WEEK 25: NEW AREA!

HELLO PO SA INYONG LAHAT!!!

Sige really again I have like absolutely NO time this week. We were just milking cows and feeding the calves. Just a typical day in the Philippines. Hahaha well I have a lot to fill you all in on!!!!!!

So, my new area is Tabaco! I am serving in the Tabaco Branch. And this is the best part....guess who is my District Leader??? Elder Nielsen!!!! Like Tatum Nielsen. Yes. Two Arizonians here in the same District all the way out in the Philippines. What are the chances right? It's awesome. And my companion is American!!! Her name is Sister Simonson and she is from Idaho. She's been here almost for a year and is super magaling sa Tagalog. We are using our American companionship to the fullest for sure haha everyone is so surprised when we speak to them in Tagalog, so we get to use it to our advantage. We talk to anyone and everyone. Every time everyone is so surprised so it's a great finding idea haha. Everyone calls me the Filipina because I'm darker than her,so it's great. The members here are super awesome and I love them already. I'm telling you, it's impossible to be sad here like EVER kasi the people are so amazing. Anywhere in the Philippines. Whether you got here yesterday or 5 months ago, they treat you like family. I am learning so much from them everyday. Like this week I learned how to really eat fish..like the whole fish. Hahaha no but really in a serious way, they are changing my life. It sounds so typical because I'm a missionary, but they really are! The people here have genuine love that you really can't find anywhere else. I wish each of you had the opportunity to see and learn from these people but I hope these simple emails are enough for now. :)

Well, the life is good here. I am so so happy here in my new area. The love that I have felt from the members here is so overwhelming. Really there is something amazing about doing your best to forget yourself and go to work. The love you receive in return is indescribable. Missions are the best. One thing that has really struck me this week is becoming a Christlike missionary. In our district meeting, that is what Elder Nielsen gave it on, the Christlike attributes. It really inspired me to become a better missionary. He told us that in order to to really become Christlike, you must really understand Christ. So that has been my goal this week and for the rest of my mission. Really study and understand the life Christ lived and the kind of person He was. And that is when I can really strive my best to be a Christlike missionary. Because as missionaries, we are all on our own missions to better understand Christ so that we can better share His love with those we teach. In 3 Nephi 27:21 it says: "Verily, verily, I say unto you, this is my gospel; and ye know the things that ye must do in my church; for the works which ye have seen me do that shall ye also do; for that which ye have seen me do even that shall ye do." How are we supposed to really do the things He asks of us if we don't know them? Food for thought :)

Well, hope you all are well!! Just know that little me is thinking of you all, from all the way out here in the Philippines :)

MAHAL KITA,

Sister Reategui

PS here are some pictures, from a baptism in our branch and from milking and feeding the cows this morning.

WEEK 24: All good things have to come to an end...

HELLO EVERYONE. Well like the title says, all good things have to come to an end. AKA I am getting emergency transferred. I found out about 30 minutes ago and I have to be gone on a bus tomorrow by 6 am. All of us American sisters in my area are getting pulled out because of a threat that a man made to us Americans here in our area. I don't think I can really give the details, but it was pretty intense and has resulted in 5 of the 8 sister missionaries in our district getting emergency transferred. This news made it all the way to the Church Headquarters and they want all of us American Sisters pulled out of our area. So needless to say, it's been quite a week, dealing with him in and out of jail, showing up at our apartment and church building and stuff so we are counting our blessings that we are safe. It's really a miracle talaga. I wish I could tell all that happened because it is a super intense story haha but just know that I am safe and being transferred to a safer area.

