Thrilla in Manila Part II

Hello.

My life is completely different since I last emailed. So much has changed.

It started out on Tuesday morning getting a text from Sister Guanzon telling me to pack everything and that they were sending me to the MRC. The MRC is in Manila, the "Missionary Recovery Center" and it's the only one in the world. Basically when missionaries are sick here in the Philippines, they get sent to the MRC to do testing and treatment to help them (ya know, because the medical care here is less than satisfactory). So I packed. And waited. I didn't here anything else until I bugged the AP's and they told me they were bringing Sister Delgado to my apartment that night and that we would be going to the MRC together. She has some medical problems going on right now as well. When Sister Delgado got to our apartment, she told me our flight was scheduled for Thursday morning.

So Wednesday I went on exchanges with Sister Haag. She's from California and she's one of the best missionaries I've ever met. She was very patient with my sickness and my inability to work very much. We talked a lot and it was an incredible exchange. She taught me a lot of things that I needed to hear at that time.

We got picked up early Thursday morning by the office elders and went to the airport. Worst airport experience ever. We go through security and everything and are just waiting, when they announce over the speaker that our flight has been cancelled. Due to weather. So everyone is freaking out and we wade through a sea of Filipinos to get to the desk to reschedule our flight. It was insane. We somehow managed to get them to allow Elder Dalit to come in and fix our flight even though they're typically not allowed to come in. Sister Delgado may or may not have pretended she couldn't speak Tagalog to get that to happen... haha. So, after LOTS of waiting, we finally get a flight booked for Friday afternoon. We spend the rest of the day in the air conditioning in the mission office and sleeping in the Daraga sisters' apartment.

Friday we get to the airport and guess what... our flight is delayed. The 2:25 flight became a 5:15 flight. Welcome to the Philippines. But, we met a family of members in the airport. They are from South Jordan I believe and the dad works in Manila in the embassy and it was so cool to meet them and actually speak in English for once. It was such a good conversation talking about all of the culture differences and quirks of the Philippines. Finally we landed in Manila and we ate at COLDSTONE. Yeah. I am deprived. Our driver, Pilo, was very grumpy during the drive to the MRC so that was no fun. We got to the MRC at about 9:30 and we meet all of the missionaries there. Elder and Sister Kasteler are the senior couple running the place. Right when we get there, Sister K sits us down and gives us a muffin. I'm just thinking "I like this place" haha. not much else happened, I just had culture shock from being in civilization, and we slept.

Saturday we got to go to the temple to do service. We folded laundry in the basement for about two hours, went back to the MRC and ate chili, then went back to the temple to do an endowment session. It's been almost a year and it was the greatest thing of my whole life. I. love. the. temple. I never realized how blessed I was to have a temple 20 minutes from my house all throughout growing up.

Sunday we went to church in a ward under Quezon City Mission. It was the most spiritual sacrament meeting ever. There were incredible testimonies and I was bawling through the whole thing. The members were so kind and sweet even though they didn't even know us. We got to watch a little part of General Conference later that day and it was INCREDIBLE. President Eyering's opening talk was absolutely incredible and I definitely receive lots of answers to questions.

The MRC is an incredibly spiritual experience in itself. I've learned so much and I've met some incredible people. We're just trying to figure out my migraines and letting me rest. I'm very grateful to be here, it's definitely part of God's plan for me. I love the Philippines and I love being a missionary. I have complete trust in God that it will all work out. I've been given some incredible priesthood blessings and some amazing counsel. I'm grateful for this trial, because I've learned so much and grown so much. I'm incredibly blessed to have Sister Delgado here with me experiencing all of this. That's definitely a tender mercy.

I love you all and I hope you have a great week! Never forget that God is in charge, and everything will work out!

Mahal ko kayo!

Sister Wilkins

Re: Pictures Week 51

1. I missed the temple

2. again

3. I'm orange thanks to Sister Delgado's camera

4. yeah. print this one out and frame it.

