Adventures of Sister Elsmore 54

Mandy Elsmore <mandy.elsmore@myldsmail.net>

Technical Difficulties... >~<

 Tried sending Photos and Letter, but some of you apparently did not get it or something... So I'm just sending the letter out to all of you. Sorry...computers. T_T 

Mom is posting photos on my blog so, check them out!

Kumusta! 

So I'm in Cogeo and it is GORGEOUS here! Everywhere we go I'm just like, WOW!!! So this is the Philippines. HA HA HA! We are doing a lot of hiking in this area. Most of my area is like walking up and down Y Mountain in Provo Utah. Loving my life!

My Companion is Sister Abonitalla.

26 years old

5.4 ft

Basayan, from Mindanao (bottom island of the Philippines)

She is a Nurse

Her family lives in San Diego, California

Really good at Cooking (we are going to teach each other asian dishes)

She LOVES Japan!

One Word to Describe her... propriety

She knows when it is appropriate to have fun and be adventurous and when we should be quiet, meek, and spiritual. She is a great sister and companion. :)

Goal we set for this transfer is to count the tender mercies of the Lord Everyday. ^_^

Upcoming General Conference Goal:

Preparing myself spiritually and with questions of the soul before conference so that I'll be more better prepared to receive answers from God. Love general conference! Prophet Thomas S. Monson, the Apostles, and General Authorities are amazing people and called of God. 

Funny Story:

Hiking down this Mountain and its raining, so the ground in muddy and slippery. My shoes have no grip from being wore off from a year of walking in them (sorry mom, still have not bought new ones. Buying some latter on today. ^_^). We were talking about our families and I was telling her how my Dad and my siblings do figure skating. The I jokingly said, "I'm using all my skills of ice-skating right now in this mud."

Sister Abonitalla, "So, like mud skating?"

Me, "exactly!"

Then I slip and hang onto a nearby bamboo poll for dear life to stop myself from slipping down the mountain.

Sis A, "WOW! So that's your figure skating skills huh?"

Me, "Now you know why its only them that ice-skate and not me."

BAH HA HA HA! X)

Scripture

Moses 6:31-34 

Sometimes the Lord my call us to do things which we feel inadequate to accomplish because of our weaknesses. Whether is be callings, missions, jobs, marriage, etc... however; the Lord knows what we are able to do in this life. If we act in faith, trust in him, he will give us the blessings and skills to accomplish the thing he would have us do. He is always there for us. All we need to do is "walk with him." :)

Question of the Day:

If you could have one Day with the Savior, what would you do? 

Anyway, Love ya'll! Praying for ya!

Sister Elsmore

Acting dramatic! Expressing the fear of  Me crossing a bridge with some gaps in the planks. Yes, you could say I'm loving my life right now! :D

Pictures

Bug we found. ^_^ Sister Abonitalla holding it in the picture. We had fun taking turns holding it. 

Kids of some investigators. Starting to rain, so they all run to the bench and try to share the same umbrella. ^_^ CUTE!!!

Adventures of Sister Elsmore 53

From: Mandy Elsmore <mandy.elsmore@myldsmail.net>

Date: September 24, 2013 4:01:11 AM CDT

Kumusta,

So not much time again, because we cleaned and reorganized the whole apartment and me packing. Yup, I'm transferring again. Going back to good old Antipolo to the Mountains. ^_^ YAY! Different area in Cogeo Zone. Super Excited, but also super sad to leave. I loved these people here, and I've be come REALLY close to the members here and recent converts. But, I've learned, Change is a good thing sometimes. ^_^ Excited for new area and new people to serve and bring closer to Christ. 

This week, Had the Mission Tour with Elder Arden of the Area Presidency. 1st counselor. He is SO COOL! Kind-of intense, but super great Teacher and has a strong passion for the Gospel. ^_^

Had a really cool activity in the begining. We were all to prepare a 3-4 minute scripture thought then those that wanted to share would go up, share it at the pulpit, then The mission president, Sister Ardern, and Elder Ardern would also give comments and insights on the same scriptures. IT WAS AWESOME! Fun to discuss scriptures and see and learn the different insights people have to the same scriptures. The word of God has so much we can learn from...

Tips to a good Scripture Study:

1) Pray

2) Read and ponder the word slowly

3) Have a Dictionary handy, there can be a lot of different meanings to just one word. 

4) Use the cross references for greater understanding, the Bible Dictionary, Preach My Gospel, and/or other articles or books for more insights and thoughts.

