The Mayon and Mango Tarts

 

"To believe in God is to know that all the rules will be fair, and that there will be wonderful surprises." - Ugo Betti

Hello hello dear family! well we had a most wonderful jam packed week here in Goa Town - and other places. The overview is that we spent lots of time on a bus.  The lack of sleep led to laughing fits every night on our long walks home. We also have been living off of Ritz crackers because there is not enough time to cook. We had my favorite mango tarts at zone conference. We literally had to run home after our Sunday morning appt because of a compressed schedule. The other highlight is that I find that I always find comfort in the scriptures.  

We were back to Iriga for 2 days on Tuesday and Wednesday for splits with the missionaries there. That meant we had 2 days of full on tracting; which I have never done in my whole mission. I have tracted but usually in between lessons or when appointments fall through. This was full on no lessons were scheduled so we had "tao po-ing" (which means person) at every door all day every day. With so many missionaries coming in they are doubling and tripling up companionships in nearly every area which means lots of newly opened areas.  It is a fun energy having so many missionaries and being a part of the Lords work as it hastens onward! I was also able to see the Mayon Volcano again which I have missed seeing since I served in Ligao.  

Thursday morning we woke up early and said bye to the Mayon and headed back to Goa on one of the Harry Potter like buses that I think I have referenced in an earlier letter - they literally can shrink in and out of traffic. 

Friday we had Zone Conference in Goa and we were in charge of the catering.  We decided to put in some extra effort and wear makeup which turned out to be a bad choice.  It was a really warm day and makeup and hair down doesn’t mesh well with hauling tables and moving large bins of rice. We had a small eatery cater the Zone Conference lunch: rice (of course), BBQ chicken breast, mixed veggies kind of in a stir fry type way and then this mango tart that is so delish!  But the conference was wonderful and we were able to rewatch the world wide missionary broadcast as part of our Zone Conference. It is wonderful how missionary work is changing to a focus on working with all members.  

It was a tough week as far as investigators go.  It seemed that our faith has been tested over and over again as we are placed into moments when we must make our stand and bare testimony. We seemed to teach about the plan of salvation quite often this week.  This is one of the most difficult lessons for me to teach because there is so much that can be taught but I love it because we can teach about the atonement and eternal families.  Some times it is so hard for me to understand why things go so wrong out here; why people stray from commitments; or decide they don’t want us not to come back.  I have begun to understand how fully committed God is to this plan, he gave us agency and no matter how difficult it is for him to watch his children suffer, he is not going back on his promise to let us chose.  His full commitment also gives me a comforting understanding that if we do the best we can, nothing can go permanently wrong.  He truly is always there to catch me.  

She thinks her dog is a stuffed animal

 

Yesterday morning we went to go contact a referral that ended up being way up in the mountains and it took much longer than we had anticipated.  When we got out of the lesson we had 40 minutes to get home, eat and get to church.  So we grabbed our bags in our arms and literally took off in a run.  Good thing we were in the mountains and there were no people but I am sure we were quite the sight. One tall American and one small Filipina in skirts full on sprinting through the hills of rice.  

Well I am grateful for another wonderful week to wear the name of Jesus Christ.  I am grateful for the hope His atonement gives me.  Like it says in Ether my hope in Him is the anchor for my soul. It gives me strength and it brings me joy.  

Have a wonderful week! 

padanga ko kamo 

Sister Christensen