Happy New Years!!!!!!!!!!!

Hello my beautiful family and friends! Kumusta? Kumusta pasko mo? Mine was awesome! And eventful! Honestly this last week was so fulfilling! Well the first part of the week ... let me tell you! Okay so on Monday we had FHE with the Corres family, they are a family of investigators that we started teaching right at the beginning of my training. We have been through some ups and downs with them. They were really progressing when we first started teaching them but after a few weeks their progression just stopped. No matter what we did or how hard we tried they wouldn't come to church, or baptisms, or activities. They were pretty shy about attending any ward functions period. My companion and I suspected it was because they were intimidated by the members. Most of the members can understand, and speak English somewhat and no one in the Corres family can understand English at all. The only reason Nanay can read is because she completed first grade and Tatay can't read at all. Something really sad happened in their family a couple weeks ago and Nanay has been really sad Well we had our first FHE with them on Monday and it was SO AWESOME! The first and second councilor in our branch was there as well as some members from our ward and Sister Reategui and Sister Alabanza were there. I gave the lesson, I used the pepper and soap for the object part of it. Even tho I struggled through the whole thing because it was all in Tagalog lol, after I felt so good! Not only that but the FHE as a whole turned out really beautifully. Nanay for the first time in a long time was just HAPPY. She was laughing and making jokes, it was so awesome to watch. After that the week was busy! 

With Christmas and all the people we visited and taught. It was going great until I got sick! Again! Lol it started with food poisoning and then turned into Chikungunya. When I went to the dr's I was told that I either have that or dengue. There has been a huge outbreak in our province and the doctor was sure it was either dengue or chikungunya. Thankfully tho it was chikungunya. Still tho getting sick this time really sucked. I was in bed for almost the whole weekend and I had a fever every day. I've been drinking lots of water and trying to stay positive. It was difficult this time tho. I'm not sure why. I felt really bad about all the work we missed. I was able to talk to my mission president about it and he reassured me and comforted me so I feel fine now.
 

In other good news! We had 2 baptisms this week! They were so precious, Brother Jade (22) and Brother John-July (9). John-July (his sisters name is April-May LOL!!!) is my best friend here! Lol I love him! I love all the kids in my district! They were all comforting me yesterday when they found out I was sick. All I heard yesterday at church was "Seestr Ponowa! Seestr Ponowa! Maggaling ka? Kumain ka na!" Lol it means are you okay now? You eat already! Lol we had our Christmas party on Saturday and they cooked an entire pig like gourmet style with lots of delicious food that I COULDN'T EAT because I was sick and just the smell of all of that made me sick! Lol I was cursing my sickness watching everyone eat. It was funny tho because everyone's solution was for me to eat .... hahahahaha! Yeah if ONLY! 

Also I got cards and present from the kids we teach and one that we've baptised and they seriously melted my heart! In all of them they thanked me for teaching them and sharing the Gospel with them. From Agapito (my first baptism) in the card he made me he said "thank you for teaching me and helping me become a good member of this church." AHH! I seriously cried when I read that. He also shared a scripture with me that I want to share with you, its in Alma 19:6 its a part from the verse but its so beautiful to me, "the light of the glory of God, which was a marvelous light of his goodness-yea, this light had infused such joy into his soul ..." This was the scripture that he put in his letter to me. About ho happy the Gospel has made him! That brought so much happiness to my soul I can't even explain to you how it effected me. 

Brothers and sisters this work is so fulfilling. I can't even put my emotions into words. Thats how much it means to me. I love this Gospel and all the it brings. Not because I'm learning so much anymore and not because I know its blessing the lives of those I love. No its because of the way it has changed those I teach. I love it because it has given me an opportunity to put of my natural man and literally see thru the eyes of Heavenly Father. I see His children the way He sees Him and thru this I am able to love them the way He does. Well try to of course. Just this tiny bit of wisdom has helped me so much and has changed my life more than anything else could. The knowledge that I have gained thru serving and loving others is enough to bring me to tears and just the though of one person going thru life and NOT experience true and everlasting forgiveness is enough to cause me to weep for my brothers and sisters and for those precious souls that NEED what we have and that NEED to feel accpeted and loved by Heavenly Father. I know that this is the only place where we can receive forgiveness and where we can gain true happiness. I feel it every day! I love this Gospel and I love my Heavenly Father and Savior Jesus Christ. And I am eternally grateful for my membership in this church. 

I love you all so much! Never forget to lean on the Atonement when you feel like there is no where else to go. Because I know that that was why He died for us. So that He could succor us when we are at our lowest. 

Love you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sister Fonua 

this is me and elizabeth and john july

and thats my companion and a member from our branch. we have to cross rice fields for some of our appointments :D