Well, honestly I am so so super sad to leave this area. When we got the transfer announcement on Saturday, I was so relieved and excited that they said I would be staying another 6 weeks here. Immediately we went to all the members and investigators and were so excited to tell them that I would be staying. Well JOKES ON ME because I'm now leaving. I may or may not have been crying for 10 minutes straight when I found out. There is so much progression in our area and to all the sudden leave....it's super rough. Pero I am a missionary and this is part of it. I know that there is a reason for this, for this crazy man that caused all of this, there's a reason for everything. I am just a little part of this great plan that our Heavenly Father has. But I will never forget these great people here in San Vicente. I am forever grateful that I was able to start my mission here and spend 4 and a half months here. I have seen so many miracles every single day, it's crazy. Being a missionary is really the BEST calling. This week we had exchanges. I was able to go with Sister Eracho, one of the Sister Training Leaders in our area. She is so so sobrang magaling. We went to her area and at first I was thinking it would be super easy and nothing because I don't know the people and I don't have to lead the area. I didn't really think anything of it. But when I got there and we were in our first lesson, I was seriously overcome by the Spirit, and especially LOVE. Love for these people that I had never even met before that day. Heavenly Father is really so amazing. And I was very humbled and felt stupid that I didn't think anything would be special about our exchanges. Being a missionary, I have really been blessed with a big heart. I don't know how I have this much room to love so many people, but somehow I do. At the beginning, when I couldn't speak at all, I would just pray and pray that my love for these people would be enough. That even though I couldn't speak to them and really fully express them, loving them would be enough. And I have literally seen my prayers being answered right before my eyes. Somehow my love for these people has been enough. And I didn't really realize that until I went on exchanges and really saw how He could help me really feel love for these people that I didn't even know. This gospel is so amazing and I am so blessed to be able to share it with these incredibly humble, loving people. 

Well it was a super busy week this week. We were finally able to exceed the standard of excellence here for 35 lessons per week. This came with a lot of hard work and dedication, and with the help of the amazing leaders we have here in San Vicente. We had a 1 Day Mission on Saturday with the young men. We had a great turn out of both young men and Relief Society sisters to work with us! So we went on splits. I was assigned a Relief Society Sister, the Young Men's President, and 1 YSA, and 2 young men to work with us for a few hours. Let me just tell you it was awesome!!! These boys are so diligent and knowledgeable. They wanted us to really give them the full missionary experience, so they led the lessons, taught the lessons, and even extended the commitments and everything! Sobrang magaling sila. It was a super cool experience that they were able to work with us and share their testimonies with those that we taught. We were able to teach 3 Less Active families, and we also found 2 new investigators and taught them right then! And we were so amazed to see all the less active families we taught come to church on Sunday!!!!! Ah it is so amazing when we see the fruits of our labors. Some of our fishermen even came to church yesterday too!!! This area is so progressing and it is sad to leave. It is especially sad to leave before the baptism of Zenaida and Joel. They are super progressing as well, but I know even with me gone they will be incredibly strong members. 

Well everyone, again I don't have much time but I just want you all to know that I really LOVE this gospel. I LOVE the opportunity I have to share the gospel everyday. It really is the greatest blessing ever. I can testify to you all that Heavenly Father is in the details of our lives. He knows what we are going through and He knows our struggles. He knows we are weak without Him. And you know what the best part is?? He will always be there to help us through. Kasi we can't survive without Him. If we rely on our own knowledge or our own strength, we are literally nothing. I have learned that more than ever here. One of my favorite scriptures has become D&C 35:13, where Jesus Christ talks to us saying "Wherefore, I call upon the weak things of the world, those who are unlearned and despised, to thrash the nations by the power of my Spirit." BY THE POWER OF HIS SPIRIT. Ibig sabihin He knows we are weak. And yet He still calls upon us. And as we are in His errand, He is there every step of the way to help us. As long as we are doing what we are supposed to, He will give us His power. He will carry us when we can't walk another step. He will fill our mouths with words when we can't speak the language. I have felt this more than ever here. He really is in the details of our lives.

Sige well although it's been a crazy rough week, we did end up having two baptisms on Saturday! I will attach a picture :)

I LOVE YOU ALL! NEVER FORGET IT.

Talk to you all next week in my new and SAFE area :)

Mahal kita,

Sister Reategui

{PS} I am trying to update my skydrive right now so you can check there for more pictures! :) heres the link https://skydrive.live.com/redir?resid=B62DF9EB1FD8E770%21104

LOVE YOU ALL!!!!!!!!!!!! HAVE A GRAND WEEK:)

WEEK 23: MGA BIYAYA

HELLO PO SA INYO LAHAT!!! It's been another good and busy week like always here in San Vicente. So I am limited on time today but don't worry, I have a good excuse. Today our zone got to have a zone activity with President AGAIN! Yes. Our zone totally won again. So basically it is true: WE ARE THE BEST ZONE!! This time the key indicator was lessons to investigators with a member present and our zone had the most in the whole mission!! So we went to some hot springs in Irosin and swam!!! Hahahaa JOKELANG we are missionaries so thats bawal aka forbidden but we played some unity games and President spoke to us. So we were there all morning, and we just got back and our P-day ends in like 40 minutes. So I will make this fast!

