Hitchin' A Ride

Sister Canoneo accidentally hitched a ride from this guy yesterday. We were walking from Habitat to Santa Cruz with a member kuyog, and Sister Canoneo thought that the jeepney was a passenger jeepney, but it was just a personal van. Sister Canoneo was just like can we just ride to the bottom when she realized it wasn't really a jeepney. They guy just said it was okay, and we got a free ride haha. Last week was amazing, because we got to go to and listen to Elder Holland address us Missionaries personally. We all took a mission picture with Elder Holland!! We ended up having to spend the night though because there was no boat to take us back. We weren't expecting to stay and none of us had extra clothes, and so we all were gross the next day and we had to drive in the van together. It was definitely an experience... We are going to have an activity with a member today we are excited! Sorry short email again.... Love you Sister Bruno

Sister Missionary Elect Lady in Lord's Kingdom

---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: 2012162-PRS@ldschurch.org Date: Tue, Oct 25, 2011 at 4:43 PM Subject: Re: Weekly Report Sent on 11 Oct 2011 To: annika.bruno@myldsmail.net Sister Bruno, Time is flying by so fast. It seems like we waited forever preparing for Elder Holland's talk, and now it has come and gone. I hope you were prepared and that you felt inspiration and revelation from the Spirit during that meeting. It was such a beautiful blessing to sit and learn at the feet of an apostle and prophet of the Lord. As Elder Holland talked, I watched the faces of the missionaries and I felt that you were being taught from on high. All your faces were lifted to the pulpit and filled with light. What a marvelous experience. It's been a couple of weeks since your last letter so I am interested to know how your investigators are doing. You are having so many wonderful experiences as a missionary. These experiences are helping you to grow step by step in the way of the Lord. You may not realize this, but you are becoming an elect lady in the Lord's kingdom. You are preparing to be a wife, mother and angel of mercy to all who surround you. Keep striving to be a great missionary, and in the process you will become a great person. We love you and thank the Lord for your service here President Schmutz

Going on A Mission Best Decision in Life

22 September 2011

Desi,

How is everything? Have you figured life out? I still don't know what I want to do when I get back but I'm not going to worry about that right now. I still have a long time. I realized that when I get back we will have a summer then you will go on your mission. Yeah. It really is the best decision you will make in your life.

I know that you will love mission life.  It's not the easiest thing but it's not the hardest thing either.  I have learned so much about the gospel I didn't know before.  Don't worry I will be your trainer when I get back.  We can go with the missionaries! Have you ever went withe the missionaries to lessons before.  I never did before the mission but I definitely want to when I go back home.  It will help you prepare for your mission. You should try it.

How are things at home? Crazy still?  I don't have any idea what is up with everyone. I fail at writing. haha. Sorry... 

Hope you are having fun.  Don't stress the small things.

Love

Sister Bruno

The Eternal Family

22 September 2011

Dad!

This transfer I really haven't thought that much about home. I have been focused on the work. In the last couple of weeks we have been teaching a young newly married family.  The girl is 22 years old. It's made me ponder about family and how important the eternal family is.  Thanks for keeping active in the Church. 

I know that it is not easy especially as the dad of the family. I have seen so many families and the father is the head of the house. If you were fall away who knows what would have happened to our family, but because you stayed faithful despite all of our family problems. You went to church every week and made us go too.  I know that our family will be forever! I wasn't the greatest example growing up. But here on the mission and in the last couple of weeks I know there has been a great change. Through the gospel our hearts are changed.  We grownup. We better ourselves. We become perfected.  Thanks for being a good example.  Even as you get older stay faithful dad, endure to the end! 2 Nephi 31:19-21.

Sorry that I am not the best writer but I hope all is okay at home and that you are blessed with a long life.  I will continue to server here trying my best.

I love you dad.

Sister Bruno

Whistling at the Sister Missionaries

22 September 2011

Flora,

How is everything in Utah? Don't you just love it there? I know that you probably like it more than I did.

The mission is going good, but there are many boys that tell me how pretty I am and since it creeps me out.  I think it's because I am American. No matter where you are in the world the boys are always the same. Dumb!

