Blessings!

Wow what a week! I'll just dive right in b/c my time is limited. So this week was full of experiences and blessings. On Thursday night we needed to go visit one of our investigators but it was getting kind of late. We decided we would just drop by and set up another appointment for another day. The lighting by his house isn't very good so we usually don't go there at night but we were going to be really quick so we jumped on a trike and headed over. On the way I started to get a weird feeling, I was confused at why, but the trike driver was talking to me so I was distracted. The closer we got to the end of the cement where we have to get off and walk the rest of the way to his house the stronger the feeling got. I told my Companion that I had a weird feeling and wasn't sure if we should go to his house. She said we would be real quick and we proceeded. As we were walking I remembered in my Setting apart blessing when it said I would be protected and safe if I was always found where I was supposed to be...I stopped and told my comp I wanted to pray. We walked off the road into the dark and I said a prayer, as I was praying I heard a voice as clear as if someone was standing right next to me. "Get out now" I ended the prayer and told my comp we had to go and go fast. Usually we have to walk all the way back into the city b/c no trikes drive in unless someone is going home and the road is dark. We started walking (very fast) and as soon as we had gone a few houses up there was a trike just waiting for us. We jumped in and as soon as we sat down the electricity in the whole city went out. Luckily we were already on a trike with headlights headed safely home. I'm not sure what would have happened had we been there but I know it would have been pitch black and not a very good area. I was so thankful for the promptings of the spirit and the blessing of the trike there waiting for us. I bowed my head and offered a prayer of gratitude in my heart right there in the tricycle.

Then there was Friday night, we had our baptismal interview for Josie and Christian Durmentes, I was sooo excited she was finally getting baptized. Literally 10 years in the making since she was first introduced to the gospel. Missionaries had been teaching her consistently for over 1 year. She never accepted a baptismal date until now and I felt so blessed to have shared so many powerful experiences with her in helping her recognize the spirit and blessings of the gospel in her life and of course witnessing her baptism. She was late for her interview so we started with christian and then her husband got home but..no sister...I asked Bro where she was and he gave me some excuse that he hadn't talked to her, something was wrong, different, I could feel it. We waited for her to come and finally she arrived she went into her house and set her stuff down, there was a weird tension in the air and she didn't even look at her husband. we were all sitting outside, she stuck her head outside and said "sis Grant can I talk to you for a sec" I went inside as my new comp stood at the door confused, as was I. Then I turned to sister josie with tears in her eyes she said she didn't want to continue and that she couldn't be baptized. I didn't say a word. I just listened as she explained how her and her husband had been arguing all week and hadn't spoken in 3 days and how all these things in her life were falling apart and she just couldn't do it. I was praying so hard in my heart for guidance in what to say to her. We had a very sweet and powerful talk, I testified to her that I knew she had been prepared, and blessed up to this point and that the Lord was so pleased with her and her family and that he wanted her to be baptized at this time. We talked about some of the experiences we had shared and about the testimony she had gained. I then asked her to offer a prayer. It was such a tender mercy for me as I listened to her plea with the Lord for strength, guidance and comfort. As she closed and we both wiped the tears from our eyes she told me she wanted nothing more than to be baptized and knew that's what the Lord wanted for her and her family. Sunday morning her and her son entered into the waters and I watched Brother Alex who recently just received the priesthood again after being away from the church for so long baptize his wife and son. At that moment I realized why I had been assigned to Handumanan if for no other reason I needed to meet the Durmentes family and I will forever remember them and the sweet experiences we shared.

I love this Gospel so much and I know that it is true. I know that the Lord places people in our paths daily to bless and help us, and if we pay attention and strive to be sensitive to the spirit our lives will be rich with blessings and experiences that will teach us the things our Heavenly Father would have us know.
I love you all so much.

