2017

Happy first week of the year Mahallies.

So this week was ridiculous. The plumbing in the Philippines doesn't take too well to tissues...so our bathroom got messed up. we had to endure and shower at a member's house - the Madriaga Family (they're our landlord) - until our they got permission to open up the second floor for us to use, and we were SO grateful! Literally 5 minutes after the Madriagas left, Sister Table and I heard screaming from the upstairs bathroom - the bathroom knob had broken off AND WATER WAS SPRAYING EVERYWHERE flooding the whole bathroom. We all jumped in, hopelessly trying to shove the knob back to where it was and simultaneously using the bathroom buckets to shovel the mini-sea into the shower, to keep it from flooding the whole second floor. The Madriagas came back to find us soaking and desperate for help. It took 2 hours to fix, but thankfully, Brother Madriaga was able to fix the problem. We were so relieved....then yesterday, our shower faucet broke off so, y'know, all the water pipes have been messed up and I've just been taking tabo showers out of this little bucket. IT'S BEEN A CRAZY WEEK, MAHALLIES!

Missionary work this week was brilliant. Sister St. Gelais and I finally got to teach brother Maximo, the husband of a recent convert, Sister Jen Gonzales. We'd been wanting to share the gospel with him for forever, but he'd always get so shy whenever we'd come by, he'd run off! During our last lesson, however, he told us that he really wanted to go to church and be baptized! He loves his family tons, and watches them go to church every sunday, and I think he's ready to take the steps he needs to to make his family his forever. We're going to continue our lessons with him, and I am sure the day will come when he will be ready and willing to accept the truth of this gospel, or God's plan for us, for himself, and for his loved ones. 

We've also started teaching a friend of Brother Padlan's (recent convert), Antonio Gile, who became interested in the church because he saw the strength it had given brother Padlan, both physically and emotionally. Brother Padlan's foot is swollen, black, and partially numbed due to diabetes, but he never fails to walk to church every single sunday. His sacrifice amazes me. Brother Padlan bore his testimony to Brother Gile about the blessings and strength he's gained for his obedience to God's commandments and obeying the sacredness of the sabbath day. Brother Gile can barely walk because of his arthritis, but was SO COMMITED to come to church, he came the sunday after we taught him is first lesson! (He's scheduled to be baptized on the 18th of February). I know the gospel of Jesus Christ can help us overcome any obstacle. 

Sister Gizelle, one of our investigators, has also informed us that she's finally taken action to get her husband's birth certificate, so that they can be married and she can be baptized! I'm so excited for her, and am praying that everything falls into place. God is so good. The Lord always provides a way, if we're trying to do what's right. 

I love the people here, and I am so blessed to be able to see how the gospel of Jesus Christ, or his plan for our happiness, has motivated them to better themselves. 

I would like to leave my testimony with you. I know that this is the true word of God. I know it's easy to say, but what has strengthened my testimony is actually living it and seeing first hand the blessings it brings. Back at home, I didn't have a good study habit when it came to scripture reading, and now I find that the hours of study we have just aren't enough, because there's still so much more I want to learn, and still so much the spirit has to teach me! I think that when we stop looking at prayer and scripture reading and church going as a bore, and begin to see them for what they really are - blessings to enlighten our minds and bring us closer to our Savior, Jesus Christ - we will learn to love it. I've grown such a deep love for the prophets of old, who sacrificed time, safety, and (for some) their lives to bring me their testimonies of my Savior Jesus Christ. I know these things are true. I know that Heavenly Father , out of love for each of us, sent His only begotten son, Jesus Christ, to redeem us of our sins. I know that the Savior lives, and I know that the spirit will guide us and help us to understand the testimonies of the prophets about Jesus Christ, if we pray and ask for his guidance.

I'm grateful for all of you and invite you to read and pray, and ask for yourself if you really are a child of God, if He really does love you, and if the testimonies in the Book of Mormon are true. 

I leave you my witness that they are.

In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Sister Calica

100 Days

Happy New Years, Mahallies. I hope that your Christmas and New Years were filled with loads of joy and a new sense of gratitude. Today, the countdown begins: 100 days until we're together again, everyone! I can't really imagine how it feels to come home and see all my family and friends. Sister Swanson left last tuesday, and I was in tears (which makes no sense, because of course, we're gonna hang out in America)! I guess I just came to a realization that nothing will ever be the same - being a missionary is such a blessing, and for most, is a once in a life time shot in their youth. I feel so blessed to have been able to experience and learn from all those I've come to know out here. 

