The week of Tacloban!

I'm copying and pasting part of my letter to President Maurer so I
don't have to type it again haha. Kapoy!

Hello President!
This week was kind of sad because we only got to work in our area for
2 days. You actually already know this, because we were in Tacloban
all week. Poor Sister Asug has a pretty mean ear infection that she
didn’t tell me about for a week! She’s so cute, she said she was shy.
But I have straightened her right out about that she doesn’t need to
be shy to me because I just want to help her. So she’s doing good now.
Apparently there’s still a discharge from her ear but it’s different
from the one before in a good way? .. (I don’t fluently speak Tagalog
and she doesn’t fluently speak english so sometimes our communication
isn’t completely clear.. Haha.) But anyway, it’s been a good week!
Lots of companionship bonding. The funny thing is, no matter what the
reason is that I can’t work, I’m never fully happy or content with
just sitting around. I guess I’ve been blessed to learn the value of
good, hard, work. It was only for two days, and our number of lessons
is kind of small because we have a ward member who translates
literally everything I say into understandable Waray Waray, but
there’s really no acceptable substitute. I go home feeling SO tired
that I just want to drop and sleep, but it’s like the best tired
feeling in the world. I guess that is my miracle this week. It’s that
I further understand the healing power of the atonement. It doesn’t
happen when you’re giving all the attention to yourself, it happens
when you “forget yourself and go to work!” It’s like they always say
in Preach my Gospel, I’m so tired and I don’t know why, but I’m so
happy! And I feel a sense of peace that I don’t think I could find
anywhere else. About the language.. from what you read you already
know that I’m not doing so hot. I think my anak speaks better Waray
Waray than I do! Haha but for me it’s just an Ether 12:27 moment. I am
glad that Heavenly Father cares about me enough to teach me about
trust in Him. As for the work, it’s going good. We had more
investigators come to church, but unfortunately some of them are
children that have been previously taught without their parents. So
we’re going to try to get their parents to listen and see how that
goes. We have seen a LOT of less active or inactive members and we
want to focus there, because it’s pretty pointless to bring more
people to a ward that’s losing them as fast as they comes. We’ve
already had a couple of stories of success with that, and one even
brought her live in to church with her! So we’re just going to press
forward with faith and rescue the sheep that had previously been found
but were lost again, though we will of course be looking for new
investigators also.
Well, that’s about it this week. Thanks for everything President!
Love, Sister Sprouse

Okay, I might do that more often. That's such a time saver! In
addition, we went to Tacloban (a five our van trip) for specialized
trainings. It was so fun! We got lots of good instruction from the
APs, Zone Leaders, and President. Then my favorite workshop was Sister
Maurer. She's concerned about the health and nutrition of the
missionaries, so she taught us to cook and then we ate the lunch we
cooked! Best workshop ever! Haha (: After that, we stayed in Tacloban
for 2 days for Sister Asug's ear infection. We were literally out of
our area from Monday to Friday! But like you read, we got to work for
two wonderful days in Dolores and DapDap. Dolores Branch is so good!
President Cesista told the youth that they have to work with the
missionaries to get their makeup work done so we have members to work
with us every day!! It's so funny at MCM it's like an auction for who
can work with us on what days. I've never felt so popular! They're all
yelling "Waray na utang!" Which means no more debt!

Arnilyn, the awesome one who came back after being inactive since
April, began the Book of Mormon after our last visit to her, and is
now in Alma 5 as of Saturday. She also brought her live in partner
with her to church and has a desire to get sealed in the temple. She's
amazing! Also, because of her, her less active mom has come to church
for the past two weeks and her little brother wants to be baptized and
also came to church with her. This all happened after just one visit
that I didn't even think seemed that insignificant! Lesson learned; we
never know what lives we can change from one visit to one person, even
if you don't think you did that much. We're just working on her father
and younger sister so they can all come back as a family (:.

Alright, that's what I have for you this week! Missionary work is the best!!
LOVE YOU!
Sister Sprouse

Hello, Everyone!

