And then there were two...

It's just me and Sister Daclan for about 36 hours. We meet our new companions tomorrow. We've been cleaning the house in preparation for them. We feel very blessed that neither of us are transferring so we get to spend Christmas with each other. For Christmas dinner I'll be spending the evening with my favorite family (The DeJesus's). But other than that it's work as usual.

Sister Litz left last night. A group of elders brought over a cake and we ate outside of our apartment and sang some hymns. It was happy. It's amazing how close you can grow to people within such a short time. We were only a tripanionship for three weeks, but I've learned a lot from her and Sister Daclan.

Only 2 of 5 of the family will be baptized this Saturday, but I'm still really excited. The daughters decided they weren't ready. And I agree that it's better to wait. Baptism is a huge commitment--it's a covenant with God! But the parents are so ready and I feel so blessed to have been an instrument in the Lord's hands in introducing them to the gospel. The Spirit was the real teacher, though. Sister San Agustin actually admitted to me the other day that she can understand/follow my Tagalog now and before she would just nod her head. Haha... But seriously, conversion only happens through the power of the Holy Ghost.

Working with the less actives is slow, but good. It's a whole other world in teaching less actives. They're at such varied stages. There are those that don't remember anything, those that are really bitter, those that are just having a hard time in life, and those that have solid testimonies, and I'm not quite sure why they're not at church. I really need to be acquainted with the scriptures and be in tune with the Spirit in order to teach them because their needs are so different. It's going to be a challenge, but I have hope that we can bring many souls back. I was listening to this one song by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir where they sing, "Bind me not to the pasture, chain me not to the... set me free to find my brother, and I'll return to thee some how." It's beautiful. I don't remember what it's called. But I definitely feel like I've been let outside the fenced area to find the lost sheep, and I'm so determined to get them back, to church, and, eventually, to the temple.

I know Heavenly Father has a plan for each of us. He has a lot of expectations of us, too. But we can rise to the occasion through faith in His Son Jesus Christ and the enabling power of the Atonement. This is a good time to evaluate our relationship with Christ. Why is He so important? Why do we honor Him and celebrate His birth? This is an amazing talk that helped strengthen my testimony and understanding of who Christ is and what it means that He is our Savior...http://lds.org/general-conference/2011/10/teachings-of-jesus?lang=eng&query=teachings+jesus

Maligayan Pasko!!!!!!!!! (Merry Christmas!!!!!!!!)

Mahal ko kayo,
Sister Cope

Pictures of the week:
1. Our Christmas tag wreath courtesy of my Dad :)
2. At Cloud 9 last P-day with Sister Litz and Sister Daclan, and the most of our district.
3. The beautiful view of the city and the sunset at Cloud 9.
4. Saying goodbye to Sister Litz...

Mahirap pero masaya.

Hard but happy. Those are the perfect words to describe the mission right now.


There's a quote from Jeffrey R. Holland in "Preach My Gospel" about how you'll be devastated when investigators don't keep commitments. Devastation doesn't quite cover it. It really is heartbreaking when you want to see people's lives improve and to see them act on their faith, but they don't. No one, I don't think, can ever prepare you for how hard a mission actually is.


BUT Heavenly Father is still aware of me!!! I see it with the people he blesses me to work with and those that I have the privilege of meeting. Like the other day this one member I had never worked with before volunteered to be my companion for the day. I felt so grateful because not only did she speak English well and was able to translate when I needed it, she also brought a wonderful Spirit to the lessons. On that same day we found this one less active member in the depths of Sampaga (one of my areas). He was baptized as a child and doesn't remember anything. Since then he's been baptized a born again, but he admitted that he's still confused and said we're welcome to come back. It was amazing--his receptiveness and sincerity. He has committed to pray to know if Joseph Smith is a true prophet. I know he will get his answer because I've seen it happen time and time again.


And we received new numbers from our mission president for our standards of excellence. For those who aren't familiar with mission terms these are goals for lessons and baptisms to help us focus and work hard. Our numbers have changed drastically. Our focus in the mission has completely shifted. It was 18 lessons to investigators with a member present and 10 Less Active visits. It is now 12 member present lessons and 15 less active visits. 2012 is the year to establish the Church in the Philippines. About 8 out of 10 baptized members go less active. It's not typical missionary work, but it's a special request from our area presidency. When this was announced I realized that that's what I have been called to do. To find the lost sheep and bring them back. I feel very strongly about this new focus. I know it is of great importance in order to build up the Church in the future and it is of great importance to Heavenly Father. He loves each of us so very much and He wants us to love and watch out for each other. I know this is a sacred responsibility and part of the baptismal covenants I have made.


As for my one baptism so far... He is still active! And he received the priesthood last week and blessed the sacrament this week. It is very special to witness him progress in the gospel.


4 of 5 members of a family I've been teaching are scheduled for a baptism on Christmas Eve. I'm very excited for them. I'll keep you updated on how it goes :)


That's all for now. I love what I'm doing. I feel like it's a taste of real joy/the love of God like the angel describes the fruit of the tree of life in 1 Nephi 11. Bringing people real happiness brings me real happiness as well. I know The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is true and that we have a living prophet and modern revelation. Because God loves us just as much as He loves His children from Old testament time.. and all His children throughout all time. As great as His love is for all of us, it is also very individual. He knows us, and Christ knows us. We can rely on them for comfort, guidance, peace, love and all good things. They will bless us with our righteous desires as we strive to follow them.


