Week 22 - February 27, 2017

Where do I start? This week has been one for the books... I don't even remember most of what happened. I do remember that every day for the past week, we've had to search the house (like a game of hide and seek) for poop. We have a rat problem, so that's fun. But today as we were heading out of the house, we found a rat body on a pair of shoes. Ha ha. The cats are our life savers. Oh, and by the way, the rats are the size of large kittens, so that's fun. ;) We did a service project where we painted- I feel like painting is your most cliche missionary service project, right? But we painted ROCKS. That is one way the people here decorate. They paint their rocks. For example, if someone wanted to paint the outside of their house blue, they would do that, and then they would also paint the rocks outside of the house blue- but not the whole rock, just the front part of the rock. Lol, it's funny.

paint project.. yes. we are painting rocks

|We also saw some more chicken fights, and we found lots of kittens. You all know that made me super happy.

 

 

                                                     cute kitten- probably has fleas

 

 My comp and I have fun together, and we get a lot done.. Mostly hiking through mountains to get to investigator's houses. ;) The Philippines is so different. We meet the funniest people, there's this one man who we always see when we go to Zig Zag, and he is ALWAYS drunk. Yesterday, as we were climbing rocks to go to an appointment, we had to wait for this man to get through unharmed, and the whole time he was climbing, he kept shouting to my comp and I, "I LOVE YOU. I REALLY LOVE YOU.. AS A FRIEND. Oh, MAN. I love you so much.. AS A FRIEND." He's like 60. So dang funny. 

 

 

                                            giant statue of sticky rice (rolled in banana leaves)

more service. doing the dishes in a school cafeteria sink

                                                                 zig zag- part of our area

It's so fun and crazy here. I don't even know where to begin. And the language still kicks my butt, in case any of you wonder. ;)

But really, the thing that gives me the most strength while I live and serve in a completely different country, thousands of miles away from home is reading the BOM. Every time I read, I get answers to my prayers and to unasked questions. This weeks was: Mormon 9:27-28 "Doubt not, but be believing" We will ALL go through times in our lives when we are backed up against the wall of faith, and there, we must make a stand. Doubt your doubts before you doubt your faith. 

I love you all. Be safe. 

Mahal Kita!

Sister Mosher

Week 21 - Broken Hearts Will Be Healed

Patience is a virtue, right? 

The hardest thing is to watch people reject the most precious thing God has to offer. It's hard to watch someone turn their back from the Gospel for something merely comfortable or familiar. Something I've had to learn while out here in the mission is that there is absolutely no growth in the comfort zone, and no comfort in the growth zone. While that rings true, it's comforting to remember that because Jesus Christ already walked completely and utterly alone, we don't have to. (None Were With Him, Elder Holland) 

We will never have to walk alone. This world is ugly, but isn't it beautiful?

I don't know how to describe this week. It was full of rejection and faith testers, but we've been trying to keep our heads high. I saw some crazy things this week, din. 

Yesterday, Sister Estrella and I were on our way to an investigator's house, and when we got to the giant opening towards the house, there were about 30 men all gathered together in this giant circle, each holding money and chickens. 

So background, real quick.. on my first few days in the mission field, I always saw men holding chickens everywhere they went. They held the chickens and they cleaned their feathers, and stretched out their legs and would polish their beaks. I thought it was weird, but thought, they just really love their chickens.

But now I know that they're only doing that so that their chickens are in fighting mode. (which is totally illegal by the way) 

Anyway, so we saw the beginning, where people are betting on whose chicken will win, and prepping their chickens, and we just walked on through. But when we had to walk back through on our way back from the appointment, we saw the SAD aftermath. The men whose chickens had fought, were now h0lding their destroyed chickens by their feet as blood dripped everywhere. SADDEST thing in the world. 

Another thing is that everywhere you go, you see little kids on the side of the street, without any clothes, covered from head to toe in dirt, just trying to find ways to eat. It really breaks your heart because you don't see that kind of thing in America. 

The thing that brings me hope is that there will surely come a day when all tears of sorrow will be replaced with tears of gratitude. When all the wrong will be made right, when all broken hearts will be healed. When we will be able to rest from all of our labors, and find complete peace to our souls. That is the happy news. So when I see these sad scenes, when I see families torn and broken because of circumstances beyond their control, when I find beautiful families worried about the water their drinking, when I see hearts broken and tears fall, all I can really do is to share what I know. That's all any of us can really do. Lend them our love and care, and share this beautiful truth.

There was a quote I heard by a convert to the Church who said, "DI don't think these members really know what they have."

Do we REALLY know what we have? Are we aware that we hold in our hearts the only thing that can truly bring peace in this life? President Uchtdorf said something that to this day, I am still trying to grasp. He said, "We tread a path covered in diamonds, but we can scarcely distinguish them from ordinary pebbles." 

