This week went so fast! Sorry don't have time to write! Anyways here's a picture from exchanges this week! It was so fun to be companions with Sister Blakeslee again! Love you all! Promise to write better next week! We got to Skype with Emily this week. Usually she saves a little time for writing, but we talked too long. I wish I would have asked more questions about the week. Here are a few things that were interesting; Em said that Pres. Sumagpao called her up one day last week and asked her again if she would extend. This time he said just for 5 days. :) I guess the other missionaries going home are scheduled for January 15th. Emily's time is up on the 10th. She said yes of course, soooo just a few more days till I get the best hug! One of the sister missionaries, Sister Porter got the measles. They quarantined her along with her companion to Emily's house. They stayed in a room downstairs, while Em and her companion stayed upstairs. She felt so bad for them, and said that must have felt like prison to have to stay in that bedroom for a week. She said the worst part for the quarantined sisters she says as she laughs, is she & her comp. had to make them breakfast, lunch and dinner. She said they always tried to include rice because Sister Porter's comp. is a Filipina. :)
She also said they are teaching a family, and learned they all have tuberculosis. I told her to stay away till they are better! I hope there are no TB breakouts for her or her companion. I am amazed Em has stayed so healthy on her mission when so many others have gotten crazy sicknesses! Such a blessing!! and I hope that continues for the next couple of months!
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Maayong aga/hapon/gabe sa inyo tanan! This week we enjoyed going to the Morales family over and over again in preparation for Saturday. I love them so much. It was funny because one day while we were over, their 8 year old son Jyles wanted to know what my real name is. I asked him what name I looked like. He sat there for a minute and said, "You look like Jesus Christ, you have the same hair" ....I guess that's not necessarily a bad thing haha but we did burst out laughing.
The big highlight of the week was the baptism of all three Morales boys. It was such a happy day. Brother Joemarie stood to bear his testimony and broke into tears. He told of how two angels stopped by and talked to him and that the messages all his missionaries brought slowly let him see the light in his life. He made me laugh real hard when he said that the Gospel has turned him Agi(or gay) because he got a little shy of how much he was crying. If anyone knows Joemarie, they know he's a tough manly man with a really deep scratchy voice. You would never think he could cry, but there he was crying while bearing his testimony of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It was also so awesome to get to see Allan Tuerca speak at their Baptism. We have loved to see his progress. He also blessed the Sacrament for the first time this Sunday :) I found this quote this week and really loved it;
"When we comprehend His voluntary Atonement, any sense of sacrifice on our part becomes completely overshadowed by a profound sense of gratitude for the privilege of serving Him." -President Russell M. Nelson Palangga ko kamo! Hey This week we spent a lot of time talking to and finding new people to teach. As we were walking around nowhere in particular we stopped to help a kid draw water from a well and another young man came out to talk to us probably out of curiosity. We asked if we could share a message and if he knew of anyone else that would want to listen. I started laughing so hard as he turned and started yelling for all his neighbors to come out and listen. After which we had a pretty big group of people together to listen to our message. Later in the week we returned to the sweet Dopio Family and watched the 30 min Restoration movie. When we started the rain was pounding down on the tin roof so hard that I couldn't even hear my own voice as we sang I need thee every hour in Hiligaynon. To add to that their kids especially their baby didn't want to stay quiet or sit still. I just kept praying in my heart that they would be able to watch and feel the spirit testifying of the truth. The movie ended and we all just sat for a good few seconds in silence. Dugay-dugay Mario got up turned off the TV and with out us saying anything he said, "Matuod gid ina" or that's true. The spirit was so strong as we and the member with us testified of Joseph Smith and the First Vision. To make it better they even came to church this Sunday! Everytime we would glance over at church, he always had the biggest smile on his face. He told us how excited he is to come to church again next week. We're also so excited for the Morales family. This week was Brother Joemarie's, Terrence's, and Gyles's baptismal interviews. Brother Joemarie was so nervous and excited that he couldn't sleep the night before. It has been a long awaited day. A whole 6 months to be exact. As missionaries came and went his testimony only grew stronger and I have loved to see the changes in his character as a husband and father. We're super excited for this Saturday!
Time won't slow down. Palangga ko kamo. Halong Ay this week has been a good and fast one. Sister Sta. Barbara and I worked so hard this week, and we are so excited about a couple of families we found and started teaching too! One night this week after a really good but exhausting day of work, we got home and knelt down to pray.... to say the least we didn't get back up from the floor. Two hours later we woke up to the alarm on the phone that we set to remind us it is close to 10:30 and we have to go to bed. We didn't even eat dinner or get ready for bed, we were just so tired haha. This Sunday in the middle of the night, President Sumagpao called and asked if Sister Sta. Barbara would be willing to transfer to La Carlota. Long story short the Sisters house in La Carlota got broken into multiple times last week, and some of the sisters were really freaked out and scared. President gave them the option to stay or be transferred, and that's why my new companion is now Sister Clark. She feels a whole lot safer being here in Bacolod City. I was sad to see Sister Sta Barbara go but all we can do is padayon lang. This Saturday we went and visited the cutest little family. Sister Garcia and I had found this family last transfer. They told us that they were available on Saturdays and Sundays. We have had a hard time getting there the last few weeks on those days. We hoped to be able to go back, but something else always just came up. This Saturday the Dopio family was so excited to see us because it had been awhile. They told us that for the past couple weeks they had waited for us, but we never came. We talked real quick, and they told us to come back the next day. Sunday we had an awesome lesson about the Restoration. After we closed, we asked when we could come back. Mario thought for a minute and then said, "What about tomorrow?" We couldn't stop the grins that came to our faces. That is what every missionary wants to hear. Then he added, "We'll feed you dinner too so you keep coming back!" I love the spirit that our unique message brings that keeps others wanting more. I know the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints is true, and God's work is hastening here on earth in order to gather in His children. There is nothing greater we could be apart of!
