This has been a challenging and brainstorming week as well as in the past few weeks on how to get people come to church because of many factors and one of these is the bad weather. As we prayed and relied on the Spirit, we are prompted to focus on strengthening back the less active and focusing on them more particularly on those who have potential souls to make sacred covenants in baptism and at last, they are all gradually coming back to Church! We're so happy to witness families strengthened and they, too, have desires to be sealed in the temple. Members who have been less active are the ones who suggested that their part member families will be taught. Two of those came to Church. One is a part-member, Eddie Degamon Jr. (11 year old), and he told us he enjoyed Primary much. The other is a friend referral of a less active who is continuously seeking for the truth. We are excited to give him the Book of Mormon this week as he shared to us that he'll come back again to Church next Sunday. My heart melted seeing these children of God coming back again to Church and striving to overcome their weaknesses as well as fighting the temptations and trials in their lives for the sake of their exaltation, not minding of the people who have offended them, others, on the other hand, the reason of shame for not coming to Church for many years. Focusing on Come, Follow Me on these people truly brought miracle how hastening works in families particularly the one said by Elder Holland, that millennium will commence in households, and Satan will be bound as families strive to be more Christ-centered.

Companion:

Sister Terante is continuously progressing in her teaching skills as well as in her speaking skills as she strive to teach people according to their needs. She's humble enough for the challenges I gave to her and she understood that this is for her sake. Sometimes, she opened up to me how she's stacked up with the assignments I gave to her, but gradually she told me, she truly needs it. I witnessed that she's more opening up to me than before, I am getting more of her trust as she opened up to me everything since she has trust problems before. I love my companion and how she strive to help me not to feel that I'm going home already.

Branch:

We witnessed that members themselves have struggles and trials yet they still manage to care for the welfare of other souls through ministering and coordinating with us in missionary work. Though, no new branch mission leader is not yet called, branch missionaries are continuously active in working with us and nurturing those they want to be taught someday, as they shared to us.

Personal Message:

For the recent converts, as we visited and strengthened them, we are focusing on assisting them in Come, Follow Me manual and putting a segway to the lessons we prepared for them. This is truly an effective tool to strengthen not only a soul but families in being spiritually nourished and helping them to be prepared not only for the coming Sunday discussions but also in the Lord's Second Coming! I love you so much!

Love,

Sister Cornillez

My Last MLC

Road to Danao

Details of Accomplishments:

Last week was a very busy week and the schedule for exchanges in Surigao Sisters. It has been successful and every companionship learned a lot to focus on the potential souls to be converted as well as to find by the Spirit yet despite of being busy as we continue to work again in our area, from what I've learned from the recent exchanges, we discovered more potential souls in our area who are very willing to know the truth of the restored gospel. One of them name named Ryan Artigo was the one who truly texted us last Sunday that he wanted to come to Church. He did and he desired to come back as he witnessed the good examples his Young Men friend shows in enjoying their teenage life while balancing spiritual matters. We'll continue to focus on them and be diligent in this work since we know that the field is truly white and these souls are ready to be harvested at the right time.

On Wednesday, me and Sister Dingcong were companions and I've witnessed gradually how her teaching skills improved better. She truly is great in showing initiative in OYM yet she still needs to improve her finding initiative and using her time wisely. It was only a half-day work since she got sick in the afternoon. She was diagnosed to have acute tonsillitis and her treatment is on-going now for one week. As we observed in their companionship, Sister Daen seems a bit stressed from the goals she wanted to have yet because of unexpected situations, every result seems inconsistent. We continue to strengthen her and uplift her that everything will give her experience just as what I've experienced before.

On Thursday, Sister Manquiquis was my companion. She truly showed great and amazing example in leading their area. She truly is prepared. From what I've learned from their companionship, she is continually helping Sister Ybiernas from her struggles since she needs more confidence in herself which we saw Sister Ybiernas truly can. I always remind her to sustain her leaders whatever their weaknesses are since she's already good in leading yet a leader needs to be abased in all ways yet set the best example.

On Friday, Sister Gasmena was my companion and I witnessed her being teachable in all things. There are things that she needs to improve yet I saw her potential as she teach people by the Spirit and she adjust truly her teachings based on their needs. 

Last Saturday, me and Sister Cancio were companions. She's so humble enough and sweet to accept evaluation to discover her potentials and make their area productive as we experienced that there are lots of potential souls to be taught and to come to Church, since the chapel is so near to those areas. I related to her how exciting and challenging the work has been since both of them are pulled-in in their areas now as we experienced in Mati. 

The apartment check and 72 hour kit check was done in Surigao Zone and it was the right time since new missionaries had been pulled-in and some transferred apartment. Now, we are settling the supplies needed by them.

