Ola! Tudo Bem?

22 July 2014

~

Sister Silva is from Portugal not from Brazil. Stalking skills failed. That happens when you are not on Twitter anymore. :P

Dear Family and Friends,

Yeah, that's the Portuguese of "Hi! How are you?" lol

I just love my new companion! She's like Ate Janeth. The older sister I've never had. We have a lot in common and she is the companion that brings out the best in me! She's soooooooooo smart (mind you, that's the only thing that we're different) and she's on her last year in the Law School!

And oh, her mission call is to preach the gospel in Portuguese language but now, she's in an English speaking area so she's really amazing.

Mine and Sister Silva's first week together was really miraculous! Let me start on our first official day together.

Me and Sister Ferrell stopped a lady who was on a rush a day before the transfers. Because in a hurry, we didn't have the opportunity to get her full address but she wrote her name and street's name on my planner (which was good, phew!).

Me and Sister Silva just decided to tract the whole area to find her. And guess what? Yeah, after knocking few doors, a girl answered it and the spirit was telling me that we were on the right door! I asked her if Vania is around, it turned out that is her sister and guess where are they from? PORTUGAL!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sister Silva started to teach few principles to Vanessa (the sister) in Portuguese and I can even understand every word that she's speaking! We've had a good lesson with her and we are seeing them again this week!

On our way back home for lunch, one of the lady that lives next door from us was cutting the bushes on her garden. Sister Silva asked if she needed any help and she replied that she doesn't have money to pay us. We just looked to each other and smiled and told her that we would love to help her without any cost! Guess where this lady is from? She's from the PHILIPPINES!!!!!! *drum rolls* She lived few blocks away from me in Cavite! She knows people from my neighbourhood and she knows my landlady! Yeah, like in Silang Cavite. Yeah yeah yeah. *goose bumps*

I am so sorry if I haven't replied any of your emails, guys. So sorry. I hope I'll have time next week.

We've had many investigators at church yesterday and I am enjoying every minute of my mission.

I love all of you!

Til next PDay!

Love,
Sister Ordanza

For Your Eyes Only

15 July 2014

~

One of my favourite families here in the ward! The Gillespies! She's from Cagayan de Oro btw.:)

Deutschland!!!

15 July 2014
~
Yep. Our mission president gave us permission to watch the World Cup Finals! (We watched it yesterday!) Sad because Brazil didn't make it to the finals but hey, Germany won over Argentina! 1-0! Alles Gute, Alemania! Wohoooooooo!

Dear Family and Friends,

So, I've news to all of you. Are you readyyyyyyyyyy?!!!

K.

I'm staying here in Kettering for at least another transfer (6 weeks), probably until August 26th. Yayyyyy! Can't leave Kettering yet. I'm not emotionally prepared. haha

That means, all of you can send letters (or parcels if you want ;) ) to my flat's address. Well, wait. Not you, Ma. I'm sorry but the mail system in the Philippines sucks. So you can send it to my mission home's address. But hey anyways I understand and you love me, right? :)

I'm so upset that Sister Ferrell is moving tomorrow. She's the best and we get along really well! I need to move on, that's missionary life, right? RIGHT?! K. She will be in Enfield with Sisters Griffiths and Allred. Yeah, she'll be in a trio.

My new companion will be Sister Silva and if I'm not mistaken she's from Brazil. Hmmm, not quite sure but don't doubt my stalking abilities. lol

Time to learn some Portuguese then! I'll tell you more about her on my email next week. I'll officially meet her tomorrow. 

Wow, I just realised that I'm gonna be here in Kettering for at least six months! Don't worry. I'm not getting trunky. :P

Anyways...

We've had a pretty good week! Our investigators are all progressing. The Gardner's(Steve, Linda and Adam), Elaine, Lucien, Kevin, Samantha, Naomi and Shantel  attended church last Sunday! (See the reason why I don't want to leave Kettering yet?) And we found new investigators as well. I am so much excited for all these individuals/family to enter the waters of baptism and in the temple! And oh, remember Geoffrey? Yeah, my first baptism? He will have the Melchizedek Priesthood this coming September! K K K. Being a servant of the Lord, you'll witness how much Heavenly Father loves His children. I can't even express how much I love being a missionary!

Being an ambassador of Christ opens loads of opportunities. One of this is teaching the Primary class. Oh my days! I haven't appreciated babies and kids, okay, children, that much until I came here. They're so cute and precious!

I am looking forward for this new transfer! New companion, new experiences and new ways of missionary fun!

I want to leave this quote from Elder L. Tom Perry to all of you:

"The choices you make will make all of the difference in what you want to achieve."

Let's use our agency wisely!

I honestly love all of you. Until next PDay!

Love,

Sister Ordanza

What A Wonderful Week!

