Nutella and other things

Family and Friends, 

So have you watched Because of Him? This is my way of following up since I cant actually ask you in person? #missionarythings 

Its awesome. 

We watched it with Christian and I think he got a little teary eyed and he was so real with us afterwards. The spirit was strong. It was so real. I think that is the most amazing thing about the Holy Spirit it is something you can never deny and those are the moments you hold on to. 

I'm in a trio now! So its me, Sister Soifua and Sister Cobing (from Davao)

We are kinda awesome and loving the work! We are going all out trying to work with the members and just really get them to catch the wave 

Oh which reminds me didnt Odessa have a missionary activity about that a while ago? What was it? When I tell people I'm from Tampa FL they are like "Oh like on the work of Salvation videos?" Your examples of missionary are being noticed by those around the WORLD! 

We didnt feel like cooking this past friday so we ordered pizza..haha #american 

So we went dont to pick it up and met Doria from Bangladesh whose husband works at the embassy here..she is so cool and we went up (she lives on the floor above us) and she gave us something to drink and just talked for a while which was a little difficult because she doesnt speak tagalog and only a little english. 

We told her we would love to join her in language study to help with tagalog and english..so we are hoping that starts this week. 

Sister Vergie, shes a less active who we just found. She actually joined the church while abroad in Samoa as a seamstress and knows a lot of the areas Sister Soifua is from! Small World! Anyways she is like the coolest lola in town. 

she came to church this sunday which was the best. 

She also had taught me so much about praying, in her last prayer with us she said "Dear God I love you and all of us in the room know you are just the best" 

So sweet and sincere, her prayers are so real. I love listening to her pray because when she does you just KNOW she is talking with God. I have been trying to make my prayers more heartfelt and sincere this week. 

LOVE THIS

2 Nephi 25:25

"We are made alive in Christ because of our faith" 

Oh also I got the Nutella from Aunt Beth!!! AHHHH we were all so excited when we picked it up at the mission office! YOU ARE THE BEST AUNT BETH! 

We all love you and will be thinking about how grateful we are when we finish it this week..haha 

Oh also the word in the ward is President Obama is coming to Manila this week? A member was asking us about that because obviously we are American..but we also have no idea whats going on outside our missionary world. 

Anyway I love you all and America and this Gospel

xoxo, 

Sister Mahe 

because of Him

Happy Easter Family and Friends! 

So this week has been exciting for many reasons heres a few

- We had a zone activity so we got to watch the movie Frozen..right? So cool..we were all super excited and the movie was wayy cute

- Sister Soifua made cheesecake and musubi on Easter #blessedshecancook

- Lorna came to church! She is so great and her testimony is changing her so much..shes got a light about her..for real! 

-Our bishop is so great! Bishop Espie, he graduated from BYUH and so did his wife, we even found out we went there at the same time..what a coincedence.Bishop and Sister Espie

- The members keep feeding us, one day we went to eat and then right after we went to Jennifers and she had already bought us mcdonalds ( which here they have chicken and rice)

- We went to visit a less active and asked if he had anyone that needs the message of the gospel and he referred us..to these girls just sitting on the sidewalk haha

It was great they asked a lot of questions and we are excited to continue teaching them. 

- JENNIFERS BAPTISM 

 This was such a perfect day. She was so excited when we met up at the church and after she whispered to me and sister soifua 

parang yung pinaka linis tao sa buong mundo..she felt like the cleanest person in the whole world, she also told us how she had so much else on her mind but as soon as she went into the water she just felt so much peace. 

Also her visa has gone through so quickly which is a blessing, she might be in Utah by July..so excited to be able to see her even after my mission! 

So this is amazing, watch it, I even here its trending on twitter

http://mormon.org/becauseofhim

I share my testimony that He lives. He has never felt so real to me than here on my mission as a struggle, as I experience overwhelming happiness and disappointment, as I watch others change, as I watch myself change. And I know it is ALL BECAUSE OF HIM. He died for each of us and HE LIVES. 

His influence in our lives is real, it is not just this wonderful idea it is true and it is beautiful. I know he lives and I know because of this we will all have the opportunity to have eternal joy with him as we live lives that will bring us closer to him each day. 

Oh how beautiful this gospel is

xoxo, 

Sister Mahe 

Instagram missionary style...haha this is the road to our house in Palawan

Genie and Boboy and baby Zacu 

Staceys Baptism with some of the young women in branch 1 

With Diosa at the Magbanuas farm in Palawan

Life in the City

Family and Friends, 

My wonderful time on my beautiful island of Palawan has come to an end and I'm here in Manila, in Makati City!!!

It has been a little bit of culture shock all over again. There are buildings and cars everywhere! I think I actually might be in a different country. 

Sister Soifua is my companion! We are batch and flew over from the states to the MTC together. We were kind of nervous because we are both foreigners and have been in the field only 4 months. We are still baby missionaries! Haha but we are so excited our area is overflowing with people..and potential. 

We have a baptism this Saturday for Jennifer and guess what, just like my recent convert in Palawan she is dating a member from Utah. Which is super exciting because by the time we finish our missions she will be living there.. Maybe all my recent converts will just move to the states so we can have reunions always! 

