Week 52

This last Thursday, our Zone Leaders went to Sister Thelma's house for her interview... she passed! :D  While we were waiting outside... on the beach... Sister Thelma's husband talked with us. He's a really good man and plans on coming to Sister Thelma's baptism this coming Saturday.  We are praying that his heart will be touched and he will have a desire to listen to the discussions as well.  On Thursday, there was also a fiesta in that barangay.  So there were a lot of men drinking... and a lot of them knew me... it was interesting... they all wanted to talk to me and it was hard to get away... one of them insisted on buying me a soft drink, which we ended up giving to some little kids.  Because of the fiesta though, we decided not to walk along the road, but along the beach instead... we walked all the way from San Angel to Comon on the beach... it was amazing! :D  I think we might do that every time from now on, haha.  

The funniest thing happened during Sacrament Meeting yesterday.  One of the members lives right around the corner from the church and her dog, Chubby... was wandering and somehow got into the church!  He was running through the sacrament meeting room and one of the members, Tobias had to chase him down and put him out.  He came back in during Relief Society... and the relief society room is all the way in the back corner of the church!  I love that dog!  He's naughty.. but I found it funny. :D

I've been thinking a lot about a certain topic lately. There's a quote by Elder Ezra Taft Benson about people living in the slums... literally or figuratively... how the world would take people out of their environment... and about how christ changes people, who then take themselves out of the slums...  can't remember it exactly, but it's a really good quote, we read it in the Liahona.  Anyways I've been thinking also about the scripture about how "inasmuch as ye keep the commandments, ye shall prosper in the land."  We see that promised fulfilled all over the scriptures and i've been thinking about every situation I can and it's so true.  The gospel especially really blesses people's lives... temporally and spiritually! There are so many poor people here who I truly believe if they would just be faithful to all the commandments, they would see opportunities open up for them and let the gospel change their lives and help them to find happiness.     One of our really poor less actives the other day asked a question that I didn't know exactly how to answer. She asked why her neighbors are receiving so many blessings when they aren't being righteous... and they try, but haven't been able to see the blessings.  Of course there were other things we were able to testify about from her question, but it made me wonder why there are some people who do seem to be prospering in the land, even when they don't have the gospel and do wicked things.  Of course I can imagine how much more blessed and happy they would be if they DID have the gospel in their lives... but if any of you have a good answer, I'd be happy to hear it. :D

I love you all! Salamat gid sa tanan! Have a wonderful week. Take care always,

Heidi

Week 51

Dear Family, 

This has been a great week!  We didn't have our baptism this weekend like we were supposed to, because Sister Thelma had to go to the doctor on the day of her interview.  So her baptism will be next week.  We are so excited for her!

General Conference was wonderful!  They didn't have a Tagalog version so I felt a little bad for the 10 investigators we convinced to come listen who didn't understand a word that was said.  But some of them said that they felt good there.  It was still a good experience for them even though they didn't understand everything.  It was great!

It's been really exciting lately, studying the scriptures for specific investigators.  We have one investigator, Brother Roxas, who is the chairman of Purok Pigado.  He has a reputation there and is a little influenced by the people who live in his barangay.  He really has a desire to do what's right and to learn the truth.  I love teaching him.  In my studies, I read about Amulek and as I read Amulek's introduction about himself, I couldn't help but think about Brother Roxas.  We hadn't been able to get Brother Roxas to agree to baptism yet... his concerns are about his responsibilities as chairman, about his family being of a different faith, and about him also not feeling ready or worthy in a way.  This last week, we shared to him about Amulek and about how he wasn't perfect when he was called to assist the prophet Alma and about how he was rejected by his friends and family, but he obeyed God.  I believe God has a great calling in store for brother Roxas and through the scriptures we were able to resolve a few of his concerns and he finally "kind of" agreed to baptism.  He is progressing at least and our love for him is increasing with each visit.  

