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| Basilica of St. Martin of Tours |
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| Basilica of St. Martin of Tours |
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| Basilica of St. Martin of Tours |
Hello Family!!!!!!!!!!!
I feel like it's been so long since I wrote you... only 7 days. It feels like 3 weeks.
Sorry I'm sending this off so late. Normally, we would be emailing a lot earlier but we had Zone P-day today. It was so, so fun. We went to one of the oldest Catholic Cathedrals in the Philippines called the Basilica of St. Martin of Tours. It's in Taal, Batangas if you want to look it up. It's so awesome!!!!!!!! It's the oldest and biggest Cathedral in all of Asia. Seriously, who else gets to see that? Once in a life time opportunity! The only part I didn't enjoy is that they charged all the Americans 100 pesos, while only charging everyone else 50. But it's on their recipets and there was nothing we could do about it. Oh well. That's life I guess.
Sorry I'm sending this off so late. Normally, we would be emailing a lot earlier but we had Zone P-day today. It was so, so fun. We went to one of the oldest Catholic Cathedrals in the Philippines called the Basilica of St. Martin of Tours. It's in Taal, Batangas if you want to look it up. It's so awesome!!!!!!!! It's the oldest and biggest Cathedral in all of Asia. Seriously, who else gets to see that? Once in a life time opportunity! The only part I didn't enjoy is that they charged all the Americans 100 pesos, while only charging everyone else 50. But it's on their recipets and there was nothing we could do about it. Oh well. That's life I guess.
Well, this week is the end of transfer week which means I might be transferred. I am completely dreading it. I will of course be happy in the end wherever the Lord sends me, but parting with Sister Feinga and all of my investigators/ friends here in the ward will be so hard! I love everyone so much in Batangas... and my companion is like my sister. We are so, so close.
So this week I'm not going to be sending home any pictures... or probably for a while. Two missionaries in our zone have lost all of their pictures from the viruses on the computers and I'm really afraid of that happening to me. So instead, I hope you understand if I just send home the memory card when I done with it. That way, my pictures can stay safe and you can see all of them at once. I can't imagine losing all of my pictures! That would be so sad!! My memory card is pretty full now so that should be pretty soon ps.
So this week I'm not going to be sending home any pictures... or probably for a while. Two missionaries in our zone have lost all of their pictures from the viruses on the computers and I'm really afraid of that happening to me. So instead, I hope you understand if I just send home the memory card when I done with it. That way, my pictures can stay safe and you can see all of them at once. I can't imagine losing all of my pictures! That would be so sad!! My memory card is pretty full now so that should be pretty soon ps.
Well, stories for this week....
This Monday we taught Family Home Evening at our Bishop's home, with a couple of other families from the ward. It was really fun and used the same lesson that I taught to all of you once... (the one where I hid my missionary tag in my pocket.) This time I hid Sister Feinga's. It was really fun and I'm beginning to really understand tagalog. Whether everyone understands me is different... but hopefully I know enough now to get by. Most of all, I'm beginning to fall in love with the Philippines and the culture... these people are so happy and so fun! It is definitely MORE FUN IN THE PHILIPPINES. (One of their famous logos)
Tuesday we went to a devotional in San Pablo with... Elder Christensen!!!!!!!! From the Quorum of the Seventy. It was so amazing to feel the strong spirit of about 150 missionaries and all that church leadership in one room. He talked about prayer, which was perfect because it has been something that I have been praying to better understand. (Haha, yes... I did pray to know how to pray...) :)Secretly, the best part might have been seeing all the missionaries... I got to meet so many new people, as well as see all the Sister's from my mtc district. It was so great to catch up with them all. Okay, so yes. The best part was actually Elder Christensen though. I learned so much and I just kept thinking about how amazing it is to be a missionary and have all these cool conferences and meetings. I'm constantly being fed the gospel- and I love it!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Also on Tuesday, we came home to find that our laundry door had been left open. Don't worry, no person can get in.... but bugs, creatures and other such things CAN. And so of course, not 4 minutes after being home, Sister Johnson watches this black shape scurry from our fridge to our kitchen cabinets under the sink. Sister Johson and I were completely whimps about it. We jumped onto chairs and waited anxioulsy while Sister Feinga and Sister Ebuen pulled out everything... and I mean EVERYTHING in those cabnets. They found ... nothing. I was beginning to think Sister Johnson was crazy, and she kept insisting that she saw it.... finally Sister Feing and Sister Ebuen gave up and went upstairs. Sister Johnson and I looked at each other and slowly climbed off the chairs. We kept daring one another to clean up the mess (Yes, they had left it for us two whimpy American's to clean.) Finally, we got up the courage. As we approached, I said, "I just know as soon as we start, he's going to jump out." She said, "I know! I know!"