5. Polaroids

Pictures Week 51

1. On the plane

2. After the cancelled flight.. before we left for the airport the next day

3. waiting at the airport

4. Bye, Legazpi

MIRACLES > trials

Hello all and welcome to another episode of "Sister Wilkins is sick"

That has been my week. haha. So for those who don't know, last year, before I left on my mission, I started getting what is called "complicated migraines". Basically it's migraines, but they're complicated to explain.. haha.. hence the name. But anyways, a year ago I was given medication, and it solved the problem. Fast forward to now, I've grown immune or something and the migraines are coming back. But this time, there's no headache, just all of the other side affects. like dizziness, shakiness, and all over just not feeling right. So I've been to a million doctors (ok, maybe that's an exaggeration. I've been to 4.) and everyone seems like they know what they're doing when they say "whatever it is, it's not what my specialty is". I've been given medicine from a neurologist, and so far, it's not really working. Sister Guanzon has said if we can't figure it out, she'll send me to the Missionary Recovery Center in Manila to figure it out. I've had two priesthood blessings and I've been promised that I'll return to health, so no worries.

So, Monday was checkups all day. Then Tuesday, checkups. The rest of the week was lots of resting. And also we had an early curfew for three nights because it was holy week. All I have to say is Catholic traditions scare me. But we did get to teach a few people. I miss the people. I hate doctors.

Wednesday we went on exchanges. I worked with Sister Pajaro and she is one incredible missionary. I got to teach Iza's sister, Gie, who lives in their area. Sister Delgado and I referred them to the missionaries when we first became companions forever ago. We got word last night that Gie has finally gotten permission from her husband and she'll be baptized on Saturday. I'm SO excited for her!! So I got to hang out with the Daraga sisters and have a sleepover and teach a family I already love! Exchanges are so fun.

Thursday after our district meeting, Bishop took us all out for lunch at this buffet by the airport and it was amazing. Then we got to teach Ester. We've finally located her membership records and she is in fact a member! haha. She was asking me what my first name is and she wrote it in her Book of Mormon and said to me "I'll never forget you, sister. You're the one who brought me back." I basically was crying inside. Guys. I love being a missionary. It's so hard. Sometimes you just want to give up. But the PEOPLE are what make it so worth it. Every person you get to help even in the smallest way is what makes it ALL worth it.

I have to tell y'all a little story about my favorite investigator. Yes, I have one. She's golden. Her name is Kate. When I first got to Legazpi, I tracted her house. She didn't let us in. She came to church three weeks ago with a member, and then last week again she came with her boyfriend who is a less-active member. We've been teaching her this week and can you say GOLDEN? First lesson, we invite her to be baptized and she says "of course I'll be baptized! I have to be baptized first if I want to get married in the temple!" I was just not believing my ears.. haha. She is SO PREPARED to receive the message of the Gospel. She's only 17 years old but she's SO ready. When she prays, she asks Heavenly Father to make it so we can teach her everyday. She said after our first lesson, she knew she wanted to be baptized, but she wasn't sure if she'd be ready by the date we extended to her. She went home and it was a few days before we taught her again. She said every movie she watched, everything she did, she thought about it and found ties in the things she was doing to our message or to the church in some way. The second time we taught her she said it was way too long to wait three days to be taught again. haha. I love her. I see some very good things coming!

So, all in all, even when there are challenges, the work never stops, and it was still another incredible week as a missionary! It's actually kind of a blessing, everything going on with my health, because I literally have to spend every day and every lesson in Legazpi like it's my last, because I really don't know what's going to happen. Whatever does happen, I know it will be according to God's plan, and I'm willing to just do what He wants me to do. I'm so grateful to be a missionary and for every day that I get to put on this name tag, especially during this Easter season. I'm so grateful for my Savior and for the perfect love He has for us and for the sacrifice that He gave for us. Not only did He die for us, but He lived for us. And He lives for us. 

"He lives, and while He lives, I'll sing"

I love you all, have a great week!