It's been raining a lot lately. Really hard.  I love rainy weather.  I just wish I could go play in it! :D  That's something I miss.  Playing in the rain... but here they believe in something called Pasmo... I'm not sure if it's real or not because all the Americans tell me it's a superstition and all the Filipinos tell me it's legit.  Anyways, it's like some sickness if you walk a long way or if you're really tired and then you get wet... like if you take a bath or something.  I don't know.  Anyways, I really miss playing in the rain!!! :D

I love you all! I can't believe my year mark in the mission is this week. Time flies by SOOOOO fast!  I can't believe how fast the time flies by.  I don't want it to end!!! So many of these people don't have facebook!!! what will I do!?!?!  I'll miss them so much! :(

Love you all,

Sister McClellan

Week 50

Dear Family,
This was a great week! I had my very last interview with President
Pagaduan.  Their mission is almost over. I'll get to see them one more
time at our next Zone Meeting, and then Pres. Pagaduan will be
replaced by a new Mission President. :(  We will for sure miss him,
but I'm sure our new mission President will be awesome as well.  At
the end of our interview, he gave me an awkward side hug.. the only
male I'm allowed to give a hug on my mission, haha.  I don't know how
to give a side hug... haha. It was awkward. :D  But he's great, I'll
miss him a lot.
Sunday was amazing!  We had 10 investigators attend, to listen to
General Conference.  Even though they didn't understand the words
which were being said because we only had it in English, they all said
they had a good experience and plan on coming again next week.  Our
only disappointment was that Thelma wasn't able to come.  We went to
her later and she said she had been to the doctor because of some pain
she was having in her shoulder... but because of that, her baptism
will have to be postponed a few weeks. :(  But It's okay, that will
give us a little more time to help her understand the gospel a little
bit more and make sure she really is ready for the covenants she is
about to make.
Conference was a really good experience.  I enjoyed listening, and I
also had a humbling experience as well.  I realized how quick I can be
to judge others.  While trying to listen to Conference, there was a
guy talking to another guy behind me, with hardly a pause.  Thoughts
were going through my mind like, "Why doesn't he just go to the back
or even leave if all he wants to do is talk, making it difficult for
the rest of us to concentrate?" I let it really bother me for a few
minutes.  After awhile, I decided I would kindly glance back at them,
hoping they would get the hint.  What I saw though was my brand new
investigator who had come to church for the very first time.  He
didn't understand a word of English and a wonderful member had decided
to fellowship him and was translating for him and explaining a little
about conference.  I gave them a huge smile and sat back, feeling
sheepish.  Yeah, they were a little distracting and yeah, there may
have been another way, but I was getting annoyed because a member had,
by his own decision, done what we as missionaries are usually begging
members to do every Sunday!  I think all of us sometimes are a little
too quick to judge others.  I need to be more careful about the
thoughts that go through my mind.  I had thought I was in the right
because my intentions were good... to listen to Conference!!! but that
gives me no right to think badly of other people. :D
God has really been helping us in the work. He's been preparing so
many people to listen to us and it's exciting to see the gospel being
spread to so many people.  I want EVERYONE to hear it!!! There's not a
single person in the world who is not in need of the gospel.  We are
all here for the same purpose... and the plan is for us all to return
to live with God again.  We need to help our brothers and sisters to
learn the plan, so that they too can experiences the blessings of the
gospel and receive eternal life :)
Love you all,
Take care!
Sister McClellan

