Archie and Annie Bernaldo Join the Church

Dear President Schmutz,

This week we had a successful baptism of Brother Archie and Sister Annie Bernaldo. They gave their testimonies on Sunday the next day after their confirmation.It was a good feeling.

Brother Noel Puria also gave his testimony and expressed his desire to be baptized.

We had area attack on Monday and it was a successful time. We have many new investigators that we plan to visit this week.

We have really been blessed we re-activated Rusel and Rodello Minoza, Shine Tinonga, and John Spencer Ugboc. Brother John Spencer brought four of his friends to church on Sunday and we hope that they return this Sunday.

Sister Akiatan has really been growing in her teaching skills. She is discouraged sometimes, but we encourage each other to be positive. I have been working on communicating with her and our relationship is becoming better. I love her and only hope her success here on the mission.

I am so grateful for the blessings from Heavenly Father with the area, and have really seen the progress of the work here in Baclayan.

I am just changing my attitude, and looking at the bright side of things.

Thank You President,

Sister Bruno

Cultural Difference: Missionary Email

FAMers!!

So this week has been a little stressful. I  don't know if i am the leader type, but I am learning. My companion and I have some culture difference and language barrier at time. We are  working out our differences. I love her guts but we just need to learn to work together.

We have a baptism this Saturday 6 August 2011. Pray that they will go through with their baptism. Brother Archie and Sister Annie are coming into the gospel together, and I am so excited for their family.

I have been super stressed out this last transfer and have lost weight.  I see that as a positive of a negative :)

We are saving souls here in Bohol and enjoying every moment. STAY STRONG STAY ACTIVE KICK SATAN'S BUTT!!

Love

Sister Bruno

Learning Patience as a Senior Companion

Dear President Schmutz,

This week has been a little stressful.  It has been stressful because I am battling with my self.  The mission is not hard if you know self control.  Its hard to be off island away from Cebu at times, but its not Bohol its the missionary.  I am doing everything I can to become better.  I have never been a senior and its hard at times, I am still learning.  I know though that the Lord will prepare a way if I just do what is right and am obedient.  I need motivation, but as for right now I am forced to motivate myself and Sister Akiatan.  Being new on the mission I know is not easy and I am trying to give her more responsibility, but she is hesitant to accept any responsibility right now.  I for now have been teaching the majority of the lessons I encourage her to start the lessons, but she just says not me you just teach.  The culture and language barrier at times has caused a ripple in the companionship, but I am controlling my pride and putting my trust in the Lord.  I have learned patience and that I can not change her I can only change myself.  For now I am battling with what to do and how to change and everything actually.  This email sounds like I am whining, and I am maybe a little sorry about that.  :)  Working hard and hard working President don't worry I will only try harder everyday to become better and to be a better companion.

Our investigators are SLOWLY progressing.  Actually Sister Melita almost committed to come to church, but then she second guessed and said hopefully she will go she will think about it.  She is one of those investigators who takes forever to convert, but when she is converted she becomes one of the greatest missionaries bring many along with them.  

Brother Noel is actually progressing toward his baptism.  He is working hard to resist temptation to be baptized this August 20.  

Brother Archie and Sister Annie are going to be baptized this Saturday.  I am so excited for them since they are a family.  I know if they raise their son in the gospel he will become a great missionary one day.  

Trying my best not to have any regrets.  Thanks President.

Sister Bruno   

Life is Short: Missionary Email

Dear family,

On Monday morning i was in the CR doing my Laba or hand washing my laundry.  All of a sudden I hear a car screech to a halt and hit something.  Then we hear a woman scream.  We walk outside.  The view was not clear because of a car parked in front of the house, but we just see a little girl around 8 year old being carried unconscious into a car and drive away to the hospital.  It definitely shook us up.  We said a prayer together for the young child, and I had a moment of reflection.  LIFE IS SHORT.  Where do I stand with God?  And I asked myself all of the questions of the soul.

Moving on to a more positive note we have a baptism 6 August 2011.  I am super excited for Brother Archie and Annie Bernaldo.  They are husband and wife and have a 2 year old son.  They are so prepared, and i cant wait for their baptism.  I only hope they can jump, and leap over the hurdles that Satan has in store for them.

Here in our area at night their is not public transportation, and our area is huge so we can't really walk.  We waited for about 45 minutes for a ride home, but their was none to be seen.  We had two kuyogs Sister Annie Ugboc and Sister Shine Tinonga we were across the street from a police station so sister Annie said we should just get a ride home from the public service officers...  They made me ask since I was American and could speak Bisayan and they would more likely do it if I asked.  We asked and they ended up taking us home in the cruiser.  Adventure for sure.

My companion Sister Akiatan is struggling since she is new, but she is learning and our friendship is growing.  I am starting to get the hang of things here I expect I will start to not want to leave in the next couple of weeks once I have a basic knowledge of the area and meet all the members.

I love all of you and resist the temptations from Satan.  Develope charity for one another.  Our neighbors were arguing all night last night with each other.  It was the siblings and the mom.  We just sung hymns super loud to try to make them stop but they only go louder.  It was really depressing, and saddening.  Cant we all just get along lol...   Charity is the answer to all of life's problems.  Study Charity in the scriptures and develop it.

Still working on the language...

Still working on weaknesses...

Still working...

