Polatis Missionaries

This week was a great one! It started out on Tuesday with a little Earthquake! It was my first one in my whole life! Kind of crazy! I had just gotten out of the shower and was preparing for our trip to Bacolod and seriously I just thought I was hot and wavering back and forth then everything started shaking, Sister Lumancas came running in and was like "Sister Polatis, DON'T MOVE we are having an earth quake!" So we stood there until the ground stopped shaking then moved forward with our day! It wasn't that bad in La Carlota but I heard other places got it pretty hard! We got all ready and we had to travel to Bacolod for the mission tour! We got there and we were staying with other sisters just so that we werent late the next day!

Wednesday we had our Mission tour! Brent Neilsen, He is the Area President of the Philippines so he was the one that came! He is from Idaho and said that he had visited the Terreton stake! So that was kind of interesting! We had a good training about how to help those who are less active here and we talked of ways to help retain our members! That is the hardest part of this mission! The spirit was so strong and I just had a little prick in my heart telling me that I am doing good but to strive everyday to be better. We talked a little bit about our calling as missionaries and how sometimes we get a little bit hesitant to say what the spirit is telling us to say but those are the times that we need to remember that Satan is the one who is holding us back! And if we are speaking with love and real love for the people they wont take it bad! They will be inspired!

So on Sunday we had that little boy who said he wanted to be baptized, Well we have been teaching him like everyday! We extended him a date to be baptized on Nov 9!! He was so excited! He has been reading his Book of Mormon and has so many questions about Nehpi, and he was so confused as to why Lamen and Lemuel were so dumb! We got really excited because he is actually thinking while he reads, not just reading because we tell him to! His dad is actually really excited the only thing is that he works on Sunday, like every other Sunday! So we are trying to make sure that his dad is there and listening and hopefully it will help him to realize his testimony again and come back to church!

Friday we did member exchanges again! It was really successful! The sister who came with me is the YW president! We found a few less actives who I didn't even know existed! But one wasn't to thrilled that we found her! I started out telling her we were so excited to see her and get to know her and her family and then she basically told me where to go! So I just had this impression to talk, so I opened my mouth not really sure what I was going to say to this lady who basically told me to leave but I opened my mouth and words just started coming out! My heart was pounding so hard and I just told her that she made a choice a long time ago to be a member, no one forced her into it! That now is the time to prepare and Jesus Christ will always be there for her even if she wont accept him now! This was the first time here that I bore my testimony and started to cry! I know that the spirit was with me and maybe I was a little frustrated that she was denying what she knew! Really I prayed so hard that her heart would be softened and later I prayed that she would come around! I have no idea why but something was different with her!! So we shall see! My companion, Sister Grace later told me I was super bold and she thought that I was going to burst haha!

We had a good day of teaching on Saturday. We were out and worked super hard! We want to see the numbers improve in our sacrament attendance. So we tried to see as many as possible!! Had a good day Sunday! I am learning how to cook! Sister Lumancas taught me how to cook so I made Chicken Adobo and Bihon haha she was like "Your mom will be disappointed in you if you come home and all you know how to make is PB&J haha so slowly I am learning! We went to the market and they bought their chicken all boney and with the skin on it and then when it was my turn I told the lady to please remove the bone and the skin they rolled their eyes and laughed at me! They give me a lot of crap for that! So this week has been awesome! I love it!!

Transfers are this week! I am sure we will be getting a phone call here shortly! We really have no idea what is happening! I think that I will be staying but we try not to predict! I will let you know how it goes next week! I love you all! This gospel is true! I started the Book of Mormon again and I got a clean one, and it is crazy how much new insights I receive every time I read! Marked differently! I got to the part where it is talking about the wives of Nephi and his brothers and how at first they started out weak but over time and the longer they stayed in the wilderness they stronger they became and were able to perform duties the same as the men! It applies to us as Sisters here, yes our living conditions are not the greatest but if we trust and just go for it we will be fine! And probably work harder than the Elders haha joke lang!! But that is all! I love you! Be good and have a great wedding day!!! Wish I was there!!! Travel safely wherever you are going! Lou, your hair is legit!! I love it!!! Until Next week!!

Love Sister S Polatis