Week Labing-Pito (17)

Hello Po!

Holy Cow! This week has been great!  We've tried to do our best, and we've seen the blessings of it!  I have greatly enjoyed this week, and we've met so many great mga tao! (People) Even though this work is hard, it is so wonderful!  I feel God's love for His children and I know that He is preparing and helping many kaluluwa (souls) accept His Ebanghelyo. (Gospel) The gospel really does bring totoo at tunay kaligayhan sa buhay na ito! (True and real happiness in this life.)  Well, let me tell you about on of our new investigators.

His name is Darren Bermas, and is 14 years old.  He is a referral of this kid in our district/stake.  Well, let me tell you, he is so prepared and ready for the gospel in his life.  When we told him Joseph Smith was the same age as him, I think he thought it was really cool, and they are kind of going through the same thing.  Well last night, he accepted a baptismal date for March 8th.  Sister Siola'a and I are very excited about this opportunity with Darren.  He is so sincere and ready!  He is more than willing to do what we ask him to do, and so he is progressing so much!  I hope that we can be able to teach according to his needs and that we can truly help him come unto Christ.  Oh, I love this gospel!  It brings me so much joy!

Okay, so you wanna hear a story about me having language study in the middle of the night...apparently? :)  Well, the other morning SIster Siola'a heard me talking in my sleep...in Tagalog.  Now, I am happy to hear that!  At least I can say something in Tagalog, even when I'm asleep! :)  Well, I said, "Topos, kailangan po natin gawin ito upang makabalik sa Diyos...topos...topos." Yes folks, that was me one wonderful language study night. :) I guess I should tell you what it all means. "And then, we need to do this in order to be able to return to God, and then...and then."  Yes, I apparently like the word "Topos." haha!  

Okay, what else... or who else? :)  So the Calleja family is doing well.  They say that they are close!  I hope they mean that! :)  I love all of my investigators so much!  I learn so much from them, and I love teaching them that through living the gospel, we can receive happiness and blessings in our lives!  Man, I've got so much to learn though.  Sometimes I wonder if I know what I need to, if I know the doctrine, and definitely, if I can ever really learn Tagalog, but as I study everyday for the people we teach, I feel myself growing.  The gifts of God are real, and I know for sure that the Gift of Tongues is real!  I am amazed at how missionaries can speak Tagalog, or other languages.  Kahit na (even though) I don't know very much, I still give all of the credit of what I do know, to God.  Like, I lived in El Paso for a while, and I hardly picked up Spanish...I know like maybe 10 words.  Okay, so i heard Spanish everyday all the time in El Paso, probably just as much or a little less than I hear Tagalog hear, and here, being a missionary, I am able-ish to teach and to talk with people. I know the power and help of God is real! I know that prayer is real, and I could not be able to go an hour without praying!  (Seriously! ;) 

I know God wants to help and hear each of us!  He know's us all individually and wants us to talk WITH him!  Please, pray to God!  I know that prayer is real!  Okay, so also, I know that Music, especially hymns have a magnificent power and influence!  We decided to start singing hymns before and after some of our lessons.  The one's that we sang in, were so powerful.  There's this one in active family, who loves music.  Well, I thought that it would be good if we sang a song to/with them.  I asked what Tatay's paborito (try and guess that word!) hymn was.  We sang "Onward Christian Soldiers."  The whole family sang with us, it was a miracle! I love the hymns, and I also am so grateful for the talents God has given me, and all of His Children! (I am not saying my singing is any good, but I'm grateful I can read the notes and stay in tune.;)

Well, I have had a wonderful week!  Many small and amazing miracles have happened and been seen.  I love this gospel, and I love my Heavenly Father!  I love you all so much!

