Happy Valentine's Day

Yesterday at church everyone asked what Sis.Bolo & I did for Valentine's day. Our response - "we worked." hahaha so we did nothing special, but there was still plenty of love to go around (:

Do you know what was not fun about my week though? When I had to eat the stomach lining of a pig. It had the consistency of rubber and the taste of.. well, whatever stomach lining taste like haha and to make it worse it was deep fried, as is everything here in the Philippines. I'm pretty my life expectancy has decreased by 2-3 years.

On a super cool note, President Beck ,the Church Young Men General Presidency and Elder Bowen of the Quourm of the 70 visited our mission (:

But the highlight of my week, as with every week, is teaching my investigators! This week we were teaching RJ. He's a great 18 year-old kid who made a lot of mistakes at an early age in his life. We were teaching him about the Gospel of Jesus Christ and he asked me, "Sister Lauck, do you actually think I can change? Like really change? I think I've done too many bad things to feel clean again." I was SO happy to tell him with full confidence that he can indeed change. In essence, all of us need to change, whether we've made big mistakes or little ones. And that's what I LOVE about the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It is a message of hope & 2nd chances. The reason Heavenly Father provided us a Savior is so that He can help us be cleansed of sin and especially help us to change, especially because we cannot do it on our own. That's definitely a lesson I've learned time and time again on my mission and I am extremely grateful that I have a knowledge that I can become clean in every way and become a better person through following my Savior Jesus Christ. What a blessing this Gospel is in my life (: And the best part is that I get to share it with my friends like RJ, who don't have this knowledge. I know Heavenly Father wants us to become like Him, so He provided us with EVERYTHING we need to be successful. I know He loves you and He loves me. I hope everyone is able to feel the love He has for you in a very personal way! I love you all (:

Sister Lauck

p.s. pics - the 4 pinays (well 3 real ones + me the wannabe) at a mission conference

the elders and us had a cake party (filipino tradition) at an investigator's house

Swete Ko Kays Tanan

Just for funsies, y'alls Bisayan phrase for the day:"swete ko kays tanan" = I am the luckiest person ever

Which is exactly what I am (:

Sis. Bolo and I had 9 investigators go to church yesterday. I was so happy that last night my facial muscles were dead sore haha and that's saying something because I usually am exercising those bad boys everyday! 

It was also so neat because Sis.Bolo and I saw direct blessings in our work as a result of our fast for our investigators. Sis. Juliet, who said last week that baptism was not the right decision for her, came running up to us when we saw her at her job saying, "Sisters, sisters, baptize me tomorrow! I got an answer! I know this church is true". That's probably my favorite thing to teach as a missionary - that people can pray directly to their Heavenly Father about whether what we testify, that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the only true church here on the Earth, is true or not. And if they have sincerity and our willing to act upon their answer, they ALWAYS receive an answer from Him. It's a formula that works every time (:

I love everyone! Whether you are a member or not, try asking our Heavenly Father if these things are true, and I KNOW you can get an answer from Him personally! 

love,

sister lauck (:

Happy February!!!!!

Hey y'all!

In case anyone was having a bad day...

Here's a picture with cute, little Filipino children to cheer you up (: (they don't look too happy in the picture, but I promise, they really are happy kids)

and here's a great quote from our living prophet, President Thomas S. Monson:

“So much in life depends on our attitude. The way we choose to see things and respond to others makes all the difference. To do the best we can and then to choose to be happy about our circumstances, whatever they may be, can bring peace and contentment.”

One of the most valuable lessons I've learned on my mission is that when the rough waters come, there are still so many reasons to be happy and smile. Happiness is definitely a choice! (: 

I love everyone!

Sister Lauck (O:

ihap ang mga panalangin nimo

I've been counting my stinkin blessings this week!

We did a service project as a zone for a family whose house just burnt down and they literally lost EVERYTHING in the fire- their clothes, their money, their pictures, their journals, etc. We hop over there the next day and this family is just having a party with their neighbors next door, super happy, and trying to feed all 20 of us missionaries with the little food the community donated to them. That basically defines Filipino's perfectly. They are seriously the most amazing people in the world!

Besides that, Sis.Bolo and I are having a ball! She always busts out Tagalog in our lessons, which is totally fine because our investigators usually understand. Except I don't, but I still always testify that what she shared was true, hoping she hasn't shared any false doctrine. JK, she'd never do that haha

And the last reason why I'm feeling like a lucky duck is because Sis.Bolo and I have 7 IBD's (investigators with a baptisimal date). I repeat, 7 IBD's. That's double the total amount of IBD's I had my whole entire year as a missionary. Unbelievable.

We're basically rolling in blessings!

I am happy, healthy, and I love missionary work. The more months I'm on my mission, the more and more happier I get. The First Presidency promised all missionaries that "More happiness awaits you than you have ever experienced as you labor among His children." I certainly testify of that! Hope everyone is finding that same joy in their life!

<33333 Sister Lauck

p.s. mother and daughter at the beautiful cebu temple this morning (:

Naganak Na Ko!!!!!!

