Week 75

We had a great week this past week! 

It started with a wonderful Zone Conference! As in, we were all so much more spiritually enlightened. Especially from the talks of President and Sister Maurer. Helping us to get further how we can be the best missionaries we can be, and even after, how we can be the best we can be. The way it goes with conferences is you find out a topic and have to prepare a talk and at random they will pick someone to talk, so you really want to be ready in a sense. Sooooooo Last time I was picked was last year at Mission Tour... where right as I got to the pulpit my scriptures broke and I said "Well this blows!" Soooooo, I made up for that time! Hahah, Becoming a preach my gospel missionary was the topic and I studied good on it! Me and another Elder who is leaving were asked to talk and it was great!  

We witnessed a wonderful miracle this week! We have an investigator, Kim, and she was first introduced to the missionaries in June. We have continued teaching her with all our might! She would tell us how she knows it to be true, she would keep her commitments and come to church as often as she could. But, she was still always wasn't ready for her date she would say. So this last week we had an e-pif-o-ny (sorry I don't remember how to spell that one). Go over the interview questions with her. She didn't understand fully some of them, but that evening she prayed. With all energy of heart to know if this really is right.... The next day at church, her and her cousin who is also our investigator said they had a surprise to tell us at the lesson with them later in the evening! I already knew what they meant and I couldn't hold back my emotions!! I grabbed both of them with my arms and gave them the biggest squeeze!! I kept saying over and over how happy I was for them! And I can only imagine it is just how Heavenly Father must feel as well! Their new date is now the 20th of September. I wish I could stay to witness it and keep teaching, but I know the Lords plan is always better than our own.

I love you all and hope this story may help you recognize Him more in your lives. I am working on seeing the daily miracles and how much He really is a part of our everyday lives. LOVES YOUS

SISTER BRAY............ FOREVER

Week 74

Hello Everybody! Hope y'all had a great week! Mine was great too :) We had amazing experiences with following the Spirit that I would love to share with y'all....

So last Monday, we went to contact a potential that is the neighbor of our part member family. The lesson was alright, but you could also just tell that she was not ready to come closer to the Savior because of worldly things. We made a return appointment and she actually ended up punting us.. but we will try again this week! BUT! For the spiritual story... So as we were leaving we decided to visit a member family  that is super active. The Sister didn't come to church and her son said that she a had a really bad stomach ache. When they let us in, it really was bad. Pains since Friday! We asked what she felt about getting a blessing and she said right away call the Elders! We had training the next day, so all the Elders were in Sogod sleeping in the ZLs apartment, so we start calling all of them and no answers. For just 5 minutes though. Then they came over and totally helped the Sister... gave her some humor and a wonderful blessing! We were started to head home as we past another investigators house. And this investigator really isn't progressing either. Sister Stoehr never told me why, but for some reason we stopped. I told Sister Kaun that we needed to go back to that investigator. We did and we prepare to be punted from all that Sister Stoehr had said... but she let us in! We started talking with her and doing follow up on her lessons with the past sisters, then it happened. She opened up! All of it out on the table. She didn't tell the sisters her concerns before, she just kept denying them to come in. I know it was the Spirit that led us back there to help that sister resolve her concerns about the restoration and the importance of prophets and especially that of Joseph Smith.

As the week  continued we also had an amazing experience teaching our other investigator who has date. She really wants to get a BIG answer that it is true and that it is right. All that she is doing, but her friends keep getting in the way of the spirit. Them saying "Why are you changing?" "you were already baptized.. why are you doing it again?" "Who are you" sort of things.... And it has really torn down her spirits and her searching. She neglected her reading but still kept asking for an answer. We didn’t know where else to go with the lesson. We had just told her about us needing to do things to receive answers to our prayers and as I started going through my bag I saw it! A letter that Sister Stoehr told me to give to Kim. I give it to her and say "maybe this will help". There in the middle of all the bisaya was English with BOLD letters..."DON'T LET PEOPLE SCARE YOU AWAY FROM DOING WHATS RIGHT!"..... answer truly to her and our prayers. She has got back into her reading and is doing so good! Her date is moved to the next week though because of a vacation she had over Sunday, but we are still so happy for her!!! :)

Well, that was the really cool highlights of the week! hope y'all had great ones too! LOVES YOUS

SISTA BRAY............ FOR-EV-VERRRR

Here's a pic. me and the kids in the hood

Week 73

Hello errabody!

