Happy Easter!!!

Happy Easter, Mahallies!

So today is transfer day. Like I said before, I'm pretty convinced that I'm never going to have a companion past 6 weeks.  I was super anxious this morning because i didn't know anything about my new companion or the new area I was going to be moving to. I figured I'd be sent somewhere really far since I've been in San Pedro for 4 1/2 months now...but little did I know, I'd only be sent a bedroom away (which is super awkward because I already texted everyone I was leaving when in reality I'm in the same church building, i just have different proselyting boundaries and a different meeting time for church ahaha). My new companion is my housemate, Sister Leon. She's been my housemate for the last 2 transfers. She's from Texas, sings REALLY loud to spanish music 24/7, and LOVES telling stories, but we've never worked together on the field before...so this'll be really interesting hahaha. It'll be GREAT! I'm so excited. 

So in case you've never been to the Phils during Easter before, it's VERY different compared to Easter in America. Easter is SUPER huge here! People roam the streets with candles following big Saint statues. Some even carry crosses and whip themselves in remembrance of the sacrifice Jesus Christ made. It's interesting to see the way different beliefs are reflected in different cultures, and although it was a little bit of a shock to witness, I was in awe that these people felt so strongly about their faith.

In the spirit of Easter,

I'd like to share my testimony with you today.

Throughout my life, I've felt Heavenly Father's love for me, and have felt the mercy of His Son, Jesus Christ and the comfort of Their love that comes by the Holy Ghost.

Jesus Christ lived and died for all of us. He suffered in the Garden of Gethsemane, sweating drops of blood from every pore, and was mocked, whipped, spit at, and nailed to a cross for each and every one of us. I know that after 3 days, Jesus Christ arose again. HE LIVES AND HE LOVES US. I know that He is our Savior, and that He knows us better than we know ourselves.

Knowing who we are - children of God - changes EVERYTHING. Knowing that a plan was made for us to return back to Heavenly Father, through the sacrifice of His Son, Jesus Christ, only leaves us to discover that Their love for us is immeasurable, because they wouldn't send us to Earth without creating a way to come back to Their heavenly presence. 

This time on Earth is just a millisecond in eternal perspective. 

If you could imagine,

-------------------------*----------------------------------------------------------------------

our lives are just a DOT in the perspective of eternity. Yet, so much of we do here - the talents we gain, the good deeds we perform, the relationships we develop - carry on with us later on. NOW is the time to prepare to meet God. We have SO LITTLE time, there's no point in wasting it! So get off of your computers and go SERVE. go LOVE. go SEEK GOD. 

Often, I wondered, WHY. WHY, if the atonement of Jesus Christ cleansed me from all my sins, do I have to repent? Why, if I know I can be forgiven, do I have to do good here? Why does it matter?

In reality, we're all capable of being forgiven...but it's conditional. Forgiveness comes when we believe that Christ can heal us from our wounds, and when we're willing to allow those wounds to be healed through change. If we refuse to believe in Christ, we can't expect His sacrifice to be applied to us. It's not that HE doesn't extend the invitation to us, it's that we've rejected the opportunity to use the atonement, and have refused the opportunity to have our burdens lifted by Him.

"You can never do more for the Lord than He could do for you" so stop trying to do it all on your own! His love is free. 

Rely on Him. Trust in Him. Know Him, and know that He knows YOU, loves YOU, and is waiting for you to call on His name. I've felt it for myself, and encourage you to seek to do the same! 

https://www.lds.org/ensign/2013/09/his-grace-is-sufficient?lang=eng

I'm praying for you always, and I hope with my whole heart that you're doing your best to do what you would do if the Savior stood beside you. 

I know He lives, and I leave these things in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

https://www.lds.org/media-library/video/2016-02-1000-hallelujah-an-easter-message-about-jesus-christ?lang=eng

Here are some pictures from this week!

I had my 4th and 5th baptism (Charisse Manay and Mari Vergara). 

My companion, Sister Bricenio and I.

Family home evening with Charisse and a bunch of close friends (: 

Return with Honor

Hey Mahallies! Just sending a little bit of lovin' from the Phils. 

This week I wanted to share some insight I gained. 

So two weeks ago, I sent home this story (skip it if you've already read it, haha i'm just adding it in to make sense for those who haven't)...

