Adventures from Cebu

Miracles and Thanksgiving

2011-11-23T12:27:00.000-08:00

Tears come to my eyes when I think of this week.....not tears of sadness but great grateful tears of joy. As you guys are feeling over in america this is a week of gratitude. I have seen such a miracle happen this week. Im still in awe at the grace and love of jesus christ and our father in heaven. He is showing me his power and love for his children....Thank you soo much for you letters of love. I am facing some difficulties leaving my mission. Actually its really hard, and im very emotional...these last months my heart has even grown and felt more for these people and everyone. Im thankful for your love and counsel and the mercy of God. God continues to allow me to experience precious miracles and experiences and continues to forgive me of my countless mistakes and weaknesses.

I witnessed a very special tender mercy of the Lord this week. We have our bible basher invetigator Al...I told you about him, he is the one we are really being bold with. I was telling someone that my mission has been like a video game, in levels of difficulty in investigators and he is definitely the bowser level. He has some tough questions, but I feel the love of the Lord soo much for him, b/c i am soo guided in everything that I say to him. Nothing is held back from him, and last week he told us that his father in law died. we hadnt gone to visit him for two days and he has no money and no one to turn to to perform his funeral service and so he went back in desperation to his old pastor and his pastor kindly performed the service for his father in law. Well when we heard about this he said he felt it owed it to his old pastor to go back to his church...like he had a debt to him. Well I looked him straight in the eye and said who do you have a bigger debt towards you pastor or the savior? And he said " well...the savior" and I said then dont you owe it to him to go to his church. and he agreed and said he would go. The next morning he was at church again early and in a white shirt. A few days before that he said it was too tiring to kneel down and pray so I made him continue to read scripture verses about sacrifice and kneeling until he finally agreed to kneel. He was still unsure at the end of the lesson so we got down on our knees on his dirt/ kind of muddly floor and knelt down...hes like "no, no stand up" and I said no we're not going to stand up we are showing you that we are willing to kneel for the lord...and so he agreed. He has made soo much progress. But I havent even gotten to the miracle. He HAS to work on sunday....he says he needs to to earn money for his family. Well...ever since we met him he doesnt really catch very many fish, so I promised him I said "Brother AL, as a messenger of Jesus Christ I promise you that if you go to his church this sunday and do NOT work, you will catch more fish from monday to satuday then you ever have." I said I make you this promise from the lord as his messenger. Well after he went to church we visited him, and yes he had not worked. I started to fast that this promise would be fulfilled. So monday we were walking around near his house and we see his son with a full bag and lots of fish and S. bosio asked whose fish is that? and hes like my dads. I almost feel on my knees with gratitude and tears came to my eyes. I looked at the sky and was in awe at the power given to missionaries to make promises in the name of Jesus Christ. The Lord always fulfills his promises. Then we saw Al walking and we asked him how was his catch and he said it was a lot 11 POUNDS!!! I even saw his son giving some fish away and his wife, who has been against all of this kept smiling at us listened to our lesson and sent us home with 4 beautiful fish! :) I love this work!!! If we are worthy, obedient and in-tune with the spirit we have this authority from God to promise miracles for people.

So yes I love my mission, everyday is precious. Yesterday we planted rice, it was super muddy and fun. Its Birthday week for me and E. banzon...only problem last week we had a rice eating contest against e. irvin and the prize was the winner gets to command the two losers to do whatever he wants for a week (within mission rules of course). Well I ate 9 cups of rice, elder banzon only 8 and elder irvin got 10. Hes a lot bigger than both of us. So now hes king of birthday week, and yesterday he kept commanding us to throw mud at eachother, well it was just a mess haha. Ya I know I might have grown in maturity spiritually but mentally its well....im gonna have to work on it when I get home. Today we're celebrating thanksgiving, mashed potatoes, gravy, chicken (expensive is the turkey), corn on the cob, cake and macaroni salad....we are forbiding the filipinos from rice....they might die from 1 meal no rice...haha..then friday I share my birthday with 1 of the members in our matabao area so we're partying with all of the investigators. Its filipino style meaning I provide all the food...haha. American style we get treated....so im a poor little girl, but Ive been saving. And we keep being fed b/c im almost leaving....and people are just too nice. Oh by the way our sacrament was again 100 in attendance...yes 8th week in a row now. MIRACLE MIRACLES

"You can't fully believe in Jesus Christ if you don't believe in his prophet"

2011-11-16T07:42:00.000-08:00

I’m really excited about this apartment it is really an answer prayer so thank you for helping me on that. Please read or watch this talk on BYU.tv its His Grace is Sufficient by Brad Wilcox, it has changed my perspective a lot. You will love it.

As for my week....its been amazing!!! Every week is amazing and heavenly Father has been giving me very special experiences so I have been able to see the change in my heart and life from my mission. I am soo abundantly blessed.... I have been doing a lot of looking back and a lot of looking forward. My heart is changed, I have been witnessing the grace of the savior in my life. I am a changed person. I can’t believe how much I have progressed spiritually in just 18 months. This has been my biggest blessing, I dont know if I would have arrived at this point if I had never served. I know i wouldnt have for a very long time. The Lord has been opening my eyes the past couple of weeks and I was reading my patriarchal blessing this morning and it said "The lord has blessed you with understanding that you would be aware of the responsibilities you have in life" I always wondered b/c my blessing is pretty vague. But I know now, that the Lord has blessed me with this understanding. I know my mission is not ending in 5 weeks. Its just beginning, the Lord has slowly been showing me what I need to do and I have some work ahead of me and im excited. I now know how to receive revelation and talk with my Father and Heaven. Im not afraid, I know my or his plans and Im thankful for the guidance of my Savior through prayer and study. All I can say my eyes are opened, and I know how to talk with my HF.

As for our area....its really progressing we had 8 ppl go to church, our community wasnt able b/c they had to harvest rice, were still working on their testimonies. but that community is BLOOMING, they are even sharing the gospel with their friends. As for elai...I think wedding bells will be ringing soon and you know what that means!! shes going swimming! ya!! Were having just such huge success I love it and GRABEH we are working for it. Sprinting to this finish....no time for breaks. we had 90+ at sacrament again!! 7th week in a row. the branch is getting steady, everyone is excited, its crazy. WHAT A MIRACLE!! We had our bible bashing B. Al go to church. I’ve gotten really bold with him, in my old age here in the mission. I told him NO he cannot be saved if he doesnt believe in Joseph Smith. And he asked well what if I believe in Jesus Christ and I said you cant fully believe in Jesus Christ if you dont believe in his prophet. He was taken aback but he came to church the next day. I toldl him if he came to church and didnt work on Sunday he would catch more fish on Monday to Saturday then he ever has before. I told him his salvation is depending on the things he’s doing right now, going to church, reading and praying and preparing for baptism. I’m telling a lot of people that. I love boldness, why should we be afraid to share what’s true?

Yesterday we went to the elders area in inabunga and climbed 6 mountains, we went to the house in a middle of nowhere and chopped wood planted corn and killed a chicken and ate it. I’ve really gotten to be a native. It wasn’t as bad a the pig though.

I have so many stories for you when I get home that I don’t wanna write right now but I cant wait to share them all I love you all soo much. I got your package and I gave everything away....everyone loved everything. thank you so much mom....your such a mom. You just know! I love you for that.

Cari

2011-11-08T21:31:00.000-08:00

Staying in Calape!

2011-11-08T21:30:00.001-08:00

IM STAYING IN CALAPE!!! S. Bosio and I will be together for 3 transfers so yes I am the Queen of Bohol. 7 1/2 months here. and I will be dying here.....I am sooo excited about that...I jumped up and down for joy. This miracle is not done yet!! and the Lord knows it!! So smile....Ill be coming home with a bohol accent. :)

This week has been intense....I cant believe the miracles I have been seeing!!!! We had for the 5th week in a row 100+ go to church. I think this was the highest number I have ever seen. And we had 4 investigators just from our little community go and they even skipped breakfast to go which is HUGE for filipinos. I was in tears I was so overjoyed with happiness. There was a new light that day in the church. I bore my testimony and was in tears, I could barely speak....b/c how much I was touched. While I was bearing testimony this over consuming love came over me for the filipino people. I could feel how much Heavenly Father loves this little filipino nation....and he notices all of their sacrifices. He hears every one of their prayers, and even though some of them might feel insignificant, they mean the world to him. I am forever touched by their sacrifices, even from our investigators. They sacrifice soo much to go to church. We have been seeing record high numbers going to church, in this little branch and its getting to be a constant success every sunday. This December we’re looking forward to some baptisms, hopefully 4...all adults. so we will be hitting the pavement hard! We are on the verge of a huge miracle, and there is no time for trunkiness.

As for fun we went up to the top of the mountains yesterday and you could see all of our area. Its was AMAZING. I love it up there. We need community service. Oh and we found out our invetigators are really weird...haha. B. Al said he would come to church if we promise not to talk to him. haha. He is one of my favorite investigators right now. Before, he was pretty hard headed. He had learned all these bible verses from his pastor and would throw out all this stuff at us. Well...Im glad I have been studying b/c we were able to answer all of his questions, and he got kinda confused cause he couldnt throw us off our game. I love investigators like that. and now he says he believes it, b/c he cant argue anymore. We’re still working with him, b/c he actually needs a testimony. but gradually this will happen. We have some amazing investigators, please pray for them. I am just soo happy with the work here. NO, I have not wasted 1 day of my mission. I love my mission, I am sprinting to the end.

oh I forgot to tell you, we ran into a former investigator the other day and we were kinda teasing him asking why he hasnt been to church and he said that, hes soo busy. and I asked him why he is so busy...what is he doing and hes like oh you know, reading...and im like reading what? and hes like oh the Book of Mormon...pshh. I was like oh thats a new one...so yes I think this is the first time in the history of the world that the thing that is stopping someone from coming to the church is b/c they are too busy reading the book of mormon...haha.

So itll be fun, everyone thought I was transferring so everyone’s been giving us food and saying goodbye and president nueva already thanked me for my hard work...and so they’ll be surprised knowing that im staying. There is a new light here. For the first time people are excited about missionary work....they have never seen these miracles happening. I love this area, these people. I hope you know, I have faith now. I have faith that the lord works miracles. I am touched that my mission is helping others. I know its a blessing to our family. we are all missionaries. I will never be the same. I never before thought of myself as weak, but I look back on the way I use to be and my priorities and my mistakes and its all changed. I love the Lord more than anything. I will be a missionary my whole life.

11/1/11

2011-11-02T12:29:00.000-07:00

So were converting a whole community right now. Well its in the really beginning prospects. We found an investigator who was left at 9yrs old by her parents and she had to take care or 4 younger kids and they just had to go find food and whatever. Can you believe that? 9yrs old and she had to take care of 4 little kids. and if her parents ever came back they would beat her. She is soo strong and she was crying when she was telling us...look at these peoples lives. I will never be the same, I dont think people can really understand life until they know and love and live with people like this. I love these people soo much. They are poor and they said that if I transfer next week theyll kill a chicken and grill it for me....they are soo amazing and I am always touched by their love and concern for me. Were like famous in this community I love them all soo much.

Oh BTW yes there are transfers next week, hopefully I dont transfer....

YEs so halloween is like it is in mexico, they just all go to the cemetery and respect the ead, it was hard to proselyte b/c noone was home. We had FHE with th strouds and I learned soo much from them as always.

I went to my last training w/ sister Bosio, I love riding the boat to Cebu, and seeing everyone and president.

Sorry, Im boring....not too much is happening but I love the work and am exhuasted. We are working SOO hard and we just got back from climbing a mountain.... love you all carry on! I have the best mission ever

Happy Halloween!

2011-10-26T01:16:00.000-07:00

YAY!! Thanks for the bday present...im soooo excited!!!!! I have ONE thing to look forward too....other then seeing you guys. One of my investigators looked up Courtney’s facebook, they said she’s sexy kaajo....haha. Thank you for writing s. honey I really am so grateful for her and miss her soo much, I looked for her everywhere last Thursday but only saw jimmy, I asked e.schenk how she is and he’s like she is SOO nice and I was jealous he gets to see her. I love my Bogo.

So I emailed E. Hardin’s girlfriend (about rooming with her), well see...he’s excited about it so hopefully it works out...it’ll give me an excuse to talk about my mission all the time. I know I’ll be an annoying RM who ALWAYS wants to talk about their mission. Grabeh, I’ll only want to speak visaya too.

So Satan has been attacking me pretty hard. He has been my whole mission, physically, emotionally and spiritually. But lately it’s been with nightmares. I haven’t slept well in about a month. I finally talked to the strounds about it, and they first said that I should feel complimented b/c if things are happening like that it means I’m threatening the other side. We are literally in a war, i have seen and felt satans power. There is also stuff I’ll tell you after the mish b/c i don’t want to cause a scene...but, E. Stroud dedicated our home yesterday and put angels protecting our house, I’m learning what power the priesthood has, I slept like a baby last night :) I’m soo thankful for the priesthood, and to be a soldier in the war...you know how I love opposition, I’m loving fighting this battle everyday, we have doubled the numbers going to church in Calape and are working on converting a whole barungay, but its not us...its the Lord. Every one of my areas is a miracle area, I asked the Lord to put me in the least progressing areas my whole mission, and he's blessed me with that. I've seen miracles beyond what I could have imagined and seen satans side running like scared dogs.

I get to go to Cebu again for training....yay. I love seeing president. I love my mission, actually I have been praying about coming home, and I’m somewhat excited, b/c I feel I have a lot of work to do there. Miracles aren't over. Being a servant and soldier of the war isn't over, its just beginning. The Lord is strengthening me for that. I would not be this strong without my mission. I could have never reached this level of understanding and love for the Gospel w/ out my mission. I know every good thing that will ever happen will be directly from my mission, and not a day will go by I will not think of my love for my mission. Tell grammy NO, I will NEVER run out of enthusiasm for talking about my mission, its the BEST thing and decision I have ever made. It’s who I am and a part of my heart. I feel like the grinch where your heart expands so large it breaks the xray. Thank you mom and dad...for supporting me. I am soo eternally blessed from you two and your examples. Love you carry on, put on your amour and carry your sword of truth and shield of faith everywhere you go.

(Brooke is learning to play the alto saxophone) what???? yes!!!!! I cant wait to hear her. I MISS that saxophone. I’m thinking of soo many summer plans with you guys. Don’t spend too much money on the house, cause we need to go on adventures, I’m such an adventure junkie now. Can u believe I only have 8 weeks left now? I love my mission but I crave your hugs soo much, sometimes it hurts. Being away from my family is definitely the hardest thing about the mish, and I might have a hard time going straight back to school, but I know its the best. So I wont have a car? That’s ok, I don’t need one....and what’s Courtney doing? is she ok after hearing what happened to her friend, jenny. I cried for her....i’m a little sensitive, my tender side has even gotten more evident, I cry for people I don’t even know, I’m a cry baby now. But she’s such a sweet girl and I cant believe that happened to her. I hope she is ok. I hope Courtney is ok. I’ve been thinking about them a lot and praying for her. I’m so blessed your all ok, I worry about you guys all the time, and hope I just come home to my complete healthy happy family.

Mom, I testify about your family all the time to investigators. B/c look at what your life would have been without the gospel. You know that, and I’m realizing that on my mission. What if you would have married someone else other than dad? Our family is AMAZING and soo blessed, b/c of your choices. They tell us here on our mission if you save one mother you save generations and generations. BUT, I’ve been praying about your family they aren’t lost. I hope somehow I can go there. I want to help. I want them to see what the gospel has done for me. I’ve seen Americans here, we’re teaching 2 and they had to hit rock bottom before they came back. I think your like Nephi, he found sadness in the actions of his brothers and he was probably soo alone. The strouds are probably some of the most amazing people I know and they have 10 kids and only 3 are active. I dunno, but they are always in my prayers

October 20th ~ A Visit With Elder Holland

2011-10-21T07:56:00.000-07:00

HELLO!!! Well I almost have no time.....I had an amazing time with Elder Holland and saw EVERYONE!!! I had the best time ever, we just got home b/c we had to sleep in the mission home b/c we couldnt catch a boat back in time. oops....

By the way, I might be living with one of the elder's girlfriends at BYU, she lives south of campus, hopefully she emails me, this next week or after b/c she seems cool and like we would get along. Also, YES I want the snowboarding pass...PLEASE thats the only thing ill ask for. i think I can get a student discount...Also, sign me up for those classes and well go from there. When do we have to pay for school? Im still deciding exactly what i want to do.

Can you please, email s. honey, I think shes back in Bogo. I talked to President last night. and Bogo had really decreased....im super upset. I didnt sleep all night last night. I also found out one of my favorite families has basically gone inactive and one of my converts stopped going to church and is smoking again. I dont think i can express how much i love these people....and if only i could just go back and fix everythng. im feeling pretty... whats the word, trapped or limited....Also my first family i baptized...they think they moved away and they are somewhere in bohol and they dont know how they're doing. im really suffering, from hearing this...i know the lord will take care of them, but i found out a lot of my converts are having problems. But then as I was suffering in bed, i remembered all the successes Ive had...like Mabolo is just a baptizing area now and my convert is the ward mission leader, and I have super active converts as branch missionaries giving referrals, and one in the relief society presidency....but I feel .0000001% of what heavenly father feels, it has felt like my heart has been ripped out, b/c these people were soo strong when they were baptized, and I dont know what has happened. im really frustrated i cant go back and find out for myself instead of being told by other missionaries that have almost no information. sorry. i know im usually positive,,,but I have to be honest....i have faith but its still hard.

Calape is still doing great, our branch mission leader, left for his mission, this week...its gonna put a lot more weight on us....and im pretty sure i only have three weeks left.

it was weird seeing all my mission friends, we're like a family....i dont wanna go home. im the one going home first, theyll still all be here, you know i hate being left out. E. Holland was amazing we took a big group photo with him and all shook his hand. even with two months left I still have a long way to go to improve as a missionary. I received amazing revalation in the temple and just feel my eyes are now being opeened to the gospel...i have soo much to share with you.

so....ive been having this fear lately, ive seen a lot of inactive rms on my mission. and have wondered how? after this amazing experience they could go inactive. well E. Holland answered my prayer...he talked about the new preach my gospel program and that truly it is to convert the missionary. Well....i know i am my best new convert. My heart is changed, im beginning to understand what it means to be baptized by fire. I have no disposition to do evil but good continually. I have NO DOUBT this church is true, that joseph smith is a true prophet called by God, and made by the lord to live up to that potential. i know god looks at the inside of our hearts, and loves ALL his children. I know Jesus Christ is our savior and loves us more than we can imagine and if we continue on his pathway we become children of christ through the atonement. I love studying my scriptures, its alive and real. these prophets are real and my example. i am a convert, and the lord has answered my prayer that if i watch and pray continually, and go out every day in my armour of god, i will never fall away. Im no longer worried, cause I know i will never fall away. and you know me if i say im gonna do something. I DO IT!

love you, sorry the email was late.

October 11th ~ General Conference

2011-10-21T07:45:00.000-07:00

soo grabeh....dont be scared...haha. But there is a big typhoon coming in tonight, we are preparing 72 hour kits and everything, I hope this isn’t a complication for Holland and we have interviews this week...hopefully. the winds are supposed to reach up to 66 miles per hour. but I know im protected im just worried about my investigators in little huts. The strouds think we're crazy, cause we have been having super heavy rains here and Im too cheap to go out and buy an umbrella so, we just walk around with trash bags and a hole cut out for our heads...haha. also, im too cheap and too big for the shoes here so I’ve had to repair my shoes about 3 or 4 times. and all my clothes are stained and ripped but I only have to hold out for 2 more months so im just gonna be kinda a raggedy ann for awhile, I am in the philippines...haha.

LOVED CONFERENCE....Matthew Richardson...the talk about missionaries, sunday afternoon, was my teacher at BYU, he taught family and marriage relations i loved him, and I was SHOCKED when I heard he was speaking, small world plus we all jumped (all the americans) when we heard about the provo temple!!! WOW@@

so my pday is on thursday next week, so expect your email on wednesday, and I get to go to the temple....its gonna be an amazing experience b/c wow have i increased my understanding for the temple.. if i were to pick my biggest christlike attribute that has been changed, it would be knowledge. I definitely KNOW and love the scriptures. I finally have seen how far I've come b/c I now am able to just quote and pull out scriptures to address our investigator’s concerns. I now see how the BoM answers, every concern, every question and yes a man cannot be saved in ignorance. hours just go by that seem like minutes while im buried in the scriptures, and I know what it is to receive revelation and just have doctrine click for me, it is literally amazing. I love my scriptures, its not boring anymore but the most exciting time while the mysteries of God are being unfolded for me. I’ve been trying to teach sister bosio about it, and to be super diligent in study and she is loving it, we have soo much fun, in our studies. I can’t wait to show you what ive learned. I had an awesome experience the other day while I was teaching about adam and eve. Well I have been having a lot of questions about the whole situation with them. and during our lesson an investigator brought up the same concern. and I sat in silence for a little while. b/c i had had the same question, then all of the sudden "click"!!! It just came to me as I was talking why it had to be like that, and while i was talking I was just like wow....that’s soo true! So its amazing, i still don’t have the gift of patience cause i just study for hours and feel like I have to know everything NOW, i am soo excited to learn, and afraid to go back to school, cause i think i'll wanna study the scriptures instead of my classes.

So General Conference was amazing, and HARD. We got to church after working soo hard the whole week to invite EVERYONE to church, we broke a record with over 400 i2ls and when we got to church, no investigators!!! AHHH!! I literally could not concentrate i was soo distraught and sad, i prayed, “what am i doing wrong? we are obedient, diligent and trying to do everything for you? why?” Then i went to the bathroom I was soo uneasy, and as I returned Robert D. Hales was speaking and he said, trust in the time of the lord...and it was all about trusting in the lord and trials. I was like bitaw, and felt like my prayer had been answered. and my heavenly father spoke to me through his servant and mouthpiece. also, after that session we ran, all the way to the house of our investigator and said GO TO CHURCH! and they came the next session,,,,yay!!! so we have a baptism this week. She’s 9 but her whole family has been reactivated and now are preparing to go to the temple. WOW!! and her father will be receiving the priesthood this sunday and baptizing her, when before, he didn’t even want to go to church or pay his tithing.....I LOVE THIS WORK!!!

so yes im totally freaked out to go home. I love everything about my mission, im especially freaked out b/ i haven’t talked to an american girl my age in like over a year (filipinas are way different and way more relatable for me) I know satan is gonna bombard me. But I have already felt that on my mission, I know he has really tried to stop this work...I have seen him really trying to distract and even physically harm us. But I am confident in the power of god. As I look back on my mission so far, my heart is soo full. Prez. Schmutz described it perfectly in his email. Just like the people during the time of king Benjamin, they only wanted to do good continually, mom please save those emails also, and the ones from pres. hansen, they are really special to me and give me motivation. I have been blessed on my mission. I now know my savior, I love these people. even people I don’t know if I would have loved before my mission. I feel overwhelmed with love sometimes. for everyone even my friends and family that aren’t here.

well I love you all....and for my missionary friends, carry on! dont waste even a minute.

October 4th ~ So Many Miracles!!!

2011-10-21T07:36:00.000-07:00

ok....well, I have lived in the philippines, so any apartment will do, It doesnt need to be nice, Im not a spoiled brat anymore...haha. SO this week had been FULL of miracles!!! Grabeh!!!

So the second week in a row, we have had 100+ people at church, when I first got here, we averaged 50...this branch is a MIRACLE, I’m still in shock, complete shock. I feel the love of the Lord so evidently, I actually felt yesterday while i was walking that i was enveloped in the love that my heavenly father has for me. its absolutely amazing. Pres. schmutz came to our branch last week and he was amazed too, apparently he told s. schmutz i cant go home, and i was like i would love that, but once again they told me, “ sister robison, YOU NEED TO MOVE ON”...haha. But as for miracles, we should have a baptism this next week, her name is daisy and shes 9 years old...but what is amazing, is her family before was somewhat less active and now they are soo strong and her father is going to get the priesthood and baptize her, they’ve been practicing which is soo cute...and its been a long journey with her, so pray nothing hinders her baptism this upcoming week.

2nd miracle, we had a csp harvesting rice in a community of people that weren’t what you would call open to the church b/c of a lot of gossip and untrue sayings....well lets just say the lord does soften hearts, after they saw a white girl and filipina missionary working along side them in the heat and not complaining about the itchiness or dirt and having a good time laughing and getting to know the people, everyone LOVES us now. we have soo many new investigators from that area now, EVERYONE greets us and loves to talk to us, yesterday we had a lady that took my hand and introduced me to every single person she knew...haha. we had a TON of i2ls.

we had an amazing experience the other week. Well you know, there are no bathrooms here, so I really had to go pee. and so i told s. bosio im going to find a place to pee...and she’s like what are you doing...b/c i just started trudging through the mud...what she didn’t know, and i didn’t completely understand is that i needed to go in that direction, i didn’t know why i just though i had a feeling there was a place to go pee over there. well all the sudden this lady comes out and asks what we are doing and i told her i needed to pee and she’s like you can go over there...they had a little place covered by towels and you can pee between the floor boards, so while i went about my business s.bosio talked to her and when i came out we asked if we could teach her...she’s like yes of course! after the lesson she cried, she said she’s never felt this was before she feels all light in her chest, she said when she saw us walking she felt that feeling and had to come out of the house and see who we were...we told her that was the spirit. She is continuing and we’re teaching about 6 other b/c of this and they are progressing and want to come to church. WOW...thank you for obedience and the spirit that is WHY we are experiencing such miracles, the Lord pushes you until you almost cant go anymore and the BAM here is a miracle to keep you going strong.

3rd miracle...we found this american man named steve...he was kinda a referral from president, but the whole referral didn’t make sense, they didn’t know if he was a member they told us his purple house was pink, so we had a hard time finding him. as a missionary we are soo busy usually a referral like that we would give up finding him, plus we finally found him and he was busy and we tried again and he was busy, so usually i wouldn’t have kept coming back. but for some reason, once again the spirit was telling us to keep trying. WELL...we went back again with the strouds and he had amazing questions and we ended up giving him to the strouds to work with him, well in just a couple weeks he has completely come back to church full force, going to classes participating and just being amazing. and he had been inactive for 20 YEARS!! right timing and spirit, wow....the Lord really does plan for all of his children, b/c if we didn’t have the strouds, nothing probably would have come of it, so the Lord places people for him, and gave us the opportunity to find him. ALSO, last week, the elders found another american who is actually a friend of steve's drunk out of his mind, with a load of problems,,,but he likes mormons. and so they referred us to him and we told the strouds and steve to come with us. he needs all the missionaries he can get, b/c he is a heavy alcoholic almost to the point where he will not be living much longer b/c of his depression and choices...for him its this gospel or his life. we got in there and we started the lesson and you could just see the spirit working in him. 1st of all he was prepared by the lord b/c the first time he had been sober for 3 days, which steve said is a miracle and he went from just saying mormons are nice to the end of the lesson saying wow i night be the first mormon in my family, AND he’s coming to general conference this week. WOW. We’re kinda making an american branch here, b/c the strouds just recently reactivated another african american...haha.

and last miracle, so we are really close to one of the members, s. gonzalez, and wow does she have a hard life she is a widow with 5 kids, and barely has enough to get buy...sometimes they have no food. BUT she has been paying her tithing FAITHFULLY and fast offerings and wow money just keeps coming into her life. just as there is no money left some how from the mercy of the lord she receives enough money to get by, she’s received a job or something at last minute. one day she was praying, cause their is a promise from pres. hinckley that if the filipinos pay their tithing they will always have rice on their table. she had no rice and was praying where is the promise of prophet hinckley I’ve paid my tithing and that day came the strouds with a huge bag of rice for her and her family...this doesn’t happen once but happens all the time for her and her family. what a testimony for me,. who never had a huge testimony on tithing...i cant wait to get back and pay my tithing!!!

I love these people I love their examples...i work hard EVERYDAY, even if its pouring 100 gallons of rain on me, we came completely soaked and dripping last night and i bought s. bosio dinner b/c she didn’t complain, we refuse to complain b/c the bigger the sacrifice the BIGGER the blessing...I love my mission, I love who I am b/c of my mission, i hope i can keep this light and spirit with me the rest of my life. I am completely changed person and i never realized how much i would need my mission until now. I look back at how i used to be and what were my goals and what was important to me...it has all changed....i know every women doesn’t need a mission, i guess some are just more refined than me, but I NEEDED this, I NEEDED these people almost more than they need me. I will adopt 5 filipino kids haha. i don’t know how i can leave this. I am walking everyday with jesus Christ's name on my chest as one of his soldiers, with miracles happening everyday changing my life. i love this...carry on!!!

September 28th

2011-10-21T07:30:00.000-07:00

Wow...everyone and their moms are getting married....

So this week once again, LOTS of rejection and problems, I feel a huge weight on my shoulders, that’s the problem when you have learned to love and care about the salvation of others soo much!! Well first I will start with Transfer call....E. Pasikala, is transfering to negros.....very sad, but expected. E Winmill (you used to write his mom when he was ZI in the mtc, he’s my older batch) is AP, and E. Banzon who is my favorite filipino elder will be in our zone and training!!! yay!! We gave the Strouds spirit animals today and sister bosio. S. stroud is a dolphin, e. stroud is a elk and s. bosio is a meerkat... so ya were strange. I’m of course staying in Calape for at least one more transfer, I might die here, which would be ok, b/c we are having AMAZING progress!!! we had over 100 ppl at church and when we first got here we had only had about 50 or 60!! AHHH!!! amazing....we just need to get the baptisms going. E is doing better she received a blessing this last week, and she’s starting to really listen to the promptings of the spirit, BUT it might be a LONG time before she gets baptized, which is ok as long as it happens. We have a TON of problems with our other investigators, one being persecuted a ton by her family, and all this gossip and blah blah blah, you probably don’t care. I know one day Calape we be a miracle area, I love it here and we're really seeing this branch grow strong and then the baptisms will follow. We had a CSP where we cleaned by the ocean, kind of lame but we ate a ton of coconut and the rainstorms are CRAZY here, I got a little video of it.

