Week 38 Making Lemonade

Week 38

This was sick week...AGAIN! It's literally the worst being sick on the mission. But on the bright side- I have done tons of studying in the last week! My companion has a weird fever that won't go away and I have heat exhaustion (so they say) but we are trying to do our best and get out working. We have some good appointments lined up later and are just praying they happen! 

Last week I had a lot of time for journal writing/soul searching/pondering. All of it! It was really good to have time to process all of the things I'm learning. It was especially good to take some really decent time to pray and think of how I can help my area. I'll probably only have a few weeks left and I want to leave a really awesome area for the next sisters. As I was writing in my journal, I was thinking about how I want to apply my study habits in my education and in gospel study after the mission. My companion's job before the mission was an advisor for BYU and she taught me some really good study tips. So that is what I am working on this week! Forming better study habits that I can apply in all aspects of my learning. 

I loved having lots of time to study the scriptures this last week. I studied Doctrine and Covenants mostly. I'm learning a lot about who Christ is and how He, Heavenly Father, and the Holy Ghost all work together to help us be happy in this life and the next one. This last week has been a little tough- i miss my investigators. But I'm trying to keep a good attitude and have plenty of patience!

Have a good week!

Love

Sister Gaspar de Alba

 these are ANTS! all over our wall. welcome to my filipino life! 

 the mission life! 

 making lemonade out of sick days! 

         

Week 37 - marriage con with the Petersons

Week 37

This week was really awesome with my new companion! She is so great. As far as the work goes...it was a little rough. But we are excited for this upcoming week and have definitely set some really good goals. Shout out to my bro for graduating and having the opportunity to go to the temple. I am so proud(: 

Last week we had a really neat opportunity as we were teaching a less active sister. Her brother has moved in with her and he is about our age. She invited him to our lesson and we had the most amazing experience with them both. We really felt the presence of the Holy Ghost as we taught him about the restored gospel. He is SUPER shy and literally will not look at us in the eyes. But towards the end of the lesson, we could feel his sincerity in the questions he asked and the things he said. Then I turned to this sister and invited her to teach her brother what The Book of Mormon is and how important it is to her. She bore powerful testimony as she invited him to read it. After the lesson Sister Ramsey and i had an epiphany. THIS is what the prophet means as he has repeatedly invited us (members of the church) to come together with the missionaries. He has invited us to reach out to those we care about and share with them what is most precious to us- the knowledge of the restored gospel. I think this is what The Lord means when he talks about hastening his work. She was a great example to us both. I really could feel The Spirit as she testified of the book of mormon. That's how we can know if this really is Christ's church, and if there really is a Heavenly Father out there who loves us and has a plan for us. We HAVE to read the book, live it, and pray to ask if it is true.

I was so grateful for the opportunity we had to have our last zone con with president peterson! Definitely bittersweet. I love that man. He of course picked on me when he asked a tough question, made me sit inthe first row, and all the other very president peterson like things he does. They taught about the doctrine of the family as found in the proclamation. (that's why i called it marriage con instead of zone con) I loved hearing their testimonies and felt such gratitude for their service. They have really pushed me to become better. It was super funny to see all the huge rugby playing elders from new zeland and tonga cry and cry as they hugged president. But of course when I got up to hug them i did the exact same thing! He is just such a big part of who i am and for that I will always be thankful. 

Happy Father's day to all of you and especially to mine! From whom inherited lots of things i'm very proud of. (: Love you dad!

Love

Sister Gaspar de Alba

 doing service for our recent convert. she taught me how to hand sew button holes.  

  me and the Peterson's at their last zone con!  

 my sweet new scriptures in custom leather. Don't worry- my mission logo is on the back. Classic SIster missionary life.  

Week 36 - Ch...ch…ch…changes

Week 36

Lots of changes this week. first of all my anak (sister pajo) went to a zone that is 6 hours away with ALL elders. Sisters have NEVER been there! Just her and her companion who is basically the best sister in the mission. I am so proud! Anyway my new companion is Sister Ramsey from Wyoming. She is like incredibly smart and has wonderful ideas. She is opening up my brain again. I am still in Calauan! Going on 6 months. This coming week we have our last zone con with president peterson. SO sad! 