Week 49

Good morning!!
Wow, I can't believe all that's happening... here and there!
Congratulations to Jarom's family, who had Emma sealed to them this
last week.  And also mom and dad who are about to leave for their
mission soon!  BTW, Thanks for my birthday package!  It actually came
really quickly, almost 2 weeks ago. I forgot to mention in my last
letter ;D  I was very happy to see all the cute drawings and letters
from my nieces and nephews :D I also finally got my Preach my gospel,
so thanks so much!!!
The week before last, I had my first experience teaching someone who
was deaf.  A deaf member in our ward, Joven, worked with us that day
and helped us to communicate with them.  We weren't able to get a
return appointment, but it was still a good experience.  I gave my
very first sign language prayer... :)  I had thought that experience
was hard... but this week we experienced something even harder.  There
are two deaf men, Mario and Freddy, who attend church every sunday and
we just found out that they haven't been baptized yet.  I am excited
to teach them, but the hard thing is that they don't know sign
language and they don't know how to read either.  They didn't have any
schooling. :(  The plan before we went is that I would sign to Joven
what we wanted to teach and he would help us act it out because he has
experience trying to communicate with them.  When we went to visit
them however, Brother Joven was sick and wasn't able to come with us.
:(  It was the weirdest lesson I've ever taught... we basically just
showed pictures of Jesus Christ and nodded and smiled really big to
them, haha.  We tried to show how there was a God the Father and God
the Son and how they have bodies and about the holy ghost, but I
honestly have no idea if they understand a thing we are trying to help
them understand!  They want to be baptized though... I think... when
we act out being baptized they nod, haha.  And at the end of our very
short lesson, Freddy pointed to the calender on the wall and we
pointed to the next Thursday for our return appointment and he gave a
thumbs up.  Hopefully Joven will be able to come next week, but even
they have a hard time.  Freddy gave the closing prayer... a very long
silence... when I peeked, he was still closing his eyes and folding
his arms very reverently. :)  I wonder how he prays... not with words,
but with thoughts?  Are they organized thoughts? Does he understand
who he's talking to?  I think so... I felt the spirit at least, and I
think he does as well.  Why else would he come to church every Sunday?
I think it's election week?  All this week, there have been vehicles
driving around blasting really loud music and jingles and stuff about
those running for mayor and other things. It's all part of their
campaign and the picture of the person running is all over the vehicle
and all over the city.  It's a bit distracting during lessons when one
of those vehicles comes down the road... because it's REALLY loud, but
it's interesting to listen to!
Saturday, while walking from an appointment, we were walking close to
another women and we started talking to her.  The next thing we know
she is sharing her life story that is really, really sad!!!  Her son
was killed and she has no husband and so many other things and she
feels as though God has forgotten her and she started crying... right
there in the middle of the road.  We immediately assured her that God
has NOT forgotten her and we testified that God has a plan for her and
loves her.  We gave her a Plan of Salvation pamphlet and got her
contact information.  Later in the day, we found her house and she was
there.  She had already read the pamphlet and was planning on coming
to church, which she did yesterday.  It's so wonderful when things
like that happen.  People really are prepared to accept the gospel,
and think.. if we hadn't talked to her while passing her on the road,
she would still be so sad!  Of course her life is still sad, but I
love that we have such a wonderful message about hope.  I am excited
to continue visiting her!
We have been really overwhelmed this week with all the work we have to
do!  I feel bad, like people are being left out, people who need the
gospel just as much as everyone else.  We still haven't had the time
to contact all our referrals.  We have so many investigators that are
progressing that we need to focus our time on right now.  Yesterday we
had 8 investigators come to church!  Brother Roxas is so funny.  After
sacrament meeting he almost went home, but he was taking his time
(purposefully I think) because he really wanted to stay.  We ran out
and convinced him to stay.  He's just shy, haha.  And we had a
wonderful lesson for them about temples and family history work.  For
the first time, instead of talking nonstop, he listened and even asked
a few questions!  This stuff is all new to him and I'm excited to
share about our life after death in our next visit with him.
The best thing ever though was this guy named Roger.  One day, a
random guy with an interesting style came up to me and said "Hi, I'm
Roger!" and was very kind of overly friendly... we invited him to
church and he said he would come.  Yesterday, he DID!  He's not our
investigator yet, but it was exciting to see him there.  In the
parking lot before church, he saw Sister Harvey and thought she was me
and kissed her on the cheek and asked if she remembered him.  She
didn't, but encouraged him to come inside.  Then I came up behind them
and he realized it was me!  He then kissed me on the cheek as well!
haha... both of us just froze when that happened, not knowing what to
do, haha.  He said he had to get a haircut and would come back.  We
said his hair was fine the way it was, but he insisted.  During Sunday
School, he did come back - with a new haircut- and it was a really
good lesson and experience for him.  In the middle of class, he
whispered to us and said there was something really important that he
needed to go to and if it would be okay if he snuck out... we said it
was fine, but he didn't.  I think he was too shy to leave in the
middle.  Shortly after, talking about temples, he stood up to ask a
question.  He explained that he lost his misses and asked what he
needed to do to be with her again.  It was so wonderful!  I was so
happy to share what I know with him and promise him that he can!!! He
stayed to the end of the lesson and then shook hands with every person
in the class before leaving.  He's an interesting character, but I'm
excited to start teaching him!
I'm really enjoying the work here.  Sister Aurelio and I are enjoying
the area, and enjoying each other. I've been having fun teaching her
the piano whenever we have a few minutes or how to beat box and do
sign language.  She has also been a big help in expanding my
vocabulary in Tagalog.  I'm enjoying learning both Tagalog and Karay-a
and I'm continuing to study Hiligaynon as well for if I get
transferred back to a Hiligaynon speaking area.
I love you all, take care this week :D
Sister McClellan