Called to Serve

Tender Mercy‏

2010-06-21T06:24:00.001-07:00

Well the moment you've all been waiting for and I've been dreading...haha I don't have very much to write this week and I'll see you all on Thursday but I just want to say that I am sooo grateful for all of you that have written me throughout my mission and given me the support and comfort that was often greatly needed. I have loved every moment here and even though there were times when I was not sure how I was going to continue or even survive for that matter haha I consider my entire mission one big Tender Mercy from the Lord. My life has been forever changed and hopefully I was able to help change the lives of others while I was here. I know that this is only the beginning and I hope this was just the training ground for whatever else the Lord has planned for me. Again I want to thank all of you for your testimonies and for sharing them with me. I feel so incredibly blessed. I told my Bishop yesterday I don't know what line I stood in while in heaven but for some reason I think I am definitely the Luckiest Girl on Earth! I will see you all on Thursday and I can't wait to see what lies ahead! Halong kamo pirme!

Always,
Sister Grant

Mountain of the Lord......

2010-06-14T08:07:00.000-07:00

So this week was great! We had so many teachings and got so much work done! Not to mention we got to go to Sagay and watch the Cebu City Cultural Event which was sooo awesome! They had youth groups from all over the visayas and Mindinao stakes preform traditional filipino dances and songs! oh you know I was loving ALL OF THAT! they even did a little segment about the American Soldiers in WW2 coming over and teaching them how to "swing" there was about 50 filipino boys and girls doin the twist and the mash potatoe in the middle of the stadium all wearing poodle skirts and what not ahaha I thought I was gonna die laughing when they zoomed in on one boys face while he dipped his partner and swung her around haha he was so into it! Oh it was so great. Pres Monson was just grinnin from ear to ear. He was on the stage laughin so hard. We had 2 of our youth age investigators come with us and they enjoyed it so much I think they saw how fun all the programs for the youth are in the church and it got them excited to know they are a part of that now :)

Then of course, on Sunday we got to go back to Sagay to watch the Live Broadcast of the actual Dedication. Something I will definitely never forget, my whole life. There I was surrounded by these incredible people that have truly become my family and witnessing and joining in on their joy as they receive a Brand new Temple in their country. The talks were amazing and for the first time in way too long I felt like I was entering back into those beautiful and sacred walls of the Temple. ( even if it was via satellite :) ) Pres Monson was there as well as Pres Eyring and Elder Oaks, Bishop Burton and the complete Area Presidency of the Philippines. The spirit was indescribable and the feelings and thoughts that ran through my heart and mind as the brethren talked about the wonderful people here and promised them the most sweetest of blessings. I thought my heart was going to explode! I've never felt so much love.

He challenged everyone in attendance and listening to rededicate themselves to their family history and to their temple service and attendance. It was a nice opportunity for me to solidify and recommit myself to my own personal goals concerning the Temple in my own life. As usual when leaving the Temple, I walked out with sooo much newly gained understanding and knowledge about Our purpose here and the importance of the gospel and helping those around us and those in the spirit world accept it. I can not WAIT to go to the Manila Temple again before I fly home. I hope that all of you especially those of you in AZ understand how truly blessed you are to have a Temple so close to you. Are you using it? Are we forgetting the incredible blessings promised to us and others we have the chance to do work for if we go there? I hope not. There will soon be 4 Temples in AZ that is amazing! I hope we all can try our hardest to go as often as we can and help those around us feel the importance as we share the wonderful experiences that happen there.

Our work is still going great here in Old Sagay, we have Zone Conference on Wed, A big Service project on Friday and 2 Baptisms on Sat, then Sunday is my last Sacrament Meeting in the Philippines...bring on the water works! haha I'll be speaking and playing I know my Redeemer Lives on my violin as my last testimony...it makes me sick just thinking about it but I know the Lord will help me and I know this is not the end haha I'll be back here as soon as I can! I hope all is going great with all of you and I can't wait to see ya'll soon! I love you sooo much!

LALU Always,
Sister Grant

It just keeps gettin better....‏

2010-06-08T09:21:00.000-07:00

Well this week was a crazy but good one but hey what else is new right? :) So we had our stake conference on sat and Sunday here in Sagay and it was soooo good. Elder Vasquez (sp?) from the Seventy come and talked and since next week is the dedication of the Cebu Temple it was all about Temples and Families... LOVE IT. All the talks were great and Pres Tobias and his wife were there and spoke as well. I learned so much and it made me even more excited to go to the temple in a couple short weeks! We also found out they are going to broadcast the cultural event in Cebu this Saturday before the dedication and we get to go watch it! I'm so excited!

So a cool thing that happened this week was we had a wonderful experience with one of our investigators named Sally. She is the wife of the oldest son of one of the families we reactivated last transfer I LOVE this family and they are so awesome and strong now in the church but his wife is not yet a member so we started teaching her a few weeks ago. At first she was SUPER shy and would barely even look up at us when we were teaching her. We continued to visit and teach her and really focus on gaining her trust and helping her not be so shy around us. Well as you all know I could entertain myself talkin to a 2x4 so I wasn't going to give up so easily to get a conversation out of her haha anyways after a few weeks shes now warmed up to us incredibly! and things were going great, except every time I would leave a reading assignment for her she never read the whole thing only a few verses or paragraphs in the pamphlet and she was always real shy about reviewing what she read, Finally last week I was talking to her about the importance of reading the BOM and gaining testimonies for ourselves and she opened up that she never graduated elementary and can't read! I felt so dumb for not noticing! She told me that her mother in law would always help her read and has been teaching her for about a year now so she would help her read her assignments. I told her we would just give her specific verses to read, just one each day and I also promised her that if she continued to read in the BOM daily that the Lord would bless her to learn how to read faster. She agreed and we began to give only 2 or 3 verses for her to read. I cant even tell you the difference it made!!

Her mother n law would help her read one each day and when we came back she was always sooo excited to share what she learned from her verse and show us how well she could read it by herself I'm pretty sure you could see both her smile and mine from the other side of the world where ya'll are at! haha then the last time we went to her house she bore the sweetest testimony about the power of the BOM and how she has been trying to read for a year now and how she is doing better now after just 2 weeks than she ever has been! She said I may have only read selected verses, but I know that this book is the Word of God and if it can help me in things like just reading how much more can it help my family! I was so touched by her sweet simple testimony I admit there were some tears in my eyes. She was just holding the book in her hands and holding it against her chest like it was her most prized possession. She's only 24 and has 2 kids and she said now she reads those same verses over and over again to them before they go to bed. I LOVE IT!

I gave her my last skirt that I randomly bought on a whim a few weeks ago so that she wouldn't be shy to go to church because she didn't have a skirt to wear :) I'm so excited for her little family to continue to grow in the church we have scheduled a date for her and her husband to be married the 2nd week of July and then she'll be baptized! :) There is seriously no greater joy than missionary work, words just can't explain.

So that was my awesome experience last week, on the funnier side ya'll will be happy to know I killed yet another rat this week. haha This time we set out poison for it that causes internal bleeding....yeah. Anyways, on Sat I went in to take a shower and we didn't have electricity so I just had 2 candles in the bathroom with me haha (very relaxing :) ) So I shut the door and reach down to grab the little bucket to pour over my head and guess whats shut up in the tiny little DARK bathroom with me just chillin in my bucket!!!!??? THE RAT! It took everything in me not to scream so loud haha I just said in a very slow low voice "OH....MY.....GOSH!....OH.....MY....GOSH!" lol Sister Ziebarth was in the kitchen right outside the door and was like "what?" and I quickly grabbed my towel and ran outta there like a barn on fire! I slammed the door and said OK! so the rat is in there..but he must have ate the poison because he's movin (thank goodness) very slow like he's dying. So we made a game plan that involved a chair a bucket and me popping off the vent on the Bathroom door again haha after an epic battle and a good 30 min the rat was trapped in a bucket where we left him lol and soon became his last resting place. That makes Sis Grants death count on her mission a total of 7 rats and 1 dog. Its not baptisms but I count them as an accomplishment none the less. LOL

Well this week we have a lot planned. We have the culture event on sat and the dedication on Sunday. Then Mon I'm headed to Bacolod again like yesterday for a meeting. President has called 6 missionaries to give special trainings at Conference on the 16th and I am one of them. I am a little nervous because its for ALL the missionaries on Negros Island and its the last bog conference before the mission splits so they are making it a big deal and there's a lot of meetings and planning involved but I'm excited for it, it should be awesome plus the 6 missionaries are 3 sisters and 3 elders. Guess who the 3 sisters are? yup MY BATCH from the MTC Sis Fairweather and Sis Johnson will join me in makin once again Bacolod Mission History as the first sisters to ever teach or give a training at a conference! haha we took a picture of the 3 of us and framed it for Pres and put on it the mission " The 3 Nephitas" which is what he calls us haha he said he wanted to clone us :) I'm pumped for this Conference! We are also singing in the choir an INCREDIBLE version of "If you could hide to Kolob" I'll tell ya'll how it goes after :)

I hope all is well as usual with all of you and that everyone is safe and healthy. I miss and Love you all soo much can't wait to see you soon! Keep writing me! Endure to the End haha

LALU
Always, Sister Grant

Sacrifice brings forth......

2010-05-31T08:58:00.000-07:00

Still alive and kickin!! yes I made it through another fun Doctor visit in Bacolod :) Humiliated myself in front of about 25 people in the waiting room at the hospital and spent some good quality time with the office elders for a week. But now I'm Back and better than ever!
Heavenly Father definitely heard my prayers to get well fast enough to make it back to my area before sat morning so I could still witness the baptism of Marvien and Margie LacaoLacao. I literally got dropped back off at my house an hour before the baptism started! I was sooo happy and their whole family was there that we have been working so hard to reactivate and then they all were at church together yesterday for the confirmations it was AWESOME! I love it! and even with the measles like rashes still covering my body sat at the organ in front with a smile from ear to ear haha. So that's really all about my area right now I haven't been here for a week so I don't really have much to say this week sorry, but this week we have our Stake Conference and I'm pretty excited about that. I may or may not be playing my violin I'm not sure, they asked me like 2 weeks ago to accompany the choir but then I never heard from them again so we'll see ahah

How was the twins bday? considering ya'll are in Mexico I'm guessing as usual ya'll are enjoying yourselves quite nicely! haha I laughed when I heard they were probably going to release Tillman even though they weren't exactly sure yet what he even had...if that's not the story of my mission life I don't know what is! I feel for ya Tillman, your "Aunt" Sister Grant loves ya :) So we got our tickets this week for the Cebu Temple Dedication on the 13th of June I'm so excited I can hardly stand it! I was so jealous ya'll got to go to the Gila Valley so now I just have to play catch up and watch the Cebu one ;) Ya'll got nothin on me! haha
I'm sorry this email is so lame I really have been confined for the last week in Bacolod so there's really not much I have to say haha sorry. But I love you all and can't wait to write again next week and I promise I'll have more to say!

LaLu, Always
Sister Grant

Just thought i'd fill my mother in...‏

2010-05-24T08:09:00.000-07:00

OK so I'm in Bacolod I went to the doctor earlier and they think I might have either typhoid fever or dengue which is malaria from the mosquito's...i know i know i only have like one month left and I'm pullin stuff like this again...I'm sorry. but hey I'm doing ok my fever broke earlier and they are gonna do some more test tomorrow. if they admit me to the hospital i could be there anywhere from 3-5 days we'll see hopefully not because we have a baptism we need to prepare our investigators for on sat! but the Lord will help it all work out. look on the bright side sister Fairweather had malaria 2 weeks ago and dropped 15 in a week! NOT TO SHABBY 4weeks before I come home haha :) Anyways I'll keep ya'll updated, I love you soooo much and I hope all is going well with Tillman and the family. keep my health in your prayers as usual haha LALU!

Sister Grant

Cloud 9...‏

2010-05-17T06:57:00.000-07:00

Hello Everyone!!

This week has been so crazy! and I'm sorry its been a couple weeks since I have updated you guys but things have been great as usual. My area is still progressing so well, I had to have a special interview with my stake president, Bishop and Mission President about my plans and future progression of Tagnipis and the possibility of opening a branch there. I was so nervous and had to present a whole plan and stuff, but I got the approval from all 3 and now there is nothing stoppin us! haha we've gotten the attendance out there from 9 to 17 and hopefully we'll get over 20 next week.

In our home ward here in Old Sagay, our attendance is going up as well its been so great our re-activation efforts are solid and working really well. We have 3 whole families completely back in the church with callings and schedules and plans to be sealed in Cebu. We also are working really closely with 4 new families and each has a part member with a baptismal date! 2 for may 29 and the rest in June right before I go home! I can't wait, my first week here the attendance was 76 and yesterday we had 115! We have been working so hard with the leaders to get everything in the ward running smoothly.

Yesterday the Stake Pres came to our Sacrament Mtg and he said later in our ward council (sad to say) he finally felt the spirit in sacrament mtg in old sagay. I looked over at Bishop and he just winked at me haha I just LOVE our Bishop he really is just trying soo hard to help his members and his ward.I played my violin yesterday in sac mtg as well ( one of my fav hymns #26) it was soo ridiculous because I'm also the ward pianist a joke in itself haha but anyways so there was no one to accompany me on the violin so I recorded MYSELF playing on the keyboard and then during sac mtg my comp just sat there and pushed play lol! So I definitely accompanied myself on the violin :) hey you do what ya gotta do right? love it.

So we had transfers last Friday and I picked up my new greenie :) Yup President is having me train again and I was so excited! Its such a blast teaching a brand new missionary everything you love about the work and of course everything I love about the PINES! She is great. Her name is Sis Ziebarth which is hilarious when the Filipinos try to say it at first haha anyways shes 21 and from San Diego CA she graduated from Law enforcement and worked at a police station for 2 and 1/2 years and wants to be in the CIA or FBI when she gets home! Crazy huh, but she is way fun and has a way laid back personality so its nice and I think we will have a really smooth and fun transfer I'm excited. She's already had some funny experiences with the food situation and meeting the giant lizard that lives in our kitchen. Bless her heart. I love training.

So I'm running out of time but I wanted to tell ya'll real quick about one of our investigators that will be baptized in June. His name is Ray and he is incredible he just moved here to help his grandma who lives alone and is also our R.S President. He is 17 years old and wants to be a member sooo bad! Yesterday he was the first one at church he was earlier than the Bishop! and wearing a white shirt and black pants, then when we visited him after church he told me how he has started his Duty to God award and has a goal to finish it before he turns 18! haha are ya kidding me?! We just barely finished the 2nd lesson and he's already workin on his duty to God! He will be such an amazing elder one day :) I also had one of the daughters of the families we reactivated tell me she was going to name her daughter (june2 is her due date) after me haha so theres that :) I LOVE THE PINES!

Well thats all the time I have so I hope you all have a wonderful week and I love you all!

Always, Sister Grant

Flag this message Pioneer children sang as they walked..and walked...

2010-05-03T07:00:00.000-07:00

Hello Family!!

I hope all is going great as usual! This week was a good one, we got a lot of work done in Tagnipis I'm still truckin along with my goal to start a Branch there and everything is going really well we should have our first Sacrament Mtg there in two weeks on the 16th.I'm so excited! We split whenever I work out there because my companion can't make the hike she has asthma and its about a 2 and half to 3 mile walk and boy is it HOT here! so she stays with a ward missionary and continues the work in Old Sagay and I head out to the middle of nowhere with 2 of our ward missionaries haha I love it though its so beautiful there and it feels like the people are seriously just sitting around waiting for us to walk up and talk to them!

On Friday I was trying to find the house of a Less active member and asked a woman sitting outside her house with her two children. I asked her where the lady's house was and she told me, and then I started to talk a little bit with her...come to find FUNNILY ENOUGH she has always been "curious" about the mormons haha and we ended up teaching a lesson to her, her husband and her count em 11 CHILDREN! haha The lesson was so powerful and they had so many ?s and were so receptive. Talk about your modern day miracles mom :)

So moving right along there. We have another baptism on sat :) We have re-activated one of the very first families we visited here in Old Sagay they've been to church every week since we've been here now and there daughter whose name is Angel Joy :) will be baptized on Saturday and they've already had their interview with bishop to set a goal date to go to the temple! So as you can tell I'm as happy as a clam haha and the work is still just on fire!

Earlier today we had our zone activity at the beach in my area, it was a BLAST we played games and BBQ I was teasing the elders as we looked out at the ocean singing "6 WEEKS NA LANG" which means I only have 6wks left haha and then I'd be back at the beach in Mexico only I'll be in the that water quicker than you can imagine! ;)

Well I love you all so much, nothing has changed with my house situation I bought more nails the other day and fixed my bed bc the leg snapped during the night dropping my bed instantly to the ground giving me a heart attack at about 1am haha I texted the APs and they just said they were so happy I'm such a "girl scout" so they don't have to make the trek out here to fix everything I told them well durn if I knew thats whats taking ya'll so long I'll stop buying nails! haha no worries.

Anyways love you all and miss ya tons can't wait to call next week and talk to ya'll have a great week keep smiling and keep going to the temple I love it!

Always,
Sister Grant

P.S
Happy Bday Colton and Becky late I know sorry ahaha

Carabaw Encounters...

2010-04-19T07:23:00.000-07:00

Sorry I have like 0 time this week to write so I haven't read any of your letters yet so if I don't answer any ?s forgive me and I'll make a note to answer them next week I promise!
So this week has been crazy! I LOVE my new area it is so fun and the work is just on FIRE. I'm even talking to President right now and the stake leadership in my area about a proposal I gave to open a whole new Branch in one part of my area! I proposed the idea to my Mission President and he said I have to talk to the leaders in my area and so things are still in the works but if I can raise the attendance, secure Priesthood leadership and prove their willingness to pay tithing the wonderful people of "Tagnipis" could have their very own branch in their area instead of WALKING ( no transportation) about a mile and a half to go to church! Not to mention the opportunity that gives them not just to attend church but to have callings and serve in their own branch. Oh it gives me chills just thinking about it! haha Obviously all those things are a lot easier said then done but the Lord is helping us sooo much in this area I am positive I'll at least get to see the beginning stages of it all.

We have the Baptism of Lored Gustillo on Saturday and I'm so excited we've been working so hard to gain the trust back from the members and a brand new baptism our 3rd week here is a great way to start! haha I love it. We also have found 3 new families to teach that have part members and the members in their families are strong so things are going great! My companion and I get along great and we are just having a blast learning the area and just working our hearts out to find and establish the work again in Old Sagay its exhausting but so fun and the results are better than anything else!

So a quick funny story for ya, the other day we were walking on this tiny dirt road on both sides of us was sugar cane about 6ft high the path was narrow and there was 4 of us. Sis Cruz and I our ward missionary sister Jennifer 30yr old RM and Nanay Mahilum the most hard working old lady in Old Sagay she's almost 60 yrs old but works with us every day. Anyways, as we were walking the path opened up on one side where they had started to harvest the sugar cane then all the sudden we hear a man yelling and then up ahead on the narrow path where the sugar can started again this huge carabaw turns the corner charging full speed ahead just a gruntin! We all 4 screamed and of course the 3 of them ran to one side of the road and I ran to the other haha and of course I happened to be wearing my Hot Pink Jody dress the angry beast follows me!! SO there I am screaming my crazy fool head off trying to escape the beast and the Filipino man is yelling running behind trying to grab the rope dragging on the ground haha I finally just darted into the sugar cane and the carabaw stopped at the edge panting and grunting staring at me in the rows haha I was laughing so hard but my heart was about to beat out of my chest!
The man finally grabbed the rope and calmed the beast down and called out when they were far enough away the carabaw wouldn't see me and I made my victorious exit from the sugar cane where the Sis Cruz and the other women were waiting laughing their heads off hah I thought I was gonna pee my pants I was laughing so hard.

Anyways! so theres something for ya'll to laugh at this week I hope all is well and everyone is doing great as usual. I finally got your package THANK YOU SO MUCH! I loved everything inside. and Dad your labels look AWESOME I love the blue flower great job Bai. your right it looks real sharp with the product name. Also your pics from Hawaii are soo cute! your girls are soo big! its so weird you look so different to me yet your still my girls. Beautiful as ever. Congrats Denee' I'm so excited its another girl! haha poor Chris but we all know it made Dad and Colton the men they are today because they grew up around us women haha. I love you all soo much and can't wait to call on Mothers day!
stay happy and smiling!