Love, Johannah

P.S Sorry no pics today. :( The computer is not reading my card...:(

Week Labing- Anim (16)

Hello po Lahat pamilya at kaibigan ko. (Hello all of my friends and family)

Kumusta po Kayo?  Sana you are all doing fabulous! (Sana-hopefully.)  This week has been wonderful!  We have had wonderful experiences and lessons.  I love being on my mission!  Time flies like crazy!  It was just pday, and now it's pday, yet again.  Well, lets see Sister Siola'a and I had the opportunity to teach the workshop in our district meeting.  We taught about "How to Begin Teaching."  We used the example of how Christ began to teach the people in the America's after His Resurrection.  In 3 Nephi 11:3-11.  He first, introduced Himself and then He told them His purpose.  That's just a summary of what we talked about.  Well, Christ is such a great example for us to follow no matter what situation we are in in life.  

Okay, so we are hopefully getting close with the Calleja family.  I love this family dearly!  I want to see them get baptized and then hopefully sealed!  I am so grateful for eternal families, and that I can be with mine forever!!!!!  I love this gospel, and the many blessings that can come from living it.  Thank you mom and dad, for always teaching us the right, so that we can be an eternal family.  I love my family, and I am so happy that we know that we have the ability to be together forever!

So what else did we do this week, uh...well the same old same old.  Oh, so I made On the top stove cookies, or no bake cookies.  They are sooooo masarap!  I used coconut milk, and put fresh coconut in them.  They are so good!  Oh, and I also had fresh chocolate, like the people who gave it to us, ground the chocolate beans and did all the prep.  Well, it was pretty good, and we made hot chocolate out of it...it didn't end up being too good. It was fun to try anyways.  

I got my Christmas package, today right before e-mailing.  Thank you for the masarap chocolates and the other things.  It's a nice and fun Christmas package!  I love you all!  Thanks again! :)  Oh the picture with a much of people is the Bonayon family.  They are amazing!  I love this family so much as well!  I don't want to transfer!!!  (I will though, because I don't want to.) Well, I guess we'll see soon! 

 

 

I love you all very much!  I KNOW that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day saints is true, and has been restored!  I love this gospel!  It makes me so happy!  Please always do the simple things, Read your Scriptures, pray, and go to church!  I know that if you do, you will have the strength to withstand the temptations of Satan!  I love the power of the Gospel and living it!  There are no words to describe the love I have for the restored gospel of Jesus Christ!  Please share it, and always do your best to live it!  With ALL of your heart, might, mind and strength!  I love you all! 

Love, Sister Coleman

Week Labing-Lima (15)

Hello po pamilya ko, at kaibigan ko!

Magandang Umaga, Hapon, at Gabi! (Beautiful morning, evening, and night.)  I hope you are all doing well!  I am just loving this mission!  Guess what???  I ate Balut!  Yes, sister Coleman ate the Balut that everyone is so "grossed" out with...well, it wasn't too bad after all.  I'll try and send the video sometime.  Well, i'm just glad my little chick didn't have feathers!  It was actually so fun to try, and I would eat it again.  Nathan, you'd better be proud of me!  I was thinking of how happy you would be, the whole time I was eating it!  Yeah, so we went on exchanges this week with our Sister Training leaders.  I went with sister Fabia. She's great, and we had a lot of fun together.  I have a lot I can improve in, and I am excited to become a better missionary.  

Well, I got to go on splits with a lady in my branch.  We taught a lesson about obedience to the commandments and also scripture study.  I loved the lesson!  I felt the spirit so strongly.  I know that we are given commandments to help us.  I love the commandments of God!  I know they are so important for us to follow!  I am so thankful that God gives us commandments! We need to strive to follow them, and come to love and know them!

Oh, so this ladies daughter (the one we taught about the commandments) is so cute!  She wants be like sister Siola'a and I and be a missionary.  She want's to go to church so bad!  But, we just need to get her mom to come!  It's sometimes hard to trust in God, but we need to know that if we are doing his will, He will provide! I love the scriptures in 3 Nephi 13:31-34.  I think we can apply these to any situation with following the commandments.

