Week 26

Hello Family,
Wow, I have so much time to email you! haha, I really don't get much
to read so... if you ever want to write more, you're more than welcome
to :)  But of course, don't feel obligated in any way, haha. And
siblings are allowed to write as well... if you happen to have time.
And if I ever don't have time, I can always print them and read them
later. :) You are getting my emails... right?
Congrats Heather!  I had no idea!  Dad just told me you were expecting
in May, that's so exciting!  And Congrats to Daniel as well for
becoming an Elder, and by next time I write, basi you will have been
through the temple :)  I love you all so much! kon kisa I wish I could
be there with you.  Of course I love it here and am having the time of
my life, but I also don't like missing out, haha.
I'm having a hard time thinking about things to write about this week!
 I got a little sick... but I'm better now.  I had a fever and a cold,
but it went away really quickly thankfully.  Our investigator
Valentino is going to be baptized this coming Saturday. We're so
excited for him.  He is so ready!  And we have a ton of new
investigators as well, but our focus has really been on contacting
less actives.  There are SO many!  With Stake President Olivare and
other member's help, we've been able to contact a lot of them, but
we're nowhere close to contacting them all.  We have a lot of
returning members though!  That's exciting. Especially with the group
in Panay that's staying consistent.  I seriously never want to leave
this area!  We have the best leaders, the best investigators, the
beach!!  haha, I'm sure I'll like my future areas just as much though,
especially as my language continues to improve.
We went fishing again this morning, but we didn't catch any fish...

the water was WAY low and way far out.  I'm sending a picture... never
mind the crazy hair... if you take me out of it, I think it would be
an awesome picture, haha.
I love you all so much, thanks for all you do for me. You are the best
family ever! :-)
Palangga ko kamo!
Halong Pirme!

Week 25

I can't remember all the pictures I wanted to send last week, but the

first one here is of a tricycle.  The second one is of balut?  It's a

half-developed bird... I hope you can see the beak and face and

everything.... because that's what I ate... hehe.  Yuck!  The third

one is of my new companion!!!

Walking in a rice field, sacrament meeting in a red tent... and the

Bermejo family!  :)

Another wonderful week has passed by... with even more miracles than
last week :)  Investigators who we haven't been able to see in months
show up randomly and are interested, or less-actives who usually don't
listen, are there and they come to church! So many things!  Our
sacrament meeting in Panay has really been progressing.  This week
there were 35 members who attended and the bishop asked what they
thought about it and everyone agreed to hold sacrament meeting every
Sunday instead of only twice a month.  They also want to start having
a class afterwards as well.  I am so excited for Panay!  It's still
been a challenge to inform all the members out there, but it's been
fun.  We have soooo many new investigators.. I don't know how...
people just keep falling into our laps it feels like.  We have 11 new
investigators this week.  We have been more busy than ever before...
and I don't know how we're supposed to visit and teach everyone that
we need to in the coming weeks, but somehow we're doing it.
In my personal study this last week, I was prompted to study about humility.
 I think it was because it's easy to get too caught up in the numbers
and feeling proud.  I even thought a few times... "I wonder what the
rest of the district will say when they see how many new investigators
we got this week..." so I was starting to have those prideful
thoughts. I really don't want to get caught in the pride cycle,
because if we do... the miracles stop.  I was studying in Mosiah 4 I
think, where it talks about how we can't do anything without God's
help.  Without him, we are nothing!  In our companionship study we
discussed how there is no possible way we could be doing any of this
on our own.
We are both still learning the language and we don't
always know where to go or what to say... but God does!  He has been
helping us more and more each day and I am so grateful.  Of course
things still don't always go the way that we hope, people still make
their own choices, and we will always have trials in life, but life is
just good right now, despite the other things that happen.  I am so
grateful for God's hand in my life.  I can really see now how I am
being an instrument in God's hands.  I've also seen the importance of
perfect obedience in receiving God's help and direction.  I had
thought I was being perfectly obedient before... I wasn't doing
anything bad and I was working hard, but as Sister Schocker and I
began doing our exercises consistently, every morning, I have seen how
those days have been better.  Also, eating healthily. That has been a
big challenge for me...  I didn't realize that by eating bread and
peanut butter every day... haha, I was being disobedient!  My
companion and I created a plan to eat healthier so that we can
continue to witness miracles in our work. In order to receive the
blessings, we need to do everything that is in our power.  I'm sure
you all think that I'm becoming one of those people who get weird on
their missions, haha... I guess maybe it's true. My housemates are
trying to convince me to wear lola dresses to bed and put baby powder
all over me... don't worry, I haven't become that weird yet :D  But
maybe by the time I come home... I'm going to be super weird!
Wow, Mom and Dad, you are going to Nauvoo!? That's awesome! I'm so
excited for you!  I for sure want to hear more details... haha both of
you in your emails always say you're sure the other will tell me more,
it's super funny... but leaves me hanging :)
I hope you are all doing well!! I hope Daniel sends me an invitation
to his wedding :)  Love you all so much!
Heidi