LALU
Always, Sister grant

General Conference

2010-04-12T07:14:00.000-07:00

Ok first off I just want to say that conference was absolutely WONDERFUL! I loved it. I can't believe its already been another 6 months but man were all the talks soo good. I love how inspired all the speakers are about the topics. Each session has an overall "theme" like Elder Neil A. Anderson said and its always incredible to see the miracle of all the talks building on each other. I learned so much and received so much council and guidance that I was seeking. Now I just have to patiently wait for the Liahona to come out next month so I can read and study them all over again! haha

I was happy to hear ya'll got out of Utah I was praying for you guys that you wouldn't get stuck there. I can't even tell you how happy it makes me every letter you write me about all the family history work ya'll are doing! I'm so jealous, but I guess I still have 2 months to focus on the living then I can start helping with the dead no? haha save me some names ha?! I just get chills when I think about our whole family inside the temple just baptizing and doing the work for our lamanite heritage :) KEEP GOING!!

My new area is sooo awesome! The Lord is truly pouring out the blessings on us here in Old Sagay. We've only been there 1 week but we already have some really good solid investigators that I'm so excited for! The members here are incredible, they come out with us every single day and help us. We just go from one part member/ Less active family to the next and we are having sooo much success! Through some tender mercies of the Lord and help from the ward we were able to contact two girls ages 16 and 19 that had baptismal dates before the area closed and then were just kind of forgotten about. So sad! but even though they were never baptized they still went to church every week in the neighboring city with their aunt and have continued to read the BOM and their desire to be baptized is stronger than ever! We taught them twice and then gave them a new baptismal date! Hows that for progress in a newly opened area haha our first week and we have 2 investigators with a Date! haha I couldn't be happier to say the least :)

It is seriously beautiful here, I can't WAIT to bring ya'll here and have you actually walk down these little roads with me and meet these wonderful people. Pictures and stories just don't do justice in the slightest degree.
I love you all so much and miss you even more! I'm excited to hear if I'll have another niece or nephew so make sure you fill me in!
Stay safe and keep going to the temple! Keep the letters coming :)

LaLu, Always,
Sister Grant

Makin History Baby!!!!

2010-04-05T07:45:00.000-07:00

Alright first off thanks for all the letters! I'm so glad everyone enjoyed and got to listen to conference! I can't wait!! We have to wait one week for the re-satellite broadcast so ours is this Saturday and Sunday the 10th-11th and I'm so pumped I can hardly stand it!! I can't believe how cold it is there, we are DYING over here it is so hot in my new area too because I'm higher up and right along the coast so its even more humid...please help me. haha

SOOO Drum roll please! well I was transferred to 'Old Sagay'. And this is where the history and magic begins haha. Old Sagay has been a closed area for the last 7 months and My companion Sis Cruz and I are the first sisters to ever be assigned here, or even on this part of the island! When President called me into his office the Wednesday before transfers on Friday and asked if I was up to the challenge I was literally speechless. There has been NO missionary work there for 7 months and the elders before were pulled out because they were having a lot of problems with the ward and with the work. Needless to say I was a little nervous. I'm about 2 hours or so from the city in the northern part of Negros Island. Our area is BEAUTIFUL, its very close to the ocean and is nothing but rolling hills and mountains. it reminds me a lot of Valladolid just not as flat but everyone is basically a fisherman or a farmer. We were at the office ALL Friday because we didn't even have a house yet haha and when we finally got there it was...um...interesting. For the first 3 days we had 1 bed, no water and no food, the doors didn't even have locks and there is a 'Tuko' GIANT lizard that is really loud living in our kitchen we lost electricity 4 times already ahah and I already had to break down the Bathroom door because we didn't have a key not to mention the clogged drain in the shower haha President came up yesterday and called the people to come make all the repairs so hopefully this week it should be getting better. I always loved camping no? My companion is Sis Cruz she is a 24 year old 5'7 drop dead gorgeous filipina and if nothing else i can definitely use her to OYM (open your mouth) :) She is so hard-working and is ready for the challenge as I am. Despite all of this I'm sooo excited for this transfer. Yesterday at church was amazing! The ward is sooo excited just to have missionaries back they are helping us a ton! Yesterday in ward council I proposed a Search and Rescue activity like I did in Handumanan and they LOVED it so we are planning on that for the 18th. Testimony meeting was awesome and the spirit in the ward is soo strong. I'm pumped!

Yesterday I had a 103 fever, maybe from all the stress of the move and opening an area out in the middle of nowhere haha but I'm feeling a ton better today when President came by yesterday he asked me how I was feeling and I said why?and he just flat out said in English because you look horrible hahah the AP's gave me a blessing and the fever broke immediately....gotta love the priesthood :) I drank some good ole 300mg ibprofen and have been getting better ever since.
Well I'll fill ya'll in on my thoughts from conference next week and how the work goes this week. Stay happy and healthy haha I know I should take my own advice haha anyways! LALU!!!

Always,
Sister Grant

P.S.
Sister Grant has a new email address if you'd like to know what it is I have changed it on the left hand side of this blog.

The Fabulous Life of....

2010-03-29T07:48:00.000-07:00

Sorry this will be kind of a short email, its been kind of one of those weeks where I'm just not really sure what to write. A lot happened this week, we had our Zone Conference that went so well it was great! I learned sooo much from the Assistants and of course from President. It really was a great conference, our musical number went well too, we played "Where can I turn for Peace" one of my favorites :) The conference was in La Carlota which is like a little over an hour from Handumanan and we had to drive through Vallodolid ( my first area) that was exciting for me and I loved showing Sis Ball my first area.

Sis Ball experienced a life in the day of Sis Grant last night, poor thing. We were walking along the road to one of our appts. it was about 6pm and a little boy ran out in front of us and got hit by a car right there in front of us. It was pretty bad he was only about 8 years old. I ran over to him and started talking to him and...we'll just say dealing with the situation. haha A crowd gathered and to make it worse the driver of the car was drunk and angry at me because I wouldn't let him touch the little boy who I was afraid was going to be paralyzed from the look of his body. I had blood all over me and gross I know but I also had 2 of his teeth in my hand. Anyways to keep this from giving you nightmares mom know that all is well they took the little boy to the hospital after his Grandma finally showed up but not until after the drunk driver man tried to snatch the boy away from me and I "Kindly yet forcefully" told him NOT TO TOUCH THAT BOY and then he slapped me a good one right across my face! It was the so ridiculous haha I was so shocked at what happened before I could even look back at him and say something two men had grabbed him and were rippin him a new one. Anyways a bad, and sad situation turned out fine and the little boy was taken care of and so was the reckless man driving drunk and I walked away with another 'Brooklyn Story turned Sis Grant story" and a sweet red hand print on my face for evidence. Stuff just really does happen to me haha even in the Pines! Most people say I have awful luck but I think its awesome I'm always in the right place at the right time to help someone and even though its not always the "ideal" situation I'm grateful and excited for those opportunities :)

On a lighter note. ROSANA DOGOMEO got baptized and confirmed yesterday!!!! Oh man I was one happy girl I'm pretty sure you could see her beautiful smile and her family beaming from AZ if you were watchin for it. It was sooo awesome! and then for my LAST Sunday in Handumanan both Bishops asked me to bear my testimony BUT since I had just spoken in church last week and have born my testimony at the pulpit there sooo many times AND since I had my violin still I bore my testimony through my music which is one of my personal favorite ways anyways :) I played I know that my Redeemer Lives and there wasn't a dry eye in the church...including mine! haha its a good thing I know that song well because I couldn't see a single note on my page haha. The spirit was so strong and both bishops got up afterwards and gave incredible talks about the importance of listening to conference and the opportunity it is to gain a testimony of our Savior and his plan and of our Living Prophet! It was sooooo wonderful I can't even express in words the feeling in both meetings. It was sooo sad though because it was my last Sunday and I can't explain how much I love Handumanan and the people there especially the members and the Bishops.Tomorrow I find out where I'm transferring to on Friday which will most likely be my last area. My feelings and emotions are soooo mixed and up and down. I'm stoked for a new area and the challenges and new things that come with that, but I will definitely be leaving more than a piece of my heart in Handumanan.

I'm sooooooo thrilled to hear about the work ya'll are doin with our Indian Ancestors!!!! That's SO COOL! Keep it up so I can come home and join ya'll in the temple! Because please believe I will be in the temple AT LEAST once a week for the rest of my life!

Well I'll have more about everything next week!

LALU

P.s thanks for saying you got the package I was getting worried it got lost at sea.

Hope you like it all I'll have more when I come home :)

Always,
Sister Grant

Small World!!!!

2010-03-22T07:56:00.000-07:00

Alright well I know we should all be pretty used to ridiculous things happening to me by now but mom you will LOVE this one haha

So of course its my P-day and after we practiced for our musical number on Thursday my whole district decided to go bowling! I was so excited. We went to this random place, we got 2 lanes and started to bowl when all the sudden there was a mans hand on my shoulder....haha I turn around to hear " Are you Brooklyn Grant?" Hah! I looked at the sunburned white man standing there and said..."are you Rick Eaton?" haha Are ya kidding me? of all the random places in the whole city of Bacolod and he had decided to play pool with his bro in law! We talked for awhile and he got to hear my Ilonggo as I chatted with his Bro in law, I took a picture with him no worries mom. I gave him a way to contact me and hopefully I'll get to see him again soon and meet his family :) Small World...RANDOM!

So this week was great, to sum it up we had 2 really great lessons with 2 families that have been kind of struggling both teachings were so powerful. I love when you can almost see the moment the spirit touches them or the moment understanding and peace changes their whole countenance. We have a baptism this coming sat..which will be a FABULOUS way to end my stay in my dear Handumanan. Its the baptism of Rosana Dogomeo and I've been teaching her since my first transfer here! She is the only one in her family that isn't a member and she has had so many struggles and trials that she has gone thru and overcome in order for her to finally join her family and I can't think of a better way that I could leave my town of Handumanan than to see her whole family (there's 7 of them) all reactivate in the church and sweet Rosana sitting there on the Bench with them! I can't wait!

It sounds like your Hawaii trip was awesome! I'm so glad you girls loved the PCC that was my favorite too. I went there almost everyday when I was there. Remember how I met those kids and jump roped with them every morning..and then it turned out his dad was like the V.P of the PCC and he gave me a free pass any day haha I love my life. That place is so fun and entertaining. I am STOKED about your ukes! I'm having a guy carve the phils islands into the back of mine here so I can have when I get home I know so many cool island songs I've learned here I can't wait to teach you girls! Keep it up and it'll be a SWEET jam session just like old times :)
Dad your trip to China sounded like it went really well too, Its so crazy to imagine you speaking in front of 500 people! But that's awesome I'm so proud of you. I'm still really planning on taking over your company someday when you and mom serve your own missions so keep up the good work Boss ;)

The Doctors went really well, first of all I didn't even flinch when they were drawing all my blood. I've definitely overcome that fear now haha same ole same ole now. They changed my Medicine again and its really working so far so this week has been accident free and wonderful! No need to worry, I'll probably go in for another checkup in 2 weeks or so just to make sure all is how it should be and then I think I'm in the clear! HALLELUJAH! how ever you spell that haha

Anyways, I love you all so much and I'm so glad your all doing so well. Keep reading your Scriptures everyday...I gave a talk in church yesterday about the Book of Mormon and how its the answer to all our problem and concerns. It went really well and I hope all of you are reading even if its 10 minutes a day. It makes a difference I promise!

Well LALU K BYEEEE!
Always, Sister Grant

Amo man Gihapon...

2010-03-15T07:47:00.000-07:00

I can't believe ya'll are going to Hawaii!!!?? no one ever told me that was even in the game plan I'm so jealous! Girls you are gonna have a blast! I'm so excited for you and when ya'll step off that plane and the humidity smacks ya in the face like a semi....think of me and smile ok? It is definitely getting hot over here. I'm pretty sure ya'll stole all the rain because we are in a drought they call it El Nino...(which means the Nino haha ;) colton) but we haven't seen rain in forever and the sun is Blazin everyday. When we come home in the afternoon for lunch we can't even wash our hands because the water that comes out of the pipes from the faucet is like boiling!
So this week we had some disappointing things happen with our investigators we had to move back the baptismal date for the Subiaga Family but that's actually ok because I know it will be so much better for them even if I get transferred and don't get to see them get baptized. Sis Ball can just send me a pic or something :) Then The Camasora girls had a few issues with their father and no matter what we did he decided to forbid them from getting baptized...it was so sad I was seriously heartbroken but I know their Mother has the desire and so do they and in the due time of the Lord they will be able to be baptized and I know they are strong and until then will continue to exercise their faith and keep strong. On the other hand we went to visit one of my recent converts if ya'll remember Josie Durmentes and her family...we went there last night and they showed me their plans that they had made with Bishop to be sealed in the Temple this Nov. They invited me and said they would be doing it in the new Cebu temple I was so happy I could hardly stand it! SO the work is still going great, we're still truckin right along with our new male investigators and working really hard with Less active families and the retention of our wards its really fun and exciting seeing families that haven't been to church in forever come to church and be welcomed so warmly by all the members. I LOVE IT!

I just had our monthly interview with President and it went well he thanked me for the work I've done in Handumanan and told me some great things from the stake presidency there. He also hinted that I would be transferring which..considering I've been there for 7 months now I kind of figured haha. We talked a little about my health and he said since the medicine they gave me that I've been trying for two weeks now hasn't really had an effect they'd probably have me come in again on Thursday and do some blood work which we all know is just my favorite...NOT! We'll see how that goes, I'll keep ya'll posted.

So everything is going great. I'm conscious and happy haha We have our Zone Conference coming up on the 24th and President asked me to play the violin so that always makes me even happier and means I get to take his violin home for a week or so :)
Hope all goes well with your trips and everyone has fun. Stay safe and girls try surfing its soooo fun once you get the hang of it! Love you all and miss ya tonz!

LALU Always,
Sister Grant

RoLlEr cOAstRr aNYoNe?‏..... and look below for another post as well

2010-03-08T08:40:00.000-08:00

Alright so sorry I just realized my letter last week never sent but it wasn't a very good one anyway so its ok. SO this week was up and down for sure I'll tell you the bad part first to end on a good note :) Unfortunately my symptoms from the MTC and earlier days in the mission started again. Its really frustrating not to mention painful but I spent a lot of time this week trying to rest and let my body re-coop. I had another "seizure like" episode on Tuesday and passed out a few times which obviously isn't normal haha but I went to see a neurologist and a regular ol doc the same one I went to with the rabies ( yeah he just looked at me like seriously sis grant...again?) haha I got some medications and have been feeling a little better. No need to worry I promise I'm alive and really fine, just a minor set back. But on the other hand even with all the unconsciousness...haha We had some awesome things happen this week!

Last week at our District meeting they announced that Tracting is now not allowed and we have to use the members and Referrals 100%. This is fine in Handumanan because we just had 2 great reactivation activities and have plenty of work plus the members are awesome so I wasn't worried about that. Then they said we have to have 5 new Male Investigators each week! Obviously we focus all our efforts on finding families and especially young fathers to help the priesthood and organization of the church here but I was a little nervous about reaching 5 every week. We have 3 really strong male investigators right now, but its always tricky with men because...being the only 2 white women in town we get quite a bit of attention luckily I've been there for so long everyone in the city pretty much knows me haha but its still hard finding men that are actually interested and don't just want to talk to us. Also Men are usually working and often to shy to talk to us. BUT of course when the Lord gives a commandment he also gives you a way to do it. So Sis Ball and I went home and prayed to find ways to reach this goal...that very day we started seeing the Lords hand in our work. We went to the house of Bro Subiaga and his 2 sons who will be baptized on the 20th and his friend were there. When we walked in he looked at my tag and said "Hey I have one of your books..but I have some questions.." REALLY? haha we were so excited and got his address and set an appt right there. Then the next day the family that we live with has a daughter who lives with them right now with her baby and husband, as we were walking out of our apartment after lunch to go back out the daughter informed us that her husband wasn't a member and would love for us to start teaching him....YES PLEASE! haha 2 down 3 to go... no farther than right outside the gate a man chases us down saying "Hey are you mormons?" we stopped and talked to him for a sec and he asked if we had anything he could read about our church...Um yeah we GLADLY handed him a pamphlet and our names and set an appt! I LOVE IT! Then, one of the Less Active ladies we found through our activity the other day helped us find number 4. We had been trying to go teach her family 3 times and each time she would either refuse or hide from us, then the other night we went by one more time and she was there and invited us in, we focused on building her trust in us and talking to her to help her feel more comfortable...things were going really well and then I had a feeling we should leave a prayer before we left so I prayed and asked the Lord to help her be an example to her husband and family and to soften the heart of her husband so that their families life could be blessed by the gospel. When we said "Amen" she was sobbing and she opened up about some problems they were having and we were able to feel the spirit so strong and she told us she would talk to her husband and invited us back to her home to start teaching him. I LOVE MISSIONARY WORK!! haha We're still workin on #5 but with the way things are going I'm not to worried about it ;)

So I hope all is well with everyone and youre all enjoying the blessings of having a missionary out for 4 more months ;) haha I love you all so much and miss you even more!
Seriously Mom, Dad don't freak out about my health I'm talking all my pills everyday and drinking like 2 gallons of water daily too. I'll be fine don't call the mission office. I'm in the Lords hands, it will all work out. If I'm not worried about it neither should you guys. I got my "trunky letter" last week my official departure date is June 23.. and I told them I'd like to fly into Sky Harbor haha they asked me and I just laughed. It felt so weird to even think about that airport I can't believe I'm getting those kind of papers from the office! WHAT HAPPENED TO MY MISSION?!

haha welp, LALU
ALways, Sister Grant

From last week that didn't send so she resent it

2010-03-08T08:36:00.000-08:00

Alright I'm sorry its going to have to be quick this week but I've redeemed myself already
because I sent a package home this morning to you guys and you'll LOVE it :) it has pictures
and a tape from me! haha

So this week was good one and we didn't have anything really exciting happen.
I was a little freaked out in the beginning of the week because ya'll wrote about me bleeding
from my ears and getting all bruised and what not then like 4 other people told me the same
thing here so lets just say I was on my guard a little more this week haha but I'm still in one
piece and lovin life :)We have 2 baptisms coming in March on the 13th and on the 20th I'm
really excited I'll tell you more about them when they get closer. I'm so jealous of your
trip mom and hope ya'll have a blast! Its definitely hot here and just getting hotter! haha I
haven't heard anything about the storms coming up but I'll keep ya posted.
Dad I want you to know I'm so proud of all the hard work your putting into "our" company haha
and I know that the Lord will help you make all the right choices in order to be successful if
you continue to trust him. Colton I'm so happy for your new job offer and I'll keep praying
it goes well for you. Denee, glad to hear your still preggers :) and Alexa and Bailey I love
you girls more than you could EVEN imagine P.s new favorite song...PARTY IN THE USA!  haha I
always here it on Jeepneys and I love it. Well all is well in Handumanan as usual and I'll
write more next week I promise!
Love you thanks for the Letters! P.S Dad your slackin on the writing! haha lalu
Always, Sister Grant

Pasensya gid!‏

2010-02-22T07:14:00.000-08:00

Sorry I didn't write last week, but here are the updates...

So the past 2 weeks have been crazy! We have been so busy and its been awesome! Last week we planned an Activity for our 1st ward and it went SOOO WELL. I loved it, we had each auxiliary come up with 3 Less Active families or names and then 1 Referral and then we met up at the church at 8am where Sis Ball and I taught a short workshop and devotional then we split into 5 groups and went out and visited and taught those families it was great. We called it the "Search and Rescue" and it was such a success we were able to contact and invite 18 Less Active families to church and to our ward FHE in 2 hours!! and we got soo many good referrals plus it got the members more excited about helping the missionaries and doing their own visiting teaching and home teaching assignments when 5 families that hadn't been to church in almost 10 YEARS came the next day!! I was sooo happy and now we are planning to do the same thing in our 2nd ward and because they all saw the success in 1st ward I think it'll be even bigger and better this time around!

