mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord...

From 11/05/12

I just received an e-mail from one of my good friends and Relief Society president of Pateros! She let me know that one of the daughters of a previously less active family (but now active na active!) is processing her papers. Her boyfriend was baptized a couple weeks after I left the area!!!! ahh! It's so amazing and happy and I am just excited!

We just returned from a zone activity to Daranack Falls. It was beautiful still, but off season so there wasn't as many people and the senior couples cooked for us! I also received mail that one of my friends is having a baby and another got her mission call to D.C. North. For friends who aren't from Maryland, that's the mission my home ward is in! Heavenly Father keeps moving his work forward each family and each missionary at a time! No unhallowed hand can stop the work, di ba?!

Our mission president encouraged us to go finding in the cemetery on All Saint's Day. One of the grandchildren of our less active passed away two weeks ago at just three months old and we visited the grave site  where we were able to introduce the plan of salvation to the mom and make plans to share more.

We also had a new Elder's Quorum President called!! We've been without one for about two months. It's interesting because I was just reading President Monson's talk about 'Seeing People As They Can Become' or something like that and the new EQP is still working on coming back to church and bam! Now he has a calling and it's amazing how Heavenly Father works to help us reach our potential.

He loves us so much and is listening to each prayer, and answers when we pray sincerely and with faith. We just need to open our mouth and have a heart-to-heart with Him. It's amazing the answers we receive.

Mahal ko kayo,

Sister Cope

Pictures of the week:

1. First Family Home Evening of the week with the Bolire Family!! Good night with good news! They started doing family prayer! Tatay was so proud to tell me. He was like, "Sister, you haven't asked yet if we had family prayer." I was beaming at them :D

2. At home making yema. There was some complications and it ended up looking like 'tae'... I'll let you figure out what that means in Tagalog :)

3. Halloween... Us Americanas had to stop by the nearest Save More and buy some candy for ourselves.

4. At the cemetery with the Castillo family. I asked permission first if it was respectful to take pictures. She asked for copies and the kids went around taking some pictures of their own, too.

5 - The second family home evening of the week with San Juan!!! Love them.

6 - Kabahay shot at Daranack <3

7. Sister Miller prepared barbeque chicken sandwiches and brought us chips and salsa!!! it's been too long. yummm.

8. The falls

9. 340 steps (round 2). I walked them back in March. Never thought I'd do it again!! Hala!! And this time I did it barefoot.

Happy Halloween!!

From 10/29/12

Except there is no Halloween here. There is something on November 1st, though, where everyone goes to the cemeteries and they have picnics at the grave sites of their loved ones. It's called All Saint's/Soul's Day.

Earlier this week, one of our members needed a blessing. Her husband is less active, and so Elder Jensen ended up giving the blessing with two other elders close to our area. On Sunday we talked to the wife, and her husband said, "I'm coming back to church. I should've been the one to give that blessing." Not to mention, she was feeling a lot better. It's powerful motivation to stay worthy of the priesthood authority. It's God's restored power here on the earth to act in Christ's name! 

1 Nephi 1: 20 And when the Jews heard these things they were angry with him; yea, even as with the prophets of old, whom they had ^acastout, and stoned, and slain; and they also ^bsought his life, that they might take it away. But behold, I, Nephi, will show unto you that the tender ^cmercies of the Lord are over all those whom he hath chosen, because of their faith, to make them mighty even unto the power of ^ddeliverance.

I just wanted to include this scripture because Heavenly Father always blesses me with tender mercies when I need it most. Even when Satan is doing everything to combine against us and bring us down, Christ's Atonement is there to lift us up and Heavenly Father is there to shower us with blessing. It is a great testimony to me of Their love for each of us.  

Mahal ko kayo,

Sister Cope

I'm a Mormon. I know it. I live it. I love it

Not my favorite talk, but I like the phrase. There was a lot about service, di ba? That is one thing I learned coming into the field, how much we can do when we are not full-time missionaries. But there's different things that missionaries can do. But really there's so much more observing and serving we can do, and that we're expected to do, and that we covenanted to do. If we would just look at the people around us and love them, it would make a world of difference.

We talked about Elder Bednar's talk with one of our members that's returning back to church... testimony versus conversion. It's not just about what we know, it's how we came to know it and how we feel about what we know. It has to be way down deep in our heart. Taos-puso sa Tagalog. And then Elder Quentin L. Cook's talk centered around Alma 5: 26   And now behold, I say unto you, my brethren, if ye have experienced a change of heart, and if ye have felt to sing the song of redeeming love, I would ask, can ye feel so now?