On tuesday, after Sister Swanson left, I met a really amazing mother of 3, named Jennielyn. She's a friend of sister Gizelle, one of our progressing investigators. We were about to start a lesson with Gizelle about the Book of Mormon, when in steps Sister Jennielyn, to pick up her kids. We invited her to listen, and at the end of the lesson, Sister Gizelle tells us how she'd been intending to refer Jennielyn to us for a long time now! Jennielyn said she knew it wasn't a coincidence that she stepped in just in time to meet us. She said that she usually doesn't go out to pick up her kids, because she knows they'll come back, but something was pushing her to go to Gizelle's house...and I know that "something" was the spirit! I am so grateful to continue our lessons with her, and watch her grow in the gospel.

This week, we had so much help from the members, which we'd been praying for. They fed us tons of food, and at nearly every house we stopped at, they had friends they wanted us to share the message with. I know God blesses us with tender mercies everyday. 

Then on thursday, Brother Bringas, we'd asked a less active member if he knew how the spirit felt. He told us that he feels it everytime we come around, that he feels happy, yet calm and strong. He's been coming to church consistently these last couple weeks, and even attended Jhun's baptism! 

Jhun got baptized on Saturday, and the spirit he brought when sharing his testimony was so strong. He said that when we found him, he felt like he'd finally found the missing piece he didn't realize he was searching for. This gospel helps us understand our purpose for being here. It helps us truly grasp that we really are sons and daughters of our Heavenly Father. 

I know that Heavenly Father is real. He has a perfect, glorified body. I know that Jesus Christ is a separate being. He is the son of God, and is our Brother. He also has a glorified body of flesh and bones. During his time on earth, he gave his life for our sins and pains, and overcame death. HE LIVES and loves us! I know that the spirit has no body, but we can feel it in our hearts. I know that it can change who we are, and help us become who God wants us to be. I know that this time on Earth is the time to prepare to meet God. This Earth is our training ground to become more like our Savior, and we can do that by setting goals to be better and overcome our weaknesses. My invitation for each of you is to set 4 goals: mental, physical, social, spiritual. Write why you want to do each of these, and how you're going to do them! I know that we all have weaknesses, and might slip up, but heaven sings and cheers us on every step of the way, so keep trying to be better than the person you were yesterday! and if you'd like to join my mission in this challenge, I'd also love to invite each of you to read 5 pages of the book of Mormon daily, and underline every single time you see anything that references the Savior. I've started doing this and have come to see that the Book of Mormon really does testify purely of our Lord.

I love you all so much, and pray for you always!

See you in 100. 

- Sister Calica

It's the most wonderful time of the year!

Hey Mahallies! Christmas is inching closer, and I love it! We've been celebrating Christmas here since September, but it's always different watching the kids go from to house to house caroling for treats with lights shining everywhere, and everyone is always in a more cheery mood. The rain has been heavier than ever, umbrellas don't help much, but it doesn't stop us from going out to work! It's actually pretty refreshing after months of burning heat, so it's as close to my sister's "-15 degrees" as possible here in the Phils.

We became a trio on December 7th, and so this last week, I've been focusing on training my anak, Sister St. Gelais, from Arizona (she's 1/4thfilipino), and killing (not literally guys...) my going-home companion, Sister Swanson from Utah. She's going home on the 28th, so we're going to have her for Christmas but be all alone for the New Year - I'm going to miss her so much! She and I get along really well - we can be sassy with each other, so you know we're always having really good laughs. Especially this last week.

On Monday, our homeless investigator, Jhun Tempongko, got us each of us a carrot cake with creme cheese toppings as our Christmas gift! We asked him to give the prayer for our lesson, and during his prayer, he expressed sincere thanks to God for allowing us, as his missionaries, and this gospel to make a difference in his life. He promised God, although he knows that we'll be leaving soon, he would continue to stay steadfast in the truth of this gospel. His conversion continues to amaze me - he's already half way through the book of Mormon! I can't wait to watch him be baptized.

Then on tuesday, we were teaching our cute, old, deaf recent convert, Sister Prima. Right after we closed the lesson, they got us food, and I turned to my anak and midway through our conversation, she got crazy eyed and straight up smacks me on the back of the head! And at this point i'm in shock - obviously I have no idea why she keeps smacking me, and I'm laughing and confused all at once, and I look up at Sister Swanson and she's not helping at all!!! Just dying of laughter screaming THAT THERE IS A COCKROACH IN MY HAIR. YES THAT IS CORRECT. THERE WAS A NICE BIG COCKROACH USING MY HEAD AS A NICE PLACE TO LAY ITS NASTY EGGS. 

This last week has been really different - being a trainer is A LOT of pressure some days, especially with the thought of my co-trainer, Sister Swanson, heading back to America. But I'm grateful for the opportunity to train at the same time my sister is being trained. If I ever struggle, I just think of my cousin JJ's advice "to think of them as your siblings" and it makes it a lot easier to love them! My little anak is actually making tons of progress, and it makes me really proud of her. She really takes what I say to heart, and then works on it, so I'm grateful for her willingness to improve, and I continue to learn from her daily. 

