Merry Christmas!!

Malipayon Pasko sa inyo tanan!

This week has been great! And the best news of all?!?! The Adina family got baptized in Catbalogan.

I went on splits in Ormoc with Sister Rex. Friday was our Branch Christmas Party! It started 2 hours late, "Filipino time, but it was still a success! Sister Cornites and I even gave a small presentation. We sang Silent Night while I played ukelele. So that was a lot of fun.

There was a large chance that we would be hit by a bagyo (typhoon) on our Christmas, but our prayers were answered and it didn't landfall in Region 8. Our prayers go out to those who were affected by it.

We had a merry Christmas, hope yours was great too. :) It was great skyping my family. It's crazy how time flies and we all grow up. Let's make the moments last.

Love,

Sister Healey

                                              

Christmas Eve: Reading from the Bible when Christ was born then opening new pajamas

Christmas Day 

The Adina family got baptized

Dec 26, Skyping the fam <3

our Branch Christmas Party

'Twas the week before Christmas

Maayong Buntag! 

This week has been amazing! Here are some things that happened:

Monday we had a Family Home Afternoon and a Family Home Evening with some part-member families. So fun and a great time to draw closer to our Savior Jesus Christ and to bond as a family. 

Tuesday, while street contacting, Sister Cornites and I met a Filipina lady who actually lives in Germany with her husband and kids, but was just visiting Palompon for the Holidays to be with her siblings! I had a flashback to highschool when I took 2 years of German and when the time came to sine the only thing I could say to her was "I love you" and ask "Do you know how to spell your name?" hahaha So that was fun and made me want to study German again and more seriously. 

I received some serious revelation while doing personal and companionship scripture study of how we can better help some of our investigators, and Palompon in general, progress. It was such a comfort. Heavenly Father really does guide us and answer our prayers.

We had our Christmas Conference in Ormoc and I got to see some of my batch and other old mission friends. We received a great training and really got to feel the Christmas Spirit. Santa even visited! haha I really love Christmas. 

We also went contacting this week in the town terminal. Palompon is known for it's Barbecue stands in the evening at the terminal. It is always super busy - a lot of people. We went and talked to almost 100 people in about 15 minutes. Sharing short messages about Christmas, LighttheWorld, and our Savior Jesus Christ. Through sharing the gospel with others we receive a whole new light and joy in our lives. 

I spoke in Church yesterday on following the example of Jesus Christ and a lot of people came to church. 9 Investigators! We've been working a lot with the members, getting them on board with Light the World! Christmas is only one week away!! 

I hope you all will have a great week and MERRY CHRISTMAS!

love, 

Sister Healey

Christmas Conference with Santa (Elder Nelson)

Sister Sulunga

Sister Cornites

Eating Cacao 

It started pouring rain and none of us had an umbrella

 so we broke off a banana tree leaf and made a run for it lol

Serve pa more

Maayong Buntag!

Hello everyone!! Are you getting excited for Christmas, because I know I am!! Sister Cornites and I have been going door to door this week sharing the "Light the World" with anyone and everyone and it is so fun talking about Christmas even though I'm dripping in sweat in over 90 degree weather.... Feeling that Christmas spirit! :D

Sister Newton, my trainer in the mission, visited the mission and Honeymooned in Naval! My first area! That's crazy! One year later and she's married now. Time flies.. 

This past week we had ZTM in Ormoc! It was fun receiving the training and not having to prepare anything, but I did miss attending MLC. haha Our zone right now is really fun and big! I love being a missionary.

It's such an amazing thing, being able to gather as young adults and be unified in one purpose and in the Lord. :) A mission really is a once in a life time opportunity and has changed my life and my future. Being with Sister Cornites is so fun. We are always laughing and just loving missionary work. We bought lights for our Christmas tree. haha 

If you haven't checked out the Light the World program, or seen the Christmas video, DO IT. 

I love you all! Merry Christmas! Ug padayon ta! Let's light the world. 

Sister Healey

Lawig Festival

Maayong Utdo!

This past week was Fiesta (for the Catholics) and the yearly Lawig Festival (for everyone) here in Palompon, Leyte. Which means everyone was super busy all week preparing then partying! There were parades of marching bands, schools competing for presentations and dancing, and lots of drinking, food, and videoke.

On Friday we had exchanges in Ormoc with our Sister Training Leaders Sister Rex and my niece in the mission, Sister Estrera! :) Lingaw kaayo.

