Lovin' life in the philippines

Hey guys, so the funniest thing just happened. 

I'm sitting in this computer shop when two young boys are behind me speaking in ilacano... and they're talking about me. haha but they don't think I can understand... I let them talk for a little and then I just turn around and say in ilacano, "yes I know my nose is big and i'm white." I wish you could have seen the look on their faces hahah then I just laughed and took it as a missionary opportunity. so they will be having some missionaries visit their home (: I love knowing other languages. 

I hope all you had a good week, mine was amazing. It started off with skyping my dearest family. You're amazing, I love you. After that I was so motivated to be the best missionary in the world. We went straight to work, me and sister Rodelas worked hard and it definitely payed off. We found two new amazing FAMILIES, had 5 investigators at church and 7 of the Less actives. yes I am in Laoag. 'the hardest part of the mission' and you know what... it's pretty awesome. 

Miracles are possible if you're exactly obedient and trust in the Lord. "Anything is possible if you just believe" cliche but it's true. 

Being on a mission has taught be so many things, but I think the most important is that I've realized how real the effects of the adversary are. I have been set apart from the world, so I see the adversary work and just how strong he is. He affects every single one of us and it is critical that we protect ourselves. We are fighting a war and we need the armor of God that is described in Ephesians 6. "We  have the  responsiblity to stand strong with a shield of faith against the fiery darts of the adversary. We are role models to the world, protecting God-given, inalienable rights and freedoms. We stand in defense of our homes and our families... How will you resist [Santan's] aggressive tactics? Put on the whole armor of God." Robert D. Hales 

Here is my  selfie with caribou!

 

Love you All!

 

Sister Abelhouzen

LOVE THIS WORK

So this week was pretty great! On tuesday I had exchanges and got to stay in the Sister Training Leaders apartment, which means HOT SHOWER! Yeah it was a great nights sleep. Their beds are twice the size of ours and they have a real mattress. Man it was so great! I felt so clean! My new companion became Sister Bobier. She's incredible. I was truly inspired by her story. She is the only member in her family and her parents don't support her serving. She came because she knows it's true. It made me realize how lucky I am to have your support!

Besides that it was basically a really great week of working hard, sweating lots, and eating rice.  It's amazing the things I am learning here. I have never grown so much. 

Baptisms-so wonderful!. First is John Rey. He's a 16 year old boy that basically found the missionaries and asked them to teach him. I had the privilege of helping him come to know the truth, work through word of wisdom problems and he is  baptized and it was on my Birthday! Before preparing him for his interview, He asked us if he could share his testimony to us. He looked at us with tears in his eyes and said he finally felt like he was where he belongs. He said that when he first started taking lessons from the missionaries he wanted to stop, but then he had a dream. In the dream Jesus Christ was reaching out to him and told him to find the missionaries and join his church and then he would inherit the Kingdom of God. He bore a powerful testimony and told us he knows without a doubt that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the Lord's Kingdom on the earth. 

That's why I came on a mission, to help people know the truth and finally end up where they belong, next to our savior Jesus Christ! 

We had a lot of fun this week! 

1. I realized I'm addicted to rice. I went one day with out it and was craving it so bad! 

2. We went through the drive through in a tricee. so if you remember, I told you that tricee's are these motorcycles with side cars attached. so it was a pretty interesting experience. haha but hey I love McDo so it was worth it!

3. John Rey's Baptism He was so so happy. After his confirmation on Sunday he just came up to me, shaked my hand and said, I'm a member! he was so excited, ah it made me so happy

4.My Birthday!! I'm 20 now. that's weird. Everyone made it so amazing! My investigators , Members, Less actives, all text me and president brought me a cake! It was a good day  

5. Mother's day! It was great having mothers day here, I reached out to the mother's day figures that I have in my life. How lucky we are to be members of this church that teaches us how to respect and honor our mothers. Mom, thank you for everything, you are incredible, strong, smart, beautiful, and an amazing example for me! I love you! So glad I was able to skype you, best B-day Present!

Something I learned this week is from one of my favorite scriptures, "Just be wise, What can I say more?" Jacob 6:12 So true. We know what's right, we know what's wrong. Just be wise. Follow the commandments and the example of the savior and you'll be happy. How hard is that? God has given us everything we need to succeed. Just follow him.

I love you all! Have an amazing week! Church is True! 

Sister Abelhouzen

There's a beach... in Laoag??

Hey family! soo some exciting news my companion is awesome, the area is huge, and we are busy!!! I"m loving the mission right now and I think this might be one of my favorite transfers of my mission! 

Monday before Sister Quimpo and sister Jornacion left we went to the beach!!! yes the beach! In Laoag city! and It's in our area! It was so fun with the members and so so beautiful! I'll attach a picture! 

Me and my companion are doing really well, we have been trying to work our hardest and be exactly obedient and the spirit has been really strong in our lessons. There have been so many times this week when people have told us they know what we are sharing is true, because what they feel in their hearts and the hair on their arms is standing up.  amazing! I love being a missionary! 

On tuesday- thursday we had two sisters come and stay in our apartment. They were waiting for their apartment to be done. one of the sister's first area is our area now so president said she could go on exchanges to visit some of the people. It was really fun to see how happy the people were to see her! It just made me think of when I go back to Vigan. I just heard my favorite family (Amecay) was just baptized and are so happy! They still write me all the time! I can't wait to see them again! 

This week 2 of our members were in the hospital and we went to go sing for them. It was a really humbling experience. So many people are sick here and they don't get the care they need. They get a huge room with no air conditioning and no fans (unless you can pay for one) and stick 20 sick people there. We went and sang for all those people and they told us our voices sounded like angels. well that was definitely the spirit haha. but it was a really good experience and I'm glad I got to help them feel better spiritually, and hopefully someday physically too! 

I really enjoy being a missionary, but sometimes it's hard because you feel a lot of pressure to be amazing. I have been really shown all of my weaknesses. At first it was overwhelming, I wanted to be the best so bad. Then I realized, like it says in the scriptures, that God gives us weaknesses so that we rely on him. That is the reason I we continually fast, pray, and study. So that we may have the Lord on our side. We need him. All we do is the best we can and then he'll make up the rest! I know that weaknesses are just a technicality if we turn everything to Heavenly Father! 

Love you all, 

Sister Abelhouzen