Last week we've been busy due to practice in choir for the District Conference and for the MLC. We're very blessed for the progression of Sister Carvina Antonio (27 y/o) and we immediately applied the temple and family history work approach in teaching. In the past few days she had doubts about her baptismal date but as we strive to rely on the Spirit to help her resolve her concern, we found out that she's been reading the Book of Mormon everyday these past few days and she's now in 1 Nephi 11 aside from the scripture assignment we've been leaving her. She told us that she had no more doubt and is positive of the gospel learning she is continuously acquiring  and she has a great desire to be sealed with her family someday in the temple. It's just that she truly wants to talk first to her father to let him know of her decision in which every time she went there at their house, his father is on vacation. We, as well, work out the family history booklet with her and shared discussions to elevate her desire to make higher covenants someday. Bro. Antonio Dela Cerna (89 y/o) also continuously come to Church with the help of our Branch Mission Leader and he again met new friends. Sister Peralta witnessed as well how Tatay eventually gave up his tobacco smoking as he appreciates our love, even the Savior's love for him. Saivon Tiongco, our progressing person before came back again and we strive to help him be comfortable in the Primary class gradually by coming with him and coordinating with the Primary leaders. The Godinez sisters has not come to Church due to financial constraint in which the branch council are coordinating to help their mother for their sustenance by suggesting some income-generating work for her based on her skill.

We had a great experience in the MLC that we strive to apply it first to our companionship and as leaders, we planned to meet all the senior companions by having a meeting to resolve specific concerns to strengthen the zone and be more fully obedient as what Heavenly Father expects of us to bless every area we've been assigned as well.

Sister Talactac and Sister Dela Serna also move to their new apartment and as of now as we followed up on them, they are making great progress as to their adjustment and continuous work in their areas. 

The time that we're not in Mati and Sister Peralta and Sister Cinco had been companions was such a humbling experience that they truly relied on the Spirit as both trainees that their work is sufficiently satisfying from the spiritual experience they shared to us when we got home. They truly have the missionary Spirit and diligence even a much higher desire to bless the lives of God's children. We're not anymore afraid of how they can lead and handle the work as they evaluate themselves as well on how they can improve more and as their trainers facilitate them to have a more uplifting and gratifying experience in the Lord's vineyard.

We are very blessed to have a supportive branch and every auxiliaries strive to truly magnify their callings. When we need help when it comes to coordinating with the work, they truly can be relied upon. It's just that most of the branch missionaries this season are truly busy with their school and work matters. That's why most of the efforts made by them are relayed upon just every Sabbath day services but we're happy for their fellow shipping and love for us even the people we are continuously teaching.

We had a great training in Butuan from the recent MLC as well as the inspired temple and family history work approach as a nonthreatening and comfortable way to approach God's children and we planned to apply it this week more in meeting new people and nourishing those we have had return appointments to help them see the greater side of accepting the restored truth not just in the ordinance of baptism but also the higher covenant made in the ordinances at the temple. I love you all!!

Love,

Sister Cornillez

In the previous week, we had a wonderful time strengthening the progressing people we continuously taught and returning from the people we've met from last last week. We saw great potentials among them particularly on families. The progressing people we've taught are Sister Carvina Antonio(27 y/o) who's continuously nourishing and strengthening her testimony with the Book of Mormon study. She's still undergoing doubts and felt under pressure regarding her baptismal date though she's coming to Church for even 2 months already but we gave her a challenge to replace her fears with her faith in Jesus Christ and we felt the Spirit during discussions and she committed to do it. Bro. Alberto Dela Cerna(88 y/o) progressively met new friends in the Church as he enjoyed the Sabbath Day service. He still has struggles in understanding the lessons due to his age but as the Spirit directs, we strive to simplify the discussions. The Godinez sisters namely, Maribel, Amery and Angelou Rose continuously enjoyed coming to Church and meeting new friends in young women organization. We saw how supportive as well their mother is since she wanted them to become a member of the Church but due to financial constraints that they can't come consistently. 