Week 24

Hello Everyone! How was your week??
My week was super crazy! And super funny! And just plain good!
Sister Swarna and I traveled to Iloilo this Friday for transfer
meeting... I had to say goodbye :'(

But, my new companion is Sister Schocker from Bountiful, Utah! She's
in one of the pictures I'm sending... at the church with the other
sister missionaries. Not the American standing by me but on the other
side. :) She's so great! We've already had some great bonding
moments, haha. She's also relatively new, so we both struggle a bit
with the language. It's so fun! :-) Our first evening here we
visited a couple less actives in our ward and it was a miracle! Until
now, when I listen to people, I know what they're talking about and
can respond somewhat appropriately, haha. But that night, I felt like
the cottonballs were taken out of my ears and I was able to really
understand almost every word. It was so great! I also felt all the
fear leave me. It was a miracle! Then of course, as we all know..
when there are miracles, there is an increase of faith and with an
increase of faith comes more miracles :)

The next day, we traveled to Panay and I wasn't exactly sure where I
should take my new companion who didn't know the area because we had
no set appointments. God, obviously knowing my situation, helped me
out! I had chosen to go to Lebanon, a small area with a couple of our
investigators to see if they were home. While we were walking, a man
was walking from the other direction with a little girl holding his
hand. He started talking to us! In all Tagalog!!! haha. But I
understood enough to realize that he was inviting us to his home to
teach them, haha. Nothing like this had ever happened to Sister
Swarna and I here before. No one had ever just talked to us like that
before. We followed him to his home which was super close and met his
wife and other two kids. They invited us and we were able to teach a
short lesson and we have a return appointment! In the lesson, he was
also saying how much he wanted to learn what we had to share so that
they could follow. They were new to the area and were so open to us!
It was great!

Then, afterwards, we were going home and the man was following us to
the main road to make sure we were safe. As we were crossing a small
bamboo bridge, which was starting to get a little broken, the bridge
broke under Sister Schocker's foot. I was ahead of her and heard it
behind me and I was like "Oh no!!!!" I turned around and she had
fallen through the bridge and underneath the bridge, only like a
couple feet below, was this muddy swampy thing... anyways, one of her
legs was stuck in the mud and her other leg was still on the bridge
and she was like doing the splits. Joel, the tiny man with us, jumped
into the mud and started trying to pull her back onto the bridge, but
her bag was stuck. I was laughing so hard (we both were) but I helped
her get her bag unstuck and back. She had thrown everything in her
hands.. no idea where they went, haha. She has such a good attitude
about all of this. A whole family nearby had also come to help. She
lost her shoe but Joel found it. A piece of bamboo had like sliced
through her shirt and made a big hole. Her garments saved her
though... :) She wasn't hurt too badly. The family took us to their
home to clean off all the mud. While there, we had the opportunity to
share a pamphlet with them and they gave us a return appointment as
well! Blessings like crazy!

The next day, we watched General Conference again, and while there, we
were just walking to our seat, and she ripped her dress on a small
sharp thing on the wall in the church. What luck! haha. I wonder if
she's going to ruin a piece of clothing every day we're together,
haha. Anyways, conference was SO good! I loved it so much. I
learned so much about True Conversion especially. I wish more people
had been able to listen. It makes me sad when so many people don't
attend or attend only one session. These are the words of the
apostles and prophets... talking to us all!!!

Another random fact... we have a dog. Not a pet... but a dog that
lives by our apartment complex. We named him Joanne... sometimes we
find him coming into our apartment, hoping we'll feed him. :) He's
super cute and friendly! And we found an enormous frog in the church
building yesterday... not sure how he got in there... I can't remember
if I've really talked about the animals I see here. Tons of frogs,
cockroaches, rats, spiders... those are the most common. Oh, and
dogs... everywhere!!!

Oh, I attached some pictures. One is of the place where we have
sacrament meeting in Panay with the red tent... it makes everyone
inside look red, haha. The picture taken inside the red room is of the
Bermejo family with our Recent Converts Aillene and JR, and our
investigator Valentino. Then there's another one with a tricycle!! and
some members. I don't know if you can really tell what the tricycle
looks like, but maybe you'll get the idea. Oh, then the one with the
kids... we were at a member's house for FHE. The little boy was
showing me how to do the little hand signal which apparently means
gwapa/gwapo (good-looking), haha. Not the best picture of me... but
the kids are super cute!

