April 21, 2013

hello Family!!! How are you all doing? If you are wondering how the 99 degree weather feels like, just imagine being wet all the time with sweat and that is it..... But it's not too bad. I am getting used to it and before you know it summer will be over and it will be rainy season. which means a lot of rain. It rained again last night. We had jsut finished teaching and were about to leave and it just started raining, really hard. Remember in Florida how hard it rained there when we went to NASA I think? That's how hard it rains here. So we waited for about 20 minutes because it was lightening and thundering really close. Then it finally stopped a little bit. So it was pretty cool. We walked home which was about a thirty minute walk, but it was really fun. We were just walking and talking in the rain. It was a good time.

Last week we had exchanges. So I went to Dagupan and Sister Carr (another sister) came here and became companions with Sister A. for a couple of days. It was really sad to say goodbye to Sister A. I think that President was just trying to prepare us for transfers. I was in a trio for a couple of days. My companions were Sister Navarathna (from Sri Lanka) and Sister Taliaivoa (Australia). So needless to say with all of our accents and everything, it was a pretty interesting time. The Sister's were great though. SIster T is pretty new so she doesn't really know Tagalog and Sister N. is a little longer in the mission so she can speak ok, but she doesn't understand anything. So that left me there as their translator. Oh boy was that fun. It was a little intersting, but we did it!!!!! There area in near the ocean. It is so crazy to see how just 30 minutes of travel how different everything is. It was like a different world. The language changed (in Urdaneta it's Ilocano, in dagupan it's Pangansinan), their livelyhood changed (Udaneta- rice fields, Dagupan- fishing). One house that we went to was like in the middle of the ocean. The bridge that went to their house was made of like bamboo and was super wabbly. Then half of it was under the water..... I looked at it and was like what the heck are we supposed to do here?? Then brother yelled to us "tuloy kayo". Which means come in, or come to our house. I just stared at him and the other sisters and was like seriously?? But after about three minutes of just saying, "ok you first, no you first". Brother came over and put down plywood on part of it that was in the water. But then we had to go the rest of the way and it was pretty scary. There wasn't any railings or anything. I am just glad that we made it across ok. It was quite the experience needless to say. I feel like there were a ton more things like that but I can't reall think right now. There was another area that was basically all built in the ocean. Their houses are made out of bamboo. I don't know what they do in the storm season, but maybe they have that all figured out. It was realy interesting to see a different view of life and everything. It made me really grateful for the area that I am in now and my apartment and everything. But I have a feeling I'll be transfering soon because I have been here for a while in Urdaneta. So we will see where my next area will be. But we don't have transfers for another three weeks. So we'll see. 

Other than our exchanges things have been going well here. We have really been working on trying to find new investigators. I felt like just all of a sudden we don't have any anymore. So this week we need to work on finding and expanding our investigator pool. I have really seen that if you show the people that you love them and arent' just there to teach and leave, but to build relationships and through you show that God loves them too, that is how people grow to trust you and trust in this gospel and the peace it brings into our life. We just need to show people love and I know we will help others come unto Christ. There is a kid here that we have been teaching. He is 18 or 19. He is the only member in his family and we teach him and a couple other boys that are the same age there. He told us last week that he really wants to serve a mission and he has prayed about it and knows that this is what he's supposed to do. He asked his parents, well I guess told them that he wants to serve and they said that it is ok. So now he is preparing. It makes me so happy that young men and women are going out to serve the Lord. I know that this church is true! If we trust in God we will have success, whether great or small.

Sorry I don't have time to write you all back personally, my time is about up. But thank you so much for the birthday wishes. It was a great day even though I was far from you all. Thank you for your thoughts and prayers. I love you all so much and know that this is the true church of God. I hope you all have a great week and keep being great!!!!!!! Love you all sooooo much! 

Sister Palmer 

April 14, 2013

Hello my wonderful family!!!!!!!!! So now it is April, I hope that it is warming up a little bit there. I wish we could send some of this heat to you guys, but I guess for the time being we will just soak it up!!!!!! So this week was pretty good. We were able to watch conference which was awesome!!! I felt like it was so fast though, I didn't want it to end, and then it was over..... But there were so many great things that we said. I think Elder Holland is my favorite. I could really feel his love for us. He just wants us to be good and be obedient. Even if we think we don't have the faith for it, he said that we could use his. That was such an amazing act of charity because sometimes we get discouraged, but a prophet of God said that we can use his faith until we gain our own. I know that by just believing and acting, that is when faith grows. But there were a ton of other things that I learned at conference. But really just how important it is to do the simple commandments so that satan won't have power over us. This morning I read in Alma 49 about how Moroni and his people had prepared the city. Amalekiah thought that it was their weak part because before it was. But my favorite line in verse 4 "but behold, how great was their disappointment". Hopefully that is the reaction of Satan when he tries to tempt us. I want that to be his reaction when he tries to tempt me. That from doing the simple commandments everyday that he doesn't have power over me. In a later verse I think verse 11 it says that the blood of the men of Amalikiah wasn't important to them. That is how we are with Satan. We aren't important to him. He just wants to win, for his own glory and he is willing to take whoever down with him, for his own glory. but happy for us we know the end of his story and we can get hope from that. So this week I hope we have the attitude that we hope Satan will be greatly disappointed because of our righteous choices this week.