This week was pretty cool! So the batch going home this week had to go up to Manila to get our fingerprints for our visas. So that was a fun adventure. Luckily we had 3 Elders who were "maroonon" in tagalog! Hahah basically saved our lives! If we didn't have them it would've been bad! WE also realized how much we were assigned to the right mission. AS IN! Manila is just not us at all! It is far from region 8. It is all city slickers and such with tall buildings everywhere. We had no idea what to do with ourselves. It was so crazy. And there were so many foreigners! Like not just white people! We met people from Kenya, Nigeria, Europe places, a Filipino soccer team, oh my goodness! We did so much finding it was awesome! In the airport and emigration building it rocked! AND... we had Wendy's! Ya, mos def not region 8! It was so goooooood! Ya we dropped a lot a pesos for it :)

But there is something that I really want to share with you all that happened this week! So I hope you all remember the story I shared about bro sanchez and his seeing the kingdoms of glory. Well We have focused as well on his sister. And her especially. She is amazing like her brother, she just has problems coming to church because of her asaua. He is pretty rude and won't let her. She let us know though in a lesson on wed that she will busy for the next 2 weeks with her niece's baptism in the catholic church. But when we got back on sat we planned to visit her that evening(we completely forgot what she had said). And its a good thing we did actually! The lesson was basically just QandA she had a lot, but at the end she said she wanted to share something she experienced. And I don't know what it is about this family, but they must be really in tune with the spirit! She had this dream the day after our last lesson with her-so Thurs. In the dream she said she was looking for something. She was walking around everywhere and then she came to this place where there was this big giant tall cross and she said there were many other crosses there too. and then out of nowhere she said that there came this big ocean that split the way. and on the other side there I was. Me all alone on this place. She ended up going to where I was. She doesn't remember what I said to her or what happened after that, but she does remember how she felt... Peace, love, joy, and warm. If that's not the spirit testifying to her that our message is true I don't know what is! We expressed to her about it, that we couldn't desifer dreams but from what she said, seemed pretty clear what the spirit was saying!

Well I gotta go! I love you all so much! I out some pictures from the activity earlier! We went to the tallest bridge in the Philippines! AGAS-AGAS BRIDGE!

Sister Bray.......FOR-EV-ERRR

Week 72

Hello everybody :)

This week has been great! We had transfers too... and we have a new way of doing them.... total surprise! Before, you would find out where an who your new comp is, if the ZLs were going you would find that out too and all of it basically! Well..... Now you don't find out until you get to a transfer point and you don't know until then as well who your companion is. Sooo while Sister Stoehr left and transferred, I worked with a member here, Rishyll, who I absolutely love! She talks all the time about her daughter and how amazing she is and told me over and over again how grateful she is to have moved back and to be active again after 13 years! We had a blast! And then around 5pm I met my new companion! SISTER KAUN! She is from Vanuatu, it's by Fiji and she is amazing! I am follow up training-seems to be the theme of my mission! I am step mother to so many sisters here and Cebu East :) She is great though! As in, she is so humble and so kind! AN her testimony the same! She is amazing! Her first area was in Carigara, so Waray2x and this is her first Cebuano Area, so we have been doing lots of language studies :) she is picking it up great though!

WE didn't really witness any cool miracles this week. Some of our investigators have a great time understanding it all, but the accepting and doing part has become harder for them. But, we still keep trying to help em out. One of our returning yesterday said he thinks that all churches are true, as long as its God, its good. He isn't really sure if it is true I guess. And it was kinda random too, because he had just shared how he knew it was true... It was a big 180 for us. But we gave him some assignment and asked him to pray if this is the true church. We hope he listens closely and gets his answer.

http://www.mormonchannel.org/video/mormon-messages?v=3701964025001&cid=HPTH073114368

I was just emailing a friend from home, who told me a fellow beetdigger had past away this past week. I thought to myself, just look on LDS.org you still have time until you need to get off. And I saw this on the front web page.... I'm not sure if this true story video will help those who are grieving the loss of Harry Robbins, but it might just help someone looking for an answer to their prayers or even an add to their testimony. I know that God the Father lives and that He truly does love each and every one of us. That he sent us here to learn, sometimes through trials, but I know, that every time, we come out stronger than we did going in them. I know this gospel is real and that it does bless every person that will listen to it... I am grateful to be on the Lords errand and to share it and to be apart of someone time in receiving that light. I know it is true.. I know it is real.. and I know that it will give you all you ever wanted. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

SISTER BRAY............FOREVER!

Week 71

So this week was pretty cool we had a bunch of new experiences and new things occur!