5) Have a desire! Things that help with this is having questions, topics, and just doing it. The more you do it the more fun it becomes. ;)

6) Try different things out, mix it up, pray to the Lord what works best for you. One thing that I have learned is that there will be many people that will tell you what to do, which is good. They just want to help, but it sometimes gets overwhelming. The beauty of the gospel is that its simple and can be applied to different people in different ways and God knows the best way for each of us. So pray, try it out, and if it doesn't work, thats ok, try something else. The Lord will bless you for your efforts. ;)

Love ya'll! Praying for Ya'll!

Sister Elsmore ^_^

Adventures of Sister Elsmore 52

From: Mandy Elsmore <mandy.elsmore@myldsmail.net>

Date: September 16, 2013 4:24:21 AM CDT

Kumusta,

Thank you for all the birthday wishes. :) I had a great and eventful birthday. Very Eventful, with hosting the temple tour and a baptism. 

Andre is 9 years old and his family just became active again in the church. ^_^ His sister is 8 years old, and should have been baptized, but the first time her hand did not go under the water all the way, she got scared because water came into her nose. She tried again, but then started freaking out. After that, no matter how we tried to comfort and encouraged her, she would not do it. It just taught me that truly, you cannot force anyone to be baptized. You cannot take their agency. Also that at 8 years old, you really are accountable and conscious of your actions. Even though she is small, she had to make the effort to bend her knees. If she would not, she could not be baptized. Hopefully, after a couple weeks she will overcome her fear with faith and gain the courage to try again. :)

Any suggestions on how to help scared kids overcome trauma?

Sorry, no time once again, wish I could expound, but can't right now. 

Sister Elsmore ^_^ 

Adventures of Sister Elsmore 51

From: Mandy Elsmore <mandy.elsmore@myldsmail.net>

Date: September 10, 2013 4:01:20 AM CDT

Kumusta,

Sorry, very minimal time, due to some complications earlier...

Went to the Temple. IT WAS AWESOME!!! :D

Realization and a Loving Father in Heaven:

Recently, I prayed about whether or not I should do something, and the Lord answered me with a question, "What do you want to do?" Which shocked me... I forgot that sometimes the Lord allows us to make decisions depending on what we feel would be right and want we want. As long as its the Lords will, and its something that will help us become closer to him, I think as his children, we have a lot of freedom to choose as long as its within the boundaries of the Lord. We, as children of our Heavenly Father, really don't have such a restricting life when you think about it in that way. 

Sorry this is SO short! Love Ya'll! Praying for Ya'll! :D Keep praying to God and have a conversation with him. ;) He'll say exactly what you need to hear if we listen. 

Sister Elsmore ^_-

MORMONS MARK 50TH YEAR IN THE PHILIPPINES





Thousands of Mormons gathered at the Araneta Coliseum in Cubao, Quezon City last Saturday night to celebrate the 50th anniversary of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the Philippines.


More than 4,500 members, including children and youth, performed songs and dances that depict the Church's history as well as local history and culture. Traditional songs and lively dances were chosen to depict the cultures unique to the country. The youth started practicing their dance routines as early as two years ago.


"This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for our young members to demonstrate their talents and come together to celebrate the founding of the Church in the Philippines,” said Elder Miguel R Valdez, Area Seventy for the church and Chairman of the Jubilee Committee." The chance to celebrate a 50th anniversary doesn't come around too often."


The show took the audience through the colorful history of the Philippines from pre-colonial days to the war years and the present. Intertwined in the script is the beginning and growth of the Church in the country. Historians said that the Philippines was opened to the church's missionary effort on April 28. 1961.


Elder Gordon B. Hinckley, who later became the world president of the Church, was joined by about 150 servicemen and their families at the American war Memorial in Makati in a special service held for this purpose.


The first four Mormon missionaries arrived in the Philippines in June 1961. Eight Filipinos were baptized that year. Fifty years later, Church membership has grown to over 650,000 with over 1,200 congregations nationwide.


Senior leaders of the Church as well as government and community leaders attended the event. The cultural celebration was also witnessed by thousands of members of the Church throughout the archipelago live via satellite.









PHILIPPINE LDS CELEBRATE 50 YEARS







Thousands of Philippine Latter-day Saints recently celebrated the 50th anniversary of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints being established in thePhilippines.


More than 4,000 members performed traditional songs and lively dances in elaborate costumes at a cultural celebration on Saturday, 30 April 2011. The event depicted the Church’s history as well as the local culture and history. The youth started practicing their dance routines and making their colorful costumes as early as two years ago. Click here to view a short clip of the cultural celebration.


“This was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for our young members to demonstrate their talents and come together to celebrate the founding of the Church in the Philippines,” said Elder Miguel R. Valdez, Area Seventy for the Church and chairman of the Jubilee Committee.


