Maligiyan Pako talaga! Merry Christmas It is really here!
I cannot believe how fast the time as flown by it is
already Christmas ready or not! I will first share that
a Filipino Christmas has a few traditions , they are
HUGE on caroling here but they give out money to
carollers it is a requirement. So all the little poor kids
run around all the rich neighborhoods and beat on plastic
milk can drums and sing at the top of their little tone
deaf lungs its kind of cute and kind of sad, As missionaries
we cant give them money but we do give them little food
treats and the love me and the other white American sister
in the house their treat is just touching our hair ( Sister
daily also has blond hair and they think it looks like real
gold! Another tradition is Videokie! I know sounds crazy
but EVERY single house that is able to afford a vikeo will
have one this Christmas and they will sing as loud and out
of tune as you can imagine. The other thing is fireworks.
I remember last  year a bunch of street kids chased after me
throwing fireworks at my feet( and you thought dogs were bad!)
but this year it seems like I'm in an area that maybe is
not quite as big on the fireworks so t hat is a blessing.
 A blessing among many we are so excited to have two
baptisms this Saturday on Christmas day. The biggest
blessing a missionary can ask for. In the thought of
Christmas though I would like to share with you a thought
that I jotted down yesterday in sacrament meeting as
I was listening to the speaker talk of what the true gifts
were that we could give to the Saviour this Christmas.
I thought of what that means to me as a missionary and
thinking of this Christmas and what I would report to the
Saviour of my first year in the mission field. What gifts
do I have to give to him. What have I done or have yet to
do to give him as an offering. Maybe it isn't the
Frankincense, Gold or Mir that the Sheppard's gave
but I know that my willing heart to be obedient, my
diligent mind to stay focused on the work, and a pair of
well worn out shoes representing my whole sole given up
in serving the lord with all my heart might mind and soul
sounds to me like the gift I want to give to the saviour.
I hope and pray that this can be my report to him and
to you at the end of my time here in the field and for now
at Christmas I am just grateful for every day left to bring
others closer to this Christ this reason for the season.
His gift to me is the opportunity to be his representative
and my gift in return however humble it may be is my whole
might, mind and strength.
With love and Christmas wishes to all,
Sister Quinn

Kamusta po kayo,
December NA! its crazy how fast this time is flying by.
We decorated the house this week with Christmas lights and
 moved into greater prominence the classic Christmas tree
that stands up whole year round in the house of every
missionary! We are in Tarlac again this p day and are
looking for matching Christmas pj pants for our whole house
and stuff to make gingerbread houses we are really going all
 out this year! I'm excited and with the seniour couple
next door we are sure to have some great times! They are
soo sweet to us they always share the American stuff their
 kids send to them in packages. In terms of happenings.
Our Bravo family of recent converts paid their first
honest fast offering of which we we're very proud to see
 and are as always pleased with their continued progress.
 Last night I attended my now 8th funeral in my time here
in Camilng. I swear its like I'm killing of people, that's
 what the branch president said jokingly in our ward
correlation I told them all to watch out maybe they'd be
next! hehehe. Our soon to be baptized super strong
investigator Sister Sandra Almazan stood and bore and
amazingly bold testimony of the gospel and of her experience
 praying and how she knew without at doubt that Joseph
Smith was a true prophet it was an amazing testimony it
brought tears to my eyes. For Christmas Zone conference we
will be learning a traditional Christmas song in tagalog
 it is seriously like a tongue twister and has something
to do with Christmas lights being like sparkly stars.
Its really up beat and corny too though so we've done out
 actions. All the Americans in our zone will be singing that
and then their Filipino companion's will be singing white
 Christmas and other American traditional Christmas song.
Its funny our zone at the moment is literally half American
 half Filipion every companionship is split its never
happened to any of use before but we all get on well and
have a good time. For this week that's all I've got
I'm afraid though its gotta be a short one. I love yoU!
I sent off all your Christmas cards on Tuesday so they
should all get their in time for Christmas.
Maligayan Pakol ( merry Christmas in Tagalog)
Ingat sa lahat Palagi,
Sister Quinn

Maligayan Paskol,
It is Close to that time of the year! Maligayan Paskol is
Happy Christmas in Tagalog. This week This week we we're
excited and happy to see the 10 year old son (EJ)  of our
 recent convert Bravo family attend the district Primary
Priesthood preview all dressed up in shirt and tie. His
older sister also attended the district Seminary activity
later on that Saturday. Pleas check out the pictures on my new
Photobucket account . The old one is now full but can still
 be viewed in the same way. For the new one the account name
is sisterashtonquinn2 just type that in and the password
is the same sisterashtonquinn2 just please do not delete
 any pictures and enjoy looking , and PLEASE feel free to
 post comments and let me know if you have commented on any
 of my pictures. IN terms of finding this week we have
finally found the prepared. I always know they are out
there and when we find them it feels so good ! We tracked
 into a sister who was just outside the house of a referral
 we we're trying to contact and she was about to go and do
her washing but stood and listened as my companion began to
 teach and testify straight away to her of our purpose and
the truthfulness of our message. She shared with us that
just yesterday her neighbour a long time ago former
investigator had told her to listen to the Mormons when
she had confided to him that she somehow felt no desire to
 return to her church and that she felt something was missing
 their , yet she just did not know what. As my companion
and I shared with her the message of the Restoration this
last Sunday night, it was she herself that committed and felt
 " I should pray about this, I want to know if this Joseph
 Smith you said is really the prophet of God" Those where
 her words and not mine. It strengthens my testimony that
the lord truly does prepare the hearts and minds of his
 children here in the Philippines Angeles Mission and in
every area to hear and find out for themselves the truthfulness
 of the restored Gospel.  For thanksgiving this week the
 seniour couple Sister Prisbey made is pumpkin pie. We know
 we are blessed! and it was funny to watch our Filipino
 companions try it. Their are two American sister in my house
right now me and Sister Daily from my MTC batch and we got a
 good laugh out of our Filipino companions telling us that
their pumpkin pie was spicy. We are already planing out our
Christmas celebrations . WE will be turning on the lights at
 our house on DEC 1 this Wednesday and we are very excited!
We also both have baptisms this DEC 25 Christmas day. So
Me and my companion ( Branch 1) and the Branch 4 Sisters
 ( Daily and Lamoste) will be having a double baptism
which we are very excited about. We are singing all I
want for Christmas is a baptism, and missionary lyricing
 other Christmas songs a well!
With Love and Laughs this week,
Ingat as Lahat,
Sister QUinn

