You are all chosen.

May 17th

So i was debating long and hard whether or not to share this with everyone...but here it is.... But first off, as you read this, just know i'm safe now and everythings good meow..:

So Friday night, we got done with allllll of our appointments really early....like normally we get 5 in one day and we end at 8:30 but somehow we reached everyone (8 lessons) by 6pm...in our very last lesson, my roommates called and thought we were playing a joke on them and asked to let them in...they said the pad lock (which can only be closed from the inside) was locked...we laughed and said we were still in a lesson..that's when it got scary...they went around to our back door and both were wide open (one is one that leads in to the wash room [kind of like a garage] then one more into the house..)...THEY WERE BOTH OPEN! so they were obviously way to scared to go inside...we were about a 6 min walk away so we ran home....when we got there, we tried opening the door and the pad lock was still locked....we ran to the back to just use the open back doors...but when we got there *intense music* THEY WERE CLOSED AND LOCKED!!!!!!! Sister Laiti also made eye contact with someone INSIDE OUR HOUSE!!!!!!!!!!!!! Branch 2's mission leader was over and got the door open by unlocking the pad lock through a window and a stick...when we got in our house was very dirty. The mop and broom that are normally outside were in...there was water on the floor, food EVERYWHERE, and dirt everywhere too. we thought we were just going crazy because we looked in the bed rooms and no one was there...by then my District leaders were there...thats when we noticed the shower room's door was closed....i heard noise and me and the district leader found the keys and opened up the bathroom...we looked crazy...we all had knives and forks hahaha...DUN DUN DUNNNNN when we opened it.............NO ONE WAS THERE!!! Now this room is all cement and has no windows....that's when we made the conclusion that it was probably a ghost... then we turned around and found theeesssee on our DINNER TABLE...(see image below) so we decided someone was in our house but left. So me and my comp go to our room to change out of our dresses...that's when we heard it.........A noise coming from the roof... I ran out side thinking they were on the roof....i was expecting the aliens from signs..pero there was no one...we kept hearing steps on the roof. that's when it clicked...the elders went into the shower room and looked up...there was a little space that could be moved to get to the attic of the house!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The elders climbed up and locked the shower room so they couldn't leave.....

ok back story:

There are some kids (ages 9-13) that come and sell these yummy pastries everyday and we always get at least two because they are street boys. It's really sad...the day before this i gave them some rolls, a mango, and some water. then friday i only a few were selling and i gave them more water...they are really sweet and always really grateful!

end to back story..

Elder Villiarize climbed up to the attic and we started hearing him scolding in Tagalog. that's when we got word that it was no big scary burglar but 3 young boys...they handed the bag of things they stole and Elder Taula handed it out to us.....they were doing this as we made sure nothing was stolen or broken...the 1000 pesos on my desk was still there..my companions camera was still there....everything was there except our food...When we looked in the bag, the only thing in it was some wax candles, food, and 20 pesos (probably 5cents in america). It was the saddest bag i've ever seen. That's when the big decision came. We got a small duffle bag and put everything that was in the plastic baggy in to it. then we emptied out our fridge and 72 hr kits into it too. Finally, after hearing alot of scolding, we heard them climbing down. The other 2 sisters were to scared to go talk to them so Everyone voted me to go in to the bathroom to talk to them. By this point the whole barangay (community) was outside our house! the poor kids were scared to death. The Barangay Captain (who has about as much authority as a mall cop) came over and asked what we wanted to do to the boys...we discussed it as a group and decided we just wanted them to go home. The captain said that was fine and left. After being in the shower room for a good 10 minutes with the sobbing boys, Elder Villiarize and I got them out to the kitchen. They were so sorry for what they did...they were just hungry...1 of the boys was 10 and the other 2 were 12. They don't have parents and just wanted some food. Everyone out side was being so obnoxious. after "clearing them out'' (they all only went like 2 houses down) we made a game plan to get them home. Everyone outside wanted punishment. Some people literally had rocks and sticks. We just wanted them to get home safe. Thats when we all found some big shirts to put on their heads + faces and we 4 sisters walked these sobbing, trembling boys out... we remembered a little ally way that everyone else seemed to have forgotten. I had the tallest one who was 12 under my arm, Sister Peavler was in front leading us, Sister Laiti had the 2 smaller ones, and Sister Canencia was in the back...the elders were too scared to come out with us..haha ... we got them to the bukid (field) and we handed them their bag and they took off...we didn't notice the big guys following us and they tried pushing past us then took off after the kids...

phew...so that part was over...so we didn't have any food left in our house and we were all starving so we decided to go to 7-11 with the elders. we walked. when we were almost there we heard "THANK YOUU!! SALAMAT!! THANK YOU" til this point we were pretty quiet; we were really scared and worried what those big guys did to the poor kids...but when we looked over, it was the 3 little boys...I know it wasn't by coincidence we saw them!  I also know that 2 whole barangays were outside our house while walking the kids to the field and none of us got hurt; us 4 sisters were not alone walking these kids there...and i know when they took off, they didn't go alone.   