Are we really aware of what we have? Or do we look at this gospel as merely pebbles on this path that we call life? We are treading on Diamonds. This Gospel is the greatest thing we will ever know, and I am so happy to be able to say with my whole heart that I know it is true. Yes, trials still pop up everywhere, and sorrows are still very real, but I find so much comfort in knowing that all wrongs and sorrows and pains will be made perfect one day. 

As a representative of Jesus Christ, I know my Savior lives, and I know that He LOVES you so much. Take every opportunity to apply His Atonement to your life, not just for sins but for pains and sadness, too. I promise that He will hear your prayers and He will heal your heart.

I love you all. 

 

 

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Mahal Kita!

Sister Mosher

                                            Sis Ah Fua and I on a Trike (Kabahaya siya)

                       waiting for the computer shop to open so that we could email all of you

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Week 20 - Just Come to Church

So this week was LONG. Transfer weeks always seem longer than normal weeks.

And yeah, as you can tell from the subject heading, I WISH PEOPLE WOULD JUST COME TO CHURCH. I don't think people really understand the importance of Church attendance. It is a commandment from God to go to church, and it's not just something that we have to do because we are told to, either. It's something we get to do! We get the chance to renew our baptismal covenants, or promises we made with God through the Sacrament. It's like a fresh start to the week, din. 

Church is a HUGE privilege. JUST COME TO CHURCH.

Basta, not a whole lot has happened this week... Still trying to figure out how to get people married? Still learning Tagalog.

I saw a lot of foreigners this week, and I find myself getting shy around them. Ha ha, anyone who isn't a Filipino is so intimidating hahahah. Filipinos are just so dang friendly. :) We met a guy from Canada the other day, and so of course we went and talked to him- I may have told this story?- but he was so mean to us HAHA! But then he also invited us in to have some coffee, sooooo. ;) Kind of nice. 

I also got someone on the street go, "hi... uh can I have a picture with you?" So basically I now know what it feels like to be famous. Joke lang.

So anyway, thanks for reading my email if you did- sorry that this week's email was so bland and literally all over the place, ha ha! I love you all, and I'm seriously grateful for all the emails. You are all way too nice to me, and thanks for also not forgetting me out here in this far away country. :') Be safe and be smart in all you do, okay? I love you all!

And for those of you preparing to serve, or for those of you who will get mission calls soon- I WANT TO HEAR WHERE YOU GO :') 

                        FHE! (old comp, Sister Udarbe to my left- she is now home from her mission)​

​                      My newrepeat companion, Sister Estrella Star and our mountainous area. ')

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Mahal Kita!

Sister Mosher

Week 19 - Transfer #4 (February 6, 2017)

Hi po, everyone. :)

It's TRANSFER week! My companion went home this transfer, so of course I am getting a new one. Sister "Star" Estrella is going to be my new companion... AGAIN! :') She was my first trainer in the field. We are stoked. She is coming from Morong, which was my first area, to Antipolo. I absolutely LOVE this area. It's super cute. It's a mix between province and town, which means that we can go from a little community, where houses resemble something you'd find in America, to houses made out of bamboo, clinging on to the side of a mountain. It's quite a sight. :) 

Philippino culture is so neat. I've come to the conclusion, that when I get home, I'm going to have some weird mannerisms. I'm going to have the CORNIEST sense of humor- Filipinos laugh at the simplest things, and don't understand sarcasm; they take it literally. Ha ha! Another thing, is that when a Filipino is cracking jokes, and laughs at their own joke, they give you a highfive. So when you're joking with a Filipino, expect like 12 high fives in the span of parang 2 minutes. And now I find myself doing it, too! 

I met this British man the other day, so I was talking with him and I cracked a joke and went to give him a high five and he kind of just looked at my hand. HAHAH. It's so fun here. 

We are teaching some awesome people, and they want nothing more than to get baptized, but a big problem here in the Philippines is that no one is married. Because marriage is such a long, expensive, and convoluted process, most people figure it's just easier not to. So our two most potential investigators are kind of stuck in that boat. Jenny wants to be baptized so badly, but she and her man aren't married. They have a family and everything, but it's such a hindrance. That's the EXACT problem our other super potential is facing, Edna. We have been trying to work on their marriage papers for them, but my companion who was pro at that is now home, and I don't know how to even begin... So basically by the time I get home from my mission, I will be able to get ANYONE married. ;) Ha ha. Joke lang. 

Basta, this has been a great week, full of fantastic experiences. I don't have a ton of time, but I just want to say that the Church is true, and there is no way, with the experiences and witnesses that I've received, that I would EVER be able to deny that. I've seen this Gospel change families completely, and it's the happiest thing. :) I am grateful ulit, to be here to serve our God. :) Thanks for all the support.

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Mahal Kita!

Sister Mosher