Kamusta Po kayo sa lingo na ito,
The Bravo family are still doing great we we're pleased
 to see brother
Jay the father received the priesthood this Sunday and his
 kids
participated in the Primary Activity. I was the on the spot
 pianist
for the primary activity and I have strengthened my
testimony that the
lord provides for his servants in their hour of need as
I was able to
play on the spot more than half of a primary program that
 was formed
as it was preformed. I was also really impressed with and
 proud of the
kids that even though everything they did was different
from the
practice that had been run they still managed to read the
 big words or
lyrics written out for them in both English and Tagalog they
 sang I am
a child of god, I love to see the temple, I feel my saviours
 love, if
the saviour stood beside me, and I hope they call me on a
mission
which made me laugh and smile as I thought of myself maybe
 not so long
ago singing the same song and now hearing little Filipino
 kids
scream at the top of their lungs " Sana AKo a Makapag Mission!
" Two of
which were kids of our Recent convert Bravo family. We also
 had a
pleasant surprise this Sunday Sister Quimpo the mother of our
 best two
branch missionary sisters came to church and brought their
neighbour
who we also teach who I thought would NEVER come to church
 but they
both came and really seemed to enjoy themselves. Sister Sandra
 our
progressing investigator is really on fire, has a personal
goal to
give us 5 referrals before her baptism on Dec 25 Christmas
 day! And
even though Sister Balili managed to catch my small virus
 we still
got a lot of great work done this week. I love the lords
work and I
feel blessed to be out here doing it every day!
With love, Sa pagmamahal  at Pagingat sa Lahat,
Sister Quinn

Kamusta dito sa Camiling AKO,
No transfers. So the Lord has blessed me with another
 6 weeks in an
area I LOVE. Sometimes the lord really blesses us
 beyond what we ever
expected I have found. As a bit of a challenge to
myself Its funny I
had said that I wondered If i could find someone
 be the first
missionary to ever teach them and then baptized
that person. I also
had a goal to with hope baptized at least one whole
 family. Mom , Dad,
kids and all. The Bravo family baptism this last
Saturday fulfilled
both. Please check out the pictures on my photo
bucket of this
beautiful family. They had an amazing baptism
 this Saturday the
father even shed tears in his testimony and the
spirit was really felt
by all. We are blessed to hopefully also have
 another two baptisms
coming up on Christmas day. One of these Is a sister
 Sandra, who this
week has undergone a lot of trials with her mother
having yet another
of many strokes and being close to her last days
 on this earth, but
this sweet sister I have seen through trials grow
 only closer to the
lord and she is truly an inspiration to me.
Our other hopefully
baptism is a great YW sister Fable Castro who
attended the YW
activity this Saturday as well as the baptism of
the bravo family so
we are very excited with her progress and all the
 great fellow shippers
in our ward in YW who have stepped out to welcome
 her. It really makes
a difference. Its hard for a missionary to be sick
 and this week I was
just thankful it was on Thursday that I feel ill
for the whole day
and not on Saturday for the baptism . I was also
 blessed to be asleep
for most of the day but in the waking hours as a
missionary you just
ache for your investigators and want to be out their
 teaching them
rather than sick in bed.I am great full for the lord
 my saviour Jesus
Christ who is my strength. I know that this is his work.
Sa pangalin ni Jesu Cristo. Sya nawa.
Sister Quinn

Maligayan Fiesta Ng Patay,

Happy festival of the dead their may not be a Halloween in the
Philippines but that does not mean you cannot commercialized
all saints day into the same thing. Last night as my companion and
it went past the grave yard their were vendors selling everything
from Halloween masks and candy to slurpie shakes and candles
and flowers for the graves of their loved ones. The tradition is
tonight Nov 1 they will sleep over at the grave yard and prayer
for the souls of their dead ancestors to make it into heave.
Its funny we taught a lesson about baptisms for the dead this
week to an investigator and she said that sound to her like a much
better idea than just sitting on graves and praying I kind of
wanted to laugh but did not of course! The bravo family was were
the first people at church this week. Sister Emily, Brother Jay
and their children were all dressed up and ready to go and we
are so proud of sister who has stopped working on Sundays
because we know it is hard for her since that is their only way
of income is to sell every day. They need to do this just to make
ends meet here but as we taught the 10 commandments last
night our branch president who worked with us and helped
teach the lesson challenged sister Emily and brother jay not
to work on Sunday and that they would have blessings from
doing so. Our branch president is pretty much the coolest ever
by the way! Not much other news for the week. I LOVE being
a missionary its just getting better and better and the closer it
gets to Christmas and here it feels much closer because they start
early . the more I just don't want it to be over with quite yet!
I know that this is the lords work and I just feel blessed to be
out here doing it. I love you all and miss you always!