“The chance to celebrate a 50th anniversary doesn’t come around too often,” Elder Valdez added.


Following the Saturday celebration, members attended a special conference on Sunday, 1 May, connecting leaders of the Church from Salt Lake City with the Philippine Latter-day Saints via satellite.


A special part of the celebration included the attendance of Nenita Reyes Gapiz, one of the first eight members baptized in the Church in 1961. Also, three of the first four missionaries to the Philippines — Harry Murray, Kent Lowe and Raymond Goodson — and their wives attended the weekend activities.


Fifty years later, Church membership has grown to nearly 650,000, with over 1,200 congregations throughout the Philippines. Highlighting the growth of the Church in the Philippines is the number of temples that have been built. For many years, the Philippine Saints traveled to the Manila temple, which was dedicated in 1984. Then in June 2010, the Cebu temple was dedicated, and later, in the October 2010 general conference, President Thomas S. Monson announced that a new temple would be constructed in the city of Urdaneta on the island of Luzon, approximately 100 miles north of Manila.


The Mormon Tabernacle Choir also celebrated the historical event by inviting the Philippine Madrigal Singers to Utah. The group performed during the choir’s weekly broadcast of Music and the Spoken Word on Sunday, 17 April.

Adventures of Sister Elsmore 50

From: Mandy Elsmore <mandy.elsmore@myldsmail.net

Date: September 2, 2013 1:28:11 AM CDT

Kumusta!

This last week was CRAZY! Got to see the hand of the Lord in a lot of things. NO IDEA HOW TO WRITE ALL OF THIS. I'll just put the highlights, then perhaps I'll try to do it justice in my journal.

Splits

Went to Marikina, which is famous for its floods. Don't worry, it did not rain or flood while I was there. But there are a lot of 3 story buildings because of the likely-hood of floods. It always amazes me how people, no matter what the circumstances are, if they are set on living somewhere, they adapt and just deal with the fact of potential danger in a area. 

Anyway, it was GORGEOUS over there. Lots of hills and I got to do a bit of hiking which my soul has been missing. 

Things I learned. 

God sends his messengers at the exact time at the exact place they are needed. These Sisters were having problems with communication and learning to live with each other. Which can be SO DANG HARD sometimes. Different cultures, backgrounds, upbringings, personalities, etc...

When the lord sees people need a little break and a little spiritual comfort, peace, and guidance, he sends those who are ready and able to accept the call and be his instruments in his hands. 

There are just some people that you can just click with right away and those it takes a little bit of time and work to get used to each other. Which I'm learning is ok. We don't have to like everyone we meet at first; however, with a bit of work and patience, we can all come to some sort of understanding for each other, which can develop to a christlike love. I think everyone has their weaknesses and strengths. We just have to see them for their potential and work together in seeing how we can grow and become better people together. Its a struggle, but worth it all at the end, because we grow more than we ever would have thought we would have with those who push us to our limits. 

hmm... I think I'm rambling. Sorry about that.

Another Example of being in the right place at the right time:

We were walking to get a tricycle to go to a appointment, we were a little late so we were in a hurry, when we see the Elders walking as well. (area boundaries) we say hello and then part ways. 5 more minutes late. Oh well, Filipino Standard time. Then try to get a tricycle, which takes another 10 more minutes. Get off at the street the investigator lives, when two women, desperately start running toward the tricycle. Ones holding a toddler and their cries turn to screams as the tricycle drives away. It was dark, but as they came closer I could tell the child had a pretty serious head injury. We try to stop the tricycle, but it was already full and was well on its way. Looking around we did not see anymore tricycles. A taxi comes up though and we stopped it.

one of the women, "Walang Kaming Pera" (We have no money.)

Me, "Ayos Lang!" (Its okay)

After a bit of confusion talking with the driver with where they were going, because they were both crying, we sent them on there way to the nearest hospital. 

We prayed that they traveled there in time and the child would recover from her injury. 

Sometimes, you forget to look for and see the hand of the Lord in even the tiniest things, until after something big happens. I'm very grateful to serve and I'm striving to look for the little miracles of the Lord each day. Because I know they are there. As it says in Mosiah 2:24 "...he doth immediately bless you" if we are obedient to the commandments. It may be in a way different than we expect but the blessings are always there. 

Praying for ya'll! Love ya'll! Count your blessings and don't forget to say thank you! 

Sister Elsmore ^_^

PS: The new bible videos are AWESOME!!! Been loving them. Watch them, they are really good quality. :)

Sister Suarez and I at Banapple. A AWESOME restaurant that sells the best Italian food and cheese cake that I've had here in the Philippines. ^_^