Companion:

This is the 2nd week of Sister Terante's training and beforehand I already told her that I'm not her trainer but I'm gonna guide her all the way whatever she wanted and needed to learn. Last week somehow was so busy that Sister Sanoy acted to be her senior companion. She told me how she opened her mouth since I'm not there, she's not shy to try to talk with people but I told her not to consider me as her trainer who's gonna be the one to evaluate her a lot. I'm just there to guide her so she won't be pressured. She told me she'll gonna try. Well, I won't force her but continue to motivate her to increase her confidence and learning. She seems humble enough to listen and she told me someday she'll gonna try to trust me since she's not used to opening her feelings up to anyone just as I always ask her. I'll observe her progression in her goals this week.

Sister Talactac is amazing as she experienced her first exchanges with Surigao sisters as a Sister Training Leader. She truly showed great example and the ability to lead in our evaluation. She's so diligent enough to know everything.

Branch:

The branch missionaries are continuously working with us as they enjoyed missionary work and have the desire someday to serve. They are fellow shipping the new faces and are striving to share the gospel in many ways by setting good examples to their friends. The area broadcast by the way has not been successful last Sunday since there's a problem in the signal reception yet despite of what happened we witnessed how every member showed patience and understanding to the unexpected situation.

Love,

Sister Cornillez

Dear Family,

yeah.. I consider you all as part of my family... Today, I tried to read all the letters I've sent to our mission presidents since I started here in the field. I realize aside sa mas maganda pa pala ang English ko noon.:)... tsktsk.... Bisaya na jud ko.... I realized how great missionary experience can truly change life.... It is truly a humbling experience. Ups and downs can help us realize life is more of what we can make it if we consider ourselves as sons/daughters of our Heavenly Father. #makethedayscount

Don't count it... hehe

Nagtrain ak STL yana ug nagtrain ng trainee... challenging yet dili nakakatrunky kay busy ak last cycle...hihi..... :):):):):) BY the way, Sister Terante is from Southern Leyte Hinunangan.... maaram na cya magbisaya kaya iya nalang pagkaawdonon ang iwork out...hehe

Sister Angel Mae Lumbres Orquina (19 y/o) was baptized and confirmed last January 5-6, 2019. This precious soul has been the cause of great anticipation for the recent convert De Gracia Family to be sealed someday as they faced continuous trial as they shared to us since they become members of the Church yet this challenged strengthen them more (as what the mother had shared while she worked with us with her friend Marilou Bonilla, a potential soul).

Last week as well, while we are still companions with me and Sister Macaorog, we manage to minister more of the less active, active members and mostly non members in 3 days. We are so grateful of how people in this area value missionary work and respect us as servants of the Lord. Those potential people are still struggling to come to Church but they always told us that they will try "puhon". We're striving to do our best either it's us to take them to Church or we coordinated with the members but I know that as we continuously pray, increase our faith and be faithful, time will come that they will keep their commitments. We'll not give up on them as what one of the members who work with us share her experience that they did not accept the gospel in an instant but as missionaries come back again and again, their hearts are changed and they try the "virtue of the word of God" which causes a great change in their hearts. As I lead now the area in which I'm not that familiar with all the household members of the Church, we try to use (with me and Sister Terante with the help as well of the branch missionaries) the Member's List which the member themselves appreciated how we focus not only the new people to find but also those less active who have been left behind. Because of this action, we got 3 part-member referrals from the less active themselves, referral from the member's friends and more referral to be prepared as the members told us that they're gonna contact us at the right time. We're so grateful how active the branch missionaries has been these days that they love doing missionary work. Most of them set time to work with us already. 

Companion:

Sister Terante showed great enthusiasm in doing missionary work by using time wisely. I'm inspired by her as she let me feel that I'm not yet going home. During evaluation, I always challenged her to boost her confidence as she needs to OYM and find more souls. She's somewhat still apprehensive but I always told her that we are here as servants of God not just YSAs with nametag. She's very teachable enough to learn gradually.  She always told me that her desire is continuously burning to talk with everyone but there's still something that makes her shyness prevail. I know that this week's exchanges with Surigao Zone for me and Sister Talactac is one way to prove to herself that she can do it now and not someday to go beyond her comfort zone since as I've observed she has confidence everytime we have a conversation with each other. I know Sister Sanoy can help her this week as I've instructed Sister Sanoy to guide her while I'm not with her. The new Curriculum Come, Follow Me is so timely that we discussed as well that we are responsible for our own learning. There's no more trainer-trainee relationship but senior-junior to guide her to learn what she desires to learn. 

