Fiesta

Maupay na Udto! 

Kamusta kamo ngatanan!? Kamusta ha iyo kinabuhi? What's new in the world? 

Sister Russon and I have been doing great! She is from Kaysville, Utah and Catbalogan is her 5th area!! And she is my junior batch! haha Catbalogan is still only my 3rd! So she has been all over! We are both super happy to be here in Catbalogan. 

This past week has been a little crazy because it was the 400 year anniversary of Catbalogan being Catholic, Patron, so it means there was a huge fiesta downtown. Which also means it was almost impossible to work because everyone was drunk and partying. All the Filipinos cook a lot of food, and I mean A LOT, then they open their doors and anyone, even complete strangers, can come into their homes and eat for free, and those people entertain them. We did not go door to door in the evening for food, but our apartment owner did invite us for dinner, which was super nice. 

We also had a baptism this past Saturday!! Lanie Bustillo Solayao, a 13 year old niece of our recent convert Brother Bustillo. 

Sorry don't have much time this week, but I love you all! Here is an assignment! I read this a while ago and it has really strengthened my testimony of the Restoration of the Gospel!! 

http://laytreasuresinheaven.com/the-restoration-of-the-church-why-now-hyrum-w-smith/

I hope you all have a great week!! Take care! Smile at a stranger! Do some good in the world~

Love, 

Sister Healey

Lanie's baptism 

This morning The President of the Philippines visited Catbalogan, Duterte, and some solders just decided to park their Tanks in the Church parking lot... so that's cool. 

I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Jesus Christ!

Maupay na kulop! 

I hope you all had a great week! This past week has been pretty fun!! The weather has been crazy, and we almost has a bagyo here! (typhoon) Stay calm mom, it was just heavy rains. We are safe. :) This week Sister Prudencio and I tried to make it one of our best, and even though not everything went according to plan, it was still an awesome week. 

I wanted to share with you all this awesome missionary moment I can now mark of my bucket list:  Last Thursday Sister Prudencio and I pulled a Dan Jones (one of the greatest missionaries of old). First some background information...there is this one part of our area that a lot of Born-again Christians live and the people have not been very receptive to the message. It has been hard to teach people there. So one investigator of ours told us about how sometimes Jehovah's Witnesses come to this part of the Barangay, gather everyone in the plaza and just teach them all at once and we should just do that. . . . So we did. haha We got a whole box of Books of Mormon and a bunch of Restoration Pamphlets, filled them out with our contact information and what time church is, then we went to this little plaza. We left the supplies with a Branch missionary then went door to door explaining what we were going to do and that everyone needed to be at the plaza by 5. 

By 5 pm, there we were, 2 Americans, standing on this cement bench, telling everyone about who we are, the church, the doctrine of Jesus Christ, and the Restoration of the Gospel. It was mostly kids, and a few adults, but very few people were listening. We didn't really know how to go about it, but we just kept pushing through. Slowly some more adults showed up and people wandered out of their houses, but it was so loud and chaotic. About half way through we were thinking that it was a complete train wreck when a few stray dogs started fighting in the middle of the plaza.  Everyone screamed and scattered, haha, it was so insane. But then the dogs calmed down and we continued. Long story short, even though we don't know if we even did much... and we lost our voices from yelling over the noisy kids and people talking, we got over 30 new investigators, handed out the whole box of BoMs, and a few new families are interested in hearing the message. All of the kids wrote down their information as well to have us come visit their families. I love being a missionary!

Our recent convert, Riza, is doing great!! She is a proud "Mormon" and is already sharing the gospel through little ways with those around her, including her family. She is the only member in her family, but she is letting her light shine forth. :) 

And last but not least, tomorrow is transfers. Sister Prudencio is now transferring to Biliran, Biliran! My new companion will be Sister Russon! She will arrive tomorrow and we are staying here in Catbalogan!! 

That's all for now!  I love you all!! Don't be shy of the gospel! At the beginning of my mission I would get SO nervous to even talk to one person on the side of the road, even a few months ago I don't know if I had the courage to stand on a cement bench and preach until I lost my voice, but I know that anything is possible through our faith in Christ. He can bless us with that courage. We just have to work, pray for it, and show Him that we are NOT ashamed. I held a Book of Mormon above my head and testified of the truthfulness of it to all of those people, and I do so everyday as we go house to house. I know that it is another testament of Jesus Christ. I know the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is true. And I am not ashamed. 

(Mark 8:35-38)

 35  For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel’s, the same shall save it.

 36  For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?

 37  Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?

 38  Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.

Let all let our light so shine! I'm not saying go stand on a bench in the park and do what we did, I'm just saying that every day we have opportunities to share the gospel through our examples and through a brief, simple, powerful sharing of testimony. 

I know that's true. Channel your inner Dan Jones and take courage in Christ. 

Hinay kam perme, 

Sister Healey

Kids in Borogan from exchanges

We are never alone in our trials!

Maupay na Odto!! 

Hello everyone!! Kamusta kamo ngatanan? Iyo Semana? Nakabulig ba kam ha eba na tawo? This past week has felt SO great being back at work. I am still not up to the strength or energy level I was before, but I'm back and it's great. :) Catbalogan is currently preparing for Fiesta so the people are busy and there are decorations everywhere! 