Well it's official. I have posterity in the mission aka I'm training a new missionary! My beautiful trainee (in missionary lingo, she's called my "child" or in Bisayan, "anak") is Sis.Bolo! She is sooooooo cool! She's 19, the 2nd oldest of 11 children, about a solid foot shorter than me, from Manila area, and is Tagalog speaking. aka she doesn't know Bisayan and very little English aka we've been doing alot of charades. Good thing I like playing charades (: Also I've been learning way more Tagalog, so that's a huge plus! And to put a fun twist on things, me and Sis.Bolo are white washing an area together which means we are both new to our area, Consolacion (which is like super city). I got the phone, area book, and keys to the apartment earlier from the old sisters that were assigned here previously and it was kinda like a "welp, you guys have fun" kind of things haha I'm sensing we'll be having lots of new adventures (:

It was definitely hard leaving Danao because during my six months there so many amazing things happened for my investigators, and especially for me. (and there were SO many miracles my last week there, but my time's almost up so I'll share em next week!). But it was as equally hard to part ways with Sis.Clegg. Even though we were only together for 1 transfer, we really were the dream team! Her strengths were my weaknesses, and her weaknesses were my strengths! Just last week we were riding on a motorcycle out to one of our more mountainous areas and kinda just reflecting on everything that had happened in our transfer up to that point - and we just couldn't get over how blessed we were as missionaries!!! We've both come to the point that we've really understood our callings as missionaries. We're not just 20 year old girls going on a "mission trip" to the Philippines. We are representatives of Jesus Christ of His restored Church that have been given His power and authority to declare repentance and work miracles in His name. That's huge! And our confidence comes in no way from our own individual ability, but from the fact that we are set apart representatives of Him. What can I say, I LOVEEEEE being a missionary. I've never happiness even parallel than to what I've felt this past transfer. What can I say? Gotta love missions! 

lots of love,

Sister Lauck

p.s. for pictures: I finally got a hold of my batch picture from our xmas party (it also holds evidence of my wheelchair days)

me & Sis.Bolo, my anak!!!!

me & Sis.Clegg parting ways at the mission office

1 Year!!!!!

Things are just swinging here in Danao as usual! Not only did we hit 2015 over here, but Sis.Clegg and I celebrated the big year mark together on New Year's Day!!!!!! Sadly we didn't do anything cool to celebrate it because we were too busy working and being stuffed with food by members and investigators.

But yeah speaking about New Year's - I should say that since about Dec.15th we have been hearing non-stop explosions going off. Remember how I said Danao was the gun capital of the Philippines? Well clearly there is also an excess of fire workers and gun powder and just about anything else that will make your ear drums burst because it has literally felt like we are working in a war zone!!!!!!! (Good thing I'm still half deaf) My favorite was seeing the little 6 year old kids carrying around their homemade bazooka guns that they load with dynamite... hahaha Sis.Clegg and I were like, "what the......" And then we started the new year watching How to Train Your Dragon 2 with our district, so that was a little treat! Sis.Clegg and I kept making Gospel parallels to everything in the movie, so that's clearly evidence that we've been out here too long!

But despite how fun and popping this week has been, the best part by far has been watching people with serious sins being changed by Christ. And when I say serious, I mean serious - drugs, prostitution, adultery, stealing, etc. And since we've been teaching them about Christ's restored church and His Gospel they've been making HUGE changes in their life as a result of their desire to come unto Christ. In the words of our investigator, "Ever since you started teaching me and I started reading the Book of Mormon, I felt like what I was doing in my life was wrong. So I threw away the drugs, stopped drinking, and quit my job at the bar. It just felt like the right thing to do." That's one of the phenomenal miracles of Christ - when we try to come unto Him, He changes us, makes us whole, and puts us on the path headed to our Heavenly Father. I'm just the luckiest duck that as a missionary I get a front row seat to the Atonement in people's lives! I really really love my calling! And I'm a little bummed that I only get  6 more months of this, but I'm definitely doing my best to soak it all up and enjoy this amazing ride (: I love everyone so much! Hope everyone makes some awesome New Year's Resolutions that will in some way strengthen their relationship with Christ!

lots and lots and lots of love,

Sister Lauck <3

p.s. for the pictures: 1. me in my kick butt area! isn't it gorgeous???!  2. me & my favorite grandma in the philippines! she requested we take a selfie and I just couldn't turn that down haha 3. the new year's feast a less active laid out for us!

BAGONG TUIG!

Hey y'all!

Hoping everyone had the best Christmas ever! I sure did! It was simple and Christ-centered and perfect!

Christmas highlights include:

- skyping with my family (of course!)

-  the 6 of us missionaries singing and dancing for our ward party (needless to say, none of will be pursuing a performing arts major in college)

- caroling with the Elders to less actives

- sister clegg and I teaching a grandpa who tried to pay us for our message with tobacco and peso's (which we obviously did not accept lolz)

And then probably the most memorable experience was Christmas Eve night. The four us sisters in our apartment got together, turned off the lights, lit some candles, sang our favorite hymns about Christ, and then shared our testimonies of Him that we have gained on our missions. It really was magical and it was so neat to celebrate Christ's birth as His representative. The biggest blessing of my mission has been for me to know my Savior better. Missions do wonders for you (: Love everyone! And happy 2015!!!!!!!!!!!!

Love,

Sister Lauck