Lately I've been taking the time to edit Cari's emails, because her English is getting so bad and I want to make it easier for you to read - haha! This week I am tired because I just got home from a trip, so I am going to send this to you as I got it. I think this is one of the worst (as far as the English/grammar goes) She really sounds like a filipino. Anyway, enjoy! Hopefully you can decipher it yourself. I love her! ~Jeanette
So this week has been a little difficult with our investigators. We had three children scheduled for baptism on the 26th and one over night decided that he is now a devout catholic. Yes, I am a little depressed about it but I'm sorry S. Martin and I were trying with all our might not to laugh when we asked him about his baptism and he said he is catholic now. He has been a little stubborn for the past few weeks so we keep pushing back his baptism and the two other children. I am really trying to learn patience to work with children, but sometimes they are soo stubborn. They come from a big part member , inactive now family and they are probably our most difficult and tiring lessons everyday but we arent giving up. Although this week has been hard with the three children we have had a lot of success with reactivation, last week there were soo many people at church 3 previously inactive families. The most I have ever seen at church in this branch. It was awesome!! Oh and our zone activity was amazing...but its definitely difficult being in a vacation spot as a missionary...I have pictures it was literally a paradice vacation spot. Temptations!! But yes I resisted swimming. Yesterday we had Zone Conference, we have really been stressing using the Book of Mormon. Our tine zone of 8 has been trying to flood Bogo with the Book of Mormon. We told president that our zone will be translated soon. We making a zone t shirt with the city of enoch on it that says Bogo Zone-translated. Our strong point is not humility though...haha. But honestly our zone is amazing all of the missionaries are super hard workers and obedient, all of the branches (which you could sometimes say the problems sound like a sad country song) our progressing soo much...the zl's branch is building a new chapel b/c their attendance has increased soo much. Plus with only 8 of us, zone unity is not a problem, we really dont want anyone to be transferred next transfer which is NEXT WEEK!! Time is sooo fast here!!! I really hope S. Martin will not be transferred.
Oh by the way I recieved a letter from mamming and janice. They were baptized!!! Ahhh!! I cried out of being soo happy after more than a year of the investigating and many missionaries dropping them they are finally baptized!! I remember that they had been dropped for a long time but I always had them in the back of my mind and when S. Falculan came to Mabolo I just told her I had a feeling we should visit them. They had been taught all the lessons about 6 times each but we just decided to read the Book of Mormon with them. After many trials finally they gained a testimony after a year!!! The Book of Mormon is just soo powerful, they had to overcome soo much but it was all through the Book of Mormon that all these miracles happened. But I also have some bad news too. Alma quit her job b/c she was being treated badly. Now she has no income and is staying with a ward member. Pray for her. Delilah too, now her boyfriend wants to get married and is very faithful in everything. They are just an amazing couple but b/c they are underaged and even though they have ababy they cannot get married without their parents conesnt which means they cant be baptized either. and their parents are super against b/c they know they want to get married soo that they can be baptized into the mormon church. Delilah wrote me and she sounds soo sad, but still soo faithful she has already had one large miracle in her life, her boyfriend who we never thought would listen to missionaries now has a strong testimony so we know more miracles can happen to her. Please pray for her.
SO yes even though I have lice, mosquito bites, a nasty pimple that shut my eye it was soo big, cold showers, incredible amount of heat and bug. I am happy. Who wouldn't be? I see miracles all the time. I have seen many of people I love with all my heart accept the Gospel and change their lives so that they can obtain eternal happiness. I have seen my life change and recognized all the eternal blessing for my mission, everyday I just see blessing and the Book of mormon has come alive for me. The lice and the itchiness and the being tired are just little things I can ignore or laugh at b/c the blessings are soo much bigger. So really, who wouldnt be happy?
By the way I will fast for Richards son....I am really worried, I hope everything will be okay. and I almost cried about your family listening to the missionaries...I'm expecting a big miracle soon. I now know how possible they are.
