August 26th My First Area Transfer... Goodbye GOA

Well the transfer announcements came in... paki-drum roll (please haha)

I am transferred! And Sister Barlow, my companion, is going to Train! 

We half knew it, and half were still in shock when we found out, but I am excited for what lies in store.

This week has been a good one and I have noticed so much this week, how much I have grown, and how much I REALLY love the people here. Part of my heart is being left here. I have cried, laughed, taught, and become so close with members and people here and I will really miss the sisters I have been around. Sister Barrameda left about an hour ago to go to the mission office. Her mission is over, and she always would tell me, the time flies, take advantage of every moment. I am really realizing that this week. Time is flying and I need to give it all I have.

Yesterday was my last Sunday in Goa, and I talked in sacrament meeting about Missionary work. I prepared a decent amount, and literally looked at my paper like twice. The Tagalog just flowed! I don't know if it all was correct haha but I felt that I was able to convey what I wanted to, and share from my heart, in Tagalog! I also may have cried a lot yesterday. We took pictures with a lot of the people in the ward, with Bishop, and with some of the people I love so much here. My heart feels so torn, I feel like I am leaving family. Its even harder knowing I most likely will never see them ever again. One of our investigators told me she has been praying all week I wouldn't be transferred, and cried during Sacrament meeting and when I told her. She is so sweet, and I am really going to miss her. The Baer family, the one I send a lot of photos of, is making my favorite Filipino food, seetaw adobo style (like string beans) tonight and we are having an FHE there. I fee so much love for the people here and I am so blessed to have had Goa be my first area.

Some events this week: Sister Barlow and I found more less actives who have not been to church in a long, long time. We had some interesting experiences but some very good ones too. 

Most of the very interesting ones involved us running into very drunk men, and us retreating back, saying oh sorry we will come back another time lol.

But one of the people we found was this man who was baptized in the 90's, when he was 21. He welcomed us in right away. He told us he teaches at an academy nearby, has a masters, Ph.D, is a layman minister, teaches mathematics, and the list goes on. Pretty much a very involved, smart man. We asked about his conversion and how he met the missionaries, shared some scriptures and what ended up happening was he opened up to us about why he left the church. He faced so much persecution from his family. The family member who is still a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has pretty much been disowned and outcast-ed. He then turned us and said" If you had to choose your family or religion what would you chose?", (Which just for reference this was the first lesson I have ever taught in English on my mission, but he told us to talk in English so he could understand us better haha and he has near perfect English). Woah, I have never been placed in that situation to have to choose, but it really made me reflect and think would I?

The answer plain and bold was yes! I recited the scripture, Matthew 9:25, 

"For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it." We ended up being there for a really long time, and the Spirit was felt so strongly. We both testified of the gospel of Jesus Christ and the Brother, thanked us for coming. He said "I feel a change in my heart today, thank you for that". I still think he is not willing to face the persecution of his family but he said he knows what we were testifying of is true. He knows its true.

We as Gods divine children, MUST make sacrifices for Him. It is expected of us. God gave His son, who suffered so much in the flesh for us, and we too must suffer at times, and face persecution for the Lords sake. I am not him, I do not know what he went through, but I do know that my elder Brother, Jesus Christ, suffered more than any one can imagine to do the will of the Lord and if He could do all that, and give His life for the Lords sake, we must be willing to also.

I have an unshaken faith that this is the true church of the Lord. I may not be asked to "physically" give my life for the Lords sake, but I must be willing to. I am coming to find who I am, and who the Lord wants me to become through serving Him. I have learned so much being a missionary and I really look forward to applying these principles for the rest of my life. I love this work, this is the Lords work, to "bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man". May we all put our hands to the plow and share the gospel with our friends, neighbors and family.

Ingat sa la hat (: xoxox