So to start it off, most missions in the US and I guess depends where else, basta, they can skype and they Facebook to teach. So we finally got a chance to do anything remotely close to that! We went to a potential investigator which was a return appt. we go there and they are busy making casava cakes that they sell which are the best things in the world! We sat down and started talking story with the Lola and then the son comes and is skyping someone on his iPhone(what the what?!) and has a tablet in the other(WHAT?!?) So he tells the person he is on the skype with that 2 white girls are here talking bisaya and that they gotta hear it! Ends up to be his sister who lives in New Zealand! She has lived there for 20+ years. We just started getting to know her and talked to her in Bisaya and such and then she told us she is in Aukland! DING DING DING! my batch is from there and it is horrie az there! But they gotta a church! So I asked if she had met other missionaries like us there before.... YUP! They taught her before and she had a Book of Mormon! They stopped visiting her after she had a surgery 3 years back! SO. Moral of the story, we had a chance to share through skype, but more importantly, we found out why we kept needing to go back to the Tenio Family. Because there was someone in their family ready, just not in the here sense. We got her information and everything and are so excited for the missionaries that will be teaching her and her family real soon! I took a picture while she picked up her phone... I couldn't pass the moment to say that we did missionary work through skype :)

So another cool thing! We had a movie night on Sat. We invited everyone! And they invited their friends and then they invited more! But, it rained! Buckets so we texted all that we invited and they were sad that they couldn't make it because of the rain. But those that made it enjoyed it and had so many great questions. We watched the Joseph Smith Movie and it was so great! I will attach pictures

Another thing... I found out where I am dying. Sister Stoehr had to go up to Tacloban on for her training meeting(she receives her first daughter this week). So she got all the dirt out of the APs.... I will be the taking over my last area, so the other part of Sogod, and my area right now! I was meant to be here for some reason :) Hahah, Weird that as of this week I will only have 6 weeks left. But I am gonna go out hard! Especially getting so much area now! As in, it is massive now! My last cycle will be wicked awesome! I just know it ! And I hope that whoever my comp is will do the same! Work Hard. Pray hard.

Well love you all!

SISTER BRAY........ FOREVER AND EVER!!

Week 70

Hello Everybody...

Well, I realized I haven't ever shared any real personal experiences with you guys. I have shared ways how me and my companion have been able to help others spiritually, but not really ever about myself and the spirit helping me spiritually.. so her it goes!

For the last month I have been getting serious feelings.... about extending. I knew already when I started my mission that I would want to extend, I would want to serve the Lord forever... and wear a name tag while doing it :) Well, about a month ago these feeling were becoming stronger. The more the branch and zone would bring up me dying and going home soon, the more I refused. The more I hated it. The more worried it made me feel as well. Was I really ready to go home? Go back to Babylon? Had I really become all that the Father wanted me to be? Have I done all that I could have done with the time He has given me? I was mixed... was it my own fear of going home or the spirit telling me I had more to do. Throughout the 4 weeks I prayed about it constantly, I fasted, seeked the guidance of the prophets, and then emails President Maurer the week of zone interviews telling him how I had been feeling the past 4 weeks. I would get mino impressions of what I should be doing. You should go home.. but then something would happen and I would say no! I need to stay. I mean you can take 2 days of getting punted either way! Hahah, so on the day of interviews I knew.. I would finally get my answer! I would know what to do. This was also our first time meeting our new President and his wife, but I knew without a doubt, he would give me the answer I needed! And sure enough I did. It started off with the APs training involving the talk by Elder Holland The Miracle of a Mission. (I invite you all to read it!) They gave us such great advice on how to truly become and do all we are meant to do (partially an answer). Then as they were closing... Elder Santiago from Hawaii who has been such a great friend since I first got here said something along the lines of this: "Near the end of your mission, in your last 2 cycles, you are allowed an extension. No one really knows this. You are allowed to extend up to 30days. Whether to see someone get baptized or you truly know you have work still to do. Think about this, you can extend. And maybe you can extend again, and again, and again, and again, We would ALL love that, we really would. To be a missionary for forever and not have to go back. But, eventually, you will need to go back.. Your parents will run out of money. Your niece and nephews you haven't met will miss you, Sooner or later you will have to stop. you will have to go home. Your time is up. If you have done all that you can to give your all to the Lord, in the time HE has given you, just go home. GO. HOME. Your time is up." BOOM! Answer! And not even the way I expected it, but I am so much grateful it did come this way! In my interview later with President it was even more reassured.. it is time to go home. As much as it still hurts, I know that I am needed to stop at some point. I can't wear a tag forever(but I can share the gospel forever! holler!) So I am gonna give it my all this last bi tI got! If I pass out at the airport.. hahah sorry :)

OK I only got a little bit of time to share one last story... His name is Tatay Bernardo! He is the best thing ever! He is a less active member that we have been teaching for 4 weeks and has progressed amazingly! I talked about him in an email like a month ago, Tatay Benny. Well in this last lesson with him.. the whole time he just bore testimony to us. The power and will of God for us to find him and bring him back. He admitted he was shy, that was the only reason he didn't go back. He was shy. He just needed someone to reach out to him. We both could not have felt any better after that lesson with him. This Sunday he would have been officially a returned member, but due to the fact we has a baguio (typhoon) he didn't make it to church. A lot of people didn't But, we still love him and know he will progress!