So can any one believe that it is April?? I sure can't. My 9 month mark is this Friday....... Huh? I can't believe that my mission is half way complete. It feels like I just got here, but on the other hand, I have learned so much and am so grateful for that. Also thank you for the birthday wishes!!! I think a birthday away from home is more sad than christmas. But I am surrounded by some really really great people here. So it will still be happy and I wills till be thinking of you guys. SO thank you a ton!

We had another cool experience of prayer this week. Two weeks ago we went to a less actives house and just the mom and one daughter was there. But we asked if we could teach them anyways and they accepted. Usually the mom is a little cold to us but this night she was super friendly. At the end of the lesson we asked if there was anything we could help her with. She told us about her son that has a job but he doesn't come home. He just sleeps at his friends house. She said that she misses him a lot and asked us to pray for him. So we included them in our prayers. That sunday they all came to church, except the son. But we were so happy that they were all there. Then that next thursday we went to their house and guess who was there?? Their son! I have been in this area for almost 5 months and this was my first time to meet him. I know that because they went to church and we all prayed for him, he came back. So it was a really cool experience.

My time is almost up, but I have a quick funny story that I think you will all appreciate. So the other day we were in companionship study. And I think it was my turn to share what I had learned in personal study and sister Alibogha said "ok sister Palmer it's your turn to shine". So i thought it was pretty funny, so this week we have been saying it back and forth to each other. Yesterday we were at church and Sister Alibogha was going to go to the bathroom. Before she went into the stall she said to me "Ok sister, It's my time to shine now!", Oh man I was laughing soooooooooooo hard!!!!!!!!!!!!! So now that is what we always say "It's my time to shine". So I hope that you have a "time to shine" this week. I love you all so much. I know that this is the true church of God. We have a living Prophet on this earth. This church is perfect, because it is God's church. I know that the Book of Mormon is the word of God. I love you all so much and hope you have a truly fantastic week!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Keep being awesome! Mahal ko kayo!!!!!

Sister Palmer 

April 7, 2013

Hello Family!!! Can you believe that it is April already???? Holy cow, time has flown by! My mission is half way now.... Kind of makes me a little sad, but it is ok. I still have a long time! Things are going well here.... it is still summer and still hot, but that is something that I am getting used to.. You would think that after seven months of being here I would be used to the heat, but sometimes I wake up in the middle of the night and my hair is wet, my face is wet.... Like somebody poured water on me and then I realize that it is sweat. So I wipe off my face and turn my fan up. You all know how good of a sleeper I am, so i can usually go right back to sleep. That is quite a blessing because I get grumpy when i don't have enough sleep (I think you know that too).

So anyways, this week has been good. We have just been working and stuff. We went to a less active here in our area. She is really really old!!! She was saying that she prays that her back will mawawala.... It is funny in tagalog. It is hard to expain in english, but like she wants her back to dissapear. So Sister Alibogha said, if you keep praying for that, you wont have a back sister.... We were laughing so hard. Then Sister Fay (the less active) was holding my hand durring the lesson and Sister A said to her, you can have Sister Palmer's hand, or sa inyo yen po ang kamay ni Sister Palmer. Once again we were laughing. Then at the end of the lesson I was closing it and I was saying "we leave this..." and she said, in our thoughts and heart..... I was laughing so hard I could'nt close the lesson for a little bit until I recomposed. But she is really so sweet! 