We have to keep our conversions current.

So yep.. pretty much just soap boxing it up today because conference was the highlight of the week, and having more of our "less actives" and investigators come to the Saturday session than "active" members. Having living prophets, seers, and revelators are the best, and teaching people who understand that and want to see and know for themselves if it's true or not is amazing.

Also, my new companion is Sister Roper!! We're both short Americans so everybody thinks we're related. It's really fun. Sister Roper introduces us as kambal (twins) to all the people she's meeting. We've been kabahay before and we've been assigned in each other's areas and everyone gets us mixed up.

Mahal ko kayo,

Sister Cope

So my mind is not very focused to write an e-mail right now. We received permission to stay longer at the internet shop and watch this: http://www.mormonnewsroom.org/article/church-lowers-age-requirement-for-missionary-service

I'm so excited for all the sisters that will be going now because the age to go on a mission is earlier. But like they emphasize it is definitely a decision to be made with Heavenly Father. It's great practice for the mission and the rest of our lives in seeking Heavenly Father's will. Ah!!! Missionary work is moving forward exponentially... It's so amazing. And the emphasis on personal preparation... The Book of Mormon and Preach My Gospel.

Sister Curtis and I had a good last week together. (She'll be transferring tomorrow...) 

First of all, last Tuesday. Powerful lesson with Brother Randy and Sister Jhoana. Sister is active and Brother has not gone to church for about 8 years, I think. The senior couple was with us (Elder and Sister Jensen). He has to work to provide for his family, and it's a real concern as Elder Jensen related to him so well, but with faith he will have enough to support his family if he doesn't work on Sunday. God's promises are soooo real. He even says to try him and see if He won't fulfill them in the scriptures. Of course, He will. God doesn't lie.

Wednesday, last week, we went through the temple with Tatay Anselmo (and another sister in the branch). He's 80 years old and he works with the missionaries everyday!! He was baptized last year and he just wants to share the gospel with everyone.

Then this Monday we had a sweet Family Home Evening with the DeVillina Family (one of our less actives families) and Dexter and Vanessa (investigators). There's no electricity where they live, but it was one of the happiest FHEs. Simple lesson, fun games, and Sister Vanessa made sopas for everyone. We brought fudgee bars and zesto (things they need to import to the United states because they're the best).

And because I'm in the Philippines we don't get to see general conference until the week after, so we've been teaching everyone about the living prophet and they have an opportunity to find out for themselves if he's really called of God. Sobang excited ako!!

Yan lang for now. I need to write my mission president.

Mahal ko kayo,

Sister Cope

From October 1st

This week we had some really great experiences. We had an awesome planning session right after zone conference, which led to a powerful lesson. The Spirit definitely guided us, and we found concerns. The wife is active, but the husband is less active because of work and supporting his family. I felt prompted to share Alma 32:27 because he was saying he doesn't know how to start going in the right direction, but he definitely felt something missing... We paused and let him think about the scripture. I could see it as he re-read it, the Spirit spoke to him. He commented how clear it was that he needs to act on his good desires and faith. 

We also had a baptism. One of the older priesthood holders in our branch was performing the baptism, and it took three times for different reasons. I explained to Ellen, the baptizee, that ordinances have to be done perfectly, and the opportunity to re-teach that came on Sunday during sacrament. The sacrament prayer was repeated three times, and Ellen went through why her baptism wasn't right the first two times, and she just seemed a lot more comfortable with the idea. For my non-member friends and family. Ordiances are sacred ceremonies that signify entering into a covenant with God. Our prayers aren't memorized unless doing a prayer for sacrament (blessing of bread and water, baptism, confirmation, etc.)

Then we gave Sister Laarni a baptismal date. The Spirit was so strong and she said yes right away. She is understanding her assignments, and we want so bad for her husband to be there when he's home for two weeks in November. He works abroad in China, and is an active member there. We told her it really depends on her and if she's ready by then, and if she's received a testimony in her heart from Heavenly Father. And her sister in-law is an awesome fellowshipper. So happy.We don't force people to be baptized. In fact, it's horrible when people say they believe what we're saying and they haven't prayed about it. I know this is true, but I know that everyone has to know for themselves that it's true, not from other people. That goes for every principle and doctrine of the gospel. James 1:5, siyempre!