We also had a really cool experience. After teaching a few part-member families in a area further out (took a jeep), we were trying to catch a ride back into town, but all there was was a few single motorcycles. So we were walking, then after about 20 minutes of walking in the blazing sun (it seemed like we were going to have to walk all the way back) a miracle happened! A fancy car pulled up next to us and a Joe (White person) stuck out his hand and introduced himself. At first we thought it was one of the many foreigners coming into Palompon for the Fiesta, but turns out he is an Returned Missionary that was assigned in Palompon in 2007. He was on his way to Palompon to visit for the first time after his mission with his wife and kids! We were so surprised and got a free ride back into town!! 2 RMs married and going back to visit their old missions. #lifegoals 

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas, especially since I got a small package from home (thanks mom) with a paper Christmas tree in it! Even though its still SO HOT, there are people going house to house singing carols and Christmas lights are everywhere. I'm getting excited! I love you all and hope you are finding a way to get involved in #LighttheWorld

Lets look for ways to serve others! Happy month of December!

Sister Healey

LIGHT THE WORLD

Maayong Buntag sa inyo nga tanan, 

This past week flew by! It's basically been a week of being toured around Palompon. We are slowly getting an idea of where things are. It has been a fun, busy week of finding and meeting new people. 

Sister Cornites and I are doing great! Just more work work work work work. :) I completley forgot about thanksgiving last week.... until the day my American STL texted us... haha So Happy Thanksgiving!! 

Speaking of holidays, even though it has been Christmas for a long time here in Phlippines, (September pa) It's now Pasko in America! So Merry Christmas and go check out Mormon.org and LIGHT THE WORLD! :) It's an awesome way that we can draw closer to our Savior by serving others in the way that He served. In 25 ways over 25 days! 

Get Involved! I love you all! Enjoy the pictures! And have a great week! 

Love, 

Sister Healey

PALOMPON, LEYTE

Maayong buntag sa inyong tanan! 

Alums na! I am now reporting from my last area in the Ormoc Stake, Palompon, Leyte! 

And it is VERY Cebuano! haha Nosebleed kaayo! It has been difficult to change and I miss Waray Waray! I still understand and remember a lot, surprisingly, from my first area (almost a year ago) when I spoke Cebuano, but it is hard to speak! I am no longer translating from English to Cebauno, but I'm now translating from Waray to Cebuano! because I kind of think in Waray Waray now! Haha I love Tacloban Mission. Now I'm worried I will forget Waray Waray. Agiiii

Pero it's ok lang because my anak is Bisdak (Fluent in Cebuano). She is from Monkayo, Compostela Valley, Mindanao! Under Butuan Mission: Sister Cornites! 

She is really nice and super funny! We whitewashed and are still trying to get on our feet, but Palompon is great and the members are really nice and helpful. 

We didn't make it to our area until Friday night because there was a miscommunication of where our key to the apartment was. In the end we picked it up from LBC, OYM-ed some people and then found out where our apartment was. 

This will be my last area and last companion. I don't like thinking about it... I'm just going to keep working hard, and pretend I still have a long ways to go! Missionary work is SO important because people are important. And we have the tools and guidance to get us through. I love you all! Take care always! (And please keep my dad in your prayers because he is really sick.) 

Amping mo kanunay!

Sister Healey

 

 With some Palompon Branch missionaries

 When I got my Anak it was pouring rain so we didn't stay at McCarthur park, we went back to the church for the transfer announcement (please ignore the backdrop I have no idea what that event is)

I'm lucky because Sister Cornites knows how to cook :) 

Good Bye Catbalogan

Maupay na aga ha iyo ngatanan, 

And yep, you guessed it. Transfers. Sadly the announcement is still later today, so I don't know where I'm going yet, BUT I have good news!! Burod na ako kay I'm training for my last 2 cycles. Whitewashing! Haha just like my first 2 cycles in my mission. Going out with a bang. 

The last few days of saying goodbye have been hard. Tears have been shed. I think I have sung "God Be With You til We Meet Again" more in the last few days than I have my whole life combined. 6 months flew by. I love the people here in Catbalogan and will miss them SO much. BUT, this is not goodbye talaga, because "I shall return!." 

As for this past week, on Tuesday we had a specialized training for all the sisters. Half of the mission (just sisters) gathered in the mission home and we cooked!! It was called "Master Chef Pinoy Edition" We had a race splitting up into teams and one companionship going to the grocery store and the other to the wet market. A race. Then a cooking contest! The good news is my team placed in each category of prizes. 3rd in Budgeting. 2nd in Time (Fastness...?) and 1st in Taste!! :D We cooked Chop Suey and Fried Rice. The bad news is.... I sliced my finger pretty good... haha but it's ok and healing! I'm still alive, and despite the war wound am still preparing to be a great mother who can cook! ;) 

We also had a Branch Family Home Evening and a combined FHE with the Duena, Bustillo, and Sanico families. 

Overall it has been a really fun last week in Catbalogan! Catbalogan I'll miss you! Hinay kamo perme! 

Love, 

Sister Healey