Oh and on my last night in Palawan we stopped by Genie and Boboy's. Genie was so excited to tell us he has been off smoking and drinking for 3 days. It was the best farewell present ever. Before we left Genie was telling me how she was sad I was leaving because we have become such good friends and it felt like we had been friends for so much longer. I know for sure that is true, the Lord places people in our lives, friends from before this time to help and grow with here on earth. What an amazing thing! 

I've been trying to send pictures forever and can't get my usb to work..next time na lang (taglish there) 

So I have like 5 minutes left on the clock..more notes from Conference to follow next pday...

Pero ito isa lang talaga gusto ko galing sa sunday session

I loved President Monson's closing remarks.. 

"As we ponder the messages we have heard, may we resolve to do a little better than we have done in the past.  May we be kind and loving to those who do not share our beliefs and our standards.  The Savior brought to this earth a message of love and goodwill to all men and women.  May we ever follow His example." 

May we always be doing this

xoxo, Sister Mahe

#shoutouttosisterramsey

P.S 

Saying for the week is from the Puerto Princesa city slogan

"Hindi Bukas kundi ngayon"...."Not Tomorrow But TODAY!" 

Nice huh? 

Hair Cuts and Mac N' Cheese

Happy Days Lahat, 

So me and Sister Slade just got back from lunch with Vanessa and Gary- It was sweet we ate at this vegetarian mexican place. Ironic and delicious. 

So Vanessa and Gary are officially, she has the most beautiful ring- he proposed at the temple. Seriously they are great and I cannot wait for them to be sealed! Also Gary brought us Mac n Cheese and Jelly Beans from the states...We've eaten most of it by now. 

As we watched the womens conference on saturday I just felt so blessed to have the mom and sisters I do..cause honestly they are awesome. I was so blessed to be raised in a home by faithful parents whose lives point towards the temple. Also they are just pretty awesome company. 

Oh also I CUT MY HAIR..well Sister Burt did. It was getting crazy jungle woman long and it is soooo hot here. She came over tuesday night and the whole time she kept saying  "its so dark I cant see what Im doing" 

I was frightened the entire time..but I think it looks good and its still up most of the time, but bucket showers take less time now. I've accepted the fact the water is going to be weak the whole summer. We pray for rain on the daily. 

So we had rough time friday night when we found out due to circumstances the Gonzalez would be moving back to El Nido about 8 hours away. Where there are no missionaries or branches yet. We shared with them 3 Nephi 28:10 about how the greatest day is when we will all meet again in the kingdom of God. That just made us all cry. Me and Sister Slade are hoping maybe we'll be the first to open an area in El Nido, anything is possible with faith. 

But it is such a beautiful blessing cause ya know things happen, life is FULL of unexpected events but as we live righteously we can expect eternal happiness. 

Sunday was great we had 11 investigators at church! 11 souls people! 

It was testimony meeting and so me and sister slade bear our testimonies and Virgina (our investigator of about 2 weeks) ask us if anyone can share their testimony of Jesus Christ. After we told her yes she went up and shared how much The Savior and God have blessed her life and how much she and her family have been trying to get to work and this week they were able to and she felt the spirit. She said she has been looking for the true church...this is true stuff people, this gospel is real and changes lives. 

We had Family Home Evenings with the Magbanuas again this Sunday, it was fast sunday so we broke our fast before and just ate like cray. 

Stretch yourself this week, think of things beyond your easy grasp and make them happen! 

Mahal ko kayo, 

Sister Mahe

ALL I WANT IS A COKE

Just kidding my subject line is super dramatic.... but last week Sister Slade came up with this great idea to give up sweets to understand and as a challenge for our investigator with a smoking problem. Joke, it actually is an amazing idea. And we have been able to feel at least a tiny amount of how hard it has been for him to give up smoking which has been an addiction since he was about 12. But Bryan is amazing and wants so badly to be baptized so he can take his family to the temple! We have so much faith in him!

But I mean I am having serious withdraws..like I had been living off of oreos..so this is probably really good for me anyways. 

We had a BAPTISM on saturday, Stacey who is 12. She is so cool and smart. She is also like an all star tennis player (like practice every day for a few hours) She is the Santos's grand-daughter. They are an amazing and strong family and stacey had recently moved in with them and started taking the lessons with us and her progression went amazingly fast because she started reading the Book of Mormon and praying ever night. Sometimes when she would talk I was like are you sure you are 12 because they would be things I didnt even think about that were so insightful. ( I'll try to send pictures next week) 

Oh so last night we visited some less actives and then tried to find a referral the elders gave us and everyone we asked kept saying oh yep just walk a little further...next thing you know we are walking for like 45 minutes #sundaywalks 

But it was so worth it because we found the referral Elma and we met her daughter whose name is LIAHONA!!! She had been given a Book of Mormon and read it when she was pregnant and liked the name so used it! We are super excited to visit her again this week and have high hopes! 

Ether 12:4 

"Faith maketh and anchor to the souls of men" 

So beautiful right? Everything in life goes back to faith! It is the foundation of all that brings lasting goodness and happiness in our lives

Oh also Happy St.Patricks Day!! 

