Called to Serve in the Philippines: WEEK 55: Life is better when you are happy.

Hello to all!! It's been another good and extremely busy week. This week we definitely saw the Lord's hand in HIS work. I just feel so blessed to be a missionary. My goodness.

Well this was a busy week and I don't know where to start haha.

But, I do know that LIFE IS BETTER WHEN YOU'RE HAPPY!

That is something I have really learned here on my mission. I've learned that no matter what happens, we should be happy.

"We can choose to have a positive attitude. We can't direct the wind, but we can adjust the sails. In other words, we can choose to be happy and positive, regardless of what comes our way." - President Thomas S. Monson

Here in the mission I have really learned that this life is meant to be happy. Even though we have trials and challenges in our lives, those are just tests for us. It's a test of our faith and our patience. So I have learned, no matter what happens, we need to be happy. Our Heavenly Father's plan for us is called THE Plan of Happiness! So does He want us to be happy now and for eternities? Syempre! Of course! His plan for us is centered on our happiness!

I have also learned the true meaning of happiness. What REAL happiness really is. If I think about before I left for my mission and now, there have been SO many changes in myself. Sorry, I probably annoy you all with talking about the changes in me in like all of my emails...hahaha but it's a part of being a missionary so just go with it. Before my mission, I thought happiness was going on a date with a cute guy or buying a new pair of jeans that fit well. But here in my mission I've learned what REAL happiness is.

Real happiness is this gospel we are so blessed to have restored here on the earth. And, real happiness is seeing that gospel working in other people's lives.

Real happiness is feeling the love of our Heavenly Father. Real happiness is finding 6 new families that really have been prepared of the Lord and being able to teach them. Real happiness is being able to testify to them, with all my heart, that I know there is a God, that He is our Loving Heavenly Father and He wants us to be happy. Real happiness is seeing a family come through the church doors that haven't been seen at that those doors for years. Real happiness is finding answers to our prayers through our scripture reading. Real happiness is being let into a home that we walked to for one hour just to see if they would let us in. Real happiness is knowing that we are imperfect and knowing that God loves us anyways. And real happiness is learning from others every day.

"I just love Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ a lot."

Let me tell you who this simple phrase came from. This came from Marina. She is one of my favorite people I have met so far on my mission. She is about 25 years old and paralyzed. She has been through her fair share of trials. Her mother died a few years ago and her father died just this year, shortly after they were all baptized. After the typhoon she was left with no house and moved into her sisters small house, where she is alone all day. Her sister can barely afford for her own little family, let alone sister Marina and her two siblings that usually live with her as well. They live off of a little bit of rice every day. As she was crying to us, telling us of the many trials in her life, she suddenly lit up, and through her tears she smiled and just said "I just love Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ a lot." I don't think I've ever heard anything more precious come out of anyone s mouth. Through my tears, I thanked her for her example to me. In that moment, I realized just how blessed we really are. We have a loving Heavenly Father that knows us better than we know ourselves. He loves us though we aren't perfect. And He is just waiting for us to call upon Him for His divine help through our trials.

This is real happiness. The gospel is real happiness. And how grateful I am to have that opportunity to share that happiness with others every single day.

I love you all and I LOVE my mission. This is where I've really learned to BE HAPPY, and TRUST IN THE LORD.

"Whoso trusteth in the Lord, happy is he." Proverbs 16:20

I know that He is the way to our happiness. We have a loving Heavenly Father who is there for us no matter what.

Thank you all for everything! LOVE EACH ONE OF YOU!

Nagmamahal,

Sister Reategui

PS- shout out to all the Young Women who wrote me letters...you are all the best!!!!! seriously made me so happy.

pictures:

#selfiesaturday