Ingat sa Lahat,

Sister QUinn

Bagyo Juan,

The Typhoon was called John or Juan and it was a big one but it
only got to level two in our area. Its the funniest thing I would
not be wrong out to compare it with a snow day. for the following reason

1. Children were off school and their parents did for the most part
not go into work

2. Mostly while the storm went people stayed inside but after it....

3. Their was Much picture taking people gathered in the street
children laughing people playing and many pictures of hey look
how high the water is we're taken by those few who had cameras,
we live in a rich area so a few people their have cameras

4. After kids were tired of playing out in the flood and the rain they
ran home to their moms who I saw receive them back with warm arms.
They even had boots and rain coats like we would have snow gear
and their moms gave them food warm drinks because for Filipinos
when it rains even though its like 80 degrees still outside its cold
for them

5. Random people who would never speak to one another we're out
in the streets talking just like when a big snow storm hits and this
more than anything was the bulk of our work for the day ,
meeting new people who we're all so impressed with the fact that
we we're still out walking trying to share the gospel with people.
We just told them our message is THAT important, Bagyo ( Typhoon) or no Bagyo we have a job to teach others the Gospel of Jesus Christ!

We actually did get to the house of one of our investigators after
walking down one street for 45 minuets. A trip which normally
would have taken maybe 20 minuets of slow walking to get to their
house, they we're so grateful that we'd come by to check on them
they we're in one of the worst affected areas, but their house is
on stilts as many of the houses are here. You will see in the
picture of me holding a book of Mormon standing in nearly
waist high water that this area was very flooded. Make sure you
check out my Photobucket. I have an account at Photobucket.com
if you did not know all you need to do to view it is to go to the
site and sing in under the name sisterashtonquinn the password
is the same and you can look at all of my pictures just please
don't delete them or mess with them, their is also video on the
site and so you will see just how strong the force of the water was
as you watch my super hero companion trudge through it to make
it down the street! In other news this week I was worried
that our Bravo family would not make it to church.
We had an amazing turn around this last week
with the father of this family. Brother Jay as of two
weeks ago he was not present at our lessons and
we knew he went out drinking every so often.
But his unexpected miraculous show up to
church last week started a turn around that
continues to grow strong and stronger in force.
We committed him the very next day (last Monday)
to living the word of wisdom and challenged him
to baptism saying that if he was ready and
continued to live the word of wisdom and go to
church every week that he could be baptized
along with his whole family. We saw this week
just how committed this father has now become
and for me it is a small miracle of the lord, one
of the many I have seen him work in my mission.
Yesterday at church I was worried they would
not make it they we're very late and Just as I
was about to give up hope that they would not
come they showed up. After the meeting the
mother (sister Emily) told me they had almost
not come because she was embarrassed of
being late but she said the father insisted that
they go even if they were late. This in and of
itself really shows me how far he has come and
he is now sitting with his children waiting for us to
teach them every night. I am a blessed missionary
and I know it! What more is their to say! I love
you all you are in my prayers day and night.

With Love,

Kasama lahat ang pagmamahal ko,

Sister Quinn

kamusta po Kayo,
This week we had 8 investigators at church. I feel so blessed
beyond blessed. We had a whole family the Bravo family (Bro Jay)
the father included and so for them we are so excited. We also
had Sister Sandra , Nannay Lourdez, Sister Emily Feliciano,
and Brother Carl. In other news BAGIO!!!!!! that means Typhoon
in Tagalog. The name of this one is Juan or John as in the apostle.
It is huge I was almost sure we wouldn't be able to get out here to
the internet cafe and then for sure that when we got here their
would be no internet, but by the grace of god as they say very often
here in the Philippines we made it to the internet cafe and we
didn't even have to take a boat to get here the trike ( motorbike
with side car) just floated its way in through an amazing amount
of traffic considering the storm. I am a bit scared of the prospect
of grocery shopping later, their may be a crazy amount of
people buying up water and such just like they would do in the
US if a big storm hit its funny how very much the same the
whole world is. Other than that I don't have much news it was a
hard week because my companion sister Balili was sick but we
still managed to work OH and I totally forgot the seniour couples
who are the nicest people on earth baked us a cake for our one
year anniversary of our mission ALL four of us had our one year
this week so we all celebrated on Saturday together it was really
nice. I've uploaded pictures of the cake on the photobucket so be
sure to check them out! I love you all I miss you too!
Ingat sa Lahat,
Sister Quinn

Magandag Hapun (Good Afternoon) or at least it is for me!