I'm grateful for this mission, for the opportunity to serve Filipino people, and especially grateful this Christmas season, to be able to remember all that Christ gave for my salvation. I hope, for each of us, we will extend kindness to all around us and remember that He never complained, and neither should we. "If you give of your money, you give much. Give of your time, and you'll give more. But if you give yourself, you give all."

I challenge each of you to give yourselves to God, by serving your fellowman. #lighttheworld

I love you and miss you all! 

Sister Calica 

Merry Christmas

Merry CHRISTMAS Mahallies! 

So I'm so excited to tell you all about my Christmas week so far - it's been hilarious.

 

On tuesday, we caught a mouse in our apartment this week - thanks mom, those traps were finally put to good use. then on the 25th, we caught an even bigger RAT running around in our bathroom. Shoutout to my anak, because there is NO WAY I was gonna pick that thing up to throw it away.

Then on wednesday, my companions were having a nice meal at a bbq stand on beside an ukay-ukay...and ended up shoveling down a whole plate full of nice black ANT rice (you should've seen their faces when they realized - Sister St. Gelais literally sprayed it out and there were rice and ants flying everywhere HAHAHA PRICELESS). 

Thursday was the Christmas Party, and the whole Cavite mission met in one building to celebrate the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ! I was able to perform a song for everyone, called "Who could imagine a king". I finally saw my batch again, Elder Tedrow and Elder Cook, and it amazes me that a whole year had passed, and so many things have changed! I can't believe that this is my last Christmas on the field - it doesn't feel real. At the party, we had an exchange gift - i got a cool donut pillow - and received some gifts given by members, and I cannot express how EXTREMELY grateful I am for the support, love, and kindness of people who support the missionaries. It makes being away from home a little easier, to know that others appreciate our sacrifice. But more than that, it makes me even MORE grateful for the sacrifice that Heavenly Father made by giving us His Son. 

I'd love to hear if any of you have been participating in the 25 days of Christmas, or if you've done any service for anyone. 

On Christmas day, we taught a lesson to brother Jhun and gave 2 ties and a white polo. Then we went to Bishop's and had a 5 star dinner and watched the best 2 years. And at the end of the night we exchanged our Secret Santa gifts and Sister Table got me a super cool cultural figurine. I finally got to skype my family this morning at the Tiongson's house, and I can't wait to see my dear loved ones in 4 months. quote of the week? marriage advice from Brother Tiongson: "Three C's of relationships, don't compare, don't complain, don't criticize" 

 I'm still grateful to be out here!

I know this gospel to be true. I know that we are so blessed to have our Savior, Jesus Christ, and a perfect plan to return to our Heavenly Father. I hope that none of us forget the real reason we celebrate Christmas - to celebrate the miracle of an ever loving, ever merciful Lord, willing to sacrifice His all so that we could have it all. I'm so grateful for His teachings, and so blessed to share it with everyone I speak to. 

I'm grateful for each of you, and I pray that you seek to have the blessings of this true gospel for yourselves.My invitation for each of you is to read the Book of Mormon, and find out for yourself. Merry Christmas my loves!