Well, I picked up my first item and suddenly, Sister Johnson was screamig. I started screaming too... and then I saw it. A BIG, BLACK THING RIGHT.BY. MY. FOOT. I screamed louder and jumped up and down, basically resembling a yodeling irish dancer. I didn't wait around to find out what it was or why it was in our house.... I was gone. I didn't stop running until I was all the way to the top of the stairs... at which point Sister Johnson and I just laughed and laughed. Thankfully, in all the comotion, we scared it bad enough to decide i had enough of our house and it scurried back outside. I don't know if it was a rat, mouse, or an abnormally large cocroach... all I know is that I hope it never comes back.
Well, I picked up my first item and suddenly, Sister Johnson was screamig. I started screaming too... and then I saw it. A BIG, BLACK THING RIGHT.BY. MY. FOOT. I screamed louder and jumped up and down, basically resembling a yodeling irish dancer. I didn't wait around to find out what it was or why it was in our house.... I was gone. I didn't stop running until I was all the way to the top of the stairs... at which point Sister Johnson and I just laughed and laughed. Thankfully, in all the comotion, we scared it bad enough to decide i had enough of our house and it scurried back outside. I don't know if it was a rat, mouse, or an abnormally large cocroach... all I know is that I hope it never comes back.
We also had the privilige this week of having a jazz band play right outside our house. Seriously. RIGHT.OUTSIDE. I'm not joking. They were on the doormat, playing their "Marde Gra" style music and begging for money. Of course we were studying, or course they interrupted, and of course it was really hard to get back on track after that. But It was fun while it lasted.
I took pictures so when I send my memory card, look for it.
I took pictures so when I send my memory card, look for it.
On Thursday Sister Feinga and I had a cool experience with a new investigator this week. When we started the lesson she didn't seem very interested and kept rushing us through everything. She was just waiting for us to leave so she could get on with her life. It's hard to know exactly what to do in those situations, but for her, we just kept teaching.
But seriously, her body language and her expressions all said that she wanted nothing to do with us and was seconds from standing up and saying, "Sorry, that's all Folks."
But then we got to the part of Joseph Smith's testimony of the Sacred Grove. She suddenly interrupted and asked, "Why are you called Mormons anyway?"
We were taken completely off guard and confused, began to explain that it was a nickname, that we were really the church of Jesus Christ. We taught about the Book of Mormon and as we did, I noticed a change in her. She was suddenly interested, listening, and actually turned to face us. We both bore witness that the Book of Mormon was true and that the Church of Jesus Christ had been restored through Joseph Smith. After we did, she sat in silence for a few moments before asking, "How can I know?"
We both dropped our jaws. This woman, who had been searching for a reason to chuck us out suddenly believed that we were teaching her the truth. Furthermore, she wanted to know how she could gain a testimony too!!!!!!! It was like night and day with her.
We excited taught Moroni 10:3-5, she committed full-heartedly and eagerly to read the Book of Mormon and pray to know if it was true.
As we pondered over what had happened, we came to realize that her attitude only changed after we established that we weren't Mormons, but members of the Church of Jesus Christ. His true, restored church. Because of this, I have made a goal to correct someone when ever they say, "Oh... Mormons?" I now want to reply, "That is our nickname. We are really the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. But we would love to teach you why we are commonly called Mormons."
I have already noticed that in the two people we have tried that with, they realized that we are more than people going around for "bible study." They recognize that we have a message to share, and it helps them become interested enough to accept a lesson.
But seriously, her body language and her expressions all said that she wanted nothing to do with us and was seconds from standing up and saying, "Sorry, that's all Folks."
But then we got to the part of Joseph Smith's testimony of the Sacred Grove. She suddenly interrupted and asked, "Why are you called Mormons anyway?"
We were taken completely off guard and confused, began to explain that it was a nickname, that we were really the church of Jesus Christ. We taught about the Book of Mormon and as we did, I noticed a change in her. She was suddenly interested, listening, and actually turned to face us. We both bore witness that the Book of Mormon was true and that the Church of Jesus Christ had been restored through Joseph Smith. After we did, she sat in silence for a few moments before asking, "How can I know?"
We both dropped our jaws. This woman, who had been searching for a reason to chuck us out suddenly believed that we were teaching her the truth. Furthermore, she wanted to know how she could gain a testimony too!!!!!!! It was like night and day with her.
We excited taught Moroni 10:3-5, she committed full-heartedly and eagerly to read the Book of Mormon and pray to know if it was true.
As we pondered over what had happened, we came to realize that her attitude only changed after we established that we weren't Mormons, but members of the Church of Jesus Christ. His true, restored church. Because of this, I have made a goal to correct someone when ever they say, "Oh... Mormons?" I now want to reply, "That is our nickname. We are really the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. But we would love to teach you why we are commonly called Mormons."
I have already noticed that in the two people we have tried that with, they realized that we are more than people going around for "bible study." They recognize that we have a message to share, and it helps them become interested enough to accept a lesson.
Well, I love you all!
I hope you are all safe and well. I pray for you everyday!
-With love,
Sister Beaumont
I hope you are all safe and well. I pray for you everyday!
-With love,
Sister Beaumont
Since Emilee couldn't send any photos I added some photos I found on the internet of the Catholic Cathedral they went to visit
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