November 2, 2014

Choir, me, and the violinist practicing the night before at the mission home.

"Three generation" picture.  Kenna's trainer, Kenna, and Kenna's trainee.  :)

Magandang hapon ulit,

This week was so much fun. The musical number for mission tour that I was in charge of was a wonderful success. The spirit was sooo strong. (The picture attached is the choir, me, and the violinist practicing the night before at the mission home.) Elder Robbins from the quorum of the 70 came and spoke to us and we got to hear Elder Oaks give his area broadcast last night. I'm grateful for inspired men leading this church. He addressed a particular issue that is crippling the family unit in the Philippines - fathers are leaving to work over seas indefinitely in areas like Saudi Arabia. It's leading to marital problems, problems in raising children, and a dependency of the women on the income of the men. They speficially advised Filipinos not to leave their families despite the money circumstances. 

Halloween was super lame sauce. I think I saw a paper sign in the window of the gas station that said "Happy Halloween" and a kid with a paper mask wandering down the street. Their holiday is All Soul's Day which is November 1 where they go to the cemetary to mourn over their deceased relatives and drink alcohol. So on that day, Sister Gison and I decided to use the pass-along card of the resurrected Christ and testify of the resurrection through his atonement to OYM people going to and coming from the cemeteries. It worked pretty well! We also experienced running out of money and scraping the fridge for food until it was completely empty so we just prayed that we would be able to get by until the next support period. And all of the sudden, people who we never expected were inviting us to stay for dinner and random tricycle drivers giving us free rides. The Lord is most definitely taking care of us. 

I'm really dreading my first workshop on Saturday... by myself. Sisters never do it alone so everyone is joking that I'm the "Sister District Leader." Pfff,

Also attached is the "generation picture" of me, my momma and my daughter. Other than this there is nothing to report, not much time today.. I love you all! (If you want you can read what I wrote to the president: I took up Elder Robbins' challenge to read 1 Nephi 1-5 to better understand h"ow revelation comes, and to figure out why the sons of Lehi took 3 trips back to Jerusalem. One insight I gained is that the first time they went, they relied on themselves. They cast lots and based their plan on a game of chance and went forth to Laban without a plan. The second time, Nephi was "led by the spirit, not knowing beforehand" what he should do. He trusted in God and was receptive enough to the spirit that he was able to hear the spirit tell him to kill Laban. If he had not allowed himself to be guided by the spirit of revelation, with his character, he would never have been able to kill Laban, nor would the thought have ever crossed his mind in the first place. And if he had not killed Laban he most likely would not have obtained the brass plates which revealed Lehi's genealogy. The plates would have never gone for to all of Lehi's seed or been a benefit to them as promised in 1 Nephi 5:18-22. Without the brass plates as it says in Alma 37:9, the Lamanites in 74 BC would not have repented which would have changed the course of history. Needless to say, personal revelation is essential!"

Sister Wilson

Edited to add, from a later email:

Mission conference went amazing! It was soooo fun to have all the musical missionaries in the mission home to spend the evening practicing and then sleeping in the mission home with all my closest friends. The song was GORGEOUS. Go to amywebbmusic.com (I think that's the site) and search "I Know That My Redeemer Lives" and listen to the mp3 of the arrangement. I forgot to record it -- sorry! I'll send pics that sister Bertin sent us from the mission home in a sec. :)