This week was just pretty crazy with my companion running around saying goodbyes to recent converts and my new companion meeting everyone. That's basically what took up most of our time. But we had great meetings with the ward council members on saturday to get ready for ward council meeting. The ward mission plan is in the works! We are super excited. 

That's basically all the news for the week! I am feeling like this transfer I will learn some patience. My companion is so smart and such a wonderful teacher. When it's time to speak tagalog, she struggles a little bit. So we are getting used to simplifying our teaching to her needs. It's so different being with an american companion! People stare at me even more now. I keep thinking they will get used to me but they don't. 

Shoutout to my favorite gruaduatee- my little bro. Congrats! (: 

Have a good week all!

Love Sister Gaspar de Alba

 i love her! and miss her already. 

 sister tua'one. my STL twice. she's awesome 

 my district leader. if you were wondering if he is a new zeland version of my brother the answer is YES.  

 me and my new comp! sister ramsey. she is a graduated history major from wyoming. who is also a DRUMMER! that just says it all. we get along super well! 

Week 35 - "The Notebook" and the mangeach or peachango

Week 35

Tons of highlights this week. First: Brother J got baptized! YES. We were so excited for him and his family. It has been such a neat experience to be part of his conversion process. He referred his parents to us last week and we are now teaching them. Also a super golden family we have been teaching for about a week accepted baptism with tear-filled eyes a few days ago. Literally they have been waiting for this for so long. Me and my comp decided to go hard for our last week and finally hit 50+ OYM's and 30+ lessons. That was awesome. Numbers aren't really important but goals are. And the goals we set last week really pushed us! Last highlight of the week: Elder Christensen from the presidency of the seventy came to speak to us on tuesday. 

Okay so I bought this super cool notebook made in India about a month ago and have been saving it. (Because I still have an obsession with school supplies) Anyway this week I finally found a good enough reason to start using it. Okay so first- Elder Christensen came and gave an amazing workshop on prayer. He basically went through with us the process of receiving personal revelation. He used the examples of Enos and Joseph Smith to explain that receiving revelation takes A LOT of work on our part. And a lot of focus. So he went through with us how we can be more active in our search for personal revelation. So that's what my notebook is. It's my book of revelations. (lame missionary pun) But really this week I have seen such a difference in the effectiveness of my personal study. I have been so much more focused, and I feel like Heavenly Father has really been answering my questions. Anyway the conference was amazing! I feel like I am just barely learning how to pray. And of course it was super fun to see all my missionary friend in far away places!

I have been reading this book that President let me borrow called "Act In Doctrine" by Elder Bednar. It literally is a compilation of everything I feel like I have learned on my mission. It is like the theme of my mission. Reading it has been so great. Everyone- read this book! It really outlines how we put our beliefs into action. 

Have a great week all! We are coming to the end of our transfer and it's pretty much a sure thing that me or my anak will be out. I'm super sad! But ready for the next step. I love her and am so grateful for all that she has taught me. 

Love

Sister Gaspar de Alba

fried fish and rice with banana catsup. just wanted to show everyone my weirdest favorite meal here! i literally buy this fish on the street. its so good

yesterday's dinner. it's a root- called gabi in tagalog. not sure in english. anyway dipping it in brown sugar and fresh graded coconut it super good! 

MY BATCH(: we were finally all together again! so cool to get to see all of them at halfway. we are still just as close as in the mtc. 

rain rain and more rain! (:

one of my favorite sisters in our ward here! shes awesome. she made me stand like that because she said my tallness was covering up the red flower. anyway she is AWESOME! her husband passed away bout 10 years ago and 1 year after that she served a full time mission just like what i do every day (walking and sweating) at 50+. shes super awesome

there was this like crazy rainbow thing in the clouds on friday night. so awesome

brother jay got baptized! 

okay is this hilarious or what? the guy next to me is our bishop! Hes super funny, he reminds me a lot of my dad, actually. And to the left is our WML. hes pretty cool

i found a new type of mango i like. called apple mango. but it tastes like peach mango together. it is SO good. literally like a peach mango mix. even the texture is a little more like peaches.

this is me pigging out.