Recognizing Blessings

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Philippine CebuMission <cebumission08@gmail.com>
Date: Wed, Mar 16, 2011 at 1:51 PM
Subject: Re: Week
To: Annika Bruno <annika.bruno@myldsmail.net>


A missionary that not only experiences blessings, but also recognizes these blessings as to their source are always blessed with the spirit of their calling.   Continue to work and pray for those recent converts................truly, the ward should be doing the bulk of the shepherding now that they are baptized...........perhaps this can be brought to the attention of the bishop through your WML.    Have a great week..   Pres.Hansen

On Wed, Mar 16, 2011 at 12:13 PM, Annika Bruno <annika.bruno@myldsmail.net> wrote:

 

Dear President Hansen,

This week has been really great.  I am enjoying the work, and love my investigators.  We have been trying to teach a recent converts son Jassen Velez.  He is really one of those people you know will be strong when they convert.  He wasn't home when we went to teach him on Saturday, but he went to church.  We were all really excited, but again when we went to teach him on Tuesday he wasn't there.  I wasn't so much frustrated as sad that we couldn't teach him. 

Our recent converts are 50/50 some are strong going to church and some are back to old habits.  We are working with them all and I hope that they can stay strong.  I hear that the first year of a converts life into the church is the hardest for them.  I only hope that we are strengthening them to withstand the adversity they face!

One of our recent converts when we went to visit him he was smoking and drunk!  When we taught him the next day his prayer was a powerful plea for help to resist drinking and smoking.  We pray for him and continue to encourage him to remain strong! 

I feel the love that God has for His children when I teach especially the little children.  The children in the Tintay area love when we come over to teach, and ask when we are coming back.  There is a whole group of kids that attend church with our recent convert Sister Judith.  She is a strong woman and she has helped her neighbor Rose Flores to have a greater desire to be baptized.  I love her she is such a special spirit.

Sister Caluyo is an amazing teacher and I hope that one day I can have her gift of teaching.  She is a great companion she always makes me smile.  I could not have asked for a better companion. 

Living with the four of us in the house in really fun we talk about our investigators, and Sister Tumala and Sister Williams has given us really good ideas for our lessons to help our investigators.  Sister Williams is a great trainer I can see her love for Sister Tumala.

The language is progressing, and my goal for no english except on P-days has really helped the progression go a lot faster! 

This week has been filled with many blessings from Heavenly Father.

Thank You President Hansen!

Sister Bruno

Progress of Work

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Philippine CebuMission <cebumission08@gmail.com>
Date: Tue, Mar 8, 2011 at 8:07 PM
Subject: Re: Week!
To: Annika Bruno <annika.bruno@myldsmail.net>


Thanks for sharing the wonderful experiences ..............it is very evident that the Lord is working with you.   Have another great week.   Pres.Hansen

On Wed, Mar 9, 2011 at 11:29 AM, Annika Bruno <annika.bruno@myldsmail.net> wrote:

Dear President!

I am loving the split it was revelation without a doubt.  We had 40 new investigators last week and we find several people a day.  The area is so large and there are people we never would have met if the area wasn't split. 

This week one of our recent converts son's Jassen Velez decided to let us teach him.  He is 21 years old and his mother said he is extremely shy and doesn't like to talk, but he seems to be voicing his concerns with us.  He is a very humble person and we are excited to continue to keep teaching him. 

We have been teaching many children this transfer I can see why Jesus loves the little children.  While we were teaching Grace Oporto the law of chastity and talked to her about being modest she said excuse me ran home and changed into modest clothes!  She is so cute!  Sister Genevievea Diparine is 11 years old and has been going to church with our recent convert Sister Judith Velez.  Her mother and her have a baptismal date.  Jenny her mother is willing to listen to our lessons and we love teaching her. 

Sister Williams and Sister Tumala taught Emerson Ugdiman and he seems to be progressing to his baptismal date. 

We have been walking in the path that the Savior has layed out for us because I feel like all the people we have met this week have been blessings, and I feel a strong love for all the people we have met.

Sister Mitch hasn't been coming to church since her confirmation.  She works with her mother a lot and has been working for the last couple of weeks.  We hope that she does not fall into the devil snares.  I hear the first year of someones joining the church is the hardest on them.  We only are trying to strengthen her testimony.  She is strong in reading the scriptures and her testimony so we will only work hard to help keep her strong. 

This transfer as all my other transfers have been great.  I look back and see the many blessings that heavenly Father has given to me. 

Sister Caluyo has been teaching me a lot and I have made high goals to meet.  The language seems to not be a huge barrier as it once was.  I have set a goal not to speak English this whole transfer I know its hard but possible!  Sister Caluyo has been helping me a lot with the language and I love her for sacrificing her time to help me! 

Thank You President!

Sister Bruno