Transfers were last Friday and miracles of all miracles...IM STILL IN HANDUMANAN!! Haha I know I've been here forever and will spend almost half my time in the field in one area but I was so excited I almost peed my pants :) and I stayed with Sis Ball!! haha President Tobias straight up told me he felt that there was still work for me to do there which got me really excited and I think the two Search and Rescue activities and the follow up work that will happen afterwards are a huge part of it and I am more than happy to be here and experience it.
I can't believe how fast time is going and it scares me a little bit but I'm still loving every minute of it and we are staying so busy I don't really have time for anything else. A new batch of missionaries just came in last week and there were 11 of them from America it was crazy!
Well I love you all soo much and I'm glad your all doing well and are happy and healthy as usual. Can't wait for Mexico haha :) LA LU

Always,
Sister Grant

Pamela....

2010-02-08T11:00:00.000-08:00

Hellooo!

Sorry to hear everyones comin down with colds and the flu, that's usually how it goes with families one person gets it first and then one by one everyone eventually gets it too. Remember the chicken pox scenario in Missouri... I guess that one was my fault :) Well as Dad always tells me drink more water and take your vitamins!!

This week was sooo busy but sooo good we moved to our new apartment on wed and it was quite the event. The office elders who were supposed to assist us and bring the mission truck to carry all the big stuff were so late so Sis Ball and I ended up making 4 or 5 trips on a jammed pack trike standing akwardly on the side and on top holding mattresses and our other belongings haha the trike driver and most of our neighbors luckily lended us a helpful hand and some good laughs. "You two are the Strongest women I've ever seen..." haha I also almost got my head taken off by a low hanging branch while holding our dresser on top of the trike...not once but TWICE! hah I thought Sis Ball would fall off the trike laughing so hard. "Oh hey President..yeah sorry my trainee has a cracked skull, she was hanging off the trike laughing at me...." Not so much. Anyways, It all worked out and they finally showed up and we got it all moved and situated and now live in the cutest apartment in all of Handumanan! Its perfect for us and so close to the church I love it!

On Saturday we had the baptism of dear Pamela Dela Cruz. I know it will definitely be one of my most memorable and special baptisms of my mission. I can't wait for you to meet her when you all come back with me.She is such an incredible woman, her baptism started off a little rough on the account of the water in the font when we got there had been in there since my last baptism there which was Jan 3rd!! It was so disgusting it was green and had an oily film on the top not to mention the smell and bugs floating on top. I was a bit frustrated and embarrassed but hey what can ya do but tie up your jody and pull out the Momma Fran in me and grab some buckets…(The drain was broken). Sis Ball and I carried bucket after bucket out of the church until we could get the nasty film off the top and lower the water level so that Pamela could sit on a chair in the font ( she can’t bend well enough to go under) finally we got the font situation figured out and then came the baptism. Pamela who is 44 was going to be baptized by her newly endowed father who is 74… I helped..(carried) her in to the font and then helped her enter the water. Even with all the difficulties and “not your normal” baptism details the spirit as she was entering the water was so powerful. The moment she touched the water she had the biggest smile on her face you could imagine. Her father tried to baptize her but he couldn't do it on his own, I held her legs standing in the water up to my knees in my jody…and Bro Caspe changed and joined the 3 of us in the water. Between the 3 of us we managed to get her immersed and baptized. As soon as she came out she was crying, my heart was so full and I could just see the happiness on her face she was the absolute definition of PURE JOY. I cried as I watched the random members that had through many other tender mercies attended her baptism and saw the affect this beautiful women had mad on them. She can’t even talk or walk without a limp, but she made more of an impact in a couple of hours than I would hope to make my whole mission.

The next day was fast Sunday and members that hadn’t been to church in months but had amazingly attended her service bore their tender testimonies about the spirit they had felt and how her sweet simple example had helped them remember their own covenants and promises they had made. It was SO AWESOME! I love this church, and I know there is NOTHING but this gospel that can bring us that true joy and the everlasting blessings we all desire for ourselves and our families. I love and miss you all so much, but I am more than grateful to be here with these amazing people who have truly served me far more than I could for them. I hope you all have a fantastic week!

Love Always,
Sister Grant

Penoy Cruises

2010-02-01T07:24:00.000-08:00

Definitely jealous of the cruise! So many people here work on ships and things like that. Definitely one of my plans for later days! Just so you know I GOT MY PACKAGE and it was the best thing EVAH! Those garments are seriously like 5 Christmas presents all rolled into 1. Not to mention the twix oh man it was wonderful thank you soo much mom LALU!

So sounds like you all had a busy week and ended it with a bang at Monster Trucks and Blessing Tillman, I hope he starts feeling better.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY ASHTON AND BRINLEY!
I love you all so much and excited for all your trunky plans haha :)

This week was a good one we had Zone Conference in La Carlota on Wed and it was great. The AP's did a great job as usual on their training and the lunch they fed us was good haha all around good day. Then on Friday we had a CSP at the High School in Handumanan I actually mixed and poured cement with a few of the other elders, I actually felt like I was home helping colton or dad do all their random "projects" again. You should have seen all the Filipino mens faces watching me mix and lay cement it was so funny they just kept asking me if I was ok and if I was feeling tired lol I just looked at them like, please I'm not gonna break a nail here...hah

So this weekend we will have 2 baptisms, On Saturday Pamela, will be baptized the woman who had a stroke I'm so excited! Then on Sunday morning before church Nephi will be baptized the little boy who's family are all members but they have like 10 children so his mom just "forgot" to get him baptized haha ridiculous but I love them they are such an awesome family.
We are also moving on Wednesday to a new house. We will live on the top floor (separate apartment) of the old Bishop in ward 1. They just finished rebuilding it so it should be nice because it's all new and re-done and its always nice to live close to members...now we'll live on top of them! Its a major downsize in space and convenience BUT we're hoping for a definite INCREASE in food intake ;)

Other than that everythings been going great, amo man gihapon :) The work is still going really well and we have a lot of way fun and big projects and activities coming up in our wards to help with Re-activation so I'm excited about that..stay tuned! Later today we have a Tri-Zone Activity and I'm stoked because basically everyone I know and adore in the mission will be there! so I'll update on those festivities next time. Love you all and miss ya tons!

LALU,
Always Sister Grant

Mice, and Medical Moments...

2010-01-25T13:05:00.000-08:00

Well I'm so happy you are all fully enjoying the pictures and videos of the last 8 or so months of my life :) Just wait till you hear all the stories that go along with them! So this week was great we got a lot accomplished considering all the many distractions and "happenings" that occurred. The first one...we were successful in a massive mouse extermination! We killed two with the traps, we trapped three in our bedroom that is concrete and impossible to escape and killed them.. (it was kind of gross but necessary) then this morning we found one in our pot swimming (we had filled it up with water last night because there was burned rice on the bottom) so if you count them all up we have rid our apt of 6 mice! I know... Quite the victory! I just hope we are done with them now! They were disgusting little guys whose unhallowed hands were definitely trying to stop the work from progressing. We also had one of our investigators (Theodore our amazing recent convert, his brother Chris) got stabbed 3 times after we left his house on Friday night it was sooo sad because their brother just got shot and killed in March of 09 and now not even a year later they were back in the ridiculous hospital here fighting for his life. We went and visited him and it was an experience I'll never forget. First Sis Ball and I were both overwhelmed the second we stepped into the Public Hospital, extremely over crowded, dirty and we saw things that we definitely weren't expecting to see. We finally found his bed in the sea of beds and tried to hold back tears as Theodore told us the story. Theodore and his Dad looked awful, my heart just broke. Then we look over and see his Libro ni Mormon on the table, then the tears came I was so overwhelmed with everything around me and watching Theodore tend to every single need of his brother who looked terrible with no nurse even in sight, he is such an amazing person I know without a doubt he will do incredible things in the Church. In the 6 months I have known him I have seen more Christlike Attributes in his everyday life then in any other person I've ever met. His brother asked me to say a prayer and with tears streaming down all our faces we prayed. I prayed for comfort and healing to come upon their wonderful family that has been through so much already and that we might all learn the lessons needed through this experience. I'm so grateful for people here, I can't even put into words the feelings I have for them. I have learned more from them in the 10months I have labored here teaching them everyday then I could have EVER taught them. They are so ready and willing to accept the gospel and anything the Lord puts in their paths. They are Humble, and Happy. They understand whats important in life and they cherish those things. I love them and this work so much. I love you all too so much! thank you so much for all the letters and emails ya'll are seriously great. I've truly never been so happy in my life! I'm so glad you are all doing so well and are staying healthy and fun :) LALU!
Love Always,
Sister Grant

2010-01-18T07:51:00.000-08:00

Well another week has passed in my beloved Handumanan and not much happened this week surprisingly. It rained a lot and there was supposedly a big storm a brewin :) but it never hit to bad. My umbrella broke that Sis De Leon gave ,me so that was pretty sad but other than that there were no causalities in the storm. We had an interesting sacrament meeting when the Bishop tried to ordain a 9yr old boy for the priesthood and I had to "walk briskly" up to the front to whisper in his ear that they kind of have to be 12 to receive the priesthood haha but turns out he had just mixed up the names and was supposed to give it to his older brother who is both worthy and of age ;) haha Gotta love it.

I'm really sorry to hear about Uncle Larry the AP actually just texted me to come to the office and then asked if I'd seen Sterling I'm pretty sure that's what its about. Hopefully I'll get to see him after this and talk to him at the office. We talked about his G-pa a few weeks ago and he said he was pretty certain he didn't have much longer but I know it'll still be hard on him. I'm grateful I'm at least close to him and can hopefully offer some comfort or anything he might need. The family is in my prayers, Always.

I'm so excited and relieved to hear ya'll finally got my pictures and cds! I was positive they were lost at sea. I seriously just can not wait to bring you all back here and show you everything and have you meet everyone I know you will love it just as much as I do! Having a "bata" (trainee) is a blast! I get to show her everything I love and teach her everything I wish someone would have taught me! Sometimes its really hard because she has a lot of questions especially about the language that I don't always have an answer for but so far its been going really well. We get along great!

I'm glad everything is still goin forward with your work dad and that your "procedure" was a success mom haha it was so weird when you said Bailey was driving you to the hospital I still can't picture them driving its just so weird!

Congrats Duna! and happy bday ashton and brin :)

I love you all so much and pray for you everyday. I'll admit having an American companion especially fresh from home makes it a little difficult to not think about home a few times but its great I'm excited youre all doing so well. No worries about me I'm still lovin every minute of it and cant believe seriously how fast its going it really does scare me a little bit but what can ya do?!

LALU, miss you
Always, Sister Grant

"The Package!!" Post 1

2010-01-12T13:46:00.000-08:00

We have been waiting and waiting and WAITING to receive this package of pictures, video clips, and tape from Brooklyn for months now and it finally came yesterday. At first we thought it had been lost in the mail, or that some Filipino was enjoying these wonderful missionary photos somewhere but then realized that Brooklyn never even sent it. After weekly emails of us hounding her for months that she needed to send it nothing. Finally we confronted her at our Christmas phone call, at which point she said she had "sent it" again. Riiiiiight! Well lucky for her she really did :) I thought we'd all smother her if she hadn't again. We haven't received pictures or anything like that since she was in the MTC and in her first area so it was so nice to finally get them since she comes home in June and all. So although I'm sure it's picture and video overload for all of you, here they are.

Our family just laughed at Brooklyns personality still being the exact same and her laugh. We miss that funny laugh of hers. As my mom put it, she has NO SHAME lol. Never embarrassed to sing a silly song or look funny, as you'll see in some of her videos. Also for all of you who know Brooklyn, you know that she's not that tall. Notice in all of the pictures how she is taller than the Filipino people it just cracked us up that she's probably a giant to them, and yet when it shows photos of her with her american friends and companions she's short again. :)

All the bats up in the trees.

Our cousin Sterling :)

Post 2 of pictures and video

2010-01-12T12:15:00.000-08:00

This little boy is singing their anthem so cute......

And this is Brooklyn "trying" to sing it :)

Expect the Unexpected!

2010-01-11T06:58:00.000-08:00

Drum roll please........

Apparently President Tobias is losin it because not only did I stay in my BELOVED Handumanan but I"M TRAINING!!! and she's AMERICAN! I had only been a senior companion One transfer and then he called me in to train! I was completely overwhelmed and still feel absolutely inadequate but I'll admit a surge of excitement shot through thinking of all the awesome things I was so excited to teach my new companion fresh from the MTC.

So Sis Fair transferred close to me again and she is Follow up training too, I was excited for her. Her new comp is American too and has only been here 6 weeks so we're pretty much in the same boat. So far its been great, its a little exhausting because I do 98% of the talking and everything else because of course she has no idea whats going on and the weight of teaching her the language, culture ect. is a daunting task but its going well so far. Her name is Sister Ball shes from Cayesville Utah. She's great and really excited to be here. She also went to Beauty school so hopefully we can get control of this madness I used to call my hair :)

I'm so thrilled to have stayed in Handumanan its truly where my heart is, I LOVE people and members here and they have been sooo helpful with my new companion.
Today is my Birthday the big 22 its so weird but it's been a great day. Ya'll know me and my birthday I somehow convinced most of the missionaries on Negros Island to meet at the only Pizza Hut in Bacolod city for a birthday lunch hahah it was AWESOME and I got a kung fu panda brownie :) Even the office elders came ha I love it and of course I had my dear sis fair and so the gang was complete.

With all the big changes that happened this week, I've realized once again how much the Lord puts his trust in us and helps us do the things he's asked us to do. I was terrified when they first told me I would train but everyday I feel the Lord guiding and comforting me. "Whom the Lord calls the Lord qualifies" never meant more to me. I'm so grateful for the support I know I have coming from home I know that I am for sure one of the luckiest girls on earth! Thank you all so much for the birthday greetings and for the love and support.

Love you all!
Always, Sister Grant

2010-01-04T07:26:00.000-08:00

Sorry I have NO time but I'll write more next week, All my baptisms went Great I had another pretty scary run in with Korihor but all went well, There's not much he can say or do because he knows the plain and simple truths I told him are really true and his nephew was getting baptized whether he liked it or not. And he did and it was wonderful and he is soo strong and I can't wait for him to go on his own mission because I know his testimony is so strong and firm he will do incredible things. Transfers are on Friday I'm feeling that I'll be transferred but I'll find out on Wed. I'll write longer next week about all the happening sorry so short. Sounds so fun in the snow, so sorry I missed it! Glad to hear colton is just trying to be like me, all passin out and having seizures and what not :) hope all is well tell everyone I love them and hope you all have a wonderful week!

Love always,
Sister Grant

Happy New Year

2009-12-28T16:11:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year!!!

I had a such a wonderful Christmas! I had a BLAST at our ward parties and of course calling home was the best present ever. I loved your song mason and I taught it to one of my favorite little boys here his name is dallin but you'll know who he is when ya'll get my package. I was FREAKED out by Ashton, Brinley and Jaydas voices they are soo big I can't believe how well they can talk. They will probably be better at English than I am when I get home haha.

The Baptisms went great and it was such a sweet experience seeing all 3 of them receive the Holy Ghost on Sunday and see the members embrace them so fully into the ward. I know they will be such strong members. I visited a Less Active member on Sunday night and had such a special experience. He is 38 and contacted a rare bone disease somewhere and has been confined to his bed for the last 2 years forcing his wife to work in manila to support his 3 small children. I talked with him for a good 20 minutes but ended up receiving much more than I'm sure he did from anything I said to him. He has overcome sooo many trials and his testimony is as firm as anyone I've ever met. He has read the Book of Mormon 5 times this year and the Bible and every Liahona mag every month since he just has to stay in bed. In the short 30 min I was with him he taught me soo much. He loves music and being away from his family and in his condition he was feeling a little down during Christmas so I took my violin and played all the Christmas songs in the Hymn book, The spirit was soo strong! His mother, the ward missionary with me and his 2 home teachers (everyone in the room) were crying. I had to stop playing a few times because I couldn't see my notes! Then he bore his testimony and I was done for, when he closed, he asked me to play his favorite hymn The Spirit of God. are ya kidding me? It was incredible and I'm so grateful for the power of music and the blessing of the gospel no matter what our circumstances are.

There has been soooo many experiences here on my mission that have truly affected my whole life and desires for the future. I LOVE IT!
I love you all and miss you but I'm so glad you are all doing so well.

Always,
Sister Grant

Merry Christmas!

2009-12-21T06:50:00.000-08:00

BUT WHAT WOULD I WEAR!!!! Haha that will be the first movie I watch when I go home I don’t care if its June! Glad to hear the Annual Jones Party went well and there were a few extras to join in on the fun (Ben and Cory and Heather) Hope you all enjoyed yourselves.

We had our baptism on Sat and it went great, I just love Richard and his little family. I’m excited for this sat for our next 3 Virgie and Angienick and Theodore, it will truly be a White Christmas and their faces after baptism is the best present ever…corny yes, but fact none the less.

We have our Christmas conference on Thursday and then all the sisters will sleep at the mission home for Christmas. I’m excited to see all the sisters here on Negros but of course will be missin my Sis Fairweather I wish she was on the same Island as me but at least Sterling is here with me so Ill get to see him. We also had our Zone Activity earlier this morning it felt so good to play basketball. It was way fun.

Thanks so much for the Christmas Tree its sooo cute I love it everyone was jealous of all my pictures and the tree, plus the count down is always fun. I also got a package from Ammie and Papa you have no idea how excited I was for the tootsie rolls and cashews! Haha I will probably gain 50 pounds when I get home just eating all the food I miss right now. More to love no?

Well glad to hear all is well sorry I don’t have much time to write right now since we had our activity earlier but next week I’ll write all about our Christmas and the baptisms. Stay safe and keep writing! Love you all and miss you sooo much can’t wait to talk to you on Christmas!
Happy Be-lated birthday to Cynthia, Chelsea and Tinkerbell!! Love you girls, your still my girls even with your husbands and babies and what not

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

Always,
Sister Grant

The Elect!!!

2009-12-14T06:27:00.000-08:00

(She said this picture was her reenacting the movie "Fern Gully" lol only Brooklyn)

Hello everyone! Man the work is going sooo great! We have a baptism every Saturday the rest of the transfer and I’m so excited for all of them. On Saturday is Richard Agbones he is a 9yr Part member and we Reactivated his family. Then on the 26th is the remarkable Sis Virgie and her daughter Angienick the other daughter is only 7. Their story is so cool, one day she just got a random text from the wrong number and they ended up talking for awhile the conversation turned to religion after a few days and come to find out the guy on the other end is an RM and in Luzon the big northern Island. He calls her bears his testimony answers her ?s and then challenges her to find a chapel in her area. The next Sunday she just randomly shows up at church with her 2 daughters! We meet her and get her address, begin teaching her and BAM! She is what you call a GOLDEN investigator, they are soo receptive and they have such a burning desire to learn more about the gospel. She includes herself in all activities, very active in the classes and has just immersed her family and herself in the Church its incredible. Then on Jan 2nd we have Marlon the nephew of the “Korihor” even though his uncle is truly scary and I can’t even stand being around him, RM and then went apostate and now is doing everything he possibly can to destroy the church…his nephew is Awesome! He is 23 and is soooo excited to serve a mission. He just kind of ignores his uncle and is so strong when we went to see him on sat he had memorized all of D&C 4! Haha I love it

Last night I got to watch the first pres Christmas devotional! I was so happy. I loved every minute of it and of course a few tears were shed when they sang 2 of my favorite Christmas songs, O Holy Night and Silent Night I thought of Uncle Lyle and singing in circle with candles at the spilsburys. I love my tree ya’ll sent me! Thanks so much and can’t wait to see pictures of the lights on the house and of the tree.
I’m sending a package tomorrow with lots of pictures and books and some cool things dad you’ll have to drill holes in the 3 shell things so mom can hang them as ornaments on her WORLD WIDE tree. It’s not a real PINE unless its got some real PINES on it. I love you all and miss you soo much can’t wait to talk to ya’ll on Christmas

Love ya,
Always,
Sister Grant

New York!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

2009-12-06T21:43:00.000-08:00

Hello!!

