What is worse than Mormon Standard time? ...Filipino Mormon standard time

Oh boy. Can we talk about this week.???? Oh my heavens. Stressful, but amazing!

Let's see. We now have a new mission president. We also had transfers recently, but I just stayed with my anak of course. Next time, I will be transferring to a new area! Wow! Hopefully to Moncada ;) 

It has been raining like crazy. There was one time this week where it flooded a lot and I had a panic attack a little bit. I don't think I could survive in a huge storm. Makes me wish I took swimming lessons. In the... neighborhood (it's not a neighborhood though, that's just the closest thing) where we leave, the place where you come in was flooded. As in, it was dangerous to cross it because of the water and the bacteria. So we decided because we needed to work, we would just call a trike and have it take us over. So we got a trike we got in. So Trikes are like these sidecars to motorcycles and they are kind of low to the ground so I though we would be okay. Or so I thought because water started coming the the trike! Our feet got pretty wet, and then before I knew it, my bum was SOAKED. Worst ever. But we just laughed because that's really all you can do in that situation. 

This has been by far one of the hardest weeks of my mission, but I have learned so much and things are really getting better and better everyday. :) The ward here is wonderful, I absolutely adore the members and every one we teach and I'm just grateful for the opportunity Heavenly Father has given me to be here. 

We had a baptism this week!!! :) (Is it bad if I say... FINALLY!!!) But of course, the baptism was supposed to be a four. So we all know there's so thing called Mormon Standard Time, but that is absolutely nothing compared to Filipino Mormon Standard Time. Sister Jamaicah, the one being baptized, did not sow up until 4:15 and one one the speakers didn't come until after the baptism was over. Stressful for sure, but it's really awesome seeing that reward. 

Also I learned something about fasting this week. One of our ward missionaries said something like "Our fasting offerings go to those who are in puberty." I think he actually meant poverty, but puberty is hard too. 

Anyway, love you all! Keep on keepin' on! :) 

Sister Holmes :) 

Pictures Surpise!

Blog will also happen!!!  Such a nice surprise!

 

 

Endure it well

Oh man.... you know that cheesy saying that's like time flies when you are having fun! Its true. I literally cannot believe that it has been 8 months already. It is flying!! I've really learned so much and I'm really grateful for all the spiritual experiences and for all the relationships I have made. :) Just so you know, I literally give up on English. So just bear with me if there's any spelling mistakes.

This week was real good. We have a baptism this week so that's real exciting. I really feel like she's ready. I know that I promised our brothers and sisters in the Pre-mortal existence that if they didn't have the gospel that I would bring it to them, and I really feel that she is one of them. And I can see how much the gospel will bless her in the years to come. :) Missionary work is happy. 

Despite the challenges, there's always a positive side to life. There's always something for us to be grateful for. I know that Heavenly Father has a plan for each of us because He loves us and He knows exactly what we need and exactly who we are and what will make us strong. I'm grateful for my knowledge of the gospel and for the Plan of Salvation. I never understood how important that was until I came here on the mission. It gives an eternal perspective and helps us get through our challenges, knowing that everything will be for our good.  

I want to share a scripture this week from Doctrine and Covenants Section 121.

7 My son, peace be unto thy soul; thine adversity and thine afflictions shall be but a small moment;

 8 And then, if thou endure it well, God shall exalt thee on high; thou shalt triumph over all thy foes.

 9 Thy friends do stand by thee, and they shall hail thee again with warm hearts and friendly hands.

No matter what our trials, and no matter what we are going though, it's for our good and we will ALWAYS have someone who will help us get through it. More than anyone, even when we feel alone, I know that Jesus Christ understands perfectly what we feel and that we are truly never alone. 

 

I love you all more than you know!!

Sister Holmes 

Missing Pizza and Mac and Cheese two favorites

This week was AMAZING. As always. I've really been missing pizza and macaroni and cheese like nobody's business. I was thinking, man, mac and cheese is my favorite food and I can't eat it for 18 months. Now that's what we call sacrifice. 

In all reality though there are so many more blessings because of  sacrifice. I once heard that sacrifice is liking giving something away and Heavenly Father replacing it with something better. (For my parents, that means you gave away the old me to get a new better me in the future... but it takes 18 months for that to happen;)) 

For example, we had a broadcast yesterday in our stake with Elder Cook, and Elder Teh of the Seventy, Sister McConkie of the Young Womens Presidency and Bishop Davies. Every single talk at stake conference was spot on and exactly what I needed to hear. I felt the Spirit so strongly during those talks. Of course, I still have awhile in the mission field, but before my mission, I studied at BYU for one year and I haven't selected a major yet. There's one I've always kind of wanted and it was confirmed to me during the talk of Bishop Davies about the disasters here in the Philippines that I should continue with the major I want, Sociology. I just am seeing the blessings that are coming to my life because of my service here. And there is so many more than that. 