So I’m feeling really good about my decisions when I come home, I think I’m allowed to register myself just find out what the date is for me, also....I do really need to start finding a place to live, it NEEDS to be cheap, AND I want to take a tagalog class, beginning...and I need to find out how to take the tests for my cebuano language so I can get credits for that. I think e. banzon wrote you did you get it?

Well...that’s about it...nothing too exciting, I have the best daughter ever on the mission, I keep teaching her hot rod phrases and quotes in english and its super funny, we have a ton of fun. We are really tracting and she is excited to do everything, wow I am getting old on the mish but I’m not getting trunky, my goal is to continue the pace I was on when I was new and I haven’t slowed down yet!! and I never will!!! I love my mission and everything about it!! This church is soo true....love you!!!

September 14 ~ Following the Spirit ~ Harvesting Rice and Souls

2011-10-21T07:22:00.000-07:00

So I know how Chels is feeling, we have had a TON of rejection this week. But, I always am somewhat thankful for it b/c it really makes the miracles even more miraculous. We have really learned to appreciate even the little successes. We have had such a success with bringing people back to church, and saw a family come back to church after being inactive for 5 years. They are soo much happier now and you see the spirit has really entered their home. We also met an American that lives here and has been inactive for over 20 years!! We sent the strouds to him and will see what happens. He is super nice and would be a HUGE asset to the branch. He has an interesting story, he was in the Navy for over 20 years and his dad was excommunicated...we’re trying to dig further on that the iceberg is that stopped him from going to church...oh and...So our little family, from the island in the middle of the rice field came to church!! We were soo excited, they really want to learn more and we’re helping them harvest rice this friday....Speaking of harvesting rice, I was in the middle of inviting this whole group of people to church while they were harvesting rice and I told them I wanted to try so just imagine a sister missionary, in her skirt out in the middle of the rice field with a knife harvesting some strangers rice. lets just say they all got a kick out of it.

So we get to go to cebu tomorrow for training,...im excited, see the temple again. I feel like i have just been in the middle of nowhere forever.....im struggling not giving everything I own to these people, these people here have nothing and the hardest mission rule is not just giving money to everyone. We had one family who is really struggling so we bought over 70 bananas from them and then brought over a chicken to eat with them so they could have a little enjoyment in their life. Now we have over 70 bananas to eat...haha. As for the packages mom, don’t worry...I don’t need much, I just like receiving things to give to people....and I totally can relate to feeling like Alma the Younger, I never believed how weak I was before and how much I lacked in faith. and yes I still have a LONG way to go, I still mess up and I am nothing without the Lord.

We have this one investigator, she new but awesome. I’ll start from the beginning...I remember a while back I felt this strong feeling to teach this family that lives by one of our investigators. We taught them,,, and nothing came from it. They weren’t interested, and it all kind of lead to a dead end. Well I kept wondering, why did I feel like I needed to teach them, they definitely weren’t what you would call a golden family....well last week, when we went to one of the member’s house they said that they had someone that wanted to listen to us. We went to this lady’s house, her name is ann. and we asked why she wanted to listen to us, she said well she had seen us passing by each week and then saw us teach her family, but didn’t have time to listen at that time, and she was super interested in our message and curious what we were teaching her family. So what do you know? her family was that family that I felt impressed to teach!! You never know why the spirit is telling you to do things, or what the plan of the lord is...but that is why you need to be obedient, b/c the Lord really does work in mysterious ways!! She is an amazing investigator and even has talked to her husband and he said it’s okay if she continues to listen and learn and we’re going to try to teach him too!! I am soo thankful for the spirit, and its guidance, and I know what you mean by I still have a long way to go...I am an imperfect missionary but I know the Lord is molding me. Well that’s all for now...hope my letter makes sense, yes my english sucks, I know...

carry on!

September 7th ~ Food Poisoning and a Baptism

2011-10-21T07:16:00.000-07:00

Summer is over.....well its christmas time here, its starts in september here. So we were rockin out to jingle bells during our companionship study....haha our neighbors our soo loud.

as for my sick episode after my email, I ran out of the computer shop and sat on the floor, i kind of created a crowd b/c im an american and all and elder pasikala tried to convince me to get up and take the 1 hour bus ride home, but that just seemed terrible. after some convincing I got up and just as we got to the street by the tricycles and bus i threw up three times in the middle of the street in front of everyone. the elders really have seen the most beautiful sides of me here in the philippines...we were laughing. well i took the most miserable hot bumpy. crowded bus ride home, ran off the bus and threw up three more times. Then I threw up the rest of the day laying on the bathroom floor until I finally gave in and called the strouds. They were so kind and brought me medicine and ice packs and gave me a blessing, i continued to throw up the whole night, wishing i could just die and then woke up the next morning and went to work. I was super weak and everyone thought I was crazy, but I knew I would go crazy if i stayed in bed, when I should be out working. Sister stroud brought over icecream, and I am soo thankful for my mission parents that just live down the street. Yes so that is the third food poisoning I have had like that in the philippines, its the most brutal sickness I have had, I thought I would lose my insides, but im ok and happy now. Thankful to be done with that...

Well as you have probably already figured out, my mission is CRAZY!! Our investigators...haha...well lets just say things might be getting complicated but I cant talk about it until after my mission.....just wait for these stories. We are really working on finding new investigators and are really working hard...very hard. We went to a leadership training with pres. schmutz and did a mock branch council, soo much progress from that. Our branch is really improving and I think they are learning to love the sisters....I know they miss the elders before that just liked to "hang out" but I finally told one of the members that that is not true love. we arent here to "play around" yes we love to have fun and I think sister bosio and I have the work hard and play hard thing down, but we are showing our love for this area by putting in our heart and soul to the work. Cause we love them. Yesterday we walked around for over 2 hours just no one being home or having time to talk to us (chels, i understand....its hard) especially in the heat...and you know what maybe I wont see a ton of baptisms in my time here in calape but I am working so that one day it will be a missionaries miracle area. I love it here, everything about being here. I think of leaving all this and it makes me super emotional. I love everything about being a missionary, putting that name tag on in the morning, and walking the streets, looking for those prepared souls.

By the way we had an amazing baptism, Dominic was soo cute, I love that family! We are really working with them to get his dad baptized now so that their family is complete. They went to church even though they only had 10 pesos and might have to walk which their house is like probably over 6 miles away. Well padyon...I would LOVE to teach Young womens if they want mission stories every sunday about machetes, shootings, cock fights, balut, jungles, and islands of people that have never before seen a white person, then yes I will teach, but I will also teach about the most important things,,,the atoning love of our savior and the love of our heavenly father for every single one of his children,,,

carry on!

August 30th

2011-10-20T23:47:00.000-07:00

So we've had some interesting experiences. I think on monday we were going from an appointment and there is this strange oasis of jungle in the middle of the huge rice field, and I was curious so we had time so we decided to go tracting there. We started walking through these pathways through the rice fields until we finally found a pathway that was a lot easier and we got there and there was like this little community of people and everyone was somewhat related....and so we taught two groups of people and they had all these questions one guy had an old school book of mormon in english and he knew all about lehi and nephi and he was this super old tatay. We came back with the strouds and taught them the plan of salvation and they seemed super interested. So we are now teaching a whole little oasis island in the middle of these rice fields. Im just going to start my own little community and church there.

We were also having HUGE progress with c and her husband s, like he completely has changed and believes in Joseph Smith and wants to be married and baptized this year, but then he got called to go work on a totally different island and they had a fight before he left. But we texted him and told him to still be praying for his family and he said he was reading the Book of Mormon while waiting for the bus.

Aramando is AMAZING, holy crap he will be a future leader, he made his wife last sunday go visit less active members with him...and hes only been a member for a week!!!!! He also reads the book of mormon everyday and dreams he is Nephi at night...haha

E, is doing amazing comes to church every sunday and pays tithing FAITHFULLY every sunday and we have even started to teach her husband at 6am every other morning so that he can change they can be married and be baptized, he has made huge progress and hopefully we will see miracles from us sacrificing our sleep. Everyone says im working my child to hard, but shes a trooper dealing with me.

By the way Ive been learning soo much from the strouds their like a lifetime of knowledge, and I love talking to them, we have the best neighbors, and their really awesome to work with even though they dont know what is going on in the lessons when they work with us they kow just what to say and the spirit is very special.

We made a huge breakfast this morning with shrimp, banana pancakes, french toast, mangos blah blah blah, im getting fat from being fed by the strouds. We probably spent the last three hours talking about pokemon and old cartoons the filipinos feel asleep, they were bored and said we can never stop talking...haha.

Sister Bosio is super fun and not one of those cliche sisters, we are pretty much made to be mother and daughter, she reminds me a little of chels filipino style so we have fun....

So i havent eaten anything crazy this week except me and elder pasikala ate a huge red chili pepper and i almost died it hurt soo bad, I could feel the pain even in my ears......the filipino elders always point to weird insects on the ground and say sister robison eat...haha.

love you all...carry on!!!

August 23rd

2011-10-20T23:37:00.000-07:00

Well....I have some requests...can you email chels and see if she ever got my letter? I dunno if it was the right address. also, can you send some more little book of mormons....by the way is sister honey back in Bogo?

As for my week. Wow, we are having revolutionary changes in our mission and we get to be a part of it. :) I am so excited. First of all my trainee is awesome, she is from Mindanao and We have a lot of fun, sister Schmutz said we're a good match b/c we're both pretty spunky..haha..I have fun with her b/c sometimes her visaya is mixed with tagalog and the visaya is different here so she is learning vocabulary from me. She spoke in zone conf and I just felt like a proud mother..haha.. .there is a new training program and this is the first time this has been done, first transfer ever and I got to go to Cebu and we were all trained last friday on how to use this new program. I saw E. Banzon he said he wrote you so you need to write him back. E. Johnson is training also so he was there. We got our new dvd players to use in our companionship study. But this means I will be training for 12 weeks, and we have to have this 2 hour study everyday, its intense. They are supposed to be soo well trained they could be able to train after 12 weeks. I'll be in Bohol for 6 months yay!!! Prez. Schmutz said trainers are the most important calling in the mission,..so I feel a large burden on my shoulders, but this is exactly what I needed, there is like a new spirit in me and our lessons, I am really trying to improve as a missionary and I feel so privileged to be a part of this new program that will just up the skills of missionaries soo much more, meaning so many souls will accept the gospel.

So we have had an AMAZING week. S. C's husband who was at first against the church is now super interested in the church AND listening and reading our assignments. We asked him how his testimony is and he said its still not there yet BUT yesterday we went back and he now has a testimony and wants to be BAPTIZED this year. He even prayed about that when he said the closing prayer he asked for help. SO yes wedding bells and overflowing of our baptismal font will probably be happening in October!!!! YAY! S. E is still working with B. E. so that they can be married and be baptized, also this October :) Families :) I am soo excited, we have just been having absolutely incredible lessons, and found a ton of new investigators. We have been soo guided by the spirit. And B. Armando was confirmed a member of the church!! aghh he is amazing!!! He wants to go spread the Gospel to all his family, and we are working with him to go do baptisms for the dead for his family in September. I love working, I love working hard, I love coming in soo exhausted I can hardly walk or think. No i have not had a day in the mission I can regret and day I didn’t give my all. I am not perfect, I am soooo far from perfect, BUT I have had a PERFECT mission.

By the way we do this thing called spirit animals in the mission Elder Pasikala is a Panda. I got mine today in zone conference I'm a lynx. haha. Zone Conference was great, I received soo much revelation as always....I feel as I'm coming to the down slope in my mission, I have soo much more to work on. The time is far spent there is little remaining....I feel I am just FIGHTINg a losing battle with time. 24 hours a day is soo short and I have so much more to do, so much more to improve, so many more miracles to witness, so much more bisdak to become....tick tock all the time....ughh. I was thinking the testimony of Ammon about how he is nothing without God and he doesn’t boast in himself but only in his God, I feel that soo much. I love the stories from the scriptures especially about alma and the sons of mosiah...they speak my feelings a lot better than I can, Love the book of Mormon. I'm gonna challenge you guys every week. Buhaton be ninyo nga read the book of mormon and pray as a family every day this week? I know that you will receive revelation as a family, feel closer to me, and everyone will be able to overcome your trials and temptations this week. Just remember that is one of the most exciting things for me to come home too. I don’t care about movies, music I want to be with the family and make our home a little piece of heaven. Our home is next place to heaven on earth after the temple. So if you want me to adjust to coming home start making it a heavenly place for me now. I am just fattening you up with all my cheesiness and I’m sorry but I have seen miracles on my mission from family prayer and doing the basics is very special to me. I love you all.....carry on!! carry on!

August 16th

2011-10-20T23:28:00.000-07:00

Wow....What a week? I am still in shock from every amazing thing that has happened. First Transfer call came this morning.............drum roll.....................

IM STAYING!! YAY!!!! But,,,,Im feelin a little pregnant b/c as of friday I will have an anak.....I’m training, I’m soo scared I might poop myself again, b/c I don’t know if she’s tagalog, or visaya, If she knows english or what....aghh. I’m gonna miss Sister Manarin a ton!! We've had soo much fun and she’s been amazing comapion. This is like our area so it’ll be weird being with someone else, and I am feeling a little in over my head but I know the Lord has qualified me and will help me in this new adventure. As for Elder Frecker...he went home. We all miss him, he was an awesome zl but it was his time to return to idaho and his cowboy days. So Ill be going to Cebu this friday to have a meeting with president and pick up my daughter, and that means I’ll be in Bohol a LONG TIME....yay :)

As for you not picking me up, your plan sounds about right...perfect, I didn’t feel right ruining everyone’s christmas and stressing you, I’m sorry as a missionary I just hardly know what it feels like not to be happy...haha. whatever you want :) I just cant wait to see you all again. Court sent me pictures, I miss her we/re gonna have a blast I hope she doesn’t go on a mission RIGHT AWAY b/c I need her to help make me normal again and buy me clothes...I HAVE NO STYLE whatsoever anymore...haha. I just throw on clothes and a headband and that’s about it. I have a jack sparrow look going, but I just decided I’ll worry about my gwapa later.

Now lets get spiritual.....I had one of the most amazing lessons on my mission last thursday, we taught Armando about the priesthood, to prepare him for his baptism. Now all of us had had a special feeling about him since the day we met him. I have always felt that one day he would make an impact in the church. So this lesson we brought the strouds (our new senior couple) with us to teach him. We felt strongly about teaching him about his duty as a priesthood holder. So we taught him and then Elder Stroud testified. Now he doesn’t speak cebuano so he didn’t know exactly what was being taught or going on but he prophesied to B. Armando and told him that he feels strongly since the day he met him that he will one day be a future leader in this church and that through his priesthood he will bless and effect the lives of many others. I felt the spirit soo strongly and we were all crying and had chills going down our arms I had goosebumps I know what E. Stroud was saying was from the Lord. B. Armando has an amazing testimony and has grown so fast in just a couple weeks in the Gospel. He is very special to us and S. Marnarin and I and the strouds were talking after the lesson and I said if he was the only convert on my mission, I would come home a very successful missionary. :) He was just soo prepared. and by the way, his baptism was AMAZING!!! President and sister stroud both came along with an area authority of the 70 Elder Perez. We all sang "im trying to be like jesus" and many people were in tears. B. Armandos testimony was amazing and his future is so bright in this gospel. This is what being a missionary is about.

On Friday we were asked to help Sister Schmutz with the leadership training of the women. I think people are really beginning to like sisters in the zone now. E. Frecker said one of the branch presidents came up to him and requested sisters for their area b/c the work they have seen done in calape. That was and amazing compliment.

Sunday we had a missionary fireside where we all taught the district and afterwards the strouds got in an accident. it would had been serious but only their back was hit so they are ok just sore. When we heard though we were still at the church heard sirens and ran all the way from the church to their house. we were sooo scared, but they were ok and there was a TON of people so we took the opportunity and invited all of them to church...haha. no one was seriously hurt.

So Mom if you could make and save all the letters from president hansen and schmutz in my emails that would be great...I know i lose this email after my mission and mom...STOP COUNTING DOWN THE DAYS.....garrr. I still have a while on the mission...ha? still more people to convert and many more experiences. and 15 lbs to lose and a trainee to corrupt...jk hehe. By the way elder pasi and I are still zone buddies as you would be glad to know. oh and you can tell sister honey that sister martin went home too :( with elder frecker and my mama sister person....:( Ill miss them all. Well carry on, I love you! I’m sending pictures soon!

Love you!

August 9th

2011-10-20T23:21:00.000-07:00

Aloha from Bohol,

So life is good, always having fun and working hard. We have a baptism this Saturday and President Schmutz is going to attend so it has to be good. He super awesome, His name is Armando and he is the husband of one of the members, at first he was always busy so it was hard to teach him, but we were very persistent and now hes awesome, and after his interview our district leader elder surio said...hes an awesome investigator and is probably a future district president!!! yes!!

We have district conference this week and Im excited, but that means little time for work. We’re having fun with the senior couple...but we’ve definitely have had some hardships this week. Our investigator D who was doing super awesome, had given up drinking and was slowly giving up smoking had a HUGE downfall. When we first met him, he had run away from home b/c he was fighting with his wife. They were always fighting and there was a dark spirit in their home. I never liked to go over there b/c their was always contention, But then he slowly gained a testimony. Came to church every week, was always smiling, awesome spirit in their home...and then BAM....he hit rock bottom. He started drinking with his friends again, and his wife was crying. We had FHE over there with the senior couple, and we saw D walking away from his house, he was completely drunk...slurring his speech and saying, his wife is a big fat liar. Elder Stroud wanted me to translate and I told him what he said, and he is like this is when you do what E. Holland said and feel DEVESTATED. Well I’ve been heart Broken over it....just completely ripped my heart out of my chest, BUT we taught him yesterday and he seemed better....please pray for him. But on a good note, sister E paid tithing!!! YES we were soo excited and we just keep seeing miracles here.

Transfer week is next week and HOPEFULLY I WILL NOT BE TRANSFERRED!! But I think I will, I just have a feeling cause its s. Manarins last transfer next transfer and I doubt she transfers....Ill cry and be upset and then sing, Ill go where the Lord wants me to go...haha. Ive started to become really old in my old age here in the mish. I just love telling people that as a messenger of the Lord these are promised blessings and you need to change this or this is your consequence.

So Yes I probably don’t want to go back to school until fall, might as well, wait so I can work, make money....So ya lets just do that. Mom stop worrying, I’m healthy, I think. I feel healthy and happy. My hair is growing back I think, I’m just really really white!!!

Love you,

Carry on!

August 2, 2011 ~ New Senior Couple

2011-10-20T06:22:00.000-07:00

Oh wow....what another week. So we had the new senior couple finally arrive and we had a huge district welcome party for them. It was fun and soo funny. Talk about old tatays doing a drama with old music playing in the background., soo funny. And there was this little cute innocent 11 or 12 year old girl that sang this song and the lyrics were super dirty...haha!! as in!! and it was hilarious b/c no one understood except for us americans so Elder Pasi and I were cracking up and no one had any idea why....i know we’re missionaries but I still got a little devilishness in me...is that bad?? haha.

The Strouds (senior couple) are amazing, we are working with them right now with some really great big plans for the whole Bohol Island I think it will be revolutionary for the church here. E. Stroud has been a seminary teacher for years and years so he is an expert about doctrine so we have gone over there a couple times to just discuss about things like signs of the second coming and doctrine with him, its our missionary fun and its in air con.
I guess were connected all the way across the world, b/c we have rats too. but whatever, I dont even care anymore when I see a nasty little critter. and we were supposed to cook and eat a dog today, but we didn’t find one so dont worry. And dont worry I have GOALS...first of all to whip you all in shape...of course. Second to work with missionaries, I wanna be their best helper and also I NEED to go to Portland I feel that I don’t know exactly why but I just feel it. And I need to be with the family

....by the way I have NO lice, just some dead eggs, but they are all dead I have been about lice free for a month...so DONT WORRY. I am healthy and happy.

We had 6 investigators attend church, two will be baptized next week and we’re having some good progress with our other investigators. We had an intense lesson with Elai (wife in the Golden family) she wants to be baptized but she needs to get married first, which is hard here b/c no one has money and its expensive. So were gonna try to find a way to help but she needs to save the money on her own...although its like one $20 for me...they need to sacrifice, but its hard not to just give the money. You don’t need to talk to Pres. Schmutz just do it all through what I told you, you should get a package about it. Whatever you guys want to do, I dont want to force anything.

Sister honey emailed me and I cant email back....tell her I miss her a ton!! I loved our times in Bogo...SOOO FUN!!! and mom if you just want to come to Philippines...we can have a special mommy daughter date in the phils. But up to you, whatever you guys want. If not Im just excited to be home for christmas, by the way I probably wont see any of those elders, Im in the middle of bukid no wheresville so theres lots of friends from the mission I wont see again, which kind of sucks

Well I love this gospel....my investigators are progressing soo much, there is soo much progress here I am just in awe, I love life. I love my mission, Now let us rejoice!!! I love the scriptures studying them has just opened my eyes to things I couldn’t have even imagined before. I have set goals and made plans for when I get home. I wanna run a race with dad, so he better get in shape, oh and he better grow the moustache back....you guys are just changing to much for me,,, I cant handle it...haha.

Love you, stop growing up...im exactly the same, I thought was supposed to come home changed not you guys....grrr

Carry on!

July 26th ~ "Trunky Letter", but I'm NOT Trunky

2011-10-20T06:20:00.000-07:00

Oh my lice is basically gone mom, dont worry, I have thinner hair but Im not too worried about it and I have a rash on my arms but no scaring, and my face is fine, completely clear....so DONT WORRY....hehe. I am healthy as ever so dont worry :) and my hair will grow back...its not THAT thin, im just an exaggerator...haha...and theres always the resurrection.

oh by the way, I got my trunky letter...my date is decemeber 22 and I marked you three will be picking me up so you should get a packet soon....you can call (801)240-5111 to coordinate flight plans. trunky na ko!

I got a letter from chels...you can send her my weekly emails too so she knows how im doing. miss her, shes awesome

so this week has been AMAZING!!!! Can you say miracles??? I mean I am still amazed...so lets start out with the letter I received. All of my converts are super active in Mabolo, B. Jesus just got called to be ward mission leader!! Apparently he is on fire!! Delia is a relief society teacher and in the presidency...can you believe that???? My converts, not even a year baptized, I feel like a proud mommy. As for calape....I cant even believe Heavenly Fathers love for us!! We found two super claro investigators one that will be baptized in august and we had TWELVE!!!!!!! yes 12 investigators come to church last Sunday, we couldn’t even fit them all in our classes, everyone was sooooo amazed. Usually we only have about 50-60 people come to church but last week we had 100+ can you believe that??? I was almost in tears I was overjoyed.

The ward members are starting to love the sisters...yes were probably aren’t as much fun but through hard work and obedience there are miracles. Our golden family is doing wonderful, super progressing and went to church and sister Cecil, who dropped us last week b/c her husband was angry she was listening to us came to church with her 3 incredibly cute kids. She dropped us and after praying and discussing it we went back, testified to her and told her to talk to her husband again, she told me while I was sitting next to her in sacrament with a huge smile on her face, her husband is ok now with her being taught!! can you say miracle again??

I am incredibly humbled and in love with this work, I don’t know how I can go back to normal life. I received three letters from my recent converts and those are my most cherished possessions. These emails don’t even do justice to all my stories and I have many more I haven’t been able to explain to you until you get home. There’s stuff that I am waiting to tell you in person and I only want to tell you my family....the mission is amazing. Incredible, I feel like a soldier of the lord walking in the jungles and streets of the Philippines. There is something different about life here, this is reality this is eternity for me. and I am incredibly blessed. Our members told us they have never seen this progress happen before they have never even seen that close to many investigators in church....what a miracle....i believe in miracles, and mom I don’t know but I really have been having a strong feeling I should go to Oregon and visit your family after the mission, also I would love to live with Courtney but I wanna be at home for 1 -2 months there’s something I wanna do. Also, mom you need to call BYU and tell them I wont be going back until summer, will you do that for me or i might have to reapply. I love you this work is true, there can be miracles when you believe...haha. prince of egypt.

Carry on!!

July 19, 2011 ~ New Mission President

2011-10-20T06:17:00.000-07:00

Thank for the pictures, of Courter, shes soo pretty...her hair is soo long!! Im trying to grow my hair long again, but it is very thin and wont grow...haha. Im losing all my hair its awful but, everything is still worth it :) I actually love living with brown water, cock roaches and rashes, when will I ever be able to experience this again??? I never thought I would say that....so funny some of the elders saw an ipad for the first time, Ive still never seen one, the technology here is like in the 80's so Im gonna come back and just be amazed all the time. Plus we barely have running water and I havent used a shower in ages (especially hot water) haha. I love it though. Sitting on the floor all the time, I feel soo at home here.

But this week has been a little tough. Im not going to believe that Bohol is a harder area then the rest of the mission....I refuse!!! I just keep praying that we will have success and see miracles. I know difficulties are all part of the bigger picture of success. Ya we were dropped by two of our investigators b/c their husbands were angry at them for listening to us. I thought they were really promising. BUT, at least one we’re not gonna give up on, were going to go back again and try to help her. Our Golden family is doing okay...they couldnt come to church, b/c he had work but next time. Hopefully they will continue to progress...keep them in your prayers- Elai and Eddie Boy.

My interview was amazing, President and S. Schmutz are so loving and nice. I love them. I asked about extending though and I got the hint...sister you need to move on...haha. So I guess it will be december na lang when I come home. But Ill be home for christmas......... :) But he did talk to me about training....yikes!!! haha I told him I am up for anything, any area...the "harder" the area the better...:) Its true, Bohol is challenging But I love it b/c it just makes you treasure the successes soo much more. I know I can handle anything after my mission.

We will be having the couple missionaries arrive next week they will be living across the street from us, Im looking forward to fresh baked cookies and american food :) Im sorry but I have lost the little american ettiquette I had before so your all going have to teach me how to eat right again haha. We struggle using the american utensils. Youll have soo much fun making fun of me, especially courtney.

Oh I might not tell about our next pday activity...everyone will hate me especially brooke and grammy...they might cry. Ya remember how you were mad about the pig?

By the way there were other people that were resurrected...for example peter, james john, moroni. Well thats what we think. And I remember adam and eve were resurrected b/c they were describing the bondage they felt when they only had their spirits.

Right now were going to hike the waterfall and river....im excited. This place is beautiful...hopefully you guys can come, even though Im coming home in december. Please tell me yes??

I got two letters that made me cry yesterday, these people are soo special to me. My convert-jessyrine in Bogo is a single mother and she has a little boy named aj and she says he misses me...when he sees my picture he pointes and calls me (titer biton) sooo cute!! I love them I cant even express how much I love these people, especially my converts. I wrote them and told them hopefully you can meet them. Oh and tell chantelle congrats...shell LOVE ASIANS...I know I do! I dont care about all those european countries I just want to explore asia...if you guys come here we need to stop in thailand of tiawan or japan or something.

Well I love you all!! This church is true and I love it, I love bearing my testimony everyday and feeling my saviors love. I cant wait to see you all, I have dreams about hugging all of you especially mom! :)

Carry on!

July 12, 2011 ~ Following the Spirit into the Jungle

2011-10-20T06:14:00.000-07:00

Thanks for the pictures I LOVED THEM!!! Wow,...everyone is so guapa and guapo and so grown up while I have lice, rashes all over my body from the dirty brown water we shower with...haha. Ill be the black sheep of my good looking glowing family.

As for the week, one of the best weeks, I have been full of gratitude everyday from my sweet experiences and the blessing from the Lord. I cannot even believe his amazing mercy and love for me. I just feel enveloped in his love and I am AMAZED at the miracles and guidance I have received. So this is what happened....

I have been earnestly praying and fasting for the past transfer to find a family ready to receive the Gospel. I have had great faith that this will happen. I have been praying for miracles in my area, and once again I felt strongly that this would happen. Sister Manarin and I are really working hard and trying to be good missionaries and be spiritual so we would be worthy of the blessing. So on Friday we were tracting. We were in an area of ours we didnt know well and kept walking until we kind of tracted into wilderness. I mean there were absolutely no houses, just jungle. But for some reason I felt we should continue. S. Manarin was like okay lets continue, I told her “sister there is either an extremely sweet place we’re going to or a golden family I feel it.” We were both so guided, When we got to three separate roads, I asked her what road we should take and we both pointed to the middle one. Both so in tune, we continued and finally there was a small house in the distance with a woman chopping wood. We both looked at it and said lets go there. While we were walking I said, “sister I know this is our Golden family.” We got there and started talking to the wife and she was nice and we helped her chop some wood and then we asked if we could teach her and as we began the lesson her husband came home. He started asking us all these questions, so excited. He said he knew a bunch of Mormons and said we will be at church at 8am on Sunday, I was soo full of joy and gratitude I thought I would burst. We went to church on Sunday and we had 4 investigators committed to attend but they were not there, then just before the sacrament someone said, “sister are those you investigators?” and I was like oh yes, its them. There they were, our golden family with their two daughters. I thanked heavenly father right then. We have been teaching them and I dont think they are married, but they are excited and amazing and I love them. and the branch has already embraced them. I am sooo grateful and happy to be having these experiences. I now can say I love tracting! Pray for them, I love them so much.

By the way if you ever want to read my letters to president and his reply you can just access this email. He seems really nice, Im excited to meet him, hes so genuine in his letters.

By the way if you guys come here there is the coolest adventure park, ziplining, caving, root climbing it has it all but Im not allowed to do any of it!!! But you guys can :)
go here to check it out. www.eatdanao.com I have the flyer we went last week and found out we couldnt do any of it...lamest pday ever.