This week our mission had a visit from Elder Cook of the
Quorum of the Twelve Apostles we we're blessed to hear not
only from him but also from Elder McMullin of the presiding
bishopric and the Philippines area presidency and their wives.
We all meet together at the Tarlac Stake centre and in the morning
they had training for all the bishops and branch presidents in the
whole mission so I got to see all of my bishops from previous
area's they called out my name and gave me such a warm
welcome it was really good to see them and know they'd missed
me serving in their ward! Also this weekend because of the
delayed time in days we had our General Conference Broadcast
so for the past two days I've done almost nothing but listen to
the words of the Prophets and Apostles. General conference is
so different when you are a missionary because you take
revelation not just for yourself but for your investigators as well.
its really an amazing experience. I was of course excited to hear
about the New Temple that will be built in Urdaneta in the
northern Philippines about 30 minuets from my current area.
The saints here are beyond thrilled! Many of them wept tears to
know that a Temple of the Lord would be so close to them.

In other news I have a new Companion Sister Balili ( Balilly)
She is from Mindano the southern most Island of the Philippines
the one with all the Muslims although she is a former catholic
convert of only 3 years but for my companions that's a long
time Sister Soriano was only a year old member when she put in
papers. Any ways Sister Balili is a dedicated servant of the lord
Despite having difficulty seeing to the point that I lead her around
by hand in the night when we work because she cannot see
enough in front of herself to see where she is walking. My new
companion has not complained one bit and she does not let her
disabilities hold her back. I am amazed by her devotion to the work
of the lord and her love and patience with both me and herself.
This week I've really made progress in my goal of
being a more positive person after The conference
Sister Balili and I went out to work after just
having gotten home from the stake centre in Tarlac.
It was dark and as we stepped out the door the
heavens poured from the sky. Hurricane force rain
pelted at our umbrellas and completely soaked
us head. At this point I was already extremely
exhausted but for some reason a happy feeling
entered into my heart and I began to sing
( We are all Enlisted till the conflict is over..)
my companion soon joined me and I wished that
you could of seen us out their in the rain singing
at the top of our lungs! I know that our father in
heaven saw us and smiled and also we noticed
that many of the Filipinos who saw us as we
passed them by on the way to our appointment
laughed and smiled looking at us like why are
those two crazy girls dressed in skirts so happy
and out their singing in the rain?! We opened
our mouth an contacted a few of them with plans
to tell them later on this week a bit more about
why we are so happy and why we can smile and
sing in the rain no matter what happens!

I love you all

Mahla ko din ang Ulan (I also love the rain)

Ingat Sa Lahat,

Sister Quinn

Kamusta Po Kayo
This week I have been grateful for the small miracles in the life
of a missionary sometimes called the Tender Mercies of the Lord
Nephi 1:20 . Just little things like Nanny Lita Quimpo saying a
prayer without us begging her, she being the one to volunteer
really shows to me and sister the she is truly progressing that she
wants to change, she wants to come closer to Christ we are now
their to show her the way rather than drag her towards it. I am
grateful for the lord helping me to hold my tongue I am for the
very first time in my life learning to control at temper and impatient
temperament that has haunted me for as long as I can remember.
I have truly gained a testimony of the principle of the fast just
yesterday that as I fasted for the lord to help me to recognize when
and where I can have more patience, and to strengthen me their
he was speaking peace to my mind and giving me the strenght to
say Is this really that important? I've tried before on my own to
change to become a better person just because i knew it was
something i needed to do but only now giving up and truly
turning over to the Lord have I found that with him I have the
strength to overcome this weakness.
in connection with miracles I'd like to share with you a thought
a had a while ago at a stake conference in Tarlac as I listened
to a wonderful talk given by Sister Costley a Senior sister who
served with her husband back when I was assuaged in Tarlac.
She spoke of the miracle of a man being healed from Cancer as
well as other many miracles continue to happen in our time to
point out that miracles still do happen in our day. I thought how
though it is true that a man being healed from terminal cancer is
indeed a miracle. I have also found though that in my day to day
work as a missionary the miracles that I witness, namely the
miracle that happens when the heart of a son or daughter of god
truly changes and begins to make choices to come closer to
Christ is a true miracle with an eternal effect, because that man
who was cured from cancer will still die whither it be sooner or
later in some other way but the miracle that takes place when a
son or daughter of god makes the choice to accept the saving

ordinances of god is a miracle that will have an eternal effect.
In terms of transfer announcements this week I will still be here
in Camiling Branch one for which I am very grateful I LOVE
THIS AREA . I feel like my new companion whoever she will be
is lucky to be coming into such a wonderful area with such
amazing investigators and supportive members and I hope and
pray to be an amazing companion for her.
Mahal na Mahal Ko Kayo,
Sister Quinn