Love you all! Halong!
Heidi
ps.. I hope the pictures send, the file was too big the first time, so
I'll try again in a separate letter.

pps. sorry... next week for pictures. time up

Week 23

Dear Family,
Wow, I didn't know about the change in ages for missionaries... what
exactly did they say?  I guess by the time I read your reply I'll
know.  Last night as I was teaching a lesson about following the
prophet, I realized that you were all watching General Conference at
the exact same time... I so longed to be with you all... but I know I
will get to watch it next week.  I am so excited to listen.  I was
able to watch the General Relief Society Meeting on Saturday which was
so good.  I love the new RS General Presidency!  I Think that's
awesome though about the change!!! There's a need for more
missionaries... :)  I just got chills, haha.  The world is being
prepared for the second coming!!  This last Sunday was our first
Sunday with sacrament meeting in Panay and it was such a good
experience.  I can really see that the people here are being prepared
to receive the gospel and the members who have gone astray will come
back.  Missionary Work is so, so important.  There are so many members
here that are sacrificing so much now to go on missions.  One of the
members of the Bermejo family who works with us often is preparing to
serve a mission and we have been helping him and others to prepare as
best we can.  Our recent convert, Rodolfo, also wants to go, but he
doesn't know how to read.  He only went to school for 1st grade.  We
have been helping him as best we can to learn to read so that he can
have a good mission experience.  But I know that the Lord can use
every person's help, no matter what their circumstances.  Every person
who has the knowledge that we do has the responsibility to make these
things known to others. Think about this statement.  "Someday everyone
will know what you know.  And, they will know that you knew it."
During one of my personal studies this week, I studied a talk about
the ABC's to an abundant life.  Attitude, Believe, and Courage.  These
three things make all the difference!  I could expound on these
things, but I don't have time, haha.  As I have tried to apply these
things into my work and to help others as well, I have seen how it has
affected everything around me.  Another thing I read this morning from
the Liahona is "Heavenly Father is only a prayer away and the Holy
Ghost is within whispering distance."  I know that these words are
true.  They can hear you even when no one else can.  Never hesitate to
ask them for help or to thank them for the blessing which you have
received.
I love the scriptures, especially the Book of Mormon. As I have been
studying them daily, they have been becoming more and more meaningful
to me.  I never appreciated them the way that I do now.  I think when
I was younger, sometimes I felt bored while reading them, but it's so
exciting when you read a scripture you've read maybe a thousand times
and then all of a sudden it makes sense... and then the next day you
read it again... and you learn something entirely different.  And then
each scripture begins to connect to all the others... and each chapter
to each chapter... and then the book as a whole... you begin to
realize what it is you are really holding in your hands... I know that
the Book of Mormon is the Word of God.  We are SOOOO blessed to have
it.  Search, Ponder, and Pray every day from the scriptures, and I
KNOW you will be blessed.  I KNOW you will feel the love of God and
will feel closer to Him and be able to recognize His hand in your
life.  This church is true.  We are here for a purpose.  Don't forget
your purpose here on earth.  And don't do ANYTHING that would keep you
from returning to God's presence.  Repent Daily!  Study Repentance.
Learn how to repent.  Learn the commandments and follow them!  Ponder
frequently the Atonement of our Savior and Brother.  If we understand
that, there is no way we would forget to pay our tithing, or have
family home evening, or do home teaching, or to keep your food storage
up to date, or to exercise and keep your bodies healthy, or follow any
other counsel we have been given.... of course none of us are
perfect... but we can do our best and repent and set goals to CHANGE
when we fall short.  I just thought of a ton of things that I need to
repent of right now. :-)
Gutom gid ako! :-)
Love you all,
Sister McClellan

Week 22

Hey!
I've been in the field for 3 whole months now!  I thought I would be a
much better missionary by now, haha.  Oh well, I have a feeling I'll
never be where I would like to be. It's a lifelong process... :-)
I'm getting a little nervous for the day Sister Swarna leaves me,
haha.  She's my nanay in the field (mother).  I am her bata (child).
She's finished raising me (I'm finished with the 12 week training
program), but it's time for me to be on my own... I'm a little excited
and nervous at the same time.  Just like in real life, huh? :-)  Of
course I won't really be on my own, I'll have my new companion, but I
will have to remember where everyone lives and all about their
situations in life and how to help them and I'll really have to use my
Hiligaynon so much more.  It will be good for me.

I think the biggest thing that I'm learning more and more each day is
how to love.  I have to love everyone!  And sometimes it's not easy to
love someone who has different standards and beliefs than you do, but
it's not until you soften your heart and love them, that hearts are
changed, your own included.  I don't know if that really made a lot of
sense... it's so complicated... I have to think about others and love
others with all my heart and not think about myself at all for the
work to be as good as it can, but in the process... I am being changed
without even realizing it... and realizing that I need to change
myself... without focusing on myself... hahaha.  I'm confusing myself
now.  It's so hard to explain.  But after changes start to happen, it
becomes easier and easier to love and to help others.  Anyways... I'm
sure at least some of you kind of understand :-)  especially those who
are married.

Sorry I'm so bad at writing good emails... I have such a hard time
thinking about what to write about.  And the time goes by so quickly.
I love your letters though!  Thanks for everyone who's written me.
I'm sorry I'm so bad at writing back.  There is seriously hardly any
time.  I think Preparation Days are just as busy if not busier than
every other day, especially because it takes so much time and energy
to wash laundry by hand.  I'm not complaining though :)  I really like
everything about this place. I could live here forever!  :)
I love you all!

Heidi