Oh by the way I found a nativity and bought it, it was like $30 dollars. its ok, I love it b/c its filipino :)

We have interviews next week. Im excited, Im gonna ask him about extending, did you call BYU yet? I cant go back until at least probably May, so you gotta let them know.

Love you all!!! Believe in miracles, especially for your family mom....one day they’ll understand I’ve been praying for them a lot and fasting. By the way tell elder. pasi's mom he’s great, hell love Bohol. I’m with him now, always smiling. We’re both laughing at you two worry warts..haha.

July 5 – Happy 4th of July

2011-07-12T21:06:00.000-07:00

This week has been a lot better. We just had transfer call and Im staying but Elder Pasikala (mom you know his mom) is transfering in the zone and Im super excited, plus im super excited to be staying.

Well about the sister I told you about last week, she is doing a lot better. We're still teaching her kids and her neighbors just think she got attacked by a wakwak. Im sorry, sometimes filipinos are crazy but I love it. They are soo superstitious...a wakwak is a large bird that sniffs the stomach of a pregnant lady and then that causes the baby to miscarry. I hear stuff like that all the time. Even some of the missionaries believe stuff like that...haha. Ill tell you a lot more once I get home. One of the elders in our zone will only shower outside b/c he says there are demons in the bathroom.haha. Thats what happens when you're in the mountains. Love it! But she's okay, the branch is really helping.

So I spent my 4th of July walking in the rain, I mean it was the hardest rain I have ever walked in, we were both completely soaked from head to foot. But it was fun and we sang the whole way home...haha. there were NO people. Yesterday, was just a blast. We had a csp in our area way up in the mountains, soo fun. We had to hike through this beautiful jungle, waste deep in water, with waterfalls and caves until we got to these rice fields and planted rice all day. We were thigh deep in mud and of course you know we have to throw mud at eachother and push eachother in the mud. We just couldnt resist. The Filipinos were all watching thinking oh these crazy americans. BEST MISSION EVER....absolutely beautiful area, the Filipinos would just be so rich if they displayed pictures and made it a tourist spot. AMAZING, I'll take you there if you come here.

Oh and we didnt plant rice all day, haha just a couple hours....wow that sounded like I only played...all day. I want you to know Im working hard my feet hurt everyday and I love it. I feel the Lord is really guiding me...S. Manarin and I had two lessons one day where she said and used the exact scripture I wanted to use. We are both really being guided by the spirit. I love it. Some missionaries hate Bohol b/c its the hardest area in the mission. But I love it, just another reason to see progress and miracles and get closer to God.

Presisdent Schmutz is here and we have interviews next week so I'll tell you how he is. I heard he is a lot more strict then President Hansen, but Im sure then thats what the mission needs. I have learned so much from my mission about sustaining our leaders, it seems to always sneak into my personal studies especially b/c I know one of my weaknesses is sometimes I think I know best and its hard for me to be a follower. I always like being the leader, but I know that you cant be a good leader with out being a good follower and sustaining the leaders. I love how God teaches me in my personal studies and gives me a new perspective and changes all my inadequacies. So I love you, sustain the leaders....thanks for the pictures, brookey is a cutiey. Continue to send pictures.

Dont worry about me mom, I always bounce back, even if we're having a bad day or trial, we always find a reason to laugh and be happy....its just too much work to be upset and down....love you all :)

June 21st – Happy Father’s Day!!! and a Peeping Tom

2011-07-12T21:05:00.000-07:00

Thank goodness Cari was blessed with safety before her mission or I could not handle this!!
~Jeanette

Well first of all HAPPY FATHERS DAYS DAD even if it is late. oh and before I forget did you get videos with my last cd?

So as always if the work is progressing there is going to be some distraction. So Wednesday after Pday Sister Manarin was taking a shower in the bathroom and all the sudden I hear these screams. Now Sister Manarin is not an OA sister she doesnt just overreact. But she kept screaming and screaming and I was like what is going on? she runs out of the bathroom in her towel and can barely speak she is just so terrified. So finally she tells me she saw hands...there were hands on our bathroom window. Someone had been looking in on her while she was showering. I was like ok lets be calm and all the sudden there was loud banging knocks on the front door and I go up to the window and I see three big tall guys looking in at us. Well I almost poop myself completely my stomach drops and I take sister M with me into the bedroom. The only problem is we have a large hole in our window and none of the locks are very strong. soo oops!! I put the bed up to the door and try to get ahold of the zl"s. I am feeling so hopeless b/c we have no 911 here or anything and I have no weapons. Finally after a while the zoneleaders call and I tell them they need to come now. When they get here Elder Frecker is holding two large machetes and hes with the three guys, apparently they heard sister manarin's screams and wanted to see what was going on. pastilan I dont know why they had to knock like that and look into our house. Well the elders went out in back and saw a ladder on supports so that the creeper could climb up to our bathroom window and look in on us. So it was all planned out. Our bathroom window is very tall so they definitely had to plan everything. Well Elder Frecker was mad chucked the ladder and we called the Aps. They gave us permission to sleep at the Branch Presidents house that night and the next morning we talked to the landowner and he put a strong lock on the door. Elder Frecker gave me a large machete which I sleep next to every night and Im buying a machete tomorrow to hook onto my side as I walk at night. Literally one of the creepiest things that has happened to me, Sister manarin is a little tramatized...but we are surviving and I feel calm and safe now. Now its just a good story....dont worry were being extra careful the bathroom window is boarded up now. So you said you wanted to know everything.

Other than that we had a wonderful baptism on saturday. I feel like we have been really guided by the spirit this week. I feel so protected and under the care our our HF. Also we had a super funny experience while we were teaching some new investigators. First lesson....after words one of the older ladies was I think overcome by the spirit and didnt know how to handle it so she started praying super loud and blessing everyone and yelling chants in different languages. Literally one of the strangest things I have seen. I was holding back laughter as best I could. I have never tried so hard not to laugh in my life I thought I was gonna throw up from the strain. hahaha. It was just the strangest thing ever. I pretended I was coughing but it was like 10 minutes long...haha.

Well I dont have much time. But I love this gospel...and my mission...soo many priceless moments :)

June 14 - Miracles

2011-07-12T21:01:00.000-07:00

So we are experiencing MIRACLES here in Calape. My heart is just soo full, its amazing. We started with no investigators and now we have over 10 with baptismal dates and we will be having a baptism this saturday!!! What a miracle, and also we had 10 investigators go to church last sunday!!! I know none of this would be possible with out Heavenly Fathers help. I am just amazed and absolutely love working here in Calape. Also I got a letter from Sister Yanoyan (in Bogo) and she said that our investigator will be baptized July 2nd and one of our investigators that totally had gone down the wrong path and was burning Book of Mormons with the Jehova Witnesses has now come back and will be baptized next month too!!!! :) Plus, E. Frecker told me that my referral I had found in their area while we were doing the area attack will be baptized this month and she is super active participating in activities. I was soo happy. It was amazing the way I met her, I was on splits working in their area (when I was in bogo) and I all of our appointments fell through and so I decided to go tracting. I started talking to this lady who didnt seem interested but I felt prompted to invite her to listen to our lesson, she said she was busy but I started to be a little pushy and her being a filipina gave in. Well the lesson was awesome I totally fell in love with her right away and she cried and then I turned her over to the elders and she is being baptized now. So important to listen to the promptings and not your own judgements on people. By the way I have been studying deeply about the lost ten tribes, tree of life and second coming. I have learned some pretty amazing things...cant wait to one day discuss it with you all. Actually that is how we will be spending our pday after this...discussing deep doctorine in the church while eating mango floats...haha. love it

About 2 times a week we have to hike up this huge mountain b/c we arent allowed to ride motorcycles anymore. The views are just absolutely incredible. By the way did you see any videos on the pictures cdsI sent you? If not I need to have sister Yanoyan send them to me. I just want you to know, miracles are soo possible, the Lord is hastening his work and I am soo grateful to be in the mission field at this time. Its amazing. I love every second of it. Love you all....enjoy your summer, its the rainy season here.

Cari

June 7th – Blessings, Goodbyes, and a Strong Testimony

2011-07-12T20:58:00.000-07:00

I'm glad Brooke took buddy's "incident" well. Poor little guy. And I will never be converted to Tim McGraw; I guess you need to improve your missionary skills mom.

So this week! We have been working hard trying to show the Lord that we are worthy for miracles here. We now have 4 IBD's (baptisimal dates) one that will be baptized next Saturday. He is a shy 15 year old boy, who’s just great. I love him already even though he’s super shy to me.

I found a way to bless a life and receive a huge blessing. You know with my fingers I can no longer wash my clothes, so I got permission from s. Hansen to pay someone to do it. We found a widow who has 5 kids and she is just amazing. She was like “this is such a blessing from the Lord”...I felt soo happy. And she can now come to church b/c she now has money to ride the tricycle. What a miracle.

Sunday night traveled to Tagbilaran and had a sister Bohol sleep over- we had permission from president Hansen...we worked in the area a little that day and then slept over....and Monday was zone conference!! Just amazing revelation from President Hansen. He is just a spiritual giant.

I have really been studying doctrine covenants, I can’t wait to come home and discuss the things I’ve learned, AMAZING. Its super deep so I don’t completely understand everything. I still need to correct my weaknesses a little more so I can further open my spiritual eyes, but who needs TV when you have the scriptures? I just wake up say my prayers and head straight to my scriptures. Soo much fun!! Just loving it.

Zone conference was kind of sad...said bye to President and Sister Hansen they are just soo amazing. They showed us pictures of the next president and his wife they look super nice. But its gonna be weird, we all love the Hansen’s soo much. But it’s okay. As a missionary you really learn how to adjust. I’m getting soo used to goodbyes now.

By the way we’re getting portable dvd players soon, so president says the new missionaries are just gonna be at a new level. I feel the second coming is soo close the Lord is really hastening his work. I believe we will see it during our lifetime. From everything I’ve heard from the prophets I really do believe there is no time. We need to start serving the Lord now. When Christ asked Peter do you love me? Peter responded yes of course I love you and Christ said FEED MY SHEEP. Peter had soo many weaknesses he denied Christ, he was haste in his decisions and chastised so many times by Jesus Christ b/c of all of his transgressions. But at the time, in a matter of minutes Peter became the greatest apostle and a prophet of the Lord. He became the man that people gathered just to be in the shadow of him, the man who followed Jesus’ example until the end of the earth, once he realized that the only true way to show your love to Jesus Christ is through missionary work, through feeding His sheep. We need to feed His sheep, not just during a formal mission, but forever. I will never stop sharing the gospel, always. B/c I love my Savior. I realized that more than ever when we taught an anti Christ and I had to defend Jesus Christ and His divinity...declaring my testimony of our Savior Jesus Christ. If we love Him we will realize the importance of His missionary work. I feel honored to be a missionary, my favorite thing to do is to put on His name everyday literally. I am thankful for every minute I have in the field. It just goes by way too quickly.

Love you all....( Im going to see some caves :)

Carry ON!!

5/31 - First Week in Bohol. Challenges and Miracles!

2011-06-02T15:43:00.000-07:00

Well....I have one thing to say I have fallen in love, with BOHOL!!! It is the most spectacular place I have seen in person, and I thought Bogo was beautiful....sometimes I just lose my breath looking at the jungles and jungles of palm trees and the rolling mountains with the bright green miles of rice fields. But before I go on my Bohol adventures I have to finish up talking about my Bogo days. So Thursday I got another encounter with my stalker. You know how elder frecker went to his house to tell him off 2 weeks ago. Well I saw him on my way to say goodbye to two of my favorite recent converts and who was behind me? My cockeyed, drunk stalker. He followed me and went INSIDE the house and wouldn’t leave...he just kept mumbling his love to me and one of the brothers was going to try to punch him, but they had to hold him back. The stalker finally went outside after 20 minutes of declaring his love and was waiting for me outside aand I snuck out around back after saying my goodbyes. Then I had a wonderful FHE with my favorite family and recent converts...I love them soo much, of course I cried. and tell sister honey I miss her and Im making her a BR. I love Bogo soo much, but I feel satisfied with my work there of course I ache for my Bogo but I know they are in good hands.

Transfer day was hard I knew that was the last time I would see a lot of the missionaries who I love, so it was really hard. B/c I think I will be spending a while off island and a lot of them will be going home. yes i am tigulang (an old person) in the mission. I didn’t really get a to talk to e. johnson, I think he’s in toledo now?

So the boat ride To Bohol was sweet, tons of little islands on the side and it was just awesome!!! Bohol is sooo beautiful...rice fields!!! our apartment is okay but I think they are gonna make us move. I’m gonna be known as the moving sister....grrrr... I hate moving. We get to our apartment and it is a mess b/c there were elders there before. Plus they leave us a note that said this is a HARD area and they have had very little success. I look at the area book they usually only have 10-14 lessons a week. But I have FAITH...I am soo excited, I just love challenges and I LOVE hard areas. Never seen an easy one yet. Everything I hear about how hard it is just gets me excited. So after lots of planning and strategy we meet the president of the branch (super nice) super willing to help and we schedule PEC meeting with them on Sunday morning. I don’t think they’ve ever had one...haha. But i learned from Bogo success starts by meetings.

We spoke on Sunday and I gave the story about the sons of mosiah and about them being assigned to a super hard area -the lamanties. and having tons of success through fasting. So I decided I was gonna fast- then BOOM miracles!! That afternoon about 10 members of the branch went on splits and we visited less active members plus we scheduled to have members work with us all week, PLUS we received 11 referrals. They loved the elders but after 3 days they were like its super nice to have sisters :) I love them already soo much!!! I told them through faith, fasting and prayer we will see miracles. YES!! I am soo excited to work everyday. WORK WORK WORK...I am as happy as ever. But yes ITS HARD!!! We were left with 0 investigators...not even one!!

Tuesday I climbed a mountain to visit some referrals...it was awesome....breath taking views...you can see cebu island. Then today I went to the chocolate mounatins (they were formed b/c Bohol used to be entirely underwater, that’s why there are sea shells on the ground everywhere in the philippines..hha) AMAZING and yes I held a tarsier....so creepy and sooo funny and cute. Its illegal but we paid the guy under the table...shhh. :)

My companion is fun, good worker...we get along. Im just expecting so many miracles....I want you to know though. My mission is not easy. Its hard, hardest time of my life. I have spent soo many times crying myself to sleep over people that have rejected us, people that I have loved. I have felt physical pain from the intense emotional pains I have felt. I have never felt such horrible emotional pain in my life where my body aches and I just cry out to heavenly father to help me. A mission is hard, I have soo many trials and weaknesses. But I’ve learned not to focus on them, once I learned to completely forget about myself is when I learned to love my mission. AND I LOVE MY MISSION!! I don’t focus on the disappointments and the trials, that’s just wasting my time. I am soo happy, I have never been happier, despite everything, I am happy and soo full of love for everything. I can’t wait to come home and just teach...I love teaching- just wait for my family home evenings. :)

oh by the way got your package...it was perfect-loved it all, your the best mom ever i mean it. Loved the pictures but just wait till you and dad come to the philippines you’ll have an adventure of a lifetime.

By the way elder frecker just ordered a plate of chicken butts, he thought it was chicken nuggets...haha.

I love you all soo much, I feel your prayers. Im in a hard area and I love it. Pray for miracles, this is gonna be the sweetest experience of a life time.

I’m in paradise, working for the lord, with all the potential to happen in the world. priceless gyud.

Carry on!

5/24 - Last Week In Bogo, On To Bohol

2011-06-02T15:36:00.000-07:00

Sooo....I am all healed, my fingers are great but the medicine has made me sick but its okay, I have had a FANTASTIC week. First of all the transfer call just came this morning.........I am reopening an area in BOHOL!!!!! yes!! I thought that I would never see that island. I am the second american sister to be in Bohol and first in the zone-Calape zone and we are the first sisters in Calape area!! I am soo excited. My companion is sister manarin and elder frecker my zl now will be transferring there with me. The area its super out in the middle of nowhere. there is nothing but a market. its going to be a crazy experience and super difficult, especially reopening. I know its just gonna be super difficult. But thats my mission, I have always started out in a non-progressing area and my favorite thing is to just watch it grow and blossom. I actually prayed and fasted for another hard area, I want to grow and I need trials to increase my faith. Im a person that has always liked to learn the hard way. and by the way Bogo is super progressing!!! I mean its incredible the progress, when I first arrived there was no meetings, no progressing investigators, no referrals...and now. we have all of our meetings, the ward members just keep loading us with referrals and they are all doing a branch caravan every sunday and visiting all the inactives or less actives. they are even visiting maricar and her family for me. I can honestly say I put my heart and soul in Bogo and my work there is done. I can leave happy, even through my heart is heavy. I am leaving members of my family again. But this week I have been trying to leave a legacy of my testimony and let these people know how much I love them. We had a super strong lesson with my favorite family and I told them what examples they have all been to me, and everyone cried...even Jerson (my 14 yr old convert) we were all balling, it was an incredible experience. I know I have left a legacy I can be proud of and thats the most satisfying feeling.

So we found a new house...its awesome, looks like a house from doctor suess...haha. the sink only does to my knees and the tiles are awesome. But ill never live there.

I know if we continue to trust in god everything will be all right. and BOGO zone has overcome all these things....even pres. hansen said that we are going through trials b/c of how well the zone is doing and its true. These missionaries and people here are my family, I dont know what Im going to do with out them, they are a part of my heart and I will be leaving a piece of my heart here in Bogo. But I know that I need to leave and experience this new area that needs me just as much as I need it. I love you all....keep strong and dont get distracted. Love ya!!

Carry on!

5/17 - "So DON'T WORRY"

2011-06-02T15:19:00.000-07:00

I'm pretty sure she knows I'm going to worry! Ha Ha! ~Jeanette

Well...I am now known as one of the most hazardous sister in the mission. Yes, I am back in Cebu City again b/c yes, I had to go to the hospital again!!! I think I am soo much of a hazard, I will probably never get to go off Cebu island. I have three very swollen, infected fingers, so I have been put on anitbiotics. President Hansen said we are doing so well in Bogo we need to go through some trials. I am taking very good are of them b/c I DONT want to lose my fingers so DONT WORRY!!! I am doing all that I can. We don’t know why they are infected really and three at the same time. But I got a blessing and in the blessing elder Neufeld said DONT WORRY!! so DONT WORRY! We just partied down in the hospital and I got to see Elder Pasikala so tell his mom hi and I got to see Elder McBride and Sister Person. So I am happy. Sister Hansen also takes such good care of us, so DONT WORRY! haha

As for this week...Its been good, we had an amazing baptism, loved it. I just love Christian...we took him to Danao with us the next day to see the Jubilee; the area presidency got to be there. It was soo fun, but Christian got really carsick...hes not used to riding in cars and threw up the whole time...and we kept feeding him too haha. and we also went on the most amazing drive in the mountains...im taking you there if you come, there is a huge mountain that looks like a sleeping giant. Even though Christian was sick the whole time he said he had fun...haha. He just laid in my lap the whole time, and I kept buying him Pepsi. All the dances were so cute by the way...the Filipino culture is amazing!!

So we’re pretty sure our house is haunted and full of termites so we have been looking for a house to move into, but I think I’m transferring next transfer so I don’t really have a say in what happens. I’m going to cry...I HATE TRANSFERS! and I am just so in love with the people right now. We had an amazing lesson with Reya and I see how much she wants to change. I know she will be baptized. I’m going to miss soo many people here. One of my converts- Montessa asked me if she could save up her money so she could take me on a Ferris wheel ride before transfers...haha. I just love her, she has a notebook I gave her where she drew all these hearts and said sister Robison is her favorite missionary, I was soo touched. .

I told sister H that you are looking for a man for her in America, she says you have the go ahead,,, she said GO GO GO! haha. Now your giving my ward members referrals huh? ahaa....

I would LOVE it if you bought a house boat!! I cant wait to finally go in the water again....

by the way got my package from the Mcpeaks!! LOVED IT!! IT WAS PERFECT! I wrote them a letter, hopefully they get within the next couple weeks.

By the way pray for our zone Bogo is a very sad zone right now. One elder has tuberculosis, so he is in exile right now...no work for two weeks. Another just came down with us to the hospital to get surgery on his mole that might be cancerous. We took videos and pictures during the surgery...haha. and then my fingers so our zone could use a little extra prayers we have only 1 1/2 weeks left until transfers.

...obedience is key as a successful missionary. If you’re doing all you can that’s what counts. I have learned that it is not to be recognized by others that matters its only what Heavenly Father thinks. I can always improve; I want to improve myself too as a missionary. We’ve had a tough transfer being completely focused b/c of all the problems in the zone, moving houses sickness, stalkers...Satan has thrown everything at us to get us distracted and honestly it has worked a little so I learned these past couple days I need to become more focused again and get back on track and focus on what really matters...THIS WORK. THESE PEOPLE. You’ll understand more when I come home and talk to you about everything....

Just know I am still soo happy. Even though my fingers are about to fall off...haha. I have pictures pretty gruesome. But I am taking such good care of them, which I usually don’t do. You would be proud and sister yanoyan is a nurse.

Well I just want to let you know....love skype, miss you soo much!! Im working hard. We had a little hardship this week, One of my converts has completely hardened her heart, it has nothing to do with us....her little brother was supposed to be baptized this week but the whole family that came back to church has just totally fallen. So please pray for them. I don’t know what is happening. I’m really worried. They don’t come to church any more and always have excuses. That is the most difficult heartbreaking part of a mission. Seeing someone you love just fall away, especially after they were baptized. Soo please pray, the mission isn’t always success and miracles 95% is disappointments and hard work....but its worth it for the 5% success...well I love you all. I feel you prayers!!

5/10 - Bogo

2011-06-02T14:47:00.000-07:00

Note from Cari's mom: It is my goal to never misss a week of writing Cari. She has been pretty consistent about what time she sends her emails every Tues., so I thought I still had time to write, but this week she was about 1 hour early, so when I sat down to write her, I got this sad message... Well, it turned out ok, since we were able to email back and forth for a few minutes.

So even though I don’t have an email from Mom, I am still emailing, the only reason I am not crying is b/c I can skype tomorrow at 9 am. So be there at the computer or you will have a very disappointed missionary daughter. week has been successful. We had 3 inactive families come to church that we taught this week. We had an area attack in the zone leaders area and I went on splits with two amazing nanay's that just love to share the gospel. If we had more members like them the world would be Zion. They were on fire and we found three amazing new investigators for the elders... I just loved them! I think they will be baptized even though it was only the first lesson.

On Sunday we were blasted with the spirituality of president Hansen at district conference. I was just amazed about what he said about sustaining our leaders, he is so inspired. I will definitely think differently when I raise my hand to sustain callings. After that we had a missionary fireside with the district and we taught a work shop on sharing the gospel with our friends so we could get referrals from the members. I had an object lesson where I had two pieces of cake and I explained that the blessings from the gospel are like chocolate cake and I asked who wanted chocolate cake. One of the elders was so excited he almost stood up when he raised his hand, and then I called on another member of the audience. So the member came up got his cake and was eating it and then the elder came up to get his cake and I just shoved it in his face and smeared it all over his ear. Everyone was laughing and he was shocked. I told them that the blessings are the same from the gospel and it depends on how we deliver it and share the gospel to see if they really want those blessings. Everyone loved it and one of the members told me he wants to use the idea for the presentation he is giving at work. so hopefully we get a lot of referrals now...haha.

This week was Elder Swicegoods birthday...we made him a fiesta float and ate the rest of the cakes...and he treated us to american pizza!! I forgot that i missed american food. haha. Theres a pizza shop in Bogo where all the old american joes hang out...haha.

Right now we are getting ready to go to the temple...yes!! I love it. Oh by the way, I ate sting ray and loved it!! AND this week we are going down to Danao for the jubilee celebration!! I am sooo excited!!! We are bringing our investigator Reya, we cant wait!!

By the way this is the email from president we are all on cloud 9

“I too have witnessed a miracle this week in connection with the Bogo District that takes the number one spot in the multitude of miracles I have witnessed over the years. I know that the Lord has His eye on that district and that the future is very bright for it. Your zone has truly contributed to the miracle by loving the people. This is what the people have lacked for so long.......I hope your example transposes to the members.....Thanks for your email. It is indicative of your testimony. Pres.Hansen”

Also the fact that he announced that Bogo has one of the best sets of missionaries they have ever had right now and that is coming from president Hansen. I just love our Zone, don’t let me transfer in two weeks....ahhh!!! Hopefully not!! Well I hope I can skype with you all tomorrow.

Love,
Cari

4/26

2011-04-26T19:50:00.000-07:00

Yes Hillary I am an idiot and keep reading b/c this will just solidify your opinions...haha. So Bogo Zone has just been FULL of problems...our car keeps breaking down so the Elders are exhausted from pushing around a car and trying to fix the dang thing. One of the Elders from our Bogo Family just went home for 6 months...but he will come back. It was really hard to see him go, but Mom he will probably friend you on facebook he has a ton of good pictures...haha. His name is Ryan Galdonez. So you can make another friend. I see Elder Bennett sometimes hes a good friend in the mission, but I am always soo overwhelmed by all the missionaries I never get to see I never get to talk to anyone very long. I see Elder Stirland sometimes his trainer is our new zone leader so we share stirland stories all the time..haha. And I have only seen Elder Johnson once for 2 minutes a long time ago. So I have no idea how he's doing.

So starting on Wednesday I got to climb a house and of course all the Elders had to try and follow...haha. I'm not a very good example for them. But, they arent good examples for me...I have been suffering from large deep cuts on the bottom of both my feet from our service project on saturday. Me and Elder frecker only got into the mud thigh deep planting in the ocean. It was soo fun I ignored the pains in my feet and when I got out their were very many pretty deep cuts, haha everyone from the district knows who I am all the leaders now b/c I was the only sister out their running through the mud...haha. So yes hillary I am an idiot and I am suffering for it, but do I have any regret? no way! haha. Dont worry I clean them three times a day and am using lots of medicine so they will not get infected. After the CSP everyone doctored me up as we waited to fix the car again! and a nanay found us sitting on the side of the road I was SOOO MUDDY she felt sorry for us...we almost looked homeless so she made us lunch. and we finally got cell phones!! yay!! Oh so when we FINALLY got home we showered and had a wonderful baptism!! That we almost had to do in the ocean b/c the water was pretty dirty, I wanted to do soo bad, all the elders usually get to baptize in the ocean. But we cleaned the water (only a little...haha) But I just LOVE montesa soo much!! She had such a beautiful testimony that she did on the spot b/c we forgot to tell her she would give one...ooops. she was soo nervous but I explained to her what to do and it was such an amazing testimony. Such a little girl with a huge spirit!! She wants to serve a mission someday just like us sisters :) I was on cloud 9. then Sunday we got to celebrate FHE with the elders montesa and the susvilla family ( myFavorite family) it was sooo fun!!! I love them soo much!!! I dont know how I will ever say goodbye. uggghhh!!! Hurts my heart... I just keep getting closer and closer to people. why is the mission full of goodbyes?

Well sunday we had an area attack all of the missionaries worked in on area to help the area, We got to hear from an area authority yesterday on how to strrengthen branches. I will seriously use all the stuff my whole life...invaluable information for future leaders of the church. Its amazing.

I worked with S. Honey on sunday we laughed about you...well I laughed about you...I was like what did my mom say? and she said you said you miss your beautiful missionary...haha. I was embarrassed and just laughed...oh thats my mom. She says your super nice.

about skype I don't know how that works. and the primary program seems like a priceless experience. I saw elder mcbride, he is sooo nice! I am always blessed with good companions though. The language is something that is always difficult, even now I sometimes just wish I was english speaking, but I am thankful to be learning and humbled. Well I love you all!!! oh wait I have bad news, yes my camera is broken. I have no idea how...so what do you want me to do? use my companions only or buy a new one? I am soo sorry!!! If you dont want to buy a new one Ill just use my companions...I dont know. Ill leave it up to you.

Well love you all...I feel your prayers!!!

Love,

Cari

Happy Easter!

2011-04-20T11:09:00.000-07:00

You might be able to tell that I stressed to Cari how worried I was about her cellulitis a few weeks ago. I am now cracking up that she feels she has to constantly reassure me not to worry ~Jeanette

haha....Dad and I are connected, I split the back of my foot open by the screen door.( Cari is referring to me telling her that her dad cut his finger with a saw) But don't worry I'm okay.

Transfer day was good. I really miss our zone but our zone is pretty awesome now. My companion and I are working very very hard. Trying to focus on families...so we are FINDING FINDING FINDING!! We will hopefully be having a baptism this saturday with a 12 year old investigator who we love soo much....she is soo ready although she is only 12 yrs old. She is an example to me. Her name is Montesa and pray for her. We have a couple more on track, but we are really just looking for a lot of families now. My new companion is actually Sister yanoyan so her name is not has hard as I thought.

We had another Pday as a zone, and we ate pig ears, liver and rice on a huge banana leaf with our hands. Next week we are killing a pig, and eating him on the beach. Yes I will take a video. Oh and probaby the cd is ruined b/c our zl lost his bag and it got all rained on so I will send another one soon. sorry. This week we will be in knee deep mud planting on the beach. I\m excited even though I don't know if I will be allowed to participate b/c of my foot. The last csp we cut down weeds with machetes but I had to stop after awhile b/c we wanted to be extra careful about my foot. You know how I hate sitting around on the sidelines.

We have a bunch of plans for our ward, including area attacks where all the missionaries just work in one area for a day. I just am loving the work...I am having soo much fun, the harder I work the happier I am and the more fun I am having.

And I am excited for all my packages...Tell Rhonda thank you, and thanks mom for the clothes all of myine are pretty ruined for my horrible/lazy hand washing skills.

so here is the Filipino tradition for easter, it is huge here. They have a week off b/c they are predominately catholic here and they have these traditions where they crucify people on the cross so they can be forgiven for their sins or whip them. They don't die...well usually. So yes that is the Philippines for you. You gotta love them.