Sorry the weekly update is shorter rather than the personal story but I hope it helps y'all in some way! LOVE YOUS!

Sister Bray....... FOREVER

Here is a pic of Tatay Bernardo and our Zone with the new Mission President Maurer and his wife! They have the greatest accents!

Week 69

Well just like the subject to this email... this week was full of down and ups! WE had a lot of investigators drop us basically. Sister Ralph, my last companion, always would warn about that, the good and blessings will come and then wait for the trial, you'll see how much your faith has truly grown. Well.... We had a 2 full days of being punted and no one wanting us. Never has that happened in my whole mission. No lessons and no one wanting to listen, It was very humbling. Sometimes we foreigners feel celebrity with how many people want to talk to us. So understanding that missionary work is actually hard work was humbling and took me off my high horse.

But we did have two really good ups, one I forgot to include in last weeks that has carried over to this week. Tatay Cosme! He is one of our investigators and is amazing! He has completely changed his life. No more problems with the Word of Wisdom and has no made it consecutively to church! But it gets better... He is a missionary! He invites all his friends to listen to us! And it gets better... He shares with them what he learns from us!! Scriptures and all! So in honor of his valiant service we took my Elder name tag and had to take a picture to document him and his killer missionary skills!

The other big high light is the baptism of sister Wendelyn on Saturday! She is amazing! Her parents are both members, but went less active. Her mother is now a returning member and her dad is over in Saudi for work. Most pinoys go there for work, because they have more jobs there. Her brothers are usually all out and about, but we are starting to focus on them too, Lemwel, Sherwin, and Louie. Our lesson with Wendelyn before her baptism was great! I wasn't her first missionary, but from what Sister Stoehr has told me she was so shy at the begining. In the lesson she opened up and told us all the changes that have happened in her life since she had started coming to church and hearing the lessons. She smiles more and laughs more, she doesn't do chores or work at school grudgingly anymore, she is more patient and willing to sacrifice, she is more confident in herself and knowing she is a Daughter of God..... Gah, I love missionary work!!!! :)

I have gotten a lot more emails recently form people who have gotten their calls and others who have just shared their testimonies... thank you so much! You are all amazing and will LOVE the field! Your desire to serve Him will not go unnoticed and you will surely see His hand in the work. I love my mission and don't want it to end... It is really the greatest thing I have ever done and I am sure you will feel the same way about yours!

Sister Bray..... FOREVER!! 

Week 68

So I want to start off by sharing this really cool spiritual story and then I will share some super funny and weird ones that happened this week...

So we went by an investigators house that Sister Stoehr met while on splits, but sadly she wasn't there. But! Her younger brother Mike was. He is 18 and barkada as in! I don't know how to describe it but kinda like this: they hang out with close group of not so good guys, drink, and smoke, he joked that he could rap. SO kinda a wanna be thug, mixed with I 'm to lazy so I will pose about it. Basta, that's him! We asked him though if we could teach and he welcomed us in, very entertaining. As we started talking about the Godhead with him, we could see his face get very somber... Sis Stoehr asked him then how his relationship with God... "50/50.. it’s hard to explain." we then asked him and he opened up about he isn't sure if he really does love him or that he cares and that he will bless him. He couldn’t tell the difference between coincidences and His hand, or that he was really there for him. We then bore such amazing testimony of his love and his want for him to come back to His kingdom, but that it also depended on his actions which part of the kingdom he could go....This is the really cool part. He told us what he was picturing in his head as we had been testifying...... He said he facing this hall way that was straight and wide and got wider near the end as if it were on opening. He described what he saw once he got there as this: It started from a yellow light, to a white, and then to a dark black. Me and sister Stoehr were silent... Did he really know what he had just seen? We then asked him, "Which light did you go to?" He said we was just there and hadn't decided. "What one do you want to go to?" "Yellow." IT is amazing how revelation can happen!! We told him he was right and that we could talk more about it in the next lesson! It was so cool!!!!!!!

Now for the funny stories....

So we went by to go to our LA Analyn and to teach her Korean students on the 4th, but to get to there REALLY nice house, you have to go through this bukid area. Meaning it was forestry and there was some caribao and cows and lots of tall grass... we found out there was a beautiful street on the other side when we got there. Anyways, as we were walking through, I see this really small baby cow just standing there. "Sis Stoehr, look a baby cow! I'm gonna touch it!" .... Bad Idea. Mama cow was actually behind us a few yards and she came charging! Hahaha I just yelled, "RUN!!" and we booked it! I kept telling her too "High grass! Tall knees!" while we were running! Papa didn’t raise no fool! HAhah, plus there could have been stuff we would have tripped and face planted it on :) Haha when we got to the house though it was all good and the Koreans got a good crack out of it! They could hear us screaming :) Hahahah I attached a picture, the one next to me is Song Juheon, he is a member too and went home on sat. his 3 years here were up! It was a great 4th to say the least! Plus we had a delicious(baby size) watermelon! Cost us so much! But we needed a bit of AMERICA to make it feel real!