Well this week was really good. We were literally led to 3 very "elect" investigators and the teachings with them were sooo powerful it was awesome you can definitely feel the difference when you find those that have been prepared to listen and accept your message. Like they always say the message of the gospel has a "familiar ring" to them. I LOVE THAT. It so true and wonderful when that happens.

I also came in contact with a modern day "Korihor" this week it was an interesting experience for me. Man am I grateful for the guidance and influence of the spirit. It truly is one of the most powerful and effective tools we have. This man was a wolf in sheeps clothing for sure. I instantly felt at unease when we arrived. I had an interesting experience with him and learned a lot about the deceptions of Satan and his powerful influence in the confusion and deceiving of men here on earth. Its scary, but if you are doing what you know you should and following the will of the Lord we are promised a constant companion to help us and guide us and clear our minds of the confusions of the world. I am so grateful for that and know it is available to all of us.

Mom, I have no idea where that address is that you gave me sorry haha can I get a Barangay name? or province? something else because I have no clue. I haven't got a package yet with a tree in it but maybe tomorrow at District mtg. I DID however receive a classic Tinkerbell package from alli and jeffy and beana I almost died when I opened it haha thank you guys soooo much I sure miss and love you all!

NEW YORK!! NEW YORK!! are ya kidding me?! Mamma Mia on Broadway! SPOILED ROTTEN!! jealous party of one your table is ready?! ahah busy over here trying to save souls and ya'll are taking over the big apple?! haha Hope you guys have a blast and try not to think of me to much while your all bundled up freezing and I'm in a tropical paradise? Melakalikimaka!!! haha I was singing that song the other day and just laughin at myself as usual and my comp just thinks I'm crazy but hey what can ya do right?

So the work is going really well, I have 4 baptisms lined up for this month and i'm excited for all of them they are really strong investigators and I know they will be great additions to the ward here!
I can call anytime on Christmas day or Christmas eve so it depends on you guys you just tell me when you want me to call and I'll do it. CANT WAIT!!

Love ya!!!
Always, Sister Grant

Famous in a small town...

2009-11-30T08:27:00.000-08:00

Hello!!!

Happy thanksgiving to all. I know I'm late but I figured I'd let the turkey digest and then say it ;) for as many turkeys they have here you'd think they would eat it more but they really don't eat turkey here. I sure missed thanksgiving, especially going up to Vegas and eating my favorite potatoes and rolls! haha Transfers went well, I got my new Jr companion shes transferred from Panay island she was in her last area for 7 months! she's your typical cute, tiny little philipina and I'm really excited for this transfer. 1. i stayed in Handumanan for the holidays!!! 2. My comp is way good and 3. Sterling transferred to my first area in Valladolid and so now we are in the same zone again!!! I couldn't be happier :)

My area is really doing well, We've been working so well with the members and we are truly finding the elect right now everyone we talk to is really interested and progressing I'm thrilled it's going to be a great next 2 months!

So when the new missionaries came on Friday and I got to the meeting the funniest thing happened. They all already knew me...I was so confused they all came up to me and surrounded me saying "Sis Grant we've been waiting so long to finally meet you" Needless to say I was thoroughly confused. I guess 2 sisters before going into the MTC over 2 months ago found my blog and started faithfully reading it haha then while in the MTC their mothers would copy and paste my blog entries and dear elder them to them THEN they would read them each week to everyone in their 2 districts...hahah like my life here was some kind of adventure novel! Sterling and I almost died laughing, but I was glad my blog could help them learn more about the mission and help them feel more comfortable about coming here. I would be terrified after reading it personally, I assured them that the things that happen to me aren't usually normal so they didn't have to expect the worse haha. FUNNY!

Glad to hear all is going well at home and that everyone had a good, safe thanksgiving. I have a few baptisms lined up this month that should be nothing short of wonderful so I'll be sure to write about that. Hope you all are missing my Christmas singing and craziness during the Christmas season I've been looking everywhere for a cool Christmas ornament from the Philippines to hang on your tree mom hopefully I'll spot one and send with the package of the long awaited pictures I'll be sending maybe next week or the next.
Well Love you all so much and all is well here. Keep being happy and go to the temple lights for me :)

Love always,
Sister Grant

2009-11-23T07:44:00.000-08:00

Nagapasalamat ko....

I am soo thankful for all of you and for the support you give me while I'm here on my mission and I know that Landry and Brock appreciate it too. When you get out on your mission you really realize all the things you had before when suddenly they are all gone....haha temporal things like for me, running water and dependable electricity, chocolate and cold weather. But of course also family time, Sunday afternoons and family vacations. I'm so grateful for the blessings the Lord has always given me. For our family and the way we live the Gospel and cherish our special pioneer heritage. I can't tell you how many times I get asked here if I have Pioneer ancestor and how proud I am to tell them of my family history. Heber J Grant wrote a book called Gospel Principles I think and it is incredible and has been passed around to many elders here and given them much needed guidance, how cool to know he is my great great uncle! I'm so grateful for the Gospel, of course being so in wrapped in it everyday you really recognize how important and necessary it is in our everyday life. It should be the focus of all our activities all our thoughts and especially in our homes. Depending on and trusting in the Lord is definitely one lesson I'm repeatedly learning here in the Philippines and I hope that all of you are given the experiences to learn this important lesson as well. He has given us everything we have and promised us sooo much more if we continue faithful and obedient.
I love you all sooo much and I will miss ya'll this thanksgiving (and Kathys croissant rolls) haha but I hope you all know how grateful I am for our family and for the blessings we have and for the blessings we can receive through this wonderful and perfect Gospel.

Always,
Sister Grant

Zions Camp

2009-11-17T17:31:00.000-08:00

Well they say that Zions camp was the Lords way to prepare the men he needed in the future through challenges and illness they were proven faithful and prepared for the next challenges of their lives... well I have now gone through Swine Flu, frequent lack of conciseness and seizures. I've had violent food poising, floods, fires and now....drum roll please. Rabies. If this is my Zions camp I'm pretty nervous for the next half of my life! haha Yup you guessed it of course I would get bit by a dog and need 9 (count em 9!!!!) shots which could be easily compared to a dadgum pvc pipe the needles were huge! I got bit on my ankle and one hole was pretty deep. dumb dog. It was an accident I didn't see him laying down behind me and I stepped on him then he bit my leg. When I got to the doctor it was pretty funny he just looked at me and said sis grant why are you always in here, and why can't you ever just have the regular flu or something? hahaha he said you must have the worst luck ever! I told him actually considering my comp is a nurse so she knew exactly what to do and the fact that I got bit by probably the ONLY dog in the Philippines with a full shot record I think I'm pretty darn lucky! he just laughed so everything is good now no need to worry but that was an exciting happening this week...We went back and hiked Mambukal again today and it was a blast and my leg held up real well :) The work is going really well we had our Zone Conference last Tuesday and it was Awesome! the training was sooo useful and I sang in the choir of course which is always wonderful. Glad to hear all is well at home and the holidays are coming! I'm so excited to have Christmas here I hope I stay in handumanan for the holidays we have soo many activities and baptisms lined up but we'll just have to see. Thanks for all the emails and I'll write next week about the stuff i need or want in the package your sending. Love you all! Miss ya ;)

Always,
Sister (accident-prone) Grant

Same old same old

2009-11-12T19:09:00.000-08:00

Well Same ol same ol here, This week was good we had a lot of good referrals to follow up on from our ward and they all turned out to be really good. We had a really fun big family home evening on Monday in ward 1 and the turn out was great. We had lots of our Less Active member families that we've been visiting show up so hopefully within a few weeks they will be fully reactivated. No life or death experiences this week but every day in the mission is life changing. The people here are just so wonderful they are so kind and receptive to the spirit, its no wonder the work is progressing so much here.I heard a rumor that we will get to go to the Cebu temple on the way home because The Manila temple will be closed. I hope that is true we hear so much about Cebu all the time it would be exciting to actually go there. I haven't heard from Elder Stradling (For those reading this he is our cousin who is serving in the same mission as Brooklyn right now) He is on the other island with my dear Sister Fairweather but hopefully I'll get to see him soon I hear he's doing really well though which doesn't surprise me he tore it up in his first area! Well no time sorry but I love you all and loved all your emails thank you. I can't believe Ben is home! Man I miss that boy, I laughed so hard to hear Jeffy and Jared and Beana are all back together as long as they remember the crew ain't complete with out B! Love ya all,

Always,
Sister Grant

Todos Los Santos....

2009-11-02T19:03:00.000-08:00

So this week was a good one as usual, I just love it here. Yesterday was such an exciting sabbath full of events and new experiences haha. Sunday morning Jeffrey Palma was baptized. His wife is the one who just had her baby while we were watching General Conference. It was wonderful of course to see him join his new family in membership in the church and they set plans and goals to be sealed in the temple one year from now, Love it. :)
Yesterday was Todos Los Santos, Spanish for All Saints Day or Araw ng Patay, Day of the dead in Tagalog. Its the big tradition here in the Philippines. On Nov 1 everyone and I mean EVERYONE sleeps in the cemetery on sat night and all Sunday they walk around the cemetery and light candles and do a bunch of activities to remember the dead. The food is incredible! There is sooo much! I was sooo full haha With the help from the ward we set up a booth and had all these really cool posters all about family history, the plan of salvation and the restoration. It was AWESOME! we got soo many referrals and met so many Less active families and new investigators.

I borrowed a violin from my Mission Pres who actually plays himself...! and Played to draw the people in and invite the spirit it was such a cool experience for me. One of our investigators Theodore, had a brother get shot last march he was only 24, it was really sad and he's really been struggling with it. He has been our investigator for a while and he's been struggling getting over his gambling problem. At church yesterday in the investigators class they talked about temple work and why its important we do the work for the dead. Perfect topic for the days celebrations so last night he showed us his brothers grave. He sat down on the dirt right in front of the grave and just stared at it for a long time as he lit the candles, he looked up at us and said.."sisters, I know he'll accept the gospel in the spirit world" I smiled at him and said " I think so too" then he looked back at the grave and said with tears in his eyes "If he's accepting it there, I need to accept it here so that I can be baptized for him in the temple right?" We just smiled back and told him that's exactly what his brother and Heavenly Father want him to do right now. It was soo cool, watching him make that personal mental commitment in his mind to change and to do whatever it takes to be baptized both for him and his brother. I love this work!! Happy to hear all was safe, fun, and well during Halloween I love you all so much!

Always,
Sis Grant

Blessings!

2009-10-26T11:55:00.000-07:00

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

2009-10-19T09:14:00.000-07:00

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.......

2009-10-12T09:42:00.000-07:00

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

2009-10-06T08:26:00.000-07:00

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

Mission Milestones

2009-09-28T07:38:00.000-07:00

You know your in a good mission and you've been out a while when they hand out worm pills at zone conference like pez and you don't think twice about doing your laundry in a bucket by candle light because you haven't had electricity in 2 days....haha we had an earthquake the other day..it happened during the night. The funniest part about that is everyone was talking about it the next day and all worried there was more coming and fixing their houses and my companion and I didn't even feel it! or wake up! haha exhausted much? we had a typhoon this week a signal 1 it lasted for almost 3 days it made work a little more difficult and I'm buying umbrellas like bread but its ok each one makes for some good stories and experiences ha.

The work is still going really good in Handumanan I really hope I stay there for awhile, we had Zone Conference on Thursday and it was sooo good! I love my new Mission President he his incredible, he is so humble and such a good teacher. He's doing great things here and making very necessary changes in the mission I'm so grateful for. The area doctor was also here from Manila with his adorable wife, it was good to see them again I had an interview/check-up with them and they were so glad to see me doing so well. The first thing he said to me when I sat down was "Well sis grant are you as happy as you look?" haha I'm so grateful for my health, and my area I really am so happy right now. We had a baptism on sat a part member family we reactivated and then baptized little 9yr old Gabriel ADORABLE I love him he's sooo funny haha we have another baptism this sat another part member family we have reactivated I love finding those families and helping them come back to the church. Well I love you all soo much and died laughing at jenny's letter! our stories are soo alike yet we are soo far apart I love it. Thanks for the letters and prayers. I sent home my camera and some other stuff earlier and I'm going to buy a new camera right now, thanks for the money in my account :)

Love you all!
Always,
Sister Grant

FHE Lesson....gotta love em!

2009-09-21T08:28:00.000-07:00

HELLOOO!

Its good to hear that everyone is as busy as I am. I think our family has more mileage on em then anyone else I know! We are definitely a movin gang! So this week was another great one in Handumanan. Yesterday we had a break through with one of our investigators and it was great! She has been an investigator for over a year! She has met with sooo many missionaries but just never accepted baptism, so they dropped her. I came and we decided to visit her and follow up on the story because I was so confused, she comes to church every week, her husband is a member and she asked us to start teaching her 9 yr old son so he could be baptized but she doesn't want to?! Somethin aint right... so last we week we taught her and tried to resolve her concerns. She said she knows its true but its just not the right time...she's still waiting for her answer to get baptized. My comp said she was just nervous and scared to get baptized so we taught about acting on our faith and taking that first step to allow the Lord to show you his promised blessings and give him a chance to answer you. It went well and the spirit was strong, I committed her to not pray for when she should get baptized but to pray and tell the Lord she had the desire and if it was right for her to be baptized RIGHT NOW. We left but I wasn't satisfied. So we prayed a lot for her this week and met with her again yesterday. I told my companion who is the sweetest, kinda on the quiet side kinda girl that we were gonna have to be bold and direct with her, she was nervous so I told her I would start haha, I started by asking her very simple but direct ?s. What changes have you noticed in your life since investigating and living the gospel? in your family? How do you feel personally when you go to church? when you read the scriptures and pray? Of course her answers were that she's so much happier her family and relationship with her husband are stronger and better and she feels the peace the gospel brings. AY SALAMAT. We then helped her realize these WERE her answers! Then we asked her if she believed the Book of Mormon was true and she said yes so we asked her to act on that knowledge and the answers shes received and be baptized and we gave her a Specific Date. She hesitated....out of pure prompting before she could answer I asked her husband ( who is never there when we teach because he works but was off that day ) To bear his own testimony about his own conversion and baptism to his wife. It was the most beautiful testimony I've ever heard Not a dry eye in the room, He expressed gratitude for the gospel in his life, for his family and his desire for them to be sealed together forever in the temple. It was perfect. It was silent for a long time and we allowed it because the spirit was on fire. Then before we could even say anything, her husband turned to her with tears in his eyes and asked if she would act on the faith he has seen in her and be baptized. WOW! she accepted and we set a date. IT WAS INCREDIBLE. I loved every minute of it. I was so grateful for his simple but sweet testimony and he has been inactive for almost 10 years! but it was powerful and sincere and just what she needed to hear.

On a lighter note, I got word from another missionary assigned in Valladolid that one of my converts Bro Montano, works with the missionaries all the time and bears a strong testimony where ever he goes. My smile was as bright as my new hot pink jody dress Sis Fairweather so kindly passed on to me. Im so excited for these friendships here and to keep them going even in the years after my mission.
Funny note. For FHE we went to a members house with 2 investigators, and the mother starts the lesson...about Post pardom deppression....um...hahah I was dying in the corner I thought I was going to pee my pants! It was so awkward it seemed to go on forever!then she finally ended and we played games and it was a blast.
Yes I got the calender and it sits on my desk and I love it!
Thanks for everything I love you all!

La Lu
Always,
Sister Grant

Utopia

2009-09-14T07:40:00.000-07:00

Man! sounds like you all have been having fun in Florida and everywhere else. I'm glad things are going well with the Fam and with Grandmas health I got real tickled the other day during an OYM (open your mouth) cuz the old lady sitting next to us in a chair had the "shifty eye" thing going on that Grandma Jones always does haha I was dying.

Anyways, I can't even put in words how amazing things are right now for me. Handumanan is an incredible area, we have been workin sooo hard and the Lord is definitely blessing us and our investigators. Some days we pack a sandwich with us so we don't have to go home for lunch and we just work all day and I love it! We are just so excited and on a roll it seems like there's not enough time in the week to visit everyone. We have 10 people with baptism dates right now and ALL of our investigators are progressing soo well its so cool to see the changes they are willing to make once they feel that "special feeling" and witness for themselves. We go on splits like 2 or 3 times a week so we can make it to all our appointments! Its INCREDIBLE! I feel like I'm back to my old self again and that feeling and joy that seemed so dimmed the last 6 weeks in and out of hospitals and such is ON FIRE! I'm so grateful for all your prayers and help and the love and support you all continuously send my way. The language is there. I've got it. It was like I came home from Manila and someone shot me out of a canon haha everything fell into to place and there's no stoppin it now :) I love you all so much and cant wait to bring my family here one day to meet these people that are soo wonderful. The 2 Bishops are so great they help us so much we get new referrals every week! 4 of our investigators that had smoking problems had such changes this week. We had them all down to 7 or 8 sticks a day and then when we visited this week 3 of them were at 4 and 1 only had 2! I was so happy for them. The confidence they are gaining in the Lord and in themselves is so cool. Well I love you all again and keep you in my prayers.

Love always,
Sister Grant

Danka Shane

2009-09-07T08:22:00.000-07:00

DANKA SHANE! haha thank you everyone for all your prayers and your support. It really does make a difference and help me over here so thank you it is greatly appreciated.
Well folks ready set go! I'm in my new area with my new companion both of which are sooo great and I'm feeling better everyday. I can't even begin to tell you how I feel right now, its so wonderful I feel like I got to push a restart button from the last 6 weeks and now nothin can stop me haha I've only been in Handumanan for 4 days now but it's already been great. For the first time I have 2 wards and both bishops are really good and the wards help us alot I'm so excited I'm sure you can see me smile from 4 peaks :) Not to mention the fact that IT finally happened. On Friday at our transfer meeting I SAW SIS FAIRWEATHER!! oh man words can not describe that joyous reunion! They was laughter, most definitely tears hah and the most ridiculous exchange of stories ever! I was soooo happy She took over Sterlings area in Victorias in Bacolod North zone and I went to back to South zone but we will still see each other often if not every Monday at our zone activities because our 2 zones always do stuff together we were both so excited our whole batch is on negros now so we'll see each other which is always fun. It feels so good to be back in the work full force and to have a companion with the same desires as I do, it makes a world of a difference. I'll have more info on my area and investigators next week. Thanks again for your prayers. I love you all so much. Mom and the girls, have fun in Florida! Dad, keep workin hard on your new gig and thanks for the email ;) Colton and Jamie hope all is going well with your growing family I love and miss you all. Have fun keep smilin in whatever you do :)

Love always,
Sister Grant

P.S Yes I got your package before I went to manila thanks! and I also got a letter from Jenny , Ha! I miss that girl soo much I was crying and laughing the whole time I read her letter! That will be another incredible reunion oh man.

Mabuhay!!! (haha love it mom)

2009-08-17T08:49:00.000-07:00

Mayong Hapon sa tanan! Kamusta kamu? ayos lang ako diri sa bata, ama mon gihapon. Nami gid ang obra namon kay dako gid bulig sa akon halin sang dios adlaw adlaw :) and boy do I need it! It was kind of a difficult week, we had some set backs with the Jaguiles family, and some problems with my companion but amat amat things are resolving themselves. Prayer's whats gettin me thru this transfer but I've learned soooo much. Its so true that once you've passed through the trials you can look back and see the specific things the Lord wanted you to learn. I had a wonderful experience/reminder this week teaching the Plan of Salvation to a family, sometimes I think we as missionaries or even members get so used to the fact that we already know the plan he has for us we've known it our whole lives and its just kinda there for us. I was reminded this week that when we teach these families the incredible plan their Heavenly Father has made specifically for THEM its the first time they've ever heard anything like that before. Can you imagine finding out the Lord knows exactly who you are not because of any other reason but that you lived with him before and he's given you a plan so you can get back to him! The feeling and the spirit that comes when we teach about the Plan of Salvation and the wonderful and priceless gift of the atonement that makes the plan possible is my favorite thing ever! Its an indescribable feeling when you see the joy on the families faces as they realize they can be together as a family forever. I love this work so much. Every time the Lord blesses me and allows me to have experiences like that I remember why its so important that we do missionary work and how grateful I am for the opportunity to do it 24/7! There's soooo many people out there that have NO IDEA, its so sad. But helping them come closer to Christ by helping them understand his plan for him is so worth the floods, the companions, the hospital trips haha whatever. "I'm doing a great work and can not come down" :) I love you all and hope all is well and you are all staying healthy and happy. Keep workin hard and prayin harder. AND I challenge all of you to find the missionaries in your ward on sunday and see if they have investigators with them and help fellowship! there is nothing more frustrating then working all week to get your investigators to church then having no one talk to them! Do Missionary work, ya'll find, we'll teach its golden I promise :)
Love Always,
Brooklynly forever.

