Kinsa si Jesukristo?

There's nothing like being a missionary, in the Philippines, during Christmastime. There's no snow, just tropical heat, palm trees, flowers! Maybe slightly more wind because it's the rainy season haha. There are star lanterns everywhere.

But you mostly feel really- happy. Like you've never understood so well what Christmas means. A question I ask frequently as a missionary is "Kinsa si Jesukristo sa imo? Who is Jesus Christ to you?

The greatest thing about being a missionary is learning the answer to that question for myself while simultaneously helping others to realize it. I am learning that we can literally "cast our burdens" on the Lord and continue in faith even DURING difficulty, discomfort, and trial. I'm learning that through Christ, I can actually feel....happy....during trial, something I don't think I fully knew before.

Our Zone got to watch the new 2015 Christmas Initiative, before it's been released to the rest of the world, it's released to the missionaries! It was so wonderful- they're launching a new Christmas video, website, and pass-along cards. I can't WAIT to use it to tract, teach lessons, and bring people to baptism! That's the only kind of "white" Christmas I need!

I only get one Christmas here in the Philippines as a missionary, so I am REALLY excited :)

We went on splits with the STL's so I got to go back to San Rem for a day. I helped them find a former investigator that they hadn't been able to find (she lives in a tiny bamboo balay tucked away in the vasts expanses of a sugar cane field) and she was like, "Why haven't you visited me?" and she had written in the back of the Basahon ni Mormon we gave her tons of questions she had about God, the Godhead, life after death, baptism! It felt good to help them find a person so prepared to learn the gospel. And to see the work we started be resumed.

We just went through realignment so our area will probably be combined with the other sisters' area next transfer. For now, we are just TALKING TO EVERYONE and trying to strengthen less active members while adding new investigators to our teaching pool every week.

Just this morning I dropped off my sheets and bedding at a labhanon (place where women handwash laundry as their job) and the woman was so excited that I could speak Bisaya so we talked bout that for awhile. She said "you must be so smart, foreigners NEVER learn Bisaya!" and I told her that it is only possible to learn a language fast if you have good motivation to do it....namely, the Gospel. Then she opened up to me that her brother-in-law used to have a terrible drinking problem. Then he joined the LDS church and now it's gone! She said she is so grateful for our church. We got her address we're going to visit her and start teaching her! I can't wait to introduce her to the Gospel of Change, the Gospel of Christ. Because it is only through the merits and mercy of Christ that we can truly become our best selves. 

We also had a "miracle lesson" last night. We've been working with a less-active member, a 17-year old lalaki, Paul, whose mom is preparing to go to the temple and whose sister is newly returned from a mission. But all of our carefully chosen scriptures and testimonies of family members failed to bring him back to activity in the church. Then last night we bumped into one of the active young men of the branch. We felt prompted to ask him to kuyog with us, and even though it wasn't in our plans, we felt prompted to visit Paul. It was a miracle lesson. He had been childhood friends with him sa una. He had missed him. He opened up to us about why he hasn't been to church. He opened up to us that he had a desire to return. He finally promised he would come. The Spirit filled that room.

It is so important for the members to reach out to other members. It is SO much more effective than missionaries alone. Every member IS a missionary.

I hope you all have a great week. I know the Gospel is true. I know Christ is our Savior. I know that kon iapply nato ang iyang mga pantulun-an sa atong matag kinabuhi, makabaton ta og hingpit nga kalipay, bisan unsa ka dako ang mga pagsulay.

Love you all, labi na my Filipino brothers and sisters :)

Amping kanunay!

sister bertoldo 

Wala'y Tubig

The plumbing in our CR (bathroom) is broken, so the landlord shut off our water until they fix it. So, for the past 24 hours there hasn't been any water in our balay....it's tough to shower, cook, brush your teeth, and wash your face, etc. with no water.... 

we had to ask our neighbors, who have a hose, to fill up basins and trashcans with water. Then we used a ladle flush the toilets and to "shower". 