I love you all and hope y'all have a great week! LOVES!!!!

Week 67

SO my health is back to normal and we have recieved so many blessings. it is amazing to see the hand of the Lord in the work.

We'll start form the begining of the week....WE had exchanges this week with our Sister Training Leaders and I was with Sister Hogge, my companion form the MTC. It was amazing to catch up again on our lives, and especially to talk about what we have seen the Lord shape us into since we have been out. And more... what He still has planned. While we were working together-take in mind I have only been working in this area for 4 days- we went to find a less active that Sister Stoehr said was terrible. They barely got into the gate of the house and teach her. When we found her house, she let us right in. Welcomed us like none other, and. spoke pure English the entire time! It’s her profession we found out. She warmed up to us so easily. In my mind I was thinking maybe the sisters had the wrong LA :) she told us all her concerns, and I can honestly say..... the spirit led the whole time we were there. Meeting her, to the lesson, to the end... where she asked us to come back every Tuesday night and teach her, her daughter, and all her Korean foreigner exchange students! RIGHT ON! It was amazing. And I can't wait for tomorrow! She didn't make it to church though... but all her Korean students did!!!! Haven't even taught them yet! Missionary work is literally the best work!

We also experienced another blessing.... LA family coming to church. Mother is a member and the children aren't yet. Her daughter Wendelyn gets baptized on the 12th. We had a great lesson with the whole family this week and the youngest asked what he needed to wear to church. Mom told him and they were planning it all right then! And their 13 yr old son even asked if he could attend Seminary with Wendelyn! It was amazing! She hasn’t made it to church in over 3 years.... and she is making it back now and with her family!!

We also had 4 investigator ask us for baptism!!!! how amazing! First lesson with them and they all wanted it. Rhea and Haydelyne are my favorite, we taught them yesterday. They are sisters and 13 and 16. At the end of the lesson Rhea admitted saying she was confused.. she didn't know where the truth was. But we promised her the blessings she has from knowing that she can follow Joseph Smiths example and pray.... that she will find her answer and will not be confused.

We also had a cute experience with a LA tatay in our ward. It was our first time meeting him last Sunday and we had a great lesson and weren't sure if he was serious about being there when we would come back for the return appointment. But when we did... there he was sitting on his tiny porch reading his Book of Mormon that he hasn't opened since his wife passed away. We asked him last time if it would be ok if we went to the members house by the main road so it would be quieter. We asked him to put on a shirt before we went. We waiting for maybe 5-10min, he's old though and has just had an ulcer and surgery so we thought it was fine. He came out in his Sundays best for the lesson. I was shocked and awed at this man’s faith to come back and to start off right. We went to pick him up for church yesterday and walked with him to church because he wanted the exercise going up the hill that day. I love Tatay Benny already.

Like I said so many blessings this week. I am so grateful for what the Lord has planned for this part of his Vineyard and that I am able to be a part of it at this time.

We were also the last zone able to say goodbye to President Andaya seeing as he spoke at our District Conf yesterday... weird how it is their time to go... I love them so much. We opened our email and there was president Maurer's name... rather strange, but I know already with him being called to Tacloban, he is one of the most valiant servants of the Lord.

I love you all and have a great week

Sister Bray

Week 66

Sooooo this last week, like directly after emails, I got extremely sick! Like my back started freaking out and I couldn't walk, I was about to pass out too. And it happened so fast! One minute was at the computer laughing at some funny pictures my friend had sent me with the Elders and then the next I was at the clinic down the street and blood checked. It was crazy. We were there for most of the pday in the outside waiting area sleeping on Sister Ralphs lap with the ZL's constantly near by telling the AP's what was going on. Then I got a fever while we were there.... it was bad. So the AP's made the 3 hour drive to come down and get me so they could watch me up in Tacloban. That night I woke up three times every hour in either sweat, freezing, or pain and with a flat lined 102 temp. it was terrible. The next day we had to go to the ZTM to get meds and fruit form the AP's took the pill.... magic. Pain gone. and my temp went down to 96. Don't know what it was, but it was magic. We still had to spend the day up in Tacloban though to make sure all was well. So, a day in the Office with the Elders..... hilarious!!! Funniest things ever go on in there!