Maybe you should come to the Philippines. Boys will whistle at you as you walk down the street. It's because there are few Americans in the Philippines. Actually I am starting to think the Americans are way pretty when before I would not have. I guess beauty is in the eye of the beholder! Speaking of boys, any change in the weather over there in Utah? I thought for sure you would be married by now since you are an RM or do the boys in America still not appreciate how beautiful you are?

You are a great example to me. First of all you finished college and a program in dental school all before the age of 23.  Also you served an honorable mission which I have to find out that is not easy! I love it though and never ever will take the mission for granted. Thanks for emails every week. Sorry I suck at writing. But I love you.

Sister Bruno

I Love the Mission Life

22 September 2011

Nikita!

I am doing awesome. I am here in Bohol. I love the mission life.  It's busy all the time but it's also fun.  We get to teach people the gospel of Jesus Christ.  There is a member here who is your same age.  Every time we talk I think of you.  How is everything? How is school?

Thank you so much for the package. It was awesome. I shared with all of the missionaries the Swedish Fish!

My favorite scripture or at least one of them is 2 Nephi 31:19-21.  It talks about enduring to the end!

Always read the scriptures, pray every day, and start preparing for your mission.  Now it's never too early to start.

Love

Sister Bruno

Fat Kid at Heart

September 22,2011

Franny,

Freshman again I can't believe that you are in college. Time goes by so fast! How is choosing a major going? It's not an easy thing to choose. It's actually super stressful, but I know whatever you choose that you will excel in it.  Let me know what you choose.

I bet that you love the college life.  Utah is pretty cool in the Fall but it's soon to be Christmas.  I hated the cold weather.  How are you liking Utah?

I love the Philippines. It's always hot. We walk everywhere and the people are way nice.  All the places are like being on vacation.  It's a dream mission.

It's about to be transfers but I hope that I don't transfer.  Yet my area here on Bohol Island is way awesome.  We run on the pier every morning.  Hopefully I will be skinny when I get home and not tambok (fat) chubby still.  I am a fat kid at heart but maybe I can overcome my weakness on the mission HaHa.

I love the Book of Mormon and the gospel.  I am not ashamed of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Stay active no matter what.

I love you.

Sister Bruno

Getting Tired on A Mission

September 22, 2011 Gen, How are you? Is your health doing okay? I saw a picture of Chiara the other day. She is getting so big! How is Stuart doing? Does he have a clear job now? How is your photography doing? I'm not really tired on the mission. The longer I am out it seems the more fun it becomes. Last transfer was hard because I was follow-up training and my companion was trunky and never wanted to work that hard. She never talked to me but this transfer I love my companion! Sister Canoneo and I laugh all the time. We never fight or disagree. We work well together. Probably because we have both been on the mission for a long time. I don't really want to train because it is way tiring carrying the lead teaching every lesson! But it is only inevitable because November and December we will get a lot of sisters. All the sisters will probably train this next two transfers. I am learning a Tagalog song called Nardito Ako by Jolina Magdangal. You should Youtube it. The meaning is cute. It's a love song. Don't forget to show Chiara pictures of me so she doesn't forget me by the time I come back! I miss you and hope your health is okay! And the baby send pictures when you can. Love Sister Bruno

Food Cravings

September 22, 2011 Gianina, How's work going? Any perspective investigators or referrals. Did you happen to read the September issue of the Liahona? My companion teased me because I read the whole thing in two days. It's all about eternal families. It's cute.It's almost my year mark and I feel like a new person. I have lost weight but I am still chubby. It's a curse. I guess it's a process. I am still working on it! Speaking of food I miss Mexican food or even just Taco Bell. haha No but the food here is really good. I don't know why I am talking about food in this letter but it's just directed so I will continue. Out of everything all the food the thing I crave the most is honey buns & the MTC food. haha

