It's About Learning to Dance in the Rain

I still can't believe that Abbi is off, living on the other side of the world!  I check to see what time it is for her occasionally and it always surprises me that it's sooo far away.  I have such a hard time trying to understand what she is going though. If it weren't for her being on a mission, called by Heavenly Father, I would worry a whole lot more about her.  But since I know that He has called her to the Philippines for a reason, and she is trying her best to do what she has been called to do, I know that He will bless her and keep her safe.  I am so grateful to her companion, Sister Alvero, who I know very little about; she is her trainer in every sense of the word.  She has been called to introduce Abbi to the responsibilities of being a missionary as well as the nuances of living in the Philippines and all of the things that it entails.
-Sharna

Highlights from this week:

"I unpacked my things, cleaned up the dresser, made my bed and put away my things and was ready for a nap.  But, since I was trying to be the good missionary I knew I could be, I told Sis. Alvero that I wanted to go out and proselyte!"

"We stepped out the gate and I am not kidding you, everyone on the street was starring at me.. it wasn't until then that it occurred to me that I was the minority and there are no other American's here."

Abbi's First Baptism

Home Sweet Home

Sister Alvero

 

Okay so I realize I have a lot to update you all on because my email last week was pretty pathetic but I am short on time but I will try my best.. here goes. I will start with my second day in the Philippines. 

We had orientation all day with president and his family, all the new missionaries and their trainers. I was so excited and ready to get out there!! Super pumped and ready to serve the Lord!!  It was about a two hour drive from Olongapo, where the mission home is, to the San Agustin where the apartment is. President  stopped the car and pulled over, I was like what? where are we going? There was a red gate and it led down a small path to a house.. THIS would be home... Oh wow, here we go.  I was finally here, no AC, dirty apartment, and only one place for clean water.. this is what I have been waiting for since I got my call back in November.. wow!! Well alright here we go.. 

My comp,Sis Alvero said I could unpack and take my time because we didn't have to go out tonight if I didn't want to. I unpacked my things, cleaned up the dresser, made my bed and put away my things and was ready for a nap. But, since I was trying to be the good missionary I knew I could be, I told Sis. Alvero that I wanted to go out and proselyte! So we got ready to go out, we read and prayed, planned for the day and off we went! 

We stepped out the gate and I am not kidding you, everyone on the street was starring at me.. it wasn't until then that it occurred to me that I was the minority and there are no other American's here. Ha, so anyway, we took a Tricycle to Lanao, our biggest area and we had an appointment, I don't know what I was expecting but this was not it. Our three investigators were three 10 year old girls and two of them had baptismal dates for the next Saturday. I sat mostly in silence other than the occasional thing I could say in Tagalog or say what I could in English and have my trainer translate. As the lesson went on it got dark and started to rain. The lesson was almost over and it was my turn to bear my testimony; and in the middle of it, the power went out... apparently that's super common and it goes out about twice a month. So we went to one other place and then ate dinner at a members home. We went to walk home and the lights turned on! A miracle! My comp was so excited! "We get to sleep with the fan!", she said. and it's only now that I realize what a blessing electric fans are! So that sums up my first day in my area.

So everyday is pretty up and down and I have been pretty discouraged lately and I try to find strength in everything I do and i think of new analogies in every situation just like missionary work is just like life. Missionaries are just good examples of what members in this church should be like.. I have always looked up to missionaries and I didn't know why. 

But one more story.. SO last Tuesday We had interviews for our investigators and i forgot my umbrella and water.. so yes I was tired and dehydrated and long story short because I'm running out of time.. We went out tracting after lunch and I felt sicker and sicker at each appointment and I finally threw up in an investigators' bushes.. that was great.. not. So we got permission to go home and I went to bed. I was feeling so down and discouraged sad and I didn't know if i could do this anymore.. But there is a quote that was in a members house that really stuck with me," Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass, it's about learning to dance in the rain." Well I love you all! And I thank you all so much for your thoughts and love. I think and pray for you all often. 

Much love,

Sister Rossberg