8 July 2014
~
Dear Family and Friends,

I ran out of cool subject line. jaja

Anyways, I've had a wonderful, busy and productive week! Zone conference was amazing plus I saw Sister Loveland at the Visitors' Centre in Hyde Park! And me and Sister Ferrell celebrated fourth of July by making and decorating cupcakes and brought it to our favourite family, the Parker's! (I'll send the photo next time, I guess. XD)

We've had so many people attended church yesterday! The Gardner's (Steve, Linda and Adam) have been attending church and other activities for over a month now. Elaine loved it especially Relief Society! Samantha and Naomi are our new investigators and they enjoyed the lessons. Kevin attended as well! Lucien got ill so she didn't go but she's coming this Sunday! :)

We are working with several less-active members of the ward since I've been here in Kettering and guess what, they all went to church yesterday. In one of our visits, I told them this, "My companion and I are not here to invite you to come back to church, we are inviting you and your whole family to come to the temple and be sealed for eternity." In our ward correlation meeting, the bishop told us that all of the less-actives wanted to meet him and he interviewed them to start working on their preparation to go to the temple! Isn't it amazing?! *insert tears of joy*

There will be two new Elders that are coming into the ward this transfer (July 16th), which is pretty much our whole district so it will be so much fun and exciting!

I love this ward so much. Members here are the best. Oh wait, next to Narra and Santa Monica saints! ;)

But yeah, it feels so much like home here.

Don't worry about me. I'm eating well (still not gaining weight but I'll get there ;), having so much fun everyday and I'm safe and protected.

I honestly am so excited for my best friend Joy for her mission call! Few more days and she'll receive an amazing letter from The First Presidency telling her specifically where the Lord wants her to be.

And yes, I am soooooooooooooooooooo excited for you, Meg. Few more steps on the check list and you'll be there. Hang in there, bez! The Lord is with you every step of your way.

I love you all!

♥,

Sister Ordanza

P.S

The Gillespie's (our Filipino family here in the ward) invited us again to come over this Friday. You don't even know how excited I am. Seriously though. :D

For Your Eyes Only (3)

7 July 2014
~

At last, these are my photos for the past couple months. lol

This is my zone! The best zone in the world, the Northampton Zone! Tada! ;)

Me, Sister Ishizawa and Sister Som. My Asian buddies! I think Elder Wu took this picture. lol

And have you noticed my nice tan? ;)

♥,

Sister Ordanza

"Meet The Mormons"

It's kind of a big thing here in the UK now. A programme in the tele that features a young lad who is serving a full-time mission in the England Leeds Mission. Just Google it, guys. Or click this link http://www.channel4.com/programmes/meet-the-mormons/episode-guide

We received different feedback from that show, both positive and negative. There were few people who approached us and said, "I feel so sorry for you, guys. You're trapped. You can't see your family for two years? That's not nice!" I just said to them that we're not trapped and we are here in England because of our own choice, no one forced us to do this.

And yes, I left my family for eighteen months so others can be with theirs for eternity.

I'd like to bear my testimony that I know that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the true and living church of Christ here on earth today.

I'm a daughter of God and has a divine potential that I could be with my family together with Jesus Christ and Heavenly Father someday. As a woman, I am so grateful that I have the opportunity to share the restored gospel here in England. When I handed my mission papers to my branch president couple of months ago, I know that serving a mission is going to be hard. But I still opt to serve because I love my Heavenly Father so much and I love those people around me. Yes, serving a mission is hard especially in a country that is so foreign to me. But hey, you know what, I don't even care because as long as I do my best to be a consecrated missionary, I know that Heavenly Father will help me. This eighteen months will fly by, but the blessings that I will share here will be for forever. It's worth it.

I sustain President Thomas S. Monson as a prophet, seer and revelator but never ever would I worship him. I know that he is called of God and receives direct revelation from Him to guide and direct us. I am grateful for Joseph Smith. I know that he was a prophet of God and that he translated the Book of Mormon, another testament of Jesus Christ, by the power of God.

I know that these things are true and I am not going to deny it. In the name of our Saviour, Jesus Christ. Amen.

Dear Family and Friends,

Hiya!

How has your week been, guys? :)

Oh my days! Mine's really great! There are loads of stuff that happened this past week. Stake conference was so amazing! I love it!

We are teaching a lady named Elaine. She is so lovely! I love her to bits! 

And I love my Relief Society president and her whole family. Gosh. I found a Mum figure here! So sorry if my email is really weird and unorganised. haha.

There's nothing to tell really. My head is spinning. lol

Transfers will be on July 16th! I'm hoping that me and Sister Ferrell will stay together  here in Kettering. I LOVE HER SO MUCH. She's the best companion! 

We will go to London this Thursday for our Zone Conference. I'll email you the details next PDay.

And oh, last Saturday, we've had zone meeting. It was great! I'll email the photo of me, Sister Ishizawa (Japan) and Sister Som (Cambodia) next week. Haha. Asians FTW! And oh, don't forget Elder Wu from Taiwan. :)

I love and miss you all!

Love,

Sister Ordanza