Sunday, December 27, 2015

Hi Mama :)

I cannot begin to tell you how much of an inner boost being able to talk to you guys was. I miss you guys so much. A lot more than I thought I would. I don't mean that in a mean way, but, if I think about you guys and home all the time I get distracted and homesick. So I try really hard to stay focused. Being able to SKYPE with you guys was by far the BEST Christmas present I've ever received.  I loved it! I am so glad all of you are doing well and that the house has not burned down yet...haha!

Sister Bergonia is so in love with you guys. She had so much to say after we got off SKYPE. She really wants to come to America. Mom, she was so happy that you told her she could come whenever she wants. I am sure she will always remember that.  You are so right about us, we get along so well and love the fact that we are companions. We are hoping that neither of us get transferred in a couple of weeks. We really want one more transfer together. Please pray for us...haha!

Not much has happened since we talked on Christmas. I don't have much else to report. My heart is just so full of thanks to my Heavenly Father that everyone at home is well and healthy. I love you so much mama and hope you have a great week.

Sis. Leausa

MANIGONG BAGONG TAON!! 2016!! (Happy New Year)

P.S. It's SO crazy how fast my mission is flying by! As this next year comes around, of course starting with January, my months start counting down...like when I come home. :/  soooo crazy!! ahhhh! I don't want to leave! How would you feel about moving to the PI? ;)

Missionary work is hard.....

Sister Bergonia loved the Christmas stocking.

Christmas 2015

Best Christmas present ever was to be able to SKYPE with Sister Leausa and Sister Bergonia.  It was so awesome to see how happy, healthy and spiritual they both are.

Tuesday, December 23, 2015

Hello Mom,

My week was loooong but oh so good. Yesterday Sister Bergonia and I were able to take our recent converts, the Espiridion family on a temple trip with our ward. Here, a temple trip just means that we take them on a tour of the grounds. Of course they cannot go inside, so we did the temple grounds and since the MTC is right across the street, we took them there too. Arjan is 16 and has plans to serve a mission in two years so he really enjoyed the MTC part. Sister Alma, the mama, absolutely loved the temple. She told us that she felt so at peace and so take away from the world and that none of her problems mattered. There was such a strong spirit yesterday, and of course, during Christmas, the temple has lights so we stayed to see them and the little kids LOVED them.  There is definitely a special spirit at Christmas.

As missionaries, our job is to help people come closer to Christ, strengthen testimonies, and increase their faith. If only the Espiridion family knew how much of an example they are to me. I absolutely love them. They have such a hard life and yet nothing in the world is strong enough to break their faith. The Espiridion family is definitely our little miracle family. Sister Alma, the mama, will be baptized on January 2 with the oldest kid, Roswald 18, hopefully on January 16. :)

I cannot thank my Heavenly Father enough for the people he has placed in my life. For the examples of faith he's shown me in the people that I've been called to serve. As much as I wish I could be home for the holidays, there is no where I'd rather be than here in the Philippines with the Espiridion family.

I hope you are having such a good week and I am SO excited to SKYPE with you on Christmas.  I love you so much mama and I will SEE you in a couple of days.

Sis. Leausa

Silly girls......

Philippine Quezon City Mission Christmas Party 2015

Looks like Sister Leausa and Sister Swanson were reunited at the party!

Can you find Sister Leausa? :)

Sunday, December 13, 2015

Ay naku! sobrang exciting yung lingo noon :) may tatlong kaming nabinyagan! gustong-gusto ko yung hbuhay ko bilang isang misyonera!

This last week was full of smiles. I absolutely love my area! On Saturday, three of the Espiridion siblings were baptized! Ayuuunnn!! It was such a spiritual experience. Friday afternoon we visited with the Espiridion family to "practice" their testimonies, because of course, after their baptism they were going to be asked to share their feelings and testimony about the gospel. So, Sis. Bergonia and I thought that we should probably give them a heads-up, seeing that they are just mga bata (kids). I don't think that I have ever heard a more sincere testimony than the one that Arjan gave on Friday afternoon. He was so extremely grateful to his Heavenly Father for blessing him with the gospel. Every word that came out of his mouth, you could, truly, feel that is came from his heart.

It is so amazing to see what the gospel is able to do with the hearts of those who are willing and ready for the message of the restored gospel. The best part about their baptism, was that their mom, Sister Alma, was there to witness it. She is our next priority investigator! The example the kids set for their mama is one that makes Sis. Bergonia and I extremely grateful to be sister missionaries. Nothing brings up greater joy than helping families receive the blessings of the gospel.

I love this gospel with all my heart and am so extremely grateful for the knowledge that I have about Heavenly Fathers plan for us. I testify that his plan is perfect; and through his plan and the atonement of Jesus Christ, we will all, one day, be able to return to the presence of our Heavenly Father and live with our families and loved ones forever.

I hope that you all have an amazing week!  MAHAL KO KAYONG LAHAT!

Sister Leausa

Sister Leausa and her tiny companion, Sister Bergonia

Espiridion Kids 

"Another Filipino dish down.....tortas!"