Kamusta Po Kayo,

This week I counted my blessings one by one as they walked into
the Chapel Sister Malaga and I were so overjoyed to see so many
of our investigators at church we had six in all but we we're,
most especially excited to see our progressing family the Bravo
family in attendance for the fourth week in a row. The father
brother Jay has not yet made it to church but sister Emily has
been coming every week faithfully from the day we began teaching
their family and bother has been progressing this week on
Tuesday after our visit he lead a kneeling family prayer. I feel
hopeful that brother will make it to church within the next week
or two and that they will so enter the waters of baptism as a
family one day soon. I cannot express the amazing amount of
respect I have for sister Emily She works three jobs to help feed
their children while her mother ( their grandmother watches
them) She and spends every extra spare minuet with her kids
and reads them the scriptures. She is so humble and I have yet
to see anyone on my mission more prepared to accept the
restored gospel as she is. We also had at church the mother
of 7 of our most active youth and YSA that is the mother of the
Quimpo family Sister Lita Quimpo. She has been taught by the
missionaries for at least the last 4 years and yesterday was her
very first time at church! I was so filled with joy for her seeing
her whole family fill up the front pew that I ran up and gave her
the biggest hug! Me and my companion had volunteered to speak
on missionary work as a hope to get more referrals from the
branch and to show them that we are serious about what we do
and willing and ready to share the gospel with their families.
I feel the Lord supporting me and my companion as we work every
day. I am More TIRED than I have ever been in my entire life
yesterday in our branch correlation I was pretty sure I was going
to pass out but a ate a sweet candy said a prayer and the Lord
sustained me until 8:30 pm that night as we shared just one last
message, that seems to be what I am constantly telling my
companion these days, just one last message just one last house.
Its funny I didn't quite understand why my follow up trainer
always wanted to stay out as late as we could and go to just one
last house and now that's me! I know my days here are numbered
I can already feel it I will one day soon be coming home and
I don't want a moment to be wasted!

I love you all, but for now I love the gospel and being a missionary
just a little bit more maybe! I do miss you though!

Ingat po kayo palagi, at Ipatpategka ( that last one word means I love
you In Ilocano the new dialect I am slowling but surely learning)

Sister Quinn

Kamusta Po Kayo,

Miss ko Po Kayo Lahat! that means I miss you all of course!
I'm not quite sure what to write this week so I thought I would
give a play by play of an afternoon of work as a missionary here
in the Philippines.

10am we go out to work after personal study

-Contact a referral turns out they speak NO Tagalog only the
native dialect of our area ilikano which neither I nor my
companion know anything past hello and a few greetings.

Taught her a lesson any ways in Tagalog which I think she may
have understood

We then went and taught a long time investigator Bernadett
who as a baptismal goal date but we think is hiding some chastity
issues from us so not sure she will make her baptism on time

We are constantly OYMing which is opening your mouth and we
found a new investigator who is the uncle of one of our other
investigators about 30 minuets away

AT noon we return to the house and eat and do our language study

3pm we are out of the door again and back to work

We go to contact a man we talked to in the camera shop on P day
who seemed interested as we approach his house he is sitting on
the porch he waves a go away at us and I know what it means but
my companion continues on he says he has Sore Eyes
( It means pink eye) and throws on a pair of sun glasses as we
get closer but I could tell even from far away that he did not have
sore eyes. I laughed at this under my breath as we walked away
and encourage my companion that we will just keep going

4pm we teach Sister Mary and Princess the cousins of one of our
branch missionaries we are trying to get their mother to listen as
well but she is drinking a lot Mary at age 16 is really the mother
of the whole family

4:45pm we go drop by Sister Quimpo who is the Mother of 6 very
active children ages 24-8 one of whom I am trying to help get
on a mission. Nannay believes the church is true but is still a bit
shy about coming to church and does not like the idea of being
baptized just quite yet, its a long story but we love her!

5pm drop by and say hi to Sister Mary and Brother Sam
investigators but they give us loads of referrals and are great!

5:30 we drop by the branch presidents house to say that we would
like him to come to our FHE on Monday he is not in but we tell
his wife and she says he'll be their as soon as he gets of work
he'll just be a little late.6pm Teach the Bravo family, their
grandmother got bit by a dog
yesterday and when she shows me the bite I can see its turned
black just like mine did and she's taped it up with literally
scotch tape. I tear the tape off and put on my triple anti biotic
cream which I always carry in my first aid kit always in my bag.
Its weird but as a westerner they just assume I am like a
medical doctor and every one looks to me strait away and believes
everything I say about cleaning out wounds and treating diseases,
although sometimes I have trouble with their native beliefs,
they believe that if you shower at night and go to bed with
your hair wet you will get sick and die! ya that's one of the
least crazy ones..

The lesson goes on though and the spirit is felt so strong because
Sister Emily has done her reading assignment she always does,
and She even marks out the verses that she likes in colour!
We love her!

7pm go by to visit a less active family and find out they have just
been attending the other branch for the last 3 months because
they have more friend their they say. I have not quite yet worked
out how to teach a lesson to help people attend their assigned
congregation.

We get back to the house by 8 sometimes 8:30 if we are still
teaching a lesson we plan write in the area book. I shower my
companion of course does not for the above mentioned reason.
We eat our dinner at around 9pm and by quarter to 10 I am
passed out reading the scriptures in Tagalog which never fails
to put me to sleep! I understand them but sometimes my
mind wanders!

Hope you liked hearing a typical day in the life of a missionary
in the Philippines Angeles Mission, here in Camiling.

With Love,

Sister Quinn

Kamusta po Kayo!

A lot is happening here In Camiling and I've only got so much
time to write so I'll maybe type it out in Highlights!

- On Saturday we did a service project at a place called Canding
Falls and I fell into a river. It was kind of funny because the Elders
were like "Sister you're not supposed to swim it says so in the
white hand book!" No worries I am fine I did not drown or anything
but the stuff in my bag is pretty much destroyed only two of which
I was sad about that being my Planner and OH ya my CAMERA!
I still managed to salvage the memory card though SO please
check the pictures I have of the falls out on my Photo Bucket!