It's been a good week! I've really enjoyed training for these last two weeks. That's probably because I have the best trainee ever! Sister Asug is already teaching in Waray Waray! She still uses Tagalog, but she's learned so much faster than I thought she would! It is pretty funny though how diverse my languages are. We were riding on a trike and I started talking to the driver. Turns out he worked in Cebu so he knows Cebuano! So I started talking to him in Cebuano, he answers in Waray, and my companion speaks to him in Tagalog. I just chuckled a bit to myself because it was just so weird that we were speaking 3 different languages but we could all understand. Gotta love the gift of tongues!

Anyway, this week, Sister Asug committed this sister, Sister Arlyn, to baptism this week! She was really nervous, especially since she committed her in Waray, but she did great, and she accepted! We're preparing her for baptism on October 11. = She's really good! She has a daughter who is active and she had already come a couple times before we were able to teach her! She came again this week. We actually had 3 investigators come this week. Training is funny because I was more excited to see Sister Asug's reaction than I was about them being there. (Not that I wasn't excited about them being there.) She just lit up! We also had one sister and her mom come back too.. She's been inactive since April. But she was there! Sister Asug was really excited because last week the attendance was 45 and this week it was 61. We just have to keep being diligent and obedient and I know we can make miracles happen here. This week we have members scheduled to work with us every day! (:

Mom! I forgot to tell you last week! I got your package! Thank you so so so much! It was perfect!! I am now very loved by those who live in my apartment. We made the Pasta Roni and it was perfect because this recent convert always brings us seafood (her husband's a fisherman) so we put fresh shrimp in it too! It was really good! Thank you! You're such a good package sender! 

Okay, I think that's all for this week! I love you all so much! Have a wonderful week!  

The whirlwind Week!

WOW. It's been a crazy one. this week went by so fast I can't even remember everything of what happened!

First things first, what you're all wondering, I did get to see Elder Simmons. He looks great! I almost didn't even recognize him, not that he looks any different, but because he just has a glow about him.  He was just beaming the whole time and gave the best testimony out of the lot of them. He's going to be a spiritual giant I can tell.

It was so funny because all of the new elders knew me. They were like, oh so you're the famous sister sprouse! (the shift bar on this computer doesn't work, i'm not even gonna try haha) they already knew me, and my companion already knew him. It's a pretty big deal when you have someone from your ward come to your mission. Also, and this is the coolest part, HE'S ASSIGNED IN ALBUERA! So I gave him a list of all the people he really needs to visit since I was literally the last missionary in that area. I'm so happy it's him there! He's going to love it. and they were smart to send the military man there haha (:.

My anak (child, or trainee) is Sister Asug. She's Philipina and she's the CUTEST thing ever. She speaks tagalog, so it's good that I know it. she has a really big desire to be obedient and diligent and share the gospel. I love her SO much! I wish I could send a picture but I don't have a card reader . anyway, just know she's the cutest little thing you've ever seen.

I'm now speaking waray waray h so it's been interesting. I've only ever spoken the s variety and it was different because of allen. But so far so good!
also, sister smith is also training in the same house and district as me. It's going to be the best two cycles of my life!

Okay, i have to go! Love you all so much!

Sister sprouse

 

Baybay, week 2

How are you all doing?! This week has been a busy one! Baybay is doing good! We've found a couple of investigators with good potential! Besides that, there's been a lot of walking around looking for people to teach, but where there's a will, there's a way! There's also a Sister who was almost baptized before but there were some problems, but we're pretty sure she can be baptized now, and she wants to be! So we'll definitely go back to her. Also, I am THE LUCKIEST girl in the world. I found the last October and May editions of the conference talks in my new apartment. They pretty much occupy any free time that I have! 

We had a sister's sleepover last night at the STL's apartment! It was super fun. I'm sending a picture. 

Well... Mom, I know you're going to kill me because this is all I wrote and I'm SORRY! 

Oh wait, I can tell you one more thing. We went on splits and we started teaching this boy who said he'd been taught by the missionaries when he was 16 (he's 22 now) but he hid from them because he didn't want to change religions. So we started teaching him, and he didn't want us to come back, but at the end of the lesson, I was getting ready to commit him for baptism, and he asked "can you come back here?" Then he said ÿou're different from the last missionaries. And he didn't say how in words, but he touched his heart. It was such a cool testament to me of how important the spirit is. He committed to baptism if he knew it was true, and reading the book of mormon to know if it's true. It was so cool! I love times like that! 

Okay that's all I love you so much! Sister Sprouse

Saying Baybay to Albuerra

Hello!