Sunday, December 6, 2015

My first week here in Taytay has been AMAZING! I absolutely LOVE my new area and my cute little companion. Her name is Sister Bergonia. She is from Isabella, Philippines. She is 4 feet 10 inches tall. LOL! We are seriously David and Goliath and I love it! In these past four days that I've been with her by Tagalog has improved so much (at least I think it has...haha!).

My new area (Taytay) is beautiful. I LOVE IT HERE. Half province and half city, nothing like the "city" in my last area (my last area was city like, New York City of the Philippines...metro Manilla..somewhat modernized).   The people here in Taytay are so willing to listen to our message and they're all really sweet and humble. I thought the people in my last area were really nice....yeah, the people, especially the members in my ward, here are extremely sweet. There is so much potential in this area and it make me so excited.

We have three baptisms coming up, next week Saturday! 3 siblings; Arjan 16, Bea 12, and little Irish who is 8. We are really working with their family and focusing hard on them; Espiridon Family. There are 9 people total in their family, so, of course, our goal is to get all of them bapitzed.  Sister Espiridion (mama) came to church for the first time yesterday and said she really enjoyed it. Hopefully she keeps coming :)

I know that I say this every week, but its okay :)  I absolutely love being a missionary. There is nothing in this world that has ever made me happier. Before my mission, I never used to be a morning person. NOW, I wake up every morning (at 6:30 of course hahah!) and I am excited to go to work. I wake up with a smile on my face and with a heart full of love and gratitude towards my Heavenly Father for blessing me with this amazing opportunity to serve Him. I love this gospel so much! It has seriously changed my life. I didn't ever really know who I was until NOW, a daughter of a King. This gospel is by far the most beautiful thing in the world.

Alam ko po na nabubuhay sina ating ama sa langit tsaka si Jesucristo. Meron po ng diyos yung perpektong plano para sa ating lahat. Sa pamamagitan ng plano ng diyos, lahat ang mga bagay ay posible! Nagpapasalamat po ako para sa pagbabayad-sala ni Jesuucristo, binago ng ebanghelyo yung buhay ko, talaga. Ang simbahan ni Jesucristo ng mga banal sa mga huling araw ay totoo. Ito po and pinakatotoong simbahan ni Jesucristo dito sa mundo :) Mahal na mahal ko kayong lahag!! Sana magkaroon kayo ng magandang lingo :)

Sister Leausa

Sister Leausa and Sister Bergonia

Monday, November 30, 2015

Grabe! Pasensya po sa inyong lahat. Hini nagsulat ako sa inyo :/ Sobrang busy ang aking mga lingong noon. Pero, masaya ako ngayon! :)

I'm sorry that I have not written in the last couple of weeks, it has been pretty busy here in the Philippines. So much has happened and I wish that I could type it all, but that would take FOREVER! haha!

Let's see, the highlight of my week is that I finished my 12 week program (new missionary training) Woohoo!!! I was not too fond of it. haha! So, I am transferring to a new area. :) Right now I am in Quezon City South Zone. Tomorrow morning I will be transferring to the TayTay Zone. From what I have heard, it is about an hour away from the zone that I am in now. I am SUPER excited! A new zone means, a new companion, new area, new members, and most exciting...NEW INVESTIGATORS!! New people to share the gospel with.

My mission is seriously flying by. I have NO clue where all my time is going. I feel like just last week I entered the MTC and this month will be my 5th month as a missionary. So crazy!!  I love this work so much and am so blessed to be a servant of the Lord; especially here in the Philippines where everyone is so sweet and humble.

A little update on the Ylagan Family :)  Sister Rea had her baby! about three weeks ago, little Francis. He is so cute. Their family continues to come to church every Sunday and we visit them three times a week. We're still waiting on their marriage license so that they can be baptized. They are so excited! They have been waiting forever! Their testimonies have grown so much since the first day I met them. Their family has a much stronger relationship and you can really tell that they notice the Lord's hand in their lives. They are by far my favorite family in this area.

Heavenly Father never ceases to amaze me. Sometimes I get so caught up in all the thing I have to do as a missionary that I forget to notice all the miracles Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ are performing around me. I have never felt so close to my Savior and I love it! I know my Heavenly Father loves me. Like the story of the 99 sheep in Luke. Before my mission I was that one sheep that went astray, I lost my way. My Heavenly Father sent my Shepard after me...and he found me. I am forever indebted to my HF for investing his time in me. For sending me my Savior, for "finding his lost sheep." I love this gospel so much and I know without it, I wouldn't be where I am today.  I know the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is true. I know Thomas S. Monsen has been called of God to lead us in these latter days.  I am so extremely grateful for the plan of salvation. There is nothing in this world that make me happier than sharing the blessings of the gospel.

Mahal na mahal ko kayong lahat! Sana maganda and lingo nyo :)

Sister Leausa

"My favorite part about the Philippines....the kids. Ate means big sister, so whenever they see me they say, "Hi ate!" Ugh! I just LOVE them." 

"I finished my 12 week training program. Woohoo!"

Ylagan Family

"Bishop Ugay and his family. Such a sweet family. They feed us dinner every pday!"