Kamusta Po Kayo Sa Inyong Lahat,

Some times this work is really hard. It is hard

when they promise you they're coming to church

and then they never show up. It's really hard when

only 2 hours before sacrament meeting starts you

teach a great lesson give you're whole hard, you

know they felt the spirit. You see the father eagerly

shining his shoes telling you he will come to church

and bring his wife, you leave happy and confident

that they'll come and just two hours latter you're

standing at the chapel with bishop telling you he's

gonna start sacrament meeting and not one of your

investigators has turned up. Its hard knowing that

they broke a promise not only to you but to the lord.

Its hard to knowing that their actions and their

choices continue to hold them back from the

blessings that heavenly father wants so desperately

to give to them. Its hard not to get so involved that

it hurts you too but no matter how much it hurts

you know that you'll continue to go back , you'll

continue to love them. I think this might be because

the love that we as missionaries feel for these

people is truly coming directly from our heavenly

father we are only his instruments and as I feel

his love for the people here it gives me the strength

to continue coming back to them week after week

hoping and praying that they will see the reason

for change. Hoping that they will feel the love I

feel, The love of our saviour for them. I pray that

as the work to change they will rely on him for their

strength. For I know that He gives strength which

will never fail.

In all of the ups and downs of everyday missionary
work I still feel that their is no where else I'd
rather be , nothing else I'd rather be doing. I know
because I can feel it deep within my hear that this
is where my father in heaven wants me to be.
I want to thank all of you at home so much for
your support of me I never say that enough in
these weekly blog post but I feel the support from
home as I pray for you all every night and day.
I have been trying to my hardest to work this
week on my weakness of always looking to far
ahead. I have been trying more and more just to
live in the moment and as I have this week I've felt
a stronger love for my investigators and for my
companions just last night sitting in the small and
humble home of one of our investigators
(Sister Rosario Casino) I sat listening attentively to
my companion bear testimony of something I'd just
taught. I felt the spirit so strongly as I looked around
the room into the faces of the family gathered there
who listen raptly to everything we teach them, as
we go every night to this family to teach and have
been teaching them on a daily basis for about 2
months now. As I looked into their eyes out of no
where it hit me that these are the people I'd
dreamed about before coming out on this mission
these are the people I'd looked forward to meeting,
looked forward to helping, looked forward to bring
them closer to Christ. I am trying with all my heart
now to soak up every moment of this experience.
I have found that as I do that I am the happiest I've
ever been. I know that heavenly father has a work
for me to do here and I feel blessed and privileged
to be here engaged in his work! I miss you all and
love you too!

Mahal Na Mahal Kita,

Sister Quinn

Kumusta Po Kayo Lahat,
Talagang Blessed po Kami Dito this week with the Cebu Cultural
Celebrations and Temple Dedication. On Saturday at five they
broadcast the cultural celebrations at the stake centre and we
had to bring and investigator. Sister Soriano, Sister Laureo and
I brought the Cabanyog family. A family we've been teaching for
a long time who we love very dearly and are such a great whole
family, and we we're so blessed to have the whole family come
to the event. I think their father Bro Cabanyog really enjoyed
the native dances from his home island of Mindanao. My
favourite though was from Sister Soriano's home land of
Bacolod, it was a dance where the dancers balanced jar's of light
on their head and then swung them around themselves inside
brightly coloured scarves. It was really beautiful. The best part
of it though was that so many people many investigators included
got and opportunity to see and hear the words of our living
prophet President Monson. The next day on Sunday we we're
bright and early for the dedication broad cast from our stake
centre here in Cabanatuan. The sky was clear without a cloud in
the sky however near to the end of President Monson's address
just before the Temple's dedicatory prayer all of the sudden a
loud roar of thunder was all that announced the POUNDING RAINS
of plenty. Literally more rain than I have ever heard or seen in
my whole life it was as if the heavens we're pouring down from
the sky. We could hardly hear President Monson's words and I
was sure that any second the powerful storm would knock out our
satellite feed from Cebu and we would miss the real dedication sure
enough just as it seemed that President Monson was coming to the
end of his talk the power in the building died and the emergency
lights came on.I could see a look of panic, pain and shock on my
companions and many of the other Filipino's faces. I almost
without thinking turned to Sister Soriano and looked here straight
in the eyes she asked me what we would do. I said we will pray!
It was so simple of an answer and so simple of a thing to do but
as I prayed harder than I have prayed in a long time I felt the spirit
so strong sitting in the stake centre, thinking of all those
Filipinos many of whom had waited years to see a living prophet
dedicate a temple of the Lord in their nation. I prayed for them so
that they might be able to participate in this great celebration and
blessing from the Lord, and ask I prayed I felt his love for them as I
do every day but this time very strongly. Not 5 minuets later before
I had even said the Amen to my long and ferverent prayer the
power came back and the Satellite feed was quickly located. All
were able to hear both the dedicatory prayer and participate in
the celebrations that followed. Tear's flowed from my eyes as we
sang the Spirit of God and I looked into the beaming and smiling
faces of my two Filipino companions and all the other's who
surrounded them alight with joy and with the spirit of the Lord.
I know that the words of our prophet are true as he said in this
very Cebu Temple dedication " You think their are no miracles
today, They are all around you all you have to do is have ears to
hear and eyes to see them!" I know that small miracle as it was
I witnessed a miracle to see a house of the Lord dedicated here
in this land where I continue to love serving Him! I love you all
and miss you too!
Mahal Na Mahal Kita, Ingat sa Lahat,
Sister Quinn