This last week has been crazy! There has been lots of crime in Albuerra, and it's not safe for sisters anymore, so we picked up our belongings, left our beautiful, progressing area, and left for Baybay, a city that's just about 45 minutes away. Elders will come in on September 11. 

BUT before that, great things happened! Brother Dino got his cenomar! Which you all don't know what that means, but it was the only thing that he needed to be able to be baptized, and is usually a HUGE obstacle for the baptismal candidates. He's hopefully going to be baptized Sept 6, and we get to come to the baptism!! Also, Nelson did a turn around! He's coming to seminary now too! 

Here in Baybay there is a Muslim church that has mass. Loudly. Every morning. At 4:30 a.m. I'm investing in ear plugs! Haha. This area is a little bit slow, but I'm excited to get working and change that. We're the 1st sisters to serve in Baybay since the storm! 

Also, one sister has a sister who is serving at Temple Square right now!! I want to visit her when I get home!! 

I'm sorry this is so short, but I've kind of run out of time! I love you all so much! Have a wonderful week! 

Love, Sister Sprouse

Nindot Kaayu .......

So I just glanced over at my companion's screen and she's writing the mission president. She wrote: How's mission life is threatening you?" I'm trying really hard not to laugh right now. I know I should probably tell her but it might be weird that I'm looking at her screen... Anyways. 

This week was AWESOME! Yesterday we had 11 investigators come to church! There's this family that is SO ridiculously golden but the wife had a c section, but she's finally better and she showed up with her family and their baby! So nindot. And this family that we barely contacted but hadn't even gotten to teach also came to church. The husband afterward was like "everything we talked about in church was so cool! Do you have any books I could have to read?"  It was a great day. Lloyd moved to Ormoc but he showed up at the Church there and he's in the STL's area, so they called and assured me that he was there (I was really sad because I thought he was lost in the wilderness) and that they'd teach the new member lessons to him.

We helped garden this week! It's a lot different than gardening here because we just go to the rain forest and chop things with machete's haha.

Besides that,there's not a whole lot that's new. Nelson doesn't want to be baptized anymore :( once Lloyd left he took a turn for the worse. Just praying for revelation on how to help him. But I trust Heavenly Father that if it's his time, he'll be baptized. And if not, it's better that he doesn't if he's not ready!

Love you all! If you know Sister Ruppe, email her and tell her Happy Birthday!

Sister Sprouse

The weeks go by faster and faster!

Hello everyone! I can't believe I'm already writing you again! Where is my life going?

This week has been kind of interesting. I've learned so much during my mission about how important keeping the mission rules is, ESPECIALLY the small ones like the morning schedule and waiting to write people until Pday. We had a problem with that in our companionship and I was shocked to see a lot of tolerance and even stubbornness in breaking the small rules, even after the rules were made known. It caused quite a problem but then I decided to pray to Heavenly Father for help in what I should say and do to help the problem. We opened our daily planning with a song and a prayer, and I found the words that I needed to say and the questions that I needed to ask being put into my mouth. It really built my testimony that if we rely in Heavenly Father, He will help us, even if it just means being tactful and solving a problem in an effective manner. Since then, obedience has really improved in our companionship, and we have better been able to accomplish the work.

We have two girls who have been going to church, and want to be baptized. The only problem is that their parents are inactive and have been for about 10 or so years. I want them to be able to be baptized, but I know that the bigger picture is that this gospel is for families. So we are praying for their parents hearts to be softened. The mother seems to be almost there, but the father has a long way to go. So everyone's prayers for the Mistola family would be much appreciated!!

I got to go on exchanges with Sister Vea from the MTC. You might remember that she's the Tongan who loved chocolate and hated exercise haha. I had so much fun! She's so cute! She still loves chocolate but she's changed a lot! It was really cool to see someone who began this journey with me and all the progress that she's made with the help of Heavenly Father.

Also, I still talk in my sleep in Visaya! I wonder if it will be like that for the rest of my life. My subconscious is a Philipina! Also, my companion hit her 1/2 way point this week! I remember when I did that! It feels like yesterday! My mission is going by in the blink of an eye!

Okay that's all I love you all so much!!

Love, Sister Sprouse

Oh, also, Lloyd blessed the sacrament yesterday. It was the most beautiful thing I've ever heard (: