Kamusta sa inyo tanan! How has it already been another week? Grabe gid. We had Zone Conference this week and it was so good. It was in Cadiz so we stopped and ate at jolibee's as a district before. It was so fun. So funny story of the week... Sister Ellis and I had just finished teaching a lesson and as were on our way out, we went past an older man on his front porch. As usual we yelled, "Maayong Hapon" We got a little further and I whipped back around saying, I'm feeling this one. As soon as we tried to start up a conversation, His wife immediately came out of the house and said, "What do you want? Do you want to come in?" As soon as we walked in I knew we were in trouble...big trouble. In huge letters on a banner hung on the wall read "Kingdom of Jesus Christ, Lord of all Lords, King of all Kings." On the adjacent wall, the whole thing was filled with pictures of a pastor and a bible sat out on the table. Oh no. She sat down and said she wanted to pray. As she started, I mouthed the words "sorry" to Sister Ellis. I was trying SO hard not to laugh as this lady started praying, because for a solid 3 minutes she prayed for our Salvation, and that we were lost and needed to find the truth of her Church. Afterwards she started telling us about her pastor and how he survived off of bananas for 5 years in the mountains. It was the craziest experience. We tried our best to share, and we agreed to pray about Pastor Apollo C Quieoloy if she would pray about our Prophet, Russell M Nelson. It all ended well with a peace offering of chocolate cake. Right after, we went to Ramon. It was crazy to feel the stark contrast of the spirit there, compared to a few minutes earlier. Ramon half way through the lesson broke down crying and kept saying thank you, thank you. I love him, and guess what?! He came to church! I almost broke down in tears when I saw him walk through those doors dressed in his Sunday best, despite his bad arthritis, and swollen legs. After church I asked him how it was, and he said maayo gid with a huge smile on his face. Friday was a great day. We went to Hillside and everything we had planned completely fell through. So last minute before we were going to leave, we decided to try a 17 year-old kid named JZ we had met and taught a couple weeks ago. The last time we taught him, we found out both of his parents died and he was living with his lola. So of course we taught the Plan of Salvation on the spot. We felt it was good but JZ was so huya (shy) that he wouldn't look at us, or even make eye contact with me. This time, as we taught him, we bore testimony of our Heavenly Father's love for him, and that He has a perfect plan and purpose for him. That he knows him perfectly, and wants nothing more than for him to return to Him. It was crazy to already see the change! His eyes were locked on ours. We talked about the Savior's Atonement for us, and that He has felt and knows exactly what he's going through. The spirit was so strong, and before we left he kept saying balik kamo (come back), as if he were scared we wouldn't come back. It is the most powerful thing when someone finds out who they truly are, a child of God, and that we have worth and potential, no matter the circumstances they have been placed in. We can return to Him and become like Him, if we can endure for a short while this amazing, hard and crazy life. Halong pirme! Sister Adams Pictures Em didn't have time to explain.....
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Helllooo I can't believe it's already been another week. This week we worked hard and I definitely felt God's help in our work. We were able to find so many new people that I'm so excited to continue to teach. Monday was a blast not just because it was p-day, but because we had Family Home Evening with John, Jenifer, Syrine and Rodjean. We shared a short message about repentance, played games and ate manggo float. Sister Ellis taught me how to make the mango float, which is pretty much mangos, graham crackers and condensed cream. It was so good and they were so excited about it! I love them. Now they have been begging us to come over every Monday for FHE haha. On a side note Sister Ellis has another infection so that's fun. Wednesday she woke up with a really sore throat and white bumps all over on her lips, tongue and throat. The funniest part was when we went to the sketchy hospital here in Sagay (It seriously looks like it came straight out of a horror film). The Doctor said she has multiple infections in her mouth. That's when I asked If it was contagious, considering that we had shared a water bottle the day before. He looked at me and laughed saying, "Um I hope you have a good immune system Sister" But good news I'm still in the clear. Thursday we had exchanges. I went to Cadiz with Sister Nanlabi and Sister Ellis stayed in Sagay with Sister Zollanger. I learned a lot and we had a lot of fun. It's also so fun to get to see Sister Zollinger so frequently. I just love her.
