Philippines Week 46

Let me just start by apologizing in advance—I have no idea how or if this letter will flow or make any sense but I guess we’ll see if I can link my thoughts together to explain how I am feeling.

This week was just a blur of emotions, mile marks, and intense lessons.

This week I hit my one-year mark in the mission.

This week I turned 20 years old.

I saw some of my batch mates and my “anak” (trainee).

A member of the 70 came and spoke to us.

Sister Smith took a tumble that landed us in the hospital.

A very close family friend died.

As I hit my one year mark and birthday, I kind of realized that I have become a little stagnant in my personal progression. As I was beginning to realize that I had the opportunity of seeing some of the missionaries that were with me in the MTC. I was amazed at the change and maturity that I saw in them. I felt like in the beginning of my mission I had changed so much but maybe I had just lost some of my “spark”.

That is why I am SO grateful for Elder Bowen’s teachings to us at Zone Conference. I am grateful for Sister Smith’s fall. It was a pretty bad fall but I am grateful for what I was able to learn from President Dahle.

“Are you a Mormon?” “Well, Why not?” That was President Dahle’s question to the guard in the hospital. That simple question (in English) sparked something deep inside me. My desire.

From my studies of the Abrahamic Covenant, I’ve realized—again—that my purpose (as Elder Bowen said) isn’t to baptize but to convert so that all those around us can enjoy never-ending, covenanted blessings. It is so necessary that these people are adopted into the House of Israel in order to receive those blessings. Those blessings are everlasting. Even though people die and it’s heartbreaking, I know that there are much more, greater things in store for those that have stayed true to the end.

People desperately need the Gospel of Jesus Christ. 

Other things this week:

• I ate suso for my birthday. Yep, that's snail. You have to sip it out of the shell. It's weird and buggery. 
• Someone also made potato salad for my birthday.
• Teresita, investigator--she will be baptized Sept 27th, told us about how she went to an entrepreneur's conference in Bablanga (the big city). I guess the main topic was about a sanitary napkin (pad) that has a special medicine on it that eases headaches. So if you get a headache you just put the pad on your forehead to ease your headache and then use it for its normal use (women's menstruation). Pretty hilarious--just because Terestia (60yo) was trying to show us how to use it with a pad on her fore head.
• Sister Smith slid in some mud and so we went to the hospital with President and Sister Dahle. I got to translate for President as he invited people to listen to the message of the gospel. It was so cool. He just kept going up to people and saying "Are you a Mormon" and then if they said no he would say "well why not."  So cool!
• Elder Bowen of the Quorum of the Seventy came and spoke to us.
• We had Zone Conference. I got to see Sister Hart, SIster Pizon(my anak), Sister Gorringe, Sister Bautista (old comp) and Elder Hill (from my batch).
• CONGRATULATIONS to SARAH LEWIS!! That is super exciting.
• Does Cheyenne have a middle name?

Love you

Week 40 Arizona

So we've had an interesting week here too. It went from blazing hot to
a dust storm to 3 "imminent threat" flash flood warning text messages
all in like 3 days. 

So...blazing hot day...this is kinda awkward. On that day we were on exchanges and...I 

totally passed out. I'm fine and all, I just lost my favorite orange Nalgene bottle (the 

one with the Mr T sticker on it). So... I hadn't been drinking as much water as I
should have been and we were tweaking a lesson outside and my companion 

(Sister Clemens) was essentially debating with this guy for like 20 minutes! Luckily, I was

leaning against a wall and I just said "I think I'm gonna pass out," next thing I know, I'm in a chair with a fan blowing cold air on me.

This morning, we woke up to a torrential down pour...that's why I'm writing so late, the library was closed due to hazardous road conditions. Our parking lot looked like a lake!

Philippines Week 45

Family!! What up?!? I hear that there is a new edition to the family. Congrats Davey and Shaybaby.

Follow-up on my favorite less active:

As we walked by Joseph’s house earlier this week, he called us in and sat us down. He directly told me that even though he was baptized in the 70s that I am his missionary and that he knows that I will probably be transferred soon but that’s okay because he has work to do here in Abucay. He then pulled out a ward directory of priesthood holders. The list was all marked up- with descriptions of families, people, and concerns. He then told us that His goal is to reactivate the priesthood and then work on their families. We then shared Doctrine and Covenants 84:88 with him which says that God is with us in this work and that the angels are round about is to bear us up. He then looked over with teary eyes and said “I feel them. They are here.” He then told me that I won’t see the results of my work here in Abucay but that he won’t stop visiting less actives until there are so many that they need to start another branch here. He then told me to come back in 1 year when he goes through the temple.  This man was one of the hardest people that I have ever met. His change of heart inspires me to work harder and continue through the challenges that I face every day.