Okay, so I had an embarrassing, "Sister Coleman, trying to speak Tagalog" moment.  Well we were on a Padjuck, riding home, and I was just trying to talk with the driver.  I was like, "May Typhoon ba?" (Is there a typhoon?) He said, "Opo." (Yes) I said, "Saan?" (Where?) So, he pulled out his little white cell phone out of his pocket...I thought he was trying to show me where the typhoon was, on his phone.  Well, after a second, I said, "Grabi!!" (Grabi is like saying "that stinks, oh man, thats horrible, too bad"...you know, something you would say if you didn't like something or that there was a typhoon.)  After a second of thinking, I realized that He thought I said, "may telephone ba?"  Yes, I told this man that his phone was "Grabi!"  I am a horrible missionary!  Oh sister siola'a and I are still laughing about that experience!  I guess all missionaries learning a language have plenty of those.

Well, I hope you all know that I know that the church is true!  I love this gospel, and i am so happy!  I love this mission I have been called on, I know I need to be here doing this work!  I love you all!  You are in my prayers!! 

Love, Sister Coleman

Week Labing-Apat (14) Photos

Week 14

Hello Po Lahat!

So I am going crazy and I don't even know what week it is.  Thanks Stephanie, for the heads up, and letting me know that it was week 14. They are right, missionaries really do loose track of time.  Oh yeah, on Wednesday or Thursday, it was my 3 month anniversary since being in the MTC and on my mission.  Time flies!!  I don't want my mission to end, because I just love it soooo much!! Anyways, so this week has been really good!  We've had some really good and interesting situations.  We've had some awesome lessons!  I love it when we are led by the spirit as we teach and find.  I love this work!!

We had interviews with President Guanzon this week as well.  Oh my goodness, it was the greatest interview ever!  I loved just talking to him, and receiving guidance and help.  My goals, in regards to learning Tagalog are to be diligent and have a 1 hour language study every day, and then to be exactly obedient.  I want to be able to learn Tagalog, and I know that God will only bless me as I continue to strive to be obedient and be diligent in my studies.  I'm so excited to!! 

We had zone training this week as well!  Ahh my zone is great, and I am excited to work with all of them! :)  I learned a lot and I want to apply what I learned. 

Well, I am so sorry, but time is up, so I need to go.  The work is great, and I am loving every second of my mission!  I know that the gospel is true! It is the true source of happiness.  Please do all the simple things, that will bless your lives, BIG time!  I love all of you!

Love, Johannah

p.s we made coconut milk, and had fresh coconut too!  Masarap!!

Week Labing- Tatlo (13)

Hello po!!

Well this week has been a good one!  We started it out with New Years!!  It was so noisy and crazy here!!  It was fun though.  In America, we definitely do not celebrate new years that much.  It was different, but fun!  We had tons of food that people just kept on feeding us.  We were walking into our house, and our neighbor/investigator was like, "Kumain Muna!!" That means, Eat First!  Well, that day we had a few breakfasts, and luches and then dinners.  Funny, masarap, and..I regreted it the next day. ;) 

 I love the food here!  Oh, we made Lumpia with some other sisters who had to stay at our apartment.  It was soooooo masarap!  All that's inside is: Carrots, potaoes, an egg, pepper, salt, other spices, onion, garlic, and some ground or pulled meat.  We used Chicken, but people usually use pork. Masarap!!  Oh, then  you put it in the lumpia wrappers, and wrap it like a burrito, then fry it, like you fry, fry bread.  So delicious!  Sister Siola'a and I also made our version, as in we don't know if we made it right, of Adobo.  It was so good anyways!  We used brown rice with it, so it was a little healthier! :)  

Other than cooking new food, and eating more than an elephant does, we’ve had a good week finding and teaching.  Our investigators are progressing, and coming closer to Christ. Lumapit kay JesuCrsito! (Come unto Christ) That is what we want our investigators and L.A’s we’re working with.  Oh my goodness, the kids here are so cute!  They all say, “Americano Americano!!!” Every time we walk past.  Also, they’re like, “What’s your name, why are you here…”  I always say, “Ako po si Sister Coleman, I am here to ‘Invite others to come unto Christ…” Okay, so I just say the last part to sister Siola’a. J  But really, that’s why I’m here in the Philippines!  I’m telling you, I love it here too!!  I love working and helping others!  The miracle of the gospel is amazing!  The gospel changes us!

