Arthur or Dragon Tales?

"Put a smile on your face and make the world a better place."


Sometimes "trunky" thoughts save the day. I was singing a hymn, and then this came to mind. And it changed a situation for the better. It's all about attitude.


So last week at the mission tour conference we talked about teaching doctrine instead of calling the less actives back to church. As they understand the why of the gospel, they'll want to come back on their own. So we've eased up on the invites to church. And then Sunday happened... 8 less actives came!!!! And it wasn't us! The members picked up Sister Contaoi, who had a stroke, and Sister Benitez, who is over 80. They encouraged and didn't give up on Manny and Jackie Remeticado. The Lanot daughters told us they wanted to go to church when we last visited them, and then they just did it. Oshin Tan would come all the time if she could, and she was able to this week. Paul Marquez has a testimony, he just doesn't know it, but he's pushing himself and coming anyway. It always comes back to the individual. The gospel has to be a part of your heart and soul, and Heavenly Father will call you back, not people... And then it's the responsibility of the members to make them feel welcomed, and they did, and it was just really happy.


Three out of those eight bore their testimonies, and it was powerful. I was sitting in sacrament yesterday thinking on whether I should share or not, and I realized, "It has to be the members." There are times when I am moved upon by the Spirit to speak, but yesterday I just knew. They are the ones who hold the real power in strengthening their branch. They have to visit each other. They need to be the ones to share their testimonies with each other. It was a great sabbath and I felt truly blessed to have witnessed this miracle. The spirit was there in abundance and I can see the love growing in this area.


Don't forget the two great commandments. http://www.lds.org/scriptures/nt/matt/22.36-39?lang=eng#35 Everything else will fall into place :)


Mahal ko kayo,
Sister Cope


Pictures of the week:
1. This is me with Kirby Zaballa. One of my favorite kids who I think I've already included in a previous e-mail, whose mom is the pinaka-fantastic branch missionary, Sister Rollyna.
2. Ralph Lauren Francisco and Susi. Sobrang makulit and adorable <3 3. Yep. My love for animals has not gone away... even though I betray my vegetarian ways everyday... 4. At Sister Rollyna's house with my companion, her daughter and her pumumkin... (i don't think i spelled that right, but it means niece/nephew in tagalog)... :D 5. Another one of Kirby and I for good measure.

Family and Friends

Happy Tuesday. We had mission tour yesterday so my P-day is balikdad this week. Although, I'm not really sure what day my mom usually posts these. But anyway... I just love you all. I couldn't do this without my family and friends. Missionary work is hard. Harder than can be adequately described and harder than can be legitimately prepared for. But it's amazing. The gospel is it. It's the answer. It's all we need. I see that as the people I teach, the members in my area, my kabahay, my companion, and I draw closer to Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ.

I feel so motivated after hearing from Elder Nielsen of the seventy and his wife. They're testimonies and knowledge of the gospel are powerful because they spoke by the power of the Holy Ghost. Not to mention I just received a letter from a good friend who just got her mission call, and her enthusiasm for her upcoming experience reignites my enthusiasm. Even though this work is so hard, it's so worth. We're getting people to the temple, to partake of the promises Heavenly Father has prepared for all of us and all of our families.

This week I had some beautiful experiences. This work cannot be done without the gift of the Holy Ghost and the promptings we receive from the Spirit. We had this amazing lesson with our less active who just came to church for the fourth time in a row! We taught her about tithing and the Spirit was so strong and we promised her that it won't make sense, but the money will stretch. I felt prompted to share about the 2 loaves of bread and 5 fishes and how it fed thousands. My faith is growing everyday as I hear stories and see Heavenly Father bless the lives of His children. I know His power is real.

We also had this great FHE with two member families and a less active family. It was just really happy. Sister Matuauto is really good at adjusting lessons to kids, and I think everyone had a good time. The active members who participated were great, and I just wish all of them would step up like some of them have. We can't do it without their help. I know the potential these active members have in order to help the less actives.

Sunday was awesome because I had the privilege of seeing one of the recent converts that I taught give a talk in sacrament. He read mostly from True to the Faith, but gave a simple and powerful testimony at the end.

Tapos We were able to take this other less active to church and the members were just so excited to see her. She's been so shy to come because she's been gone for a couple years and she's had a stroke since then, but I know the warm fellowshipping (if continued) will ensure that she stays active.

We cannot do this work alone. We rely on each other. I tell that to the less actives sometimes. We need each other. That's part of the purpose of church. Of course, to partake of the sacrament, but also to visit with one another and recognize one another's needs.

Thanks to all of you who have written or are writing me. You mean the world to me.

