My zone split during the last transfer meeting and we had a couple areas white-washed (both members of the companionship being new to the area they are put in). So we have a pretty new group in Antipolo. But it seems like a good, diligent, but fun zone. I will be getting a new companion in the middle of this next transfer because Sister Siufanua flies home to Utah on November 30th. I'm really hoping it's a Filipina because I need to be working on the language more, and with an American companion it's just second nature to speak English rather than Tagalog. I love Sister Siufanua, though, and I'll miss her a lot when she is gone. We work hard and have a good time together.
Our zone did a service project on Monday for some of our investigators. They moved and so a member with a jeepney and all the elders helped. It took up a lot of our P-day, but they really needed it so I'm glad we were able to. Sadly, they have moved into the other sisters' area. They even had baptismal dates! So that's kind of sad, but I'm thankful that we were able to instruments in the Lord's hands for introducing them to the gospel.
We really are just instruments, though. I though the other day as we were teaching this one family and inviting them to baptism, "We really haven't done anything and they're going to be baptized!" The Holy Ghost really is the key to conversion.
We had another temple tour this Saturday, where we walk around the grounds and explain about the importance. It's a really happy experience for the investigators. We bought pandesal (delicious, hot, special bread) to share for the hour-long ride there and nobody wanted any. (They ate rice cakes instead brought by another companionship.) But along the way someone stuck their hand in our jeepney asking for money and we were able to give them the pandesal. So yay.
Other than that the week has been pretty normal and intense with lessons, walking, and sunshine. One more experience, though, that I wanted to share was about this young boy named Gabriel. He's about 11, I think. He sat in on a lesson we were teaching to someone else, and then he had been asking one of the members in the area, "When are the missionaries going to return?" Because of some stuff that happened to him, I think he really liked hearing that God, this all-powerful being, loves him. Unfortunately, we can't teach kids by themselves because when they're baptized they go less active fast without a support system. So when we did return we invited his Aunt to be taught with him, and we told him about how God wants a relationship with him and about how to pray. There's this cool way Sister Siufanua teaches about God's phone number (2-2-2-1-1). Meaning you have two knees to kneel with, two arms to fold, two eyes to close, one head to bow, and one heart to pray from. His aunt is busy, but hopefully she'll find the time to listen so we can teach Gabriel, too.
I know that Heavenly Father answers are prayers. I know He is listening, and we just need to be in tune with the Holy Ghost to hear His answers.
We also had a powerful lesson about the Plan of Salvation with this one group of neighbors, and the truth that Jesus Christ knows what we went through because of what He went through really helped one of them. I know that His Atonement is real. I know that He knows what each of us has gone through, are going through, and will go through. He knows what it's like to be a single mother without the support of anyone, a child without the love of his or her family, a father trying to overcome a drinking problem. His suffering is very personal for us as individuals, and through Him we can overcome the trials placed in our path and the sins that taint our journey home to Heavenly Father.
Mahal ko kayo,
Sister Cope
Pictures ng linggo
1. The view from my bedroom window--sunset and a neon cross on the Catholic cathedral in the distance.
2. The temple tour crowd. L-R: Ailyn (who's the mother of Marky the baby and has a strong, beautiful testimony of the Book of Mormon), Sister SanAugustine (a fairly new investigator with a lot of faith to act on the things we've taught), Janine (the shy but sweet daughter of Sister SanAugustine), Sister Siufanua (being silly:), and Sister Madelo (an amazing member who is always fellowshipping our investigators, and recently sealed to her family in the temple!!).
3. The new Sister Cope ;)
4. The other new Sister Cope with Sister Siufanua.
5. A nicer picture of the temple tour group with me included :)
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