Kumusta Po Kayo and Mga Pamilya at mga Kaibigan Ko Po!
And then their was three! I am actually really enjoying our new
threesome. I was anxious at first especially finding out on Thursday
that our new companion Sister Laureo is a brand new missionary
only one and a half months into her mission and that Sister Soriano
and I are really her Follow up Trainers, but I am so impressed
with her spirit and can tell that the really paid attention and learnt
a lot in the MTC. We are calling ourselves Ang Mga Tatlo Maria.
The Three Mary's. It is great to be three because this week we
started teaching a huge family which consists of 5 families of the
grown up children of one old lola ( grandmother) complicated
to explain but basically we started out teaching the grandmother
and now her adult children. Its good that their are three of us
though to answer all of their questions, and at first I thought
teaching with three might be hard to work out but with the
spirit nothing is impossible. As I type this blog I can hear a
LOUD strong rain pounding on the roof of our Internet cafe.
Sister Laureo says type faster their might be a brown out
(these happen often so I am not really going to doubt her!)
It has really stared to rain more often this week and strong and
stronger I keep on asking if its a Bagio ( Storm/ Hurricane) yet
but the Filipinos all assure me this is NOTHING. lol! I cannot
wait to see what real rain looks like. On Saturday we had the
Baptism of Sister Edith. We had a baptism this Saturday and
I am really pleased that Sister Edith is a truly converted soul
who as really accepted the gospel and as both a strong testimony
of her saviour and of the restoration of this Gospel with Joesph
smith as the true prophet chosen to restore the fullness of
Christ's Gospel in the latter days. She is excited already at the
idea of going to the temple one day and has interviewed with
our bishop so that she can watch the Cebu Dedication this
coming week at the stake centre. I as well am very excited
of course for the up coming temple dedication and Saturday's
broad cast of the culture celebration. I don't know what this will
be wither native dancing or singing or what ,will let you know
this week, Until then LOVE YOU ALL and miss you loads,
Sister Quinn

Kumusta Po Kayo,

Mabilis Ang Panahon! I can hardly believe it is JUNE tomorrow
the time on a mission really does fly and I'd heard that before
but really I'm feeling it this week at the end of yet another transfer!
Crazy news from transfer announcements wish granted that no one
is leaving but turns out someone is coming! I am now going to be
part of a threesome! EEKK. Little scared and nervous trying to be
excited and wondering how it will work with teaching, and with
space in the house, with Companionship study. Pleased though to
have another one of these amazing sweet Filipino sisters that I
get to know as a companion and who I will LOVE of course. I learnt
so much from each and every one of my companions thus far so
a new one just means more that I get to learn! Yesterday we had
the BEST day of church. Six investigators in attendance and for
the first time for me a WHOLE FAMILY! The Casino family.
Sister Soriano and I were SOOO happy shrieking with joy as we
greeted them at the door. The Father of the family Brother Vale
had just the previous day had shoulder length hair which he cut
short just for church and had bought brand new shoes to be clean
cut and appropriate for church. We could really tell
they enjoyed the service and had a great time in
Gospel principles class as well. We couldn't have
asked for a better experience with their first time
at church and are hopeful that they will continue
to attend. Earlier on in the week we had worked
with a few of the members of the youth who are
in close age to their teenagers and so when they
arrived we had instant fellowshippers for them and
we're able to return and teach with new member
fellowshippers after church. One of our
fellowshippers Sister Rachel (age18) is so keen
on teaching with us and she reminds me of myself
not too long ago when I was so excited every week
to work and teach with the Sister missionaries in
London. Sometimes its crazy to think here I am
now a real missionary almost 6 months in the field !
To end here I'd like to share a scripture which Sister
Rachel shared in one of our teaching appointments.
In Alma 42:31 it says "

And now, O my son, ye are called of God to preach the word unto this people.

And now, my son, go thy way, declare the word with truth and soberness, that

thou mayest bring souls unto repentance, that the great plan of mercy may have

claim upon them. And may God grant unto you even according to my words.

Amen." That is my prayer also each and every day that I man go forth to preach

this Gospel being worthy to declare the lords words with truth and soberness.

Miss you all!

INGAT SA LAHAT,

Sister Quinn

Sorry I don't know what is going on with the different font sizes I tried to fix it but no luck VQ