Mahal ko kayo,
Sister Cope

Pictures of the week:

1. This is me with Sister Rebelde. She was a traveling sister that I had the privilege to work with a couple times, or maybe just once. In any case, she is amazing and she is going home at the end of this transfer so I got a picture with her at our mission tour conference. She is so in tune with the Spirit and is such an example to me.
2. These are the current traveling sisters (Sister Macaranas and Sister Manlulu) with my companion. Every time they come they bring this energy and love that we need for the work. We joke that they're given super powers when they're asked to be traveling sisters (usually for two transfers). They bring the Spirit everywhere they go and a fresh perspective.
3. This is from zone interviews. Elder Barba (on the far right) was wrapping toilet paper around his head, and I told him "You're wasting the tisyu! You don't understand because you use water!" And his English is only just okay, so Elder Abasanta (on the far left) translated for him. And it was just really hilarious, and so I started laughing, and then Elder Ochavo (middle) was laughing at me laughing and I was laughing at them laughing. And then there's our mission president coming out into the hallway... :)
4. Oh you know... just another gorgeous sunset in the Philippines... No big deal.
5. There's this hill that some of our less actives live on. They might not have electricity, but this is their backyard. Just wow.

P.S. For those who have written me, letters are coming. They're either in the mail taking a really long time or I have yet to write them, but I am writing them. I'm good to my word!!! :D

It's not a mission in the Philppines without kuto...

So kuto means lice in Tagalog. I probably got it from the children that love us, but it's all good. The Relief Society president and the branch president's wife are excellent at picking it out. Haha... In the U.S. it's really gross, I know. Here it's kind of just a part of life... :)


This week has been a little off, but we had an amazing kabahay study. (Sister Matuauto and I, and the other two sisters in our apartment do our companionship study together.) Next week I'll try and include some of the insights we shared, but for me it's a testimony of family scripture study. Our roommates are our family on the mission and it just brought us closer together. As we study together we gain new knowledge from one another about the gospel, we uplift one another, and we become unified. It helps me to see the potential that Heavenly Father sees in all of us to become like Him.


We had an awesome district meeting about temples, and I love picturing the families we're teaching in the temple, sealed together forever. The Temples issue of the Liahona is amazing, and for those of you who are non-members and our curious, it can answer a lot of questions. It really is the ultimate purpose of this life. We can't get back to Heavenly Father without each other and we need temples to do the work for the dead and become forever families. It's amazing that the power to do that exists.


I know that heavenly Father's plan for us is perfect, and through it we can attain hope. I had an experience this week with a family of the branch in the hospital. The chances of the husband after his operation are small, but the wife knows that the Atonement is real, and because of Jesus Christ's sacrifice for all of us and His Resurrection, she'll see her husband again. It's amazing. Our Heavenly Father loves us so much.


Mahal ko kayo,
Sister Cope


P.S. I had some awesome pictures... but my camera just died so next week na lang.

Chapter 4 of PMG

Ibig sabihin (meaning)... Recognizing the Spirit--It's something I'm continually working on, especially since without it, it's impossible to teach.


Sister Matuauto has been a great example to me of just that. The other day we passed this person and his greeting was particularly eager. We said hi back and kept walking. Then Sister Matuauto turned to me and pointed out how he had said hi and that maybe we should turn around to talk to him. I thought, "Why not?" I'm so glad I listened to her and that she listened to the promptings of the Holy Ghost. He turned out to be a member. Him and his wife just had a baby. They were baptized in an area called Bicol and have been living in Antipolo for three years, but haven't made it to church. Now that we know where they live we can help prepare themselves to return. Ah. The miracles of finding less actives is so refreshing and happy.


As I was discussing my effort of recognizing and understanding the Spirit, S. Matuauto recommended teaching a lesson about the Atonement because the Spirit is really strong as we teach about Christ. We went to an appoinment with one of my favorite families in the area and focused on Alma 36, and because of Alma the Younger's faith in the Atonement of Jesus Christ, he was able to change and remain changed. I know the Holy Ghost was there helping me to say the things I said and to testify to the family. As we gave them a commitment to follow, I know because of the Spirit they felt, they said yes and they will do their best to keep it.


I know the enabling power of the Atonement is real. It makes up for what we can't as mortal, imperfect beings. Because of Jesus Christ we can become immortal and perfect--and truly happy.


Mahal ko kayo,
Sister Cope

Joy through the Temple

I spent all my time uploading pictures so I'll be keeping this short today...


Heavenly Father wants us to be happy. That's His purpose. Crazy, right? God cares about us and our desires. He is so aware of our needs, our weaknesses and our strengths. He gave us all these tools to help us find true happiness. We have prophets! We have the scriptures! We have communication with Him! We have our families! We have the other people He has placed in our paths. And we have temples!!! He wants us all to go there and become forever families, and I know it's possible. For everyone. It's not easy, but it's possible. I know temples are the house of the Lord, and I know that the power to seal on earth and in heaven is there and it's real.