So this week was a super busy and good week. We taught a lot of lessons and saw so many miracles. One miracle being Jerome. I'm sure you are all wondering about how he's doing. If you're not.....you should be and you will be enlightened now haha :) So we were able to teach him this week. He is now living with his father. Well that is what he tells us, pero we think he is still living on the beach. So he came to church this week on his own. Talk about a strong little boy. He knows the church is true with everything in him. This is why we love him SO much. Oh and I can't forget to mention that he gave me my first Valentine of the season yesterday. It said "happe balentimes day sestir i lub you" I almost cried when I got it hahaha he's the best. So we were able to teach him really quick after church. We taught him about baptism super basic and just with pictures. Then we asked him if he wanted to be baptized. His eyes just watered up and just said "opo sister" and just started crying. HE WAS SO HAPPY I REALLY COULDN'T TAKE IT. Such a precious moment. This boy has really shown me the realness of the gospel. You don't have to know everything or be able to comprehend everything to have a strong testimony. He has more faith than some people I know that have been members their whole lives. He is such an inspiration to me!!! He was so excited that he can finally be baptized since he's living with his dad now. But now will be the hard part...we have to find his dad and make sure it's okay with him that Jerome is baptized. But we have faith that The Lord will provide a way :)

Sige we also taught Zenaida and Joel this week. We taught them Word of Wisdom and really I'm not lying it was one of the most spiritual lessons I have ever been a part of. As I talked the words were just coming out of my mouth. Every time we teach them I look back after and wonder how in the world I was able to say half the things I could. The gift of tongues is REAL. These people need to hear the truthfulness of the gospel and how blessed I am to be an instrument in His Hands. We tied in the Word of Wisdom in with the Plan of Salvation and testified that it is part of the plan of Heavenly Father. We reextended baptism to them for Feb 22nd and they accepted!!!! And they came to church again this week so yay!!! They are so super progressing and every time we teach them they bear their testimonies of how grateful they are for us missionaries and the fellowship from the members. It has really testified to me of the power members are in this work. How grateful I am to be in a Branch where they are really doing everything they can to hasten the work. 

Well everyone, I wish I had all the time and a good internet connection to fill you in on everything pero this will have to do for this week. Missionary work is so great. Being a missionary is THE BEST CALLING EVER. I really do love it. This gospel is real. I witness it change lives every day. Miracles happen when we put The Lord first. That is all :)

Mahal na mahal ko kayo,

--Sister Reategui

PS- SHOUT OUT TO MY KIND SUNRISE MOUNTAIN WARD FOR THE NICE NOTES!!!!!! I got the notes on a day that I really needed it and I have read them every day since. Thank you for your support to me and continue to support the missionaries there!! Thank you for the good examples you all are to me. Always remember I love and pray for each one of you :) LOVE YOU AND YOU WILL NEVER KNOW HOW MUCH EACH WORD OF THOSE NOTES MEANS TO ME :)

Oh, and sorry everyone but the connection is super bad this week. I promise pictures next week! If you miss seeing me just look at my Skydrive :)

WEEK 22: ALL IS WELL

HELLO TO EVERYONE! It is me again and seriously every week I can never believe it's P-day again. I've noticed the days and weeks and months are just flying by like crazy. Maybe it has something to do with the fact that we are super busy every second of the day and I LOVE EVERY SECOND OF IT. Being a missionary is just super great.