Well love you all... glad all is well, dont be to stressed mom. Love you and tell Greg thanks for the cds we all LOVE them soo nice of him!!!

Love you!! Cari

oh by the way our apartment is super weird as in SUPER WEIRD...dont be worried but we have been having our underwear stolen...underwear only, when we hang them out to dry, nothing is stolen but garments. I have now put two pairs out for bait and we have had a stake out the past couple nights. We think our apartment is haunted...if you saw it, it looks like a haunted house and we always hear noises at night, in the upstairs that we never enter. So I am living in a haunted house at this time. But we feel safe so do not worry. The Elders teased us and said we were going to be emergency transfered and I almost cried b/c I love my investigators/recent converts soo much and I couldn't stand being pulled out. But we are keeping an eye out and have to report anything else that is weird...it has happened several times since I arrived here in Bogo.

The Unstoppable Sister Robison

2011-04-11T22:22:00.000-07:00

Ok...Pdays are just changed this week. President has a meeting so transfers are tomorrow. and I must really stink at english right now, b/c no I am not transferring. haha. I am getting a new companion whose name is really hard to pronounce, But i know her b/c there is only 20 plus sisters in the mission, so I know who everyone is. She is awesome and very friendly. Visyan too. Her name is sister Yangoyan. Sister Martin is transferring to mabolo. How did you get to be friends on facebook with sister Honey? haha. Thats funny.Shes in my ward. We love her. Elder allen will be a district leader in the south zone. I am soo proud of my batch. and 3 others are transferring...our zone is being split up which we are SUPER sad about...but expected. Transfer day is tomorrow...so hasn't happened yet. wow...I guess I really didnt make any sense last email.

LOVED conference!! Its like missionary christmas...and to think before I would accidently fall asleep while these spiritual giants talked. I just recieved revelation in each talk. I am really studying about temples, the priesthood and motherhood and how they all work together. Ive been getting into some pretty deep doctrine and LOVE studying. Its amazing how close to the spirit and how there are no secrets just sacred things that the Lord has to open your heart too. But literally everything is in the scriptures. I am really finding out how little I do know.

So my foot is basically healed. The Lord must love me b/c I gave it literally no rest. I figure I have one time to be in the philippines on a mission and it is short...But, don't worry I still take care of myself.

We had a beautiful baptism with Maricar. I remember when she cried the first lesson b/c she was soo afraid of us and terrified of elder hardin for the interview but she overcame it all to bless her inactive family and herself. Amazing blessings.

So yes I have ringworm now...haha. and we have termites in our apartment. yes!! haha the philippines. But ill just borrow the medicine from one of the elders...he just had it. We just printed four cds of our amazingly fun times here in Bogo...so you will love to get those. I don't know what picture your talking about...but the american elders are frecker, allen and hardin. You probably dont know their moms..haha.

Yes I heard about the sedgwicks in the talk by Elder cook. I was proud, but conference always makes me a little homesick. Its okay.

I just got back from the temple. AMAZING!!! I just saw a couple that has just been endowed and I moved from the couch so the could sit together. They were an older couple so I assumed they were converts and I was just filled with joy to the point of tears as I looked at them and thought of my converts and how they will be able to have the same experience one day b/c of their baptism. I am learning more and more the blessing of temples that I never understood before. Its amazing how real everything becomes to you on your mission, Your testimony just comes alive.

So I decided I miss american food. Even though I love the food here. I could use your cooking mom. I cannot wait to just come home and have a big family dinner. And I want all the food youve been talking about. Oh by the way we havent received americans in our mission for the past few transfers and not until August b/c there are no mtc teachers for cebuano in provo. So our american numbers are shrinking...haha. But its okay b/c I love the filipinos. I'm really gonna miss sister martin...we had soo much fun together, and worked soo hard. But at least I know she will take good care of my Mabolo and all my people there.

Well I love you all. I ate Goat this week....sooo good and balut again, I'm about eating that every week. By the way one of my favorite filipino elders is moving to utah after his mission and wants to write courtney so I'm giving him permission and pray they marry....yes!! haha Love you!! Carry on!
Love Cari

After Watching Conference

2011-04-11T10:56:00.000-07:00

AYAW KABALAKA!!! Dont worry!!

2011-04-06T05:56:00.000-07:00

Not much slows this girl down! I am so grateful she is healing and listening to her body. She will be transferring next week. They watch conference a week late there, so she hasn't seen it yet. The prank she is referring to is for April Fools Day Courtney made some brownies with something added to them that made all of us....well to put it delicately, see blue when we went to the bathroom. Then Brooke pulled the old, "Hey dad, can you roll this quarter down your face?" Which Rich fell for and had a black line running down his face that he didn't know about until he looked in the mirror. Yes, they had fun! And, yes, I was slightly freaking out this week over Cari's infection. I guess I need to be more faithful, but I can't help being a mom.

~Jeanette

So I'm okay...I finished my medicine and the swelling has gone down. But, I cant lie...I dont know how to take it easy, but I know my limits I always do. We only worked two days, I was super weak so I took it a little easier. We have just had a blast this week. I'm going to miss my zone a ton, I just love these elders and my companion soo much. I don't know if I have ever had soo much fun on my mission. Byu the way all our investigators missed us a TON and were soo glad to have us back. We got to ride back up with the APs and President and Sister Hansen. I was soo glad to get back to the mountains, with my beach breeze and trees. I am not a city girl. We got to watch General Young Women's conference, which was awesome. But, I am ashamed the first time I watched that ever was on my mission. Wow...I used to take this stuff for granted soo much and now I look forward to it for months. Its like the highlight of our month for us.
Monday, we built a bridge over a river so the children would have a way to walk to school. So FUN. E. Hardin and I made a poll vault or the river, all the other Elders wouldn't do it...but we had fun. Don't worry I have a classic video, I couldn't land on my sick foot so I just completely land on the ground on my body, and then the elders were so shocked I actually did it they needed another video so I had to do it again. haha. It was soo fun but kind of hurt. haha it reminded me of the experience when I jumped off the roof with dan on to the top of a bounce house with my hurt leg. haha... Dont worry b/c I'm telling you this. I decided I will not tell everything if your going to worry. You should all be use to me by now...haha. When do I not do stuff like this? But I decided after that Mom would probably be mad at me, so I decided after that I need to take it easy...I didn't even climb up this super amazing mountain and this tree that was like 5 trees combined in one (coolest tree ever) b/c I just thought about how Mom and Sister Hansen would not be happy. I don't want a scared mom email next week. So Im settling down mom, for you.

But, today was just AMAZING!! I still cannot believe how breathe taking the Philippines is. We traveled to Botayan-no missionaries are there, so we were probably the first americans they have seen and of course I gave them all pass along cards. They are just amazing friendly people the missionaries are soo lucky who get to open the area. But there is just amazing beaches there. We hiked on the cliffs and there was just some of the most amazing views you will ever see. Then we sat right by the ocean and ate cooked fish. I am just in love with the Philippines, but transfers are next week and Pday is on tuesday by the way. So you will be getting your email on Monday night. I will miss my zone soo much. Best zone in the mission, and hopefully my next companion is just as good as S. Martin. I've had a lot of time to ponder this week and think of Joseph Smith and about how all the prophets sacrificed so much that we could have the fullness of the Gospel today, and that it is my duty to spread the truth of the Book of Mormon to everyone. I know when I see Joseph Smith and all the prophets in the BoM I want to be able to stand before them and say I testified with all my heart about the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon. I know a lot of the power from the Book of Mormon comes from their sacrifices. Sorry I don't have to many updates on investigators and things b/c I havent been able to work too much. Which was soo hard. I spent about the whole week worrying about investigators and converts and itching to get back to work. I was soo happy to see their faces again and know that they had continues. Well most of them we had one the decided to stop. Heartbreaking, BUT we should have another baptism this saturday. Super shy investigator...she cried the first time she saw us she was soo scared. But her family is not active in the church and she is doing great now and excited for her baptism. One of our investigators w/ a baptisimal date was drunk last night during the lesson, which was hard for us too. We are having a lot of difficulties w/ our investigators. I mean our area kind of died with out us there for 5 days and with General conf. it will be hard to work a lot too and temple day the transfers moved up to wednesday. BUT we will carry on. And Bogo will continue to progress and my foot will heal. DO NOT BE WORRIED. haha.. Dad I can't believe you fall for their tricks. I had already told you about that trick when I pranked my whole ward with that. haha. funny kaayo. I laughed out loud. and I want to see turty!!! CUTE!! There are a lot of turtles here I get to see, they are cute. So once again, dont worry. I am taking care of my self and still having fun, my companion is calming me down. I know my limits though. love you all...I will continue to carry on. AND...work hard play hard. LOVE LOVE YOU ALLL! I get to see your faces soon :) *She's talking about getting to talk on video with Skype on Mother's Day

Love,

Cari

Cellulitis

2011-03-29T21:53:00.000-07:00

So I have had a little bit of an adventure this week. Before I get into all the gruesome details. I just wanted to tell you yes I love blood stew...haha. I didn't know that I had been eating it reguraly until last week. oops. Oh and our baptisms were wonderful, I felt the spirit soo strong and they were soo happy. Even little michael was behaved all through out church the next day. Also I spoke on sunday again and told them how my happiest joy comes from seeing the people you love be baptized. We also had a family that has been having very many problems start family prayer and there have been miracles in their family relationships from that. I hope they continue. So now here is the story...

So we all know that I am not to bright when it comes to injuries. Yes I do have a lot of pride. So we were walking from our wonderful baptisms and I have severe aching crazy pain in my foot. I was limping pretty bad, but I didn't want to tell S. Martin so I told her I just needed new shoes. Well we keep on working but our appointments fall through. So when we get home I just have a little blister so I ignore it. The next day we go to church and I have tolerable pain, but when we get home I am once again in super severe pain but no sign of an injury. So yes we work the whole day...and I have a high pain tolerance but it was excrutiating. We thought maybe we should text sister hansen, but I was like no lets wait and see if it heals. I was taking so anit biotics and the next day we went to district meeting and my entire foot was swollen and all the Elders were like YES YOU SHOULD TEXT S> HANSEN and you SHOULD NOT be working. OF course I said I was fine, I had taken excedrin and then we were walking to the CSP and I found another stalker that we have pictures of yes!! He kept talking to me and I told him one of the elders was my husband and he is very angry. haha but he still wouldnt leave me alone. We have pictures dont you worry. So finally we got ahold of S. Hansen and she said that yes I have a medical emergency and I need to come to Cebu. That the disease could be serious and if it reaches my heart I could die, or also lose my foot. She said supposedly the pain is soo bad I should be on cruches and was suprised I had been walking...haha. oops. well...of course we are never down in our Bogo Zone. The elders started to make jokes that I would end up as one of the videos on mormon.org. and be a one legged skier and saying "I'm Cari, I'm a missionary, I'm an amputee and I'm a mormon." and they would be soo proud to say they knew me. haha so we laughed the whole time. But I was a little scared...my foot looked pretty bad. But I wasn't gonna let it get me down. S. martin and I took the 4 hour bus ride to cebu packed up for 4 days and we went to the hospital and met the APs there that night. Yes and we i2led the whole way there...haha. The doctor told me that yes I do have cellulitis. (yes...that disease) and I can't work for at least 3 days...and she gave me a whole bunch of pills and if I develop a fever or it gets worse I have to be admitted into the hospital. So I have been chilling (slightly going crazy) in the apas apartment with 4 sisters and s martin. But they do have a hot shower which I havent experienced for the past 10 months. I think I can leave tomorrow DONT WORRY b/c I think that my foot looks better. Its really hard being confined to an apt. when your a missionary. I miss the work, and feel guilty for not working. Its like I feel like there is some way we could be working AND I worry about the area. But we've had a little fun, we found a way to hook up the tv and watch some proselyting videos and the sisters are fun here. SO DON"T WORRY, I just had another adventure. Oh and mail me those letters I would love to read them, and I love you all. Don't worry about me even when I was scared I read my setting apart blessing that I would be safe from sickness and injury and just knew everything would be all right, so we just tried to laugh the whole trip and make fun of the whole situation. Well love you all...sorry I never have time for the internet to long.

Ayo AYo

Car

2011-03-23T17:04:00.000-07:00

Well...it might be spring for all of you, but summer has started here and IT IS HOTT! Well it has been raining super hard or super hott one of the extremes.

We had the most amazing week, we doubled the mission standards hitting 40 lessons!!!! I didn't think it was possible but we did it :) and through diligence of course comes success...we had 7 of our baptismal candidates attend church-three which should be baptized this Saturday!! I am sending home a cd of pictures this week soo hopefully you should be looking forward to getting 2. I just love these investigators...one is a single mother who has completely changed around her life and is so excited. The other is a 15 year old boy that we just have lots of fun with and has completely made a turn around, stopped drugs and smoking and is just loving being apart of the youth in the church. He has a friend we are teaching which is just the nicest funniest little filipino with the funniest smile. The last is one of my favorites and one of the most difficult he is 9 years old and he has 11 brothers and sisters and tons of relatives and we have been teaching him for soo long b/c he is very very stubborn. But his family has returned to church b/c of him and although he is super stubborn he is super funny. You will be able to tell by the pictures he loves pictures and sometimes gets violent with us b/c he needs to be the center of the picture. super funny. He was soo nervous for his interview but after wards came out dancing and E. Hardin just said he laughed the whole interview. It will be on of my greatest moments to see this little guy go into the waters of baptism. E. Hardin thought he was only 4 years old...haha.

We had a district CSP this last Monday...whacked down weeds with machetes (no idea the spelling) You can just guess the elders LOVED that! We got to drink and eat fresh coconuts...the fruit here is just amazing. I usually boil bananas or eat fried food on the street or rice. I don't know I am soo random there is no rhyme or reason to my eating here. I do miss mexican food like crazy but I don't know how you would send that. I don't need any make up or tooth paste I have a ton.

So I was kissed. I have been trying to be such an obedient and good missionary but I am sorry mom and dad. I was kissed on my mission....oops. There was a drunk man and he told me he loved me and took my hand and kissed it long and hard. haha. He was harmless though...his friend tried to stump me with a question. He asked if we all came from Adam and Eve why are there filipinos and Americans and Chinese? I just sat there and then he kept questioning and I was like well what do you think? and he got mad and said "WHY are you white and I am brown?" and I said, "Brother its b/c its hotter here." (funnier in cebuano) everyone laughed and he was confused and a little disheveled b/c he lost his edge.haha

So we had a district activity. We wanted to go hiking and they wanted to bring live chickens to kill and cook. haha. elders... but then it rained so we went to this area we had never been to and ended up trying to cross a river by the ocean that was deeper then we thoughts and Elder Banzon fell and cut open his foot so the elders took a shirt and ripped it so we could continue our journey. We ended up wandering through a grave yard which had human skulls and bones every where. Until we finally ended up on a private beach resort.oops. It was pretty beautiful though, but we decided as missionaries it is not good to be trespassing. So we just got back from a long adventure of wandering in the jungle and beaches with elders and machetes, spearing trees. haha. yes I am in the Philippines.

I just wanted to say..I AM SO PROUD OF SCOTT, yes I can't wait for him to just serve a wonderful fulfilling mission. But as much as it sounds like all fun and games it is definitely work. HARD WORK, but the most worth it work I have ever done. I think President Davis is going to have to hunt me down to remove this name badge and release me. B/c I don't know if I can willingly allow myself to have this amazing power and spirit gone from me. I just love helping these people and having them set an example for me. Each of them has a piece of my heart forever. This place is engraved in my heart. I love it.
Padayon sa inyong ehemplo ug maayong gibuhat!! I love you all!!!

Love,

Cari

Bogo 3/8/11

2011-03-08T22:46:00.000-08:00

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BROOKEY!!!! I felt soo bad I never said it to Dad on his birthday...but I always think about all of you on your birthdays...I love you soo much.

I am soo happy that Janessa is serving a mission...I just think every girl should serve. But I am very biased. And I received letters from Emily and Virginia...its always fun to get those surprise letters you don't expect, letters are definitely the best thing. Oh and by the way I've been receiving letters from all my converts....and I am proud to say ALL are very active and even fellow shipping the new investigators in Mabolo. I feel like such a proud mama, I am one lucky missionary to have these people in my life.

Oh and we are looking forward to HOPEFULLY 5 baptisms this March...HOPEFULLY!! But you know how things go, Satan is strong...but God is stronger. I always joke how our investigators are like little caterpillars waiting to hatch out of their cocoons...soo corny..I know. But its soo true, they always start out soo shy and nervous (to pray especially or even answer questions-filipino culture usually) but then they just become these strong, amazing people that are examples to me.

That dinner for Brookey just sounds amazing...can that be my homecoming dinner..haha? (I told Cari that Brooke chose bbq'd cheeseburgers, tater tots, macaroni salad, and cheescake for her birthday dinner) Tell Brooke I'll bring her home a dog, I sent you a picture of one, you'll just love him. By the way we found a huge lizzard in our apartment last night, apparently they can jump on you and if they do...you can't remove it bc it will pull off your skin with it, so you just have to wait until it wants to get off you. I was a little scared, but he's gone now. I took a picture, don't worry.

I went to the temple today...got to take another beautiful drive on the coast with the sunrise. Life just does not get better. I saw all my MTC batch again except for Schenk and Johnson. I have seen Elder McBride last transfer his first day but didn't get a chance to talk to him.

What picture of me is on the wall? haha.

The lice is gone, we had some investigators and members pulling lice out of my hair again..haha. They love to do it, they say it makes them happy. So I give the people what they want.

I am glad Scott is not dating...FOCUS on the mission...girls are trouble.haha. He's still little Scotty to me. Courtney SHOULD NOT transfer to the UofU terrible place (jk....but BYU is better) Most of the missionaries are not BYU fans haha. Unsa pa?

You would just love my people here...its amazing to see the change in these people and their testimony, pray for my investigators, pray for my converts.

I have been praying and fasting for Richard's son. I just feel soo comforted about it...that everything will be okay. I know the Lord is always protecting us and everything is in the Lord's hands if we are living the right way. I pray and fast for your family mom and even testify about them to my investigators I know there are miracles about to happen. I just know it. I feel it as I talk about it with my investigators. I know this mission is such a miracle I can't talk about it without getting emotional. I just wish I had more time. WALAY TIME! Its true I am soo tired but I just wish I had the energy to just run to every appointment....I feel your prayers. I feel close to you all everyday, closer than I even felt when I was living with you. B/c now I know, now I know what I have talked about my whole life up until now, is real. Its not just words its my life. I heard a testimony where a missionary said "The way I walk is my testimony, the way I talk and act is my testimony." Soo true...the way we live our lives is our testimony. Love you all....

AYO AYO!!!

Cari (carry on!!!)

Hump Week

2011-03-03T05:35:00.000-08:00

So yes Bogo Zone is being translated, we have NO TRANSFERS this transfer....absolutely amazing, except for one of the Zone leaders who translated with out us, he is now AP. I swear all the Aps come from Bogo. So my admirer has laid off a little bit, I think he left a hand made wooden flower on my door step, but now he only calls me idol and says he misses me. He doesnt attempt to talk to me too much. Sounds like your cruise was absolutely amazing, jealous kaayo especially since b/c I have fallen in love with the Book of Mormon on my mission I would love to see that. So last week I spoke again on the spot during sacrament meeting, I'm getting pretty used to that, and this week I get to teach primary!!! Which I'm really excited about, I just love the kids here...last week I did the singing time. We have some good investigators. Jerson, is a 14 yr old boy we found by doing quick I2ls just inviting to church, and he showed up. He has a past but he is really changing and has even started to memorize the articles of faith. He is participating in the youth dance for the jubilee this may. and is really excited. We also have a single mother who also is find a real love for the gospel. Our lessons are very spiritual, I cried last time when talking about the temple and seeing you two in the celestial room for the first time. I told her it was a glimpse of heaven. I always use our family for an example. haha. So if things keep going right we should be having some baptisms again this month!!! YAY!! my greatest joy. Other than that, not too much has happened.

I'm really sorry about Dan...wow. He needs to be careful, but I'm probably the last one to be saying that...every time I see this tall coconut tree I just want to climb it...there are little grooves to put your feet in so you can climb up. Luckily I have smarter companions and they would never let me do it. Especially in a skirt, I'm trying to obey missionary conduct, but that is probably the hardest thing for me...haha. I'm trying to become sister like. We had a basketball game this morning and I was trying really hard not to be competitive and guard the elders. haha. I'll be more careful after my mission, I know God protected me so that I could serve here...but after that I probably wont have the same protection..haha. Tell Dan he is in my prayers and I think I sent him a letter which he should be getting soon.

My lice is getting better...slowly losing it. I'm jealous you held a gator....so far I've only held snakes and a huge biting lizard...that will be in the picture cd I just sent. He was killed right after and skinned, Elder Frecker has the skin...seriously the elders souvenirs are soo weird. I will continue to pray for aunt cathe...I fasted for her and Richard's little boy. I know miracles happen. They really do!!! Love you all soo much!!! Be happy everyday we have the Gospel!! I feel close to you all everyday, and use you in my lessons and testimonies. Continue to share your experiences.

Love you all,

Carry on!

2011-02-28T20:59:00.000-08:00

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

Happy Valentine's Day!

2011-02-16T05:04:00.000-08:00

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

2/8/11

2011-02-08T22:11:00.000-08:00

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

2011-02-01T19:32:00.000-08:00

Bogo 2/1/2011

2011-02-01T19:27:00.000-08:00

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

Transfer

2011-01-25T23:41:00.000-08:00

Musta...from Bogo...

By the way for a package can you send 3 of the small book of mormons really handy for me and my companions backs. much lighter. They are like the really mini ones. Also if you could burn maybe the prince of egypt cd or something music is such a blessing here in the mission and I would really appreciate more music. It can be like prince of egypt that is allowed or more EFY anything that isn't romantic or loud or entertaining lang.

Well this week has been super hard and very amazing also. The day before transfers I got to see Marlon and Jenalyn be baptized...what a special experience. The spirit was sooo strong and they were just glowing, I am blessed to have very strong converts. S. Mamming and her family (the family that are in most of the pictures) kept hugging me and squeezing me like she wasn't ever going to let go. S. Delilah cried and I lost it a couple times saying goodbye. It was probably one of the hardest goodbyes I have ever had to make. B/C who knows when we will see each other ever again. I think about them allll the time, but I am ready for the challenge in Bogo and E. Allen is in my district which is really fun.

Yes Bogo is way more remote. Actually breathe taking at some points. The drive was about 3 hours by bus...a lot along the coast and everyday I am hiking. I love it!!! I am the first american sister here ever so I sort of feel like a celebrity b/c everyone is soo excited to see and talk to me...just walking here I had a man yell "sister you are soo beautiful your eyes just sparkle when you always smile." haha. We have a lot of new investigators just b/c I am american. The area is very challenging though. Lots of problems, and I mean lots! but I am up for the challenge. I know it will be another miracle area.

None of us have seen Elder Johnson we were wondering if he is still alive...E. Allen and I were talking about him the other day and said if anyone could handle his challenges its him, you can pass that along to him. I know he has had a very hard mission. But, I'm glad he is being obedient I've been lucky with very obedient companions soo no worries. Speaking of my companions I am blessed with another very amazing companion...we laugh a lot and since we are the only two sisters in the zone we laugh a lot at our Elders. We had a district CSP (community service project) we were building a house and it was funny to see the Elders trying to crack these rocks.

I like scott's morph suit. I need pictures everyone keeps asking for them, and taking the ones I already have...my favorite thing is pictures. I had a woman the other day that really really wants me to marry her son. She kept begging me and said she would come to church if I would sit by her son....haha then I found out he is only 12 years old....haha. So our mode of transportation is a motorcycle with a box car on the side...sooo fun! I love it! Its funny to see our district leader E. Hardin ride in it b/c he is 6'5" haha barely fits. You would all just love my area...it is gorgeous and there is a ocean breeze always soo its not as hott. I just feel like I am on the biggest adventure of my life, I LOVE it!! I don't think I can ever go home...even though I miss you all soo much...but it breaks my heart thinking about leaving this place ever. E. Allen told me I have less than a year left and I was soo sad. But its okay no regrets yet. Love you all!!!!! Send my best wishes to everyone. The church is true.

Love,

Cari

Off To Bogo I Go!!!

2011-01-18T23:17:00.000-08:00

So yes I am finally being transferred-BOGO. I'm not sure my feelings, of course my adventurous side was just itching to transfer and is soo excited. But my sentimental side is really having a hard time. But at least Bogo sounds pretty awesome, it is the northern part of Cebu, pretty rural, lots of sugar cane and corn field and white sand beaches-very different from Mabolo. But, I am going to miss my companion and especially my people here in Mabolo. Mabolo is my little miracle area and its soo hard to leave. People have just been saying the nicest things and I know I will always be in their heart. I haven't told them yet I'm transferring, I'm sure its going to be super sad. I love them soo much, but I feel that I have done everything I can for Mabolo, put in my heart and soul and I know it is progressing now. Sister Brand (the girl that emailed you) is replacing me. S. Falculan is training. The baptism is tomorrow...and I'm soo excited!!!

Mom I am soo proud of you about your efforts. I have learned never ever be afraid to share the Gospel. I gave a talk last Sunday on the canary with gray on his wings. I have learned although we are all so imperfect gyud the Lord makes us worthy in our callings. And he even called unlearned fisherman to be his prophets. So we should never be afraid b/c this is the most important, rewarding, beautiful work there is. I will never be afraid again. Referrals our the best way to help the missionaries and the work of the lord. If we let our fears get in the way then we are thinking of ourselves and not the Lord.

I'm glad you got my pictures. By the way those little kids are probably some of my favorite kids ever. I am their giant jungle gym and I have soo much fun. haha. sometimes I have too much fun. Oops missionary conduct..haha. The little boy in the blue is PonPon. His mom told them that I would not be coming back-just joking and he ran over to the door and slammed is shut and blocked the entire door with his body so I could not leave...haha. sooo funny.

Wow I really don't want to leave Mabolo, before I wanted to explore the Philippines soo badly and travel but now its really about the people for me and I decided wow I really hate transfers. But I trust in the Lord and his purpose for me. At first I didn't want to be in Mabolo and was counting the days before transfers...but now I don't want to leave!. Delilah and her wedding are progressing by the way, we have been finding creative ways to help her earn money...shes been sewing our skirts for us..haha. After this experience I will never doubt the Lord and his revelation for me. I know he has such a plan for me to follow and I already have made soo many eternal friends and have watched such miracles happen. I know if we trust in the Lord all is possible and there is no reason to doubt or fear. Continue to share the Gospel with everyone...that is the most valuable way we can show our love to our Heavenly Father by helping his children. We have been committing everyone to prayerfully prepare a friend or family member for the missionaries to share with them next week. I know many blessing will come from it for everyone. So I want to commit you all to do the same, the blessings are far greater than we can imagine. Love you all!!!

Cari

Oh by the way my favorite ward member wants to come to America and marry uncle Rod....hahahahaha.

Last Week Before Transfers

2011-01-12T05:35:00.000-08:00

So Everything is GOOD!!!! Maayo Kaayo...haha. Don't be curious the story isn't that interesting anymore. BUT, I should have wrote this last week, but I was soo frazzled about everything I forgot.

So Mabolo area is literally a miracle area, I can't believe how blessed I am to serve in this area which I love soo much now. I remember how much I used to hate it, and I just wanted to be in the mountains or on the beach like most of the missionaries, but I am even more lucky b/c this area is such an amazing miracle. We have been working SOOO HARD!! Mission President probably gave us one of the best compliments I could think of. He said that our area has progressed the most since our companionship then he has seen in the whole mission. Through sacrifice and hard work I have been able to experience this blessing.

We had 13 investigators at church on Sunday...WOW :) and 4 of them were teenage boys that were friends with Zaldy. They want to be baptized as soon as they give up drinking and smoking. (they've progressed a lot on that:) ) they are fun to teach too. We also finally got a mother to go to church and she hasn't been in maybe 10 years or longer. Hopefully finally her three kids can be baptized soon!!! We should have 2 more baptisms on January 20th...husband and wife!!! They have two little kids and I love them, we have been worried about them but finally!!! So will probably have experienced 9 baptisms before I transfer next week. What a miracle..huh? Before there has only been 2 in an entire year!! Blessing from hard work and sacrifice from us and the previous missionaries.

I'm a little worried about transfers but I have learned to trust in the Lord and wherever he puts me. No area is hard if you have the right attitude. Soo no worries, even though I was down last week, I am happy again. Actually we found out everything was going to be fine the day I emailed you but I couldn't re email. Oh by the way we moved apartments again. We are finally close to our area. So so far I have been in only one area and three different apartments...haha.

2011-01-04T20:20:00.000-08:00

Your letter almost made me cry. This week has been very difficult. I have been singing the hymn "Count Your Blessings" all week.

We only had two baptisms on Saturday. Actually I was super depressed before and then I remembered I am soo ungrateful b/c the Lord gave us 2 baptisms!! and they were absolutely amazing!! Zaldy and Vanessa one of the children. Zaldy is just soo amazing and was glowing. And Vanessa's Grandpa who has been inactive for about 20 years returned to church. He even got a haircut before. The Grandma's testimony was absolutely beautiful and people were in tears. She has been going to church alone for soo long and now two of her loved ones have joined her in God's church. It was such a sweet spirit. The two other Grandchildren were facing a lot of persecution from their parents or something and their spirit has totally changed. They used to be our friends and now they won't even look at us. absolutely heartbreaking. Plus, all of our investigators are having problems right now. But, once again I have sooo much to be grateful for...Marlon and Jenalyn should be baptized on January 20th a day before transfers. And I've been planning a lot of activities for the ward to get them involved like a ward CSP, ward talent show, and missionary fireside. They were all excited about it.