Not sure that really exist over here...rocking my Irish pride still though..haha 

Oh also Miranda- I loved your email in tagalog..I translated it for language study..do it again..hahah 

Ahh I have no time left to write..next time na lang. 

Have a beautiful week!

Love you all, 

Sister Mahe 

This isn't Burger King

Family and Friends! 

So this week was amazing and started off with zone meeting and ended with District conference and some wonderful things in between. 

So our zone leaders shared with us at District conference and Elder Walker gave the highlight quote..haha 

"This is the Lords work, do it his way. This is not Burger King, you cant have it your way."

Hilarious and incredibly true. I think that all the time when I want to just do my own thing, like helllo sister mahe you are on the Lords time not your own. 

But hey we are all just imperfect people trying to following the perfect example Jesus Christ has set for us. 

I know he is happy with me when I have done ALL I can to do his will. 

The Philippines area president, Elder Neilson came for conference and spoke to us President Stucki was also there so it was of course AMAZING. 

Missionary work is flooding the earth. In 2013 there were 53,000 missonaries. Now in 2014 there are 83,000. 

In all of Palawan there was only 14 in 2013 and now there are 28! 

Kuwento Kuwento (Story time) 

So this is a story Elder Nielson related to us in district conference 

"So imagine after this conference you are the last one to leave and discover your car wont start. You need a jack to jumpstart the car but no one else is around. Finally Brother Dela Cruz pulls in and you see a jack in his front seat. When he ask you how he can help you, you reply you need a jack. So he tell you to follow him into the Church where he prays and prays God will provide you with a jack. He then calls another brother in the ward and ask if he has a jack. He then calls the bishop and ask for his help in getting you a jack. After all this he tells you he will continue to pray you will find a jack and drives off with the jack in his front seat. " 

Of course we were all laughing because the story is ridiculous? Who would do that right? Except we all do it sometimes. We pray for others, we help them seek for answers when many times we have the answers they need. 

Do not hold back. We cannot be selfish with the blessings God has given us when there are so many in need of OUR help. Not the help of someone else some other time. But here and now and from us. 

Earlier this week Genie was having a hard time and was thinking about moving home to Davao where he family is, we told he to pray but she was being stubborn and said she just didnt want to talk to God while she was so upset. We invited her to do so again and left. The next day we came back and she was so happy and said that night she couldnt fall asleep and decided to pray and recieved an answer to her prayers.

After conference we met with Genie and Boby who both have a baptismal date of May 3rd now! We reextended for the both of them and now they have a date for their wedding, the last week in April. They are amazing and working so hard to change to become the people  the Lord has intended them to be.  

Genie started crying when she accepted and bore her testimony to us. She said she tries not to cry because she knows it makes me cry. So what Im an eternal crybaby. Great things are happening in their lives and I am so happy to see it all. 

The Lord is hastening his work...are you? 

I hope this finds you happy and well

Sister Mahe

Spring Bride

This week I will try and attempt to make my letter shorter, Talia tells me my letters are too long..hahah

So this morning after we woke up super early to get our laundry done (handwashing) we found that the shower water was out so we all had to take bucket showers..Oh the joys of a foreign mission. Of course right after we all finished getting ready the water comes back on. 

Also who invented washing and drying machines? Why dont I know their name because seriously they are amazing and contributed to society incredibly.I will never complain about laundry again when I can use a machine..ok I might but I promise it will be at least a year after I get home. 

Anyways this week has be filled and busy and awesome, even though...

We got dropped twice this week, by Peter and the Hirardo Family. Peter just told us he was too old and we should spend our time helping younger people and the family told us they just werent ready to receive our message. But both told us to always come by and say hi and that they wanted to be friends.When they told us they werent interested I felt like I could literally feel my heart breaking. But I know that even though now isnt the right time one day it will be. I think they are some people I will just never stop praying for. 

So the subject line? We have been visiting Boboy and Genie a lot this week, because they are really progressing. We set a plan for Boboy to quit smoking and told them to pray together about what they should do in regards to setting plans to be married. The first time we talked about the Law of Chastity it was just Boboy and then just Genie. We were nervous because Boboy really wants to be baptized but didnt think Genie would want to get married. Then we talked to Genie and she said she does she has just been waiting for him to ask!! She said she feels like Anne Hathaway in Princess diaries and if he asked she would be so happy. She still isnt sure about baptism but she wants Boboy too so badly because she knows he wants it and has seen the changes he is making. There is always so much happiness when we go visit them. #ismylifealovestory? 

Anyways they are planning to get married in April and Genie asked if Booby could just get baptized after the ceremony..UMM YESSS! 

They are an amazing family and I cannot wait to continue in this journey with them. 

Time is running out over here so I'll try to get more in next week

But- Can everyone send me addresses..I know it may be like months before you get my letters but I want to send letters cause ya know who doesnt like those and our zone leaders are taking mail to manila next week- so send them to me by next sunday (cause it will be my pday monday here) 

Be kind and Be considerate..the Lord needs you to be an instrument in helping others

Love you all

Sister Mahe