- last night we went to the funeral of a less active member which
was very interesting Philippino funerals are very different! The
casket had a light up Jesus with a spinning wheel like the dizzy
spinning wheels you see at carnivals and a Ma Ma Mary to finish
it all off. I was very happy just sitting in the back right up until I
was asked to speak at the Burial service which is this Thursday at
the chapel I will let you know, how that goes, What a story to tell
I will be speaking at a funeral service in a foreign language, I don't
think if you told me a year ago I'd be doing that on my mission I'd
have believed you!

This week I have really seen my companions

devotion to the work despite feeling bad because

of a cold and having a terrible cough to where

she can hardly talk she diligently works on and

I can really see her love for our investigators

and for the work of the lord. She may not feel

a 100% but I know that she is giving it her all

and she does not murmur she is still excited

every day to go out to work and I really admire

that in her.

We have been trying a lot this week to find new

people to teach and have OYMed ( or open our

mouth as we call it here) 16 times this week. I am

always trying my hardest to have faith and

exercises it as we oym. Like they say when you

are going to speak and you feel nervous you

should just imagine every one in the audience

in their underwear. When I am really nervous to

OYM i just imagine them in white baptismal

clothes, hopefully you got that little joke, but in

all seriousness I have found that if from the

moment I meet a new person I think of the all

honest truth that this person right now is a child

of god my brother or sister before I came here

and as I invasion them entering the waters of

baptism I cant help but smile and try my very

best to offer to them the truth I have and the love

I feel of my heavenly father for them. As we are

focusing also more on using the book of Mormon

because of our new mission training. I have

found in my own personal study just the other

day a great verse I'd like to share from

1 Nephi 15:23 ' And I did exhort them with all the

energies of my soul with all the faculties which I

possess that they would give heed to the word

of God" This I feel very much expresses my

prayer for our work and use of the book of

Mormon as missionaries. It is my prayer and

my hope that this is what I am doing every day.

I cannot express the simple joy i felt this week

seeing one of our brand new investigators get

off to such a great start when to our surprise

she had not only read our reading assignment

but had marked out her favourite passages and

shared her favourite verse with us. She said

she is also reading the book to her husband,

who we do not get to teach to often because

he usually is late coming home from work past

our curfew, but he has listened every time he's

been home when we come to visit. I am learning

more to love everyone and I am working every

day to see those we teach as Christ sees them.

I love you all as well of course and miss you lots

Ingat sa lahat,

Sister Quinn

Kamusta po Kayo,
Ano any tinagan mo? that is what is your name in ilikano that
right I have a new dialect I am learning! Here in Camiling I am
very much out in the country side and their dialect here is spoken
by many of the people. Although they ALL speak and understand
Tagalog they tend to use ilikano in more personal settings.
The sacrament prayer is usually said in ilikano and many people
bore their testimony in ilikano yesterday which was tough because
I still only understand about 10 percent of what they are saying.
I'm excited though to be learning a new language again I took some
pictures of the book of Mormon in Tagalog
(Ang Akalat Ni Mormon) and in ilikano ( Ti Libro ni Mormon)
and have uploaded these pictures on my photobucket along with
a lot of other pictures. I am really out in what they call the
Bukid ( rice fields) Dito ( here). We climb through fields of rice with
snakes and frogs and all kinds of things as we go out to our more
remote appointments. I feel like a missionary in the jungle for
the first time! This week I almost jumped for joy in the middle
of playing the sacrament hymn ( I am the new branch pianist the
Branch president has been praying for he says) When our brand
new investigator Sister Emily walked in with her 5 children
one YW age. They have only been taught for a week an all ready
they are coming to church sadly brother had work and did not
come, but I was really surprised that he listened and asked many
questions in our first lesson with them! I have never heard a
male ask so many questions so I am really excited for the
potential of this family. I can really feel when we are with them
that this humble family has been truly prepared and is ready
to accept the gospel.

We are so blessed here in this area to have so many members willing to
work with us and have also been blessed with many referrals from members.
I feel like we've really been doing smart missionary work as our branch
missionaries refer their cousins, other relatives and friends and then we have
gone to the appointment with them to teach the loved on or friend we have
found that we instantly gain the trust of the new investigator and that our
lessons are filled with the spirit of the lord
I love you all and miss you much!
Ingat sa Lahat, ti ya mo ( I love you In ilikano)
Sister Quinn

Kamusta Galing so Camiling Branch One!

I have returned close to my first area I am now in Camiling Tarlac
although here it is very different we are very far away from the
big city. There is not so much as even a mall and the shopping
mart is VERY small! That aside I LOVE my new area.! I have
now been made a Follow up Trainer again, My new companion
Sister Malaga is from Manila area. Although I may be her
Senior Companion she is much more my Senior in age.
She is 28 years although their are a lot of sisters here who are
older one of my previous companions was 30. The people here
are SOOOO friendly even missionaries who've been here for many
transfers say that's the biggest thing they've noticed. We have a
really great small branch here with all the programs of the
church fully functioning. So a relief now that I will not be
teaching the Relief society or the primary for that matter.
The area is much more rural and very quiet it reminds me of
small lake towns out in Texas except instead of the lake their are
huge rice fields, mountains and falls not to far from here we will
hopefully be able to go hiking in the lovely country side on a
p day. The new house that me and 4 other sisters live in is HUGE
it is right next door to the senior couples and it has an oven and
a piano although the piano is basically destroyed many of the
keys do not work but it still works as a practice for church since
I am once again going to be the pianist for sacrament. I am really
excited for the work here. We have all ready found a new whole
family to teach as well as extended baptismal goal dates to some
really great progressing investigators here. When the blessings of
the lord rain on you it pours! For this week that's all I think I've got!

