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!