Okay it has been another amazing week. I will never get over how great the opportunity is to see these people really changing their lives. The Spirit is so amazing and that is what I want to focus this email on: how I have seen the Spirit really working in these people's lives. First off let me start with our investigators Zenaida and Joel. This is the couple we found while tracting. The only ones to let us in that whole night. Let me just say they are GOLDEN. I seriously love them so so much!!! This week we had another family home evening there for Sister Zenaida's birthday on Monday. We felt so so blessed because we had so much support from the Branch!!! The Branch President came with his family and the first counselor, along with the Relief Society Presidency and other members. Such an amazing blessing to have all of them there! Our Branch President, President Gutlay, even volunteered to give the lesson, and he taught about the importance of the Book of Mormon. It was super powerful and the Spirit was strong. After the lesson, we asked Zenaida and Joel if they had any "closing remarks." Sister Zenaida said she had something she wanted to say. She started with telling the story of the first day we met her. Her face lit up as she said "They came to my door and all they said was 'Hello po we are excited to meet you!' and I looked at them and they were actually happy and excited to meet me so I let them in!" Hahaha as she was saying that the smiles on Sister Fausto and I's face were as big as could be. She went on to tell about how much she appreciates the kindness us and our church has shown to her and her husband. It was a happy moment for sure :) Successful family home evening. Later on that week we taught them again The Gospel of Jesus Christ, about faith, repentance, baptism, the Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end. With a focus on baptism of course and we extended baptism to them! We were so nervous because we knew Sister Zenaida really felt it but we weren't sure about her husband. Sometimes he's a little bit hesitant. But we really felt the Spirit so strongly. As I was talking somehow all of these Tagalog words are coming out of my mouth and I don't even know how. The Spirit is amazing. And it was really working through both Joel and Zenaida as well. We extended baptism to them and it went really well. Zenaida just looked at Joel as if to get his approval because she knew her answer already. Then, all the sudden they both opened up a lot. Joel said that he knew that the Book of Mormon is true and all of the teachings inside are true as well. WOW. If you only knew him you would know how amazing it was to hear him say that. Then Zenaida told us about how a while ago she was searching for the truth. She attended a bunch of different churches and she didn't really feel right about any of them so she gave up. She said she had been longing for the truth ever since. Then, the best words came out of her mouth. She said "I think you Sisters are an answer to all my questions" OKAY SO GOLDEN. She gets it!!!!!!! She went on to say that the moment since she came to church she has felt the difference about our church. She said she really felt welcome and felt like she was important when she attended our church. AHH how grateful I am for our awesome Branch and the fellowship they have shown her and Joel. They even came to church yesterday. Don't worry everyone, I will attach a picture :) They even came in their Sunday best. AHHHHH THE MISSIONARY LIFE IS SO GOOD. The Spirit is powerful and it really changes people. How lucky I am to witness just this!!!

Sige I don't have much time but that was really the highlight for this week. Our little Branch here in San Vicente is progressing SO MUCH. The amazing leaders and members are really doing everything they can to hasten the work. Since I've been here the attendance has been increasing and increasing every week. This last week we had the attendance of 181 people in Sacrament meeting!!!! Like you don't know how HUGE that is for these people. In Sacrament meeting this week we also had a few of our investigators, our mga fishermen or mangingisda sa Tagalog. They are experiencing a change of heart as well!! One was a former investigator but never was progressing so we dropped him. Well this week as we were teaching some of his friends, he just came in and listened and even volunteered to read some scriptures and participated in the lesson we were teaching!!! He is around 26, a smoker and drinker and just lives a rough life and he really had a change of heart. Usually he runs away from us but this week he was the one finding us! Anyways, he came to church and after we taught him again. He told us he wants to be like the men in the nice white shirts and ties. YES. Talk about change of heart. THE SPIRIT IS AMAZING!!!

Well everyone I could go on and on about the many stories I wish I could share but my time remaining is short. But I want you all to know that this gospel is SO true. The Spirit is SO powerful. It changes lives. It's changed mine and I now have the opportunity to help it change others. How amazing it is to be a missionary and see just how much it can change others. What a great blessing!!! This gospel is true. I wouldn't be here preachin' it every day if I didn't 200% believe it. I DO. It changes lives. No matter who you are I know that the hope this gospel brings us is TRUE hope that we can't find anywhere else. 