Two weeks ago we went and visited our bishop. We are trying to build the relationships of the ward members right now so that the work will progress better. So we went to Bishops house with a "how can we help" attitude like it says in Preach my Gospel. At first he was like, "what are your problems". Then we asked how we could help him and his attitude changed. He was more willing to work with us. Then he asked us to pray for him because he misplaced the ward credit card. When we got there it seemed like something was bothering him, and that was it. He had just come back from going to different places looking for the card. He said he felt sick about it. Our ward had a temple trip last week and they needed to card for it. So he asked us to pray for him and the card. So it was good that he opened up to us. I felt like after that he warmed up to us. So yesterday in his testimony he said that he went to the security guard at the ATM and the person after bishop found the card and gave it to the security guard. Then the security guard hid it until the owner came back. Bishop bore testimony of the power of prayer. I know that if we have faith and if our desires are true and honest, our prayers will be answered. It was truly a miracle because the person behing bishop and the security guard could have used the credit card, but neither did. it was another testimony to me that God protects us and the sacred money that we pay for tithing. I am sure that that was sacred tithing money that was in the account, but becuase it is the Lords money and it is for the kingdom of God here on earth, it was protected. After sacrament meeting bishop thanked us for our prayers. Our relationship with him has really been strenghtened by this experience and I know that through this the work will progress better and faster here. 

Things are going well with our investigators too. We have really just been trying to talk to everybody and plant a seed in there heart for this great word of God to grow. I know that this church is true with all of my heart. This is the work of God and if we are obedient we will be in the right place at the right time to help somebody else, and share this great message with them. I have learned here that we shouldn't be scared to share this message, because not only is their salvation dependent on it, but ours is too. if we hold back from them their sins could be on our shoulders for not telling them the things that are true. I know that the Book of Mormon is the word of God. i love reading it every morning and studying Preach My Gospel. Two of my favorite books. Have a great week. I can't wait for this weekend to watch General Conference and listen to our prophets voice. Have a great week. Love you so much! 

Sister Palmer 

March 31, 2013

Hello Po family!!! How are you all doing? I loved recieving your emails and hearing of your testimonies of Christ. They are truly beautiful. I started tearing up!! (Yes I am turning into mom in that matter...... My tear ducts always seem to be wet). My companion and I didn't even realized that it was Easter, until our bishop texted us and said happy easter. But it was perfect timing because I had just read Matthew ano, 25 or 26. Where Christ's antones for us, and then before where Judas hangs himself. I never had realized that Judas hung himself. So yes again I started to cry or tear up because of the saddness for Judas and then the pain and anguish of Christ. I am still amazed that even though it was so hard, he still did it. He did it all for us. I am truly humbled with his example and sacrifice for us.

 

SInce it is still harvest season, a lot of people are busy. So like teusday and wednesday we didn't have a lot of lessons. I was feeling a little discouraged. But then I remembered about faith. The goals that we set every day come from the Lord, they are what he wants us to accomplish for that day. So Friday. Saturday, and Sunday I had faith and not doubt. Sometimes when we need to go to a far area and the fair is expensive, I think "will they even be there". But Friday, sat and sunday I just thought "Oh they will be there!" SOmetimes they weren't there, but the Lord always guided us to somebody that was there so that we could help them. I was truly amazed how amazing faith is. If we are just believing then things will work out. I am in the book of Alma right now about Ammon and Alma and their faith. It is so incedible. If we continue to be believing and doubt not, then we can have that kind of faith.

 

A couple of weeks ago we went to one of our investifators house. She is always either sleeping, or has been drinking or isn't there. So we decided to go to her house one more time and see if she was there, and she was asleep. So we decided to go to a ladies house that we had met a couple of weeks ago. She has a store and so she was there, but her daughter who is about 30 let us in. We ended up teaching her and it was really good. We set a return appointment for her, and extended a baptismal date. She accepted. But she hadn't come to church yet. Then she said that she would come, but relief society lang. SO yesterday she wasn't in relief society..... We were kind of sad. But then we went to sacrament meeting and guess who was sitting there with her kids waiting for sacrament to start?? SIster Guvy!!!!!!!!!! We were seriously so excited. I know that the Lord is helping us with this work, and that he places people in our paths. They might notbe the person we were looking for, but the person the Lord wants us to find will always be there if we are listening to the promptings of the spirit and are obedient. There were a lot of experiences like that this week, that we would be looking for somebody or going to somebodies house and they wouldn't be there, but there was always somebody else that was there and willing and ready for this great message.

 

Anyways, this week has been good. SIster Alibogha is great. We laugh a lot which is the best because you all know how I love laughing. I know that this church is true. This is God's church here on the earth. I am so grateful for Christ's sacrifice for us. Because of the Atonement we all have the enabling power to do all things, if we have faith. I know that the Book of Mormon is the word of God. There are a lot of people that try and tamper the name of our church and the name of Joseph Smith, but that ju shows how hard Satan is working to bring down the church of God. But like Joseph said about America, is true for this church, Satan can't destroy this church or this work from progressing. I know this is true with all my heart. I hope you all had a great Easter!!!! :) I love you all so much. Have a great week and keep being strong. The Lord will support us through everything. Love you all!!!!!

 

Love, Sister Palmer