Love you all

Sister Bruno

Letter to Mission President 20 July 2011

Letter to president July 20
Tuesday, July 19, 2011 11:04 PM
From:"Annika Bruno"
To:tenbrunos@yahoo.com

Dear President Schmutz,

This week has been an adjustment, but we are working hard to make the transition smooth.

Sister Margie Casquejo is still working on getting her marriage papers so that she can be baptized.

Brother Archie Bernaldo is hard to teach because we don't get to see him that often because he lives so far away, but we are trying to find ways to visit with him.  His wife Annie always is gone so that makes it more difficult to visit.

Brother Greg Bacarisa's health has not been good, but he has a great desire to be baptized.  He has not been able to go to church yet because of his health.  We are praying for him to get better so that he can go to church.

Sister Melita Pacot has had many missionaries visit her, but she is still on the line about the church.  We have committed her for baptism, and she didn't oppose so at least that's a positive.

Sister Mel is willing to go to church this next week.

We are teaching the Rabe family Johnson Mark, Charleen, Hazel, and their father Francis.  They are laying low since we committed them to go to church.  So we don't know what to think.  We will follow-up on them in a couple of days.  The last two times we went to visit they have said they were busy, so we will just have faith that the Lord is preparing them.  Then we will follow-up this Saturday.  If they are not ready then at least we planted the seed.

We are trying to get the members involved, and have been helping a member prepare for his mission.  Brother Russell Minoza has a desire to go on his mission, but his parents doubt he can go because he has only finished 5th grade.  We have taught that if he has a desire to go we will prepare him, and that he does not need a perfect knowledge.  The lord chooses who he chooses dependent on the desires of the heart.

We have many finding activities planned for this next week.  Our investigators all are laying low lately.

Brother Noel is supposed to get baptized 30 July 2011, but we are not sure if he will decide to push his baptismal date back again or be baptized.  We have faith he will receive his answer, and we will do everything we can to prepare him.

The work is continuing in Baclayan, and Sister Akiatan is starting to open up.  I have been told you cant change people but you can change yourself.  I have decided to make this companionship successful I need to see what I can change and not how I can change her...

Thank You President,

Sister Bruno

Becoming A Senior Companion in the Philippines

Dear Fams!

Turns out that I transferred to BOHOL!! Baclayan  Area. We are only a branch here in Baclayan. I am now a follow-up trainer!! My companion is Sister Akiatan. I was so shocked when I  found out so was Sister Falculan. We told our investigators that she would be leaving, but turns out it was I who was transferring...

It is so different being a senior companion. It's not easy, but it  gives me more freedom. Which I don't know if I like that or not.

For a CSP this past Monday we tore down a house and re-built it. It was awesome.

We live right across the street from the beach. We go running every morning on the pier. Its amazing!! I love the view.

We have been visiting investigators and Brother Archie Bernaldo lives in  the jungle we had to hike one hour to get to him. It was worth it for the view. The trail hugs the edge of this river. Kids were rope swinging, and he lives at this resort house so you can image how pretty it is.

Our branch seems not that active in the work, but I set a meeting with President and with the ward mission leader. I hope that my first impression is not correct.

We have a baptism set for this next Saturday 23 July 2011. We will do everything we can to make it a success.

I am so tired after work, because all of the places we go its like a hike.Its called Baclayan which translates to walking for a good  reason, because we do a lot of walking.

They say Bohol is a hard place for missionary work, but I have faith that if we work hard it won't be.

OFF ISLAND!!

Loving it!

Sister Bruno

Weekly Report July 12, 2011

Dear President Schmutz,

I was shocked when it wasn't Sister Falculan transferring, but in fact in was me who transferred.  I think we were both shocked that I was transferring to Bohol as a follow-up trainer!

When I went to transfer meeting I was feeling many different emotions.  Sad because I had to leave my investigators and recent converts, doubting that I was going to be a follow-up trainer, and excited to have to opportunity to go to Bohol.

During the transfer meeting I was comforted by your words where you said that we need to lift where we stand, to be on a higher level of thinking, and trust the Lord has assigned us where we are for a reason.

I am doing my best to be a follow-up trainer, but I feel like I have no idea what I am doing.  I have only been a junior my whole mission.  Any words of advice President?!?

We have a baptism this next Saturday 23 July 2011 Brother Noel Puria.  He is a 27 year old.  He has stopped work because of a bad experience he had, which in turn allowed the missionaries to find him.  We are working hard to make his baptism a success.

Brother Archie Bernaldo lives in the middle of the jungle.  It takes us 1 hour just to travel or in other words hike to teach him, and then one hour back to civilization, but he is worth the time.  They say he is a golden investigator.

Brother Greg is having health problems which prevents him from coming to church or from listening when we visit.  We are praying that his health improves so that he can be baptized.  He was blessed by the Elders this past Sunday, and we can only wait to see what happens.

Sister Melita and Sister Mel are slowly progressing.  We will do everything we can to get them to church this Sunday.

Sister Akiatan is adjusting to having a new companion, and she is a great missionary.  We have been practice teaching every morning for companion study, and it is not only helping her but it as well is helping me progress in the language.

At times I am frustrated with the language, because here in Bohol I can no longer rely on my English when I don't know a word like in Cebu City.  Which I have found as a way to make my language progress, and I know I have learned very quickly because of the Lord.  I just need to set higher goals to become better and to rely more in my Heavenly Father.

Thanks President Schmutz for your encouraging words last email.

Sister Bruno