The work on (Bohol Island, it's called outer darkness) Bohol Island or Baclayon. Bohol where I am assigned is going okay. Our investigators are on and off. We have 5 islands in our mission: Bohol, Cebu, Lapulapu, Negros, and Camotes. I hope my next area is on Negros. So I will be to all the islands except Camotes because only elders are assigned there right now. I love my companion Sister Canoneo but we both have been on a mission a long time so we will probably be transferring this transfer because November & December transfers we will mostly likely train! Good times on the mission. I hope all is well. Until we meet again. Love, Sister Bruno

Learning the Gospel by Teaching It

September 22, 2011 Michael! Musta ka? What is up? How's school. Aren't you a senior or still a junior. I can't remember I have been on a mission for a long time. How's church? Any cool firesides lately. I remember when we had firesides they were the best. Don't get me wrong some of them were way boring but usually they brought in their best speakers to tell cool stories. Have you heard any inspiring stories lately? How's the mission prep coming. You know it's never too early to start. If you have missionaries in your ward you should ask if you can go with them and work. I didn't know before my mission I could work with the missionaries but here on the mission we are always trying to find people to come with us to work to teach and especially preach the gospel. If you start now with preach my gospel you won't feel very dumb when you get on the mission like I did. I had no idea about the gospel until I had to teach it. Stay valiant and faithful. Don't do anything dumb that would prevent you from coming on your mission. It's the best experience of any one's life. I miss you and love you. Sister Bruno

A Mission Teaches You To Grow Up

22 September 2011

Mom:

It seems like forever since I last wrote.  The mission life is awesome I love it.  My birthday was awesome.  Thanks for the honey you sent thanks again!! I am now 22 years old. One year older and wiser too.

The mission really teaches us to grow up! I can especially see the changes in my attitude and personality to become perfected through Christ.

On the mission I have realized that knowing the gospel and living the gospel are two different things.  There were times I lived the gospel and times I just knew the gospel.

Right now my area is Baclayon Bohol and I love it.  We live right across from the pier and I have been faithful about running almost every morning! I say almost every morning because some days I am just super tired.My companion Sister Canoneo is super supportive about my running. I think she is the first who actually will run with me some days. 

We get along really well but I can tell you that there are times we need space but that's normal being with someone for 24 hours a day.  We never fight or have disagreements.  I hope we stay together one more transfer but its unlikely because we have both been on the mission a long time.  We both will probably train in the next few transfers.  We don't have any sisters coming in this next transfer but the next transfer after we will get 10-12 new sisters.  So everyone that has been on the mission a while will probably train.

This October 20th Elder Holland will be visiting the Philippines.  All the missionaries no matter what island are invited.  I am on Bohol so it will cost 1000 pesos to travel.  If I am still on Bohol we have transfers this September 30th.  We will see what happens.  There are so many missionaries going home in the next transfer. 15 missionaries are going home!  We will get many missionaries the next few transfers.  We didn't have any baptisms this transfer just planting.  But we should have baptisms this next transfer if I am still here.

I miss the family lots. I hope everything is going good! Is Michael starting to date? How's Nikita?  How is Franny liking the college life.  How's Chiara and Gen and the baby.  I hope they are doing okay.  Don't forget to send pictures when the baby comes!

Loving life.

Sister Bruno

Purifying Our Hearts

Dear President Schmutz,

This week has been successful. We had fhe with an inactive member and half of the branch was in attendance including the branch presidency.

Brother Noel and brother Jeffrey decided to do Home Teaching every Sunday to all the inactive members in the branch which is a big help to the work.

Sister Margie's seminar is nearing.

Sister Charity is still excited about her baptism.

All of our other investigators though are not seeming to be able to keep their commitments. We are following up, and have been teaching that their are blessings when they read their assignment, or when they go to church.

Sister Canoneo is still amazing. She is so kind I fail in comparison to her. We are both excited about the Cebu trip this coming Oct 20th. Elder Fisher gave an inspiring workshop for district meeting about preparing ourselves for the conference. Sister Canoneo and I am working hard to encourage each other to purify our hearts for the coming of Elder Holland.

I see the work progressing here in Baclayon. Sister Canoneo and I always talk about how people say that Bohol is hard, but we know that is not true. Bohol is the same as any other area it has its challenges, but there are so many people that have been prepared for us.

Thank you President,

Sister Bruno