We also had transfers this week.... I moved beds! Hahah, Sister Ralph was transferred to Ormoc and Sister Sorronda my batch became STL.... leaving behind me and....... SISTER STOEHR(steer). We are assigned in their area right now and its great! They have so many professionals in their area! We went finding them yesterday and it was a success!!!! Best finding I think I have ever done in my life! Well, other than the cookie aisle at the grocery store :0 but that could just be me :)

But ya, it has been a good week and we witnessed such a great miracle.... Our investigator prayed! I know it seems like a baby step, but with his religion... its a big step! Our investigator Raquel is a member of Iglesia, this church that was founded by an apostatized member and is popular in the phils. It is also very stupid how anyone could believe it.like it is obvious it is not gods true church. Basta they don't like Mormon's really and think Christ was just a man not lord. Soooo this was our second lesson with him and he usually will have questions and is shy for most of it and stuff, but when we invited him to pray and he was so hesitant and shy and it took us like 10min to get him to pray.... he didn't just give a mediocre prayer..... he gave thanks for being introduced to us. for understanding the apostasy and the restoration. He asked for help to know if it was true! Which none of us expected! Like there has never been any progression with any Iglesian member ever. Well rarely. IT was so sick! We go back to him later this week and we are so excited!

Well, I love you all so much! Have a great week!

SISTER BRAY

Week 65

This week was pretty great! We worked a lot more with our Less Active Members We went back to the Ruiz Family-The one that was like the weirdest lesson ever but still the most spiritual. We went back and weren't even sure what to teach... but it became again the Book of Mormon. She doesn't believe in the Restoration really anymore. and again, you can just tell how much Heavenly Father wants her back. No mater how hard she would fight it, the spirit spoke so profoundly to her! It was amazing.

We had 3 others that we focused on this week and one made it to church!!!! Sister Marlyn! Waooooo hoooooooo!!! And it gets better!

We taught another Sister with a former investigator and she was at the hospital this last last sunday and wasn't able to make it because her baby was the one that was sick. We went back to her once she was out though and taught her again, but it really seemed lack. Like she was just saying words. Buuuuuuuut, she made it too!!!! And it turns our her and Marlyn are cousins or something!!! It was amazing!

We also contacted another referral on Saturday, and to be honest the Daughter seemed more likely than the Nanay, but when we went to pick them up and they weren't ready, our hearts were pretty broken. Having experienced this a million times before. They said they would follow us- again heard that before. We go and wait adn have a big prayer in our hearts while at the church. Then we needed to start so, we were pretty well set with the people we had. Then Half way through the first hour, in comes sister with her Baby boy into Rs and with her daughter and other son in YM/YW...... BLESSINGS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! it was amazing! and it was totally needed. These are super great investigators too and a great LA, and more wonderful that Johnadee(the first investigator I told you about) has a great fellowshipper!

Yup, that was the week basically! Glad y'all are doing good and thanks for all the updates :) LOVES YOUS

1 gotta get that shade.... it be hot!

2 In honor of the World Cup.... The Wizard Elder Burton

Week 64

Hello Everybody! This week will most likely be just a week of pictures and such but I will give you all a  little sharing too! 

I love you all a bunch!!!!!! :) Sorry wa'y ko tyme...

1. We had a bunch of time when we got to Tacloban... so we got pedicures! Most sketchy thing ever! Bleached, blushed pink, and a bunch of other stuff :)

2. Sogod Zone at McArthur Park :) ready for CSP

3. The Elders doing a goodbye Haka for President and Sister Andaya

4. Bro Pasikala is here on service with a bunch of other Rm's so we all gotta get a picture with him! It was super great seeing him again

5. Last picture with the Andaya Family

6. Sister Daylins and Brother Amerilia's wedding :)

7. They didn't have enough money for rings so we got them ring pops :)

8. Daylin ready for her baptism... props to Elder Quinco as well for getting this amazing shot. He's a photographic genius!

9. Our BML Pating(shark) caught the bouquet :) 

10. We rode the hobble hobble today to the beginning of the hike.... it also crashed going up the hill...... But it's ok, totally got it on video and we all made it alive! :)

11. whole zone at the top of the hike :) ISNAG LUBI!!!!!! (One coconut tree)

12. My Hawaiian skills of coconut tree climbing are slacking.... but, HAPPY BIRTHDAY LITTLE BROTHER :) 

Week 63

Hello everybody :)

So I don't really know where to start this email off at..so it could be all over the place :)

This last Sunday I was asked to talk on Sunday... The importance of members in PMG. Our ward is actually not very excited ever to work with missionaries. For the month that we have been here we have only had a member work with us twice maybe.. ya. So, I shared a lot of stories with them, all encouraging! the first I shared was in the scriptures... King Lamoni's father-the referral! And I think a big reason I love that story is truly the conversion that takes place and the missionary work as well. His son and the missionaries Aaron and Ammon. We all want our loved ones to receive the gospel but are scared... King Lamonis Father was going to kill them actually! But, they had the end in mind... His whole kingdom was later converted :) I shared even more personal stories of how friends back at home have recently accepted and are living the gospel. I prayed so sincerely that it would end up motivating them to work further with us to hasten the work here.... and it did! Blessing! We had 3 members work with us for half of the week! It was amazing and one of them is RC too so it helped so much more! 

