I survived! Hahaha, your letters make me smile so much! :-)
The whole story... it all started one evening. We came home from work
and started our planning for the next day. All of the sudden, around
9pm, out of nowhere... my companion asked me if I could feel a
shaking. I stopped writing and we got really silent... and alas, I did
feel it. It was very small though. The other sisters upstairs didn't
feel a thing, haha. It lasted pretty long though! I haven't felt an
earthquake for years and years, so it was still pretty exciting for
me. The fact that Jarom felt it too makes me happy... close to him in
some way :) We haven't really heard much about it except that it was
like a 7.5 or something like that. It didn't affect us at all. I
hope those it did affect are doing alright.
Congratulations Mckenna and Joshua! I'm so proud of you both for
getting baptized! I hope it was a very special day for you both. I
hope you wrote all about it in your journals so you can remember
forever how it felt and why you chose to be baptized.
And this week Sister Wignall from Orem, UT joined us, straight from
the MTC. She was the first group to go through learning Hiligaynon
and I feel like she has such a head start than I had when I got here.
She's so so nice and she's letting me borrow some of the resources she
got from the MTC which has been a huge help in the language. We're
excited to have her in the apartment. My language has improved
tremendously in the last few weeks. I'm really participating a lot in
the lessons now... and I've found that my English is beginning to have
issues... even now it's becoming hard to think of the correct words.
So I hope this doesn't sound too awkward.
The work is great! Very, very, very busy :-) Ahhh!!! I almost forgot
the MOST EXCITING thing ever!!! I met Elder David A Bednar! He's my
favorite apostle ever! We had a question and answer session with him
and he is so amazing. The spirit was so strong and I learned so much.
And at the end, he shook each of our hands. I might never wash my
hand again! Haha, joke lang. Afterwards, he had the same type of
meeting with the YSA's of the Panay Island. We had to travel home, so
we couldn't go to that, but we were very happy to hear that one of our
investigators attended. He had a really good experience. Elder Bednar
and all the apostles are real apostles called of God. I will never
forget that experience. How many times in my life will I get to shake
hands with a mission president, apostle, member of the presiding
bishopric, member of the 70, and their wives. It was a very neat
experience.
One thing that really stood out to me that I want to share with all of
you is the importance of keeping your covenants. At baptism you make
certain covenants, which includes keeping ALL the commandments of God.
When you go through the temple, you make other covenants. If you
have been sealed in the temple, sealed to your children, but you
aren't keeping the commitments that you made, that sealing isn't
valid. For example, if you aren't paying your tithing, you don't
qualify for a temple recommend. If you aren't worthy to enter the
temple... what do those covenants you made mean to you? Don't let
something that seems like no big deal keep you from being with your
family for eternity. It's not worth it. I would encourage you all to
study all the commandments of God and the covenants you have made more
thoroughly so that you know how best you can keep them. Of course,
none of us are perfect. But just remember to always be striving your
hardest and continuously trying to improve yourselves. Because of the
sacrifice Jesus Christ made for us, we have the ability to repent and
be forgiven. I pray that we all will use the atonement in our lives
and strive to become better and repent daily! I'm so glad I have a
family that has taught me that from the time I was born. I am so, so
blessed. I love the gospel so much. Thank you for your love and
examples to me.
Continue to lift where you stand!
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