Sister Franks in the Philippines - August 18, 2013

Hey all!

So this week was a little crazy with transfers and all. Sister Campbell and I are still companions, but there are now 4 sisters in the branch so we lost half of our area. I thought it was going to be really hard to decide how to split the area, but we prayed before we started and it was amazing how clearly the Lord directed us. Already I have seen evidences that the inspiration we received was true, and that each companionship is in the area and teaching the people that the Lord wants them to be working with. It's weird--I never thought I would actually experience being such a direct instrument in the Lord's hands. Turns out that it's true what the apostles and prophets have said: if you're just trying to do the right thing, the Lord will give you revelation and you might not even realize it.
Anyhow, here are some more pictures! Sister Campbell's memory card seems to have caught a virus, but these are some of the pictures we managed to save before our whole life together got deleted. :(

Here's a trike, and part of the jungle-y side of our area! It's kind of breath-takingly beautiful here, actually.

And my awesome zone and district!!! I love everyone so much! I'm glad we only lost a couple to transfers.

The first picture is from our zone activity, the second is from last Tuesday (our last night before transfers). We went to an "eat-all-you-can" restaurant, which is, as it sounds, the Filipino version of "all-you-can-eat," where you get as much food as you want, but they charge you extra if there are any leftovers on your plate when you leave. Pretty good way to discourage waste, if you ask me. :)

Also, it turns out that Utah is in my area. South Carolina, Chicago, New York, and Alabama, too. :P And these are the weird fruit things that taste like grapes but aren't worth the effort to peel. Yummy though!

This is from when we got to go to the temple on P-day. The Elders got there later so they didn't make it into our session. And Sister Tivalu and I with matching wounds from falling down the same set of stairs 3 days apart (you can't really see them, but they are there! Hers were a lot worse than mine though). 

I don't have a lot of stories this week, because we spent most of the 2nd half showing the new sisters around their area. I love our new sisters, by the way. And I am so happy to finally have kabahays (other sisters living in our house). I love Sister Campbell, and it was fun having a house to ourselves, but I like this a lot better, and we are definitely more productive. Sister Pope and her anak (from Tonga) Sister Faka'osi are great!

One of the most exciting parts of the week was at church yesterday. We have an investigator (Rolly) who is a member referral that we met the beginning of last transfer, but were only able to meet with a couple of times because he is usually sleeping (drunk) when we come to see him. He has heard from the missionaries before, and even had a baptismal date, but because of his Word of Wisdom issues, he was never able to progress to baptism. We had a really good lesson with him on Saturday night though, and asked him about his testimony, whether he believes our message is true. He said that he does believe, and he believes Joseph Smith is a prophet and the Book of Mormon is from God. We then talked to him about how our lives can be changed through the Gospel and through Jesus Christ and how now is the time for him to start making those changes in his life, to bless him and his family. He agreed, and said that he thinks God wants him to change and become "new Brother Rolly." It was a really good lesson, and Sister Campbell and I left it really feeling the Spirit and hoping that his desire was sincere, and that he would start making the necessary changes in his life. We were truly surprised, though, on Sunday morning when Brother Rolly walked into Sacrament meeting just as we were starting the Sacrament hymn. We, and the members who referred him, have been inviting him to church for the past month or so and he has never come. Yesterday, he came on his own, though! We are so excited for him, and we feel like the fact that he made the effort to get up and come to church shows that he does have a sincere desire to change his life and start acting on the testimony that he has.
I have been so touched this week by the power of the Atonement and the Gospel in our lives. I am witnessing every day the transforming power, in both our investigators and in myself. Every single day I am reconverted to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. And I am so humbled, constantly, at how little I understand and comprehend right now, but how willing the Lord is to continue to teach me. I know that this Gospel is true. I know that it can give us the strength to overcome ANYTHING in our lives. Because it is true, it is from the Lord, and He has that Power.

I love you all so much! I hope you are doing well! You're in my prayers always! Have a great week!

-Sister Emma Franks