I LOVE YOU ALL!!!! Thank you for your love and support you show me!!!!!!! Hope all is well with you all wherever you are :)

Mahal kita,

--Sister Reategui

WEEK 21: MIRACLES, MIRACLES, AND THEN MORE MIRACLES

HELLO ALL MY FAVORITES!! How are you all doing?? I hope you are doing well! It's been such an amazing week. We were able to witness so many miracles here in our little San Vicente Branch this week. I don't have as much time as I would like because the connection is really super horrible, but I will do my best :)
 
This week I really got to see how the Spirit works through people. Seriously so many miracles happened this week. Let's start with our new investigators! The ones I was talking about tracting into last week. Zenaida and her husband Joel. So this week we had a Family Home Evening at their house! It was only the second lesson and they were totally all for a family home evening, it was awesome. It was Joel's birthday so that is why we had it. We got there and they had prepared food for what seemed like the whole San Vicente Branch hahaha I LOVE THE FILIPINO CULTURE BECAUSE THEY LOVE FOOD AS MUCH AS I DO! We were blessed because we had some sisters from Relief Society come to fellowship them and it was really fun. We taught them The Plan of Salvation and let me tell you, the Spirit was SO STRONG. Somehow I was able to teach and teach and teach and words just kept coming out of my mouth and they actually understood what I was saying! Miracle yen. As I looked at them, they were just taking it all in. It was so incredible to see!!! They are so so receptive and I love teaching them. The Relief Society sisters that worked with us are both converts and they shared their conversion stories with them as well. It was so super spiritual, and I could really witness the Spirit working through them. At the end we were talking with them and they just said "it just makes sense." They are strong members of their Catholic church pero they are really recognizing the truth of what we are teaching them. We also taught them on Saturday about the Book of Mormon. Seriously I feel the Spirit every time we teach pero the Spirit is so so strong when we teach them. And everytime as I focus on them and how I can better help them, not what I'm going to say next, the words just come out of my mouth. It's the craziest thing. That's when I really KNOW that they have been prepared by Heavenly Father and they NEED to hear these things. Ah being a missionary is so so amazing. Do you want to hear the biggest miracle?? THEY CAME TO CHURCH ON SUNDAY!!!!! Yes. They really did. Really it could have been one of the happiest moments of my life. AH and they even stayed for all 3 hours, even though they own a store and had to be away from it the whole time. Ah the Lord really prepares people. How lucky I am to be an instrument in His hands to bring His gospel to these people that NEED it. Sister Fausto and I were talking one day after we taught them and I asked "what made us even go to their house?" It was like 8 or 8:30 by the time we got to their house, the last house on the street. Why did we even go there? They have one of those Catholic Jesus statues in their front yard and we usually avoid those to avoid any conflicts. We could have just gone home because it was late. We could have stopped after we were rejected 10 times by their neighbors. We couldn't even answer the question why we went to their house. But for some reason we did and because of that we met these great people that have really been prepared by the Lord. AH His work is so incredible and I know without a doubt He will always provide a way for His children to receive these truths in their lives.

Ah sige let me share another one of my favorite moments of this week. Now this may not even sound that cool to you all but it was really a big deal for me! So I have told you about the Espela family. We have been teaching Ailene for a few weeks now. Her father was the inactive that we found and he wanted us to teach his daughter. Well let me just start with telling about the first time we visited their family. They were a little hesitant to let us in but tried to be kind because the missionary that was there when he was baptized, came back to visit. So that is the only way we were able to get into the house, and it was a miracle that they kept letting us in. Tatay, Sonny, hadn't let missionaries or members in for at least 10 years because after he was baptized, he became really inactive. Pero we went and had a family home evening there. We asked him to offer the closing prayer that night and he refused. He was mad that we had asked him to say it and was too shy and walked away from us. Since then, we have been visiting them several times a week. Little by little we would invite him in and he would listen to the lessons we were teaching his daughter. Then he started coming to church. Slowly I have been able to witness the Spirit really working through him, and oh what a great blessing that has been! He has attended church now 4 times and is considered an active member again :) YES IT MAY OR MAY NOT BE ONE OF THE GREATEST THINGS EVER. Ah so this week we were teaching him and I asked him to say the closing prayer. I was hesitant because I remembered the horrible reaction he had the last time we asked him. With no problem, this time he said "Pweding pwede! which means like "I sure can!" Ah okay I know it probably doesn't seem like a lot but it really it was such a good moment. My eyes started to water as I really recognized the Spirit working through him. He has changed so much in the last 4 weeks since he started to come to church and in just a few weeks, his daughter will be getting baptized as well. How grateful I am to be just a small part of these people's lives!