Sister Wilkins

Fwd:

pictures from my birthday courtesy of Sis. Delgado

The Week in which I am now 20 years old

Hellloooo

So my birthday was GREAT! Sister Matulac decorated my bed with ribbon and signs and she got the other sisters to come in and wake me up singing happy birthday (she actually woke me up when she was decorating because the tape was making noises, but don't worry, I pretended to still be asleep... haha bless her heart..) We went about the day as normal, but when we got home for dinner I noticed an extra pair of shoes outside and when we opened the door, there were too mattresses on the ground and a blanket that was a little too familiar... Sister Delgado and Sister Davocol were hiding behind the door. They had to come to Legazpi for a checkup and it was the best birthday surprise ever! We got to teach Fred and Iza with them and Fred freaked out when he saw Sister Delgado and it was so funny. The last picture I sent was unfortunately the last picture my camera took.. Hitomi dropped it and broke it. THIS IS MY 4TH CAMERA ON MY MISSION. ugh. (but it has a warranty and they said it will take one month to fix... ugh) That night we stacked oreos on top of each other with peanut butter and put my candles on it and they sang happy birthday to me. It was a good birthday.

Tuesday I got to go on exchanges with Sister Jimenez! I missed her so much! We went to dinner with Sister Delgado and Sister Davocol to celebrate my birthday and it was so much fun. Sister Jimenez left this morning for Manila and tomorrow she flies to Utah. She's gonna be incredible.

We had Zone Conference this week and it was so great! I got to see Sister Routhier and Sister Hunt (but no pictures because no camera... AGAIN) and a bunch of other missionaries that I love. That night the Mulligan Couple came and worked with us. They're teaching me "proper English" a.k.a, I talk in a British accent with them. They love me. haha.

Our investigator Angel who is 10 years old came to church all by herself. she said she went at 5 am but no one was there... haha she was excited! I love kids. She lives really close to the chapel so she can just walk.

This week was full of miracles and great experiences, especially a really great birthday. I can't believe I'm 20. I'm so old.

I love you all and I hope you have a great week!

Sister Wilkins

Tracting and more tracting

Heyooooo.

It was a GREAT week! Tracting tracting tracting and we eded up picking up 22 new investigators. It was CRAZY. haha but SO much fun! I love my new companion!

One night we went to some recent converts house and we helped their grandma peel Mongo so that was fun and then we got to teach them. Their grandmother doesn't live there but she's been a member since the 1970s and she's adorable. I love old people.

We had a miracle happen. Recall to your memory a story I told about Sister Michelle who we tracted in like November when I first got to Legazpi. I clicked so well with her right of the bat and I never cry in a first lesson. So she texted us two transfers ago and said she was going to Manila and she never answered when we asked when she'd be coming back. So when we changed the areas, I kind of thought her neighborhood was in the AP's area. So on Friday night we were walking home after teaching Fred and I see the sign for her neighborhood and I realized that she was still in our area and practically flew down the road to her house. I just wanted to see if she was there. Sure enough, she comes to the door in the middle of dying her hair and she lets us in and tells us she just got home on Monday and she told us everything that's going on and we were able to set a return appointment. I AM SO HAPPY. I cried tears of joy as we left her house. God is good.

We have a million children that love to come join our lessons in one neighborhood and on Saturday we spent the whole afternoon going to each of their families houses and teaching them. Last week their families weren't too keen on letting them come to church, but since we taught their families, 4 of the kids came to church on Sunday. They are so cute. I love kids. After sacrament meeting they wanted to go home, so they walked by themselves home. I was saying the opening prayer in Gospel Principles class when one of them opened the door and got my attention.. haha they had come back because they were scared of someone outside. So we walked them home and are all hot and sweaty when we get back into gospel principles for the teacher to call us up to teach. then we get out of that class and the kids have come back AGAIN. haha. They wanted to go to primary after all. It ended up being a great experience because we got to attend primary with them. Primary songs make me cry. haha.

Sister Infante's trainee is named Sister Albert and she's from Micronesia and I love her. I love being the only one who can actually speak English with her... hahaha. But I struggle with English now... especially if we're trying to teach in English. yeah, no.

Other than that, same old same old. We're doing a lot of finding and a lot of teaching. Just trying to find the elect.

Have a great week! Me and my companion are both turning 20 this week and we've got lots of great things coming up! I'm excited!

Mahal Kita!

Sister Wilkins