philippines Legazpi mission. During the meeting, I was really planning on saying much, but I felt prompted to otherwise. President had us stand up and the subject of love was brought up. Sister Turner briefly said that leaders should always show their love. Then all of a sudden I said, “President, hold on a second. Lets talk about this. “

I said, “I asked an elder one day why he thinks there are disobedient missionaries in our mission or in any mission out of a response in his question of how he can help other missionaries become more obedient. That elder said probably because he’s lazy. Then I asked why is he lazy. Then the elder said because he doesn’t have much motivation. Then I asked why doesn’t he have any motivation. Then the elder responded because…… he feels no love. Then I asked that elder if he knew what he should do. Then the elder said he does.”

I said that there needs to be a stronger spirit of love in our missionary service rather than the urgency to do well out of fear. President was kind of silent for a while. (keep in mind this was in front of all the STLs and ZLs in our mission) But as said in Moroni 8:16 “perfect love casteth out all fear” I was not afraid of what anyone would say. Then President finally spoke and said, “you are right sister. We need to discuss more ways on how we can love our missionaries and help them exemplify this in their work.”

It was interesting. I felt awkward completely changing the route of the meeting. It was almost an out of body experience. But, this pattern of following the spirit, I've learned is something that needs to be done in every meeting from now on.

Then, for our zone training on Friday, we were able to discuss the problems we were facing as a zone and how we can better improve. Not just the work, but ourselves as well. Before we presented the counsel topics to our zone, the whole zone was kind of dead. The spirit wasn’t really there, missionaries weren’t paying attention, it was noisy, and I didn’t like it all.

So a thought came to mind that as I present the workshop about how we should better use the Book of Mormon in our lessons. The thought was to tell all the missionaries to drop what they are doing, stand up, get in a circle, then I would ask them why they decided to go on missions. Why are they even still here. OK WHAT.

But I did it. The entire zone was confused. They stood up, we got in a circle and had a mini testimony meeting during our zone training to do our best to invite the spirit back into our meeting. It was so powerful. The change in each missionary’s attitude was drastic. They were able to remind themselves as to why they even served missions and the importance to stay strong during the hardest times of their missions. One of the best parts was that in my heart, I was also able to remind myself why I decided to serve. They were able to listen better, retain more information, and feel the spirit during the training.

So, listening and heeding to the promptings of the spirit is the key to it all.

We especially noticed that when missionaries thanked us for giving them the chance to remind themselves why they sacrificed everything to be here as well as in their work. I learned that missionary service should never be causality. The spirit must be relied upon and felt at every second of the day to help Heavenly father accomplish His work.

Hope you all have a wonderful week of learning and following the spirit!

Love,

Sister Delgado

Zone Training mission accomplished! Legazpi ZLs and STLs.

The Orriental view!

Beautiful casualties of the Philippines.

Our beloved Mulligan couple took us out to eat
for my one year mark and Sister Wilkins' half way mark to the ORRIENTALS!!!

mga kabsap! Sister Davokol and Sister Rouque!

Monday, January 4, 2016

Sooooo

Holy cow!!

Kumusta friends and fam!!

So this week has been incredibly crazy.

Exchanges. Exchanges. Exchanges!!

And many more this week with the sisters in Daraga, then MLC and Zone Training as well.

Never realized how much STL's do, especially the ones in Legazpi because its the heart of the mission.

Two sister Missionaries were sent home this morning due to health problems. One of them has encephalitis. Their companionship was from Camalig, one of the additions to the Legazpi zone.

So lots of pep talks and counseling was given to our dear sisters and much traveling back and forth with Sister Guanzon to gather their belongings and setting up temporary companions. Since the STL's here in Legazpi are split, I saw Sister Infante a lot more than I saw Sister Wilks :( Looks like I'm probably going to see her like twice this week because of the all the craziness that will happen here.

Oh wait, I have even gotten to this week. Haha.

So we had exchanges in Guinobatan with Sister Caterining and Sister Persia.