On the other hand, I witnessed continuously Sister Peralta's progression as she is now in her Week 6 of training. I challenged her to improve her Building Relationship of Trust Skill not only to improve this skill but at the same time apply the mission language and she's improving at it. She's progressing and her teaching skills is improving how she apply the Christlike attributes as well in teaching the lesson based on the needs of the people we're teaching. She's great already at finding and to elevate this experience, we will have a goal to talk with everyone regardless of their status and not be afraid of rejections. She has the heart of a diligent missionary having a goal in mind everyday not to go home unless we're tired yet happy.

We check the apartments of the missionaries and the new apartments of the missionaries that will move. Everyone is in good condition and the apartment as well is Spirit-inviting. We see to it as well that the apartments that other missionaries will stay in will have the same condition as the others. 

Every companionship among the sisters in our zone is united as we followed up on them as we continue to train well and facilitate in the learning of our trainees. 

We had a Missionary Coordination Meeting last Sunday and we raise up concerns regarding how the branch council will and can coordinate to strengthen the progressing people we're teaching. Some of the branch missionaries and auxiliary leaders were also present and open up concerns to help us be united with the branch goals as we shared to them the baptismal goal of the branch, how effective are member referrals and concerning child of record matters which is the branch's responsibility and affirmatively, they said that they will open this up on our upcoming Branch Council Meeting for the next month.

May MLC kami this Saturday and babyahe na naman kami paButuan...tsktsk... hirap ng STL life te...busy kaayo.,...kami nanginginano sa new apartments na lilipatan ng mga missionaries....and we're busy canvassing their supplies...haha... pero nakakaamaze din ..hehe kahit...magastos... pero ok lang..kaya ko to....

Love,

Sister Cornillez

nung nilibre ng ice cream sa 7 eleven nila sister donna and mama lou.....taba ko pa no? hehe

Last week is the week I felt we've worked hard like I never felt before every single day! I decided to let Sister Peralta decide when and where will we go and I'm there to support here and I saw how humble she is and how prompt she acts as the Spirit guides us. Everyday we felt tired going home yet happy. I felt that our companionship study is more meaningful and spiritual and we experienced one circumstance that we're already tired that as we have our companionship study we truly felt how great the Spirit touches our hearts as we shared each other's insights about our studies. Every time we have our companionship study we make sure that we can experience something we can share and inspire the people we will meet for the day and that will be our consistent goal everyday. Regarding the progressing investigators, Sister Carvina Antonio is truly one of the scattered Israel Heavenly Father prepared for us in this consecrated area as we witnessed that she has no more problem in word of wisdom, even in the law of chastity. For her upcoming baptism in August, we always leave something for her to read and focus in the Book of Mormon for the week as she shared how she felt while reading, how her faith elevates and how she see herself change than she was before. Brother Alberto Dela Cerna (88 y/o) met new more friends as he attended the Sabbath Day Services and we witnessed how supportive the members are in every auxiliary in fellow shipping the new faces in the branch. We will strive to teach Tatay Alberto according to what he can understand as the Spirit directs since he can't read. On the other hand, we take two of the daughters of Sister Vilma Godinez, a former investigator, to Church. They are Angelou Rose and Maribel and we're so happy that they invited one of their friends namely Lourey Mae. They shared to us how wonderful is their experience in the classes and in meeting new friends. As we meet them in the afternoon while walking in the street, they called us and told us that they wanted to attend the activity of the Young Women this coming Saturday and will invite their siblings and more of their friends. We're so happy how great is their experience and even the support of their mother as they learn more of the gospel of Jesus Christ and apply it in their lives.

Sister Peralta has improved much as to the language, in talking with everyone, in teaching skills and in other skills as well, and in having the courage to find by the Spirit. She always apply what she had learned and strive to improve it more. She's so humble enough to listen to the promptings of the Spirit.