Lots of our investigators are sick or facing persecutions so please pray for them. By the way Delilah's live in partner went to church!!! She bore a beautiful testimony during sacrament meeting lots of tears and the ward members were touched.

Mom and Dad this has been a very hard week lots of heart aches, and I need your prayers same with S. Falculan. I won't write anything negative. I'm just dealing with it. Don't be worried b/c it will all be resolved soon. We just need support from home.

HAHA...by the way I totally forgot I wrote that stuff...oops. hahaha. I will be nicer now when I come home...hopefully. I still tease the Elders soo maybe not. I'm glad Dan and everyone got my letters, just tell him to email me. I need lots of love now. And I love how Chelsea emails you about her mission and not me, tell her thanks a lot...haha.

So this week is hard but I can't help feeling grateful. So don't worry I really will be okay. A mission wouldn't be worth it if it wasn't hard right? I really have learned soooo much and am really overcoming weaknesses and really feel close to my Heavenly Father right now. Love you all soo much!!!

Love,

Cari

Half way through Transfers oh no!!

2010-12-28T23:01:00.000-08:00

Mayoong Pasko!!

Skype was soo amazing!!! I was soo overwhelmed with happiness I forgot to tell you about my finger. So that morning I was walking past our electric fan. Its metal and it has a cover but a small opening and BOOM sliced my finger...I was bleeding a lot and S. Falculan thought I lost my thumb but I started laughing...but was in real pain...its pretty deep but I'm okay, too bad I didn't get to show you.

So we just got back from our district activity, we went to the mountain view where there was a beautiful view it was lots of fun, I really like my district. and I've heard of Elder McBride I'm excited to see him at transfers.

So Christmas was a little hard our investigator Marlon drank on Christmas Eve so his baptism is being pushed back to January 22, ONE DAY AFTER TRANSFERS! I was soo disappointed and his wife will wait to be baptized with him but we are going to try to have their baptism the Thursday before so I can still experience it. But either way I'm happy b/c both husband and wife are being baptized and they have two little kids!! Eternal families!!! Ever since he drank on Christmas eve he has really been progressing, his wife has soo much faith she went to Bohol this week to tell her family about her baptism, she took their two kids and Brother Marlon I think realized how much his missed his family. We gave him pictures we have of them and he was really touched he kissed the picture. soo cute!

We will be having 4 baptisms this Sat. and I can't wait!!! Elder Haitt will be baptizing them which is funny b/c the last investigator he baptized has a major crush on him...haha. We had a district community service yesterday...we cleaned the basketball court in the neighborhood where all our investigators live then played basketball...I LOVE playing with the kids...everyone loved our district. The APs have been teaching the live in of S. Delilah and he finally believes in the church, promised to go to church this Sunday and wants to get married. The power of faith and prayers and fasting!!! Miracle gyud!! I am soo excited for her she is one of my favorites. Her boyfriend was just very shy to listen to sisters. So the Ap's were an answer to our prayers!!!

I can't believe we are already half way through transfers. All my investigators said they don't want to think about the day I will transfer, me neither!!! I have a hard time with change and I just can't imagine loving people in another area the same way I love people here. But I know I will. I am really learning how much God has the power to change hearts.

So I am really mad right now at one of our investigators. I found out he's been treating his wife really bad and sometimes punches her. I am soo mad luckily he hasn't been around b/c I know I would have a hard time teaching him. Please pray for Sister Mamming her life is hard...she is always having to watch her three little grandchildren. She suffers a lot for the choices of her husband. So yes mom be thankful for dad!! I have seen soo many broken families and I am soooo much more thankful for my family and the choices of you and dad. Even though I'm farther away then I have ever been, I feel much closer b/c I have been able to realize my blessings!! So even though skype was hard...I was sooo thankful, and yes I was a little emotional and homesick b/c I know the next time I can see your faces again will be in person. But its okay b/c I am where the Lord wants me to be and he is eternally blessing me for reals!! I have made soo many eternal friends and I finally am doing something worthwhile everyday with my life. I love it sooo much!!! Its hard and stressful and I am always tired but I always feel a sense of true happiness and have never been soo excited for the future. I always feel soo honored to be walking to streets as the Lord's representative. and sometimes I still am in awe that I am in the Philippines.

Oh by the way my english really is suffering. S. Falculan said it is awkward for her to hear me speak english sometimes. hehe. I contacted on the jeepney in english and was trying to translate visayan to english b/c sometimes I think in visayan especially if I'm thinking about investigators or things pertaining to the gospel...haha. The mothers day phone call will be pretty confusing hahaha!!!. WELL I love you alll soooo much!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Love,

Cari

One Year Left, Sooooo Fast!!!

2010-12-21T19:33:00.000-08:00

Siggi!! I am soo excited about skype and a little embarrassed b/c I know I will cry like a little baby in the middle of the internet cafe. haha. I have been super homesick, but its okay b/c while I'm out working I am focused on the work but when I get home and lay in bed that's when I become a little emotional well kinda a lot.

I will probably be skyping sometime around 9:00 am my time on Dec. 25 so Christmas eve for you. I'm not exactly sure your time. BUT, I don't remember my information so if you could send it to me. Thanks!!! I am soo excited.

So my Christmas will be like any day...we have to go home by 6 b/c there will be a ton of firecrackers.

Even though last week was hard....we needed to be humbled and realize that we can't do all this work on our own and then the Lord has blessed us!!! We had 11 investigators go to church. and 4 baptisms on Jan 1 and maybe 4 on Jan 8. YAYYAYAYAYAY!!! I am sooo excited, one of them is Zaldy on Jan. 1!! We are soo blessed. Obedience and hard work and lots and lots of prayers.

My stomach finally gave into the food... I was doing soo well. I almost felt like I was going to die last night. I threw up 6 times and didn't sleep at all last night. I wanted to literally die. It was coming out both ends all night and I am super weak today and I HAVE to work b/c we have to prepare these people for their interviews this Saturday so yes I am a little miserable. But its okay.

Friday we had our ward Christmas party and it was soooo fun!!!! Our investigator Marlon was sooo funny he was dancing with all the girls and he dances super funny too. Zaldy and his friends performed Love Story by Taylor Swift it was super good. We had 25 investigators at least there!! Karioke and lots of performances.

S. Alma is happy at her job now, I told her to talk to her boss and things are good now.

We went Caroling with the Senior Sisters and couples in their building on Sunday, and I learned Filipinos don't like caroling...they were all scared haha.

We loved your decorations and S. Falculan was excited about the stocking, she says thank you! and my investigators all love you and want to meet you someday.

I am soooo excited for SKYPE!!!! and really hope it works...I'm a little nervous I wont get it all figured out...

I can't believe I only have 1 year left, and only 1 month left in Mabolo. NONO NO!! I do not want to leave....even though I haven't seen very much of the Philippines yet I don't want to leave these people. By the way I have a ton of pictures but no way to send them until I get a cd. So after the baptisms I will make a cd for all of you. Late Christmas present. Well I love you all...can't wait till Saturday. So 9:00 am my time, Christmas day for me. I can't wait...Ill need to bring tissues!!!

Love, Cari

hapit na PASKO

2010-12-15T07:13:00.000-08:00

Musta mo?

From Sister Hansen, we can skype so just tell me when you want to do it, on my Christmas eve or Christmas?

So I will be skyping!!!!

I'm sorry about the money, I have been buying a lot of things for investigators, its really hard for me not to, but I have learned my lesson and am going to stop....its just super hard not too!! so sorry oops!!! I got my packages!! birthday and Christmas all in the same day and they were perfect!!!!! Mom you did sooo good!!! I loved them all!!! and shared everything...everyone loved it!!! I needed them too, b/c I have been having a very depressing week. Well not super depressing b/c I have been trying to be optimistic...But I know I just have 6 weeks left here and for sure I will be transferring next transfer b/c I will have been here 6 months which is usually the limit and we have soo many people soo close to baptism...but Satan is working sooo hard. I've been trying to learn that I can't do everything and I just need to rely on the Lord.

Lots of problems but we have had amazing progress with Zaldy. He is the older brother of Mariel and he was really really against the church and her baptism...and now he wants to be baptized. He usually reads about 2-3 chapters a day and has given up smoking, when before he smoked about a pack a day. Who would have thought. He is really a leader among his group of friends and the people in the neighborhood so he is really setting an example. Amazing progress!! Our other investigator family that would be baptized is having problems, apparently the husband still drinks and punched his wife in the face. So we didn't push her to go to church. So now their baptism is postponed, please please pray for them. They need lots of help.

So beginning a new transfer I have a new district three greenies-two Americans, they knew Karlie Brand in the MTC, they say shes really cool. Its fun to have greenies before I was always the newest...haha. We are going to the temple today and have zone conference tomorrow.

As for me I'm holding up, I'm really learning to rely on the Lord and not pressure myself soo hard but sometimes it feels like there is just this amazing load on my shoulders but I have been learning from the Lord that he is able to lift those burdens. I've been reading Jesus the Christ and have been crying b/c I can't believe the great sacrifice Jesus made for us. I feel closer to Him than ever before and I am somewhat able to understand His love for his brothers and sisters, as I feel that love for my investigators. By the way I'll be more careful about the money I feel bad, its just sooo hard...all my investigators are squatters and have very little money and they always give me soo much. But I will be better. Promise!! I told them all the stuff from the packages were from my mom and that made them even more excited!!! haha. They just don't get to experience the things we get to, like good chocolate or even money to buy post its and stuff. I don't think any of us understand what we take for granted.

I can't figure out how to send pictures either with this other camera so maybe another cd but those are expensive. So I dunno. grr. haha. Well thanks for for the packages again my favorite part was the card with your voices...I think i might run the batteries out soon from listening to it soo much. But the packages were soo perfect!!! Loved them!!! By the way your tree is amazing. Please tell Janet I got her package and loved it....yummy yummy!!!! and I will write her soon!!

Naghigugma ko Kaminyo!!!

Cari

Staying in Mabolo Until Next Transfer!

2010-12-07T19:02:00.000-08:00

Well I get to stay in Mabolo one more Transfer until January 21st!!!! 6 months diri!!! I am soo happy!!! I thought for sure I would transfer after the Ap's decided to mess with my mind and tell me I will be transferring. I tried to hold back tears b/c we should have two families baptized on Christmas and I am not ready to leave my friends.

The Christmas spirit is really amazing here. There are lights and of course they have been playing Christmas music since September. Apparently their tradition is they go to bed early Christmas eve and then wake up at midnight to watch movies and feast. I thought that is kind of a fun tradition but too bad I can't join...we are having our barkada (the group of teenage boys) perform at the ward Christmas party...I am soo excited they are really opening up even though we are sisters. We just need them to stop smoking...haha. I've been wanting to play basketball with them, too bad I am always in a skirt.

So the miracle will Sister Alma. Not a miracle, her new boss treats her badly and she cannot handle all the work, we've been trying to work it out all week. Grrr. I felt like a protective mama bear, no one treats my convert like that!!!

I don't need a new camera I will just be happy with what I have and the other missionaries have those pictures they can put them on facebook after the mish. Still no birthday package, if it wasn't airmailed then it will probably take 3 months. ughhh....but ok ra. haha... tell chels I miss her a lot and have been praying for her a ton. I sent her, hillary, dan, and janice a letter hopefully they get it.

So we have sooo many investigators right now, 25 with baptismal dates....I know your worried but you always know I push myself too hard but that's how I enjoy life just going beyond what I can do. I'll probably return with less hair and bags under my eyes but I will be more beautiful on the inside, right? I think that's how I have really learned to love these people, like already they are easy to love but since I have almost given everything I have to them including ALL my energy I have truly learned to love them more than any love I have felt before. BUT, I was reading in Jesus the Christ (amazing amazing book) that he never lost his health although he was subject to a humanly body, soo don't worry I learned my lesson...we are trying to take it a little more easy.

As for my investigators they will all be excited to know I am staying...and we have a mom daughter and son with his wife scheduled for baptism on Dec. 25 so we are very excited!! My first family baptism. The husband and wife have two very cute kids too. I would send pictures but I forgot my chord, next week!!

Love,
Cari

Last Week of 3rd Transfer, Sooo Fast

2010-12-03T22:17:00.000-08:00

Well...I have some bad news. My camera was stolen....I am very depressed but staying as a happy missionary. So I need a new memory card b/c as of now I don't have one really...so if you could send me one that would be great. I know you have already sent some packages and I feel really bad, I am just devastated about the pictures, I had soo many of my investigators, my birthday and some really cool ones from the monk temple we went to last Wednesday. Pero ok ra because I had my investigators to cheer me up. I told them about my camera and every prayer they said was in hope that I would find my camera, I was really touched by the love they have for me. Mariel even said she would go to our neighbors and ask them if they've seen it.

Transfers are next week and my investigators said they've been praying I wont transfer, me too. It will break my heart. But lets not dwell on the negative, I'm just grateful I sent some pictures home...my camera I have now is really not good, but I'll work with what I've got....The most important part is my work, so I won't let anything get me down. By the way I told my investigators that you pray for them and love them and they were so pleased, I told them maybe one day you can meet...but I'm not sure. They were soo excited though.

On a more positive note, I have experienced a miracle this week. So S. Alma has been facing a lot of persecution and adversity in her job for joining the church. Her boss finally told her if she doesn't stop going to church she will lose he job. Well I told her that I would ask everyone if they knew of anything. So that Sunday I went around to everyone desperately looking for a job and NOTHING. I told her to continue to pray and I would pray every prayer for her. That night we were visiting the Senior Sisters and the Senior Couple called and said they had a job interview for her tomorrow and a live in house help...exactly what she needed, with their investigators. So the next morning we got up early got her ready for her interview and SHE GOT THE JOB! and it is a way way way better job and her employers are investigators and soo much nicer, bigger house and bigger pay and way nice neighborhood. MIRACLE! we were soo excited I was jumping up and down.

We are also teaching this other family right now and I love them soo much, our whole lesson was in tears b/c their father will not allow them to be baptized and they want soo badly to be baptized their date is christmas. The spirit was sooo strong and I felt absolutley filled with the spirit as I told them that if they exercise their faith and read and pray everyday they will get permission. We all cried, I love them sooo much and we just found out their mom is pregnant. So we will see what happens pray for them. Mom- Mildred then daughters Divine Mary Ruth and Mary Rose.

Also, right now we are teaching an entire barkada (kind of like a gang but not bad or violent) they are 16 to 22 yrs old and extremely talented musicians so we are having them perform at the ward talent show...I'm excited should be fun.

So I spent my birthday with the senior missionaries they cooked a thanksgiving dinner and we ate cake, it was fun but the next day my camera was stolen from our apartment...so happy and sad birthday. Its good I have an eternal perspective now b/c for the most part I was able to just put my heart break to the side and focus on the work. We have soo many amazing things happening right now. We should have a family baptized on December 18th. They are pretty amazing, the Husband (Marlon) had work and even though he asked he couldn't get it off and we thought for sure he wouldn't show up at church....but the next day there he was. Their faith just amazes me!!

Don't get me wrong I am a far far far from perfect missionary I see soo many weaknesses everyday and do a lot of repenting...haha. But I am working soooo hard, one night it felt the same way like when I was finishing my marathon just walking home...haha. The APs told us that President wanted to let us know he is very proud of the job we are doing right now and for turning around Mabolo. It felt good to have some more support. It is a very difficult job, I feel like I have all this weight on my shoulders and it might be good you can't see pictures of my b/c I look very tired. But I am happy happy happy, b/c God is blessing this area...sooo much!! Miracle....I am soo grateful for all of my experiences, not the lost camera yet...but I did learn to put material things aside b/c in the end they aren't important. Its funny I teach ,my investigators these principles and then I learn I have to live it also...haha.

And Mom I got your package...thank you...the calender was amazing and we are all excited for your next packages. Yes not just me my investigators also...so hopefully there is a little something in there for them. haha. Love you I testify about all of you all the time and your importance to me, Miss you all.

Love,

Cari

Happy Birthday Week

2010-12-03T22:12:00.000-08:00

This week was amazing!!!! What an honor to spend my Birthday with three new members of the church that I LOVE!! For my Christmas package...do you have any piano books?? My investigators have just started to take piano lessons and they are obsessed!!! haha...so I want piano books for them...and movies are DVDs they love Legacy and Mormon Pioneer movies so like the Work and the Glory they just love it!!! Also maybe the foot steps poem and toys for the kids and of course more pictures!! I really only want things for my investigators...b/c I really don't need anything but pictures and a little love from home :)

Mabolo is doing AMAZING we are teaching two families.... two that are really progressing. I think we should have at least 8 baptisms next transfer...please really pray for them. There is soo much persecution in their neighborhood. S Delia's daughter is not speaking to her b/c of her baptism and she goes with out food for days sometimes. But she is soo strong and has an amazing attitude. I am trying to be as charming as possible and bring gifts for people so I can soften hearts to the church. But it is difficult...one Dad ended up slapping his daughter b/c he didn't want her to come to church...BUT she still came!!! These people are just amazing, and humble and add to my testimony EVERYDAY!! I have never worked sooo hard and been soo exhausted, we basically worked straight yesterday until 9 PM 15 minute lunch- but it is sooo worth it, I have never been soo happy and sooo in love with the work. The ward sees our progress too and are really wanting to help now b/c we have soo many investigators. I really love these people they consume my thoughts and energy...it is true that you will only be happy when you lose yourself in the work. Lose yourself for the purposes of God and then you will find yourself.

tapos, the culture here is soo different, walking the streets is very interesting...there are cock fights...they even put knives on their feet very bloody and spiders also fight to the death on the little stick and they make bets. Also Ive eaten heart and blood this week...loved the heart didn't like the blood. These people are just soo generous!! aLSO SOMETIMES PEOPLE SHOWER IN THE MIDDLE OF the street and lets just say I got flow blown exposure of a very fat man in a speedo that while partially removing his speedo to clean his hind side...haha.... I was like well hello mister..haha. Well I have NO TIME...I will try to send pictures soon...I LOVE YOU ALLL SOOOOOOOO MUCH!!!

Love,
Cari

Baptisms and More Miracles

2010-12-03T22:07:00.000-08:00

Thank you for all the emails- they make my day!! Another thing for Christmas packages my investigators just LOVE church movies but I am very limited so if you have ones you don't watch like Work and the Glory, or Joseph Smith Story, or the movie about Emma Smith I WOULD LOVE THAT!!

Mabolo is amazing!!! We are working soo hard but seeing many miracles. A family that has been taught since last December, FINALLY came to church for the first time and are wanting to be baptized now!!! Miracle!!! It has been almost a year but now they are getting to where they are ready!!

I love these people soo much, my heart is soo full as in!! and last Sunday I even began to realize it more, my love for these people. We were in ward correlation meeting and we have our three baptisms coming up...one being Mariel (11 years old) The bishop and his counselors didn't want her to be baptized for the fear of her going inactive. Well lets just say I fought, I actually cried in front of the whole counsel...I mean really cried, they haven't worked with her they didn't know her faith, they don't feel the love that we and God has for her. They cannot deny her, that opportunity her opportunity for salvation and becoming a member of the church after all she has worked for, and they cannot be so hopeless to say she will go inactive. I told them all of this, while I cried...haha. Embarrassing but it softened their hearts. We have some other young investigators and I just knew they need this chance, they are precious souls and no one deserves to have that opportunity taken away. I also called Pres. Hansen and he agreed with me...so I will be talking to them again and make sure that anyone who wants to be baptized will. S. Falculan and I are speaking this Sunday...hopefully we continue to soften hearts. They are really starting to help us though, they gave our new members callings and are really starting to take us seriously, probably b/c they saw us bring 8 investigators to church last Sunday!! God is really really blessing Mabolo.

So the baptisms this Sabado are really gonna be a big event. I think half the barungay are coming....tons of investigators. We are probably going to have it in a different room then the baptismal font room b/c its too small, I cannot wait!! Lots of birthday friends and I love these soon to be baptizeees!!! I cannot wait!! Sis. Falculan says I have to stay in Mabolo one more transfer to harvest these souls we've planted...I totally agree. Our investigators say they will cry if I leave and I will too. I just love them all. S. Delilah really wants to be baptized but her live in wont marry her. So we've been really praying and fasting for her, we've been teaching her about the power of prayer and that miracles can happen. Hopefully she softens his heart...I know she will. My favorite present from my investigators are the letters I've been getting from them. Its amazing to see lives change and someone faithless grow into a rock and strong gyud member of the church. We have 15 others committed for baptism. so a lot more baptisms next transfer if I stay, keep your fingers crossed!!

Courtney I love the pumpkin pie chessecake, Mom no package yet but I can't wait....well my time is up. short kaayo!!

Love you all.

Cari

Miracles in Mabolo

2010-12-03T22:00:00.000-08:00

Salamat kaayoo for all the good news!! I love hearing everything!! Thank you for your email, everyones support means soo much to me. I felt really touched that Aunt Vickie compared me to Grandma!

This week has been AMAZING!! We had 8 investigators go to church!! and I've really been preparing for the three upcoming baptisms on November 20th!! Excited kaayoo!! They are all excited to celebrate my bday with me and I am planning a big dinner afterward and I got two investigators to cater the dinner...expensive but their souls are worth it. I keep telling everyone don't think to much about my birthday and that we are mostly celebrating the baptisms, but they are soo excited its on my birthday..haha. We are really beginning to soften these people's hearts and I feel soooo much love for these people. We have 13 people committed for baptisms but some are walay klaro. I keep telling them I don't want to be transferred b/c I want to see all of them be baptized!! Sister Erwina's sister Delilah really loves us and is opening up to the gospel but she needs to be married before there is a baptism. Mabolo is PROGRESSING gyud!! exciting. We are working soo hard, I learned the hard way I need to rest more b/c last Sunday I was on the verge of collapsing from exhausting, its just hard when there are soo many miracles happening to want to rest. But, don't worry I am taking better care of myself now.

The language is coming sooo much faster now, b/c S. Falculan talks mostly all Cebuano to me and but I'm helping her with her english at night. I don't know if we will be able to understand each other during the phone call for Christmas....it is super difficult for me to speak all english..haha.

I really love this culture and people, I just want to stay pinoy forever. and the mangoes here are unreal!! well actually all the fruit!! and Mom the bathroom thing is a secret...haha.

The charger is great!! I need more cds though, b/c I am very sick of all the music, haha. and I gave one cd to E. Johnson cause I felt bad he didn't have anyone and another to an investigator b/c she loves choirs and is sooo excited about our church music. Funny kaayoo. Her name is Sister Delia and she is a neighbor of sister Erwina. She attended the baptism of S. Erwina and there I joked with her that she would be baptized for my brithday on Nov. 20...haha! and guess what!? she is one of the baptisms!! haha amazing! I am soo excited for her, she reads 5 chapters a day and says we are her angels. She is says when I smile all she wants to do is make me happy. So basically we are harvesting all the people b/c of the baptism of S. Erwina almost all our investigators are her neighbors...haha!! Amazing...we are praying for many more miracles, and many more people to come unto Christ. We took about 9 investigators to a primary activity and they were about 3/4 of the attendance. It was Halloween, sooo fun!!! The kids are absolutely amazing here!!

I'm glad Elder Johnson is doing better, I pray for him and all my elders every night and hope they are being good...haha. Lots of temptations here for elders.

For Christmas package...more pictures like of friends things happening, print pictures from facebook. That is my favorite thing, crystal light, tank tops, cds, family home evening ideas. ambot, whatever. I just love love the packages. Thank you thank you for all the support, it means soo much to me. Things are amazing here, continue to pray for my people. Lots of love!!

Dad, I love your letters, I have little time, but thank you for writing me each week. Continue to update me on my failing cougars and your work and life!!

Oh continue to fast and pray for my investigators and new converts, they are really having some touch touch trials from family and friends...but they are soo strong and amazing!!

Love,

Cari

Success Through Obedience

2010-11-02T21:25:00.000-07:00

This week has been AMAZING! MIRACLES....success through obedience. S. Falculan is amazing but I cried at transfers. S. Person also and she had to lead the music, in front of everyone. I really get attached to people I have learned. But its okay b/c S. Falculan is amazing!! I saw all my Elders at transfers except for Elder Johnson, they all have new follow up trainers too.

S. Falculan is 25 and a teacher. She went on a mission after supporting her twin sister through her mission. We are working VERY well together. I have seen miracles happen in these past 4 days. We have 3 committed for baptism this November 20th (For my Birthday!!!) We decided we will have a Birthday celebration afterward!!! I am sooo excited!! S. Mariel is one to be baptized in November and I absolutely love her!! She is only 11 years old and has been wanting to be baptized since I got here, but she didn't have permission from her parents but after fasting and prayer....success, she has permission. She is soo excited and her testimony is strong. S. Delia attended the baptism of S. Erwina and I met her there and told her for my birthday that she would be the next baptism, jokingly. But its true!! I just love her and cannot wait. She loves the Gospel, she reads 5 chapters a day and cannot sleep b/c she is sooo excited for baptism. She has amazing faith. Then we have B. Jesus which I've told you about, I'm excited for him too. So even though it is scary we are committing EVERYONE on our first visit to baptism!! Its is amazing the miracle of obeying mission president to do this!! I am soo excited to go out and work everyday and I just walk the fastest I possibly can to get to all appointments. I LOVE LOVE LOVE this work. We went from having three investigators with baptismal dates to 11, some aren't claro but that is amazing b/c before I got here there had only been 2 baptisms in 1 year and now we had two last month and hopefully 5 (our goal) this transfer. I have such faith that this area can turn around and flourish. Please pray for them, and S. Alma and Erwina they are facing a lot of persecution right now from families and employers but they are still sooo strong!! They will never fall away, I know it!

My cebuano is really improving b/c I never speak English except for night now, b/c S. Falculan wants to learn better english. The church is sooo true!!! I just love it, and missionary work...it is hard. I am sooo tired but I just love laying in bed after a long day and knowing I served my Father in heaven with all my heart might mind and strength!

Oh mom I got your package and I LOVED IT!! Keep them coming, S. Person was excited about the crystal light. Everyone looked at the pictures and they think Mom is guapa gyud!! (very beautiful So she should come here...haha. I always agree.) and Scott looks like Justin Bieber and then one of my Elders said he can be my future brother in law for Courtney. Filipino siya, and the funniest Elder I know so I said I approve. I want you all to know I testify about you everyday and your examples to me. Oh by the way one of our investigators thought I was thirteen....so that's probably why people don't take me seriously sometimes. haha. jokes lang. So I love you all!!! Thank you thank you!!! Write on my blog anyone can email cause a lot of people have asked. And send me pictures through email, also.

Love!!

Cari aka. Carry on! (like the Hymn)

Week 12 in Mobolo

2010-10-30T15:07:00.000-07:00

SOOO MUCH happened this week!! Most exciting, Sister Erwina's baptism
and and afterward S. Person's bday!!! It was an amazing day....lots
of investigators showed up and she was glowing with happiness. One of
our Elders Baptized her, Elder Haitt. She is soo happy and has found
soo much light and hope from the Gospel. Afterward we had a Filipino
Birthday feast for S. Person's bday...and we found a new claro kaayo
investigator, neighbor of S. Erwina. We taught her this week, I think
its her time to be baptized but her life is tough...pray for her, her
name is Delia. and she feels no love from her kids...sometimes she has
no food, but she feels a special comfort from the church and at the
baptism she said she wishes that was her. Mabolo is growing sooo
strong, we have been working sooooo hard!!!! We have lots of new
investigators and very little time...haha. AMAZING! S. Person will be
transferred to Negros this Friday...sad gyud!! Pero, I get a new
companion S. Facualan-visayan Filipino!! Devao shes from. Sorry my
english is getting really bad. haha So I will be leading the area this
transfer, scary but exciting. S. Person has me making all the
decisions now and she said she really feels like I am being guided by
the spirit. Its true I just feel this guidance always now, about who
to talk to and where to go...truly amazing.

On Monday we had our district meeting. SOOO sad. Elder Clark and Elder
Holt are going home....their two years are up! They were great
leaders, S. Person and I made them candy lays and sang Love at home
mixed with tongan and then aloha oe...they have a video of it.
EMBARRASSING! But everyone loved it...i thought they would think it was
cheesy haha. I've been having a super spiritual week, and we had a
lesson about Mothers in relief society...I cries and I mean CRIED the
whole time. I really know mom that I am who I am today b/c of you and
your amazing example for me. I miss you sooo much!! and I am usually
soo busy I didn't realize how much, so thank you...for reals. My heart
just feels like its going to explode kanunay as I grow in love for
these people, my family and God, the gospel...I didn't know it was
possible to feel soo much love. I have become such a cry baby lately
in lessons and while testifying b/c everything is sooo real to me now,
my eyes feel like they are finally open. I took newly baptized S. Alma
on splits and to hear a new convert testify... is amazing, and one
month ago she had no idea about this truth. She wrote S. Person and me
notes. I just love her soo much and can feel her love for us.

So Mabolo is sooo crazy...Elections sa barungay this week. Sis. Person
and I were teaching brother Ryan and s. Gloria and these drunk men got
into a fight right next to us. They slammed a whole bench across a
wall and were screaming I'm going to drink your blood to each other and
we heard what sounded like gun shots..ahh. We went home right after.
Poor Ryan (he has tried to commit suicide) and just always looks soo
hopeless...I am worried for him.

S. Diosy one of our investigators loves to cook for us, and yes her
food is delicious. But one time we saw her preparing it and she used
the water from the bathroom!!! haha...same water they shower with and
stuff....shes going to kill us! haha.

So mom I live right by the mission ofice, I go there all the time so I
can always get my stuff as soon as it gets there...pretty lucky! Elder
Johnson has a new companion...he only had that bad one for one
transfer...I heard he is super nice (the new one) so he is doing
better.

