Sister Hellewell: Called to Serve: WEEK THREE IN THE PHILIPPINES

July 22, 2013

Here are the addresses to send a letter. I was trying to fix the address and deleted it. so until I can figure out how to put it back I will post it at the top of the letters.

Standard Mail:
Sister Stephanie Anne Hellewell
Philippines San Pablo Mission
Brgy San Juan, Alaminos
4001 Laguna
Philippines

Through the Pouch System: Single sheet letter on white paper. NOT LINED. folded in thirds and taped at top. No envelope.
Stephanie Anne Hellewell
Philippines San Pablo Mission
POB 30150
Salt Lake City UT 84130-0150

IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEND A LETTER THROUGH dearelder.com THEY WILL DELIVER IT TO THE SALT LAKE OFFICE EVERY MONDAY MORNING. You do not need to pay postage!!!!! Just click on "pouch letter" then Philippines San Pablo mission, then type in Stephanies name and type your letter.

Alright, Friends and Family, it has been another crazy week here in Tayabas. It definitely helped having so many encouraging words from my family and a few friends. I have two friends on missions who email me too and that helps so very much. Kaylyn and Marcy are so amazing and a great example from a million miles away. I am going to start with a few random things and then end with how I have grown spiritually this last week, and how I have seen the atonement work in the lives of people I already love.

While I cannot say I completely love the Philippines yet, there are people whom I serve here that I love, as well as the ease of transportation without a car!

My mom keeps asking me about the food and what I think... I can't really remember what I have already said. I ate Rambutan... and it is pretty much the greatest thing I have ever eaten in my life. I am sending a picture of this spiky fruit! you don't eat the inside, and when you buy it.... covered with ants. but sister Carmichael interrupted my laundry for me to come try some.. I wish I could describe the taste.

Rambutan

There is every size of banana and they all taste a little different. I love them all more than those ones we get in America! Geeze, USA get some variety!!! I tried papaya, it isn't that good on it's own... but I put it with some powdered milk and pineapple juice in the blender and loved it! I love the mangos... as always.

I'm supposed to be fed chicken feet tonight for dinner so we'll see if that follows through... yikes. pray for me, by the time you read this in the morning I will probably be eating it. yuck.

We also had a party last night in our apartment to celebrate sister Basa's one year mark... we took a picture. ME: two months, sister Carmichael: 16 months, and sister Cayanan is at 18 months, and will hit the 19 month mark here in a week or two.

Our party! also we ate ube icecream! Grossss.... it is a purple yam type of vegetable. but it came in a trio with mango and chocolate. their ice cream tastes different though.

This week was a rollercoaster. Sister Basa was sick, and then I was sick for three days, I tolerated it the first day, and then only went to scheduled appointments the next two. it was not fun. But, I learned a lot in my extra study time, and I know that I do not want to get sick and sent home.

Story time!

I have been teaching MC at M legados house. She is teaching me so much. I had an exchange with sister Carmichael for the day (sister training leaders do that twice a transfer) and she taught me so much. We had a great lesson with her and she understood Moroni's promise perfectly. Sister Carmichael said shr understands better than anyone in her entire mission. Me and sister Basa returned two days later. and the Lord taught me that he is guiding me in every aspect of my life right now. Something from my personal study that morning was needed to teach mc. Turns out she was praying to Joseph Smith if he is a prophet... yikes. She was having a hard time understanding that he was not just an ordinary person who organized a church because of the modern clothes he wore, not a robe like prophets of old. We explained to her how God calls prophets time and time again, Adam, Moses, Abraham, and then Joseph. We talked about priesthood authority, how it was restored through Peter, James, John, and John the Baptist, to Joseph Smith and talked a lot about authority. Then we kept finding more and more things we needed to share to her. Sister Basa had to translate a little for me to understand what mc was saying but that is the greatest lesson I have ever taught. I felt the spirit so strongly telling me what mc needed to hear and I was given what I needed in the exact moment I needed it. I was not thinking; what can I say in tagalog, but what does mc need to hear. I honestly, am not sure what I said. I really don't. I shared three scripture, two all by myself, and I talked more in that lesson than any lesson before. At the end of the lesson I felt the spirit so strongly when mc prayed I hope everyone else there felt it too. As we knelt down in prayer, there were ants crawling all over my legs, in the burning heat, on a cement floor, next to the busy highway, but I’ve never had a stronger feeling of the spirit witnessing of truth in my entire life. I am learning so much about teaching by the spirit, asking inspired questions, and the hand that the lord has in preparing me in his time for what I need to be able to teach. I will learn what I need to learn when the lord needs me to. If I have to train in 9 weeks, I will be able to do it if I continually focus on the needs of those I teach, not the needs of myself, or my level of tagalog. Sometimes in lessons I really struggle, I don't know what to say. Or I let myself get frustrated because I don't know how to say it. I am learning time and time again so many things about believing in myself, and having the faith to start teaching without preparation or language study. I still struggle a lot, but I am learning so much more.

Another thing I have learned is to talk to everyone I meet. Sure, sometimes it's just people approaching the American (blond hair= everyone stares at you) sometimes people turn away when they don't understand my tagalog, but I cannot let myself get discouraged. Yesterday me and Basa decided to walk to Lalo and “OYM” (open your mouth---introduce yourself, build relationship and trust, and share two things about the gospel) We had been punted by both our appointments and back up and had an hour. It felt wonderful outside (by wonderful I mean it was cloudy but not raining too much and I was still sweating like crazy, but according to Basa it felt really good) We treked to Lalo and OYM'd many people who did not want to hear from us. We only needed two more oyms to meet our goal when we passed a man on the main road who was weeding out front. he looked really busy, but I felt I should just talk to him. Turns out that wasn't me, that was the spirit. This man has already been to church in Lucena (big city nearby) with his old manager who is a member. He is really interested in learning more so I can't wait for Wednesday! I learned from this that I need to talk to everyone, I do not know who the lord has prepared to accept and learn the gospel, but I do know he will put them in my path or send me to their path when the time is right. I am really learning how to listen to the spirit, and follow what I hear.

I am also learning that the Spirit will help teach what I cannot teach for myself.

We had a lesson with sis C this week. she is less active. But she shared with us... after many many sets of missionaries talking to her, why she is not coming to church. It turns out after becoming a member she went abroad for two years. When she returned her husband and children did not come to church anymore. It is uncomfortable for her when people ask where they are. We talked to her about being an example. We shared the story of Alma the Younger, how he rebelled, but after the prayers of his father, he eventually made a complete turn around in his life and was a great blessing and prophet for the church., We also talked about faith in alma 32 and how faith is a hope. We talked about why we need faith, and about praying with faith. The spirit prompted me to promise her that if she would return to church, show her faith to the lord, and pray to him in faith (something she understood maybe better than I do) that her family would see her example and follow her while she follows Christ. We said that it would take time and be very hard, but that the first step is repentance and being an example. I hope to see her at church this next week and am excited for the changes she is planning to make in her life.

I am going to end this so that I can email a few other people, but thank you for your support and love and prayers. To my family: I just spent 85 pesos to send you some mail, so I hope it gets there soon. Caiti Hall, yours is in the mail today too, sorry it is taking so long to reply. I love you all, and thank you family for all you are doing for me. Carolyn, I hope you are not too bored in Utah without your favorite niece... but I’m sure you are keeping busy with your grandkids and jess and your parents around. Show Thomas pictures of me!!!

Mahal,

sister Hellewell