Love you all,
Cari
Monday, February 28, 2011
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
Happy Valentine's Day!
As always, Cari is very open in her emails. This one has a little too much info, but I love how she writes. So funny and touching! I'm a little afraid of all she might bring home with her, though.... I love this girl/woman, so much! ~Jeanette
Happy Valentines!!!
Well...for the first time in my life I have a valentines for Valentines Day. He is a nice little Filipino man that drives a motorcycle. He has been making weekly contact with me since I got here, and last week I probably received one of the greatest presents I ever have in my life. I mean absolutely priceless from him. hahaha. It goes on to say, " Sister you know what. You are the most beautiful women I ever see. Your eyes is glitters as you always smile. Sis you complete me." haha. I just could not stop laughing. And then two days before valentines day he made contact again. He was very nervous and said English is so difficult for him, I told him he can speak in visayan but he continued in English. He asked me if I accept and wished me a happy valentines day, he said he needs to take me out on valentines and he cannot sleep at night. I explained to him that I only focus on the Gospel and although he is very kind it is not possible. He says he will wait for me and I told him there are many beautiful Filipina girls here but he says they are mean. haha...so I guess I will always have a plan B. By the way do not be alarmed, I am a lot bigger than him and when my companion and I discussed whether or not we should be worried we didn't feel any reason to be worried and the Zls know. We just all think its too funny. I took a picture of the note for you.
Also we are now allowed to go on mormon.org for 2 extra hours a week. My companion and I had fun we also looked up some profiles and randomly saw Ted's girlfriend, mainly cause my companion was looking at the caption which said "I am a missionary girlfriend and I'm a Mormon" then I looked at the picture and it was of Ted Tallent and his girlfriend...haha.
So we had a little bit of a hard week, our golden investigator who we love and had a baptismal date in February randomly was taken by her older sister and moved to lapu lapu sooo sad. We have been trying to keep our spirits up. So we will only have 1 baptism on Feb. 26 and probably 2 on March 5. But I know the Lord is really helping us b-c we have a lot of new promising investigators. One came to church from a random contact I did while walking. We are not teaching him, he is 14 years old and very shy with us two sisters. We are also teaching a deaf man, we are going to start using a whiteboard to teach him...hopefully it will be more effective. We are trying to be creative.
So yes all my pictures are being taken...I just need new ones, basically. I have a group of kids that just love me. Right now I have had a bad case of mutant lice for the past month, I guess I äm not following the white hand book rule of not keeping pets... Yesterday I had about 5 of these kids, like little monkeys, picking lice off my head...I think they got most of them. Oh I just wish I had my camera. SAYANG!!! haha soo funny just imagine me bending over and having about 5 to 6 kids picking and killing lice from my head. So funny. These kids are always petting my arms and they love to look at my tan lines b-c Im even more white. They just love white skin. And they think Brooke is absolutely beautiful. She has a whole fan club. Many of the little boys are in love with her....haha.
I just love these people we had a FHE last night with an inactive family, soo fun. I cant wait to come home and have FHE filipino style with all of you. If you mess up in a game you get lipstick all over your face. The games are fun too.
Today we are having a zone activity on the beach and bbq. I äm excited our zone-district is really close b-c there is only 8 of us. S. Martin and I are the only 2 sisters. Its fun. The beach is in Elder Allen's area.
By the way...I approve to moving to Pasco...if we get a boat. And I like your friends in Pasco. But I know I will miss the beach I am always near the water here. Even in Mabolo. I already decided I am living with all of you for awhile when I come back..I have lots of plans to help a family ward and work with the missionaries.. I just miss all of you too much to come home and leave again to school. Im really sad about our church building. They should do it Filipino style...all tile. By the way tell Dan and Chels I got their emails and loved them!! I will write back soon. I hope your trip is soo fun, I äm jealous I don't know what it means to relax...I will probably just sleep for weeks straight when I come home and be getting a tan. I am almost as white as dad here!!