Oh by the way Sister Erwina's younger sister went to her baptism, she
is only 18 and has a child also, like S. Erwina. She is such an
amazing investigator, like her sister. We told her to start to read
the Book of Mormon and next visit. I asked her if she read and she
said only a little and I asked what she read and she said the
introduction the three witnesses testimony and testimony of Joseph
Smith and I'm like that is not gamay!! and then she said she felt
inspired when she read it!! Only problem is I don't think she is
married to her live in partner so I don't think she can be baptised
for awhile!!. By the way I have a ton of pictures...I'll put them on a
CD and send them next week! Love you all I appreciate your support
and love always!!!

Love, Cari

Happy Birthday Mommy!!!!

2010-10-30T14:53:00.000-07:00

So on this typhoon craze...no typhoon but CRAZY heavy rain!!! I have NEVER seen rain like this, S. Person forgot her umbrella yesterday and we were SOAKED!! That little umbrella cannot cover the both of us...haha. Rivers everywhere on the streets, and you never know what is lurking in the water....haha.

I havent seen any nativities but there are some very famous sweet belts if scotty and dad want one. They would be starting a new fashion craze.

So our district activity was super fun!! I love and am going to miss a lot of them at transfers next week. I'm pretty sure I am staying but I think S. Person and a lot of them are gone.

Elder Cook, was amazing!! I got to see Elder Stirland and Elder Shenck...both doing well. Elder Cook is truly amazing had some really intense things to say about the Philippines, how it is really a choice country and amazing things are going to happen here and in the rest of the world b/c of the church here. Amazing things that I will be able to see in my life time. I got to shake his hand and you could just feel the power of the spirit... AMAZING GYUD! He told a funny story that he was acting out something to his little grandchild on the floor and his grandson just looked at him in the weirdest way, and at the end of FHE he came up to him and said...Grandpa, why do you cut your hair that way?? haha...he said it was the first time he could probably see the top of his head. haha crazy though, he really made it seem like THIS is the last days, there is no time to waste.

At interviews Pres. Hansen said that we are the only barrier between these people and fire and that time is not a luxury we have anymore. He was super serious, it was a little stressful....especially b/c S. Person got super sick this week so we didn't work Sunday or Monday. I feel soo bad, but she is a little better now...what a trooper. My body feels very very weak, also its really hard for me to work also, but were pushing through it and are stronger b/c of it.

It's S. Person's Bday week so E. Clack (district leader) bought her a cake and we had a little birthday celebration. S. Erwina is getting baptized on her Birthday and the Elders are baptizing her b/c we have NO men in our ward hardly haha. So were gonna have another Birthday celebration afterwards Filipino style- pancit, spaghetti, hot dogs and marshmallows...im always excited for food!! By the way Korean food is sooo GOOD!! Went to a korean restaruant, finally had some sushi...soo good!

We had a very spiritual lesson with S. Erwina...the Gospel really does bring hope to the hopeless. She feels soo much light and love from the Gospel for her and her baby. I love her SOOO much!! We were all in tears that lesson, she is wonderful!!! I LOVE LOVE LOVE these people and the Philippines, and I know Mom would love it too...It is a different planet, but beautiful and amazing. Mom should want to come here...Its hot, but its beautiful and soo much fun!!! I am soo honored to serve here, I can feel that it is really an honor to serve here, and this small little humble country will change the world.

I haven't gotten your package yet, but I am excited...S. Erwina and S. Alma will be confirmed this Sunday!! Yay!! two baptisms!!! With two super amazing converts!! The Gospel changes lives, FOR REALS!! I love you and appreciate your emails and love always.

oh by the way HAPPY HAPPY BIRTHDAY!! I should have done it earlier but I'm sending you a letter :)

Love,

Mission Paspas (Going Too Fast!)

2010-10-12T20:02:00.001-07:00

I cannot believe I only have two weeks left of my second transfer!! Ahh! I think I am staying in the area, but I think I will get a new companion. We have a district activity today-BOWLING. Exciting...haha.

So I LOVED conference. These past couple weeks my testimony has strengthened soooo much testifying of the Prophet and inviting everyone, and I mean everyone I meet to conference!! We had to pick up 4 people for conference and wow was that an adventure. One area flooded that night so we had to walk through ankle deep mud four times!! Welcome to the Philippines. But we got them all there and they really enjoyed it.

We have two scheduled Baptisms for the 23rd, S. Erwina and B. Jesus. S. Erwina is very promising but I don't know about brother Jesus. He is a security guard who lives on a bench. One of our fellowshippers was excited to meet him b/c they are the same age and there are hardly any men in our ward, so she came with us to teach him. then she asked him where his house was and he pointed to the bench. Well lets just say we will not be seeing a temple marriage from the two of them next year. haha. Poor Brother Jesus, he doesnt really have a friend in the ward yet, so I just stick with him and try to talk to him. But well see what happens with him.

Oh so I found a new food I really like, its called silingog or something maybe not. But it is the Pigs face, like his ears, and everything cut up into little pieces with rice...its is absolutely Lami!! (delicious).

Friday S. Person and I were doing our weekly planning and the Zone Leaders just showed up a our door and said mission President wants to talk to you right after planning. We were soo scared! We're like what could we had done? We thought of all the possibilities from good to horrible...and it was the most nerve racking jeepney ride I had ever had, and then we found out Sister Person just needed to pick up her money her mom sent. Walay claro!! I was soo mad at them, couldnt they just tell us that?? haha.

Thursday we had another temple tour, it was fun! The woman is E. Nicoletta and Hiatts investigator who is also getting baptized on the 23rd. Exciting!! She really enjoyed the temple and afterwards the AP's treated us to dinner at the Patron house.

Monday we got to work in the Bukids (mountains) in the ZL's area. Soo fun we got to ride on a motorcycle again!! I love it!! So we had to work with this fellowshipper b/c the elders can't work with a woman. And she wore S. Person and me out! She doesn't have a job or anything. She dedicates her life as an unofficial missionary for the church...haha. So we taught 5 lessons one after the other in a row... our brains were sooo worn out!!! haha. But the mountains were beautiful. Some times the beauty of the Philippines just takes my breath away.

Elder Cook is tomorrow, I will tell you more about that! I don't have very much time....but I just wanted you to know I cried through out all of E. Hollands talk. THANK YOU THANK YOU!! for supporting me and letting me have this most amazing experience of my life!!! I love you with all my heart and will write more in a letter but I thank god all the time for my family. Testifying about Eternal Families all day really has made our relationship soo much more sacred and special to me, and although I am across the world, my love has grown for all of you 10 fold.

Aunt Peggy- I got your letter and it made my day!!! Your support means the world to me and I love you sooo much!!! Thank you!!

First Baptism

2010-10-09T17:27:00.000-07:00

So in The Philippines we get to watch conference a week late...haha!!! So thanks for spoiling the news, Mom, about the temple...haha! Its okay, I am sooo excited, we brought S. Alma to watch the GRS Broadcast and it was AMAZING, her first time seeing the Prophet!! She loved it. I was brought to tears when we sang with the choir during the intermediate hymn. TO see that the Church is actually the same all over the World and to feel soo connected with everyone was such an amazing experience.

So S. Alma's baptism-AMAZING!! S. Person and I sang love at home in Tongan, it sounded super cool actually. It took 3 times to get her baptism right, B. Sevilla is a new convert and was very nervous, but it just made the baptism all the more sweet. Afterwards in the bathroom I asked S. Alma how she was feeling and she said "I AM SOO HAPPY" (in english...haha) so cute, I was soo happy for her. Then we walked her to the jeepney and it was just soo amazing...how truly great is your joy when you bring souls into the gospel. The next day she was supposed to get confirmed but she didn't show up at church. There is a very long story but her boss is really mad at the Mormons and wouldn't give her permission to go to church. Soo sad, but she is faithful and going strong, when we take her to GC this Sunday I told her we would open the day with a fast so she could make a decision whether or not to quit her job. Pray for her it is a very difficult situation, and very complicated. She is still soo happy to be a member of the church and is continuing to read and pray. I just love her!

As for conference we have many investigators coming, I am sooo excited!!! Oh by the way we have 3 investigators with Baptismal dates. One is super ready, S. Erwina who I found my second week, I don't know if you remember the story...she is super excited, her baptism is scheduled for the 23rd this month. Its truly amazing since Mabolo has seen few baptisms and this month there is 2 maybe 3!! and next month there should be more!!! S. Erwina is a single mother from a broken family and has found happiness and hope from the Gospel. I found her when I was on splits and we opened up with a hymn while we were teaching her neighbors (less active) "Families can be together forever" she found me afterward and in tears asked me about the hymn and I made a return appointment. I just love her, too! We took her to the temple tour that we now have every Thursday and she was soo touched and excited to enter the temple someday. Amazing spirit!!

So yes we are doing temple tours now every Thursday, its amazing to be in the city actually. We had one last Thursday though that kind of bombed, it was in the morning and 70 engineering students from Bohol were touring the temple to see how it worked, and we missionaries were in charge of the spiritual aspect. Well that FAILED huge! I tried to talk to them about the temple (all boys) and they only wanted to know if I had a boy friend and then asked me to get married after the mission, well lets just say my face turned bright red and I went and hid behind the elders. haha.

So I have been trying to wait to say this news but it is just too exciting!! Elder Cook is speaking to us on Oct. 14 but only 3 zones near the city and we are one of them!!! We all get the privilege of shaking his hand and talking to him!! AHHH!! I cant wait!!!

Oh yes Mom...I love the Food, I ate belut again!! I just love it!! Dont think I'm weird, it was fried this time and I think like 18 days old, feathers, beak head-delicious kaayoo!! haha. There are soo many foods I love, just about everything. The bread, there are bakeries just about every other shop, and people are always frying and barbecuing on the street there is just food everywhere and tindahans (little stores on every corner) don't worry I'm good for clothes, we have two malls in our area, and the spiders and slugs have disappeared. I have a shower now, which is freezing, I really don't like showering...but dont worry I still do it-everyday!! haha. Oh we experience a lot of brown outs, thats when the whole city loses power...happens often, those are fun.

So you probably always love to hear about our crazy investigators. We found one B. Marshall...severely on drugs...haha. S. Person gave him some of her food b/c he has no money since he has noo job. And he was just spitting on me the whole time while he talked....crumbs all over...soo gross. I was squatting (my legs are getting really strong...haha) b/c he had no chairs except for two and S. Person and our Ward member sat on the chairs. He was confessing about all the drugs he uses and we taught him about the word of wisdom..haha. Another Investigator, B. Donatu devoted seventh day Adventist. Oh he TRIES my patience. He is always preaching to us...I barely get a word in. And he was talking about the Sabbath being on Saturday blah blah blah. And I was like okay I have the perfect scripture Amos 20:7 about the apostles taking the sacrament on the First day. It was perfect, I was like I totally have him! So I asked him if he could read it, and he read from his own bible and he reads "and the apostles broke bread on the sabbath which is saturday" HAHA I'm like "WHAT?" haha his version is like written for his religion, he totally got me there haha. He is really hard to teach though you tell him something and he raises his hand in front of you and says "DILI DILI!" (NO! NO!) and shakes his hand, oh I just want to break it off sometimes...haha. But God is trying to teach me patience i know. PLus we teach him in the hottest room ever with no fan. Our teaching situations are funny we are usually squatting or crammed in a little area, never like in other countries where you sit on a couch in a living room...haha. no that never happens.

Also, I'm reading the Old Testament, its weird, haha, I am trying to love it but it has soo many weird things...happen. But I love being a missionary, S. Person is amazing. I have learned soo much from her. We are really trying to perfect our companionship and sacrifice everything to the Lord. Like I love eating while I'm walking, B/c we walk A LOT! But we decided to give that up soo we can look more professional, also we are never going to speak bad about others, which is difficult b/c many people can be frustrating...but I have noticed such a different and better spirit now!! I feel soo blessed as I know the Lord is perfecting and refining me!!

Hillary do not Dear John me!! I wrote you a letter its on its way!!

By the way you need to all stop being soo boring, and make yourselves do something interesting, so that I have one exciting thing to read...haha. just kidding I love every piece of news I hear. and Mom the Ipod charger is like the same thing we have that you plug into the wall, the white thing. I need more crystal light, its like S. persons favorite thing, we drink it all the time. Oh also...what missionary did you see a picture of me?

Well I love you all....and am glad your well and safe!!! I am happy always!!

Love,
Cari

Week 7 in Mabolo

2010-09-29T05:17:00.001-07:00

So I now only have 30 minutes for email, so Dear Elders are much appreciated. And for a package another good thing would be Crystal light...I go through those like crazy, S. Person loves them too. Also, Pictures are the best-Filipinos love them!!

So this week!!!! Very exciting!!! We had zone conference and I got to see Elder Stirland and Elder Allen!! They are very happy and very optimistic. It was sooo relieving to see them and know they are doing well. Thank you for updating me on E. Johnson I have felt worried about him and now I know why. Let him know I pray for him every night. He was one of the kindest Elders I know and I know that if anyone can handle what he is going through, Its him. Very amazing faithful Elder. Keep writing him, for real it makes me happy and I know it makes him super happy.

So this week, this Saturday I have my FIRST baptism!!!! YAYAYAY!!!!!!!!!!!!! I cannot wait, I just know it will be such an amazing fulfilling experience. Especially after some of the little trials we have had this week. We only had 2 investigators to church on Sunday. It was super sad for me, I was trying to hold back tears. I felt a glimpse of what Christ feels like when we ignore the things of the Gospel and put him second in our life. Here, he made the ultimate sacrifice. He suffered beyond all comprehension true agony and we are to lazy to serve him with all our heart, might, mind and strength! We ignore his sacrifice for us. I never want to be ungrateful to that sacrifice, it is hard for me to express in words. I felt such a sorrow on Sunday and a connection to the atonement and the sacrament. It was such a sacred experience to partake of the sacrament that day and trust in the will of God. I am just beginning to get a glimpse of the atonement and what Christ really feels and went through for us. We taught a man, Ryan, who the day before we met him tried to commit suicide. I can see that while we are teaching him the hopelessness in his eyes, and if only he could fully understand the Gospel and the atonement he will never feel that way again, he will never feel alone. I feel soo close to my savior and I am just seeing promises in my patriarchal blessing unfold. I outlined it during personal study time and what I have to do to obtain those blessing, it was such a special experience and I know if you do the same thing you can really learn how to obtain all those promised blessing. I am soo excited about my life and whats in store and I want my investigators to have the same hope that I feel everyday. Sunday we went on splits, so I was with 2 ward members and our investigator S. Alma (baptism this Saturday, YES SHE CAME ON SPLITS WITH US-Seriously she is soo amazing). So crazy I had to lead the area and give all the lessons by myself, while they testified at the end. I even made S. Alma share her testimony...haha. I taught a whole family it was, just me teaching in Visayan and like 10 people listening, and I did it! All by myself...truly a testimony that the Lord blesses us for our sacrifices. He has helped me soo much with the language...I understand most of everything and can say most of what I want....and I know that I usually suck at the languages so it truly is all from the Lord and lots of hard work and sacrifice of sleep...haha. So Mom, don't worry, even when things are hard, I feel happy because I get the privilege to teach heavenly fathers children all day long. Its not easy. It really isn't, I come home every night my whole entire body aching from walking and sitting on the floor and ect. ect. ect. But now that I am seeing at least one fruit from my labors I know it is all worth it. S. Alma, I have learned soo much from her. I love her, I never thought that I could love like this, and I still have a lot to learn. I am BY FAR!!! and imperfect missionary still, there are soo many things I need to improve and E. Johnson is a lot more patient and kind then I am b/c I definitely wouldn't have put up with that from my trainer. I am still working on patience...haha. That is one of his biggest attributes I admired in the MTC. BUT I am improving! So I havent read your letters yet b/c I only have 30 minutes now and I want to give a good report to all of you. Just know that I am working my hardest, all my heart, mind, might and strength b/c I know this is the Lords time and he is shaping me into who I need to be so I can help these people. Thank you for your prayers and support, they mean sooo much to me!! By the way I just sent another CD of pictures...so hopefully you get them soon. unsa pa? Sorry I'm a little jumbled b/c I don't have very much time. The Philippines is such a different place, I hope some of you can visit it someday....it is already ingrained in my heart- and by the way the food is WAY better here, but I'm still losing weight. Slowly though..haha. I started gaining cause I was eating rice. Oh by the way Mom, E. Bennett says hi, he transferred but I saw him at zone conference. Well I g2g but I really do love you all. Keep sending stuff my way.

Courtney I only skimmed through your letter but the best thing to get at Sammy's is the cheesecake oreo with extra chocolate syrup added (special order)

love love love!!!

Cari

Week 6 in Mabolo

2010-09-21T20:45:00.000-07:00

The new house is great but we have to travel SOO FAR...cause its not in our area...but I am still glad for it. However. There are giant slugs and spiders in our bathroom...and I mean GIANT! Like 6 inches long and this huge hairy spider and not just one slug like 5 or 6. Its okay though. The whole house is PINK PINK PINK...haha. Makes me feel even more like a Sister now. We live really close to the Elders but we cannot see them without permission or else very bad consequences. Like our area will be shut down and we will get emergency transferred. So I know they must trust us a lot to let us live there. About the pictures...I'll just send you another CD on Monday we are printing pictures today anyway. Sorry! I have no idea, whats going on.

I got your package :) everything is great-Made my week, I was soo happy...shared my skittles with everyone.

So good things for a package:

Candies for little kids would be awesome
CD's like EFY (stand in the light, give the gift)
Pictures
Birthday letters
USB plug for the wall like for an ipod. I bought speakers and it needs to be charged at a computer or the ipod wall charger. stinks. didnt know that before.

So things are great in Mabolo. We have a Baptism scheduled for October 2, S. Alma, our favorite investigator. She is working for a woman and her family as their maid. And they said we can no longer teach her...but she says she is still going to go to church and we can teach her after church. So her faith is just amazing...we are really being blessed. Another investigator, B. Jesus, came to church but I can't decide if he is coming to church for the two pretty ladies teaching him (that would be us...haha) or b/c he really is interested. he never completes his assignments.

And I am not LYING!! Belut is great! I need to become Filipino..haha. They all call me a cowgirl here b/c I am not squeamish to do or try anything...they say I am becoming Filipino. S. Person is really helping me with my accent. We read the Basahon Ni Mormon everynight. My Cebuano is coming really quickly...best blessing! :) I've been waking up at 5:30 am every morning to get some more studying in. Its helped me soo much.

So we have a new district now, 3 new Elders and 1 new Sister. And E. Shenck, transferred SURPRISE. I was soo sad I thought he would be here for a long time. He is somewhere north in the mountains.

I am soo grateful to be on this mission...Sis. Person gave me an amazing compliment and said that my biggest strength is when I testify and I know its b/c I TRULY believe the things that I am telling these people. I feel soo much strength behind my words and its crazy how much my Cebuano just flows from my mouth and I can testify soo easily...but as soon as my lesson is done my Cebuano returns back to is original form-struggling..haha. Its really an amazing experience though to have the Lord just put words into your mouth, I am trusting him more and more everyday that he will just lose my tongue and feel my mouth...so true.

A mission is amazing...truly. I don't know if I could have come to know God as I do now in any other way. I really am learning from these wonderful people the value of true happiness. I am trusting in God and his purpose. It does not matter if bad things happen here on earth...and trust me these people ENDURE! Many are jobless, can't feed their family...sicknesses everywhere. I see malnourished people all day, BUT they are happy b/c they have their families and the Lord and they aren't even of our faith. So me with my knowledge of Eternal Happiness and a mansion waiting up there for me in heaven, I have no room to complain ever. I wont complain, b/c life is beautiful. Even here in the downtown city I can see beauty.

The Philippines is an amazing place, I have never experienced anything like it. I meet people every day that have a profound effect on me and my life, Remember that whatever happens if we endure to the end there is the kingdom of God-true happiness awaiting us.

Love you all!! Amping!!

Cari

New House and Belut

2010-09-15T11:42:00.000-07:00

Kamusta Fam and Friends!!

So this week is transfers- and yes I have been transferred to a new house, haha. I am in Mabolo, I'm thinking for at least another two transfers, and Sis. Person will be staying also. So no changes, which I'm happy about.

We have two amazing investigators. First, S. Alma, I remember when I met her, very shy, didn't seem interested it just seemed like we were forcing her b/c she was too shy to tell us no. I actually thought it was useless, she turned us away a couple times even. She is from Tacloban (another island) and she left her family behind to be a maid for this family. Sad story...but she LOVES the Gospel now. I don't know if you can get more Golden than her in investigators. She is always waiting for us reading her scriptures and she is soo cute. SOOO SMALL. she is 38 years old and likes to laugh at my Cebuano...haha. But she is such an awesome investigator that even though she doesn’t have plete (money to ride the jeepney) she walks to church! and she even went to our ward missionary meeting and went to pick up investigators with us to church...haha. Future ward missionary!! Her baptismal date is October 2nd! Second, S. Erwina is a signal mother and very smart. She is 20 years old and came to church for the first time she knew all the answers to the questions and loves church. Her baptismal date is October 9th. Also, we had 6 investigators at church again, and we had 180 contacts this week. It is sooo fun to work hard. I know the Lord is blessing us. S. Hansen told me that the majority of the ward is inactive and Mabolo ward is one of the most difficult to keep together, but it is really becoming stronger, and its amazing to see the change in people.

So this week I gained a stronger testimony of the priesthood. It really hit me that when men receive the priesthood they are literally receiving the same power that God has. He used the priesthood power to create us and the earth and the power is eternal. These men will have this power for all eternity...I just thought that was amazing.

So Last night was crazy 4 elders from our district came over to help us move houses. The truck ended up breaking down, while they were taking a load so me and s. person e. bennett and elder nicoletta were just waiting around, perfect timing to try balut, right? So I got a 16 day old one, I was nervous and after I got it I found out E. Bennett has never tried it. But the Beluit man was gone so he supported me as I tried this new exotic food, S. Person taught me how to eat it. So first you crack the egg and suck our the warm fetus juice or whatever it is, taste like chicken broth, very delicious, then you eat the yoke around it which taste like a hard boiled egg except better. Then you eat the fetus....it was actually super delicious, I loved it. And no I am not joking, and yes there were feathers haha. Then the balut man came around again and I bought one for E. Bennett a little more mature 18 days, except we told him 16 days...haha. Good sport. The Filipino Elders told me I'm filipino by the way I sit and act...I thought YES! best compliment ever. They said I'm learning cebuano super fast, which just made me feel so good, diligence and prayer.So finally we moved! Went to bed at midnight. Grabe! But we get to go to the beautiful Cebu temple again today.

I have really learned the power of prayer here. I am just constantly praying...I have never prayed soo hard in my life, for my language, for sis. person, for the area, the ward, our investigators. I just pray pray pray! Always, when we’re walking I just pray. I feel soo close to the Lord. I was reading in the Bible dictionary about prayer and it said it is aligning our will with the will of the Lord. Amazing, some of the most sacred experiences I have had is during my prayers to my Father in Heaven. He already knows what we need and is willing to give it to us, all we need to do is work and ask for the blessings. I have learned how to pray better, I never thought about having a moment of silence before my prayer so the spirit could speak to me and let me know what to ask for, but this has completely changed the way I pray and the way I can know how to receive answers.

On Sunday we had a little testimony meeting with the Senior Sisters (my surrogate mothers). It was an amazing spirit; seriously I have never felt more blessed then here on my mission. I have never realized how weak I am with out the Lord. With out him I am nothing. I have never seen sooo many of my weaknesses...before my mission I thought I was soo close to perfection. Joke joke. But, really now I see soo many things I need to improve and I am soo grateful b/c the Lord has shown me my weaknesses so that I can make them strong. Its amazing to see improvement every single day as I am trying soo hard to be a better missionary for these people. These WONDERFUL people that would take their shirts off their back and give it to you b/c they are soo loving. I love it here...although it is still SOOO hard. I am drenched in sweat everyday and never ever feel decent looking (just look at the pictures I sent...haha. BUT it is soo worth it, I just love it and serving these people. It is soo unfair b/c I think I am learning more from them then they are from me...haha.

I love you all sooo much. I have soo many more pictures but the internet is slow. Have you gotten the picture CD i sent you yet? Love you all sooo much...every person I hear from just makes my day and I love it!! The Gospel is true and really does change us and make us the people the Lord wants us to be!

Love, Cari

Maayoong Hapon!!

2010-09-08T07:09:00.000-07:00

Sorry you did not get this sooner, we had district activity today and we went on a hike up the river and a water fall.. GORGEOUS!! Seriously the Philippines is one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen. I took a lot of pictures but forgot my chord to send them...next time Unta! So I have gotten a lot of good emails!!! Lots of thanks!! They definitely help keep me going!! Mom can you send Janet my mission address. Charlene sent the message to me, thanks Mom...she is more on the road to baptism now, pray for her...we visit her tonight!

The Reeds just left the Mission on Thursday, they were the office couple. and I know Elder Bennett, He is in my district!! Really fun, he said I am one of the fastest Cebuano learners...so he keeps my hopes up about the language!! but that is about all I know. How did you get in touch with Elder Johnson's mom with out hearing back from Elder Johnson...if you Mom's want you should get in touch with all the Mom's from our MTC district and you can talk to all of them. I don't know how you find these people though... haha

This week, soo good!! We worked SOOO hard 160 contacts, 29 Lessons, and we had 6 investigators to church!!! So amazing, 3 promising baptisimal dates scheduled. our hard work is paying off! and we found a house! It is in Lahug (Elder Shenk's area with the temple) and it is a much nicer apartment! so we are moving next Tuesday and Transfers are next friday. But, I don't think Sis. Person or I will be transferred, but who knows we find out the Wednesday before, just two days!!

Sunday we fasted for 25 ours....definitely a patience practice. So we had a birthday party/FHE with the Sevilla Family Newly baptized cute little Filipino Family) and we bought them a cake and it looked sooooooo delicious, but time went late and we had to leave for curfew before we could taste it. and I had been looking forward to it ALL day. I almost drooled as we left, soo sad. So ya we couldn't start our fast until 8:00 PM, so we fasted all day Sunday, I thought I was going to die-but I didn't want to complain. We had a dinner appointment at 7pm and when we got there...IT WASNT READY!! well 8 o clock rolled around and we had to leave-NO DINNER! Well we got home at 8:30 PM and FINALLY we could eat I almost choked on the food as I ate it. hahah funny kaayo!

Today is a little more boring week, no crazy stories. The work is going, awesome...don't worry I stay safe and aware, oh ya I hit my head really hard on the ceiling of a house...seriously I am way too big for this place. Oh I just want to say how incredible an experience it is to teach. I have never felt soo much guidance from the spirit telling me what to say, its truly amazing.

Oh ya...so Mabolo is crazy!! some of our investigators stories crazy. Like we have one who wants to get baptized and she's been to church but she has had several abortions, is living in and has been in a mental hospital. We have another one who would be promising but she should be in prison for 20 years b/c she left her first husband and remarried, against that law here. and so she flew Negros to Cebu to not face her court case and I think if she wants to get baptized she has to go to Prison first, i dont know. Crazy!

Here is a couple of shout outs!!

Blake Balkman

Dili ko nagkaon Balut pa, pero gusto gyud ko!! Dili Nahadlok ko. Pero Gusto ni Sis. Person safety para sa ako. Si Sister Person mao ang akong trainer. Kindont Kaayo siya! Naa mi maayong companitionship. Elder Valesco mao ang akong ZL. Funny kaayoo siya. Nagsulti siya nga ikaw sa iyang paburito companion. Nagsugat ko sa imong follow-up trainee, ni Elder Jamon. Ganahan ko so Pilipinas...nindot kaayo!! Lisod pero lingaw!!

Rhonda McPeak

I am soo grateful for you message...it means a lot to me that you read my emails and that my emails touch you. It really helps to know that there are people out there praying for me...such amazing comfort to me. This Church is the only way that we can find true happiness for us and our families. I was reading 1 Nephi 8:10-12 really reminded me of how desirable the truth of this gospel is and we can really only understand how amazing it is until we taste it.

Uncle Rod

I am watching out do not worry, and dont worry I am not beautiful here... trust me I will send pictures haha. The Philippines is very rough on my outward appearance, however, I know that I am able to grow more beautiful on the inside...and thats all the matters right? Thanks for your email, I miss you soo much and can't wait to return to Utah and see you again :)

Grammy

Read Uncle Rod's shout out...I just wanted to tell you. I am being careful...No worries!!! Thank you for all you write me, the things you say are truly inspired and they help remind me of my purpose and to continue in happiness and trusting in the Lord. I can't wait to see you again and share all my experiences with you :)

Well...I love you all thank you for sooo much support. Amping Kanunay!!!

Love, Cari

p.s. I am also sorry, this letter is not as exciting as before, we have just been working super hard and nothing has been happening, except my trying lots of amazing food and our hike. Seryoso, Mom and Dad you have to come visit here, it is so amazing!! and I want to see you ride a hubble hubble or jeepney haha. Oh by the way I think I come home on the 23rd of December 2011. Two days before Christmas! Crazy!!...I do have another funny story, so some things in America that would be offensive are not offensive here. Like they will call you fat to your face and its not a big deal ( not me yet...thank goodness) But we have a very loud Filipino in our ward, Sister Alma, she is soo loud and sings sooo loud. The 1st counselor in the ward told her in front of the class to be quiet cause she is super annoying all the time..haha. I'm like wow that would never happen in my home ward. haha. soo funny. She is SUPER loud though!

Ist Month Done

2010-08-31T20:50:00.000-07:00

Note from Cari's mom: I got to "chat" with her tonight. It was wonderful! She asked me if I wanted to know about everything she has gone through and I told her yes, so she shared another scary experience (Yikes):

OK so there was a shooting in our area on Sunday! While we were there, One of the ward members sons got shot and killed, during our lesson we could hear gun shots and everything. sooo crazy, she was wailing in tears and crying, we did;t know what to do. But yet I still didn't feel unsafe, crazy. I feel this special protection over me, everyday and dirty old men rub my arm as I walk by and drunk men are everywhere at night. I feel this shield of protection, its pretty amazing

~Jeanette

Kumusta Family!!

