Faith Conquers All

My planner is just about empty. If you know me, that is not good. I need plans! My brain doesn't think too well without a good plan. hah Our schedule is still full of community service projects just about everyday so the scheduling has kind of gone down hill. That is A-okay though! This week we are hoping to get back into more of a normal(ish) routine and start teaching lessons again! I sure hope at least!

Transfer announcements were Saturday night. (where does the time go?) Sister Lua and I will be staying here together in Libmanan! We were pretty certain that she would be transferring but she's not so that's good! I am happy. We still get along really well, my Tagalog is improving dramatically, and we have some really awesome goals and plans for our area this transfer...STAY TUNED for future success. :)

Our strength (and weakness) right now is the number of less active members here in Libmanan Branch. Weakness because there are so many of them! Strength because we are helping them all come back to church! :) 

Last week we had 22 less actives attend church. That, my friends, is a miracle. Many people have asked us what we are doing to bring them back to church..I have been saying, "well we visit them!" Kind of 'duh' statement but its true! We have to visit our members, uplift them, and help them return! But yesterday I realized another crucial part in order to have success, not only in the church, but in anything...we must have FAITH. Faith in Jesus Christ. Faith in ourselves. and Faith in others. I think so many people lose faith in others, therefore resulting in a stagnant area, no progression. When we have faith in others, they will see that. They will feel your love for them and eventually they will change. What a lesson I learned. Faith and love for others will change lives. Amazing.

In other news, this week I ate chopped up lamb intestines. Yup. That's one for the books. (and I didn't throw up!)

I love you and miss you all! Take care! :)

Mahal ko po kayo!

-Sister Roderick

Buhay Pa

Don't worry all, I am still alive and well! 

Last Monday we received news that a typhoon was heading right our way, here in the Bicol region of the Philippines. We were instructed to head to the church for shelter early Tuesday morning to wait out the storm.

Tuesday we did as told and took some clothes, food, and other supplies to the church with us. You could literally feel the difference in the air. Rather foreboding really. Around lunch time it started pouring rain with strong winds. Little by little other families came and joined us at the church until we had more 6 or so families gathered in the church. We all made dinner together (canned foods and ramen! whoop whoop!) hah Everyone took a room and set up for the night. The storm really hit around 7 or so at night. It sounded like we were inside a tornado (granted I have never been inside a tornado, but that's what I imagined it would sound like, if ever I were inside one ha). I was fairly certain the roof of the church was just about to fly off. Scary. Many prayers were said that night. We tried to rest for a little bit but to no avail due to the heat and noise. Around 1 in the morning the water started entering the church so we all picked up and moved into the big sacrament hall to set up camp again. A few restless hours later, the winds died down enough that we were able to go outside. Trees everywhere...no longer standing but uprooted and thrown across the ground. Crazy. Luckily not much damage was done to the church and we were all safe. :)

This week we have spent every waking hour serving others, cleaning up debris, and rebuilding houses. Our area was hit pretty bad and almost every house was damaged. Many were completely destroyed and these poor people are having to start over from the ground up. Hopefully we will be able to get back into a regular schedule again real soon (including sleep! 9 days now with barely any sleep. its rough) 

Anyways. We are safe and doing well. Its amazing how positive these people are. Smiles are still present on everyone's face despite the craziness that currently surrounds us. Keep the faith. No matter what physical or spiritual whirlwinds come your way, build your foundation on Jesus Christ and we will always make it through. :) Take care all! Love you!

Mahal ko po kayo!

-Sister Roderick

Let's Get This Work Started

Holy smokes. I am tired. Many headaches, stomachs, and restless nights this week as we have worked so dang hard to get things started here in Libmanan. Although rather difficult to get things rolling here, our hard work is paying off as we were able to get a lot accomplished this week and I am starting to smell the amoy of progress heading this way.

Yesterday at church we had 17 less-actives attend along with 3 investigators. I guess you could say I was a bit happy.

Yesterday afternoon, us missionaries put on a fireside to get these members pumped up to share the gospel. (it was actually supposed to be Saturday but a solid 0 people showed up...including our branch presidency and other leaders) Kind of hard to help motivate the members, if there are no members in attendance to motivate...SO they moved it to after church so that hopefully more people would attend. It still was not the best showing of people I have ever seen but at least people came this time. Each of the 3 companionships of missionaries in our Branch took a topic and shared a short 20-minute part to the members. For our part, we talked about our calling as members and as disciples of Jesus Christ, to uplift and help others. We brought a bunch of balloons and had 2 of our elders try to keep the balloons in the air at the same time without letting any fall or touch the  ground. As they balanced them and tried to keep them all in the air, we continued to add more and more until eventually they lost control of all but 2 balloons. We explained that the balloons represent members. If just the missionaries visit the members and try to uplift them or to help them stay active, little success will come...then we had all the members stand and help uplift the balloons or the "members." Obviously it was much easier and none fell. The point was that if we all fulfill our calling to uplift our brothers and sisters, it is much easier, and even satisfying and joyful. We must all work together and do our part to uplift one another and to become stronger.

After the fireside we all split up and went out to visit some of the less-active families in our Branch. It turned out to be a really good, rewarding experience. The work is progressing here. Slowly but surely. 

Oh also, a typhoon is coming our way tomorrow. We have been instructed to prepare our things and head to the church to wait out the storm so please keep us in your prayers. Thank you. Love you!

Love you all! Take care always!

-Sister Roderick

The Time is Far Spent, There is Little Remaining

Hey fam and friends!

Sending my love to all! Hope you are healthy, happy, and well! 

The work goes on. This week we finally were able to obtain records for our area and after many hours, we were able to get things more organized. Love me some good cleaning and organizing. Exhausting in the moment but well worth it later on. 

This week I studied about the Second Coming of our Savior, Jesus Christ. I know that He is 'the way, the truth, and the light,' and that 'no man entereth into the kingdom of God, except through Him.' I know that He will come again to the earth and that we MUST be ready! 

Here is one scripture I read this week that really stuck out to me, 2 Nephi 26:24-

 24 He doeth not anything save it be for the benefit of the world; for he loveth the world, even that he layeth down his own life that he may draw all men unto him. Wherefore, he commandeth none that they shall not partake of his salvation.

Everything He did and continues to do is for our benefit, because He loves us. He loves us so much that He was willing to suffer and die for us. What then do we do to show our love for Him? If EVERYTHING He does is out of love for us, and He is our perfect example, then should not everything we do be out of love for Him? We must exercise our faith in our Lord, Jesus Christ, repent, turn from the distractions of the world, and be obedient to all the commandments of our Father in Heaven.

President Gordon B. Hinckley once said "Eternal life will come only as men and women are taught with such effectiveness that they change and discipline their lives. They cannot be coerced into righteousness or into heaven. They must be led, and they means teaching."

As a missionary, this is my purpose, to teach others the gospel effectively so that they will change their own lives, repent, and come unto Jesus Christ. Have you been changed by the grace of Jesus Christ? Do you think, speak, and act as Christ would have you think, speak, and act? It is up to us whether or not we will be clean and ready for Christ's Second Coming. Don't let the time just keep passing by. Make the appropriate changes now to align your life and your will with that of our Father in Heaven and His son, Jesus Christ.

Love you all, take care always! Keep smiling!

Mahal ko po kayo!

-Sister Roderick