Mahal Na Mahal Ko Kayo!

Sister Quinn

Kumusta Po Kayo,
Just for all to know the blog posts may be getting shorter and
shorter and might even have a week without because I now have
to split this time and use some of my internet hours! for filling
out school applications in London I can hardly believe the time is
flying by that quickly and before I know it I will be back in my
beloved UK! It will be hard to leave behind my just as much
beloved Filipinos though. These people are just so loving!
We've got a Family home evening with the Cabanyog family later
on tonight and to me that's just as exciting as a night out on the
Town in the west end any day! A lesson learned this week is that
the power of prayer can truly do miracles. One of our
Investigators Sister Raynaline was in the hospital earlier on
this week and as we went to visit her I felt almost helpless,
knowing that she would not ask for a priesthood blessing,
not that I as a sister missionary could give her one. We asked
if we could pray for her. Tears literally spilled down my face
as I prayed for this sweet sister and felt the comfort of the Lord
bear testimony that I as his servant was acceptable and that I
could help her! She came home from the hospital the very next
day and she is now back at home resting with her young baby
son. I am beyond amazed with the power of the lord to work
through such a small thing as me! I have found a scripture
though that at least explains how such a thing as this could
happen it is in Doctrine and Covenants section 84 verse 88
and it says " And whoso ^areceiveth you, there I will be also,
for I will go ^bbefore your face. I will be on your right hand and
on your left, and my ^cSpirit shall be in your hearts, and
mine ^dangels round about you, to bear you up." I know that
this scripture is true. I have felt the power of the lord in this
work and I know that as long as I am on his errand I can do
miracles!
Know that I love you all and that you are in my prayers I miss
you too!
Kasama Ang Pagmamahalan Ko!

Kamusta Po Kayo Nagyon Lingo! Translation:

How are you all this week?!

I have had another great week here in Cabanatuan City.

This week I have really seen my sweet companion humble

herself down, and have a really desire to learn from me.

I have loved the great feeling of encouraging her and building

her up, as I help her with our lesson plans for teaching, with

compiling a good list of scriptures ( A must for any missionary!)

So that she can let the word of God and the spirit of God to do the

teaching for her. It really is the best way and I have been amazed

in looking at myself through her eyes and seeing the change that

has occurred in me since arriving here in the Philippines. I’ve

learned so much not just from my own sacrifices and experiences

but from the sacrifices I have seen others make as well. Many of

my investigators I can still remember the day back in my first

Area ( TARLAC) that Sister Michelle learned the meaning of

Sacrifice. We had been trying to teach it to her for the last week

and she just kind of seemed to be giving us text book answers

but not really getting it. Then on Sunday after having walked by

herself with her young child a good 30 minutes to the church

along the hot smoking highway. She arrived at the church and

asked me “ Sister Quinn is this what Sacrifice is?!” I can still

remember the amazing feeling that passed through me as I

explained to here that “ YES! Sister Michelle this is exactly what

Sacrifice is!” I have also seen an amazing sacrifice this week as

one of our investigators Sister Rosita paid Tithing to the bishop.

She has not yet even become a member of the church and despite

her humble circumstances ( they live in a one room brick shack ,

with no electricity or running water inside their one room) She

made the sacrifice to pay an honest tithe. It is people like this

that have taught me lessons I will eternally be grateful for!

In terms of the weather if any are wondering the Bagio’s

( Hurricane’s) come and go every other day or so. They pass

through and its just like LOADS of rain and flooding but

nothing really crazy. The one this week was called Baguio

Domingo which is funny because that is the name of our bishop.

They do them alphabetically here just like Tornado’s in Texas

(sister Quinn has been away so long she has forgotten we do not

name our tornado's but we do name our hurricanes just like they

do there) so the next one was Ester I think. I don't where the

names comefrom, maybe saints or other things from the bible?

I would like to finish this week by thanking you all for your prayer

in behalf of my health the last week or so I have felt GREAT!

Back to normal and I know that it is through the help and

strength of the Lord that I am still here in his service. I love

you all and miss you of course!