Yup remember all your list you made, heres one for you :)
1.Loved the story about the tape of Chads FHE pinoy night thats so funny I dont remember that AT ALL. but that will be funny to watch when I get home.
2. I was hoping you hadn't sent the package yet of my pills cuz I need a few things if I can be spoiled and annoying for a bit and ask for some things....
-dryer sheets, haha to put in my pillow cases I just want to smell that again PLEEAAASSSEE.
-my down east basics undershirts I sent some home in the boxes or you can buy some more mine are so thin and worn out from washing them by hand almost every other day. (2 white, a black and a brown)
-CHOCOLATE. CANDY. CHOCOLATE.
-some peppered beef jerky...dont ask haha

I think that should suffice thank you sooo much don't worry if you can't send it all right away.
Tell the girls to youtube "wonder girls- nobody but you" thats the IT song right now here I think I hear it like over 50 times a day! and all the little girls know the dance too haha.
I email landry and brock and greg since they are family haha we can. its funny cuz our emails are always real short but its fun talking with "my boys" they are such great examples and help to me even though they are younger! I love them so much and I'm so glad and excited there is so many of us out right now! we are takin over!

well LALU lots,
B

P.S my camera is broke and I can't fix it here I should still have a year warranty on it so I'm gonna send it home this week so ya'll can fix it and send it back with my memory card. The lens is the only thing broken it wont go out when you turn it on so I can't take pictures I was afraid that might happen. They say to but the cameras that don't have the lens that goes in and out cuz it breaks easier. but I didnt drop it suprisingly it never got wet haha so It should still be under warranty it hasnt been a year yet.

Whats a girl gotta do to get a normal week ova here?‏

2009-08-10T09:56:00.000-07:00

Man! Another crazy week in the life of Sis Grant! It started out normal and nice. The work was going good. I emailed ya'll on Mon feelin fine and then BAM! on my death bed on Tues, what kind of swine gets the flu anyways?...haha yup I got it, the famous swine flu. We expected it did we not? Its me we're talkin about here. Of course I'd get the latest and greatest illness. I went to the hospital on wed night and it was so great they went to go take my blood and I hadn't ate in like 2 days and ya'll know how I feel about havin needles right there on my arm lol so of course I PASS OUT like usual I warned the little filipino nurse but I don't think she believed me so I fell with the needle in my arm it was so gross and I got a nasty bruise still on my arm luckily the Office elders caught me before I hit the ground haha so that was a fun experience I'm over it now (not sick anymore so no worries) and THEN!! I had to go back to the doctor on Sat because I had some weird viral thing that was giving me these big itchy red sores all over my body....are ya kidding me here? 21years and not a visit to the doctors not even a blood test and I turn in my papers and BAM 6 times now I've givin blood and the hospital visits are gettin a bit ridiculous. WHEW, Anyways! thats all over and done with and I'm healthy and heavily medicated ;)

Friday we traveled to the boonies and helped build houses and plant trees that got wrecked from the storms it was sooo fun it was our whole zone so sterling was there with me. It was a blast. I was glad I was feeling so much better so I could go. Then today we had our Zone Activity. It was Awesome we went to this HUGE stadium and played all these games and did skits it was hilarious. Then we played Ultimate frisbee in the way nice stadium on real grass for like 2 hours I LOVED IT!

Sorry we had to leave that place and go to a different Internet cafe...bear with me :)
Anyways.... So today was so fun playing with everyone it reminded me of the ole days before the mish playin soccer and ultimate frisbee every week. We were sooo hot because it was really hot today but the sunshine was incredible I was so happy. I didn't care, I knew I wasn't in a hospital and I knew I felt great so I was gonna play my little heart out and it was wonderful :) So my area is going good too, the Family of 17 is still great. The mom and one of the older brothers are a little hard headed right now because they've all been baptist for a long time now but we'll just keep workin on them. We also set a baptism date last night with A man named Richmund. His wife and daughter got baptized last year but he didn't so we've been teaching him, its been going great. He has alot of concerns and questions but his family is so helpful. His date is for the 29th of August. We also have 2 little kids ages 9 they are from Part-member families, even though they are just little kids I love watching how it strengthens families as they all join together in the gospel. This month is our Mission Tour which means Elder Edwards and Elder Teh from the Area Presidency are here and touring all over the mission and then we have a big conference at the end of the month so I'm excited for that it should be REALLY good. Well All is Well as usual, besides the fact that my body just doesn't want to serve a mission with me haha my Spirits still strong as ever ;) so keep the pills comin dad cuz I'm runnin real low and I'm poppin those puppies like tic-tacs! I love you all so much Stay Happy and well keep the letters comin! Keep me updated on Grandma Jones too :)
Love Always,
Sis. Grant

Finally her Memory Card came in the mail!!

2009-08-07T08:17:00.000-07:00

Cami Hofiens, Me, and Jenny. I met Cami at BYU Hawaii and now we're all on missions

Old MTC pictures but had to finally post one of the famous "map pointing pics"!

Jenny :)

The precious homemade jumper I found in the "giveaway" box.

Matching Jody dresses

R.I.P.- The sweet shoes from Uncle Bobby broke my last week in the MTC.

Weighing my suitcase for the Pines.

The 3 Musketeers! Man it'll be fun when we come home.

Jenny broke my free throw record in gym for the sisters.....too bad she's holding it upside down.

Airplane to Taiwan "Squid Mission".

Airport to Taipei.....yes, for your information i had mango ice cream

Taipei...we were starving

Sis. Baraquiel, Sis Manzon, (trainer) Me, first day.

Going to my first area, 10 people in that van.

Apartment, Pink study room...hahaha my desk

Our kitchen & Sis. Manzon

Our yard in our little hut apartment (Valladolid)

Bishop (yellow shirt) and some youth cleaning the church.

The church building

Some young men in the church

The Pines. My area valladolid

Basketball court right on the ocean.

My shower.......

...and my laundry area :)

A graduation party at a members house.

Sis. Advincula

Bay bay "ocean"

When I caught the mouse. (Talked about in a previous post)

When the mouse was scratching on the pot.

District community service project.

Elder Jacquez scared of the carabaw.

Dwindi's (dwarfs) in my yard, Bro. Chow used to call me dwindi, Ha

My bed and Sis. Manzons (Mine is the green one)

Zone conference, my zone bacolod south. Yes I'm the ONLY American sister. If your b-day is that month you get a crown.

Lunch, Sis. Manzon. (YUM!!) P-butter, bananas

Pres. D haha

Laundry haha

Joy the monkey

Lanka!! (one of my favorite fruits!) (Jackfruit)

Merilou and Romeo Matinga baptism

Mosquito Net!

My area again

Kids at our front gate.....ALWAYS!

My favorite little boy Jerich Alvarez. Bato,Papel,Gunting (Rock Paper Scissors) We play everytime!!

The Alvarez family

2nd Zone conference....STILL the only American in my zone.

Conference Service Project in Salay. Sis. Ruadil, Sis.Sanchez, Sis Manzon and Santillian

Sunny and Eleanor Ganancial (S. LG-LG Bro Jover)

Zone activity at Bago beach...SO FUN!!

Hilary Jover so adorable Diane and Joshuas baby.

District Conference Service Project in Pulapandan

Sis. Manzon, Sis. Rhea, Sis. Tulmo, 83 years old walks to church with her husband a mile each way.

Stooorrmm!!!

Young Women activity making ice cream.

Anjo Lorenzo hiding from the storm in a bamboo house.

It didn't work.....haha

Sis. Manzon, Sis. Delsa, Me

Sis. Manzon, Sis Rhea, Me

Sis. Ganancials mother, Prissy as can be!

Agrida Family

Sis. Wilmie, Sis. Neihope, Sis. Manzon, Sis Rhea

Natinga baptism

Rhea and Me

EEL!! So grose....definitely cooked that AND ate that!

HA!

Mission President and his wife.

Mabukal Hike. There is 7 falls. Bats over my head zoom in on the tree 100's & 100's & like the size of Lola (My toyota carolla back home) GROSE!

Typhoons and rain

Mango smoothies.......Heavenly!!

2009-08-03T08:00:00.000-07:00

First I just want to say I just had the most delicious smoothie with fresh pineapple, mango and watermelon...now that's what I'm talkin about! Well this week was a good one, it was rough in the beginning because we had a huge storm and I thought man Sterling just got here and his first few days is nothin but a flood! but the Lord of course blessed us and the work continued forth rain or shine. We needed some serious new investigators and all week I was prayin hard we would find some. On Saturday I was fasting and praying double time, and in the afternoon I had the feeling we should find the house of a man we had talked to on the street on Tuesday So I had a feeling we should go find him so we started looking for his house where he said he lived and no one knew him which is rare everyone knows everyone here so I just started asking people and I asked this family that had a chungee ( a little store) in the front of their house and they didn't know either but then I just kept talking to them and they invited us in! Turns out they were former investigators and they are a family of 17!! and 4 of the older brothers wives just had babies only months apart...um are ya kidding me?! GOLDMINE! I was absolutely thrilled of course and we taught them and made a return apt for next week. I don't know where that man is that we talked to before but I know the Lord led us right to where he wanted us to be and I am so grateful, I'll keep ya'll updated on that. well I have to go before the electricity goes out again hah I love you all sooo much and hope all is well. I'm doing great and pray for you all daily :)

Love Always,
Brooklyn

ABC's- Arson, Bata, Cousins!!!‏

2009-07-27T08:25:00.000-07:00

Man I'm jealous ya'll got to go to the 24th and I didn't and Heap reunion too! Ya'll know that's my all time favorite time of the year. I was happy to hear though that it wasn't the same without me..duh of course not thats MY town haha I figured ya'll wouldn't go to the rodeo since you usually only went to watch my races :) but I'm glad ya'll had a good time. I can't believe you got released mom its about time ha but you will be a great Sunday school teacher.

So this week was crazy we had transfers on Friday and I was transferred to my 2nd area. Its right in the city. Its called Bata which means child haha My companion is Sis Bradey she's from New Zealand and goes home in Nov. It's alot of change. My 2 areas and companions are completely opposite, it should be interesting but I'm exciting for the change and the new challenges that come with new areas. My 2nd day in the area, my reputation continued as our investigators house caught on fire! right by the church 2 houses burned and a little store. It was awful. Luckily no one got hurt. I 'm not sure how it even started but all the electrical wires were sparkin and I thought the big cable box was going to explode. We all just ran it was kinda scary. I'd never experienced a fire like that. We got tornadoes in Missouri, I've got monsoons and dust storms in AZ, Typhoons and floods under my belt and now fires!

I finally got to see Sterling on Friday I was sooooo excited. Oh my goodness I ran up to him and gave him the biggest hug it was funny we got some looks at first and then we explained we were related and all was well :) He looked so good and it was so nice talking to him, Bro. Leslie was his teacher in the MTC too so it was fun to talk about that. I was thrilled because they put him in my zone so I'll see him at Zone conference and meetings and activities! I STILL HAVEN'T SEEN SIS FAIRWEATHER! She didn't transfer so she's still on Panay island. I feel like I'll never see her again when she transfers back to Negros I'll probably head to panay! Hopefully I'll see her soon I sure miss her. Well I hope ya'll have a good time at the reunion without me....try at least ;) I love you all so much and I can't wait to hear about it all. Thanks everyone for writing and emailing me! If you could at the bottom of your emails write your addresses so I can write back because I don't have alot of yours Thanks!

Love always,
Brooklyn

Melodies of the Gospel Life :)

2009-07-20T10:12:00.000-07:00

Hello Family!!! How is everyone doing? Thanks for the updates everyone is so good at writing me I really am so grateful for it :) This week was great as usual, we did have another big storm but at least our house didn't flood this time, but my area was completely underwater. It was interesting. ha we were walking to one of our investigators houses in knee deep water and all the sudden a school of fish swam by our legs!! HA! there's a lot of little fish ponds around so when it floods all the fish get let loose and free to swim around! The coolest thing happened the other day we were really praying to find new young families to teach ( as all missionaries do everyday) and all day we were punted it was so hard it just seemed like everyone was too busy or not home. As we were walking down the street all the sudden this man walked up to us with a huge grin and said "I've been looking everywhere for you guys!" that's like the BEST thing a missionary could hear! turns out him and his wife are 24 and she will have a baby in 2 months about 8months ago he met with the elders and they taught the first lesson and then those elders got in a bad accident on the highway here in my area and a truck hit them as they were walking and the Filipino died and the American was sent home with his injuries so they never returned and he had been looking for the missionaries ever since! Of course we were soooo excited and were able to teach them again. They are so great and I was so happy the Lord had led him to us.

Then the son in law of our landlord came up to us and asked if I could write down the lyrics to the music I was singing the other day.. haha I was so confused I guess he had been listening to me as I was washing my clothes outside the other morning. I wash early at like 5am and he had been sitting reading and I didn't know he was there haha I was just singing hymns and what not I wrote down the lyrics to some of my favorite hymns I thought he'd enjoy and we set up an appointment to meet with him and his family! I love music :) Anyways life is good here and I'm still just in awe everyday that I'm actually here having the opportunity to do this, its so incredible. I'm soooo excited sterling comes on Friday!! I'm so sad I'm missing the 24th but I know ya'll will have fun for me :) I'll be thinking about you all and I love you all so much!

Always,
Brooklyn

Floods, falls and island hopping!‏

2009-07-13T08:51:00.000-07:00

Sorry about the no subject last week I must have forgot! ha Oh and sorry for not writing last week as you guessed it STOOORRRM! haha This week was sooo busy but a blast. On Sunday we had our interviews with our new president, Pres. Tobias. He came to our apartment to check everything and meet us of course he had to visit all the apartments so it was quick but he seemed really nice and he's so tiny :) We later learned our apt got picked for the Mission Tour with Pres Edwards (area president of the Philippines) I guess all the scrubbin and cleanin payed off he will visit in August. Monday our zone went to Mambukal mountain just outside of Bacolod but its huge you can see it from Valladolid. We Hiked 3 1/2hrs to the top it was seriously the most gorgeous thing I have ever seen in my life! all the way up you pass "the 7 falls of Mambukal" it's really as cool as it sounds I promise. out of our zone only 8 of us made it all the way to the 7th fall I thought I was going to die it was soooo hot and humid because of the storm pero it was sooo worth it! The waterfalls were beautiful and the view can't be described I was absolutely lovin it! Then the storm came ahaha but we made it down ok and it was a blast.

Tuesday we traveled back to bacolod for district meeting and then I slept in Bata, because on wed I got in the little paddle boat and braved the waves for an hour and 1/2 to Panay Island for something for all our visas it was so fun to see and be with all the Americans and Polys plus I ate the most amazing burger I've ever had not to mention it was the size of my body! Finally Thursday I returned to my area and I was excited to get back to work, Bro Mantano will be baptized this week and I can't wait I've been waiting for his baptism for sooo long his children are members but he wasn't He's been through soo much to make it to his baptism and the changes Ive seen him make have been incredible he is so strong and his faith is deep I'm thrilled for his family. The work is going full speed, we were worried because the storms have been sooo bad flooding up to our knees in some places and our house flooded....yeah that was interesting. But the lord has blessed us so much we were able to teach so much this week even with the storm I was so grateful, I know the Lord provides a way if you just show him your willing to go and do. I'm sending my memory card home tom so you all can stop whining!! hahah Yes, mom I actually used my testimony glove last week! in primary we got to church and no one was there it was just us and our 6 investigators haha the members finally came and I taught primary for some reason. Did i ever tell you I've been the ward pianist ever since my first Sunday here? haha oh man gotta love the pines no? I love you all and I'm glad to hear you all had a safe and fun 4th of July. I sang the national anthem on the top of my lungs in our apt i terrified my comp but boy it felt good. My camera is broken but I think they can fix it here. If not I'll let you know because I have a warranty for a year. Love ya All is well :)

B

2009-06-28T21:58:00.000-07:00

Helllooo everyone! I hope everyone is really doing as good as they sounds in letters and emails! Thank you again for always sending them, it truly is like Christmas every Monday morning when I get to read them :) So this week was great. Alexa I laughed so hard at your nature comment haha imagine how I feel! I've been "camping" for the last 4 months! but I truly LOVE it here I can't picture myself anywhere else right now. Ok short funny story, the 24th they celebrated John the Baptist Bday here...or in other words everyone just eats and sits around all day haha and they throw buckets of water on people!! hahah it was so ridiculous we were dodging buckets all day. One time I was bent down helping a little boy put his chain back on his bike and I barely got away from getting drenched the guy came up from behind me and my comp screamed..ha the little boy got wet but he didn't seem to mind we all just laughed as the guy ran away. So we had our Mission conference on Fri our last conference with Pres he goes home on July 2 It was all the missionaries on Negros Island so again I couldn't see Sis Fairweather I was sad but hopefully she'll be at transfers Sterling comes in 3 weeks!!!! I'm so excited I can hardly stand it :) Conference was really good and I will really miss Pres and Sister Daquiaog. My area is good, the work is going well we are still finding a ton of LA and PM families but reactivation is going strong and finally the members are starting to see us bringing them to church and want to help us more. We had a signal 1 typhoon on wed which means 60-80 KM winds and no power. It was....interesting haha we had to sleep in Bago city because there was no transportation in or out of valladolid for us to go to Conference in Bacolod. It was wet but fun. Happy Birthday Tasha on the 23rd :) and I hope all of you have a wonderful week, I'm so excited to hear so many of my friends and family members are experiencing and enjoying the blessings of the temple PADAYON!! (continue!) haha Theres no other greater work we can do than temple work! I love you all so much. No worries All is well!

Always,
Brooklyn

I Will Survive!!...Hey Hey

2009-06-21T21:27:00.000-07:00

Mayong Aga!!! Hello everyone! Things are going great here as usual, My new comp and I have been together for a week or so now and I love her! we have so much fun and She works really hard which is good because we have our work cut out for us. We were struggling to get some solid progressing investigators so last week we prayed and fasted that we would be lead to those the Lord wanted us to teach in order to strengthen the ward here. All week we reaped the blessings of that fast it was incredible! Every single person we met and OYMed (open your mouthed) was a Less active or Part member family! Something finally clicked with the Bishopric and Ward missionaries and they've started to really help us a ton! Its going so well and I can see some serious progression happening here :) There are over 800 members in Valladolid but barely 100 at church each week THATS RIDICULOUS! I feel like going out to the Plaza where they all gather all day and standing on the fountain and Saying No matter what your concern Regardless of the Reason I have 1 question! " In all your years as a believer, have you never felt the stirring?" haha (mom :) ) (For all of you reading this that's a quote from the church movie "The Testaments") Seriously though I 'm determined to do something about this. I have some ideas and we've been seeing results but I want more we could have a whole new stake just in Valladolid! TULONG BRO LELSIE ahah any suggestions? sending out the corner dweller bat signal :) The language is continuing to improve each day Sis Ruadil was a teacher so she helps me soooo much its such a blessing. We had another Baptism on Sat ( alexa, bailey...) Sis Diana Jover we reactivated her husband and they have a 4 month old baby girl ADORABLE it was so wonderful to see their beautiful family make the necessary steps towards becoming an eternal family. Anyways thank you as always for your letters and emails! The conference issue is incredible and I hope you all are reading it over and over again! GO TO THE TEMPLE! :) and I love you all so much.
All is Well :)

P.S no I didn't get to see my dear Sis Fairweather but maybe soon...she is on the other island right now so maybe next transfer.

Always,
Brooklyn

Gummi Worms and Soup!!