Palangga ta kamo Halong 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 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... Magandang gabi Wednesday I went on exchanges with Sister Demonteverde in Santa Fe. They had gotten a referral from the Elders a couple weeks before that so we decided to go looking for him. Along the way we almost got attacked by multiple dogs but we found his house in a rural area they had never been before. His wife was there and didn't seem surprised to see two sisters outside her house because her husband had told her missionaries would be coming. Not long after that Brother himself showed up and was so excited to see us at his house. We sat down and asked how he came to find the missionaries. Brother said he has been working construction for years. One day they were working on a house and in the house he found and picked up an abandoned Book of Mormon. He took it home and started to read it everyday even though it was an English Book of Mormon. He continued until last week he saw to Elders in a Jeepney and approached them asking if they had a Ilonggo Book of Mormon he could read. They must have been pretty shocked but they asked if he wanted missionaries to go to his home, he said yes and then a couple week later we were there sitting in his home. They were so receptive and I know God has been preparing them to receive the restored gospel. This week Sister Garcia and I also met a young man named John Paul. As we were searching for a person we had met and talked to the day before, we stopped at a little house thinking that it might be his. There was a young man standing in the door way leaning on some crutches. Thinking that he had a broken leg or a twisted ankle I abruptly asked him what happened? After asking he came fully out of the doorway of the house with a big smile on his face. What I realized then that I had failed to recognize earlier was that his whole leg was actually gone and the one leg he did have was shriveled and struggling to support his body. Even though I felt bad after accidentally asking so bluntly, The huge grin he gave us made me feel a lot better. He then sat us down and told us his story of being severely burned as a child on both his legs which later lead to cancer in his right leg, to stop the spread they amputated it last December. Despite all that and other challenges, I have never met anyone so happy and positive about the future. Something I've realized here more than anywhere else is that we can choose to be happy no matter what our circumstances are. It really depends on us. We are here to have joy. He continued saying he just finished college and is now looking for a job. We were both amazed. He looked at us and said, "Hey, may kamot pa"(I've still got hands) Now when ever there are hard times or we feel completely exhausted, Sister Garcia and I look at each-other and say, "My kamot pa kita, padayon lang ah!" The Jara family is still doing great. This week we were shocked when Rodney told us he wanted to be baptized...no longer clear in 2022 and hopefully with his family. For now we pushed back their baptismal dates for oct 19. His family all agreed they will help him stop smoking. This Sunday they all came to church again as a family. They make me so happy.
Well that's pretty much it for my week. Love you all! Halong kamo! Sister Adams Helloo Well it was another great and busy week. Wednesday we spent the whole day moving to a new house just in front of our old one. Missionaries had been living in our house before for a whole 8 years so to say the least it took forever to clean up and move everything out that had collected for 8 years. It was pretty gross lol. Now we live in a nice clean house. Thursday I got to go on exchanges with my baby Sister Blakeslee. It was so much fun to be companions again. I missed her so much. This week the entire Jara family came to church including Rodney!! For an entire four weeks we had tried over and over again to get Rodney to come to church, even if it was just once. I realized this week he reminds me a lot of my older brother Zach and finds fun in giving you a hard time and in contradicting everything you say because he enjoys it. We tried so hard for so long and then just this last week out of the blue he just decided to show up to church. I have never been so happy. As Rodney came strolling in behind his family, he tried to keep a straight face but last minute broke out in the biggest grin when he made eye contact with us. He keeps telling us that he will get baptized in 2022 ambot gid sa iya. Rhoda and their kids are doing great and are so bakod gid and are such great examples for Rodney. Other than that we were out finding a lot this week, and we met some great people to teach.
I know that Jesus Christ lives and loves us and that anytime, anywhere we can access his Atonement to overcome our weakness. Love you all so much and have a fantastic week! Love, Sister Adams HEY, It's the "ber" months so it's already Christmas here in the Philippines, which means we've starting singing Christmas hymns in sacrament meeting. The week went by so fast. The Jara family is doing so good. Their dad, Rodney has sat in on almost every lesson this week. Seriously such a miracle. He knows that his family knows the church is true, and now he wants to know more himself. On Tuesday Rhoda let us know that their neighbors have started to bash on their family for wanting to become "mormons," but I love how that has helped them gain an even stronger testimony. This week Julie Mae was also so excited to tell us that she had read the Book of Mormon with one of her best friends and that she loved it and wanted one for herself. She told us that she had the best feeling in the world sharing with her about the Gospel. The spirit was so strong as we talked about missionary work and what a blessing it is to be apart of This Great work. Cathy, Mark and Julie Mae all have the potential to serve missions in the next couple years if they have the desire to after their baptisms. Ah I love them so much. In other news Jeffery is back! Jeffery has been someone taught by missionaries for the longest time, and has the biggest desire to be baptized and start a new life. A couple weeks ago we got a text saying he quit smoking for good but then he disappeared and we couldn't find him anywhere. This week he texted us and we finally got to meet with him again. His desire and faith to stop has increased so much and hopefully within the next week he can overcome it. The Tuerca family is also doing so good. They are so Bakod gid. Allan and Tay Edgardo went to all three sessions of stake conference and then went to start indexing. I love them so much, and I'm so excited for them to receive the priesthood this next week. Sorry for the short, quick email. Love you all! Sorry no pictures I forgot my camera cord. (sorry mom) Below are some of the cute missionaries that stopped to talk to Em, and waved to us. :) I wish I would have gotten a picture of all of them. We also waved to Sister Schenk. These aren't the greatest pictures, but at least they add to the pictureless 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 |