Always,
Sis Grant

Masskara Festival

Masskara Festival 2009! I can't even begin to explain the festivities in Bacolod city right now its the most colorful, awesome thing ever! Its like Disneyland electric light parade meets New Orleans Mardi-gras! haha The Parades and dances and costumes are incredible. No worries I got pictures and when you all come back with me to visit we will definetly come at this time of year even with the rain its worth it.
So the work is still going well, I feel so blessed to be in Handumanan it is truly a fruitful area. All the things we hear from the Prophet and Brethren about ward mission processes and working through the members is so true! When we have members working with us and giving us referals and then the auxillaries working with the Bishop, whew wee its GOLDEN! Josie and her son christian will be baptized this sunday, the one that was waiting for an answer and then her husband testified and turned everything around. I'm so excited and her Husband Bro Durmentes can barely breath he's so happy his wife and son are joining him as members of the church its truly wonderful to see. Then on Nov 1 we have another baptism of Jeffrey Palma his wife is a member and they just had a baby boy during conference weekend. He has made a complete turn around from his life before and I know his new sons life will be completely different now that both his parents are preparing to go to the temple and be sealed. Man, there is just NOTHING like this work or this gospel!
Well last wed was my hump day. Yep believe it I'm half way done! I can't believe it, every month just seems to go by faster and faster! Just like everyone says, it's starting to scare me a little bit haha We had our transfer announcment on wed and found out that they were taking Sister Fairweather away from me again...poor thing she has to jump back on a boat over to Panay. We were soo sad, but this last transfer was ablast being able to be close to one another. My new comp is Sister Baraquiel, she is great. Quiet. but we'll see how long that last as my comp haha but she works hard and even though I'm leading in the area now I can tell she's trying hard to help the area and she's only been there 3 days! She was in San Carlos for 7 months so she only speaks cebuano...yup thats a stumbling block in the relatuionship but we're workin on it :)
Well I'm glad to hear all is well and everyone is just truckin along, Let me know about Ben Ray and all that I bet he is freaking out right now. At least thats what it sounded like in his letters haha. Love you all miss you!

Always,
Sister Grant

p.s
Mom I dont know my address either haha sorry I'll get right on that for ya ;)

Water world.......

Hello! well here I am in the Pinoy version of water world livin and lovin Sis Fairweather had a cut on her toe the other day and as we waded thru our individual areas her toe got all "swolled" up and when we asked why they said because of the ihi in the water...ihi means urine...well thanks for that. you should have seen my dear sweet sister fairweathers face I thought I was gonna die I was laughing so hard haha.
Luckily my area is on the side of a mountain so i'm pretty high up so the flooding isn't to bad in my area but up north is crazy bad. the water is over 6ft deep in some places. There are more storms on the way, my district leader told us yesterday at conference at least we'll get to follow the counsel of the prophets and serve more if the storm hits here haha gotta love the comforting words of elders no?
So remember when I hit my 9 month mark in 2 days!! What?! how did that happen? My Companion goes home tom morning I'm SO SAD I love her so much we had such an amazing transfer it was a blast and we worked so hard. I will be sending home a package probably next week with some books and stuff I dont need here and some pictures too I know I know its about time sorry.
I can't believe how incredible conference was! Jeffrey R Holland once again blew me away, I was a mess. I was just crying I was so excited that everyday I'm able to share that powerful book with people!
Sorry short but I have to go all is well I'm safe and not too flooded yet...haha
Love you all soooo much, keep on keepin on!

Love always, Sister Grant
P.s I did not eat the frog legs but I did cook them...gross.

Rain, Relief Society, & Frog Legs

I cant believe conference is here again!! Can you believe it? Another 6 months come and gone! It was definitely an eventful 6 months in my life and from what I hear in all of yours as well. The work continues to go forth at a speeding rate which is both exciting, fun and exhausting I love coming home and being so tired knowing we did everything we possibly could that day, its a great feeling. The flooding in Manila is soo sad all my batch from the MTC can't work all they do is service projects everyday. With the next few storms coming our way we might be in the same boat as them...pun? haha but as of now we aren't flooded just A LOT of rain and more windy than St Johns could even think about getting. We had a baptism on Sunday morning, Jonefi Lumihoc and now we are teaching her older sister that just moved into town and she sent a Book of Mormon to her parents who don't live here in Negros. Hopefully we can contact the missionaries there to go teach them.

We had our Zone activity today it was soo fun we played a bunch of games and did skits it was hilarious. It felt like girls camp but better haha Plus it was even more fabulous because Sis Fairweather was with me! Man I love that girl. Well all is well as of now, conference comes here a week late so I'll watch it this weekend. I'm sooo excited I can hardly stand it! I was able to watch the General R.S broadcast and I just cried when we sang How Firm a Foundation witch is one of my favorite hymns of course. I just LOVE Sis Thompson and of course Elder Eyring was amazing as usual. I pray for you all everyday especially for dads business stuff to work out so I can have a job when I get home haha and Colton and his business, like father like son no? Well I love you all soo much, no worries I got the Language and my health is back in full charge! LALU

Always,
Sister Grant