I miss and love you all soo much!!! Don't forget to write even though your vacationing.
Love,
Cari
Happy Valentines!!!
Well...for the first time in my life I have a valentines for Valentines Day. He is a nice little Filipino man that drives a motorcycle. He has been making weekly contact with me since I got here, and last week I probably received one of the greatest presents I ever have in my life. I mean absolutely priceless from him. hahaha. It goes on to say, " Sister you know what. You are the most beautiful women I ever see. Your eyes is glitters as you always smile. Sis you complete me." haha. I just could not stop laughing. And then two days before valentines day he made contact again. He was very nervous and said English is so difficult for him, I told him he can speak in visayan but he continued in English. He asked me if I accept and wished me a happy valentines day, he said he needs to take me out on valentines and he cannot sleep at night. I explained to him that I only focus on the Gospel and although he is very kind it is not possible. He says he will wait for me and I told him there are many beautiful Filipina girls here but he says they are mean. haha...so I guess I will always have a plan B. By the way do not be alarmed, I am a lot bigger than him and when my companion and I discussed whether or not we should be worried we didn't feel any reason to be worried and the Zls know. We just all think its too funny. I took a picture of the note for you.
Also we are now allowed to go on mormon.org for 2 extra hours a week. My companion and I had fun we also looked up some profiles and randomly saw Ted's girlfriend, mainly cause my companion was looking at the caption which said "I am a missionary girlfriend and I'm a Mormon" then I looked at the picture and it was of Ted Tallent and his girlfriend...haha.
So we had a little bit of a hard week, our golden investigator who we love and had a baptismal date in February randomly was taken by her older sister and moved to lapu lapu sooo sad. We have been trying to keep our spirits up. So we will only have 1 baptism on Feb. 26 and probably 2 on March 5. But I know the Lord is really helping us b-c we have a lot of new promising investigators. One came to church from a random contact I did while walking. We are not teaching him, he is 14 years old and very shy with us two sisters. We are also teaching a deaf man, we are going to start using a whiteboard to teach him...hopefully it will be more effective. We are trying to be creative.
So yes all my pictures are being taken...I just need new ones, basically. I have a group of kids that just love me. Right now I have had a bad case of mutant lice for the past month, I guess I äm not following the white hand book rule of not keeping pets... Yesterday I had about 5 of these kids, like little monkeys, picking lice off my head...I think they got most of them. Oh I just wish I had my camera. SAYANG!!! haha soo funny just imagine me bending over and having about 5 to 6 kids picking and killing lice from my head. So funny. These kids are always petting my arms and they love to look at my tan lines b-c Im even more white. They just love white skin. And they think Brooke is absolutely beautiful. She has a whole fan club. Many of the little boys are in love with her....haha.
I just love these people we had a FHE last night with an inactive family, soo fun. I cant wait to come home and have FHE filipino style with all of you. If you mess up in a game you get lipstick all over your face. The games are fun too.
Today we are having a zone activity on the beach and bbq. I äm excited our zone-district is really close b-c there is only 8 of us. S. Martin and I are the only 2 sisters. Its fun. The beach is in Elder Allen's area.
By the way...I approve to moving to Pasco...if we get a boat. And I like your friends in Pasco. But I know I will miss the beach I am always near the water here. Even in Mabolo. I already decided I am living with all of you for awhile when I come back..I have lots of plans to help a family ward and work with the missionaries.. I just miss all of you too much to come home and leave again to school. Im really sad about our church building. They should do it Filipino style...all tile. By the way tell Dan and Chels I got their emails and loved them!! I will write back soon. I hope your trip is soo fun, I äm jealous I don't know what it means to relax...I will probably just sleep for weeks straight when I come home and be getting a tan. I am almost as white as dad here!!
I miss and love you all soo much!!! Don't forget to write even though your vacationing.