Mahal ko kayo,
Sister Cope
Pictures of the week:

1. My investigators that went on our recent temple tour. It was raining, but it was still maganda. L-R: Diana Jane (she is about ready to be baptized, but there's a new rule in our mission that they need a responsible adult getting baptized with them or an active family member. it's a great new rule because it will help them stay active. her parents are preparing so as soon as they're ready, they'll be baptized together.), Ericka (Diana's sister who used to listen to the missionaries and her heart is beginning to accept us again. slowly but surely.), Mary Ann with baby Joanna (she has a testimony and is working on acting on it), Mark with baby Marky and Ailyn (she's been taught everything and we're catching him up. i've seen him change so much in the short time i've known him. it's a miracle.)


2. My district with the APs. Small, but amazing.


3. An awesome cloud at sunset; I think this was taken in my area of Antipolo Hills.

4. My housemates and companions right before Sister Siufanua was taken to the mission home for her flight the next morning. Sister Daclan and Sister Litz are the Sisters I have become a "tripanionship" with. It's a balancing act with two areas, but the members have been really supportive. I'll have a new companion on December 21st. Sister Daclan, too, because Sister Litz will be finishing her mission this transfer. S. Daclan and I are hoping to both stay in our areas. Other than that we'll be spending Christmas with companions we've known for only four days pala.

May nosebleed ako...

So in the Philippines they refer to being overwhelmed by the use of another language as a nosebleed. My language fast didn't last a whole week, but I have been working with members that know little to no English. Sister Siufanua has finished her mission and is back in the United States now. My new companions are Sister Litz and Sister Daclan. They're the other sisters in our house. We have extra responsibility with the same areas and only three of us so we go on splits with members. It's exhausting, but I know Heavenly Father doesn't give us anything we can't handle (1 Nephi 3:7). I've witnessed tender little mercies and had prayers answered this week and so I know Heavenly Father has not left me alone. I told Sister Siufanua that I felt like I've been pushed in front of an oncoming bus, but she quickly replied that God will give me the strength to be Supergirl. So I'm working on confidence in myself and reliance on Jesus Christ to make up the difference. This is a great opportunity for the branch as well. They're stepping up their fellowshipping, and there are different members who have volunteered to go with me this week. I'm tired, but excited. I know that God has high expectations, but that we can meet them through His Son and with the support of one another.

Mahal ko kayo,
Sister Cope

P.S. Eliza R. Snow is epic... She was the second or third president of the Relief Society in the early days of the Church... and she wrote some of our beloved hymns. This quote is in the book "Daughters in My Kingdom":

"I will go forward... I will smile at the rage of the tempest and ride fearlessly and triumphantly across the boisterous ocean of circumstance... and the 'testimony of Jesus' will light up a lamp that will guide my vision through the portals of immortality."

Boys wear headbands in the Philippines.

Just a nice cultural fact. Haha...


This is my last full day with my trainer or "nanay" as we say in the Philippines. She is returning home to Utah on Wednesday, but will be going to the mission home tomorrow. I'm going to miss her a lot. She has the biggest heart and is a great example to me.

We've seen a lot of miracles together, especially this week. Nine of our investigators came to church this week. That's a big deal here. They're really showing their faith and coming closer to Heavenly Father through Jesus Christ.


Currently, I am doing a language fast. I haven't used much English for about two days now. I'm planning on going for a week where I "magtagalog lang." It's hard, but I was inspired after a visit with one of the less actives in our area. She learned Japanese in a week! And enough Arabic to keep her job in a week. I came to a realization that if I show my faith, God can bless me with the same thing. Even if I'm not fluent by the end of the week, I know that it'll be easier in the future after this week. The gift of tongues is real. I've seen and heard about it in relation to other missionaries.


I also know that the power of the Holy Ghost is real. Your heart has to be soft enough and your mind open to feel it. I've witnessed that this week with a stark contrast between lessons that we were both (the investigators and Sister Siufanua and I) uplifted and felt edified, and lessons that I felt practically sick during because of hard-heartedness. If we're humble, if we love God, and if we do all we can to invite the Spirit into our lives, it will happen.


I know that Heavenly Father puts people in our path and in our lives for a reason. Consider that as you interact with those around you. They need you and you need them. There is a big emphasis in our mission right now to help less actives. I've seen how important the support of others is in staying true to the gospel of Jesus Christ and in survival. I read some beautiful stories in the February 2011 Liahona (http://lds.org/liahona/2011/02?lang=eng). Keep a loving eye on those around you. Part of being a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (and just being a good human being) is service.


Mahal ko kayo. Namimiss ko kayo.


With love,
Sister Cope


Pictures of the Week:
So for Thanksgiving... because I think it was last week... We enjoyed pancit, mango juice, and fudgee bars because our dinner appointment was cancelled.
And we made thankful turkey hands :)

I washed clothes by hand for the first time!