2009-06-15T07:47:00.000-07:00

Hello!!! First I just want to say I got your package mom and I'm pretty sure the entire world could feel my glee haha I sat down with a bowl of my favorite potato soup and gummi worms like it was thanksgiving dinner and a french silk pie!! THANK YOU! The shoes fit and are adorable ( as cute as rubber shoes can be hah) and the articles and letters were wonderful Mahal Kita :) Next, HAPPY FATHERS DAY!! I love you so much dad hope you had a great day. So this week was an interesting one. Si Manzon of course left early Tues morning so I was put in charge of my area. I was nervous to be left alone but knew the Lord would help me, and he did. The ward missionary that worked with me was a little difficult she wouldn't follow any of the rules cuz she said she wasn't a missionary so it was a bit hard but all turned out well to be honest it was all the Lord there's no way I could have done it alone. I woke up alone went to bed alone while she did other things, I had to plan and organize a baptism that we had yesterday for 2 boys whose father is excommunicated and mom is in Singapore it was frustrating at times but luckily All IS WELL :) the Baptism went good and now I have a new companion and she is wonderful her name is Sis Ruadil ( Row-a-deel) shes from up by manila and has been our 9months. I can tell we're going to work really well together. It's still pretty nerve racking because its like I'm the senior I lead everything, planning, where we go who we teach what we teach and I lead the lessons. Shes a bit shy and of course doesn't know the area but the Lord answers my prayers everyday and helps me every minute. The language is actually going really well, it's finally started to click! YEAHHHHH!!! Thank you for all the emails and yes, Ben I got your email and the hand written letter ;) Alexa and Bailey I had 2 baptisms yesterday so you know what that means...and if you don't you'll be getting a letter soon and you'll understand :) I love you all so much and I'm glad to hear every ones doing well. Congrats Corey and Krieg on the Temple marriages!! Another one bites the dust huh? haha Well I love you all and hope you have a good safe week!

Love Always,
Brooklyn

Swine Flu!!!

2009-06-08T15:00:00.000-07:00

Well I wasn't surprised to hear about the whole swine flu thing cause we got it here too, President sent out a newsletter to everyone to warn us and tell us what to do if we got sick. Of course, the next day Sis Manzon started showing symptoms and I had an ear infection...don't worry I've been taking my pills loyally and never got sick and Florence Nightingaled my comp back to health with oxy pure and ice cream. She laughed so hard when I asked her to put the diluted Oxypure in my ear she calls it magic potion cause I put it in my water and we've been putting it on this little wart on her thumb and its going away and now I was putting it in my ear! haha I thought it was funny I thought about the Windex in the Greek wedding movie! Glad to hear everyone is doing so well as usual I cant believe you sold the boat dad!!! WOW is all I can say but I know immediate blessings come from obedience...believe me. We have our first Typhoon coming probably this week its been stormin like crazy. I'll admit its kinda scary sometimes but no worries so far so good. We lose power a lot but its not so bad cause the rain makes it not so hot just humid as all get out! We had 2 more baptisms while I didn't have email the Ganancial Family and I have 2 more in June the work is just going great! My comp goes home tom morning and I'm a little nervous cause that means I'm working with a ward missionary until Fri when I get my new comp. This means I have to lead everything like a senior comp, I'm not sure if I'm ready for that but I guess I don't have a choice huh?! HA hopefully I'll be able to see sis Fairweather at transfers on Fri! Well I love you all so much and I'm so glad everything is going so good, weddings, baby blessings, ct. Girls write me and let me know how girls camp goes you know I how much I LOVED camp! A Lot of you should be getting letters without email I had more time to write :) LALU!

Always,
Brooklyn

I'M BAAAACK!!!!

2009-06-02T09:40:00.000-07:00

Haha Hello everyone email is back on YEEAAHH!! Thank you President, I don't have time to write now he just said we could update our families thats its back on so there you are we are back to emailing! Thanks for the package comin mom! :) Love you all!! oh and I got the package from Deb and the memory card THANKS FOR THE CHOCOLATE!! But I was soooo sad because the memory card ya'll sent back all the pictures are fine but when I try to watch the videos it says file error so that stinks but thanks for the pics!

LALU
K BYYYYEE,

Brooklyn

The Ole Fashion Way

2009-05-17T20:39:00.000-07:00

I'm sorry to tell you but we're going to have to do things the old fashioned way. My mission Pres has banned email for however long he seems fit because some missionaries were abusing the privilege! It will be so hard not getting your emails each week but I guess it's just another thing the Lord wants us to experience no? Lets be positive about this shall we? haha who doesn't love a sweet hand written letter?! It'll all be ok mom, and denee...haha no worries. I wrote alot of people today so most of you should be receiving a letter within a few weeks, but this will be my last email for awhile I'm not sure when we'll get it back probably not until the new Pres comes which is the end of June. This week was a definite roller coaster of emotions and trials but it was incredible I learned so much. We had to move the bap date for 2 of our investigators so that was really sad but its ok their still working towards their goal so I'm not worried! We have zone conference on wed in Bacolod so I'm excited for that it will be the last one with Pres D. it should be really good. Thank you all for your emails I love reading about everything going on there! I love you all so much and I'm truly grateful for all the support and prayers you give me! I need them!! Everything is going great, of course its hard but we all knew that right? ;) I'm happier than ever and the Lord blesses me everyday. I can't even attempt to write all the things I'm learning and feeling, I'm so grateful for this opportunity to be here the Philippines is an incredible place and the people are even more wonderful. I love you all and miss you so much. I pray for you all everyday. Start writing and send em quick thats a big ocean for those puppies to cross :)

Love Always,
Brooklyn

Be happy, Be strong, Bring em' Home :)‏

2009-05-11T08:39:00.000-07:00

Well It was absolutely wonderful to talk to you all this morning! more than words can say. I love you all so much! Dad don't worry I got my Mosquito net out as soon as I got off the phone with you. So everything is going great here in the Pines, I had my first convert baptism on sat!! A husband and a wife the Natinga family I wrote about before, It was great as all baptisms are and we have 4 more planned for this month so the work is really good! It stopped raining for a few days and we were back to sweating like pigs during the day. We lost electricity on Thursday, all night. I thought I was going to die laying there in bed without the fan it was so hotttt!! haha This week we have our zone meeting tomorrow in Bacolod so that should be fun, its always great seeing the other missionaries and it will be interesting to see who's in our zone now after the transfers. Thanks for all the emails, Its always so good to hear how great everyone is doing. Keep em' comin! Happy Mothers Day to all of you. Especially my "other" mothers ahah Deb, Cindi, Sheri, Beth hah all of you ;) Hope everyone has a fantastic week! Denee you can add some of the things I talked about on the phone if you like. The answer to every ones questions is BUCKET. I shower, wash my clothes flush the toilet and basically do everything out of big buckets...haha gotta love the pines. Love you to pieces!! I pray for you all daily.

Love always,
Brooklyn

Ok a couple things to add from our conversation with Brooklyn yesterday:

We asked her about the food over there and if she's eating ok or if she has come across some pretty gruesome stuff. She said one time at a families home they brought out goat for them to eat but it still had all the head and everything and patches of burnt hair still on it. Poor Brooklyn, we all about died for her just hearing that. She said her companion doesn't eat meat just fish and all the members know that so it pretty much saves her from having to eat weird meat, BUT she has now realized she's allergic to fish. She never ate fish before her mission so she had no idea but now after feeling nauseous and having her throat start to itch and get irritated she realized she's allergic. So for the most part she said she eats a lot of rice, vegetables, and fruit. She said her favorites are the mango and jack fruit.

She also told us her transfers are June 12 so we'll see if she gets to stay in her first area a little longer or if she'll be moved to another town.

Mothers Day, Mud, and Mahal (love)

2009-05-04T06:55:00.000-07:00

Hey there!!! Thanks for the emails everyone :) Happy Birthday to Colton and Becky on the 30th I'm sorry if I forget birthdays I'm horrible at remembering them so bear with me people haha This week was such a good one it was a wet one but it was good. On sat we got stuck in a really bad storm and we were out in the middle of nowhere!! haha The wind was so strong I literally had my little companion and one of the ward missionaries under my arms like a CHICKEN MAMA so they didn't fly away we were soaked from head to toe in mud up to our knees because the house we were going to doesn't have a road you have to cross their rice field and because of the rain it was just one big lake of water and mud haha we slipped a few times so you can imagine what we looked like...Caves at heap reunion mom ;) hah the ward missionary was crying and my companion was just scared I think...ha she kept screaming all I could do was like Elder Wirthlins advice and laugh. It was a very memorable experience and one of many to come I'm sure, with the whole typhoon season comin and all LOL.

So I didn't get transferred!! YEAH and neither did my comp! so this will be her last area and I'll be her last comp...poor girl..haha I'll call on Sunday night Probably sometime between 7-9pm Just be at home I'll call from here at like 8am on Monday so it should be sun night there. I'll call and give you the number and then you can call me back. Just have a list of ?s mom and I'll answer them all. I love you all so much and I can't wait to talk to you next week I'm so excited!! I can talk for 30-45 min so be ready :) Hope all continues to go well LALU!!!!

Always,
Brooklyn

Heart is Full

2009-04-27T07:20:00.000-07:00

Helloooo! I'm so excited to hear everything went well with the delivery of little Maya!! Good job Denee. I'm sorry I missed it but glad to hear I still got to write a message on the window..thanks bai ;) Everything is going so great here! We have transfers on Friday the 1st and I'm so nervous I'm just praying I don't get transferred, we have 6 baptisms lined up for the first 2 weeks of May and I would hate to miss them. My first area has been so wonderful. Of course its Gorgeous because its right on the coast. The people are so kind and hilarious! The other day we got to a house and the woman came runnin out saying Sis Grant Sis Grant I have Dairy Queen for you!!! I ALMOST DIED! We had talked about ice cream the day before in our apartment, hah and I had said something about dairy queen :) I sprinted...literally over to her for the goods haha she was so excited as she handed me a container, the label said DAIRY CREME...it was like full on cow cream...hahahah talk about miscommunication! LOL I had a good laugh and accepted her gift. She was all smiles and so was I but for completely different reasons.

We also attended a funeral for one of the Less Active members we have been visiting for the last 3 weeks or so it was so sad but also one of the sweetest experiences of my life. As I stood there on the Beach where her service was and watched her family (not all members) comfort one another and deal with their grief I offered a prayer of thanks for the knowledge I have of the Plan of Salvation and opportunity I have now to share it with so many people that are in need of it. As I sang Come unto Jesus...( requested by the husband random I know) At first I was terrified of course. I hate singing in front of people plus I had known this woman only a few short weeks, but As I sang standing there alongside the ocean I was overcome with the most peaceful feeling I have ever felt of How much our Heavenly Father loves each and every one of us and He knows us individually. I stood there and prayed that the family of this woman would also be able to feel this same peace I felt at this time so they could find comfort in knowing they would see their mother, wife and grandma again. As I continued to sing I was overcome with emotion, the spirit was so strong, I made eye contact with the Husband ( non-member) and as he looked back at me with Tears streaming down his face I knew he felt it. I knew he felt the Lords love for him and his family. It was incredible and something I will never forget.

I know without a doubt the Plan of Salvation is real. I know that with life's trials and difficulties it can sometimes feel too hard to bear but I know that All our Savior asks us to do is Come unto him. That's it. Follow his example, and he has promised us more happiness than we could ever imagine. I know that there are signs of the renewal of life and the blessings we have been given all around us all we have to do is look. I don't know who reads my blog and I don't know who I will meet each day as I leave my apartment but I do know that the message of the gospel is for everyone! I'm so happy to hear how great everything is going for everyone back home. Know that everything is equally great here! I'm lovin it! ;) and I love you all so much! I'll write next week and let ya know what happened with transfers! My prayers are with you!

Love always,
Brooklyn

The rains came down and the floods cames up!!

2009-04-20T06:32:00.000-07:00

Well That AZ heat isn't hittin here, well anymore than it usually is anyway... but the rain sure is! Its been so crazy its a good thing I absolutely love the rain because it hasn't stopped! Because I'm right on the coast the flooding isn't to bad because it just goes back out to sea but all week we've been walkin in shin deep water every where we go ha I definitely gave a prayer of thanks that my toe healed quickly so that I didn't have any open wounds for anything living in those waters to come a swimmin ;) It's definitely exciting. The wind is ridiculous I totally feel like kalipokie haha and it's not even typhoon season yet!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DENEE! and BEN and MARISA sorry I'm late on those two ;) But I sent you all real letters so no worries. and If you could reply by email it would be so much better because I get it in time. I've been getting all the dear elders super late like ones written from my first week in the MTC weird but whatever. I think Maya will come on weds. but I think you should hold up for cinco de mayo haha

Things are going great here in the Valladolid transfers are next week on May 1 and I'm just praying I don't get transferred we have 5 baptisms on May 9th alone! I would hate to miss them and leave this area I feel like I'm finally just figuring it all out! We had stake conference on Sunday in Bago City. It was incredible. It was a broadcast specifically to the people inthe southern Philippines. Elder Holland, Pres. Eyring, Elder Madsen who served as an area authority here in 2000 and Sis Matsumori talked to us, man it was good. I felt like I was the only one in the chapel. Even though it was for the Filipinos I felt like they were talking especially to me, it was awesome. We had 6 investigators come to conference so that was way cool!

I got a letter from Ben Ray today haha it made me laugh so hard I love that boy, Our letters travel so far to each other its crazy we are literally on opposite sides of the world but our letters are fun and it sounds like he's doing great, he gives me good advice :)How did all the Doug stuff work out? How's the hoedown coming along mom? We don't really get to go to China I was way bummed they just get us a ticket and keep rescheduling so the country sees we have a way out...what ever that's all about anyways we didn't go to China.

I saw Sterlings name on a list of arrivals for July today in the mission office I just got so excited all over again. I can't wait for him to get here! Today was fun we had Zone activity and we had a huge sports fest it was so fun although Filipino women don't play sports apparently so I was the only girl playing but it was still way fun. We're having FHE with the Bishops family tonight I'm excited I love them! Well sorry to hear about the Computer problems the electricity has been out here for two days it just came back on this afternoon I was so glad I thought I wasn't going to be able to email. Well all is well and everything is going so great! I'm still just loving it, I can't believe I've been in the pines for a month now! Crazy! well I miss you all so much and love you even more!!

Love Always,
Brooklyn

Hang on to your Jody Dress!!!!

2009-04-13T13:53:00.000-07:00

Thank you all so much for your Easter letters I loved them! Thanks for your prayers mostly. I truly love those and desperately need them everyday. Well this last week was a great one its so hard to sit down at this computer every week and try to put it into writing all the things that happen here. It seems like every week is something huge and different but always wonderful. It's so good to hear that everyone is doing so well! Colton to be honest I'll miss my husky BFF Brother of mine but proud of you to hear your gettin your mission figure back haha Ok so I had my First baptism on Sat! It was an 8 year old girl in our ward here and she is the cutest thing ever and get this, her name is MIA ahaha so much irony. (maya, Mama Mia) love it. It was a sweet baptism and her little tender testimony afterwards made me cry thinking of my primary kids. Conference was incredible as usual I missed you all so much especially you girls Alexa and Bailey I always love our special time up at conference but I'm sure you all enjoyed it as much as I did. We somehow, with complete help from the Savior got 8 of our investigators to conference in Bago city , this is HUGE! It was truly a miracle and it was wonderful. The spirit is always so strong when the brethren speak to us and of course the Prophet and I was thrilled so many of our investigators got to experience it too. We also set 3 baptismal dates this week! I was so excited! One of the boys from that family of 5 the 19 year old he is so golden! He is so prepared and ready to change his life and he has such a sweet spirit he just radiates when we teach him and he tells us the changes he's experiencing I love it.

Yes dad I am taking my pills EVERY MORNING I promise! and I oxypure everything I'm pretty sure I'm healthier now then I've ever been in my life hah so no worries.

Sunni D I am so excited you lost a tooth!! I wish I could see your toothless little face but its ok there are plenty of people here without teeth so I just imagine your cute face ;) Cindi I am so proud of you, You sound like you are doing so great.

I wrote a lot of you letters so you should be getting them in about 3 weeks.

Deb, I need an emergency package of some serious goodies. I think not a day goes by I don't have a chocolate attack! An elder last week got a package full of snickers twizzlers and nerds...I almost jumped him. haha.

The experiences here just keep getting better and better. Everyday something new and ridiculous happens and everyday I find myself just throwing my head back and laughing out loud. This place is incredible. There's no way to describe or understand it until you have been here. On the way here today I was in a Jeepney with ( from what I could count) approx 40 people crammed in it. Sis Manzon was literally on my lap! going 70 miles down the road with roosters and small children on everyones laps around me haha I love it There's no where I'd rather be. I can feel myself learning and growing so much. I'm grateful for the Easter weekend that I had remembering my Savior even more than normal. I'm so grateful for this experience and for all of you. Nothing, not life, college, or 2 months in the MTC could prepare me for this but everyday I understand more and more why I'm here and what the Lord has planned for me. I Love you all so much and I really am so happy to hear that your all doing so well. I miss you terribly but love hearing from you and what your all up to. Ammie and Papa, Grandma and Grandaddy I love you all too I think about you often. I also think about Brock and Landry and how even though we are all in different parts of the world I know they are experiencing similar things and meeting the same kind of people as me, I love that. The Gospel is for everyone and I'm so proud of our family for always being examples to those around us. I invite all of you to continue, start with our own family, help those that might be having a hard time right now. I think about them often as well. I wish I could be there to help them but you can be. Love and serve one another.

Love Always,
Brooklyn

OK OK, DETAILS!!!

2009-04-06T07:20:00.000-07:00

Alright well I just got done planting Mangroves trees in knee deep thick mud along the coast of Pulapandan...Hows that for an opening line huh? haha It was sooo fun. It was our zone (CSP) Community Service Project. I loved it except I was helping all the sisters across this really thick mud, it was up to our knees I kid you not and one almost fell and so I grabbed her and she pushed me down and I sliced my foot real bad but no worries mom I bactined it to death and now its all bandaged and great.

Some quick funnies... Ok so we were praying in our front room when all the sudden this mouse that we've been chasing ran right into the wall and like stunned itself so I ran and got a pot and chased it around and CAUGHT IT!! ahah I was so proud. Then we were teaching this lady and her daughter in a little room the size of our pantry the other night and it was so dark and hot and all the sudden right in the middle of me talking this huge lizard falls from the ceiling right on my shoulder! HA! then the next night we were teaching this family and their house was full of chickens and ducks! EVERYWHERE and as I'm sitting there listening to Sis. Manzon this duck goes under my chair I thought it walked all the way under so I went to stand up and stepped on it and the darn thing bit my ankle! I was bleeding! lol I can say I've been bit by a duck now..so theres that.. ;)

Ok to clear some things up about my MTC experience..Yes, its true I didn't tell ya'll everything and I'm sorry but I didn't want to worry you and I knew I would be fine and look here I am in the pines healthy as a karabaw (google it) I'm sorry I'm not as detailed as I am at home I only have 30 min and there's sooo much ya'll will just have to trust me and read my journal when I get home ;) Last week we had Zone conference and It was absolutely wonderful! I love my Mission Pres and his wife I will be so sad when they go home in June. We found a family I'm so excited about. It was so random how we met them but they have 5 sons and one is a member but got baptized and lives in Manila so his family was so excited to see us!

Send my memory card back to me so I can send you the one I have with all my pictures on it and Denee make sure everyone knows they can email me directly at brooklyng@myldsmail.net Mom My bed is bamboo but i have a mattress, My area is a small coastal city but there's like a million people here its crazy, I've been eating some crazy stuff but mostly peanut butter and bread haha lots and lots of rice...I'll just float home. We walk everywhere 10-12 miles a day or we ride Jeepnies and Trikes. You think you were scared driving with Chris Spils Mom....You have no idea! There are NO, ZERO Traffic laws here and everyone drives like 90 miles an hour its terrifying yet thrilling haha The best part is when the buses race and its a 2 way road and there's oncoming traffic so they swerve and mirrors barely miss each other and then as they pass you read Hows my driving? call ****** on the back of their window hahah what a JOKE! ;)

My health is Perfect and my spirits are high I love this work so much even though I still have to pray constantly for comfort and help. My prayers are being answered and the Lord is helping me an incredible amount. My weakness are made clear everyday but I'm trying my hardest and I feel myself growing so much everyday I'm so grateful for this experience. I love you all so much and I think about you everyday. It's so funny the most random things happen that remind me of home and of our family I love it, I miss it, but there is no where else I'd rather be. Honestly. This is the hardest thing I've ever done.....ever, but I can already see the blessings and how much I'm changing and I wouldn't trade it for anything. I hope all is well I'm so excited for Colton and Jamie!! and for Allie and Rae and Allie and Jeff there's so many wonderful things going on in the lives of people I love..It makes me sooo happy. I love you all.