I want everyone to know that I appreciate the dear Elders SOOO much kaayo!! They really help me know that I have people out there who support and love me...it means soo much!! Each letter I really cherish!

Things I need...more CDs, and that's about it, I'm in an area that I can buy whatever.

I would think this week should of been VERY discouraging but for some reason I just feel a fire to work harder. You know how I always love a challenge.

Sis. Charlene decided to back out of her baptism ( did she ever friend you guys on facebook...I know she wanted to be your friend. All the Filipino girls think Scott is sooo handsome!) But I felt like crying during the lesson, when she said although God told her to be baptized she doesn't want to be separated from her family. Well. I found a good scripture for her in Matthew 10 but she hasn't been home since, so we are going to try again to night. I want so much for her to be baptized I have prayed and fasted for her often, but no luck so far. We had several other investigators tell us to stop coming. Even though they know its true they are too busy with work and nothing we do can change their mind. Our spirits in our lessons are sooo incredible but we can only bring the spirit unto their hearts, it is up to them and their agency to let it in and open their hearts.

On Thursday I rode my first hobble-hobble (motorcycle) into the bukids (mountains) sooo fun!!! and beautiful!! I was working in Talamban b/c Sis. Person had one day left of training, I just love being in the nature areas and I know b/c I am learning to love my city area and working hard I will one day get an area in the beautiful area of Cebu. Patience, patience...haha.

Thursday night was completely crazy!!! Sis. Person and I were in a lesson and she felt very sick. We decided to leave b/c she said she was soo sick, and it was dark and we were walking and she said "Sister I cannot walk" So I decided to carry her, my backpack, and her bag in all!! It was crazy!! I was glad I had been doing push ups everyday....so here I was running through these houses and people, holding her until I couldn't hold her any longer and we went through the sewer area her holding onto me b/c she could barely walk. then we got to a field and I picked her up and carried her again ( I felt like super woman...haha. the elders were jealous cause they said they haven't even got to have a story like that yet) We got to the end of the field and I couldn't carry her any longer so we just laid down...she could barely lift her head...so she just laid in my lap. I didn't know what to do, then these men gathered around us and I asked for them to call a taxi but a taxi couldn't come to where we were so a man just picked her up and started running away with my companion! YIKES!! So I quickly gathered all our stuff and ran after them til we hit the street and got a taxi...Sis. Person kept throwing up and crying b/c of the severe pain. We called the zone leaders and they came and gave her a blessing. Hurray for the power of the priesthood and sister persons faith b/c shortly afterwards she was fine so we didn't need to go to the ER. The next day they made us stay inside and lets just say we were itching to get out of the apartment and preach the gospel.

Sunday, was crazy...their was a festival going on and a huge cock fight!! Lots of blood, injured roosters and rowdy people. Of course I wanted to stay and look for a second, but smart sister person just kept quickly going by. So far I have seen a couple cock fights. CRAZY! That night we had a fireside. Amazing, everyone from our district came and we sang armies of Helaman...the spirit was soo strong and I felt honored to be a missionary. It is amazing how much our ward is being strengthened, Sis Person said last time we had a fireside, only 4 people showed up. This time we had a very good number from our ward. Success!!

Monday, Sis. Erwin said yes to Baptism and I wanted to jump for joy and hug her on the spot. The spirit was soo strong, she has a long way to go before she gets baptized, but I pray for her every night!

Sis. Person and I have been working very very hard and I am loving every minute of it. Yesterday we had 57 I2L's and 6 new investigators. We were soo stoked!! I love my mission...it is soo hard, man its hard! And yesterday I accidentally told an investigator that God has death for each of us ( instead of purpose...oops!) haha funny gyud! But I pray and think of all of you often. Again...thanks soo much for your thoughts, prayers, and letters I feel soo blessed about all the people that are writing and I will write back!

Tell Courtney to keep me updated and Scott and Brooke on starting school!

Ayo ayo!!

Love, Cari

2010-08-25T12:40:00.000-07:00

Kamusta Family and Friends!!!

This week, is still difficult. There are days where I have no idea if I can do this and there have been times where I just want to be home. But I am trooping it out and life is good. The area Mabolo is very difficult, it is usually a Elder area, and the people are always busy and we will have lessons where the spirit is sooo strong and they will feel it and then the next visit they quickly forget and don't want us teaching anymore or back out of their commitments or baptismal dates. But Sister Person and I are starting to turn around the area, strengthening the ward and inactive families, we are working really hard.

Wednesday I went to the Cebu temple, and it is gorgeous inside, except I was too big for all the temple clothes...I even had the dress on and it still didn't cover my arms all the way....haha. these people just think I am this giant. They all say I look like I am from Hollywood and I look like Brittany Spears. Also they sing the song "hey Mrs. Robinson" all the time to me, its soo funny!

I love the food here, so far I have tried squid balls, intestines, chicken feet (not my favorite you just eat the skin), banana ketchup (that's all they have here, well tomato is really expensive). The bread here is sooo good, I love it!

I have developed a strange rash so I went to the doctor on Monday, it’s all over my entire body and I also have a cough....but its okay, I've been taking medicine and both are improving.

On Saturday we went to the Primary Stake activity with two investigator children and their friend Sister Chona who is 20, they had fun and the kids did a bunch of cultural dances....it was cute.

We have been having the WORST thunderstorms at night, so loud I have literally jumped out of my bed. The lighting lights up the whole room, so I don't really sleep at night.

It has been training this week for the trainers so I have been working in the Talamban area, a lot more rural then my area-BEAUTIFUL! Yesterday though we were teaching a lesson on the law of Chastity and it was raining soo hard you couldn't even hear a word we said. I'm sure they got a lot out of that lesson. We trugged in mud all day up to our calves. It was soo much fun!! I've been praying to the Lord a lot asking him why he put me here in the city when I love stuff like trudging through the mud and getting dirty, and he told me that in time I will have my time and I will get to go to a beautiful place in the mountains. So I am being patient, and I know that I am learning sooo much and being stretched sooo much from being in this area. But, it is hard, everyone has told me they would not want to serve in our area.

I am really trying my best to be a good missionary, we work hard everyday...It is soo different working with a Sister. Although I have learned soo much from my companion, with my Elders we did things soo differently, so its hard to completely change how I am and the way I deal with conflicts and learning. Before I thought patience wasn't a big deal, I realized my lack of patience but I didn't think it would effect me. I am now completely valuing this attribute and being slow to temper and frustrate and I am thankful for my experiences with a new Filipino companion whose culture is different and attitude is different. I am thankful for being in an area no one wants to be in b/c I am learning to be patient with the Lord and trust in his ways and time and not mine. I am learning to forget myself and go to work. I appreciate all your love and support soo much!! and the growth of my testimony!

I sent some pictures, hope you like them. This is such an adventure, I feel so close to the Lord everyday and I always think about everyone who this mission is blessing. But I know it is especially blessing me and my future family, there is soo much I didn't understand about missions and missionaries until I actually became one. Everyone said it would be sooo hard, but I had no idea. I now realize why missionaries can't give up talking about their missions and speaking the language all the time. Its because it becomes a part of them...it becomes a special part of who they are. I know my mission is shaping the rest of my life...already the things that were the most important to me before don't seem to matter as much and the things of the Lord are the very most important because his love is the only love that can change a person's heart and life. One thing I've learned is that we are all missionaries, as soon as you get baptized you become a missionary and a representative of the Lord...so share the Gospel with everyone, by the way you live and never pass up an opportunity to talk to someone and share the Gospel....no fear!! 2 Nephi 22:2 "for the Lord is my strength and my song"!! I love you!!

Love, Cari

Week 2 In Cebu - Mabolo

2010-08-25T12:37:00.000-07:00

Maayong Buntag!!!

Thank you for all you emails of love and support, they really mean the world to me!! Tell Dan I think of him often and love and miss him too, I always think of what it was like for him since he served in a third world country as well, it made my day that he thought of me! I pray for all of you back home and love you all and think of you often (when I am not working). Anyone can mail letters to the mission home and dear elders get here, two weeks after being sent. By the way, no one can email me except for my immediate. I need to be obedient as possible. And that would be awesome to get in touch with Elder Johnson's mom so I cant get updates on my Elders, I pray for them every night and think of them often. So thank you!!

So let me tell you about my area. I am in the most downtown poverty-stricken area of the city. No mountains, no nature all the other parts of the city have nature and mountains-not us! haha I am serving in Mabolo, Cebu City and it has been a challenge for my companion and me to love the area b/c most other missionaries are serving in beautiful paradises, but we have learned to find joy in everything we do. We laugh at all that happens to us and are learning to love the area, not b/c of the geographical circumstances but the people. I want you to tell you how truly humbled I am by these people, they are the kindness, most generous individuals I have ever met. I already love them with all my heart, my love keeps me going strong. For example a newly baptized family, the Sevilla family, they live in a one bedroom hut by a sewer and have very little. But they find joy in everything about life and love life and their family, they are soo kind and last night they fed us dinner and made us take home the left overs...which really touched me seeing what they had. They told me about all the exotic food i need to try-rats, snake, frog legs, intestines and they said they are going to by me beluit for me to eat ( dont worry Ill take a video for you ;) ) I'm trying it this week!

So far I found over 10 cockroaches, one on my leg in the middle of the night, and they are ginormous-but I dont even care anymore. Our house apparently is one of the worst conditioned houses in the mission so we have been looking with the zone leaders for a new one.

Sis. Carlene is 19 years old and I tell her she looks like Pocahonatas from the Disney movies, too bad she has never seen it. haha. She is committed for baptism on Sept. 11 and she is progressing-pray for her! she went to church this week and the spirit is always very strong in her lesson! Sis. Person gave me a huge compliment the other day, she told me even though I can't speak the language this spirit is soo strong when I testify. I hope these people can see how much I love them and how hard I am working to help them find the happiness I feel everyday from this gospel. Families are a very big deal to them and I always testify to them that even though I am sooo far from home and my family, I have great comfort and happiness that no matter what I will be with my family again forever!!

I LOVE LOVE the food here ( and yet I still have lost 6 pounds...haha) The Bishop fed us fried bananas the other day-soo good! and the Senior couple treated us to Filipino food last P-day. Bread here is amazing and the whole time I'm proselyting I just keep smelling these wonderful smells, b/c everyone cooks on the street.

The dogs here are disgusting!! Always violating each other, hairless and diseased- Seriously I am finding dogs that rival Jack on the ugly scale.

My Cebuano is coming-slowly but coming, still a little frustrating but I know the Lord is making my weaknesses strong! and I'm remaining diligent and obedient.

I have found days where all our appointments have been cancelled, and everyone has turned us away but I remain happy b/c I am doing my best, and if I continue to do my best and reach my goals no matter what and work hard, then there is no room for discouragement. I remember, before I used to think to myself-WHY? why couldn't I serve state side? Why couldn't I serve English speaking? Why couldn't I be serving at least in a beautiful area of Cebu? But now I think I am soo grateful for all of this!! (Not that I want to stay here for my whole time) but b/c of this opportunity to learn this language and be in this area I have never felt closer to my lord and my savior, I turn to him in everything and am learning to trust in him no matter what! Its amazing what I have learned and the spirit that I can feel, I cannot thank my Heavenly Father enough.

We have had investigators in tears b/c of the spirit in our lessons, there have been whole families becoming reactivated that haven't been to church in 6 months and I am excited!! Even though, actually our success is pretty low, this area, an area with very low success is strengthening and becoming stronger, I feel it everyday b/c God loves his children here.

Next week is a new training program for the missionaries so a new sister will be staying with me, meaning Sis. Tatipu (my hilarious Tongan roommate from the older Cebuano district in the MTC) will be staying with me and she gets to be my companion for four days while Sis. Person is in training! I am soo excited it will be fun, even though we both don't know the language.

I just wanted to let you know that, this mission, has been the most amazing experience and gift in my life. There have been times where every part of me wants to quit, and go home. I have felt more pain that I ever have in my homesickness and my desire to go home...but I would not give it up for anything b/c I look back at who I use to be, the faith I use to have and I feel like it is nothing. I remember there were days where I would briefly read a chapter of the Book of Mormon and say a quick prayer, just to say I did. I would never do that again, I would never abuse these wonderful and amazing gifts God gives to us b/c they are the power and we can receive God's actual words through our faith in prayer and scripture study. I am soo thankful for my trials and every hardship I have experienced even for having to wash my clothes by hand, and endure exhaustion and ridiculous heat temperatures (more than I have ever experienced!) I'm even thankful for the cockroaches...haha!

Well I love you and tell Grammy thank you for her wonderful email, I have definitely found everything she said to be true. Don't worry about me, I am happy and I laugh everyday and have found joy in the work!

Naghigugma ko kanamo!!

Love,

Cari

P.S. I sent home a CD of pictures, so hopefully you get them! Most you have seen, but still fun di ba?

First Week In The Philippines

2010-08-12T18:00:00.000-07:00

Maayong Buntag!!

K best way to write me is dear elders...and I NEED letters of love, I am having a VERY hard time :(

I still cannot believe I am here in the Philippines. No one prepared me for how hard this was going to be. I am assigned to the city, which is very dirty and is destitute poverty, it is really hard to see and it is not the beautiful Philippines you saw in pictures, very sad. We are teaching a woman that lives on a bench with a sheet over it. No one has a nice house and it constantly smells of poop. My apartment is pretty humble. Lots of lizards and cockroaches visit us everyday. And yes I shower with a bucket of cold water and a ladle. Every morning I am woken up at 4 am by several roosters that cluck until 6 am so lets say I don't sleep much, especially b/c of the heat. Every night, when I come home I literally have to peel off my clothes from being drenched in sweat.
My companion is great. Her name is Sister Person and she is from Bagio, Philippines. She really helps me with the language and she is a great teacher. She has a lot of patience with me b/c I am absolutely horrible with the language, even though she and all my investigators say how impressed they are. I am lost all the time in the City, I never have any idea where I'm going. People stare and point at me all day and I feel like a stupid, tall american all day. They all call me guapa though which is flattering b/c I am sweaty without any make up, but I have had dirty drunk men touch my arm which is really gross.
The kids are adorable though and they love me b/c I'm a very tall american (by the way I am super super tall to them, they comment about my height all day) and they bless me all the time by taking my hand and putting it to their head, they are really the cutest kids ever! That is one thing that is not hard about the Philippines, the people. They are soo kind and not hard to love! As I attempt a very jumbled lesson or testimony they always listen and are attentive even though I probably make no sense. I've actually have had some pretty cool experiences so far. On Sunday we went on splits with the members and I went to visit a less active family. I didn't have any idea what was happening but I was prompted to bear my testimony about how hard it is for me to be here, but if I continue to trust in the Lord I will be strengthened and have joy.....

email continued...

the spirit was sooo strong in that lesson and then her neighbor had overheard our opening song, "Families can be Together Forever" and was super touched b/c she has come from a broken home and is a single mother at 20 and has lost hope. She was crying and I bore my testimony on families, and got a return appointment Sunday.
So I pretty much feel like inadequate dead weight right now though, its really hard for me to be here. I always want to give a testimony or experience but I can't in Visayan and so I become frustrated. I constantly miss and worry about my Elders b/c I cannot write them and it was very VERY hard to leave them. I cried like a little girl saying goodbye and so did Elder Johnson. I worry about him a lot and he got sent to a very hard area where they speak very fast and don't speak any english also their cebuano is a lot different from what we learned in the MTC! So if you want to be a very kind soul to me and him, please please write him and see how he is doing so I can know if he is safe and happy. He got me through a lot of hard times in the MTC and I miss him and the others a lot.
So I just want you to know that although, right now I'm pretty much dead weight and VERY weak, I am continuing to grow stronger as I am being pushed beyond my limits....This is what I wronte President Hansen:

President Hansen,

I still cannot believe I am in the Philippines. It has definitely been an adventure, but it is a lot harder then I could have ever expected. Sister Person is wonderful and soo helpful. I feel like a burden though, although she says my Cebuano is really good and that I'm doing a great job, I am not use to feeling like dead weight. I become frustrated as I want to share a incredible experience or a testimony in a lesson, but I can't find the words to do it. I find myself missing my district and MTC experience, and that I was able to have 5 other people that were going through the same exact thing as me and now I feel a little alone in this city. Its hard not having that foundation here of support that I had in the MTC and I struggle not having someone to talk to that understand b/c I cannot write anyone that was in my MTC District. I wish I could know how they were doing so that I could know that they are all safe and well, I find myself worrying about them often. I also been really trying to trust in the Lord and his will for me, I never ever have felt like a city is home for me so this area has been trying, but I have prayed and I know I am here in this place for a reason so I am keeping my hopes up.

However, despite all these worries and feeling of inadequacy and loneliness, this is a time where I have really grown closer to my Father in Heaven b/c even when I think that I have no one here that completely understands I turn to him b/c he knows me and he knows I can get through this. I pray to him all day, all the time to give me the strength to overcome my many weaknesses and I am continuing in my obedience and diligence. Its hard sometimes b/c the pay off is very slow. But if there is just one thing I have gotten out of this so far is a very close friend-Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. I thought that I really came to understand the atonement in the MTC but my testimony keeps growing as I am being stretched beyond anything I have ever handled before. The lord tells me everyday that he is just working to mold me to be that person he wants me to be. The people here are soo kind too, they always listen attentively as I give jumbled lessons and testimonies, but at least I know they can feel the spirit as I speak, I am learning that that is a world wide language.

I feel inadequate all the time but as I pray I feel comforted as the Lord lets me know that I am doing whats write and eventually he will allow me to be a effective missionary if I continue to do that things that I'm doing. Sister Person is also a gift to me and helps me understand that I'm doing a good job and not to be so hard on myself. The Lord has also given me other little blessing I see through out the day to let me know that, he know this is hard and he is here to lift me up. I keep a smile on my face everyday and decide that once I leave the apartment I will show everyone the joy this Gospel gives to me by my smile. Even if I can't speak to these people I want them to know that they can have the same joy that I have from this Gospel.

Thank you for everything you do!!

Love, Sister Robison

Everyday the Lord has to assure me that I am doing the right thing, but I know I am. I thought I was a strong person and that I challenged myself but this is literally the hardest thing I have ever done. I continue to think to myself how much easier life would be if I just stayed home. But I know that I wouldnt be who I am now with out these experiences and if I can overcome this I will be able to overcome anything in the future. I sent you a picture of me smiling this is really the only sword I have right now to help these people, my smile and I know they can see the love that I have for them and that I am willing to go through anything to help them.

So here is some funny things about the Philippines- They LOVE karioke, they sing it all day and all night. Also their driving is crazy!! I ride in jeepneys all day and I cross busy roads, I really hope I don't get killed. Everyone is soo small and everything is soo small, I feel like a giant and don't know what the elders do that are taller than me. haha.

Oh and Elder Schenk is in my district!!!! That was probably the happiest day of my mission is that I got to see him, but the little stinker lives in an air condintioned apartment with and oven and hot shower no wonder he was soo smily when I saw him...haha. But he moves out today so he will have a rude awakening soon. Also sister Fluerry is in my district (in the older cebuano district at the MTC) soo good to see her but shes having a rouch time too. she said there has been times where she has literally fell on the floor to her knees in anguish...hope it doesnt get that bad for me.

So every night I come home exhausted!!!! I have never worked or been soo tired in my life, but I am keeping diligent, I speak little english and I am continuing to trust in my Heavenly Father. I love you all!

AyoAyo
Cari

I'm Here!!!

2010-08-08T10:49:00.000-07:00

Kamusta!!!

I am emailing you from the mission home, and I am safe and happy. Tired, very tired but safe. I love you all and loved talking to you on the Phone today!

Love,

Cari

Final Day In The MTC!!

2010-08-04T21:40:00.000-07:00

Kamusta-Ulahing Adlaw!!

Our last week in the MTC!! This has already been an adventure. I leave for the Philippines in about an hour, I am excited and a little nervous, but mostly excited!! I can't wait to teach the people who have been searching for the truth and have been prepared by the Lord. I feel prepared and I have no regrets. I just wanted to let you know that I might not have internet in some areas, so pray that my first area has internet, or I wont have contact for a loong time :(
I will always look back on my MTC experience with fond memories and remember it as a place where I really began to know and love my Savior personally and trust in Him and His will for me. One Elder from our new English district came up to me and said, even though he didnt get to know me well, I was an example to him of what a missionary should be. He said he saw something special about me and that I will really touch the people I meet. That meant a lot to me, especially coming from someone I hardly know. I feel soo much love for these Filipino people that are waiting for me, I don't think I have been more excited for anything in my life.
Elder Seupule will be delayed a week but he is handling in like a trooper, pray that its no longer that a week :( It must be hard for him to see us all go but he is strong and optimistic!

I want to bear my testimony in Cebuano-

Nahigugma ko niining ebanghelyo. Napasalamat ko niining oportinidad sa pagpaambit so ebanghelyo sa ginoo uban sa iyang mga anak. Nakabati ko sa gugma sa atong amahan so langit para so iyang mga anak. Pinaagi niining MTC kasinatian, naka-ila ko sa akong manluluwas ug sa gahum sa iyang pag-ula para so ato. Naa ang iyang gugma sa gahum so pagusab so kinabunhi sa mga tawo. Naka-ila ta ni Jesukristo pinaagi sa Basahon ni Mormon. Nakabati ko so kahayag ni Jesukristo kon nagbasa ko sa Basahon ni Mormon. Nahigugma ko so akong manluluwas ug langitnon Amahan. Sa Ngalan ni Jesukristo, Amen.

Gugma ko Kanamo!!

Love, Cari

Week 7 - Last Week in the MTC!

2010-07-28T10:44:00.000-07:00

KUMUSTA!!

This is my last week in the MTC!!! I have been jumping for joy. I am sooo excited to get to the field! We got our Flight Plans!! I sent you a letter with my exact schedule but briefly we are flying out on August 3rd to San Fransico-> Hong Kong-> Cebu. I have lots of lay-overs so I will be calling you a lot. :) I am sooo excited to talk to you for real :)

So I sent you a letter with things I needed, if you didn't get it by the time you send your package here are a few things, dont stress over it....just some suggestions I am not in desperation for this stuff. CD play, CDs, headphones and speakers. Some loose cotton shirts, I have some but I'm really going to want them now. and some more family pictures....I only got two and I would love to have more, or any more pictures, Filipinos LOVE to look at pictures.

So this week we are trying to stay motivated and not drown in the monotony of the MTC. I love the MTC but its time for us to go!!

Last week that Elder that I talked to in gym trying to convince him to stay at the MTC went home. It was really sad but he told my Elders he was very grateful that I had talked to him. He got sent home honorable b/c of anorexia issues (thats what they said) so he might be able to come back and serve in 1-4 years. pray for him, he is a really nice Elder and he needs support. Some other Elders and Sisters that need prayers. Sister Hathaway, is a super fun sarcastic sister going to Mesa, Arizona (maybe) she found she has a heart murmur and has been delayed here at the MTC for three weeks. She is a trooper but might not be able to go out. She found out she might have to get surgery and will be sent home after all she's been through. She finds out her tests results today. Now, Elder Seupule won't find out if he can leave on time with us until the day before we leave. Please pray for him b/c if he cant leave with us, his visa will expire to be here in the US and its sooo hard to get a Visa here I don't know whats going to happen to him. I've been praying and Elder Johnson bought a journal for him for us to all sign.

Thursday- We had our second to last TRC, we did really well!! I talked a lot about the atonement, its nice just being able to talk in Cebuano and not memorize sentences or anything just being able to say what's in your heart. I'm beginning to be able to express myself in Cebuano and feel the spirit when I teach in it. Its really cool!

Friday- We had an AMAZING testimony meeting with the Cantonese district, I only again cried while bearing my testimony ( I have seriously become a cry baby). I just thought that I always understood the power of the atonement before but I realize now I had no idea. I have never felt sooo much love for others and I really believe its because I'm starting to understand the power of God's love for his children. A love that is sooo amazing and indescribable that it has the power to change people and their lives. I am beginning to almost understand how important this work is, and that God trusts me with his children that he loves sooo much!! Missions are amazing and it was a nice reminder to know why I'm here and get me ever more fired up for the field.

Tuesday- So I decided that we need to take drastic measures to keep us fired up and energetic about being in the MTC. So I came up with this I idea to have a competition everyday. Of course the Elders loves the idea, so on Tuesday I made the challenge to see who could drink the most liquid at dinner. I won with 12 glasses, slaughtered the Elders. haha. But Elder Seupule has decided to drink chocolate milk as his choice of beverage and lets just say he was VERY VERY sick!! apparently in the bathroom he told Elder Johnson that "Sister Robison came up with a stupid idea" haha....but I wasnt the one that told him to drink chocolate milk. He laid on the grass for like a half hour looking like he was on his death bed...I couldnt stop laughing. oops! After the competition we had another one to see who could hold it all in for the longest with out going to the bathroom, I definitely lost and could only hold it for less than an hour. Elder Schenk ended up winning that one. Were trying to think of some more ideas in order to keep us happy and have at least something to write in our journals...haha. let me know if you think of anything.

So I feel very ready and excited to leave but I am going to miss my district, we have all grown soo much together and have been through a lot together. Its crazy because I have always seen the before and after the mish, but never the process of change and its amazing to see how fast our spiritual growth has gone. I was blessed with a district full of Elders that will all be super amazing missionaries, except I dont know what I'm going to do b/c I can't write them our whole mission so hopefully I'll be able to see them. I know I'm going to cry like a little girl when I have to leave them. Well I LOVE you all, and I will always stay good at writing, it is the least I can do for people that have done soo much for me. I smile everyday and I love this work. Gugma ko Kanamo!!

Love,

Cari

Week 6

2010-07-23T12:06:00.000-07:00

Kumusta!!

Mom, I just wanna tell you, you're the best.... I love you!!

So this week-
We are all getting pretty restless at the MTC, my Elders and I do not work well with routine and we have been trying anything to change things up. We like to tell funny stories in Cebuano and turn to random scriptures and try to interpret them in Cebuano...its helped a little but we are definitely getting antsy to leave.

Wednesday-we brought in our new District, they are nice-not as fun as the old one but we get our younger Cebuano district today 2 sisters and 2 elders all going to Tacloban, Philippines (that's how you spell it Dad ;) ) and we get 12 new English Elders so our Branch is definitely going to expand!

Thursday- we had our first FULL 45 minute lesson in Cebuano. We did pretty well, except I accidently told our investigators that I had 6 kids!! haha. But don't worry I sorted it all out after many suprised and horrified looks...haha.

Sunday- Now one of the most nerve racking things is to get called on the spot to speak in sacrament meeting. I know, good practice for later in the Mish, but I got called on and had to give a 5 minute talk on obedience, I almost wet my pants. I was shaking soo bad, but I did fine and the Lord took care of me, telling me what to say. My Elders thought it was hilarious too. haha.

Monday- So like I said our district is going a little crazy, meaning some companionships are not getting along. Elder Seupule got a little too fed up with Elder Shenk telling him what to do and the Elders said that there was a big confrontation Monday night. They were afraid Elder Seupule was gonna kill him, but everythings fine now. Moral of the story don't get on the wrong side of an angry Samoan.

Tuesday- Elder Seupule went in for surgery on his shoulder, he hurt it before he came into the MTC in Rugby. He was on the Samoan International Team. So I've been praying that he will leave on time. They say he should.
So we have been having this Elder that wants to go home in the English District. During Gym I had the impression I should go and talk to him, so I spent the whole Gym trying to convince him to stay. I said he would regret it for the rest of his life if he left and that he would be depriving his family, himself and the people he was supposed to serve of many blessings. I don't know if anything is getting through to him though, I've been praying for him a lot so hopefully it gets through to him. Pray for him.

So there's this thing at the MTC called English fasts and thats when Elders and Sisters who are learning a new language give up English for a certain amount of time. Now I think this is rude. B/C others feel dumb when you are trying to talk to them and refuse to speak English, especially missionaries not learning a new language. Our teacher told us not to do it, he said speak your langauge but either translate or speak to your district in it, because it makes otherts feel bad. So I have been frustrated with all these other missionaries who speak Spanish and come up to me not speaking English. So I usually Ignore them but yesterday they wouldn't stop trying to speak to me, so finally I told them that they were very rude and told them that I would refuse to talk to them unless they spoke English to me. haha. So yes I hate these English fasts!!

So things are continuing to go well, I feel my testimony grow everyday and I have learned soo much. Especially from my two Elders, they have taught me soo much and I love them for everything I have learned from them. I know we were supposed to be together, because there are things we needed to learn from eachother and as excited as I am to leave, I now hate to think that in a couple weeks we will be separated.

I cannot explain the change I feel in myself and my testimony. I always thought I knew the Lord and appreciated the Atonement but that was all such a small understanding. The Book of Mormon is literally tangible Evidence of God's love for us. Something that we can hold in our hands that allows us to develop a relationship with the savior and feel the scars on his hands which made that sacrifice for us. I love this Gospel and everything I have learned, every single person who has the opportunity to go on a mission NEEDS to go b/c its more important that I could have even realized before. I love you all for everything you have done for me that has helped me get here. Gugma ko Kanamo!!!

Love,

Cari

Week 5

2010-07-23T11:59:00.000-07:00

Kumusta Friends and Family!!
Kumusta ka?? This week has been BUSY!! Wednesday we had the oppotunity to clean the temple, we get to wear white scrubs (legit). I cleaned the furniture and the cubbies in the rental area and some of the initiatory. It was fun! Thursday we had our last TRC lesson in English. It went well, we taught in unity, the spirit was strong and we focused on the needs of the investigator. Tomorrow we have to teach a FULL 45 minute lesson in Cebuano, I'm super nervous but I have been studying Faith all week and I know that the Lord will help me know what to say.