In this comin week we have some really fun stuff happening as well :) WE have another investigator getting baptized... but before that... their marriage!!! WOOO HOOO!!! Sups excited for them! And then we have a fireside thing that we are all involved in at the end of the day. So Sat is booked :) 

We also have a mission wide CSP(community service project) at MacArthur park before President and Sister Andaya leave at the end of June. Back to where it all starts for Tacloban Mission :) Even some of the MTC teachers are here on service and they will be there too... let's be real, it's just to have a party :) But it will truly be great to say good bye to them! We all love them so much! 

Funny story... So It's about our RC Melagros... like 2 weeks ago RC. And she id hilarious! So like I said we were just there to baptize the previous missionaries did the teaching. So yesterday she received her certificate and also bore testimony... here's where it gets good. SO she has already shared this story with me and sister ralph each time we have gone back to here since her baptism. The day of her baptism it was raining super hard. So she prayed saying she is about to become a new person and wants to make it to the church on time. And the rain stopped. She went out her garden and prayed again (take in mind she is basically showing the whole chapel her story and acting it out too) saying "Jesus... Salamat!.." It was such a crack up the whole time and when she closed, everyone in the chapel got a kick out of her, and she did too. When she was walking down the aisle she was waving and shaking everyone’s hand.... She was a movie star! 

Yup, so I love you all so much and hope that y'all have a great week! LOVE YOUS!!!!!!! 

Week 62

Sister Melagros got baptized this week!!! It was a great experience for her and for us to witness. It has been awhile since me or Sister Ralph have had a baptism. Truly a blessing from Heavenly Father :) The Zone Leaders were her missionaries before and had set the date before they were pulled and out transferred. She loved them. So all me and Sister Ralph needed to do was teach the final lessons and make everything good :) It was amazing! She couldn't wait either to get her certificate and show it to everyone! I loved it! 

We had our last meeting/interviews with President and Sister Andaya this week too... Gah, I love them so much! Heavenly Father truly blessed me with them. I will miss them so much! Especially how Sister Andaya will always call me Sister Angelina Jolie Bray.... Hahah, I loved it so much from her! Everyone here calls me that too... But she says it the best! President gave a training on The Doctrine of the Family.... hahaah he kept telling us the whole time "Don’t get trunky" Hahah, he is hilarious. He helped us out too with our other investigator Nanay Marienteta, her baptism needs to be moved again.... ITs rather sad. She wants to, but all this stuff gets in the way. She is great though! I love her! And she helps me with my Tagalog :)

And The most amazing thing too happened this week.... ME and Sister Ralph, I actually don’t know how to describe it, but we had the most spiritual, yet at the same time, weirdest lesson this week. It was with a Less Active sister who didn’t want her kids to get baptized when they were able to. Basta, when we first met her she told us she was sick so that was her reason for not coming to church. We decided we would just review the message of the restoration with her and her 2 daughters. It was amazing! The spirit that was felt there and testimony that was borne as well! Geh, it was great! The sister though was very resistant and told us she was back to Catholic. You find the truth and then you go back... I don’t understand it. I asked if she read the book of mormon, once she said. and I told her of its truth. to go and reread. and you could just tell the spirit was there. Trying so hard to testify to the woman and her 2 daughters of its truth and she just kept denying it. We had no idea what to do to help her further to feel it. We told her again though how it would all come back... once she read.

I know the Book of Mormon to be true. That Joseph Smith translated it by the power of God and that we have a living prophet today that leads us further towards our eternal goal. Please, just give it a read! It’s GREAT! and it will testify to you further that Jesus is the Christ, that families can be together forever and that we come further to know our Father.

I love you all! TAKE CARE!!!

PS We went on a very fun adventure today as well to this cool farm place, hence the reason why this is so late and I am emailing :) I will send more pictures!

Baptism pics

I held hands with a monkey :) if you show your teeth they get defensive... so yes, this was a very solemn moment

Also got to go fishing with a bamboo stick... GOT TWO BIG ONES!!! 

"As a hen gathereth her chicks under her wings..." Hehehe

Week 61

1 when we cleaned the Borongan chapel before we left...we found a rat. So this is before we killed it! I don’t know if the video will send.

2 when we said goodbye to the Ducena family

3 &4 when the house flooded and I fell.... this is how wet I got

5 cute kid with a phone plan poster as a cape.... cutest thing ever!