The following event took place in a ward in Salt Lake City in 1974. It occurred during a sacrament meeting and was told to me by a Regional Representative of the Twelve who was in the meeting. A young man, just before leaving on his mission stood in sacrament meeting and bore in essence the following testimony:

Brothers and Sisters, as you know, the past two weeks I've been waiting for my mission call. During the time I was waiting I had a dream. I knew it was not an ordinary dream. I dreamed I was in the pre-existence and awaiting my call to come to earth. I was filled with the same anticipation and excitement that I had before I received my mission call. In my dream I was talking to a friend, and I felt a special closeness to him, even though I've never met him in this life. As we talked a messenger came and gave me a letter. I knew it was my call to go to earth. In great excitement my friend and I opened the letter. I gave it to him and asked him to read it aloud. It said: "You've been called to earth in a special time and to a special land. You will be born to the true church and you will have the priesthood of God in your home. You will born into a land of plenty, in a land of freedom. You will go to earth in the United States of America."

My friend and I rejoiced as we read my call, and while we were rejoicing the messenger returned. This time he had a letter for my friend. We knew it was his call to earth. My friend gave me the letter to read aloud. His letter said: "You've been called to go to the earth in circumstances of poverty and strife. You will not be raised in the true church. Many hardships will attend your life. Your land will be fraught with political and social difficulties - which will hinder the work of the Lord. You will be born in Costa Rica."

We wept, my friend and I, as we read his call. And my friend looked at me with tears in his eyes, and said, "When we are down on earth, you in your choice land and me in Costa Rica, my friend, please come and find me."

The this young missionary, with tears in his eyes, said, "Brothers and Sisters, I have received my mission call. I am going to Costa Rica."

There is a sequel to the story. About a year after the sacrament meeting, the bishop received a letter from the missionary in Costa Rica. The letter had one sheet of paper in it and on that sheet written in capital letters were four words:

I FOUND MY FRIEND
This story had such an amazing impact on me! Especially as I listened to a talk given by our mission president this last week. His talk was about how we should "Return with Honor". It's a phrase often referenced on the mission field...but during his talk, I realized this phrase isn't limited to those who've been called on missions. It's a phrase for EVERYONE to apply to their lives, because we've all been called to a mission here on Earth. He said "I could imagine, hanging on the door before I stepped out of the pre-mortal world, there was a little plaque that said 'Return with Honor'". Each and every one of us has the responsibility to do our absolute best with the lives we have in order to return back to our Father in Heaven with honor.
Just like it says in Alma 34: 32 & 34 ( https://www.lds.org/scriptures/bofm/alma/34?lang=eng ) This life is a time to prepare to develop, to depend on God and work towards change. We are not meant to be stagnant. Often, we allow ourselves to be held back, believing it's too late to change. It made me think of a quote I saw painted up on a wall the other day that said "The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The next best time is NOW." the BIGGEST mistake a procrastinator can make is to keep procrastinating! We allow our weaknesses to defeat us before we even try to overcome them and as we continue to do so everyday, we move further and further away from our goal. We build up a wall of excuses, which really is just like creating another unnecessary obstacle for ourselves to overcome.
Just like it says in verse 34, the souls we have now are the same souls we will have after we die...which can be interpreted to mean that if we don't do our best to overcome bad weaknesses and habits now, those bad tendencies will continue with us in the life to come. 
It just makes me think, is the life I'm living NOW one to be proud of? Have I done all I could to return to God and say that I did my very best to represent Him? Or did I let bad habits overcome me? Is it really worth letting the "convenience of the world" make you cringe in self-disappointment in God's presence? 
I know there are a lot of little things I can give up to be closer to God. And ultimately, giving up those little insignificant "conveniences"  ( like shopping on sundays (not keeping the sabbath holy) or using God's name in vain, or holding grudges/having bad thoughts/saying bad things about other people...we all have our own) results in a very significant change in faith, and an even bigger display of our love and affection of God through our obedience. 
So today, I'd like to invite you all to think of the little things you can give up to better your life, and move closer to your God. We don't have to run a marathon all at once...but i know every step we take forward gets us a little closer to where we want to be. I know that by sacrificing the little things, you will see your relationships with others change, especially your relationship with God, and will be able to see your life filled with more optimism and joy.   "I gave up the things I loved for the God I loved more...and He's never forgotten me for it"
Heavenly Father is mindful of you. Jesus Christ has felt your pains, and created a way for you to overcome your weaknesses. The Holy spirit will lead and guide you, and give you comfort as you seek to change. 
I know you can do it! You're in my prayers always, and have my full support.
I love you all!
Sister Calica

"For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also"

What's poppin' Mahallies! 