Sige, so we have a new district now.  We had transfers last week.  I love our new district!  We had district meeting on Friday, and holy cow, our District leader gave the best lesson ever!  I felt the spirit so strong, and I received many promptings.  I need to learn how to teach people the importance, how, and then recognizing answers to prayers.  And that, in tagalog.  I need to be a better teacher, or instrument in teaching, about prayer.  Prayer is sooooo important for us!  I have so many experiences with prayer, daily!  I know that it is only through prayer that we can receive answers to our prayers.  God wants and need’s us to pray to Him.  Please continue to pray to God, for He will help you!

Well, I love all of you!  I love the Gospel, or Ebanghelyo ni Jesu Cristo, with all of my heart!  I want to serve God with all of my heart, and I know that I can if I put Him first in my life.  Use the Atonement, love it, and always share it with others, because through the Atonement, we can all be made whole!

I hope you all have a great New Year!!!

Love, Sister Johannah Coleman

p.s. Here's the pictures of our adobo (Blue Shirt:) and the lumpia (purple shirt!)

Week Labing-Dalawa (12)

Hello family and Friends!!  Kumusta po kayo?

Well, this week was a great one!!  Wow, I can't think of anything we did.  We had Christmas and that was a lot of fun.  It was a little sad not being with you all, and doing our Christmas Traditions and stuff.  But, with the ward here, we had a Christmas Eve dinner with the Brizuela's and then on Christmas, we had dinner with the son of the Brizuela's.  It was a lot of fun!  We played uno...and I won, one game.  Man, it's been a while since I played that..and I'm telling you, I got a little, well like myself when I play games. (You all know how that is...right??  Okay, I wasn't too crazy! maybe...)  It was a lot of fun being with a family for Christmas.  I love the branch that I'm in!  

So, our Christmas tree...well I made it on Christmas Eve while Sister Siola'a was in the shower or something.  I surprised her with the "Loveliest" tree ever!  Hopefully I can get a picture of it on the e-mail for you!  It was a fun and memorable 1st Christmas away from home!  The call with the family was so great on the day after Christmas, for me.  I enjoyed talking with you, hearing your voices and seeing your smiles. :) It made me really happy!  I hope all of your Christmas's were filled with love and peace.  We definitely had that here!  

Let's see, as of last night we kind of have 4 people with baptisimal dates!  They are both sets of couples.  Let me tell you, thats such a blessing!  2 of the dates are that family, who had the date for the 28th of December, but now hopefully for the 25th of January.  The other couple is a wonderful couple.  They have the cutest kids.  I had a special experience last night as we were teaching them.  Okay, so the husband is sick right now, and who knows how long.  His Kidney is where he's sick, so it's really sad.  Last night was the first time we taught the sister, with Him.  I think their hearts are softening.  Well, we felt impressed to teach them about how the Gospel Blesses Families.  It was what they needed to hear.  When we invited them to baptism, they both, even the guy, shook his head.  I really hope that the spirit was able to touch their hearts.  While we were teaching I had the vision on them, as a family, all in white, in the temple, being sealed for all eternity.  It was sacred to me.  I know that the temple is real!  I know that families can be together forever, only in and through living the gospel, and being sealed in a temple of God.

Well, our branch had a Christmas party that was so fun!  The sisters sang an arrangement of "Once there was a snowman," but we changed it to "Once there was a sister."  It was so fun, I'll try and send the lyrics next week...I forgot them.  We also sang "Called to Serve."  Wow, I totally felt the spirit!  I love missionary work!  So we had 2 or 3 in-active families come.  We also had 2 of our investigators come, with their families.  I think they were touched by the branch and the spirit that was there.  

Well, I better go now.  I love all of you!  I know the Simbahan Ni JesuCristo is true!!  I love the Lord's work, and I love being a full-time missionary!  It's the best thing I can be doing in my life right now!  I hope you all can feel of the Saviors love, everyday.  Trust in God!  Put him FIRST!!!  I love you!

Love, Sister Coleman