Love,
Cari
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
2/8/11
Siggi so this week has been AMAZING!!! Yesterday I got to see everyone in my batch!! Yes...even Elder Johnson, what a nice reunion but it was only about 10 minutes long b/c he had to leave and go back to his area.I didn't even remember to ask him about his shoulder...I was just soo overwhelmed!! But I told him you love him Mom and I know he needs some kind words, sounds like his mission is super hard, he was soo grateful to finally see us!!! Just pass it along that he is always in my prayers. We all had to go down to Cebu to be fingerprinted yesterday for our visas but the Negros missionaries were earlier. It was really hard to only see him for 5-10 minutes but at least I got to see him. And I got to see my mama (my trainer) I almost jumped out of the taxi I was sooo excited!!! She says I have a little bit of an accent..I miss her soo much, she was also a Negros missionary and I only got to talk to her for about 2 minutes. Very hard...but thats the mission and at least I got to see her. Plus I got to come back to cebu again (tons of traveling) today to go to the temple and who was there? S. Falculan!!! I have missed her soo much, I am always blessed with good companions and she told me S. Mamming and her daughter Janice will be baptized this week!!!! I just jumped for joy...I love them soo much. Oh and Jenelyn and Marlon (last baptism) they had their house get flooded. Oh no!!
I got the package from Chelsea with her bears so I gave them to S. Falculan to give to Jenelyn and Marlon's two kids. I know they will love them. OH AND I AM SOOOOOOOOO EXCITED ABOUT CHELSEAS CALL!!!! I JUST SCREAMED FOR JOY!!! I got her package and I love and miss her soo much and know she will be amazing gyud!!!!! Her package was just one of the very best things ever!!! I absolutely loved it!!!
So my area is amazing...we had community service with our district and picked up trash on a beautiful beach!!! As we were riding the three hour bus ride to the temple I was just looking out on the coast and the palm trees and the green rolling sugar cane fields at a beautiful sunrise and just in awe of God's creations and how lucky I am to be here. It was breath taking...I don't think I can leave. Hopefully I can extend too!!!
So we have 4 committed to baptism for the 26th...well see if they all push through, we werent able to work this week soo much b/c we have had to come down to Cebu twice, but that just means we have to work extra hard. We have some pretty cool things happening in our mission, apparently we have to become experts with mormon.org and so they are giving us two hours a week to explore that. We had 6 investigators come to church, 3 were by force almost...haha. We are not taking no for an answer....soo funny. But they enjoyed it. And then we had a half day mission soo the ward went out and visited inactives. I wouldn't say our areas are flourishing as much as the other parts of the Philippines...I mean we have probably about 900 members and maybe less then 100 come to church....oops!! That is the problem with the Philippines eager to be baptized but the retention is very difficult. Luckily all of my baptisms are still very active. I received letters from a lot of them and they said they are continuing to endure even though I am not there. Which I made sure to tell them everyday before I left they had to...haha. They are keeping their commitments..yay!! So heartbreaking when a convert goes inactive. Marlon and Jenelyn said they hope I can come to their sealing next year...too bad that is almost impossible, broke my heart :(
Just want you to know I am not a perfect missionary, far from it, BUT I am trying my best and Heavenly Father is blessing me more than I even deserve..haha. I love you all your support helps soo much and means the world to me, but don't tell me I'm almost half way through...I'm not ready!!!! haha Naghigugma ko kaninyo!!!
By the way I probably won't be doing anything for valentines but this valentines I have learned more about love than I could ever have known before, the love of God and the love for your neighbor and how connected they really are. Remember love is the motive and Christ is the reason we do everything we are doing, and that should be the motive for our actions everyday. I didn't realize you could come soo much to love God through loving others (his children). And I didn't realize I could love you all soo much more being soo far awaay!! Love you all!!