Friday and Saturday were so good even after getting our phone stolen. Sister Ellis and I have started to tell ourselves we fear no man even with our limited language skills. Almost every person we saw we would stop and try to start up a conversation. We taught so many lessons and found some really promising people. Sunday after church Sister Ellis and I went on splits with some Young single adults in our ward so we could talk to and teach more people. It was so productive and so good but I honestly have never been more scared in my life. I had to teach full on lessons by myself in Hiligaynon, What!?. It definitely wasn't perfect but it made me grow and stretch myself. Alma 37:7 "And the Lord God doth work by means to bring about his great and eternal purposes; and by very small means the Lord doth confound the wise and bringeth about the salvation of many souls." I know that as we Strive to follow Him even in the smallest of ways, He blesses us with tender mercies and small daily miracles. Love and miss you! Sister Adams Maayong aga! Kamusta kamo? The week was hard but good at the same time. The language barrier between Sister Ellis, me, and the people here has made our work a little hard and pretty funny at times. There have been so many moments this week where Sister Ellis and I just look at each other with the most confused looks as if to say, "did you understand any of that because I for sure didn't." Lol but for the most part we are doing pretty good. We can do a good part at teaching but when it comes to understanding and listening it can get a little confusing. Also Sister Ellis and I are having serious problems when it comes to singing. It all started at the beginning of the week in a lesson when my voice squeaked so bad and it left us in a laugh attack. So now every time we sing one of us breaks down laughing. Well we like to sing opening hymns for our lessons but that might have to stop soon because for reals sometimes we can't make it through the first verse without laughing. Tuesday was a good day. We visited Ramon again and when we got there we planned to talk about and read the Book of Mormon. We were so surprised when he started telling us all about Lehi and Nephi. He had already read the Intro and the Testimony of Joseph Smith as well as the first couple chapters. Seriously so amazing. He is so bakod and wants to be baptized. The only problem is he needs to make it to church. He has really bad arthritis especially when it rains, so on rainy days he can't come. You wouldn't think that would be too much of a problem, but here in the Philippines it's ALWAYS raining. That same day we went to Hillside. Every time we go there, we are ambushed by children and have a swarm of kids that follow us, so we stopped to play a quick game. The losers got lipstick drawn all over their faces. By the end Sister Ellis and my face were covered with bright red lipstick (let's just say we were really bad at the game) we thought that drawing lipstick on our faces would be fine because Sister Ellis usually has baby wipes in her bag, but of course this one time she totally forgot. We practically ran to the well hoping no one would see us. As we walked/ran up there was a small group of people sitting at the chunggi next to the well. They all were laughing at us so we started up a conversation and we were able to teach them the Restoration. So getting lipstick stuck to our faces turned out to be a great teaching opportunity. We finally taught Leo and Edna. We seriously had been trying for weeks. The whole lesson things were just clicking for Leo. It went so good and the spirit was so strong. So Funny story: At the beginning we were getting to know them and they started asking about our families. Leo asked how old my dad is. I told him and he said, "Me too!" and then in perfect English said, "I'm your daddy" I died laughing. I'm excited to see how they continue to progress.
