Monday, July 30, 2018

Ginbaton ko ang VISA ko!! (I got my visa)

Yuuhuuu family!

My VISA CAME! 
For everyone that fasted last week THANK YOU! What a miracle :) 
I'm honestly really sad to have to leave California. I have experienced so many incredible miracles here and have made forever friends. It's really bitter-sweet. But I am so so happy to be finally going to the Philippines! I know the Lord's timing is always the perfect timing. So if He's ready I am too! 

This week was fantastic! (I held at least 5 dogs and 1 bird. :)) 

We met so so many new people! We met a guy that we were able to start teaching on his doorstep- he said that everything we had said was really powerful and he took a Book of Mormon. We're hoping to be able to meet up with him again to teach the lessons! Then while we were out tracting we met Patricia- her family dog had just passed away and they were preparing to lose their other dog as well. They was really upset and S. Western felt prompted to ask if we could pray with her. So we all held hands on her doorstep and prayed for comfort and peace for Patricia and her family. I'd never done anything like that before. 

I had exchanges on Wednesday with Sister Boyd and Sister Conder (my part-time companions) They came with me to a lesson with my adopted grandpa Jacobson and his wife Madi (the non-member who agreed to read from the Book of Mormon for the first time ever last week!) We talked with them about the importance of having the gospel in such a crazy world. We shared Helaman 5:12 and Brother Jacobson shared his testimony of how the gospel has blessed his life. The spirit was amazing- Madi got pretty teary. It was a really tender moment. They accepted our invite to pray every night together as a couple. I'm going to miss them so much! Keep them in your prayers!

We had a lesson with Alexis and Isabell on Friday on the importance of the Sabbath Day. They said they wanted to commit to keeping the Sabbath Day holy because they wanted to show Heavenly Father that they are getting ready to promise to believe in Him and Jesus Christ forever! It was so precious. It is so beautiful to see their testimonies growing. 

Saturday Sister Thedell and I taught Oca again!! This time when we showed up he said "wait my friend is interested!" !!! Then his friend Jospeh came in from outside and joined in on the lesson! But he speaks Tagalog NOT Hiligaynon. Sister Thedell and I struggled a bit to be honest because we were trying to teach in Hiligaynon but Joseph couldn't understand! But then Joseph said 'Just speak english' so we did. We taught the Plan of Salvation and they were both really receptive. We invited them to be baptized- they said they wanted more time and to keep learning. ALSO Oca gave me referrals for the Philippines! Some of his family still lives in Bacolod and he wants me to go meet them!  We're going to see him again tomorrow

Sunday was really bitter sweet- my last Sunday with the amazing Alicia Park ward. They are all really happy for me but also really sad to say goodbye. I told them I would come back to visit after my mission and I had a few families in the ward tell me to come stay with them. It  has been so so amazing to see this area grow. 9 weeks ago we were at ground 0. Now we're teaching and working with so many people, our ward members are excited about missionary work, and we still have so much more work to do! They thanked me for everything I had done but really it was what they were doing for me that made the miracles happen. Sunday night we got to go with Sister Western to support a recent convert who got her patriarchal blessing!  Sister Taylor and I sat in a different room but the spirit was incredible- How wonderful is it that Heavenly Father still talks directly to His children and wants them to know what he has in store for them. 

The California Irvine Mission (Christ In Me) will always always have my heart. I wouldn't trade my time here for anything in the world.

Bacolod here I come!! 

Sister Zollinger 

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