Always,
Brooklyn

Sis. Grants email address

2009-03-31T15:05:00.000-07:00

Please note that we have added Brooklyns new official church email address for those of you who wish to email her on the left hand side. Thanks for supporting our sister missionary :)

I caught the first mouse in our apt. on Friday!!‏

2009-03-31T14:55:00.000-07:00

I made it a full week! How bout that huh? I just love it here, its pretty dadgum hot but beautiful! Everything went really well this week, It's been pretty difficult to work and the month of April will increasingly get harder because the Filipino people love to throw fiestas! There has been a parade or fiesta in our little town everyday this week! Everyone is graduating from school so they have all these parties and celebrations it makes it hard to teach because everyone is really busy all the time preparing and practicing. They also just started the big basketball tourneys here so every where we go there are big games going on and EVERYONE goes to watch B-Ball. It's huge here. I love it but its hard, all I want to do is play haha. Also, this week is Holy Week...very interesting. We have to go back to our apartment for two hours in the afternoon everyday this week according to Pres because they parade up and down the streets, We also have to be back in by 8 that gives us like NO TIME but Its ok I know the Lord will bless us for our obedience.

Ok so this is going to be hard to summarize but just go with me. Ok 3 Siblings the Oldest sister wealthy, member, very bossy but nice, Brother, sweet as can be , had a stroke 2 years ago now he cant speak, Sister husband died 2 years ago very shy and reserved member but inactive basically controlled by the older sister, has a 17 year old daughter that comes out with us like everyday. The oldest sister and her husband Never come to church because they are always out of town on business and have been like once in the last 2 months. The wife of the Brother, Sis Natinga is Awesome I love her! She is very devoted to her "Life of Ministries" Religion and is the epitome of a southern baptist in the Philippines mom ha We've been teaching her and she really wanted to go to church but she cant make the walk and the older sister and her don't get along at all , haven't for a long time, younger sister to shy to do anything and can't make it to church herself because she doesn't have money for fare. On sat we were teaching her and we got the shy sister to come with us, I felt prompted to tell her that we were going to walk to church tomo. She looked at me like I was crazy and so did my comp! Its pretty far and We all knew that she couldn't make it and neither could the younger sister probably but I promised them that if we showed the Lord our faith and desire to go he would provide a way.

Next morning we round them all up and all 6 of us head off to church we had already walked pretty far, I was praying sooo hard, All the sudden Sis Natinga just says I can't do it, Sis Grant! Then out of nowhere The Oldest Sister Drives up in her car with her husband they had just got back in town and were headed home. We loaded them in the car and they all went to church together!!! Oh I was sooo grateful it was such a blessing and the lesson in SS was on forgiveness and Pride! ha tender mercy anyone? The older sister and Sis Natinga were both deeply touched I could tell and later that night we were all able to meet at Sis Natingas house and teach a lesson with everyone there it was wonderful. Well I hope you can follow all of that. I hope that all is going well, I loved your letters mom and Denee, Thanks! I'm still trying to get used to the food, but its good. Dad...Sure is Green!! :) and Alexa and Bailey I think about you all the time High school Musical is HUGE here haha Oh and the other day we were teaching and the house next door was BLARING Mama Mia oh it took everything in me not to stand up and start doing the dance Alexa hah I go ta little homesick the other day thinking about Conference coming up but I'm excited to here about it. That's still my favorite trip we take by far (besides heap reunion of course) Well I love you all so much! and I can't wait to hear from you again! Tell everyone I said Hi and keep me posted on everything going on. Denee send me updates on every ones blogs ;)

With all my Love,
Brooklyn

Bago City

2009-03-23T17:08:00.000-07:00

This is Bago City where our Sis. Grant is serving. It's the only picture I can find until she sends home her first set for us. Also included is a map with Bago City highlighted.

Boy is it HOT HERE!!

2009-03-23T08:59:00.000-07:00

Well folks...no one said it was going to be easy did they. Haha I am finally here in the Philippines and I can't even put into words my feelings. It is so incredibly beautiful here and the people are as warm as the weather! I love it. My companion is Sister Manzon she is Native and has one month left on her mission and she gets to spend it with me poor thing :) So I've been assigned to the Bago area in the city of Valladolid its right on the coast and gorgeous! I can't wait to show you pictures. Funnily enough they just opened this area to sisters and I am the FIRST American sister to serve here....yup. You should see the reactions when they see me its priceless. Our first day Pres told us to start learning Ilongo because that's what they speak here...are ya kidding me? I just spent 2 months stressin and slavin over TAGALOG! HELP BRO LESLIE! I know you said to continue with Tagalog but Pres. said to learn Ilongo and my comp only speaks Ilongo to me...Its getting interesting to say the least ;) I feel so helpless at this time because I cant speak this language and I don't understand it when they speak but the lord is helping me and I pray literally every minute for strength and comfort. There is one thing I can do and that's attract people! HA every where we go there is at least 6 or 7 people following us just to see what we're doing and where we're going. This makes my comp very happy because it gives us a lot of teaching opportunities!

The people here are so kind and generous there is no where I would rather be, even though it is like 300 degrees and I have no idea how to communicate! On Saturday we did a service project outside and cleaned all around the church. We were picking weeds planting flowers and all that stuff for 4 hours. The chapel here is so beautiful. The Bishop is wonderful he asked me to speak in church when we were cleaning and I almost passed out...( pun absolutely intended) haha You talk about your tender mercy he asked me to speak to the congregation about FAITH. I gave my talk almost entirely in Tagalog and then a little in English with an Ilongo word in there every once in awhile. To a linguist ear it was probably a train wreck but the feeling in that little chapel is something I will never forget for the rest of my life. I may not be able to speak Ilongo and I may not have a clue what I'm doing yet but I know that the Lord will use me as a tool. After the service this tiny old lady came over to me and said in very broken English "we see your heart" and just walked away. I just sat down and cried. That's all I wanted, I know the Lord is guiding me in all that I do and I know that these wonderful people have been prepared and they will be taught by the spirit not by me. The opening hymn we sang in church was Hymn 85 (How Firm a Foundation) Bro Leslie, I knew I'd be ok ;)

We talk to everyone we see we have a lot of progressing investigators and it's exciting to see there desire and the beautiful families that are coming to Christ. My trainer is great she is such a hard worker and she really helps me try to understand and encourages me to teach all the time. I testify everywhere I go in Tagalog I love it! I taught a family how to pray yesterday in Tagalog and about the Plan of Salvation I love this work every house we go to is like another shot of energy and excitement about my purpose here. I'm so grateful for everything the Lord is allowing me to experience. I love you all so very much and I hope that all is going well. Alexa, Bailey I think about you often you would love the Bishops daughter she is your age I can't wait for you to meet her one day. How is the family? Dad how are your travels? OH i almost forgot the first night we got here guess who was at the mission home?!..Greg and Brooke Whimpey! haha random! it was good seeing a friendly face in a not so familiar place. I'm doing wonderful and my health is great mom so no worries. Bro Leslie Salamat po para sa sulat. Just what I needed. Again I love you all so much and I can't wait to hear from you. Mom keep visiting those temples because I'm gettin right back in the game when I get back and hopefully then I'll Cebu over you ;)

Love always,
Brooklyn

Pumped for the PINES!!!!

2009-03-16T14:50:00.000-07:00

Well Family and Friends the time has come!! I couldn't be more excited to go tomorrow! My last week here in the MTC was everything I hoped it would be. First off for your peace of mind mom...My dresses are hemmed I bought 1 more so that's all I'm taking with me is 6 VERY lovely Jodys, I got my shot on Tuesday morning last week, I still have plenty of muscle relaxers and acute for the plane and the bamboo cots :) and Yes I got the package of custom packs thank you. I'm also being very diligent in taking them so no worries. Alright now for the good stuff! So since I got to the MTC ALL I wanted was to hear my name over the intercom haha I know its silly but whatever, since I've been here they have called it 3 times! for different things but I have never ONCE heard it!! and it became this huge joke with everyone in my zone I walk in and they'd be like SIS GRANT DID YOU HEAR IT?! and I I'd be like NOOOO! it was getting pretty annoying ha then yesterday after sacrament Sis F and I were packing in our room and all the sudden " Sis. Grant are you there" over the intercom in a mans voice in our room! hahah We died and I was like YESSS and he said can you come to B122 please so I said...should I be nervous? and the guy laughed and said No. so I said I'd be there in a sec.

We head to the main building looking for B122 and when we find it...Its President Cleggs OFFICE! The 1st couns. in the MTC presidency..we were like ok... so Pres Breinholt and Pres Clegg are sitting there and they say to each other should we split them up or do it together... I WAS FREAKING OUT!! We both go into Pres Cleggs office and we sit down and he says Sisters...I am soo disappointed in you. I DIED. we just sat there in silence racking our brains trying to figure out what in the world was going on! and all the sudden he just starts Cracking up!!!He said I"M JOKING! SOOO NOT FUNNY!!! Elder Hamula and his wife spoke on Tues at the Fireside and they had left a package for me because Sis Hamula knew I was here they are from Alta Mesa Stake if you remember. It was so nice of her and we got to sit and talk with Pres Clegg for like 30 min it was so wonderful and hilarious! Jenny the Hamulas daughter had actually talked to him and told him to give it to me so at first after we stopped laughing he just said..ok sis grant...its jenny...Instantly I think Jenny Brown and somethings gone horribly wrong and I died then too! I was like Brown?! whats wrong what happened?! and he surprised at my reaction says she sent you cookies..I..Confused said why? she lives two doors down for me...then he was confused and we finally figured out it was Jenny Hamula and then we laughed again hahah it was great I don't think its everyday you get to spend 30 min laughing with all 3 members of the MTC Presidency but hey its the wonderful life of Brooklyn continuing into the life of Sis grant!

I'm all set and ready to go I have a little more packing to do today and then I'm done. I sent a package home of stuff I don't need so look for that. My favorite teacher and just all around incredible man Bro Leslie has a blog for all his districts thought you'd love that Denee and he wants you to forward him my emails. Also Bro Stott, he was 1st couns in my Branch Pres and I absolutely LOVE him Mom I want you to email him and talk to him, he's so great. I called him Grandpa! Keep him updated on me and He can tell ya more about what happened on my last Sunday with him yesterday it was quite emotional and he called me the Mission Mom during sacrament when I was standing up getting released form Coord. Sister. He started crying from the pulpit and it was all down hill from there. Oh how I love that man! I think that should be it I'm runnin out of time and got eleventy billion things to do still so I love you all and I can't wait to email you next time from BACOLOD!!!!!! I hope all is well at home and I can't even tell you how much I miss and love you all! Keep praying and don't forget, LAUGH OFTEN!! It's called the Plan of Happiness for a reason:)

P.S Please Believe Sis F and I have 2 matching Jody dresses! oh yeah that's gonna be sweet.

Love always!
Brooklyn

Brooklyns 2nd Disk of Pictures

2009-03-16T14:17:00.000-07:00

We got another disk of pictures from Brooklyn this week, but unfortunately there was no explanation with the pictures this time. If you'd like to see them bigger then just click on the pictures.

Moses Mishap

2009-03-16T13:05:00.000-07:00

Ok real quick funny story we were teaching the 2nd lesson in Tagalog this week to the Boss of All Tagalog teachers and the main guy for the Tagalog zone haha and sis F got to the end and we were extending him a commitment and we were going to ask if we could also come back tom and visit him and so I said the commitment and sis F went to ask about visiting him tom and instead of saying pagtuloy which means continue she said pagtuli which means circumcise hahahahaha I thought I was going to die!!! His face was hilarious! and After he went and told all the teachers hahaha Oh MAN IT WAS FUNNY "can we come back and circumcise you tomorrow?" LOLOLOLOLOL!! I'll be calling from the airport tom anytime from 6 to 9 Utah time so be ready!!

Love,
B

Friendships, Flightplans, and Filipino Food

2009-03-11T12:23:00.000-07:00

Well here we are my last week in the MTC!! Didn't see that comin so fast geez! Its been a usual week here, a roller coaster of emotions, and a whole buncha learning! I love it here so much and I'm gonna be soooo sad to leave. We got our flight plans on Thurs and by the time I get to Bacolod I'll have pretty much been to all the orient! I've already made my mark on Korea and then I fly in to Tiepe Taiwan, then down to Manila and then hop on a tuna can plane where I'll most likely be sitting on a bag of rice holding a small goat in my arms to get down to Bacolod! Then on April 17 we all get to meet back together and Fly to Hong Kong to do something we our visas!! HA! I will be sooooo excited to see everyone again after we've all been in our missions for a month!

We've been doing a whole bunch of culture stuff this week and it was so fun we learned so much about the food and transportation and just way of life I can not wait to go! I'm terrified don't get me wrong...there's kind of the whole I don't speak your language thing and I'm sweating to death thing and Oh wait I'm alone in the Jungle thing!! but I'm pumped none the less!! Sat night our class with Bro Leslie was incredible as always and then Sundays are always amazing here in the MTC and then of course the Temple this morning and then a group of us listened to a talk by Cleon Skousen about the True meaning of the Atonement...WOW please find that talk its incredible he gave it in a mission in Texas Christmas 1980 I don't know how you'll find it but DO! It changed everything about how I think of my Savior and the atonement, Its definitely an inspired talk.

I don't have much time to write but I'll be able to write again Next Monday. I leave on Tues at 5:30pm I hope all is well with everyone at home. Dad I'm glad your home safe from China I'll be goin there soon ;) and Colton I LOVED the letters from your family thank you so much they made my WEEK! Mom Im so glad you were able to get the whole "timeline" thing worked out and CHELS!!! Oh my goodness I'm sooooo EXCITED FOR YOU!! congrats ;) Well I love you all so much, Have a fantastic week!

Love always,
Brooklyn

Hospitals, Humans and the Panginoon ( Lord )‏

2009-03-02T12:37:00.000-08:00

I get my flight plans THIS WEEK!!! I can not believe it, my time here could not
have flown by faster its ridiculous. So many things happen everyday, I wish I
was a better journal writer because I know that I haven't been writing my
experiences down as good as I should but its SO HARD to put stuff like this into
words! I'M A TALKER! haha anyways this last week went really good we taught the
1st lesson again in Tagalog at the T.A and it was like 20 times better than the
first time. we had a really sweet experience with the man we were teaching and I
think we were really able to help him with some things he was dealing with. I
love when we go there and the whole "scenario" just goes out the
window and it becomes "real". I am positive that there is no
practicing in the MTC you are ALWAYS teaching and more than not when volunteers
come to the TA to be taught they bring their real life problems and concerns to
the table because they have been here they know the spirit is here and will work
thru us. what a great place to come for answers and guidance. what better place
other than the temple?! I have seen this happen each week and it pumps me up
every time because I know we are really helping people and its so comforting
feeling over and over the Lord working through us to reach out to his children.

So the reality of going to the Pines is really startin to set in and I'm not
really sure what to do with all my emotions ha I am soooo excited to finally
just get out there and meet the people and become part of the culture Ive been
learning so much about and start to teach and change peoples lives thru the
Restored Gospel ITS INCREDIBLE. but then there's the other side where all I want
to do is cry because of the people that I have been privileged to meet and the
way that they have influenced and completely changed my life forever will soon be
out of my life. I know that there are certain people that I have met here that
have established true eternal friendships with and I'm excited because they
are the ones going to Bacolod!! but even still It will be so hard leaving this
place and saying goodbye to these people and especially my teachers Oh MAN! How
I dread that day. those 2 men have affected me so much. they have taught me things
that truly changed my life.

ANYWAYS, Its finally started to warm up here it
hasn't snowed in almost a week and I could not be happier! Its beautiful outside
and we get to study out on the benches which I love! My health is going really
well. The Lord has really been helping me and blessing me. I stopped taking the
drugs the doc gave me on Tue and I haven't had any real problems its such a
miracle. They still aren't really sure whats wrong and I don't really
care to be quite honest because I know the Lord is watching over me and
protecting me. Nothings going to stop me from going to the Philippines and I
couldn't be more excited.

I taught all the sisters in my zone yesterday along
with my Branch President and it was amazing! The spirit was so strong and I
really got to express a lot of the things I wanted to, to my sisters. Theres so
much I want them to understand and know and The Holy Ghost was definitely leading
me in what to say and how to really touch there hearts it was definitely an
experience I will never forget! My Pres couldn't even speak when he got up I have
never felt the spirit work thru me so much and I know the sisters in my zone are
going to do Incredible things. I feel honored to be with them. Seriously the
missionaries here are unreal, The Pines doesn't even know whats coming!! there
are 22,000 boys in the pines that will be mission age in the next 3 years! and
guess where they are all going.... CHINA!!!! I could not be more excited to help
bring the gospel to the amazing people of the Philippines. The Lord has so much
in store for them. Asians teaching Asians!! HOW COOL! Ok well my time is running
out so keep the letters coming I hope all is well with all of you and everyone
is healthy and well! I love you all so much and think about you all the time!
Thanks for the love and support! K BYEEEE!!!!!

Always,
Brooklyn

Tears on my Palda (skirt)

2009-02-24T11:24:00.000-08:00

Well Ive officially almost completed my MTC stay and I couldn't be more sad I LOVE it here I cant believe that there are some people that hate the MTC! In Gym they have this record board and everyone that goes to gym at that time can try to set and break records there's probably about 60 people in the gym during our time and on Sat I definitely set the record for most Free throws for the sisters! HA I think its funny anyways, So the last 2 districts that were here when I got here are leaving today and its AWFUL! 2 of my sisters are headin out and some amazing Elders I will miss them so much. Now my district and the other one that came in with me are the oldest ones here which is so weird KAKAIBA!!

Man this week was such a good one I just Love everyone here it makes it so much easier to endure all the hard parts when your surrounded by such great people. I couldn't love my companion more if I tried! She is such an amazing person and she teaches me so much every single day! And OH how we laugh! I just Love everything about this entire experience I have learned more about the Gospel, about people, and about myself in the Last 6 weeks than ever in my life and I'm so grateful for this opportunity.

Elder Ballard spoke to us on Tuesday night and it was AWESOME!!! I was singing in the choir of course and the spirit was incredible when he walked into the room and all 2000 missionaries stood while he entered. WHEW EEE! We sang we are all enlisted as we continued to stand in front of an Apostle of the Lord it was something I will never forget.

Thursday Night we taught in the TA center the first Lesson SA TAGALOG!! completely no English! it was terrifying ahaha but so cool because we totally did it and the spirit was able to be there so we must have done something right :) Yesterday sister Fairweather and I taught the lesson in the district meeting It went really well The spirit was leading us through the entire thing and you could feel it! It was definitely an experience that I will carry through my mission also the one I had on Sat night with my companion and Bro Leslie I know that I will be able to reflect on both experiences on my mission and remember the Lord is helping me and If we prepare and go with a pure intent to bring others unto Christ and not to carry out our own agenda miracles can occur and the spirit WILL use us as tools in the Lords Hands and its an incredible feeling I hope I have many more opportunities like that.

I hope that you all are doing great and I'm glad you got my tape and letters. I cant wait to get them back! I love you all so much and I pray for you everyday. Thank you so much for the support and the prayers I am truly feeling the blessings from them. :)

Mahal kita
-Brooklyn

Some voice recordings of Brooklyn

2009-02-23T15:44:00.000-08:00

Hey everyone here are some voice recordings of Sis. Grant. Enjoy!!!

The First Vision

Her Testimony

Kumusta Kayo!

