Maayong hapon everyone!
[Sister Fuentas and me...First companionship pic!]
Currently I'm emailing from [my new area] (basically I got transferred 2 hours away from my old area and it's sobrang city here! I mean it's no Los Angeles city pero it's so busy here compared sa previous area ko (to my previous area). I'll give a recap once again of my week!
Monday night -
[The three kids I taught 😀]
[Going to miss them so much!]
After emailing I started packing a little and then after beginning to pack, I went all over [the area] to say bye to members, recent converts, and investigators! No tears were shed pero it was honestly really sad to say bye sa ila tanan (to all of them). I didn't get to say bye to everyone pero I will definitely write them letters! They will have a special place sa tagipusuon ko (in my heart). After saying goodbyes, we went home and I packed some more.
Tuesday -
[On the way to my next area!]
[Bishop offered us dinner at a place called S&R
and it's basically a branch of Costco!
They have a lot of American products.
This Elder is in my batch!
We were in the same class learning
Hiligaynon like 5 months ago now!
Time flies, and now we're in the same ward!]
[Crabs for dinner. Buti na lang di-ko
(Good thing I'm not) allergic anymore!]
Transfer day! Woke up, finished packing everything and I headed to the bus terminal. After mga (about) 2 hours, I arrive to the transfer point to meet my new companion - Sister Fuentes! I've been on the mission one transfer cycle (6 weeks) longer than her so we're both still babies sa mission 😊 I'm really grateful that members of my new ward came to pick us up because I honestly have so much stuff! 😆 When we got to sa balay namon (our home), I unpacked all my stuff and we went straight to work! Sister Fruentes took me to one area that missionaries nickname "The Promised Land" because you can spend a whole day working there just teaching! We taught two recent converts and it was nami gid (really cool) to teach with Sister Fuentes tungod sobrang magaling siya (because she's so good) at teaching for understanding. After, a member offered us dinner. Crabs on my first night here 😋
Wednesday -
[My new area!]
[My first full day in my 2nd area and
I experience a wedding already! Astig (Cool)! 😄]
[Picture with the newly weds!]
Today was a crazy day! I experienced my first church wedding. From this couple, actually only the wife was being taught because the husband is already a member. The Elders in our ward are the ones teaching them because the couple lives in their area, pero Bishop wanted us to come be witnesses for the wedding ceremony. After we went to S&R, and ate pizza and it was sooo good. I'm surprised I actually missed eating pizza!
Thursday -
[Sister Fuentes made me a cover for my planner!]
Sister Fuentes showed me more of the area so I can get a feel of where everything is. My new area isn't as big as [the last one] pero it's still pretty big! I like having big areas tungod (because) there's a lot of opportunities to meet people that we can share the gospel to.
Friday -
[Former Mission President in Mindanao
and his wife who know one of my titos (uncles)!
President kag (and) my tito served a
service mission here sa Iloilo before!]
[Goodbye tricycles, hello jeepneys]
[Yumm, fresh buko (coconut)!]
A highlight of this day was that we met [a former Mission President and his wife who served in Mindanao] in 2010. They are originally from Davao and after sharing a spiritual message to them, I got curious if they knew [the family of Sister Apao, my friend serving in Hong Kong right now] because [she is] also from Davao. They said yes and then they asked if I knew "J. M." and I was like "yes that's my Tito!" Turns out, that President and [his wife] served in Iloilo the same time as my Tito many years ago! It was really comforting to have someone here in the same area that knows my family! It was funny because [the wife] said ka-muka ko ang Tita V. ko (I look like my aunt).
Saturday -
[The Elders had a baptism for this Sister!]
[One recent convert here sa new area ko]
[My companion's 21st birthday!]
Another busy day! Just some highlights is that we had at a baptism at church! This sister is so amazing like her testimony was just so heart-warming. That's my favorite part of baptisms honestly - after the ordinance itself where the those who were baptized share their testimony and what they are feeling at that specific moment. I only met her Wednesday but she and I are really close already! She just has such a sweet presence to her and I love talking to her 😊 After the baptism, we celebrated Sister Fuentes' birthday!
Sunday -
[When it's rainy season 😆]
[May baha 'di! (There's a flood here!)]
My first Sunday [in my second area's] ward was great! It kind of reminds me of my home ward back in California. I was grateful to stand in front of the podium and introduce myself to the ward 😄 There's a lot of people who attend church here and it's so cool because they speak a mix of Tagalog, Ilonggo, and English! I sometimes still say Karay-a words, haha! Everyone in the ward was so nice and it was a spiritually uplifting Sunday. After church, a member offered us lunch so we went to her house and ate lunch. After we were going to head out to visit and teach some people but it started raining hard for like 4 hours! And it was not only raining but it was really strong and windy! Thankfully we were indoors and we waited for the rain to calm down so we can head out. On the way home, there was a high flood and it was crazy! I felt like I was in the Indiana Jones ride at Disneyland because the ride was so bumpy and on the way home, the engine stopped! I was freaking out pero it started working again. It was definitely such a crazy day! I have never experienced rain this extreme! Pero I am from Los Angeles, a.k.a. the place that's always in a drought, so I really don't know what rainy weather is like.
My first couple of days here has been overall good pero not the easiest. They do say that your first transfer away from your first area is the hardest and now I understand why. I know that over time it will be easier, it just takes a lot of adjusting. Kag kabalo ako (And I know that) as I lose myself in the work and service of others, I will feel more adjusted as well! There's a lot of change going on pero I like to keep this scripture in mind -
25 Now this was a great trial to those that did stand fast in the faith; nevertheless, they were steadfast and immovable in keeping the commandments of God, and they bore with patience the persecution which was heaped upon them.
Continual faith, keeping the commandments, and patience will bless us all in the long run. Hope you are all doing well! 'Til next week.
Halong kamo pirme,
Sister Ventura
Philippines Iloilo Mission (Jan 2018 - July 2019)
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*Some names have been changed or omitted to protect the privacy of individuals.
Send me an e-mail:
elza.ventura@myldsmail.net
Written letters and packages:
Sister Elza Ventura
Philippines Iloilo Mission
Osmeña Street,
Arevalo, Iloilo City,
5000 Iloilo
Philippines
*Some names have been changed or omitted to protect the privacy of individuals.