Pananampalataya (faith)

I know I haven't been the best at updating this blog, sometimes there just isn't enough time. It is funny how time works. It feels like you have all the time in the world until all of a sudden, wala na, it's gone. I think it is funny how the new missionaries come in and people ask them how much time they have left and their response is, "I have until the second coming." I remember myself getting here and thinking, I have so much time and how I feel like it will last forever, but the crazy thing is, it just flies! Time for me is running short here in the Pines and I can't help but reflect on the time that I have spent and think how I can improve in the little time I have left. One thing that we all have is, the opportunity to improve, but it takes so much faith.

I remember in the MTC, one of the first words I learned and really liked because I thought how ridiculously long it was for such a short English word.  The word is "pananampalataya" and  it means FAITH. Yesterday, the Philippines had the opportunity to hear from Elder Neil L. Anderson in a general area broadcast. He testified that faith isn't just something we have or we don't have. It is a something that we can grow. As I have had my faith tried and tested a ton in this last year, I can firmly say that I have faith that Heavenly Father hears our prayers and that he loves us.  Jesus Christ, our Savior is always there to help us as we draw closer to Him. 

Sometimes we have to experiment upon the things we know before our faith can grow. When we are in the process of improving, it takes great faith to know that improvement is possible through the help of our Savior. Sometimes faith is tested when we don't receive that instant witness, but know that Heavenly Father answers prayers in His own time, and in His own way.

Last Monday and Tuesday were the norm. But, Wednesday we had Mission Leader Conference, this is where this weeks miracle happened. So I decided before Sister Romano and I went to Cauayan that I was cursed and shouldn't be allowed to hold anything. The first time I went to MLC, I lost my wallet. The second, even worse, I lost my scriptures. I accidentally forgot them on the bus we took to get back to Ilagan. I know...typical me, I loose everything. So I made it a point that I was not going to loose anything this time. As MLC ended I was talking to one sister who knew that I had lost my scriptures and I had told her that I never found them. But as we were talking, an elder over heard and said he found them sitting on a bus one day. I had left them on a bus a over month a ago and he just so happened to ride that very same bus were he found them in the same place that I had left them. AMAZING! He gave them to another elder to bring into Cauayan because he thought the other elder would be heading up before him. Our timing was off but hopefully I will get them back this week. I AM GOING TO GET THEM BACK!! AND an even bigger miracle... I didn't loose anything else this past MLC. I've broken my curse!!! Can I just say how much Heavenly Father loves me, despite my air-headed moments. At first, I was hopeful I would see my scriptures again but after time passed and never finding them everytime I had a chance to check, I started to loose hope thinking there were probably loooong gone but hoped whoever found them would read them and feel the power of the true gospel. OH! Prayers are answered! I just can't get over how amazing it is! #grateful

Mahal ko kayo!