Even with that, we still had a Baptism this last Saturday!!! Sister Riza Carcellar!! She is sooo good! Her faith and testimony builds mine even stronger. I am so blessed to have been able to see how the gospel and Atonement of Jesus Christ has changed her and her life. When I first transferred here to Catbalogan 3 months ago she was still a fairly new investigator, but now she has followed the example of Jesus Christ and has been baptized by the proper authority. She was literally glowing after her baptism on Saturday and on Sunday as she was confirmed a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It's so amazing being a missionary. :) 

This past Thursday, August 11, was Samar (Pronounced like "summer") day!! We celebrated the island we are on right now. Sister Prudy wore her Samar T-shirt all day and even though we missed the parade, we saw the fireworks that night. It was fun. :) #SamarDay2016

We also had 2 exchanges this week and got back to visiting all the people. We were worried about them because we didn't have work for over a week (because we were in Tacloban and the Divine Word Hospital) but they were all ok! In fact, while we were gone, 2 of our investigators downloaded and watched the Restoration Movie about Joseph Smith!! It was so great!! 

https://youtu.be/1xVw6PsSinI  (Click to watch) 

This past week has been exhausting but I am so happy that I am here serving the Lord. I know that we are never alone. Being in that hospital and not being able to work was really hard for me. I felt kind of useless and helpless, but I know that I was not alone in the pain I was going through. We are never alone. Prayer is so powerful and Heavenly Father really listens to all of our prayers. I was able to make it through and now I'm back doing the Lord's work, doing my best to serve Him with this little time I have been blessed with. 

Time is so short, we should make the most of it. Look at the positive and remember that we are never alone. I just wanted to share this Footprints in the sand Poem again because I love it so much. <3 

One night I dreamed a dream.

As I was walking along the beach with my Lord.

Across the dark sky flashed scenes from my life.

For each scene, I noticed two sets of footprints in the sand,

One belonging to me and one to my Lord.

After the last scene of my life flashed before me,

I looked back at the footprints in the sand.

I noticed that at many times along the path of my life,

especially at the very lowest and saddest times,

there was only one set of footprints.

This really troubled me, so I asked the Lord about it.

"Lord, you said once I decided to follow you,

You'd walk with me all the way.

But I noticed that during the saddest and most troublesome times of my life,

there was only one set of footprints.

I don't understand why, when I needed You the most, You would leave me."

He whispered, "My precious child, I love you and will never leave you

Never, ever, during your trials and testings.

When you saw only one set of footprints,

It was then that I carried you."

Pray always, choose the right, and remember the Lord is on your side. :) 

Stay smiling, 

Sister Healey

 Riza's Baptism!!!

Catbalogan Zone

 Nono at church (the deaf tatay who can hear now)

Samar Day

Exchanges

Dengue Update

Maupay na aga! 

Kamusta kamo ngatanan? I'm sure my mom has updated all of you that I have been sick. I had dengue pretty bad for the past week and a half. I was admitted to the hospital on Tuesday morning and got out Saturday afternoon. I survived!! haha Thank you SO much for all of your prayers and I'm sorry for the scare. I know that your prayers made a large difference in helping me heal faster. 

Today we get to go back to our area in Catbalogan, Samar. I'm sorry not much to update on this week... haha but thank you all! Take care!  Watch out for mosquitoes. Until next week! 

love, 

Sister Healey

In the hospital in Tacloban

Thank you for your prayers!!

Dengue fever

Hey guys. Sorry I don't have a lot of time to email you this week. :) But I love you all sooo much and hope you are doing well. Hope you had a blast at reunion and I will email you next week! 

Love, 

Sister Healey

Written by Mom:

This is the letter we got from Maddie on Sunday, July 31.  We weren't concerned because every once in a while she is unable to write a long letter home because of time constraints.  On Monday evening we received a call from the Mission President and his wife.  They informed us that Maddie had been admitted to the hospital with dengue fever.  She was ill when she emailed us, but did not want us to worry so she didn't tell us.  This is a common viral illness in the Philippines which is transmitted by mosquito.  Most cases do not require hospitalization, but she was having a hard time with the illness and dehydration was a concern.  They assured us that she was in good hands and can expect a complete recovery and that we do not need to worry excessively.

We were able to speak to Maddie on the phone on Tuesday evening from the hospital.  She was in pretty good spirits but was very tired.  She is doing better after having an IV, but her blood platelets are still low so for now she will remain in the hospital.

Dengue fever lasts for 7 to 10 days, generally, and as of today, Wednesday, she has had the virus for about 6 days.  The high fevers have subsided and the severe joint pain is just an ache now.  She is still nauseous, has headaches, and has a rash and fatigue, but she is improving each day.  She has an indomitable spirit and looks on the positive side of everything, always worried about others before herself.

As her mother I can't help but worry and wish that I could be by her side to help nurse her back to health, but I know the Lord is with her and in what better hands could she be?  It may be a week or two before she is well enough to be back at work, sharing the gospel in the Philippines, but I have no doubt that she will be out teaching again as soon as possible.  She loves being a missionary and she loves the people there.