Things that happened this week:

• Happy Birthday mom!!
• Met a couple of drunk men. 
• Had a few really nice conversations with crazy men.
• There was a huge storm.
• I hit my one year mark on the 11th.

I love you all. Hope that everything is going well.  Next week.  

Happy Birthday to Linda Allen this week.  

                        Sister Raynor and Sister Smith

                                                                                 kids chasing us.

a baby's swinging crib. they are super sick.

                                                                           a cute baby.

Week 39 Arizona

So this has been a crazy week to say the least. Tuesday was soooooooooooooooo long, but we made it through. Then on Thursday we had a day...we had mission tour so there was some serious spiritual lift at that meeting. Elder Schwitzer of the 2nd Quorum of the Seventy came and did some training with us...it was just awesome. It was all about repentance and humility and the conversion process. It was super cool, and from then until now we just saw miracle after miracle...it has been amazing. I'm gonna try and tell you about all of them, so bare with me.

So Hermana Ayala. I'm just gonna say it, re-activations are way awesomer than baptisms. The Elders had been working with this lady for weeks and absolutely no desire to go back to church, then Sister Smuin and I came in and we had this incredible lesson with her, she told us that she had gone to our ward once before but never felt super welcomed, but we got her to come. So she comes, and then she left right before the closing prayer in Sacrament meeting...we thought she hated it and that she ran away. Then we weren't able to visit her the next week and we were super sad, but then she showed up at church again the next Sunday, and... their records were read in. 

     Then on Friday night we went over to visit her, she told us that since she went back to church, Justin (her 13 year old son) has been better. He has ADHD, Asbergers, OCD, and the week before we visited her she found out he also is schizophrenic. Since they went to church, he has been better. Then, this Sunday, Hermana Ayala brought her whole family to church, Justin received the priesthood. To this point in my mission, it was the best thing I have ever seen. I have never felt so happy for another person like this, I cried a little bit during that meeting.

On Thursday, Sister Smuin was struggling a bit, and by a bit...I mean a lot. She got dear john-ed and she saw someone from home on Thursday that she wasn't expecting to (or wanting to) see after she got the letter if-you-know-what-i-mean. So Thursday night, there where a lot of tears and pep talks. By the end of the night, we set up an appointment with president because she just had a lot on her mind.During the whole thing, she just kept saying "I wish Elder Nelson was here, he always knew what to do." Elder Nelson was her last district leader in Phoenix and he had just gone home, so not a chance of that happening. Anyways in to Presidents office she walks and about 20 minutes later, she walks out and standing in the hallway is none other than formerly Elder Nelson. His family just so happened to be coming through on that day at that time. It truly was a miracle.

Funny for the family:

So we live with two other Sisters, and on Saturday night Sister Roth told us something that her grandpa told her once. She was slouching real bad, and so he put his arm around her and said, "don't ever let your stomach stick out further than your feminine charms" (aka your boobs) then on Sunday Sister Smuin and I were in church and I drew something and then she tried to quote Sister Roth's grandpa, but failed. I was crying from laughing so hard.

Us at the temple, peanut butter m&M on sister Smuin's forehead.

Philippines Week 44

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM!

Sorry, I dont have much to say this week. its kind of been crazy.

This week was filled with too many ups and downs to count. It wasn’t necessarily a ‘bad’ week or a ‘good’ week. I’ve found that as I have learned to love the people here, their ups and downs affect me. It hurts when I see them hurting or struggling.  Their ups and their joys are the highest and happiest joys that I have experienced.

So this week I met a nice man with a permed mullet. He was probably about 50 and he had a gold tooth. He is probably by new best friend in the philippines. He told me that he will become a Mormon if I come back for him. I told him that I will keep his offer in mind.

Tender Mercy of the Week:

-------I'm sitting next to Sister Hart right now!! Reunited at last.

Love Sister Raynor

Sister Smith and me.

Week 38 Arizona

So this letter is gonna be a bit different than usual, but I'll give
you the news updates at the end.


So...it's official...I'm on the down hill.