We had a successful district finding last Saturday and I've worked with Sister Talactac and Sister Cinco in our area. I witnessed how amazing the finding skill of Sister Talactac that she had learned much from her trainer, Sister Dela Serna. Both of these two trainees are improving much as well in their teachings and in learning the native language. They still have fears when it comes to BRT skill but they're so humble enough to apply it and improve it as their training continue. 

We had a Missionary Coordination Meeting last Sunday and we're glad to have the Young Women President as she witnessed how progressing their organization had been. She also suggested activities that can strengthen the member-missionary work and all of us decided to set a specific goal date for the activity. Our branch mission leader as well is ready to help us coordinate with the branch missionaries in doing this work since that has been our concern these past few weeks since most of the branch missionaries are students and their classes had already started. We continuously strengthen and build relationship of trust among the members in the branch as well as in the district as we support them in the choir for the upcoming District Conference. We truly decided to work hard more in our daily proselyting times since some of our time now is planned for the practice in choir. 

There is truly a satisfying fruit if we strive to work more hard, be diligent and act upon the promptings of the Holy Ghost everyday. Praying for your companion as she teaches matters a lot in inviting the Spirit and touching the hearts of the children of God as we taught them despite of our weaknesses and imperfections. Recognizing as well that we're not the only companions but we need to be companion with the Spirit, can help us to have a quality and spiritual time in every person we meet and inspire. How much more in thinking that we are companions with the apostles builds up our courage and confidence more.

Love,

Sister Cornillez

We had a successful work and exchanges last week where not only the trainees and even the sisters in our scope are strengthened as well as me on how to stretch ourselves and be a blessing in the branch. Our progressing investigators as of now were Sister Carvina Antonio(27 y/o) who is truly progressing as she shared her Book of Mormon study last Sunday (since we can only teach her every Sunday due to work conflict - being a teacher and she does household chores every Saturday); Bro. Alberto Dela Cerna (88 y/o) who came to Church for the first time last Sunday as he was welcomed by the members particularly the Branch President (we took him to Church since he has no source of income except for his simple garden as a source of his food sustenance). We made extraordinary work by ministering to Tatay Alberto (such as doing laundry) since he has no family with him anymore. We coordinated his situation already with the branch council and we're blessed to have their full support and help regarding Tatay's condition. Our branch mission leader will take him to Church that's why he'll work with us this week to know where Tatay resides; and Bro. Saivon Tiongco (9 y/o) is truly willing to come with her grandmother to Church. We will strive to focus on him and teach him how to read. It's just that last Sunday he hasn't come to Church due to financial constraint.

Last Wednesday, we had exchanges and my companion is Sister Cinco (trainee). We had a wonderful time exploring their area, meeting the members and less active ones who needs to be strengthened. We're happy that one of those come to Church last Sunday. I witnessed as well how Sister Cinco's skill and initiative to find progressed. She has the courage to talk particularly on mothers since they are the ones usually at home. She is still struggling with the language but I know she'll learn rapidly since she uses it more during teaching. I evaluated her on how she needs to greet everyone she met to show the true missionary Spirit and I'm so happy how humble she is in applying it on the second time I worked with her last Friday as threesome with Sister Dela Serna. She is as well good already in building relationship of trust particularly on the people in their area. I witnessed as well how she diligent she is and how she uses her time wisely particularly during midday that we rest, she uses her time to practice teaching on her own and memorized what she is assigned to do. 

Last Friday, we explored the area of Mati 2nd and I worked as threesome with Sister Cinco and Sister Dela Serna. I'm amazed on Sister Dela Serna's finding skills that she doesn't choose a particular kind of people to be taught but anyone as prompted by the Spirit. I witnessed how diligent she is that's why everything shows on the result of their key indicators how they can achieve what they desired. She's good and great in every skills a missionary should have. I just evaluated her on how to tactfully control situations particularly if the person taught loves to talk more that we, as missionaries, should be the one to control the situation. She's truly humble enough to apply all the Christlike attributes and teach according to the needs of the people taught. I witnessed as well how her trainee applied all the things she learned from her as we followed them up on their performance and spiritual experiences during exchanges.  

