Greetings from the other side of the island... and the world!
So this week was a week of adjustment. Obviously, with any new area that is the biggest thing of the first week of a transfers, but particularly when I am in such a different place and there is a different language. But I am happy to report that I love it here and I'm happy to be here. The language is coming a little at a time. Luckily I understand most of what people say (they are really pretty similar languages) and they understand my Ilonggo for the most part. I think it will take some time, which of course I hate, but I know that it will come eventually. It's likely that I will probably stay in this area until I go home so I do have some time to try to and get a hang of the language. I would really appreciate your prayers, particularly for this.
So this week was spent mostly getting acquainted with the area and the people. This area is really struggling so there aren't a lot of quality investigators and there are a lot of problems with records and other things in the branch. But I think that's why I am here. President Tobias knows how much I love working on the CMIS lists and just the lists in general. So I am excited to help this branch get back on it's feet and more prepared for us to bring in converts. As it is right now, the branch can't really sustain any more people. The memberships is HIGH but the attendance is very LOW. But that's what we will work on. We will get LA back to church and hopefully find some Part-member families along the way. Luckily this is a district so it's under the direction of Pres. Tobias. And he is sending the senior couple, the Bevans, to be assigned here now. I LOVE THEM and so I am way excited to work with them. We are going to do good things here, I know it!
We did have 2 baptisms on Saturday. They were the two little girls of a LA woman. Probably not a decision I would have made, but it was already in the works when I got here and they are smart little girls and they LOVE reading the Book of Mormon. Now we just need to get their dad baptized and their mom fully active. That's the most common situation here. It's hard on the kids. That's why we have the commission we have now from the Area Presidency to seek to strengthen the unit before we go out searching for new people. Deepen the pool before you widen it, that is Pres. Tobias' catchphrase. It's a good one.
I love being with Sis. Vaipulu. We get along well. We are best friends and like sisters. We are also really united in our desires here and in our purpose. We are helping each other in really important ways and I am grateful for her. She is awesome. Definitely a tender mercy!
Oh, before I forget, in other news. Sister Jeannette called me last Friday to tell me that the Pastrana family, the family we were working with in Victorias, were getting baptized on Saturday. So yesterday, Sunday, they were confirmed. I had a mild ecstatic fit in our apartment. We weren't sure what was happening with them. We got a letter from their young daughter, but it didn't say if they had been baptized. Well now they have been. So AWESOME!!!! That was my first and still only full family that we taught. They weren't all baptized together, but the parents and one or 2 of the children were (I wasn't totally sure). Such a huge blessing. I didn't get to witness the harvest, but we planted some hearty seeds. I love this work.
Okay, well that's all I have time for this week. I hope everyone back in the states, or wherever you are in the world right now is doing great. I am. I started my 3rd to last transfer last week. This last 4 months i going to be the best and I am so excited for everything... just not excited about coming home... But that is something I will think about when it's here. For now--- ONWARD!!!! Love you all!!!
Sister Jackson
So this week was a week of adjustment. Obviously, with any new area that is the biggest thing of the first week of a transfers, but particularly when I am in such a different place and there is a different language. But I am happy to report that I love it here and I'm happy to be here. The language is coming a little at a time. Luckily I understand most of what people say (they are really pretty similar languages) and they understand my Ilonggo for the most part. I think it will take some time, which of course I hate, but I know that it will come eventually. It's likely that I will probably stay in this area until I go home so I do have some time to try to and get a hang of the language. I would really appreciate your prayers, particularly for this.
So this week was spent mostly getting acquainted with the area and the people. This area is really struggling so there aren't a lot of quality investigators and there are a lot of problems with records and other things in the branch. But I think that's why I am here. President Tobias knows how much I love working on the CMIS lists and just the lists in general. So I am excited to help this branch get back on it's feet and more prepared for us to bring in converts. As it is right now, the branch can't really sustain any more people. The memberships is HIGH but the attendance is very LOW. But that's what we will work on. We will get LA back to church and hopefully find some Part-member families along the way. Luckily this is a district so it's under the direction of Pres. Tobias. And he is sending the senior couple, the Bevans, to be assigned here now. I LOVE THEM and so I am way excited to work with them. We are going to do good things here, I know it!
We did have 2 baptisms on Saturday. They were the two little girls of a LA woman. Probably not a decision I would have made, but it was already in the works when I got here and they are smart little girls and they LOVE reading the Book of Mormon. Now we just need to get their dad baptized and their mom fully active. That's the most common situation here. It's hard on the kids. That's why we have the commission we have now from the Area Presidency to seek to strengthen the unit before we go out searching for new people. Deepen the pool before you widen it, that is Pres. Tobias' catchphrase. It's a good one.
I love being with Sis. Vaipulu. We get along well. We are best friends and like sisters. We are also really united in our desires here and in our purpose. We are helping each other in really important ways and I am grateful for her. She is awesome. Definitely a tender mercy!
Oh, before I forget, in other news. Sister Jeannette called me last Friday to tell me that the Pastrana family, the family we were working with in Victorias, were getting baptized on Saturday. So yesterday, Sunday, they were confirmed. I had a mild ecstatic fit in our apartment. We weren't sure what was happening with them. We got a letter from their young daughter, but it didn't say if they had been baptized. Well now they have been. So AWESOME!!!! That was my first and still only full family that we taught. They weren't all baptized together, but the parents and one or 2 of the children were (I wasn't totally sure). Such a huge blessing. I didn't get to witness the harvest, but we planted some hearty seeds. I love this work.
Okay, well that's all I have time for this week. I hope everyone back in the states, or wherever you are in the world right now is doing great. I am. I started my 3rd to last transfer last week. This last 4 months i going to be the best and I am so excited for everything... just not excited about coming home... But that is something I will think about when it's here. For now--- ONWARD!!!! Love you all!!!
Sister Jackson
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