2009-02-16T11:56:00.000-08:00

Kumusta Kayo! Well another week down and only 4 more to go!! can you believe
that?! banal baka ( holy cow hahahaha) I cannot believe I'll be in the
Philippines in 4 weeks I'm sooooo not ready. Well language wise, I'm super pumped
to go I'd leave right now if they'd let me but there's always that
suffocating panic of hey wait I don't speak your language!! ayos lang i know the
Lord is blessing me and will continue to do that. This week has been yet another
roller coaster....this whole coordinating sister thing is either going to save
me or kill me but my hopes in the first one ;) Since I got called there's
only been 2 nights I haven't spent up talking through the night with one of the
sisters that's struggling. One in particular was having a really difficult time
and wanted to go home. I was trying everything I could to comfort her and help
her so she would stay I told her to stick it out and wait to go to the temple
today and yesterday I just really felt I needed to talk to her so I pulled her
into a room after church and she told me she had made the decision to go home. I
talked to her for about 45 min and it was a very sweet and humbling experience
for me. She is a wonderful sister and I hope she feels comfort with her decision
and I still pray for her all the time after our talk I walked her down to Pres
Heatons office and she was getting in the car with her sister within 2 hours. It
broke my heart. I just cried after she left, I'm so glad that the Lord has
blessed me with the desire to serve and allowed me the opportunity to be here.
Even if I didn't have that strong assurance that I'm where I'm supposed to be
I cant imagine anywhere else I'd rather figure it out than on a mission.

I've grown more in the last 5 weeks here and learned more than I ever have
in my entire life. The Lord blesses his missionaries and their families and I
know he is doing this for me. I'm so grateful for the Temple. All of you know how
much I love going to the temple and all the things we can do there. That
testimony has grown so much since Ive been here. I have no idea how I'd get
through another week if I couldn't start my Monday morning off in the temple. Every
week I'm reminded of the blessings promised and the covenants I've made and
the sweet peaceful feeling is something I try to carry with me throughout my
entire week. I hope that all of you take advantage of the blessing we have to
have temples so close to us. The Language is still coming, we're over the
hump now so its Tagalog only from here on out! Its sooooo frustrating and
amazing all at the same time! We taught the first lesson Completely in Tagalog on
Thursday and we actually did really well! He said our grammar was 85% correct
and he was able to feel the spirit. This was good news to me cuz I was just
hopin he would understand a thing we were saying! haha Class is still powerful
and intense as usual I cant believe how much we learn everyday its so
incredible. Well I love you all so much and I hope you get my letters this week
I wrote alot. I finally sent that tape I've had for the last week ha sorry
mom and I also sent my schedule so no worries. I got the Blog prints Salamat!
and Yes Denee we got your leaves ;) Thank you so much for all your prayers I
know they are helping me and I can feel your love and support!

Mahalkita!!
Always,
Sister Grant

Muganda Umaga!

2009-02-09T20:51:00.000-08:00

Kumusta Pamilya!I hope that everything is going well back at home, It really hit me this week how much I miss everyone but its ok I know your all doing great and Im still enjoying myself soooo much! This week was definetly a roller coaster. The new sisters came in and doubled our numbers in sisters and between the 3 new districts coming in on wed we went from a zone of like 24 to 40 somethin its crazy! but its so great cuz thats just more people to talk to in tagalog all day. It gets really hard to SYL (speak your language) when no one else in the MTC understands you haha. The language is still just a comin, you definetly have your off days and then the Lord grants you a AH HAH moment when suddenly the light comes on and you get it. its Glorious. Yesterday choir was probably the best thing thats ever happened to me haha we're singing Joseph first Prayer which if you know me at all you know I LOVE and just love the Prophet Joseph Smith so much anyways so that song has always been speacial to me. It was playing that song on the piano at one of my lessons so long ago that I felt the spirit testify to me the truthfulness of this gospel and bear witness that He IS a prophet of God.

So we get to choir and we all start singing and the director calls up like 6 or 7 missionaries to come to the microphone and share the first vision account in whatever language they were learning here while we "ooed" in the backround. I was a mess. The spirit was sooo strong and I know that the message we have is so important and that what happened to that 14 year old boy that day is being spread across the entire world! and in native tongues thru the power of the holy ghost and I am so grateful to be a part of that!! Oh man it was amazing. We'll sing it for the devotional on tues and I cant wait cuz I know its going to be even better!

The new sisters coming in has been really stressful on me. I've never had to deal with so many hormonal women all at the same time before and its really difficult to try and help and comfort them all but I know the Lord is helping me. I cant even tell you how many situations this week occured with the sisters coming to me with problems that I have NO idea how to fix or in need of guidance and comfort Im not sure how to give but I have felt the Holy Ghosts guidance and the assistance in knowing how to handle things and say the things the Lord needs and wants them to hear. Its been really humbling for me and also exciting to see how the Lord works thru his missionaries Im so thrilled to see what he has in store for me through out my mission ( ok ok and Im a little scared too ) ha. JENNYS HERE!!! I love seeing her! its so nice and fun to talk to her at night her room is like a few doors down from mine so we've had some really good talks and Im so glad we're in this together. This morning I had the most awesome experiences in the Temple. I love it so much Im so blessed to be able to go weekly and remember the covenants Ive made and remember that if I remain faithful and obedient to them the promises he has given us are incredible!! The best way to describe my feelings are just complete Joyful Content. I know Im where Im supoposed to be and I know the Lord is blessing me and I see his hand in all I do. I love you all so much and love hearing from you. I think of you all the time :)

Mahal Kita!!
Always,Brooklyn

Pictures!!!

2009-02-08T13:42:00.000-08:00

This is my room, and my bed is the bottom bunk. Sis. Fairweather sleeps on top, thats also my desk and my closet.

This is my classroom. My desk is in the corner by my black jacket hanging up.

Panoramic view :) Other side of classroom.

Sis. Fairweather and I studying.

Elder Valle from my zone is on the left and Elder Johnson from my district on the right in the cafeteria.

ICE ON THE BUSH!!! Ridiculous

These are some elders from my zone.

Sister Fairweather and I at the temple.

Before church on Sunday.

My cousin Landry and I at the Temple on Sunday.

Sister Fairweather at her finest!

Sis. Waters & Sis. Anderson came in with us. We met them in line. They are headed to New Mexico and leave on Tuesday. :(

The girls in my zone that came in with me. I LOVE THEM!!! There's 6 of us and ALL SO AWESOME. Not a dud in the bunch!

My district. Yes they are 19! It's apparent :) but they are amazing elders none the least & of course my adorable Kasama (comp)

Chapped lips

I LOVE my green shoes & our first time at gym my companion put on those bright blue babies on & I knew I picked her in heaven ha ha!!

My girls again.

Sis. Inoke (love her) She is my fijian bodyguard. She's hilarious & loves me.

Sis. Inoke again

Ok, now the tribal sacrifice of the pantie-hose! HA! This happened Sunday night. All day they were driving me crazy & then I got a run in them! So during the fireside I leaned over to Sis. Fairweather and told her we were gonna sacrifice them because they we're driving me so Insane & I HATE THEM!! So afterwards we did just that. Boy was it something. We stretched those heinous things clear across the room! Tied them around our head and pretty much peed our pants. Our roommates didn't really know what to do with that. LOL It was hilarious.

Sis. Price never really shows emotion & I got her rolling!!!.........

......and then it's Sis. Hardin.

I drew on my shirt to show my mission.

Our sweet MTC hoodies (hardcore)

Logos...

Roommates

On P-day (Monday) We go to the 8 am session at the temple. These pics are on P-day in the laundry room.

Elder Valle & Elder Harris

Adorable Sister Hettig (love her) on the left and the coordinating sister, Sis. Miasaki. She hates me I think, but that's a whole other story :)

My comp, Sister Paquette (French), and Me.

Elder Gustin. Interesting fella. 25 year old army man. Knows I'm funny & secretly loves me but always tries to act hardcore & disgusted with me. It's hilarious.

My Brown Island Boys!! They leave on Tuesday and I'm sooooo sad! Elder Kasala is my #1 fav. he's on the far right. Then it goes, E. Awafuvi, E. Kongiaka, and E. Kasala

The Homies again. I love the Tongans and Samoans, they make me laugh so hard. I'll be so sad when they leave next week.

We're spelling out L-O-V-E

The epitome of our friendship........me cracking up & Gustin looking at me in disgust, trying his hardest not to laugh.

"THE KITTY-KAT JAMMIES!!!!"

Wednesday morning service projects haha "The Bathroom Brigade!"
Our zone girls.

Hola!!

2009-02-02T14:47:00.000-08:00

I know I know thats not even the language I'm speaking but its ok. so what do you get when you hear a china man and a Samoan trying to have a conversation??.....TAGALOG! This is certainly the craziest language ever ha its so fun and extremely hard to learn but things are going well so far. How is everything at home? I'm sorry I cant respond to everyones letters faster its pretty tough to find time to write. This past week and a half all the sisters in my zone were sick it was awful I of course was the only one who wasn't but they made my room the sick bay while I was in class so I got back and there were 4 sick girls sleeping in the empty beds in our room!! GROSS!! I went straight to the bookstore and got Clorox wipes and gave EVERYTHING in that room a wipe down haha everyone got better and of course then when the virus has mutated to something awful good ole Sis Grant decides to get it. I've only had it for the past few days but its all good, its mostly just a head cold I didn't get the nasty stomach stuff like the rest of them and I haven't missed any class. I wouldn't dare! we learn way to much in a day it would be like missing a week!

Ok so two of the older districts leave tomorrow and I'm SOOOO sad! I've only known them all 3 weeks and it feels like my whole life! I'm gonna miss them so much. I sent my memory card home so hopefully you got it or will get it soon the pictures of the girls in my zone there's 6 of us are all still staying here but all the amazing elders are leaving :( BUT...... We have 33 new missionaries coming in on Wed and guess who got called to be the Coordinating Sister ( = to a zone leader but for the sisters) HA yup yours truly :) I'm actually really excited Pres. Clarke called me in yesterday morning and extended the call. I get to do all the tours for the new missionaries and basically be the zone s big sister/mom I'm thrilled because I already LOVE!!! the girls in my zone and out of the 33 new ones there's 8 sisters! 3 of them are internationals so they'll be here on Tuesday night one from Fiji two from Tonga I'm not sure where the rest are from and they'll get here on wed. There's a lot more meetings then normal now with this calling but that's a whole other story I'm recording a tape and Ill probably send it off tomorrow and Ill tell you that story on there haha like you mom I'm a talker not a writer so its so much better on the tape.

Everything is going really well here I got home sick the other night but I just walked out of my room b-lined it for the vending machine got a choco taco and felt better in no time! ;) I miss you all so much its silly and I think about you all the time, Dad I did get your email just so you know so keep em coming! Oh I totally saw Sister Allen in the temple this morning! it was so random and she was so confused cuz she said I looked just like Denee HA she was like why are you here?! and I told her I was on a mission and she was freakin out! It was great seeing her, I love seeing people I know Ill be so sad cuz the 2 districts are leaving Landrys leaving, Andrew lee is leaving and even Morgan nelson is headed out! I cant even imagine only being here for 3 weeks! I feel like I just got here! I cant even believe its been 3 weeks already. Hey Denee could you send me print outs of the blogs you've done for my blog so far? I'd love to see what everyone else has been looking at. Mom I'm sending you a print out of my schedule with the tape so no worries. and Girls I miss ya more than you can imagine!!! Colton and Jamie and all my little rug rat nieces and nephews I think about you all the time! and look at all the pictures I have everyday :)

Mahalkita ( i love you)
Always, Sis Grant

Week Two

2009-01-26T13:27:00.000-08:00

Well I hate that I always feel so rushed to email because my computer time is limited but Ill write more details in a letter :) This week went by so crazy fast! We did so much. We started teaching the first lesson in the T.A center to volunteers from BYU it went really really well. Sis Fairweather and I teach so well together on Thursday night the spirit in the room was incredible we got our volunteer in tears! He was freakin out when we told him we'd only been here a week! Probably because it was in English ha because it definitely wouldn't have gone that well had it been in Tagalog! But the language is coming along quite nicely actually, we already pray and bear our testimonies without any English and our grammar and vocab increase dramatically everyday.

I never thought Id spend so many hours in a classroom and actually enjoy it. There are those days though actually not days just a few hours I thought I was going to throw my book at Bro Leslie on Sat night I've never been so frustrated in my life it gets so hard because unless its doctrinal study our teachers will only speak Tagalog to us!! UGH! I was just standing in front of the class trying to set up an appointment and testify to him in tears haha but then he sat me down and talked to us in English and reminded us of the power that's available to us and I was good. I'm sending home my memory card and Ill send a letter with it to explain the pictures hah there's some classic ones I'm excited for you to see.

I joined the MTC choir the 2nd day I was here so sis fairweather and i got to sing at the Tuesday night devotional Elder Dickson from the 70 came and spoke it was awesome ok my comp is being weird and wont let me capitalize or punctuate so sorry I'm really not a retard pres Monsons daughter who is in the general yw spoke to the relief society yesterday and then Stephen B. Allen the missionary dept director spoke at the fireside and boy was that amazing i thought the spirit was going explode out of my body we sang we'll bring the world his truth all verses....look it up you'll see why it was so strong. then we stayed in the gym and watched the Joseph Smith movie and ended our Sunday night on such a good note. well ill write a small letter with the memory card and let yall know any thing i forgot hope all is well thanks for all the letters everyone its the best part of my day i love it i miss you all so much more than you even know

mahal-kita
sister grant

Kamusta Ka!!

2009-01-20T17:22:00.000-08:00

Whew wee! I've only been here for 5 days and boy has it been a roller coaster! It already feels like 3 weeks haha We've learned so much already its silly I can bear my testimony completely in Tagalog and actually know and understand what Im saying! The sentence structure and grammar isn't coming quite as easily but Sis. Fairweather and I are getting really good at our vocab which helps soooo much. Sister Fairweather is probably one of the best things that ever happened to me HA! I am positive there was a line in heaven that I stood in so that I could be her companion for 9 weeks! She is so my other half, it makes things here so much easier and more enjoyable having someone I can laugh with and someone who is exactly like me so we get along great but different enough to keep things interesting.

My district is amazing we're the only sisters but its fine because we get along so well and the elders are so nice. They are so excited to be here and that feeling just radiates from them which makes it so easy to stay focused and pumped about our purpose of why we're here. My 2 teachers are everything I hoped they would be, Bro Chou is very straight forward and makes us learn the foundation of the language and all the rules and grammar that is so important for us to know. Bro Leslie is Amazing! He is so inspired every lesson, and is always so in tune with our feelings and what we need to know. I love his classes. He is the epitome of a spiritual giant he's very soft spoken but when he does speak its SOMETHIN! They are both so powerful and I've already learned so much from them. I'm out of time my laundry is done :) haha but write me back the things you want to know and I'll write back on Monday!

P.S I see Landry and Andrew lee all the time its so fun and it helps not miss home so much. Hope all is well and everyone is doing great!I love you all so much and cant wait to hear from you!

Mahalkita! (I love you)
Ingat! (take care)
Always, Sister Grant

1st Letter Home

2009-01-17T19:27:00.000-08:00

Dear Family,

My goodness! I feel like a kid at Disneyland for the first time! :) Everything here is exactly how I expected it to be. I've never been some where, where everyone was so happy & willing to help. My dork dot might have encouraged them a little more but everyone here is sooo-nice. My comp is Sis. Fairweather & I am SO Blessed! She's perfect! & she's headed to Bacolod as well. There's only 1 other sister & 2 elders going to our mission but me & my comp are the only sisters in our district. The first day has been pretty crazy but I've never felt the spirit so strong. I've already learned so MUCH! Tell Colton the ice cream IS AMAZING & tell Bailey my room is great & I'm all situated and comfortable. :) Sister Fairweather is hilarious and we already act like we've known each other forever! She's 21, 5 ft 11, and from NY. We got along right away & I can't imagine having any problems in the future.

There's 2 other sisters in our room both going to the Philippines they are interesting........ha/ha. I'll send pics, the one sister put on her pj's & they had a huge cat on the front, it was so hard not to laugh. We already started learning the language this morning. It's crazy how fast everything goes. Kumusta Ka! is Hi how are you & we've already learned how to pray in Tagalog! I've seen Morgan Nelson & Landry quite a bit. I also see Andrew Lee alot, it's been so fun!! Well I'll write again soon. Everything is going so amazing. I feel so blessed to be here and the spirit is so strong. Can't wait to share some more stories with you. INGAT!! (take care)

Love you all!

Sister Grant

Address Mix Up

2009-01-14T20:50:00.000-08:00

For those of you who have already looked at Brooklyns MTC address I'm sorry, I guess I typed THI instead of PHI but it is now fixed and the right address has been posted. Sorry about that.

Final Goodbyes and the MTC!!

2009-01-14T19:33:00.000-08:00

(Please click on pictures if you wish to see them bigger)

Brooklyn turned 21 on Sunday as well as got set apart to be an official missionary. She didn't leave for Utah with my parents til Tuesday so we were all enjoying watching her have to wear knee highs a couple of days early. Her friends were nice and took her out for her last pazookie at BJ's one of her favorite restaurants the night before and then came over on Monday to help her pack. They packed both of her suitcases and visited one last time. These girls have been friends since she was like 11 or 12 so it was fun to see them all emotional and saying their goodbyes.

Monday with friends

My mom said it was a good thing they went up to Utah a day before she entered the MTC because Tuesday they were able to get a lot of last minute things done that they had forgotten about. Brooklyn forgot to get flip flops for the shower so they went all over Provo searching for a pair......that was a pretty tough thing to do in Provo in the middle of winter. Brooklyn was also having issues with her missionary attire and adjusting to the fact that she had to tuck her shirts into her skirts. They kept coming untucked and just bothered her all day so they also took a trip to the sister missionary mall in Provo and she got the Jodie dresses pictured below. I was horrified for her because all I could picture was the little jumper overall looking dresses with the plain t-shirt underneath type thing but now that I see the pictures I'm relieved for her and they are actually pretty cute for sister missionary clothes. She decided to buy 6 while they were there. 4 solid, and 2 printed ones.....the lighter printed one with the little blue flowers on it, her and my mom were calling the pantie dress because it looks like the print on a little girls panties lol

Sister Grant sporting her light blue Jodie dress this morning before she went into the MTC.

My mom wanted me to add a little story from the trip as well. Brooklyn woke up this morning and was like, "OK, so you know how missionaries always say that everyone just can't sleep the night before they go into the MTC?? Well, I wish that would've been me, because I just slept so good and dreamed and dreamed all night long. I had a dream that we got to the MTC and I went to check in and the lady at the counter said, Oh I'm sorry we just weren't ready for you. We didn't know you were coming!" and Brooklyn was like, "What do you mean you didn't know I was coming? YOU SENT ME AN AIRLINE TICKET!!" and the lady said, " Well I'm really sorry but since you're already set apart to be a missionary, what we'll do is, send you back to Arizona with a senior companion and you can serve on the reservation until we find another companion up here for you" and Brooklyn was just like, "OHHHHHH NO, I'm already here we've got to work this mess out!!"

Leave it to Brooklyn to have some random dream tied to her Indian roots and have to come back home after she's already started her mission experience.

After the dream and getting ready they went and met up with my Aunt Kathy and Uncle Brad and the rest of the family at Dennys for a good breakfast. My cousin Landry entered the MTC today as well going to Alabama for his mission. It was fun for Brooklyn to see all of them before she left as well, and how fun, that she'll be in the MTC with Landry and a couple of other people she knows as well.

Getting her RED luggage out

The lines of all the new missionaries luggage was just running up and down all the side walks. This is only on Brooklyns side (notice her red luggage again under #37) but it went around the corner and down the other sidewalks as well.

I don't know why this picture is flipped backwards but the sign obviously says, "New Missionaries enter here"

She went in one door and my parents went in another. By the time my mom got around the corner she had already gotten her name tag, and been given some other information.

Then the lady told them that the parents could pin the name tag on but to be advised to pin it as high as they could as to not focus on the ladies "area" when someone tries to read your tag haha

Brooklyn called the newbie orange dot her "Dork Dot".

So it's finished. Sister Grant has officially entered the MTC and is probably bedding down as I write this for her first official night there. We are so excited for her and can't wait to get our first email/ or letter from her telling us who her companion is and how her experience has been so far. We love her so much and can't wait to see how her life and the lives of those she comes in contact with in the Philippines are changed by this wonderful gospel.