6 me and Sister Ralph the day of transfers... we had to be at the elders house at 2 but the elders slept in and didn’t wake up for an hour. when they did we bagged for the mattress

7 I just wanted to send this picture because I look legitly brown.... HOLLLA

8 this is the mountain we are climbing next week called ISANG LUBE(one coconut tree) if you see the little dot at the top.... that’s it! It super high and we are super stoked!!!! so you can expect more of that hike :)

Week 60

https://familysearch.org/campaign/mothersday-vp?cid=HPMO050514102

http://motherhood.mormon.org/?cid=HPTH050814094

Hello everybody :) And a wonderful Mother’s Day to you all! 

Well, this last week, me and Sister Ralph transferred! We were literally picked up and moved to the very bottom of the mission, Sogod(SO-GOOD) and it owes up to its name! We are white washing the areas of the past Zone Leaders. We are still learning where everything is and all that, but it’s been pretty good. We got some very nice investigators and all of them are truly ready for harvest season. We have an investigator, Dayline who has already the Book of Mormon 3 times in the past 4 months.... I know right?!? :) she is wicked cool! 

It was pretty hard leaving everybody back in Borongan though. Especially the Calos and Ducena family... man we love them so much! But I know that the ZLs in borongan will totally be able to take care of them! 

A nice shout out to all the many mothers in the world! I hope you all have a wonderful day. I was on Lds org sites and saw these wonderful videos. Cherish your mothers everybody! They are the greatest blessings in the world. Every woman on the earth has been blessed with an amazing gift.. cherish it! Just like the family search site... make memories. Family history is a blessing. Families are one of the greatest things. A blessing from our Father. I love family history heaps! It’s the greatest, and  wonderful opportunity for us to recognize the blessings he gives us. And to learn more of who we are and where we came from. Go do some work. talk with your loved ones. do some history work and learn more of who you are! It’s the greatest! :) 

Funny note.... house flooded again. We left the water on due to the fact that in the mornings and afternoons we don’t have any here. We come home and I am the first one in the house. SO I start booking it to get to the water... running on tiles I will have you know... Totally slip like I am on a banana peel and eat it! Fall right on my back and hit my head super hard! On the bright side though.... floods gone :)

Hahah, well I love you all so very much! don’t forget to love your Mothers 

SISTER BRAY

Week 59

I love the Philippines, and the Philippines loves MEEEEEEEE

Hahah PS that is a line from Cool Running’s :) It’s been the theme basically for the Zone this cycle :) "Jamaica we got the bobsled team!" Hahahah

Well, good morning everybody, or whatever time of day it is that you will be reading this email :) 

This last week was again good.... really hard, but good none the less :) We had mission tour on Tuesday and it was great! I will attach the video and talk it was based on at the end of the email. It was truly amazing and helped us all as missionaries of PTM realize how we can further overcome any trial and do all that we can! We have been strengthened so much in this great trial and just like this video and talk by President Eyring, we know our Fathers plan for each of us. And we will continue to overcome and be stronger in the end of it. We will truly receive our reward... our place with our Heavenly Father. We also made new mission goals which I think we are all excited for. Mission got a makeover in a way and now all the new kiddies that come in will ALL be on the same page of how PTM works.... hard! :)  PROVERBS 29:18 "Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he."

hahah, I am so grateful to have been called here. You know at first I was like, "uh, this place sucks." Then going to Cebu East and loving it, and coming back... I really know why I was called here now :) I love this place! Hahah, 3rd world country and in the poorest part of it! I LOVE IT!!! I can't wait to share with all of you the things I have experienced! It is amazing! 

We noticed this week how these trials keep coming. We had more and more people start to drop and saw some great potentials, but are having a hard time to progress.... But, we continue to push through! We are champions of our own journeys!

On a weird note.... yesterday was cray. We had met a brother once that was our tricycle driver(he is a member but was baptized Church of Christ... don’t know how that will work out). It was his 2nd time in a row this yesterday... testimony meeting. He got up and taught false doctrine galore! It was terrible. Brother Beboy got up and said, "This is a testimony for members, please let’s keep it that way." Then this bomb investigator gets up and totally rocks it! basically a blow to the face for this brother, right? Like her should tap out? nope. Gospel Principles class comes up and he rolls in with his lap top.. again 3rd world, this guy is weird at this point. at the end of the class and the topic of the apostasy and the restoration, brother decides it’s his turn and no one can stop him except good ol Sister Ralph! I love my companion so much! She is the boldest person I have ever met. She made him stop the sketchy Baptist film and everything. Spirit came back! 

But, ya other than that just the same old same old! I love it and am so happy! :) This week is transfers... so we'll find out next week :) 

SISTER BRAY