Our nanay who usually does the laundry had a family emergency so Sister Siufanua taught me how to scrub my clothes by hand. It's fun for the first 10 seconds. But it does make for great bonding time. Nanay is the best one to go to for mission chismis (gossip).

So I'm almost fully Pinay... I just need to learn Tagalog and eat balut... But I've got plans for Thanksgiving...

Anyway this week has seemed a little slower, but also rewarding. The lessons we've been having are fewer and farther in between, but there's been some quality bonding and finding. We've met so many amazing families recently. Our mission has a focus on families right now. If a family is baptized together they're much more likely to stay active because they have a support system. We invited one family and the dad accepted. He requested December 24th because it's the eve of Christ's birth and shortly after his wife and one of his three kids accepted the invitation as well. They are so awesome because they have shown so much faith already. It's like I said last week, I haven't even done much, but the Spirit has and they want to act on their faith and they are acting on their faith. It's so amazing to witness people's lives and countenances change as they grow closer to Heavenly Father through Jesus Christ. Brother Rey, who was baptized two weeks ago, bore his testimony to us as we taught him and his sister and brother-in-law. It was beautiful and powerful.

I know the gospel of Jesus Christ changes lives. I've witnessed it in my own life and in the lives of those around me. I'm witnessing it right now. I know the gospel really comes from God because the fruits of living it are masarap. I love it here and I feel so grateful to be an instrument in the Lord's hand to share the love that I've felt from it.


Mahal ko kayo,
Sister Cope


Pictures of the week:
1. A map of my area right now, sort of. My branch is in San Isidro, but the areas I serve in are Siete Media, Hinapao/Joyous Heights, Santana, Sampaga, San Luis Brngy, Snto Nino, and Antipolo Hills.
2. This is an investigator named Mila with her husband and granddaughter. She's moving at the end of the month, but Sister Siufanua and I have had some great experiences with her. We really feel she was prepared to hear are message and that God put her in our path.
3. Another gorgeous sunset... these are a daily occurrence <3 4. Molly, the cute new puppy of our Relief Society president and her son our branch mission leader. 5. Enjoying a delicious drink that I don't know the name of at one of my investigators' homes. It has ube and coconut milk--and it's delicious. 6. This hilarious game of sexy lizards, balding pregancies, and wounded cats... I don't really know. It doesn't make sense in Tagalog either. This was taken at a Family Home Evening we did at the DeJesus's

Blaring Karaoke at 7 a.m. is normal

Everyday kind of normal... Haha. Just a fun Philippines fact.


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 :)

End of my 1st transfer

I've been here six weeks now. It's crazy. I love it.

My first baptism was happy. It was slow to start, but the Spirit was there. S. Siu and I sang the musical number (Lord, I would follow thee) in English and Tagalog. Rey bore his testimony.

We keep going to this one area called Antipolo Hills to find a referral from one of the Elders, and we cannot find her, but we keep meeting all these other great people. One sister joined the church in 1986 or something and she's been less active for almost just as long, but she just didn't know where to find a church, and she wants to learn the doctrine and come back.

And our security guard wants to be baptized, but we found out he's not in our area so he will be taught by different sisters.

I'm out of time, but I'll share an awesome story really quick. One of our investigators, Ailyn, told us this experience she had. She was really hungry and only had 10 pesos, and so she feasted on the word instead. She read her scriptures until she was able to fall asleep and when her asawa came home from work, she wasn't hungry anymore. It was so powerful when I heard it. Her faith is so great. There are so many people who are ready to hear the gospel. It's so beautiful how Heavenly Father takes care of us.

And another day we were trying to find new people and people were really rude to us (which is rare in the Philippines), but then we asked a question at this one tindahan (little store thing), and then we introduced ourselves and they welcomed us in. And they need the blessings of this gospel in their life and I'm so excited to go back and teach them. But God definitely puts us in the right place at the right time.

I know God loves us and that He's given us the means to return to Him. I know that we can help each other, and that the scriptures, especially the Book of Mormon help us, too.

Mahal ko kayo.
Sister Cope

Pictures of the Week:

1. This awesome rainbow cloud thing that we saw in Antipolo Hills. I think the people around us were wondering what we were doing... If only they had looked up. It kept changing colors, too! It was green, then purple, etc. So awesome.

2. The Antipolo Zone. This is everybody who is in my zone right now, but it just split and transfers are tomorrow so there will be maraming pagbabago (many changes).

3. This is Sister Rollyna and I. She was baptized in April, I think, but she always works with us and bears her testimony when we teach. She is amazing. And the flower arrangement she's holding is something she made. She has 3 adorable kids, and we're going to try to start teaching her husband soon.

4. As part of All Souls' Day, they put candles on their porches for the people they're remembering. This is a melted one in front of Sister Rollyna's home.

5. Sister Siufanua and I got matching earrings :)

6. Here's a close up. We'll have to wait until next P-day to wear them together...

7. Some ward members and Rey at his baptism. Unfortunately his eyes are closed and I don't have another copy... But still sobrang kasayahan (so much happiness).