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
Monday, February 22, 2010
Monday, February 8, 2010
Pamela....
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
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
Monday, February 1, 2010
Penoy Cruises
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
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
Monday, January 25, 2010
Mice, and Medical Moments...
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
Love Always,
Sister Grant
Monday, January 18, 2010
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
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
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
"The Package!!" Post 1
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 :)
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 :)
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