On the other hand, while I'm introducing to Sister Talactac all the duties of a Sister Training Leader, I'm amazed of her humility and diligence which inspires me more to enjoy and love missionary work. She's very teachable enough to learn things immediately with no further instructions. 

Branch:

We have a higher attendance again last Sunday and more less active came to Church. Branch missionaries are eager to do missionary work as we try to manage the overlapping schedules for them to work with us since we can't still do some splits while Sister Terante is on her training. We are still working out to have a new Branch Mission Leader for us to report already to progress of the work. We'll follow up this week.

Personal Message:

I'm happy that for my last cycle I've been given a humble and teachable junior companion and a new sister training leader as well with the same attributes. As I prayed and talked with Heavenly Father to help us in this work since it's been my first time to become STL1 as I always relied on the instruction of my STL1 before namely Sister Dela Fuente and Sister Otadoy, they inspired me a lot to hearken unto the promptings of the Spirit and not rely on my own wisdom. At first, I cried and somewhat felt fearsome and inadequate but I need to increase my faith that everything will be organized as we become united with Sister Talactac and with our leaders in the Zone. I'm praying as well that I would be humble enough to sustain our Zone Leader 1 Elder Tenorio in leading our zone.

I'm excited for the upcoming days of challenges and new revelations.

Love,

Sister Cornillez

Hi te!! last cycle! Last shot!

Last week was a very busy week yet despite of the schedules, we manage to see the potential souls among those we've found in the past few weeks. We met the Agad Family where their mother, herself, through BRT, always join with us in the discussion. It's our 3rd discussion to them and everyone in the family are willing to learn and listen. They would  supposed to be come to church last Sunday but due to fixed appointment that they have since they are invited to a wedding event they can't cancel it but they told us that they will try this coming Sunday. We're so excited because we felt the Spirit every time we share the gospel with them and they are very willing to listen. The head of their household on the other hand is working abroad. We'll strengthen this family. Another family is the Cocamas which is another potential until they build their own testimonies. One trial only is that their chapel since they are Born Again is just few feet away from their home but everyone seem happy every time we visit them. We'll continue nourishing these two families as well as those whom we continue to nourish. Some of those we've taught are keeping their commitments on reading the Book of Mormon and praying. Their challenge is just to attend Church. I know that nothing is truly impossible as we pray and fast for the welfare of these souls. We have an upcoming baptism this Saturday of Angel Mae Orquina. She's the daughter of a recent convert family and who is now schooling in Surigao. She truly is a precious one since she's already 19 and she can be the one to invite their family to hold daily Come, Follow Me study as a preparation for the upcoming Sundays. The other one who came to Church was one of the long time young woman taught by former missionaries. She's willing to be taught again. I'm excited for the upcoming year of the opportunities and challenges that as we rely on the Spirit,everything will truly be put in its proper order. 

As we followed up the Sisters in Surigao, we witnessed that their stats got low due to health issues. They told us that they will strive to recover despite of the busy schedule in transfer week. Bad as Sisters on the other hand continually have higher performance in their work and they are reaping their reward as well due to their diligence and obedience in doing God's work. They're one of those who are setting good examples in our zone. 

Companion:

Knowing that we are only 1 cycle as companions, our bond have grown closer and happier as we set goals and unite ourselves in every decisions we made in doing God's work. Sister Macaorog has truly initiative in finding souls and opening her mouth to everyone. Everyone easily got comfortable being with her even those we have just newly met. I saw her willingness to overcome her weaknesses.

Branch:

We have a higher attendance last Sunday which is 236 and we saw that those dominating are newly converted families. We'll pray that they will fellowship more the new ones for them not to feel left behind. We don't have a new BML yet but we'll raise up these concerns so that missionary work will again be active in Alegria just like before as members give referrals again.

Happy New year sa inyo tanan!!! As what I've been practicing to speak in Waray... kaya ko pa man ngean... haha....... I need your full support for my last shot!!! FIghting! Sabi nila damo daw ang trials but I'm fighting not to be overcome by it but to overcome it.... hehe... I love you all!!!!!!! Excited to see you all!!!! While my heart is breaking to leave those I love here.....

Love,

Sister Cornillez

paguwi ko nalang ko magpaniwang ug magpafair skin...haha.... masayang pasko at manigong bagong taon...haha

Don't reject the blessings~~

 I'm just inspired from the message shared to me by one of my friends who is serving now on mission. A PERSON CANNOT CHANGE ANOTHER PERSON, BUT THIS PERSON CAN BE A REASON FOR ANOTHER PERSON TO CHANGE... Think and ponder. It might be you or you are the one who've been changed by someone. Be a builder, not a destroyer.

HAPPY NEW YEAR! HAPPY NEW YOU!