HELLO It's another transfer day already! I'll be staying in Bacolod and my new companion is Sister Sta. Barbara from Marikina, Manila. It will be fun to stay in an area for longer than 1 or 2 transfers. I'm excited to get to continue to see the progress of our recent converts. Siempre the highlight of our week was the Jara family baptism. It was a special day and a little stressful at first. The whole family except Mark showed up at the church. They said that Mark was stuck in class with a strict instructor that made it impossible for him to leave. We postponed the Baptism for as long as possible but His class went a lot longer then what they thought. He got baptized Sunday morning and then they were confirmed together as a family. Their testimonies were all so pure. Rodney who wanted nothing to do with the church at first got up and bore his testimony in tears which caused the rest of us to cry. Julie Mae and Cathy later told me that was the first time they have ever seen their dad cry. On Sunday I loved the blessings that the bishopbric gave as the Jara family received the gift of the Holy Ghost. In the blessings of Cathy, Mark and Julie Mae missions were mentioned. This week and to be honest this whole transfer I have been amazed with the faith of the Morales family. What I didn't fully realize until last Sunday is that their little family walks to church every Sunday because they don't have the money in order to travel by Jeepney. From their house to the church is at least a couple miles not to mention in the hot sun with kids from the ages 2-11. I'm amazed by the sacrifices the people of the Philippines are willing to make to follow what God asks of us. In other news we had an amazing lesson this week with our friend John Paul(the one who I failed to realize that he didn't have a leg). Allan Tuerca came with us and we shared about prophets and our living prophet. Allan shared a powerful testimony of President Russell M. Nelson and shared his experience of what he felt after hearing and watching General Conference. The spirit was so strong. John Paul was quiet and then said, "That is so cool! You believe we have a living prophet?" We then invited him to pray about it for himself. He got so excited to be able to ask God for himself. It really is so cool that we have a living Prophet today. I know Heavenly Father loves us because He has called President Russell M. Nelson to lead and guide us today.
Love you all!!! Sister Adams
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Maayong gab-i sa inyo. This week while I was on exchanges with Sister Cutillas we went to a sweet Nanay named Meanya. We had a good lesson and then before we left we asked if she would be willing to pray. She accepted and we bowed our heads to pray. After a few seconds we realized then that she wasn't praying vocally because we sat their in silence. 5 minutes later, still just sitting there awkwardly with our eyes squinted open waiting for a sign she was done, Nanay still seemed to be praying. After what seemed to be another 3 minutes I felt a nudge from Sister Cutillas as I looked over she mouthed the words, what do we do? The situation was just all too funny that I was trying my hardest not to laugh. I just shrugged and bowed my head again. Another few minutes later not knowing if she had fallen asleep or what, Sister Cutillas asked, "Nay are you finished praying?" In response she immediately lifted up her head and said, Amen. Ambot lang gid kon ano natabo. The Jara family passed their interview this week! They were so nervous but did great. They are so excited to all be baptized as a family this Saturday. Their testimonies are so strong, and continue to grow. They've told us so many times of the blessings that have flowed as they've accepted the Gospel of Jesus Christ in their lives. This week Mark shared with us a sweet story. He is in college working toward becoming a Marine Engineer which meant one of his classes is an intense swimming class. He told us he was able to pass his swimming exam as he focused on putting his Book of Mormon reading first and praying in faith to God. He said it was such a tender mercy he passed, because when he started he didn't know how to swim and the others were already much more advanced than he was. In the end he was one of the few that ended up passing. Julie Mae told us that she can't go to school without the Book of Mormon in her bag and the oldest, Cathy works at a call center on the night shift. Every night from 6pm-4am she works but without fail, she comes to church every Sunday morning. She also got offered a different job but because she wouldn't have Sundays off, she chose not to take it. I have loved seeing their testimonies and witnesses of their faith in everything they do. I love them! This week we also got the chance to finally listen to General Conference. It was so good. I know President Russell M. Nelson is a true prophet of God. I love how so many of the messages focused on the Plan of Happiness. I love sharing this Plan with those we teach. We taught John Paul again and we shared about the Plan of Salvation. It was cool to share that eventually he would gain his leg back. After we had finished he looked at us, smiled and said, "wait all I have to do is receive Jesus Christ through His Gospel in order to go there?(as he pointed to the celestial kingdom) We smiled back and said, "Yes!" It's so simple and Beautiful. If we continue to have faith, repent, be baptized, receive the gift of the Holy Ghost and endure to the end and allow His Gospel to change us we will return to His presence. I love the eternal perspective it gives us that helps us to overcome challenges and stay on the path! Love you all! Halong pirmi Sister Adams I forgot to say I also went on exchanges with the Silay sisters, because they are in a trio I got to go with both Sister Ellis and her trainee Sister Fee. It was seriously so much fun and we got so many more looks than what I'm used to as three tall blonde haired, green eyed girls walked around sugar cane fields haha. I love those two sisters. Birthday ni Jyjy Morales. He is 2 years old now. (She said, "sorry I used the cakes you told me not to eat until my birthday, but it was so worth it to give them away, especially after seeing the smiles on their faces." I am so happy she used them! She said the family probably wouldn't have even celebrated if they had not come, because they don't have money for that.) WE'RE GETTING A TEMPLE HERE IN BACOLOD!!! Out of the blue on Sunday one of the counselors in the bishopric got up and told of the announcement (Because we don't get General Conference until a week after it happens) Shortly after that, Sister Garcia and I burst into tears. We are so happy and excited for the people we love to have an easier time to receive of the sweet blessings of the temple. This week was a busy one. We had MLC and Zone Conference all in the same week and after that we had exchanges with the cute Silay West sisters. I feel almost as if I wasn't even in our area to work this entire week but Heavenly Father still continues to give us tender mercies and small miracles as we do our best. Sunday was a happy day! Besides finding out we are getting a temple, the whole Jara family came to church again. Kain, their youngest child had been throwing up, but didn't want the family to miss church, so they went anyway. Then Bishop without us even knowing, gave him a priesthood blessing. So sweet. The Morales family also came, and after church Joemarie kept saying how much he enjoyed it. Not only that, but Allan and Edgardo received the Priesthood and passed the sacrament. They were beaming. I love Bacolod 2nd Ward!
Halong kamo pirmi Sorry for the short email... |
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 |