Sister Delgado serves in the Great Legazpi! : 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