Okay one more story. Another thing I learned this week was the power of listening. Listening to both the Spirit and the brothers and sisters I am entrusted to visit with here in the Philippines. We went and taught Nanay Illuminada this week just like we do every week. She was a less active, but since I've been here she's attended church now for 10 weeks in a row and has become very active! So we went there to teach her and I didn't really think anything of it. Just another lesson. She has a lot of trials in her life and usually it's the same story every week: her trials are hard but the Lord is always there for her. This week was different. As we got there and were talking with her, she was telling her stories like usual. I kind of zoned out because half the time I can't understand what she's saying because she's speaking Bicol, the different dialect here. And then all the sudden she started crying and I heard the saddest words come out of her mouth. She said "I am praying and praying but I feel like Heavenly Father is too far away to answer my prayers." AH. These were some of the saddest words I had ever heard anyone say, let alone coming from this strong grandmother I had come to love so much. She then went on to tell us that she had lost her faith. She told us about her daughter with mental problems and the hardship it is on her. We learned that her daughters mental problems have turned super violent this week and one day she even punched Nanay Illuminada in the face and pushed her to the ground. She threw stones at their house and destroyed all their windows and doors in the whole house. Nanay is over 60 years old, has no job, and is trying to support this family that is falling apart. Her husband died years ago and it is just her. Ah as she told us her stories we were all just crying and crying. We were just wondering and praying how we could help this poor lady. So we shared with her D&C 24:8, which says "Be patient in afflictions, for thou shalt have many; but endure them, for, lo, I am with thee, even unto the end of thy days." As we testified to her, I felt the truthfulness of this verse. And as we testified to her she was just crying and crying to us. How I wish I could just take all of her problems and trials away. But I have faith in His plan. In something bigger and better than anything we could think of. Because He really does know us better than we think He does.

Those are just a few of the amazing miracles we were able to witness this week. Ah how wish I could really express how truly grateful I am for this opportunity to serve a mission. How amazing it is to share this gospel. And how truly amazing it is to witness the Spirit working through these great, humble people. Thinking back to a year ago, I never would have imagined myself here all the way in the Philippines. Let alone on a mission. But it has been the greatest blessing EVER. How truly grateful I am to be entrusted to be a representative of Jesus Christ. This is His church. And it is SO true. And all of our brothers and sisters desperately need this gospel, even if they don't know it yet. Don't ever be afraid to share what you believe in. You never know the impact it could have on some one's life.

I LOVE YOU ALL AND I HOPE YOU ARE ALL WELL!!!!!!!!!!! Stay safe and stay righteous.
Mahal kita,
Sister Reategui
ps- Here are some pictures from this week! It was Sister Fausto's birthday so we had a little party of course. :) Enjoy! 

WEEK 20: THE WORK IS WORKING!

HELLO TO ALL MY FAVORITE PEOPLE IN THE WHOLE WORLD!!!! It has been quite a week that I am excited to share with you. So I had mentioned that I got sick last week. Well this week it came back and I was pretty bad. I kept throwing up and couldn't eat any food. We tried to work but I was throwing up so we couldn't. I ended up having to go to the hospital to really find out what was wrong because I had a really bad fever for 10 days straight. Ask me if I was deathly afraid of going to the hospital here haha because YES I was. Pero it was okay and I am alive to tell you about it so I am counting my blessings :) There they didn't really tell me anything and couldn't figure out what was wrong with me so I guess they thought the good solution would be to just give me every medicine they could think of for every symptom I have or could possibly have haha so that's what they did and I went home with 8 different kinds of medicines. I specifically asked for non-drowsy so I could work well this week and when we got home I look at all of them that I had just taken and they said DROWSY on the back haha awesome. Well when we got home from the hospital it was only 4 pm and so I decided that I would eat some food and if I could keep it down for once, we would go out and work. So I ate and gave it 30 minutes and I kept it down so we went out to work! I was kind of depressed because we hadn't been able to work much the day before because I was sick so I needed to go out and work. I was just praying really hard that I would feel okay enough to work and teach because we had a lot of appointments. And obviously this work is important to The Lord because we were able to work all the way until 9:30 when we came home. And even though I was so tired because I took like 8 different drowsy medicines...somehow I didn't fall asleep! The whole day really was a miracle and I am counting my blessings :)