This week was overflowing with blessings! 

Picture 1: I know it LOOKS like me and my companion love each other...but this is actually a picture of her choking me and trying to look good for the camera at the same time hahaha (just kidding guys, we get along great. Sister Bricenio's super hilarious)

Picture 2: My investigators, Kurt and Kian Guantia, got baptized this week! My companions and I have been teaching them since I first arrived in December. Their testimony blossomed so much - it was crazy to watch. Kurt (the smaller boy) is really shy and during the first couple lessons wouldn't even make eye contact with us. But as we progressed with the lessons, and they became more comfortable, they'd run to the gate yelling "ITS THE SISTERS!" and were increasingly more involved in answering and asking questions during lessons. Watching their testimonies grow, and then watching them step into the water filled my entire being with the Spirit. Kurt was so excited, he was giggling because he was so ready to be baptized! And as soon as he was brought up out of the water...it's like you could see how clean he was, because he was beaming the brightest smile I've ever seen on his little face! 

Picture 3: This picture is of the elderly woman, Nanay Salazar, I wrote about before, that I got to sing to! She was really sick, but we've been visiting her every couple days to try and help out, and she's been getting better! Her husband was so happy - he told us every time we come around, she's gets stronger, and she's progressed enough that she can sit up on her own now (before they had to hold her up and spoon feed her)! We've had them pray as a couple, and it's been so amazing to how much they love each other and how much it has grown as they've grown closer to God.  

In other news, this week I learned about the beauty of commitment. I've realized that when we commit to follow Jesus Christ, we're committing to be happy, because the Lord would never lead us astray. For us to receive the full benefits that come from following Him, we must commit with all of our heart, mind, mind, and strength. That means no excuses, and not only when we feel like it... but during the hard times too. It's not enough to just have "good intentions".  Those good intentions must be followed by great actions, or they're really no good at all.

More often than not, I've realized that people only desire to follow His footsteps when they're at their lowest point - so far from the path, they can barely see it anymore. The thing is...we can't give into the temptation of walking on the easy road. Satan doesn't tempt us with huge, obvious signs. He does it with the little things, to throw us off course just a little bit at a time...but as soon as we realize that, we've already ended up in a different destination. The adversary tempts us because he knows how good we could be if he didn't do anything to stop us...SO DONT LET HIM THROW YOU OFF COURSE! 

Our hearts should be so centered on Heavenly Father, so reliant on Christ's mercy and atonement, and so utterly malleable by the Spirit that the idea of straying away from Their love is not even an option for us. Put Them first, because They'll make sure to put you first. Whether it be work, a significant other, sports, whatever...put God first. Make time for Him. I promise you, it'll change your life, but you won't see the difference until you actually commit to changing. 

 https://www.lds.org/scriptures/bofm/3-ne/13.19-21?lang=eng

 19 Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, wheremoth and rust doth corrupt, and thieves break through and steal;

 20 But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal.

 21 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

I love you all, and I hope you take care always. You're in my prayers, and it's my deepest desire for all of you to grow closer to our Father in Heaven, to Jesus Christ, and receptive to the Holy Ghost. 

Peace out from the Phils,

Sister Calica

People are waiting for you

Hey mahallies! 

This week I saw a rat the size of a fat house cat. I didn't think something that ferocious existed...but y'know. It's casual. only in the 'pines.

I also got my first care package from my family! Agh I cannot explain the amount of joy that I was filled with when I read the letters tucked within it and saw all the gifts they included. For those of you who don't know - my family is awesome. I have so much love for them, and I am more than grateful that even after we die, I know families can be together forever. Life wouldn't be worth living without the people I love most. 

One of my new friends, Lovely De Real (her name is awesome, right?), also got me a gift this week! It was the hymns in tagalog ahaha (because she knows how much I love to sing) and she added this true story along with the gift. 