Sister Peralta is already done with her Week 4 training and I witnessed how she progressed well particularly in using more the language during teaching. She is very willing to learn more and stretch herself up as most of the members love who she is - how she converse with them and build relationship of trust. She's truly very active and jolly (so great is her mission Spirit!) every time we do proselyting that I'm always inspired to work diligently and courageously to every person we met. 

We had a wonderful Missionary Coordination Meeting as we raised concerns particularly on our progressing investigators how we can coordinate with the branch councils in doing ministering and fellowshipping with them. We'll strive to contact this week the referral given to us by one of the members in our branch that was taught before and she truly wants to reach out to her sister who already has a family. By the way, we are helping the Mati district for the upcoming District Conference as we become part of the choir and I'm assigned to be their pianist. We make sure that most of our proselyting time will not be sacrificed and we're blessed to have their respect on our available time as well.

This is my 1st time to experience exchanges as an STL and I learned much from the sisters I worked with. Striving to strengthen them and helping them of what they can do more in their area and companionship truly strengthened and blessed me as well to apply everything we learned in the area we've been entrusted to. It's true that being fully obedient matters a lot as well as in gaining the trust of the Spirit to work with us. Challenges are truly part of this marvelous work but as we strive to live the mission rules and the commandments of God, with our faith in Jesus Christ, everything is truly possible and helps us to be optimistic - knowing that we deserve that tender mercies, blessings even miracles God has prepared for His children.

I love you all!!!!

Love,

Sister Cornillez

One of the silver bullets for the progression of the branch!

Last week is a very spiritual experience for us to focus on strengthening through ministering and finding families not only individuals to help them comprehend God's plan for them for eternities. We're so happy that Sister Carvina Antonio is continuously progressing as she participated in the Gospel Principle class and her doubts and questions are gradually turned into firmed faith in Jesus Christ and her desire for her family to receive the gospel as well elevates. Saivon Tiongco as well continuously come to Church, though he had a lot of struggles particularly in reading and praying, we've seen how he desired to keep his commitments by following the examples of his grandparents and coming to Church with them(without his grandparents telling him to prepare beforehand). We can see that he can be a great example for his other siblings whom we've extended baptismal dates yet don't come to Church yet due to many reasons. 

Sister Peralta's training is continuously progressing as she is now on her Week 4. She's very diligent and I saw how she strives to learn the language fluently not only in conversation but also in teaching. She's still struggling yet I know she can learn it as rapidly as she desires as she applies it everyday. She's already involved in formal teachings particularly in the message of the Restoration and I've witnessed how she relied on the Spirit as she speaks based on the needs and concerns of the individuals we're talking with. Her countenance even in the street is amazing as she greeted with any people she met enthusiastically which totally is contagious to me. It is truly true that everything starts with how we act and conduct for us to share the gospel of happiness and I am learning a lot from her to the point that the people themselves are the one that ask what religion do we belong to. I love her jolliness and commitment in this work.

(Being an STL) On the other hand, we just followed up the companionship of Sister Dela Serna and Sister Talactac last Sunday and we witnessed how diligent they are in this work. They are using the silver bullets wisely as they coordinated with the members in their ward. It is true that the trainees are still experiencing homesickness but with the trusted trainers they have, I know everything will work out. I witness as well how diligent all the trainees are as they persistently memorized and do practice teachings as a group while we left them to study on their own.

We had a successful Branch Council Meeting last Sunday that as we raised concerns particularly on the progressing investigators that we have, the ward councils are very supportive and ready to nourish and strengthen those precious souls. Regarding the members who will work with us, they already have set appointments last week but due to unexpected events and things that they've done, they promised that they will work with us this week and we will meet their families and friends whom the gospel had already been introduced beforehand. With their examples, coordination and trust with us, we know they're one of the scattered Israel in this consecrated area. (Truly, one of the silver bullets for the progression of the branch!)

Lovingly yours,

Sister Cornillez