September 23, 2013: We are Able to Be Instruments in God's Hand Even Though We Have Weaknesses

So you'll never guess.. this has been another great week :) Every week is, if we decide it is. I have a quote in my room that I love "Every day is not good, but there is something good in everyday"... which makes everyday good right? 

We haven't had a ton of success yet with facebook. but we are getting there. We are friends with like 1000 people already from all over the world. so we'll see what happens. 

And my toe is great. looks beautiful! It healed quickly.. either because of all of your prayers or because a member made me soak it in guava leaves (apparently its a miracle stuff haha). People are always telling us to eat weird leaves and stuff. 

We went to one of our investigators houses/huts and the little boy who is like 4 ran up to me. "Ginbasa ko!!" (I read) you did? really?? Yes! He was so excited.. pretty sure he didn't read but it was awesome. 

My companion and I went on splits with the ward members and so I went to visit a few of our investigators..  I accidentally ended up going to a birthday party haha.. benefit of not understanding the language. And then taught all of them after. then went to another house (that was on my list) and taught them lesson 1 and it was really good and they were really listening. I also taught the Belleza family... and so did she. an hour before I did.. but they didn't even say anything!! So they got 2 lessons in 2 hours, awesome. 

There have been some pretty crazy rain storms here. Bagio. but according to a ward member, the storms don't really hit bacolod as much because people here pray more. haha. The streets were flooded a few times but we were still able to work. Missionary work stops for nothing ;) 

Ok so the important things. We have 3 baptisms this weekend! I am so excited!!! Fernando and Analiza Ramos and Clysyl Villarete are all getting baptized. The Ramos family is the one with the cute boys. Oh how I love these people. It's incredible to see how the gospel changes people. 

Get excited for pictures next week :) 

We had all day zone conference this week and it was awesome! I love hearing from president. I was so inspired. We have so much to improve on, but the work is really progressing in this mission. Weekly baptisms are possible. Our mission president has so much love for us. We are all so grateful for him. I am soo happy at zone conference. Like i couldn't even hold it in. I got to see almost my whole mtc district and they are sooo great! And Sister Cruz that used to live in our house :) Love that girl!! 

The Assistant talked about how the gospel can change lives and doing our personal study diligently shows how much we love God. And then he showed us a picture of him before his mission and now.. he looked emo and miserable before. I NEVER would have expected it. He is an incredible missionary now and he talked about how that has happened through the atonement. The gospel is so real! God loves us!! He just wants to help us!! 

We taught Brother Mansueto again and he has a problem with the Word of Wisdom. We told him it might be hard to stop and he interrupted us and told us that through the Holy Ghost it would be easy. He knows that the Holy Ghost will give us strength. He has only had 3 lessons.. but he is incredible. He said he always reads scriptures everyday and prays before and after so he can understand. And he prays before church to understand because he actually speaks Cebuano not Ilonggo or English. And he understands. Oh and apparently he is speaking Cebuano but my companion and I understand him. Miracles!! 

ok time for scriptures. 

2 nephi 22:11 "Notwithstanding my weakness" We are able to be instruments in God's hand even though we have weaknesses. He knows us perfectly and yet he calls us on missions or gives us callings anyway. He knows what we can do. Don't doubt it, just trust Him

Mosiah 5:3 "and we had great views on things to come" Dad I felt like you would love this scripture. Through the gospel we can have eternal perspective. And because of that we can make better choices. we can realize that our trials are for a reason. 

Mosiah 7:19, 33 "He will deliver you" When we turn our lives to God. When we do what He asks, He delivers us from our sins, from our past, and helps us become something more through Him

So I have just been thinking about how incredible the Book of Mormon is.  Reading the scriptures everyday makes everything else fall into place. I have seen it so clearly in the lives of my investigators. If we show God we care enough to read His words (even though it is just reading a book) miraculous things happen. We are truly changed.

I have been reading the Book of Mormon trying to know God and Jesus Christ more. Looking for their characteristics. Their mercy and love. The Book of Mormon is a book of Hope! God is so forgiving. Look for it, its incredible :) It is truly through reading the Book of Mormon that we can come to know our Savior and then once we know Him we naturally become like Him. 

Something that Steven talked about a few weeks ago I have found to be so true. My life isn't about me. It is truly when we lose ourselves in loving and serving others that we find ourselves, because there is more of us to find. 

I love you all so much! Thank you for your support and love. This gospel brings true happiness. 

Love, 

Sister Foote

We also read an awesome talk as a mission this week called In the Strength of the Lord by Elder Bednar. It's all about how we need to ask for strength to be better and handle our trials instead of asking for them to be removed. We are studying it this month for our mission tour next month. It's really good. I recommend it. 