Then we had to go to  Panique Sister's house for the night...we didn't even get there til about 10:40....and I didn't exactly sleep. the next morning we got up bright and early and went home....just side note, i haven't showered since friday morning and it was now saterday...i was not feeling pretty... When we got home, our hearts sunk..the house was a DISASTER! Brother Bong from Branch two came over and by 7;15 the Elders were over too. We cleaned that house top to bottom...it took 9 of us to clean until noon. then we started on the washing of bedsheets that had little boy foot prints and crackers all over them until 2pm....by this time i felt like a monster but had no clean towel to shower. So i didn't get to shower until later that day. We got tons of new locks on the house. And we still have bars around the front porch and all the windows. 

This week has been amazing though in addition to that.  Monday i got to skype and had a great FHE. Tuesday we had a lot of great lessons.  Wednesday was pretty relaxed. Thursday we got a great new Part Member Investigator named Ramzel (roll the r ;) ). and friday and saterday are up there...then sunday we worked with members and finished lessons for Monica and Angely who are getting baptized this Saterday! woo...anyway...that's about all here...sorry it's so long! And Wag ka magalala. I'm safe here! mahal ko kayo!

 

Happy Mothers Day!-

 May 10

Happy Mothers Day to all the mamas out there!! 

I got to skype earlier! it was great! i had the opportunity to see all my family! Me and Sister Ahern even skyped....sort of...Heatherly held the laptop up to the computer so we could see each other...it was pretty magical i'd say....

This week was pretty fun! One family we visit, the Salviejo Family (sweetest family EVER), knows i love green mangos and other fruits, so when i got to their house  they had a cut up mango for me, and a guavano (idk the spelling) and a jack fruit! they are really the most giving family; even though they don't have a full fridge, they are so willing to share!

I mostly said everything to my family so sorry this isn't very long. 

ooooo big news this week! Sister Ruby, who has been taught since before i got to this area, has a wedding date! Which means she can get baptized too! Her wedding is on June 18th then her baptism is on the 28th! i'm so excited for her!! Anyway, I am very thankful for the power of faith. without it, none of these miracles would be happening. 

I discovered something i kind of already knew but hit me this week when i said it out loud. I said "grace of God" when talking about overcoming trials and someone asked if it was the same as "awa ng Dios" (mercy of God) and I almost said yes...but it made me think..Is the mercy of God the same as Grace? I came to the conclusion that it's not. When we have trials, If we are giving mercy, God might lift the burdens from us...when we have trials and are given grace, God would give us strength to hold the burden and to eventually grow. I do believe we need both but we should be praying for the Grace of God rather than the mercy of God (just having him take away the trials). 

Anyway...that was just a little insight on my studies this week! :)

Love all of you...Happy mothers day! mahal kita!!! 

"insert clever quote"

May 3^rd

 

 

So lots happened this week! but i don't have lots of time to write about it...so here are a couple cool things that have happened!

this last 2 weeks we've had 2 Less active returns! and 1more next week!!! and not only are they returning, they have been giving referalls and working with us! they are also in choir (which we have to be in because Bishop asked us) and they are all passing the sacrament again! it's amazing! one of their referalls is one of our new golden investigators! we have 3 new Golden which is amazing because we haven't even had one up until this week! One is a little boy who we just started teaching named Jericho. He's 13 and is a referral from a ward missionary, Mark and a less active (soon to be less active returned), Edwin. He already came to church once! He's really sweet! then there is Daisy. She's 20 and just had a baby about 2 weeks ago. Her husband is a member. she's come to church twice and has been taught before. she really wants to be baptized! then there is Monica. She might not be baptized while I am here,but her desire is amazing! She already loves the gospel! Her mom isn't very approving of it. Right now she is staying at her uncle's house which just so happens to be the Bishop here! We are doing all we can to help her get baptized but still honor her Mother. 

 We also had a less active family change my prospective on charity. They normally don't have food to eat. The Tatay, (he's my favorite Tatay yet!) is really weak even though he's still pretty young. I think he's around 45 or 50. He has realllly bad knees and arthritis and never has enough food to eat; he actually sent all his kids to live with his brother in manila so they will be able to eat and stuff...well tuesday i had exchanges and when i get there the first thing he does is hand me 2 green mangoes (my favorite!) and 2 to the Sister i was with..then he handed us a whole bag of mangoes (they have a mango tree) then gave us each a few chocolates from the Middle East! If that wasn't already heaps beyond what i could ever ask for, Me and Sister Laiti went back yesterday and he had mangoes, chocolate, and mineral water waiting for us! He always is sooo giving. The Mama is too. She always offers us food or runs and gets the electric fan....It's incredible! They are such a sweet family! They feel like family here! 

We are finding miracles here everywhere we look now. I am finding that they don't come merely from believing, or praying for miracles, or just waiting for miracles, but it comes from my obedience and hard work and having &acting on faith!! It comes from me actually opening my mouth and sharing the gospel with everyone. Then asking for referrals and doing everything in my power to help these people! I really love being here as a missionary! It's blessing my life so much! and I can't wait to see all these people grow even more and become what God intends them to be!  

I miss and love all of you! 

-sister norman

This is a picture of Mary Joy.. a less active little girl who would love to go to church but has to stay home and take care of her Grandpa who just had a stroke! Her testimony is bright and she is a great example to everyone around her!!