 I am so amazed at how fast time flies and so sad to see that so much
of it has gone. It was really motivating to know that I only have x
amount of time left so I better jump on that train and get moving. I
feel even more motivated to give it my all and not hold anything back.
My desire is there and now I just have to act.

In Elder Oaks 2011 april conference talk he explained how improtant a
desire is. He said that your desires = your priorities. Your
priorities = your choices. Your choices = your actions. Your desires
taht you act on = you CHANGING, YOUR ACHIEVING, AND YOUR BECOMING. He
talks about the priorities of our desires and how we can over ride our
desires with greater ones. ie You over ride your desire to eat with
your greater desire to fast.

Our desires make us. It's like virtue. It starts in our inner most
thoughts. I remember a song that I heard a lot as a child, YOU THINK
IT, YOU FEEL IT, YOU DO IT. If we can master our thoughts we can
change who we are and what we will become.

This week was a "Blow me out of the water week." We had some of the most
AMAZING lessons that I have had thus far. Sister Smuin and I would
leave the lesson with beaming grins and over flowing hearts. When the
spirit teaches hearts are touched and changed. Miracles are seen!

Speaking of miracles they have been EVERYWHERE!! On Thursday, we got a
call from the assistants and they asked us to take another ward
because the elders that were covering Evergreen had to get ET-ed
(Emergency Transferred) out. So, the first thing we did was find the
Bishop. As soon as he saw us at his door, he literally started crying.
He said that he had been praying for something to change, and that we
were it. The Evergreen ward hasn't had sisters in it for 16+ years.
Then on Sunday, during ward counsel, we went in and told our members
that...we literally have nothing to work with in this ward, and so we
are 100% at their service, and we just bore testimony that the Lord is
truly hastening His work and that He does answer prayers...the spirit
was so strong there. Since then, we have seen so many miracles. Just
our enthusiasm has changed so many hearts and attitudes.

At first, we were worried about this change, that we wouldn't be able
to spend out time evenly, but we decided to make sacrifices to make
this work and we have seen miracles.  Each day we have been able to
make lists of miracles that we have seen and amazing experiences that
we have had. There is so much power in giving of your self so that
others can have.

Sorry this one is short and my thoughts are totally scattered, but
since next Sunday is fast Sunday (for us as a companionship at least)
I want to encourage all of you to go to True to the Faith and study
under Fasting. I did this because I wanted to learn more about
sacrifice and to understand a bit more before this Sunday. I was
inspired to fast more and with a greater purpose. I know that Father
has blessings waiting for us. So bring on the blessings!


The Church is true, The Book is Blue, and Moroni stands on a ball

Sister Raynor



So today we got to go to the temple! Suuuuper tired right now, but
super grateful for the opportunity.

Philippines Week 43

Warning: I am on an island in Asia and I’m thinking some deep thoughts.

There are two types of people in this world: those you love and those you do not yet understand.

My mission has not been easy. Honestly, I’ve struggled…probably more than I’d like to admit. I remember the first 3 months I don’t think that I have ever been so homesick. My next 3 months with Sister Pizon were so stressful. We had a HUGE language barrier and we were both still so new in the mission. At that point in my mission, everything seemed to tear down any type of self confidence that i had. Tagalog. Homesickness. Rejection. As I look back to when my mission seemed to change, I realize that everything that got so much easier when I realized a simple concept: Love.

  To quote Elder Holland: Take heart. Pure Christlike love flowing from true righteousness can change the world. My super talented sister, Rachel, once told me that “love can soften and break down anything”. I didn’t realize how true that was until I myself was broken down and humbled. I have seen hearts change because of simple, pure love. I know that I have seen vast improvements in my Tagalog because I gained a love of the people and desire to communicate with them.

I know that if I had not learned the importance of love, I would not be able to be companions with Sister Smith. My love for her is certainly not perfect. I don’t think anyone but our Father in Heaven has a perfect love. But I do love her. I enjoy learning from her. I am grateful for our time as companions.

I love this little island in Asia.

other crazy things...

1. alimango--crab. pretty tasty
2. met a lady with a weird creepy barbie collection.  she kept referring to me as her real barbie. it was strange. she had a bunch of different collections.

1. Sister Malicdem (my mom here) had her birthday. 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MATTY.

Love Sister Raynor

One of the 9 pair of rubber shoes I've gone through thus far...

Just something cute along the path!

My Room and study area.