September 16, 2013: There are Always Things to be Thankful For

This week has been great. There are always things to be thankful for. I have really learned that while I've been here. Sometimes you just have to look harder ;) 

So this week was pretty exciting. We had a tricycle driver give us a fake number and address..so we could teach him. Then later that night he followed us. But the ward member was very kind and helped us. Then we had to go to the police station the next 2 days to report it. At first it seemed really bad, but its actually kinda a good thing. we are now best friends with all the police men and the ward members have really helped. They have talked to the president of the tricycle drivers and a couple other people and made sure to look out for us. So we are actually safer than ever :) See it was a blessing after all. So mom seriously don't worry!

Oh and while we were there the police men asked if they could have pamphlets and they said they'll ask the chief if we can just teach them all there. So this week we might be teaching at the police station. Awesome huh??

So this week we taught Brother Cliffen, he is so great! We testified about repentance and then asked him if he had any questions.. he responded by testifying that everything we said is true and how great his desire is to repent and how excited he is for his baptism... it's like he is our 3rd companion testifying with us. It was awesome. He is so great!

We taught our recent convert Clarren this week. She had just gotten the Gift of the Holy Ghost and she said, "I finally understand what you were trying to explain about how the Holy Ghost really feels." It was so cool. 

We went to my favorite family, the Ramos's and they are so great. We gave the little boys some rumbutan, a small tropical fruit, (like 40) and they ate the entire bag during our lesson, they were so excited. And they had a little squirt gun they kept shooting us with. It was hilarious. I love those boys so much. I sat with them in sacrament meeting because they just come to sit by us and it was quite the adventure trying to keep them quiet. but they drew 'lovely" pictures of my companion and me. I'll have to send one home ;) 

I have simply loved studying the Book of Mormon this week! my theme for this transfer is Alma 27:27  And they were among the people of Nephi, and also numbered among the people who were of the church of God. And they were also distinguished for their ^azeal towards God, and also towards men; for they were perfectly ^bhonest and upright in all things; and they were ^cfirm in the faith of Christ, even unto the end. I want to be that diligent. I want everyone to know what I believe just by seeing my face :) 

And I was reading in 2 Nephi 11 about agency. I realized we had to come to earth, be away from God and have choices so we could CHOOSE Christ. "We have to experience hard trials so we can experience the need for faith in Christ"

Oh how i love you all so much! God loves His children. He desperately wants to hear from us and I know He listens while we pray. How incredible that we have to opportunity to speak to the most powerful being in the universe anytime we want to. I know that if we really focus while we are reading the scriptures we will receive insights. We will become ever closer to Christ because we learn about His characteristics (his love and mercy) and in the process become more like Him. 

(This is the entrance to my neighborhood. Did i mention its beautiful here?)

Love, 

Sister Kimberly Foote

September 9, 2013: As We Lives the Gospel, We Find Happiness

Merry Christmas!!! Starting September 1st it is Christmas time in the Philippines. Awesome right? We have been singing Christmas songs with our investigators all week. Crazy eh? These people are awesome. 

So a few weird things about the Philippines that I love. When people don't have any 1 peso coins left for change, they give you a mento. For real. because those cost one peso. I haven't figured out why they don't' just have more 1 pesos instead of buying mentos for backup, but whatever. It's awesome. 

When you are walking on the streets you say good morning ect to everyone. At 5:59pm you say maayong hapon.. good afternoon and at 6:00pm exactly you start saying maayong gabi.. Seriously if you are 2 minutes off people look at you like you're crazy. It's awesome. 

People are always shocked if we say anything in Ilonggo and if we say even just Ano ini?..what is this? they say Wow.. sagad ka sa ilonggo! "wow you are so talented at ilonggo". It's hilarious. The only other Americans i have seen since I've been here are other missionaries. People just love to talk to us.  It's great. When we go to new areas we have literally 20 people follow us around. The little kids LOVE giving high fives. I have alot of fun with it. I love the little kids. 

So, I started walking again on Saturday morning. It was a hard week not walking but I was able to study a lot from the scriptures and study the language. It helped a lot and I'm excited to start sharing the scriptures I found and using the language principles.

We taught on Friday and Saturday in bamboo huts with dirt floors. Apparently there are like 4 parts of our area like that. It's incredible that people live like this. Their whole house is smaller than our kitchen here and way smaller than my bedroom back home. But truly things do not bring happiness. It's relationships, it's faith, it's who we are developing into. 

We were able to teach our investigator Cliffen this week. He is never home and we can never teach him but I suggested we just stop by his house and he was home! It was a miracle we taught him a great lesson and he is super excited for his baptism. And then he came to sacrament meeting on Sunday even though he had work. When he walked in with his family I was almost in tears. And he is reading the Book of Mormon. It's so awesome to see how the gospel blesses people. I was able to testify to him about how the gospel can bless his family, how they can feel God's love in their home, how he can be a good example, have guidance to raise his daughter, and have the priesthood to bless his family. It was awesome. 

As we live the gospel we find happiness. We feel peace. We become more like Christ.. by the fruits of the gospel I know that it is true. 

Ether 12:41 Seek that Jesus. As we seek Christ He guides us and helps us become like Him. 

I love you all so much!!! Thank you for all your support and love! The church is true. God is our father. 

Love, Sister Foote