Love,
Cari
I got the package from Chelsea with her bears so I gave them to S. Falculan to give to Jenelyn and Marlon's two kids. I know they will love them. OH AND I AM SOOOOOOOOO EXCITED ABOUT CHELSEAS CALL!!!! I JUST SCREAMED FOR JOY!!! I got her package and I love and miss her soo much and know she will be amazing gyud!!!!! Her package was just one of the very best things ever!!! I absolutely loved it!!!
So my area is amazing...we had community service with our district and picked up trash on a beautiful beach!!! As we were riding the three hour bus ride to the temple I was just looking out on the coast and the palm trees and the green rolling sugar cane fields at a beautiful sunrise and just in awe of God's creations and how lucky I am to be here. It was breath taking...I don't think I can leave. Hopefully I can extend too!!!
So we have 4 committed to baptism for the 26th...well see if they all push through, we werent able to work this week soo much b/c we have had to come down to Cebu twice, but that just means we have to work extra hard. We have some pretty cool things happening in our mission, apparently we have to become experts with mormon.org and so they are giving us two hours a week to explore that. We had 6 investigators come to church, 3 were by force almost...haha. We are not taking no for an answer....soo funny. But they enjoyed it. And then we had a half day mission soo the ward went out and visited inactives. I wouldn't say our areas are flourishing as much as the other parts of the Philippines...I mean we have probably about 900 members and maybe less then 100 come to church....oops!! That is the problem with the Philippines eager to be baptized but the retention is very difficult. Luckily all of my baptisms are still very active. I received letters from a lot of them and they said they are continuing to endure even though I am not there. Which I made sure to tell them everyday before I left they had to...haha. They are keeping their commitments..yay!! So heartbreaking when a convert goes inactive. Marlon and Jenelyn said they hope I can come to their sealing next year...too bad that is almost impossible, broke my heart :(
Just want you to know I am not a perfect missionary, far from it, BUT I am trying my best and Heavenly Father is blessing me more than I even deserve..haha. I love you all your support helps soo much and means the world to me, but don't tell me I'm almost half way through...I'm not ready!!!! haha Naghigugma ko kaninyo!!!
By the way I probably won't be doing anything for valentines but this valentines I have learned more about love than I could ever have known before, the love of God and the love for your neighbor and how connected they really are. Remember love is the motive and Christ is the reason we do everything we are doing, and that should be the motive for our actions everyday. I didn't realize you could come soo much to love God through loving others (his children). And I didn't realize I could love you all soo much more being soo far awaay!! Love you all!!
Love,
Cari
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
Bogo 2/1/2011
Pasaylo!! I did not mean I do not want to go home...haha. I miss you all very much and love you. But, I am Filipino at heart. I just love everything about these people.
I can't believe Scott is a priest!!! way to go!!! I am just sooo proud of my family and how well your all doing. And Dad...Amazing dad-keep of the good work, I am soo proud gyud!! I was beaming reading you email. And I miss watching Jimmer he was my favorite BYU player, sayang!
Bogo area is super progressing!!!! We had the opportunity to teach the third hour of church last week, Combined relief society and priesthood and we got people really excited about missionary work. We are receiving lots of referrals...missionary Christmas!!!
The language is coming really quick this transfer but it's more hard here b/c the cebuano is a bit deeper than in the city. I never ever speak in english, except district meetings which is a nosebleed b/c I can't remember lots of english words and always in church they ask me what a certain english word means...and I forgot!! embarrassing gyud!!
Oh and I think I have somewhat of a stalker...don't worry!! harmless but every time he sees me he continues to ask for my number and he says he misses me...haha. I never know how to respond.
You can tell Zaldy I miss him lots and everyone and continue to pray for them every night. I need to write them all soon. Mabolo is still in my heart. We get to go to the temple next week...YAY!! So I will get to see my city and beloved temple gihapon.