Ingat sa Lahat Lagi , Translation take care of yourselves always,

Sister Quinn

Kumusta Po Kayo Any Pamilya Ko at mga Kaibigan,
This week at Zone Conference we we're excited to here about
a new addition to Preach My Gospel, with new foundational
principles as part of a new curriculum going out to all the MTC's
of the world within the next year. We also saw a set of new
Preach my Gospel DVD's that were really great! Look forward
to those Elder Quinn and any other missionaries reading this
who might not have seen them yet. As a result we have been
challenged to give out more Baptismal goal dates, to people
even in our first meeting with them. It is kind of scary because
you worry as a missionary that maybe they just don't know
enough yet, but we have seen already and are surprised that so
many accept the challenge. It has really strenghtened my faith
in the Lord and in the power of our message. This week we
have found a great new family " the Benloan family" who are
less active members, its part of my new goal to teach to part
member families in the idea that we as the missionaries owe
it to these members to teach to their whole family and help
them towards the ultimate goal of going to the temple and
being sealed to their families. I am really excited because the
Sister was just so grateful that we we're their and that we
wanted to teach to her and her husband again, she says they've
really missed the missionaries. We plan to have a Family Home
evening with our bishop present at their home next week! This
family lives close to our long time investigators the Cabanyog's
who this week celebrated the birth of their third child! A sweet
little boy ( baby Ram Jones Cabanyog) He was born Tuesday
morning and when we showed up later on that evening around
5 for our regular appointment Sister Cabanyog INSISTED that
we still come in and see the new baby and leave them with a
short message. I really Love her to death their whole family is
just so great! This is all to report from me mainly for this
week in our work, we have interviews on Wednesday and I
always look forward to that! I'd love to hear from all of you
of course If you post here in this blog hopefully my mother
will see it and send it along to me! I'd love to hear any
questions you have and what you are all up to! I miss you
loads but I know that this work is true!
With Love,
At lahat Ng ang Aking Pagibig!
Si Sister Quinn

Kumusta Po Kayo,
A wedding and a Baptism! That is what is on the table for the
next few weeks. We have an investigator Sister Rosita, who is
living in with a member Brother Danny, and they have now
finally drawn up papers for their marriage, so we will be Lucky
enough to get to go to both a wedding and a Baptism soon the
Goal date we have for this is Aug14, our only lack is someone to
marry them. We think though that maybe the mission president
himself President Puzey may be available and willing to preform
the ceremony and Our bishop perhaps do the baptism. This
week Sister Laureo and I have been SUPER diligent despite a
day off of work we still made our goals for the week. I was
thinking just last night about how many lessons perhaps will I
share or have I already shared in my mission. I totaled up the
lessons from my last transfer and It was around 200 lessons then
I thought if you multiply that by 13 transfers that is about 2,500
lessons taught in the whole of my mission! That's a lot and while
I know I can't do that all in one day I am amazed by the Lords
hand in his work as we find new people each day to teach.

Almost as an unplanned theme for this week

we have taught a lot about prophets specifically

our living prophet Thomas S. Monson, my

testimony as been strenghtened as I have studied

along side our investigators and shared with

them the truth of his words, his testimony of our

saviour and the eternal atonement he

accomplished for us all. I will share with you

president we had more than one investigator

as us this week " has the prophet seen god,

does he REALLY talk to him?" In answering

this question. I have been filled with the spirit

and had my own testimony strengthened as

I read with our investigators President Monson's

bold testimony of our saviour, of his true reality

and helped them to realize for themselves that

If a man with such a bold testimony of the reality

of God had not experienced deity for himself he

could not say with such surety words such as "

As one of His special witnesses on earth today, this

glorious Easter Sunday, I declare that this is true, in

His sacred name even the name of Jesus Christ,

our Savior"

these might seem like just simple words, just

the ending of a talk but for me, my companion

and our investigators this week, that one line

has testified by the spirit of the Lord that God

speaks to his living servants today, that THIS

is his true church on the earth, that Thomas S.

Monson is his prophet in these the latter days!

With that as My testimony I shall leave you all until next week.
We have Zone conference tomorrow and I am excited for all that
we will learn and all that I can take from the conference, they
are a blessing each time!
Mahal na Mahal Ko kayo, PS. THEIR are lots of NEW pictures on
the PHOTO BUCKET, Check them out!
Sister Quinn

sta Po Kayo,

This week as been one of the hardest

and yet one of the most rewarding

weeks of my mission thus far. I have

felt since Thursday when we said

goodbye to Sister Soriano at

transfers that Sister Laureo has

really been looking to me as her

follow up trainer and I have felt

the true weight of the work of a

senior companion for the first time.

I am finding that as I put in more

work and more effort to thinking of

the people and spending time that I

would have in the past considered

personal or free time thinking

constantly of what we can do to help

our investigators progress.

Our companionship studies have also

changed a lot now being two instead

of three and we are spending a lot

more time focusing on the individual

needs or our investigators. We

discuss how we feel as a

companionship we can help them to

progress. I know we have both felt

closer to those that we teach here

this week and as we have given our

all to the work, that being said

this is also a part of why we've have

had a tough week because I can feel

it for myself and see in my

companion that we just want so

badly for our investigators to make

the right choices and come closer to

Christ. I suppose we are just learning

more of the heavenly virtue of

patience and perseverance in trials

this week. I cannot say I was not

frightened for my companion last

night as I waited for Elder Chase

(The senior couple) to come and

take her to the emergency room, but

as I sang hymns to her and tried my

best to comfort her I felt the comfort

of the spirit of the Lord surround

us both. She suffered a spell of

severe cramps in her abdomen and

after being given some very strong

pain killers.This morning she looks

to be doing much better and is just

exhausted from last night, I am making

sure that she rests well and drinks

plenty of water.
I am so thankful to still be

companions with Sister Lauero. I can

just see in her sweet spirit just

how much she wants to always do her

best and because of her example I

have felt a renewed sense of love

and dedication to this work and a

desire to be a better missionary.

As I kneel in prayer at the end of

each night I feel the love of the

Lord for me and my companion and his

pleasure with our efforts to continue

his work, and for me that makes it

all worth it and gives me strength.

I love you all and miss you lots.

With love,

Sister Quinn

Sorry about the crazy font issues again