Ah, I loved going to their area and helping them out! Poor sisters have brown outs like ever 20 mins at night and their CR IS TERRIBLE. They say its temporary because the one inside is "out of order", so yes, the one they use is OUTSIDE and doesnt have concrete walls or floor. I'm not really one to complain about bathrooms, but that CR was just a atrocious. Sister Guanzon agreed.

Anyway, the people were so sweet and Sister Catarining did a wonderful job leading the area. The people were so kind and were willing to listen. They are two wards sa chapel nila and so they have much support from mga members there. I asked Sister Catarining what she learned the most during our exchanges and she said loving all people goes a long way. Even if they reject us, she knew that she did her part in loving them and inviting them to come unto Christ. It was cute because she didnt want me to leave, but I was so happy she had good time.

Then I get back to Legazpi for district meeting and poor sister Roque and sister Davokol (Additional sisters living in our apartment and proselyting here in Legazpi until sister Davokol's passport is finished) were having the hardest time with finding people to teach in Legazpi and finding people to bring to church. They cried to us saying that they felt so shy to ask for some of our areas, but they are just struggling so much.

So sister Infante and I did surprise exchanges (specialized training daw haha) and Sister Wilkins and I gave her Victory village where there's a good chunk of investigators and less actives. I went with Sister Rouqe to the area and show her everyone's homes and whatnot and helped her feel better. She was so relieved and happy and we are now best friends. #kabsap.

haha, then, FRED'S BAPTISM was on Saturday.

It was such a beautiful event.

I am so proud of him for making the best decision of his life.

Elder Mulligan was even able to baptize him (the brit couple missionary)

His testimony was so inspiring. After 14 years of searching and investigating the church, he said he finally felt it was his right time and that he felt the spirit so strong.

It was amazing to see him testify that although he was Catholic before, he has no doubt that this is Christ's restored gospel and church here on earth.

He said something that I often hear myself saying often.

That unless this gospel and church were true, he couldn't do it. He couldn't be the only one in his immidiate family to become a member and change his life forever.

Just like Fred, I could not serve this mission, do what I do, be who I am, see what I see, if it all of this was not true. I just couldn't.

Anyway, we were all one big happy family with Iza and Mai Mai (another investigator living with Fred and Iza) even came to the baptism and to church! She's 15 years old and wants to be baptized. Super duper amazing.

Then Sunday happened.

The assistance to the President came to our mission coordination meeting and said they were given new mission direction for the Quorum of the 12 Apostles that they are supposed to be the top baptizers, have the best area in the mission, and have proposed that they join the Legazpi district.

Yeah, sure that was fine and whatnot.

Until they told us that they wanted to take our area in with the mission home and our investigators and recent convert FRED who live there.

Wow.

They pleaded with Sister Wilkins and I and said that the direction from the first presidency compelled them to ask for the best area so it can be a model area to train other Zone Leaders and future Assistance to the President. They said with all that we've harvest there and with work we've put into it, it is the ideal place for them to follow the direction from the first presidency.

Wow. Again.

So after much prayer with our district leader and gallons of tears, we gave our precious recent convert, all the investigators we found, and a HUGE chunk of our area to the APs.

The Lord was definitely trying to teach me how to be unselfish and do my best to submit my will to His. Everyone had already made up their mind about the decision except me. At the end of the discussion and proposals, it was on me. It was on me if I would submit my will to His.

Of course, I didn't feel it was right at first, but I know the Lord's work is much bigger than me and my capabilities. I know the Lord has a better plan, and I just need to trust Him.

I finally consented, and the AP's were so understanding. They started to cry as well because they've never seen a greater love missionaries have for their area.

It was a very emotional and overwhelming day/ week.

But so many teaching opportunities.

But more so learning opportunities for me.

Although, I did say that if the AP's found them too busy inside the mission office working and not tending to the area we gave them, that I would kill them.

Although they knew I was kidding, I secretly wasn't. hehe. joke lang.

Well, hope your week was less dramatic than mine, but believe me when I say that I am a living testimony of the truthfulness of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ.

I wouldn't be here if it wasn't. Now go read some scriptures, pray, and go to church!

Start now, its a new year. :)

With love,

Sister Delgado