So we have one investigator Maricel. Investigator for over a month, shes a teenager (oh by the way I NEED more pictures soon I wont have any left, everyone wants the pictures and I keep giving them away...I can never say no to these people. They just love our family and think everyone is soo beautiful) and she has never been to church, until last Sunday. We committed her to go to church and she said well it might rain so I just gave her my umbrella and she was like oh no its okay but I insisted and said that she could give it to me at church and she tried to give it back and I refused and said okay goodbye see you at church tomorrow. Then at sacrament she wasn't there and I'm like I am not giving up on her and I just kept praying and praying and then I saw her walk through the doors near the end with her mom. Success!! She handed me my umbrella and we were soo grateful she had come. She enjoyed herself too. Also, we are teaching a whole family...there are like 12 siblings of a newly return missionary. Most are members but inactive. But there little ones aren't members yet...they are very receptive. So huge progress. When I arrived there was no progressing investigators and now we have 4 pretty clear for baptism this transfer and a lot more committed.
Oh another funny story I was teaching Maricel the word of wisdom and there is this weird boy that always joins me that just flirts the whole time. I was telling her not to smoke cigarettes and stuff b/c it will make her eyes yellow and blah blah and he continued to interrupt and flirt with me and tell me how beautiful my eyes were I was soo frusterated. They next day we went to teach the law of chastity and he was there again. I was like oh no....even more awkward!! But soon he left cause I kept ignoring him. Answered prayers haha. Well I have more stories but no time. I love you all.....
Love
Cari
I can't believe Scott is a priest!!! way to go!!! I am just sooo proud of my family and how well your all doing. And Dad...Amazing dad-keep of the good work, I am soo proud gyud!! I was beaming reading you email. And I miss watching Jimmer he was my favorite BYU player, sayang!
Bogo area is super progressing!!!! We had the opportunity to teach the third hour of church last week, Combined relief society and priesthood and we got people really excited about missionary work. We are receiving lots of referrals...missionary Christmas!!!
The language is coming really quick this transfer but it's more hard here b/c the cebuano is a bit deeper than in the city. I never ever speak in english, except district meetings which is a nosebleed b/c I can't remember lots of english words and always in church they ask me what a certain english word means...and I forgot!! embarrassing gyud!!
Oh and I think I have somewhat of a stalker...don't worry!! harmless but every time he sees me he continues to ask for my number and he says he misses me...haha. I never know how to respond.
You can tell Zaldy I miss him lots and everyone and continue to pray for them every night. I need to write them all soon. Mabolo is still in my heart. We get to go to the temple next week...YAY!! So I will get to see my city and beloved temple gihapon.
So we have one investigator Maricel. Investigator for over a month, shes a teenager (oh by the way I NEED more pictures soon I wont have any left, everyone wants the pictures and I keep giving them away...I can never say no to these people. They just love our family and think everyone is soo beautiful) and she has never been to church, until last Sunday. We committed her to go to church and she said well it might rain so I just gave her my umbrella and she was like oh no its okay but I insisted and said that she could give it to me at church and she tried to give it back and I refused and said okay goodbye see you at church tomorrow. Then at sacrament she wasn't there and I'm like I am not giving up on her and I just kept praying and praying and then I saw her walk through the doors near the end with her mom. Success!! She handed me my umbrella and we were soo grateful she had come. She enjoyed herself too. Also, we are teaching a whole family...there are like 12 siblings of a newly return missionary. Most are members but inactive. But there little ones aren't members yet...they are very receptive. So huge progress. When I arrived there was no progressing investigators and now we have 4 pretty clear for baptism this transfer and a lot more committed.
Oh another funny story I was teaching Maricel the word of wisdom and there is this weird boy that always joins me that just flirts the whole time. I was telling her not to smoke cigarettes and stuff b/c it will make her eyes yellow and blah blah and he continued to interrupt and flirt with me and tell me how beautiful my eyes were I was soo frusterated. They next day we went to teach the law of chastity and he was there again. I was like oh no....even more awkward!! But soon he left cause I kept ignoring him. Answered prayers haha. Well I have more stories but no time. I love you all.....
Love
Cari
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