Sometimes at night as I'm hanging my laundry (hay-hay) out on a line, still in my dress, out on the terrace under the palm trees, and then dump the extra water out over the side of the terrace, and then go down to iron (plantsa) my other dresses, I feel like I'm living in the 50's or something. It's kind of cozy, but mostly it's a huge hassle haha. And I'm not very good at it- I have a burn on my hand from the iron- now a permanent scar.

I have a year left of my mission! haha. It's interesting to be a foreigner and speak a different language. I'm now the only American living in our house, so I spend most of my time trying to understand and join in. Sometimes I'm successful! and sometimes I'm not haha. Because the language uses different ways of saying things and has different "sayings", you kind of have a different personality if you learn a different language. It's weird to think that there now exists a side of me that my family might never really know or understand. 

It's the same for Jared, he will come home being an expert in Italian and in the cultural ins and outs of Italy. I understand now why RM's either always want to talk about their missions, or never want to talk about it. 

The Philippines has a thrift store kind of thing, called an ukay-ukay, and it is quickly becoming a huge weakness of mine! :) it's just tons of clothes piled in a tent and they're all really cheap. Every month my companion and I stop in and buy a new skirt or a new blouse. Then we have to hand wash it (because who knows where it's been!) and line dry it, iron it, and spray it with a little fabric softener and there's a new outfit! Sister missionary weakness. The salesmen recognize us as "Mormons", they all say "Sister, sinina! sayal! blouse!" (dress! skirt! blouse!) haha. They know, now, that I can speak to them so now they try to persuade me to buy all kinds of things, but we are very frugal in bargaining with them. It's a good opportunity to share the gospel because they ask us why we are so dressed up? Do we get paid for missionary service? NO? Whey then, are you serving a mission? It's a great way to bear testimony to them of the gospel and our purpose as missionaries.

Yesterday I was just sitting in church and then the Branch President announced that I would be the concluding speak, give a 20-minute talk about prayer. So caught unawares, I just went up and found that I was able to comfortably deliver a 20 minute talk in Bisaya about the principles of prayer and the importance of individual and family prayer. I felt so much love for the people looking out at all of them from the pulpit.

Our area just went through realignment, so it's a lot smaller now. That means we really need to focus on less active members and finding new investigators.

I love you all, have a good week.

-sister bertoldo

Wherefore didst thou doubt?

Last P-day we went to Odlot Hideaway Beach Resort with the Branch President and some of the members....it was like my own personal form of torture, because I just wanted to jump in the ocean and swim! Haha. I did get pretty soaked by some big waves that crashed over the side of the seats! There was a diving board extending out over the rocks for people to jump into the waves, and man it killed me not to jump!

But it's ok, rest assured that I'll return to the Philippines after my mission aron sa pagligo sa dagat! Lami gjud siya!

We had a training meeting this week, so we went back to the mission home to discuss successes and problems with training. It was neat to see the trainers' side of the meeting this time, and it's always inspiring to hear President speak.

I've been having ups and downs of course, but through fasting and prayer and study and work, it's amazing how Heavenly Father speaks to us through personal revelation. I've been especially touched by reading Alma 26:27 (bear with patience thine afflictions and God will grant you success), Helaman 10:2-5 (work with unwearyingness and you will be blessed) and I've been studying the life of Christ from the book of Luke a lot. I know that if we focus on the Savior and doing his will, we are steadied, supported, uplifted, and ultimately successful. But the miracles and success come AFTER the trial of our faith.

As I was staring out at the ocean that I can't swim in I thought of Peter walking out to Jesus on the water, showing such great faith, but when he takes his eyes off of Christ and focuses on the waves and winds, immediately he begins to sink. Christ then asks him, "wherefore didst thou doubt?" How often are we like Peter, letting the winds and waves of life falter our faith!

I hope you all have a great week! Do a little something extra for your spiritual welfare, like pray a little longer, study the scriptures a little deeper, or seek a few extra ways to help others.

-sister bertoldo