Mahal ko kayo,
Sister Cope

Temple Again !!!!

Good groove this week, and Saturday we got to go to temple tour!!! The investigator we brought was so excited and brought her cousin and her daughter's nanny, too. And we took lots of pictures, but I forgot the cord to my camera today... And we watched this one video about temples that tells of the sacrifice of this one family to get sealed and it's in Tagalog, and it's just so powerful. Here it is in English: http://mormonchannel.org/mormonmessages?v=1383557640001.

We also had the privilege to attend a baptism. So there are four sisters in this branch; Sister Curtis and I cover half the area, and Sister Biggs and Sister Suarez cover the other half. It's big. So anyway they had a father and daughter baptized in their area, and I just never realized how special baptisms are before. But someone is making promises with God and we get to witness it. It's amazing. And the father bore a really powerful and sincere testimony after, and the daughter's was simple and sweet.

I want to share everything, but some things just can't be said over the internet, and I need to e-mail my mission president, but soap box of the week (ha): If there is ever a baptism in your ward or branch (or if you're a non-member and you have a friend invite you :), go to it. They need that support, and it's not just special for them, but it will be special for you, too, if you listen and observe the Spirit.
Also I heard from one of my close friends today, who is serving in Taiwan, and I just love what she said, and want to share it: "Our Savior truly loves us. If we believe that, or even just desire to believe that is true, it can change everything about the way we live our lives." It's true. I've seen the love of God and His Son work miracles in peoples lives, and in mine.

Mahal ko kayo,
Sister Cope

The Joy of the Temple

Where do I start? I had the privilege of going to the temple this week with one of the sisters I knew from my first area in Antipolo. She was baptized in May 2011 so when I arrived in the mission she was a recent convert that we taught once in a while, but worked with about every other day. She is amazing, and I love her, and on Saturday, September 15 she went through the temple. We took a jeepney from Morong to Antipolo and I got to see a couple of the branch members and we carpooled to the temple. It was so happy, and this is what the mission is all about. It's not about baptisms and numbers, it's about helping people become truly converted, enter the temple, and stay active in the Church and in the gospel for the rest of their lives (hanggang wakas)! I love that it's the focus of our mission right now. Our mission president really is seeking the guidance of Heavenly Father to guide the work here in Quezon City.

One another thing I want to mention is that we had this one lesson where I felt just so strongly about what we needed to share. It was a less active family that I was meeting for the first time, and Sister Curtis wasn't sure how to help them because they're not progressing. I really felt like Heavenly Father had opened the windows of heaven and gave me a portion of His love for them. They're still not progressing, but there is hope.

Nothing else really because the temple experience with Sister Rollyna kind of trumps everything. But I've been trying to open my mouth more and get over my fear of talking to random people. I've prayed and asked Heavenly Father to help people approach us because I can't always recognize who exactly to contact. After church on Sunday, we were on a jeepney, and this guy asked us about who we were and then we were talking to three people at once so it was way cool. We didn't have time to give them pamphlets, but we invited them to attend church in their different areas. Also, on our way back from Antipolo to Morong, we could not get a jeepney. They were packed with people going home for the weekend. This one guy helped us for almost an hour, and we found out he'd been taught before and referred him to the missionaries who cover his area. People are prepared we just have to be ready to share the gospel, and we need to already be sharing it through our example.

Happy Monday and Mahal ko kayo!

Sister Cope

Pictures!!! (I have a camera now!!! courtesy of my lovely mga magulang/parents :)

1. Eating no-bake-cookies with our district at our meeting this morning.

2. At the temple with the sisters and members of San Isidro 2 Branch!!!! Sister Rollyna is the one in the middle. We were all there for her.

3. Sister Rollyna and I. I haven't seen her in 7 months. It was amazing to have the privilege of attending her temple service.

4. Me, Eliza Del Val (the branch president's wife), Sister Balao (gospel principles teacher), Sister Rollyna, Sister Madelo (who was a branch missionary when I was there), and Sister Glaffy (the Relief Society president). I love these people so much, and I feel so blessed that I got to see them again. There is always hope of getting transferred back to a previous area, though...

5. The rice fields of Morong. 

6. Dexter, Vanessa, and Yanni. One of our investigator families.

7. Waiting in the rain for two hours for a jeepney from Antipolo to Morong before calling the Jensen couple to give us a ride, after going to the temple.

8. Goats! They ran away when Sister Curtis was taking her picture with them, and said "Picture tayo!" Haha...