Testimony of a MissionaryThe following event took place in a ward in Salt Lake City in 1974. It occurred during a sacrament meeting and was told to me by a Regional Representative of the Twelve who was in the meeting. A young man, just before leaving on his mission stood in sacrament meeting and bore in essence the following testimony:Brothers and Sisters, as you know, the past two weeks I've been waiting for my mission call. During the time I was waiting I had a dream. I knew it was not an ordinary dream. I dreamed I was in the pre-existence and awaiting my call to come to earth. I was filled with the same anticipation and excitement that I had before I received my mission call. In my dream I was talking to a friend, and I felt a special closeness to him, even though I've never met him in this life. As we talked a messenger came and gave me a letter. I knew it was my call to go to earth. In great excitement my friend and I opened the letter. I gave it to him and asked him to read it aloud. It said: "You've been called to earth in a special time and to a special land. You will be born to the true church and you will have the priesthood of God in your home. You will born into a land of plenty, in a land of freedom. You will go to earth in the United States of America."My friend and I rejoiced as we read my call, and while we were rejoicing the messenger returned. This time he had a letter for my friend. We knew it was his call to earth. My friend gave me the letter to read aloud. His letter said: "You've been called to go to the earth in circumstances of poverty and strife. You will not be raised in the true church. Many hardships will attend your life. Your land will be fraught with political and social difficulties - which will hinder the work of the Lord. You will be born in Costa Rica."We wept, my friend and I, as we read his call. And my friend looked at me with tears in his eyes, and said, "When we are down on earth, you in your choice land and me in Costa Rica, my friend, please come and find me."The this young missionary, with tears in his eyes, said, "Brothers and Sisters, I have received my mission call. I am going to Costa Rica."There is a sequel to the story. About a year after the sacrament meeting, the bishop received a letter from the missionary in Costa Rica. The letter had one sheet of paper in it and on that sheet written in capital letters were four words:
I FOUND MY FRIEND

Right before I left for the Philippines, I got a blessing from one of our teachers at the Provo Missionary Training Center, and some insight he included in the blessing was that I had promised people in the premortal life that I'd find them here, and bring them the gift of the gospel and help them closer to God. It's amazing to see how for me, in my own life, a lot of the blessings I've had prior to coming out here are being fulfilled. I got goosebumps as I read this story because it is so applicable to all of our lives - whether we're on missions or not. We're all here on an earthly mission. So smile at everyone you meet, don't hesitate to serve anyone, and be the most Christ-like example you can be, because you don't know who is watching. You don't know who needs you or what impact you can make. Our time here on earth seems so long, but if you look at it with eternity in mind, it's only a blink of an eye before it's all over. So make this moment count. Be the person Heavenly Father wants you to be. Don't give yourself the chance to make excuses! Reasoning that you can't overcome your weaknesses because that's "just the way you are" is like saying there is no such thing as change. We, as children of God, have the divine ability to progress. We're constantly changing and it's up to make sure that the change that happens within us is for good.  That being said, I just wanted to share a little spiritual insight from my little sister, Jamie. Haha, she wrote me this a last week about obedience (It was just some insight from a talk she heard): "Some see [God's commandments] as a barrier and others see it as a shield for protection. He compared it to a kite and a string and asked "is the string keeping the kite up or holding it down?" At first I was obviously gonna say holding it down but because of the topic it didn't seem like the right answer. Brother herrick later explained how it was keeping it up because if we were to cut the string, the kite would fly but only for a matter of time, within a few minutes it would crash to the ground. That's what stood out to me the most out of the lesson. Applying that into our lives we could have fun and sin all we want but it'll only be fun at the moment because it's only temporary joy. However if we follow the commandments it will give us eternal joy."  2 Nephi 31:20 "Wherefore, ye must press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope, and a love of God and of all men. Wherefore, if ye shall press forward, feasting upon the word of Christ, and endure to the end, behold, thus saith the Father: Ye shall have eternal life."
I know that God's commandments are for US. Some may reason that they are outdated or unnecessary, but I know that they were given to protect us. If we follow them, we will find the joy that comes from doing so, and will gain the strength and self-discipline to resist temptation and overcome obstacles in our lives. There are areas that I know I've slipped up on...and none of us are perfect...but like I said, there's always room to progress and move forward. Christ's atonement and the ability to repent and be washed clean of our sins is real, and is the most amazing blessing. I'm so grateful for this gospel and the chance to share the love I've found for God with all of you and the people out here in the Philippines. I pray for your safety and happiness everyday. 
I love you guys. Hope you enjoyed my little rant. Thanks for taking the time to read them every week. May God bless you and your families always 😇
With love,
Sister Calica Picture 1: my crazy new companion (Sister Bricenio) and Genreve (my favorite future missionary in this ward), Picture 2: with a ton of the goofy people in my ward Picture 3: future Elder Regero who is leaving for his mission on friday!