Mahal ko kayo,
Sister Cope


Pictures of the Week:
1. The day Sister Daclan transferred :( We've been together for four months now in the same house. We used to jog together in the mornings, and we dreamed about running in the rice fields of Mindoro. But now she's in Mindoro!!! (It's kind of the dream area of our mission.) They've never sent a non-Filipina sister there... yet. But I have hope... if it's God's will :)
2. Sister Rollyna is amazing. She was baptized in May of last year and she works with us every week as we teach investigators or less actives. She has an amazing testimony and is just the best at being a sincere friend to everyone.
3. This is Kirby, Sister Rollyna's son. He's got a special place in my heart and is definitely one of my favorite kids in my area. He was eating pancit and it was all over his face and he didn't care... until I pulled out my camera and then he started to clean himself up. Sobrang adorable siya.
4. The Francisco family is semi-less active, but we brought them to temple tour together and they were early and all dressed up. It was a special experience to go with a whole family and one that really wanted to. It was brother's first time and it was perfect. Sister Matuauto and I both recognized a strong Spirit throughout the tour. (L-R: Me, Vincent, Ralph Lauren, Sister Lilibeth, Brother Ramilo, Sunshine, Xena, and S. Matuauto)
5. There were these beautiful flowers all over the sidewalk that had fallen from the trees so we picked them up and put them to use :)
6. Jaucer, S. Rollyna, and Blanche. It was Blanche's birthday, and Rollyna made her special bicol with real chocolate on top. Sooooobrang masarap. You have no idea.

Turturuan mo kong yan.

That's the Tagalog version of teach me how to dogie... yata. (I think.)


Anyway I have four minutes. I know God is aware of us and places us where we need to be when we need to be.


So we had this area broadcast two weeks ago about reactivation of church members in the Philippines. One thing that stuck out to me that we discussed at our last zone conference is that many of those who will teach the gospel in China (when it is opened up to the Church) will be Filipinos. Part of area goals is to save the rising generation and it is so cool to me that I could be reactivating families that will have children who will serve in China! The Philippines is the cradle of Christianity in Asia, and it will play a crucial part in establishing the Church in China in the future. How beautiful and amazing that I get to be a part of this great work!


Also a talk from general conference that helped me this past week (and an investigator) is "Waiting upon the Lord: Thy will be done." Many of the most faithful saints suffered through great hardships, but we need to have patience, and trust in the will of our Heavenly Father. None of us are perfect, but we have trials to refine us and the Atonement of Jesus Christ to perfect us. I know that's true.


Mahal ko kayo,
Sister Cope


Pictures of the Week:
1. So this is a hideous picture of me. I'm always pawis (sweaty) so my glasses never stay up. It just reminds me how I talked to this one RM who served in Manila, and she said to me, "Get the Salt Lake sister out of your head because you're going to look ugly everyday of your mission." Haha..
2. My zone at zone conference with the president and his wife, the assistants to the president, and the senior medical couple. (I hit my six month mark on this day - January 27th, 2012. Ahhhh!!!! I can't waste a minute. Talaga.)
3. Another lovely sunset view from our bedroom window.
4. My zone. Tomorrow is transfers and the zone will have a new composition. But I am staying in Antipolo!!! This is my fourth transfer!

Short lang.

We had this miracle of a first contact earlier this week when we went to this one area to visit a less active. She has a neighbor who is also a member, but has been on a vacation for a year! It just so happens that he was there preparing his house for the new people who are moving in. I know part of the reason for Heavenly Father giving us this blessing is because of the exact obedience my companion has been encouraging that we've been working on together. We were able to get his new address and hopefully the missionaries in Visayas will be able to help reactivate him. Another less active read the "We are all enlisted" talk by Jeffrey R. Holland within a day after we gave it to him. He came to church and said he's interested in serving a mission. I know his family (who is also less active) will be so blessed if the members can help him get on a mission before he turns 25.
As for investigators, so many of them do not want to act on the faith that they've developed, but there is this one and her testimony is so strong and she's reading and she's started coming to church, and I'm just really happy for her. She needs the blessings of the gospel in her life--she has 5 kids and little money. I know that as she continues to build a spiritual foundation for her family they will be sustained, temporally and spiritually.
And my testimony of fasting has grown. Yesterday I just felt the direction of the Holy Ghost so much more clearly even though I was hungry. I felt that Heavenly Father blessed me to discern needs better and to choose what lessons to share according to that. We also met and talked to several people who could speak English well enough that I taught a little in English and really felt it from the heart. I'm not horrible at Tagalog (and I'm not magaling either), but I only know some of the vocabulary I need to really speak from my soul. If that makes sense. Anyway. Sunday was nice. The power that fasting has to bring us closer to God and the Spirit is real.
Mahal ko kayo.
Sister Cope