Sige so because I was sick we missed out on some work. I was so sad and just praying that for the next few days we could teach like crazy and I could have the strength to continue to get feeling better. My prayers were answered! We saw so many miracles this week it's crazy. So from Thursday to Saturday we were able to find 6 new investigators. That is a miracle in itself. We found all the investigators while we were TRACTING. Yes real missionary life. I had never tracted until last week. It makes me feel like a real missionary haha. So, since Thursday was the first full day of real work without me being sick we were super busy. We taught 9 lessons and it was only 7:30 pm. We still had a solid 2 hours to work but no more set appointments so we went out and tracted! We went and "tao po'd" every door on this one street. "TAO PO" is what we yell when we are outside of someone's house. We don't knock here haha it's like yelling "people!" and then they come outside. So we had tried every single house on this street and were approaching the last one. Guys real life it was like on movies when they try every house and the last one lets them in. It really happened in real life to me. Hahaha the last house let us in!!!! It may have felt like my birthday or something. She let us in and was so nice! She got us some Filipino oreos and even turned off her TV and just sat there and listened to us. We got to know her and then started teaching her. She was super receptive so we taught her the whole first lesson! After we asked her if she had any questions and she asked "Can you teach me about my life before this next?" Hahaha and we were just smiling so big and said "That is EXACTLY what we are planning to teach you next!" She was so nice and after her husband came and we got talking to them and planned a family home evening for tonight in their home! So it's super exciting. The next day we had 5 new investigators! One of them was a referral from a sister that works with us a lot, and the others were found while we were tracting as well. The people are so receptive here so tracting is super fun. We taught them all the first lesson and set return appointments! So yes despite me being super sick, it was a really REALLY good week. 

Sige what else should I include? I will update you all on Jerome. Let me start off by saying this little boy is CRAZY. We ran into him this week when we were walking home. Let me expand on what I mean by "ran into him." We were walking home in the pouring rain and all the sudden I see this person running towards me screaming my name in a scary voice and then tackling me to the ground. Ask me if I was screaming for my life....hahaha I literally thought someone was trying to kidnap me. Hahaha when I realized it was JEROME we were laughing so hard. He just looked at me and said "gotcha" hahahahaha so funny. So we started talking with him and found out he was busy begging for money all day for medicine for his brother. He hadn't even eaten all day because he had saved all his money all day for his brother. He had made 8 pesos the whole day. It takes 50 pesos to make a whole American dollar so basically he had made around 16 cents. SO SAD. So we found out what kind of medicine his brother needed and bought it for him. He told us not to worry, that he was going back to his home because when he had the medicine he was allowed to go back to his house. Well we watched him go home and he still went back to the fish port. We went and talked to him and found out that even though he's been saying he is with his dad, he is still sleeping on the beach. Since that night we haven't seen him. So keep him in your prayers! He is a fighter so we have faith that he will be okay :) 

Here is a funny story for the week...So we taught our recent convert Jorel this week. He is 9. In his village this week some Jehovah's Witness missionaries have been visiting them and having like preaching nights where they speak to anyone willing to listen. He said he didn't go there because he didn't want to be burned. Hahaha but he was standing outside listening. He said they kept telling him that they had revelations from God and he said, "When I heard they have revelations from God I asked them if they knew Thomas S. Monson, because he is the real person that gets real revelations from God. They said they didn't know who he was." Hahahahaahahahahaha we were laughing so hard!!!!! Oh how I love that boy :)

Well everyone it has been a week. A crazy one but a busy and good one. But one thing I know is true: the power of prayer is real. One thing I have learned here that as we are not so focused on ourselves, but those around us, that is when we really see miracles. That is when we can see real blessings from our Heavenly Father. The gospel is true. The Book of Mormon is true and contains real power that we NEED. We need this gospel in our lives. We can't survive this life alone. We need our Heavenly Father. We need faith in the Atonement of Jesus Christ. Because it makes all the hard things in life okay. There is a purpose to everything. Always remember that.

