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