This Sunday was amazing. There was a special broadcast from Manila and Jeffery R Holland spoke to the Philippines. He talked about the Second Coming and how he doesn't know when it will happen, but that it will. He said we need to look, act, and be like His church when he comes. He said the Philippines is one of the greatest stories of the Church and we are a part of the greatest dispensation. He talked about all of the new changes, and how they are set in place to make us true disciples of Jesus Christ at all times, in all things, and in all places. He talked a lot about obedience. Obedience is the first law of everything. Of course the Savior is the perfect example of this. I cry to think of our Savior in the Garden of Gethsemane suffering for each of us one by one. He cried out is there no other way? And then saying, "Not my will but thine be done".Jeffery R Holland said this is the most majestic moment in History. If we could follow the Savior's example, If we could do that, we would change the world! Love you all! Sister Adams Hiiiii It's me again and it's been another week diri sa Sagay. Sister Ellis and I have just been trying our best to learn how to survive being two kanas who struggle speaking Hiligaynon, it's an adventure for sure. Tuesday we went and visited Barbie for her birthday. She makes me so happy. I have no doubt she'll serve a mission herself. The same day we got a call from Elder Skinner the Area Medical Doctor here in the Philippines. Right now Sister Ellis has a bad Staph infection all over her legs. By bad I mean really bad as in puss filled open sores that drip blood. Sorry if that was too graphic haha. He got a hold of a picture and was extremely concerned about them. After a long phone call he told her that she had to stay on strict bed rest for three days so the mosquitoes would stop attacking her legs and so the swelling would go down. Sister Ellis wasn't the happiest to hear news like that on her first day in a new area but we tried to be obedient and for the next two days we had to stay in our little, dark, lizard infested house. Thursday they wanted Sister Ellis to go see a Doctor. The best Doctors are in the city so we had to travel 2 hours all the way back to Bacolod the second time now in the same week. We were shocked and pretty proud of ourselves that we somehow didn't get lost going to maxicare, the mission office, the hospital, back to maxicare liwat and tapos that, a bus ride to Sagay again. Grabe gid! Don't worry Sister Ellis is doing much better now. Even though we weren't able to teach a ton this week we were still able to have some super solid lessons. At the beginning of the week after our transfer meeting Sister Ellis and I were so happy to be companions but we looked at each other and had to ask, "How are we supposed to do this?"
I love the story of Jesus feeding the 5000 because there were times this week where I felt so inadequate and overwhelmed. I had times where I felt like the apostles looking into a nearly empty basket filled with five loaves and two fishes thinking how in the world do we feed all these people? How in the world do we do this? On our own the things we are called to do can seem nearly impossible. I know that as we turn to the good Shepard, give it our own best efforts and exercise faith in Him he will multiply our efforts beyond anything we ever thought we could. Love you! Happy New Year! Love, Sister Adams |
Sister Emily Adams
Philippines Bacolod Mission April 18, 2018-October 2019 Mailing Address
Sister Emily Adams
Philippines Bacolod Mission Galo St. between Lacson & Mabini Brgy.22, Bacolod City 6100 Negros Occidental Philippines Archives
January 2020
Companions Provo, Utah MTC
#1 Sister Anna Wilde From Dallas, Texas Taylor, Arizona
#2 Sister Jamie Stuart (trainer) Pleasant Grove, Utah & #3 Sister Kendall Richards Idaho Falls, Idaho Show Low, Arizona
#4 Sister Brooke Casebolt Roy, Utah Manila, Philippine's
#5 Sister Perry Serving in the Iloilo mission from Fiji Sagay, Philippines
#6 Sister Lauren Schenk (Trainer) Syracuse, Utah Sagay, Philippines
#7 Sister Ashley Ellis Highland, Utah Pulupandan, Philippines
#8 Sister Andrea Camille Sales Isabela, Philippines Hinigarin, Philippines
#9 Sister Castillo Sta. Cruz Zambalis, Philippines. Hinigarin, Philippines
#10 Sister Natalie Miner Pleasant Grove, Utah Cadiz, Philippines
#11 Sister Kate Blakeslee Meridian, Idaho Bacolod, Philippines
#12 Sister Kalyx Christensen San Diego, California Bacolod, Philippines
#13 Sister Stephanie Garcia Pangisan, Philippines Bacolod, Philippines
#14 Sister Santa Barbara Marikina, Manila, Philippines Bacolod, Phililppines
#15 Sister Eliza Clark Corvallis, Oregon |