So, it's officially rainy season. I thought I liked rain... but now I realize I just like being inside when it's raining. No matter what, we go out to work and my skirt gets soaked and my feet get dirty. And that's pretty much how it goes. But it's a lot of fun. I'm just grateful I have a good umbrella. But it's a lot better than summer that's for sure so I'm not complaining. It's definitely always an adventure. 

Anywaysss, I had a lesson this week where I really felt like it was not me teaching. I felt that there was nothing I could say that would help them, but surprisingly words came and I don't know what the effect was, but during that time, I know they felt the Spirit. there are so many challenges that come with missionary work. And let's face it, there's so many challenges that come with life, but when we do everything we can to be good and to truly become better people, God helps us. I know that even if we feel helpless or worthless or forgotten, God does not feel that way. We are of infinite worth and we are never forgotten by our loving Father in Heaven. 

I love you all! :) 

Sister Holmes

 

PS:  Dad I hope you have a happy fathers' day.. I hope you have a good day and know that I appreciate the example that you are of a priesthood holder! I'm grateful for all your sacrifices and hard work so that I could be here! Love you!!!

Shortest EVER! Raining like nobody's business

This week was really good. Lots of fun things happened of course, becuase it's been raining like nobody's business!

I've been struggling this week with my English.. haha That's a new one. But We were reading our scriptures in a training with President Martino and he asked me what it meant when a scripture ssaid "with sharpness" and all I could do was hit my hand with my other hand. There were literally no English words coming into my head. And no tagalog words either. So that's real good. We also had the senior couples come to check our apartment and I found out that I have no idea to have a conversation in english anymore. Good luck to me in America. My nanay sa mission keeps telling me I'm really a Filipina now. 

Anyways, there miracles every day. It's been one of those weeks, but I'm glad the ward is so willing and the ward missionaries here are amazing. I'm grateful for their help. We have had some really powerful leassons with Less Activeslately and hopefully they make progress. Sorry this is short, but know that I love you all and am praying for you everyday! :) :) 

Sister Holmes

Three Generations- Sweet is the work

Sister Holmes Trainer- Sister Holmes, and Sister Holmes trainee Love it!

Standard of Excellence

Wow, what a week! I feel like I say something like that every week... But with missionary work, every week has new and interesting things.. and sometimes things we don't expect at all. And it was definitely one of those weeks.

Earlier we got to go to this monastery thing and we didn't even see any monks so I was a little bit disappointed, but there was a big statue of Christ and some cool cross necklace souvenirs (haha... I didn't buy anything, don't worry). But it was pretty awesome. And there's lots of real good missionaries in this zone! :) Super cool.

In case you are wondering, my anak is still alive! So I take that as a good sign. But she's really good and super cute! :) She definitely hasa desire to keep improving and to really give her best. Man, my anak is so diligent. So my kabahay (roommate) is my nanay in the mission right? So it's realy cool because my anak just calls my nanay grandma. But I think Sister Esirom (my other kabahy) feels like the black sheep in this whole situation, so we started calling her Aunt. haha :) It's pretty interesting and lots of fun. I also have an "older sister" in the mission who is in our zone! 

Man, this week though. Honestly, training is stressful and this area is sometimes stressful ( as is with all area). We have a standard to reach standard of excellence this month for baptisms which is two per companionships. I really only thought that we would only have one amd I was trying to think of who else could possibly be baptized. It's hard because they have to come to church four times in a row before they can be baptized.  But despite all of the challenges and all of the problems, there are so manymiracles happening every day I can't even count them. This week though, we had a lot fo very small miracles that made one big miracle. We ended up talking to one Tatay on Friday and asked if we could come back and teach him another day. We returned to him on Saturday and he was very willing to listen. Tay just recently had a stroke and so sometimes his speech is slurred and it's hard for me to understand him, but it's amazing how even if I can't understand, I can discern what he is trying to say. He told us he doesn't have any religion, but that his mom is a member. For some reason, I felt really impressed to extend a baptismal invitation with a date, which we normally don't do in the first lesson. But we left feeling really good about the lesson. To our amazement, the next day, Tatay came to church! We had a member who usually doesn't join us, come to our class for investigators and recent converts and became a fellowshipper for Tatay. We don't really know or understand how everything happened, but I know

 Heavenly Father knows all the details. Tatay has potential to be baptized this month!!

I love the Lord, I love this work, and I love you all!!!

oxoxo Sister Holmes