- Sister Calica

Thanksgiving

 Happy Thanksgiving to you, my lovely family <3
>
> It's crazy to think that just a year ago, I was on a plane ride over to my new home here in the Phils, and that here we are a year later, and Sister Calica || was heading out to hers on the same day! ALSO you have to know that i literally waited up all night and day to make sure i'd get that call from sister calica so that's honestly so STINK that it didn't work but y'know thanks for trying bc obviously the love is real. 😉💟😘
> My companion and I tried to celebrate thanksgiving but one of our kabahays (sister Verances) was just NOT in the jolly ol' thanksgiving mood and said that they don't celebrate thanksgiving here in the phils so Sister Swanson and I ended up celebrating on our own and went out on a cute date to this little cafe right next to our house. This week was pretty amazing! Some miracles we'd witnessed: 1.Our homeless investigator, Jhun, read 83 pages in the tagalog book of mormon in ONE DAY. AS IN, he's caught up to my month's worth of studies in a single day. I was amazed, but curious if he actually understood it, and so I started explaining that the book of mormon ISN'T the mormon bible and isn't about mormon, and he replies "i know that this is just a book - but i know that it's the word of God. and it testifies of Christ. And it has all my answers - if I have any questions, I just have to read, and I get my answers" AND I FOR REAL JUST WANT YOU ALL TO MEET THIS GUY BECAUSE HE'S SUCH A GOLDEN INVESTIGATOR!!!!!!! This last week, we had stake conference far from our normal ward. People have to attend church 4 times in order to be baptized, and I was honestly concerned that he wouldn't go, because of course he works really hard to try to make enough money to have enough food, BUT BEFORE WE EVEN ASKED IF HE WAS GOING HE SAYS "don't worry sisters, i'll meet you there" and paid the whole fare on his own. he actually ended up getting lost, but eventually found his way to the church and got there even earlier than us. He showed up in his best white shirt, and EVEN took off his beanie (which he'd been embarrassed to do thus far because of the wounds on his head) but then looked around and felt embarrassed because he said everyone was so well dressed. So he sat outside and read the pamphlets and contemplated if he should stay or leave...and then he told us that one of the members invited him in and made him feel welcome! we were so grateful for such a miracle.
>
> I've realized the meaning behind "teaching people, not lessons". It is SO important to LOVE everyone we meet. we decided to take a different approach with one of the less actives we'd been struggling with and had pretty much lost hope on. We came in, and just started talking, and it's AMAZING how much she opened up. Usually, I feel like we just share a verse with her, tell her to come to church, she'll make some excuse about why she can't make it, and then we leave discouraged. but this time - this time was SO different. After listening to her testimony about how she knows this church is true, and that she knows she's lacking the action to prove it, She TOLD US that she'd come to church, and that she wanted to go back to the temple too. I was amazed. It was then that I realized that the question should never be "what are we teaching to our investigators today?" it should be "what do my investigators need to learn, need to feel, and need to experience to move closer to God"
>
> I am so grateful. We also got guitar lessons from our cute little Recent Convert, Nanay Prima, so that was amazing. i could see how happy it made her to feel like a teacher again (: She's deaf, but so talented - aka we should all work to add to our talents, because we'll use them still, even in our old age!
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> I love being a missionary, and I can't wait for all of you to experience this for yourselves.
> Jeremiah 1:4-10
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> I love you all!
>
> Sister Calica |
>
> Pictures of me in the jungle, sister swanson and I with brother Jhun, a family home evening with Rex and NovieFaith (i made her a poster lol) and one with my other kapatid, sister aquino, and nanay, sister livermore (who is leaving to usa in a few days! dec 7)

#lighttheworld

Hey Mahallies!

To celebrate the (less than) 25 day countdown to Christmas, my companion and I have been taking part in the #lighttheworld 25 ways in 25 days challenge. Everyday until Christmas, we take part in some type of service that reflects the sacrifice and love Jesus Christ did during his time on Earth. It feel so amazing to serve, and be served, and as we do so, it makes us more aware of all that God has done and the many blessings he has given. I invite you all to join! (: there are videos everyday to support the service of the day, so feel free to look it up. It's worldwide - so any service you're doing, you're not doing alone! Millions of people are alongside you. 

mormon.org

We served at a less active member's house a few days ago, by helping them garden so that they could gain some extra income (being that their financial situation is very rough) and as we did, I noticed that in their house, which was made of tin and had no furniture, stood a makeshift tree made out of rolled up red paper and used bottle caps for ornaments. I couldn't help but compare it to the tree we put up yearly at home and stand amazed at all the blessings we constantly manage to overlook. I invite you to seek to give, instead of receive, this upcoming Christmas season. I promise that as you center your hearts on Christ and not on the worldly items of the world, we will better understand the REAL meaning of Christmas - we will understand that God, as a gift to us, sacrificed His Beloved Son, that all mankind might be saved.

I love the gospel of Jesus Christ, and I know it to be true. I invite you to find out for yourself, by joining my sister and I in the challenge her mission in North Dakota gave, to read the Book of Mormon before Christmas, and pray to know it is true, as a gift to show our love for Christ. 

I love you all!

Sister Calica |

Happy :)

OKAY for all of you who want to know...SISTER CALICA 2.0 IS AT THE MTC and is doing amazing, and I'm gonna add a little pic at the bottom and a little throwback pic on my own because #MASAYA (HAPPY)

 

This week has been awesome! My companion, Sister Swanson, and I walk miles and miles and miles without rest, but it's 100% worth it. We've gotten to meet and teach tons of people, and their back story never ceases to amaze me.

There is one little old woman that was converted into the church for a little under a year now, and we go to visit her often, to offer service and share spiritual thoughts. What I love about missionary work is that it's all about LOVE and our message applies to everyone. This nanay was always so happy and preppy, until last thursday I'd never guess that she had such a tragic backstory. She got married at 13 and lost her 2 children and 19 year old husband in a bomb in incident, just 4 years after getting married. She spent the rest of her life studying and teaching in africa and america to try to forget them...but as she shared her experience with us, it was obvious that the pains were still fresh, as she couldn't finish due to tears.

I am grateful that I know that I know - and that she can find comfort in the fact that - life doesn't end here. Our souls are eternal, there is life after death, and we are meant to share that life with our families forever in the presence of God. I'm grateful for my family, and their love and support for me. I'm grateful for this gospel and for the chance I have to share it with the world. I hope that each of you may take the time and truly appreciate the message that God has been waiting to share with you! 

I love you all and hope the best for you always, 

Sister Calica