I love you all!!!!! Thank you for the love and support you show me. I am constantly overwhelmed with your love.

Mahal kita,

Sister Reategui

attached is a picture of me and Sister Fausto, me with the Nares family, and another one with all my medicines after I went to the hospital. Haha

Also, here is a link to my Skydrive where I usually upload my pics every week! :) 

https://skydrive.live.com/redir?resid=B62DF9EB1FD8E770!107&authkey=!AGrrw2VG-QZYSis&ithint=folder%2c.JPG

LOVE YOU ALL!!!

WEEK 19: NEW YEAR, NEW COMAPANON!!!

Hello everyone!! I have survived the New Year here in the Philippines! This was a crazy week. We had transfers on New Year's Eve. Since our transfer point is in Sorsogon, Sister Alabanza and I traveled there where I met my new companion, Sister Fausto! She's Filipina, 26 years old and will be 27 in a few weeks. She is from Zomboanga City and has been out for about 11 months now. Her and I get along really really well already! She is a convert of only 3 years and she is a really good missionary. I have already learned so much from her it's crazy. I feel lucky to be her companion! And here's the best part...she is a college professor and teaches food technology. AKA she's a professional cook. So, yes really it's a blessing to be her companion.

So let's see...this week was tough because of the holiday. We had curfews on a few of the days. And I have been sick the whole week. I got a sickness that is going around the villages here. My American body can't handle these Filipino sicknesses here because it has kind of taken over. Pero it was good because since it was a holiday, most people were home with their families all week. So even though lots of people were busy, we were able to visit lots of our members and investigators and do a lot of service. This week again we did service for Nanay Liza and washed her clothes. Again, it turned into service for the whole village as we washed their clothes and as I, again, pumped the water for the village. Hahaha but it was awesome as always. 

So this week we got a few new investigators. One of them is named Ailene. She is 14 years old and is the daughter of an inactive in the ward. He was baptized like 10 years ago and stopped coming to church shortly after. Well, the sister that was one of the missionaries here when he was baptized came back to visit a few weeks ago. She invited us to a family home evening then so of course we went and met the family. There, he introduced us to his daughter who is 14 now. She was just 4 when he was baptized so she wasn't baptized then. So we were able to go back and visit them. We were kind of hesitant at first because they haven't let any missionaries or members in their home for years. But guess what? THEY LET US IN!!! It was a tender mercy of the Lord for sure. Somehow his heart was able to be softened and they let us in! So we started teaching his daughter, Ailene. We taught her 3 times this week and extended baptism to her and she accepted!!! She came to church for the first time this week and was just smiling the whole time :) It really strengthened my testimony that the Lord will prepare a way for people to receive the gospel no matter what. If we didn't first go to the family home evening with the sister that knew them, we would have never gotten into that home! The Lord is preparing His children for the gospel all around us :)

Well sorry this is a lame email for this week. Mostly this week we spent a lot of time tracting and OYM'd to find new investigators. Pero we did have a good turn out for church yesterday! We had lots of less actives come. Some people that I hadn't seen come in all my time here which is almost 3 months! The Lord works in mysterious ways. I have seen His miracles here in the mission more than ever. I love being a missionary because I get to see these people change. And not because we are telling them to, but because they really want to. They want the life they can have with the gospel in their life.  Missionary work is hard. It is real work. Pero it is the Lord's work. So I know He is with me every step of the way. He promises to support us through our trials. That He won't take them away and deprive us of the growth, but He will be there, carrying us every step. Because He knows what is best for us. And His plan is far greater than anything I could ever imagine.

I love you all!!! I am so grateful for your love and support that you continue to show me!!! I hope you all had a safe New Years! I'm sorry I'm not able to send a better email or to respond to all your emails, the internet is really bad here and I don't have much time. But just know that I love you all!!!!!!

Mahal kita,

Sister Reategui

PS this picture is super awesome for many reasons. one: it is of us tracting in the POURING rain. like my life story here in the Pines. two: one of our less actives that is obsessed with me is poking his head in the middle of us hahaha made my day when I saw that. ENJOY :)