Saturday was fun, we went outside to study and listened to Carrie Underwood practice for the Stadium of Fire (probably not a good idea-serious distraction for the Elders....haha) Then Saturday night we got to watch the Fireworks, which was amazing b/c as I looked at all the Missionaries around me watching the fireworks, it was amazing knowing that in a couple of weeks we would all be around the world, excercising our religious freedoms and teaching the people all around the world about the Gospel. It was an amazing experience, plus the english elders sang "Im Proud to be an American" which was pretty funny.

Sunday, we got to go on a temple walk and I got to hang out and take a lot of pictures with my favorite English District that left on Monday, soo sad!! I've missed them, defninitely not as much laughs without them. The cantonese sisters I roomed with and their district left too!! So were a little empty here right now. But I've been showing around an Austrailian sister that arrived yesterday and is in my branch. I got to hang out with all the international missionaries Tuesday morning. One was from Norway, another Germany, 3 from Australia and one from England....ya I felt pretty cool. Today we get a whole new district of 10 missionaries going to Arizona and Hawaii that we can bring in.

Although this week was fun, it was hard for me. I have been feeling super inadequate. As a solo sister you get a lot of rap because your in a unique situation and to others on the outside, they might not understand. I have just been feeling like everything I do is wrong, and although I try my best I keep falling short. Its hard being a solo sister b/c I'm with my Elders all day and they are who I am closest to here at the MTC. We rely on eachother for everything and we're with eachother all the time, but its a hard situation trying to learn to be in a companionship because of the boundaries between Elders and Sisters and not looking bad to other missionaries. My Elders were trying to make me feel better all day. Then Brother Latimer, had me be the spot light-where we go around and say everything we love about that person. He must of had inspiration because I felt soo much better afterwards b/c they all said such nice things. He said afterwards, that usually solo Sisters arent able to get along as well with the Elders as I do and that I am working soo hard and doing an amazing job.

This experience has helped me grow in soo many ways and I have soo much to work on still...But I am trying my very best. I have learned to fully turn to the Lord and allow him to help me make my weaknesses into strengths. I have noticed such a change in me and my Elders, and we are all doing great and working soo well together. I have met people that have changed my life and I learn from everyone in my district everyday. We can receive answers to our prayers if we pray sincerely to the Lord. I have been learning to contemplate my prayers before hand and allow the spirit to let me know what to say to my Father in Heaven. This week lets all work on Charity together. No judging, no talking bad about others and truly loving everyone for who they are-their strengths AND their weaknesses. Look at everyone the way Christ would and that you can learn important attributes and characteristics from everyone. So lets read in the scriputers about Charity this week, and also pray for it and make a conscious effort to love everyone around us.
Gugma ko kanamo!!!!
Love, Cari

Week 4

2010-07-23T11:47:00.000-07:00

Kumusta!!! This week has been hard.. On Thursday we somewhat failed our TRC, our teacher was our "investigator" and we got through the lesson and I thought we did awesome, we bore testimony, taught in unity, and had a structured lesson.. But afterwards when our teacher asked how we thought we did, we said all the wonderful things we had done and after we got done talking he said that we only disussed what WE did right and didnt even think about how the investigator was feeling. Talk about a punch in the gut.. apparently we completely failed to meet the investigators needs so therefore failed the lesson.. He had a concern in the beginning that we addressed but b/c we were concerned about getting into the second lesson we kind of brushed it off.. Although we failed it turned into a success though b/c we learned soo much!! We learned that everything is about focusing on the investigator and loving them.. I am definitely learning to STOP right now from focusing on myself. We had a relief society lesson that we should make sure to even be more concerned about our companions success instead of our own.. Once again a punch from the spirit that I need to stop being competitive and care about the Elders in my district and them learning and growing..

I taught the lesson in our district meeting on Sunday and learned a lot about relying on the Lord.. We are in his hands and his hands are powerful enough to create worlds but gentle enough to bless children, so we are in the best hands we can possibly be in.. My motto is trust and be not afraid, and Im truly learning to do that here.. I have been feeling really good lately about everything and I feel that I can do this now.

So My Favorite teacher Brother Latimer is probably leaving soon, I dont know how our district is going to survive with out him, he really makes the MTC feel less stressful, so we are trying to guilt him into staying.. Ive seen Nate Eck, I actually see him everyday and we ate breakfast together on Sunday (dont know if thats allowed) I see Ted everywhere and David sometimes too (we're going to try to take a picture on sunday together)..

Last week ELder Oaks spoke to us, great talk reaffirmed why we are here and our purpose.. I waved and walked past Elder Nelson, literally he was in touching distance.. We have our TRC this week, last lesson in English (super scary).. The Cantos sisters that I live with leave on monday for Hong Kong, and the English sisters leave for California on Monday.. So once again I'll be a lone sister.. Doesn't matter b/c I'm mostly with my Elders anyway.. English Elders leave too, to South Africa and Santa Rosa, California.. So we get all new Elders next week, very sad, they have been my favorite district. I'll miss them b/c they are always making me laugh by telling me Jokes in English Accents which some how even makes it funnier.. We did already get some new ones this week that are going to sacramento.. Its weird to see the English come and go b/c we are here for sooo long..

My district is doing well, my Elders are I are really learning to work together, but its still a work in progress.. I learn soo much from them everyday and we are all growing in our testimonies together.. I get to see Dubes almost everyday and I saw Tyler yesterday, taught him how to pray in Cebuano.. The language is still coming, we are doing an English fast tomorrow (NO ENGLISH)..I miss you all and Gugma ko kanimo!!! Love, Sis Robison

2010-06-23T09:02:00.000-07:00

Hi Family and Friends!! This week has been a little sad, my roommates and Cebuano sisters left for Cebu last night. I'm excited for them but sad for me. But its okay b/c I'm now moving in with the Cantonese sisters in my zone that I know, and their really friendly and fun. So now b/c the older cebuano district left my district are the only 6 cebuano speakers in the entire MTC, which makes it hard to speak your language. Last week in our "teaching appointment" we taught an "investiagtor" about the Book of Mormon, the spirit was sooo strong me and my two companions got a little emotional while teaching, even the investigator became teary eyed.. It was amazing that in a moq teaching situation that the spirit would be so evident, it made me excited to go out and teach real investigators.. So this week I was called as coordinating sister and my companions were called as zone leaders, so were really working on our leadership and leading by example.. My elders are doing well, we are all helping eachother with the language and everyone's testimonies are growing soo much, I learn from my companions everyday and its amazing how unified we are when we teach, the spirit is always incredible.. My teaching improves everytime and I am soo blessed to be able to develop that talent.. We have all come soo far!! We have 4 new english speaking sisters going to Rosa, California so they are really the only sisters I'm over.. This week I was really sick, Soo sick that I couldnt sleep b/c I was in soo much pain, kinda made me mad b/c we had a substitue in class that day and since I started to fall asleep he made me walk around the class ten times before I could sit down.. but I am better now and noone else around me got sick.. THANK GOODNESS!! My elders think they are invincible.. We got some new elders in our zone going to south africa,I hang out with them a lot at meals and firesides, they are super fun, but one got sent home.. I dont know why but he seemed really depressed yesterday and ended up being sent home.. Also, another one of our older english elders got sent home b/c his surgery on his leg didnt help and hes in a lot of pain.. Its sad b/c he is 25 and probably wont be able to come back, his name is Elder Harper, pray for him.. In gym I have been working on my volleyball skills and my arms have been super bruised for the past 3 days.. I see Ted all the time, we have the same eating schedule so I see him everyday, it really fun.. My friend is teaching Nate Eck so I should see him when he comes in tomorrow, our classes are in the same building.. Mom I got your package, Thanks!!! But this it important I need you to send me my immunization records ASAP! Plus I need sweat pants, Dan, Rebecca's, Josh Beck's, and Matt Stapely's addresses, if you could get in touch with them through facebook or something and then write me on Dear Elder.. Well I don't have much time, but I love all your letters and they mean a lot to me.. Nahigugma ko kanimo!!! Sister Robison

MTC Second Week

2010-06-16T09:31:00.000-07:00

Kumusta Family and Friends!!!!

Thank you for all the letters, they make my day. We live off letters here at the MTC and it means a lot to me that people are thinking of me outside these walls.

So this week was definitely an absent minded week for me. Lots of funny experiences. So I usually wake up at 5:45 am to go running and when I walk in the bathroom I am usually half asleep, trying to have my eyes adjust to the light. Well one moning I threw open one of the stall doors and found a poor sister screaming on the toilet....haha...poor girl was exposed to everyone in the bathroom, well that one woke me up. Same day I was walking out of the bathroom while talking to these two sisters and while I was saying ayo ayo (goodbye) I walked into the door, face first. They laughed a lot and my Elders thought it was hilarious. A couple days later in class I snorted while laughing and trying to pronounce the nga sound which is a sound you have to make in the back of your throat, once again my Elders thought it was hilarious. Also, Ive had two Elders hit on me. You would think that, us sisters would be safe from that in the mtc, but one elder in my branch asked me for my first name, i asked why and he said some awkward thing about going on a lunch date. Another elder came up to me in the cafeteria and said that some Elders had been checking me out. I saw all his friends laughing and rolled me eyes and walked away in the middle of his sentence. He stood there looking like an idiot. I told me elders and they wanted to tell him off. He's lucky he encountered the new and improved sister robison or I would have chewed him out. But i am trying to be above that now...haha.

So Thursday we had our first TRC. Thats when people come and volunteer, and we teach and speak Cebuano to them. It was really hard but they said it was some of the best language skills they've seen. We had thought we failed b/c they kept laughing and whispering at us in cebuano but apparently they were just trying to act like Filipinos, great. This week we have to talk about families and bear our testimonies in cebuano about families, pray and make an appointment. Im kinda nervous but its still way fun!! The language is coming along, still stressful but I'm working really hard, I memorized 100 vocab in 3 days and I'm able to make my own rough sentences now. I say all my prayers in cebuano, which kind of limits me on what I can say...haha. but its fun!

Sunday was crazy, one of my roommate sisters woke us up in the middle of the night b/c she had some pains in her stomach and back, we thought it was just bad gas, b/c thats what everyone had here...haha. ended up being kidney stones and she had to go to the ER. Then during the day I was lost. I went to the bathroom came out and my Elders were gone!! I was soo confused b/c they are usually soo good at keeping track of my but they were nowhere to be seen. So luckily I found a sister I knew in my zone and went to their sacrament. But, apparently the Bishop wanted me to give the talk in our sacrament and everyone noticed I was gone so there was a big search party for me. Some elders were afraid I was kidnapped, so two sisters and my elders missed sacrament to look for me. while I was totally fine enjoying another sacrament. haha. I felt bad, I found them afterwards and the whole district presidency and branch was relieved I was okay. oops!! Lets just say my Elders are extra careful now. I felt bad though b/c they kinda got a bad rap even though they treat me soo well. They are soo good at opening doors for me and taking my food tray I barely ever have to lift a finger here.

By the way I saw David I mean Elder Arrowchis....FINALLY!! I was looking for him everywhere, were not in the same schedule so its hard. And my friend is going to be teaching Nate Eck and so I know what room he is in (were gonna be in the same building) so im gonna be able to find him when he comes.

Some cool things are happening at the MTC. We get to clean the provo temple June 30th so that will be cool and Robert D. Hales spoke to us last week. Were going to have a lot of apostoles because its mission presidents week coming up. My sisters I room with leave for Cebu in 6 days!! Im gonna miss them and be even more of a loner sister.

Well...I miss all of you, I am working hard and I see myself progress everyday, it is amazing how much I am growing to know my Savior and Father in Heaven. I am losing my spelling and english skills, sorry if some cebuano words are snuck in there, its only gonna get worse. But I love the language, its hard and stressful but way fun. Its really been a leap of faith trusting the Lord that one days I will be able to speak and competely understand. Gugma ko kanimo!!!!

Love,
Sister Robison

MTC District

2010-06-16T09:21:00.001-07:00

My District!!! 7B

Left to Right
Elder Striland (companion), Elder Shenk, Sister Robison, Elder Allen, Elder Scupule, Elder Johnson (companion)

MTC First Week

2010-06-09T08:41:00.000-07:00

Hi Family and Friends!!!!
There is sooo much to tell and soo little time. I recommend that you send me letters during the week through dearelder.com and I will email you back on my Wednesday P-days so that I can write you as much as possible I only have 30 minutes. I would love to hear from any friends from that too. If you could get Chelsea, Janet, Rebecca's, and Lauren's addresses that would be great. I love your letters Mom, they definitely got me through this week. I wanna hear all about Janet staying at our house and Lauren's wedding. Thats awesome Brooke got first place....GOOD FOR HER!!

I LOVE the MTC!! The spirit is incredible, I already feel soo much closer to my Savior and I feel like a changed person. I have never felt sooo close to the veil I feel the spirit constantly, I want to cry when I think of all the time I've waisted doing other things rather than studying my scriptures and reading Preach My Gospel. At First the MTC was difficult, harder than anything I have ever had to do. People told me it was going to be hard but I never expected how hard it was actually going to be. I felt unworthy, unprepared and inadequate. I doubted if I could really serve a mission. It was a strong trial of my Faith. I have really had to turn to the Lord and put my full faith and trust in him. IIts amazing how much we learn in the MTC, I swear one week is worth a full year.

I have two companions one is 6' 3" blonde and loves wrestling and the other one is a little bit hairier than you would expect. They are both from Highland Utah and went to highschool together, but didn't know eachother. In case you are confused my companions are Elders. haha. I am what you would call a solo sister. My companions are two elders in my district that I do everything with unless I am in the dorms at night and in the morning. Their names are Elder Johnson and Elder Stirland and they love the movies Hot Rod and Nacho Libre which we quote all day. (don't worry we still get a lot done) I love the sisters, I room with, they are in the older Cebuano district and there are four of them. They speak Cebuano in their sleep, which is funny and strange to hear at night. Cebuano is quickly coming along, I already know how to bear my testimony and have simple conversations. Apparently it is a lot harder than Spanish though, Its a level 4 out of 5 while Spanish is only a level 2. Its stressful and it is rare for me to not be practicing Cebuano in my head at all times. I feel guilty if I'm not, but I am slowling chilling out and letting my brain rest from the constant gymnastics its having to do all day. My brain has been hurting a lot from all the studying!!!

The Food is really good, and I am constantly stopping myself from eating too much, refuse to gain weight. Its hard being around only Elders all day because they eat whatever they want. Mom, Elder Winmill is my Zone Leader, I eat with him a lot and see him all day b/c he is in the classroom next to me. He is really, nice and friendly, his Mom told the truth.
My district is awesome. There are six of us. 5 Elders and me. One Elder is from Somoa, I will send pictures soon!! I will tell you more but I am out of time.

For my package could you send me a family picture? and any other pictures? I also left a shirt I think in the car, its blue and white designed, and underwear. Also I have been telling my district about your scotcheroos and they would love them too!!

Thanks!! Nasayud ko nga tinuod ang simbahan!!!!!! Ug Gugma ka ka nimo!!!! (I know the church is true!!! and My love to you!!!

Love,
Sister Robison

First Stop - MTC

2010-06-07T19:06:00.000-07:00

June 2nd - The day finally arrived and Cari couldn't have been more ready and prepared. Of course there were tearful goodbyes, but we all are so proud of her. We can't wait to hear about all her experiences and adventures.

I'm Official!

2010-06-07T18:48:00.000-07:00

(Ok, so this is Cari's mom now. I will be the one updating her blog now that she is in the MTC)

On Sunday May 30th at 5:00pm our family met our Stake President at the Cannon Center at BYU. Pres. Davis just happened to be in Provo that weekend and we were there to visit friends and extended family before Cari went into the MTC, so it worked out really well. Pres. Davis talked with us for about an hour it was a wonderful experience. Cari's setting apart blessing was special and totally fit her. So, now she is officially a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.

Happily Overwhelmed

2010-05-17T00:16:00.001-07:00

Today exceeded all of my expectations. For the past couple weeks the reality of leaving on a mission had began to sink in and I suddenly became overwhelmed, rethinking if I would be able to serve a mission well and if it was really the right decision for me. Deep down I knew that the decision to go on a mission was right but it was still a hard concept to process. However, today while giving my talk I was embraced by the power of the spirit, and I am not a cryer but the spirit was soo strong in that room and while I was giving my talk the spirit confirmed to me that I was doing exactly what was right. I felt so much love coming from all those that came to support me, and I was completely touched by all the amazing people who love and support me that have been blessing in my life and have seen me grow up.

I feel that going on a mission is exactly what I am supposed to do, I know that I have been commanded to go. I feel that with out making the decision to go I would be missing a part of myself I need to reach the potential of the person I am supposed to be. Now I know that it will not have the same spirit by just reading it, because the spirit it what really made that moment special but here is my talk for those who were not able to be there.

MY FARWELL TALK-Recognizing the Spirit

My brother has learned from an early age that he can receive answers to his prayers. One day Scott related to us that when our dogs, big dog, runs away he prays that we will be able to find him and sure enough we always do. Later my dad exclaimed that every time Scott’s prayer is answered, his prayers of our dog not being found are must be getting ignored.

Our church is unique to every other church because we have the gift of the Holy Ghost and can receive answers to our prayers. This is one of our most precious gifts that will help us in every aspect of our lives. It is important to have faith when receiving revelation and listen to each prompting, recognizing that Heavenly Father knows what is best for us.

I remember the first time I encountered a strong prompting from the Spirit. I was about nine years old, and my family and I were at the Fourth of July carnival at the Laguna Hills community center. In the mist of all the fun and food little Scotty got lost in all the action. We began to panic, because Scott was only a little guy, and there was a very large crowd. As we split up to search for him I got this feeling that I should check back at our blanket. I remember thinking there was no way little Scott could have found his way back to our blanket, there were hundreds of blankets spread all over the fields and it had already began to become dark. I kept on searching for him until I had another feeling to check back at the blanket, once again I thought that there was absolutely no way that little three year old Scotty could possibly be back at our blanket. However, as the search became hopeless I finally gave into the feeling and went back to the blanket, where sure enough little Scotty was sitting alone on our blanket waving his little fourth of July Flag telling me that I was going to be late for the fireworks and that they were about to start.

We must always put our full faith and trust in the Lord. As simple as it sounds, this is not always easy. We live in a day and age where most of us are well educated and independent, leading us to believe that we know what is best. However, in Isaiah the Lord declared, “For my thoughts are not your thoughts neither are your ways my ways, For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” (Isaiah 55:8-9)

Last summer I made the decision to move to Indiana to install security systems for a summer job. My friend had invited me to go with him and after praying about the decision I felt like it was a good idea to go. I sold my apartment contract for the summer and packed everything up and was ready to go. However the day I was supposed to leave to drive up to Indiana I received a call from my manager telling me that since I was the only girl they could not find housing and they no longer needed me for the summer so I would not be able to go. This was extremely hard for me because I was now homeless and jobless, and upset that I had misinterpreted the answer to my prayers. I was sure that going to Indiana was the right decision so why did my plan fail? However, after talking to a one of my wise friend he explained to me that maybe Heavenly Father did actually want me to make the decision to go to Indiana but it wasn’t the exact plan that I had in mind. As I continued on with my summer I found that this was true. The company ended up paying me $700 for doing nothing to make up for my “pain and suffering”. And I ended up finding an extremely cheaper apartment than the one I had before which saved me money, I finally found a good job which paid well and met some friends that have been a large influence and blessing in my life.

Even though we accept God’s answers to our prayers and follow the spirit, once we made a decision we still need to trust and have faith in our decision and know because we have trust in the Lord’s answers we will be taken care of. We may not always understand why we are taking a certain path, and understand our answers to our prayers but by having faith in the Lord we will not regret following the Spirit.

All of us came down to this earth with a specific purpose. We live in one of the most testing and trying of times. Living in the last days requires us to be strong and have the Holy Ghost be the guidance in our lives. We must always keep the Spirit close. Living in the day and age leaves no more room for fence sitters, sometimes it is easy to go through the motions, going to church each week and participating in our callings. However, we live in a time where we have and will be asked to do more and fight for righteousness and the Gospel. Living during this time has given us large responsibilities to represent the Church and to defend it. So many other things of the world will try to convince us that our ways are wrong, but if we follow the promptings of the Spirit we will know and remember God’s ways.

The spirit is a gentle voice that is sometimes difficult to hear over the shoutings of the world, President Boyd K Packer describes the voice of the Spirit “as being neither ‘loud’ nor ‘harsh;. It is ‘ not a voice of thunder, neither…voice of a great tumultuous noise.’ But rather, ‘a still voice of perfect mildness, as if it had been a whisper.’ And it can ‘pierce even to the very soul’ and ‘ cause [the heart] to burn.” With everything going on in the world the Spirit cannot compete for our attention, these worldly voices will easily drown out spiritual impressions if we are not aware and careful.

But how do we know if our promptings come from the Spirit?

President Gordon B. Hinckley answered this, “That’s the test when all is said and done. Does it persuade one to do good to rise, to stand tall, to do the right thing, to be kind, to be generous? Then it is the Spirit of God…and if you are doing the right thing and if you are living the right way, you will know in your heart what the Spirit is saying to you.”

If you are living a life that is righteous and in tune with the Spirit, you will know when you are receiving a prompting of the spirit. One of the most important ways to feel the Spirit is to have humility and trust in the Lord.

Going on a mission was a difficult decision for me. At the time no girls I knew were going. My whole life I had wanted to go on a mission but as the time came for me to decide to go, I began to have strong reservations. I loved my life at BYU, I had a lot of friends and I was close to graduating. If I didn’t go I would still be happy and content with the way my life was. I thought about going on a Mission and it was scary. I was leaving alone, and I would come back at 23 years old still not graduated with all my friends graduated, married and gone. However, going on a mission never left my thoughts. As I prayed about leaving I would feel a sense of happiness and light. I knew deep down that going on a mission was the right decision despite all my reservations. I knew that God would take care of me if I followed the path he wanted me to take.

Waiting for my call was difficult, I prayed every night that I would go wherever the Lord desired me to go as long as I was able to receive revelation that it is where I am supposed to go. For three weeks I stalked the mail man, almost to the point of him needing a restraining order, until finally I found him on his route and asked him if he had gotten any mission calls that day, obviously by now he knew what apartment I was in and got out that precious envelope, which I carried around campus as if it were my baby until I was finally allowed to open it. When I opened my call with my roommates and family, I have never received such a strong witness of the spirit. As I read the words Philippines, Cebu mission all my anxieties and fears about going on a mission disappeared. I knew with all my heart that there were people there for me specifically that I am supposed to touch and they will in return change my life. Although, going on a mission is still somewhat scary, I know I am doing exactly what the Lord wants me to do. It has been the biggest blessing in my life and I believe whether or not a person is going on a mission they must prepare as if they are.

Live your life as if you were preparing for a mission because we are all missionaries our whole lives and my preparation for a mission has changed my life and brought me closer to the spirit than I have ever been before. I have been reading the scriptures more diligently and have received answers to my prayers through the scriptures. I have felt a stronger presence of the spirit in my life and worldly cares no longer sustain importance in my life. I testify that if you are having a hard time with something in your life, the more you read your scriptures and pray sincerely to God, you will receive comfort in the spirit and your problems and trials will become second to the things of the Gospel and spirit. Even now people and things of the world continue to convince me not to go on a mission. I’ve been told how terrible the Philippines will be and how hard it will be, and how weird sister missionaries are when they return off their missions. However, as I remember back to those feelings of confirmation and comfort I received from the spirit, I know that God will take care of me and those previous concerns and thoughts become lost.

I know that God answers our prayers. Maybe not always the way we want, but he answers our prayers in the way we need him to. While waiting for my mission call I wanted to go Spanish speaking, I said I would go anywhere, but my biggest desire was to be able to learn Spanish. Instead, I am learning the language of Cebuano, something I had never even heard of before. But God knows better, he knows that I am needed in the Philippines and my mission is not for me, its for the people and for giving back to a Father in Heaven that has given me so much and with knowing that, I would never want to go anywhere else.

Like I said before, our church is a unique church, because not only are we the only true church, but we can receive revelation for ourselves. We can talk with God on a personal level and confide in him with our hopes, dreams, fears and weaknesses. No matter where we are in our lives we will always have someone who will love us and listen. However, it is up to us to make this connection with our Heavenly Father, we can achieve this through our morning and nightly prayers and meditations. If we can take a few minutes every morning and night to read our scriptures and pray to the Lord we will have the Heavens opened to us and feel the presence of the Holy Spirit more fervently in our lives.

The Prophet Joseph Smith once talked of opening the heavens: “The manifestations of the gift of the Holy Ghost, the ministering of angels, or the development of the power, majesty or glory of God were very seldom manifested publicly, … but most generally when angels have come, or God has revealed Himself, it has been to individuals in private, in their chamber; in the wilderness or fields, and that generally without noise or tumult.
Unfortunately, modern life is filled with noise and tumult. Our society provides so many distractions that unless we make the time and effort to extract ourselves from them, the voice of the Spirit may not get through to us. That is why on a spring day in 1820, Joseph Smith left his home early to enter a grove of trees so he could pray in quiet seclusion about a question of religion. The answer came with astonishing clarity when both Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ appeared to him, ushering in the dispensation of the fullness of times.”

It is important to be able to have that personal time everyday with the Lord. Making an effort to personally meditate and talk to the Lord has given me the renewal and regeneration of the Spirit I have needed as I have felt of the Love of God while on my knees. It has helped me know the Savior on a more personal level and gain the strength I need from him.

When asked to choose a scripture for my mission, I prayed about which one I should choose and while I was searching my scriptures 2 Nephi 22:2 hit me with a special importance, it exclaims, “Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid; for the Lord Jehovah is my strength and my song; he also has become my salvation.” This scripture should be a theme of our lives and it will be how I want to serve my mission. If we trust in the Lord then there is no reason to be afraid, because he will take care of us if we are choosing the right everything will turn out for us in the end. Everyday as we pray and receive confirmation of the spirit we will have a renewal of strength and confidence and I will be preaching his Glory to the people of the Philippines and then to the people around me for the rest of my life.

Bear testimony.

Thanks to everyone who made this day special that I will always remember.

All Smiles

2010-05-15T23:29:00.000-07:00

I went to my friend Gil's baptism today and the spirit was so strong. Almost everyone who had been with him from the beginning in high school were able to be there (except for Andrew who is on a mission). There was so much love in the room and Gil was glowing. I feel lucky to be able to see a success from missionary work and I feel privileged that am able to participate in similar events for the next year and a half. Although I have been nervous about going on a Mission, today I was reminded that nothing beats the final products of missionary work and it is by far the greatest work we can do in this life. I cannot wait, only 2 1/2 more weeks!!!

Mission President Letter

2010-04-04T23:51:00.001-07:00

I finally got my letter from my mission president telling me all the information I would need about the Philippines. He told me to write him a letter telling him of my thoughts on serving.

This is what I wrote...

Dear President Hansen,

I am so excited to serve in the Philippines, Cebu mission! Before I received my mission call, I prayed and fasted to the Lord that I would go and serve wherever he desired me to as long as I would be able to receive confirmation that, that was the place I was supposed to go. I had never thought I would be called to the Philippines, however, as soon as I opened my call I had an overwhelming feeling of that was where my Heavenly Father wanted me. I am 100% sure that I am following the path that the Lord wants for me.

I love this Gospel, I always have. I don’t know where I would be without it and it brings so much joy in my life. I am excited to share this joy with others, and remind them of the truths they once knew and accepted before they came to earth. I feel that the Gospel is a message of joy and hope and that it brings everyone who lives by it happiness. Since I have been preparing for a mission, I have felt a greater bond with my Father in Heaven, and my testimony and confidence in the Gospel has strengthened exponentially. Already I have experienced numerous blessings from a mission and I am even more excited to see what is in store. I already have a great love for the Filipino people and have heard of their friendliness. I know this mission will be hard, but I know the Lord believes I can accomplish what he wants. I take the message from Nephi 3:7 to heart when it says the Lord will provide a way so that we can accomplish what he has commanded of us.

I know my Father in Heaven lives; he created the plan of happiness because of his great love for us. He sent his son to atone for our sins, so that we could return to live with him and our families forever. I know Joseph Smith is a prophet of God and was chosen to bring about the restoration of the church. I believe President Monson is a prophet of God and receives revelation for our church, just as the prophets in the scriptures did. Our Gospel is very unique, because we have the gift of the Holy Ghost, and that is how I will be teaching, is through the spirit. I have faith that the Lord will guide me in my words and actions and that I will receive strength from him. My mission scripture is 2 Nephi 22:2 which I think sums up my life and mission, “Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid; for the Lord Jehovah is my strength and my song; he also has become my salvation.”

Cari Robison

Finally....Full Access!

2010-02-23T19:31:00.000-08:00

Receiving my endowments in the San Diego temple was a beautiful experience and it is a place where the love of God is truly evident.

My testimony was edified and I am so grateful for the blessing that families can be together.

Temples are really a little piece of heaven on earth.

Sister Robison called to Philippines Cebu

2010-02-07T20:02:00.001-08:00

After the daily stalkings of the postman and a close call to him needing a restraining order, my mission call finally came on February 4th 2010. The anticipation was almost too much to handle, but I had to be strong. It was only 3:30 and I had class now. I walked around campus holding my call as if it were a precious newborn. I entered class and was still unable to remove my hands from my call. I waited, unable to remove my eyes from the clock, but finally the anticipation was to great and I ran out of class all the way home.
Once I had gathered all my roommates together, while my family was on skype and Court on speaker phone, I was ready to open my call. However, dad decided to go on a little run, so I forced my mom to get in the car and bring him back. so FINALLY, everyone was rounded up and I opened up my mission call. I think the video explains the rest....

I never would had guessed the Philippines, Cebu mission in a hundred years. I had never even heard of the obscure language Cebuano. BUT, I can testify that Cebu is the place where my Heavenly Father needs me to go. Nephi 3:7 has come to my head a lot while thinking of a mission and I know that if that's where the Lord has called me, then he will provide a way. I already have a great love for the Filipino people and I am ready to serve them with my full heart.