The Work of The Lord 7/20/14

Kumusta kayo lahat? Namimiss ko kayo lahat!:) Pero, sobrang masya ako dito sa mission. Alam ko na ito yung layunin ko at nandito po ako sa Philippines dahil ito ang area na yung ating Ama na sa langit needs me the most.

Sobrang astig yung week na ito:) Masaya siya! Mayroon kami ni Sister Bono dalawa nagbinyagan, si Joy and Joyce:) They are the sweetest! It has been so amazing to teach them about the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Sister Joyce had to be baptized twice haha dahil yung buhok niya ayaw lumubog haha. At si Sister Joy tatlong basis haha kasi ayaw niya din. Pero, sabi ko sa kanya na ayos lang na 3 times kasi ako din noon na nagbinyag ako. 3 times din...pero hindi dahil sa buhok ko...dahil ang lolo ko may kalimutan niya na sinabi "Amen" haha. Tawa nang tawa siya lol. Sobrang magaling silang dalawa. Sobrang masaya sila na nagbinyag sila sa totoo simbahan ni Jesucristo:) Sana maging masaya kayo dahil nagemail ako sa Tagalog;) hehe. Kailangan mo ang translator para sa email na ito...at hindi Google translate...mali siya!:P hehe. I will start typing in English now so that you can understand now. Joy and Joyce are great. This week has been very progressive. We were able to extend an IBD to a progressing family of ours for August 9th!:) I am so stoked because it will be my first family baptism!:) There are four of them all together!:) They are such a beautiful family:) The kids love coming to Church and have lots of friends at there. The Lord is truly hastening his work. The last couple of weeks I have really been looking at the past and all of the non member friends that I have had and how selfish I was to not introduce them to the missionaries. That is my goal when I get home. Introduce my friends or the people around me to the missionaries. I challenge those of you who are not on missions...to introduce your friends to the missionaries. If you don't now, you will regret it later I promise. Anyways, I love you all and I look forward to hearing from you soon!:) Have a great week!:) 

Sister Halley Ramsey

Philippines Urdaneta Mission

October 2013-April 2015

"If ye have desires to serve god ye are called to the work" 

Busy, Busy, Busy! 7/13/14

Naku it has been a busy week here in Dagupan! Saturday we weren't able to work because we were so busy! In the morning we were blessed to perform a CSP at one of our investigators house fixing their roof and pulling our weeds and such. And no I did not go on the roof...we are trying to fix it not break it haha. Then we had 2 baptismial interviews and then we had to do our studies for the day which took 2 hours haha. It was a long day. Yesterday we were blessed to have 8 of our investigators come to church! That is the most that I have had attend church my entire mission so far!!:) It was an amazing feeling to see them all come into church. I was felt the spirit so strong and I am sure that they did too. Especially because of the talks that were given. The talks were exactly what investigators need to hear. They were based on enduring to the end and listening to the missionaries. It was great. The ward here in Dagupan is so supportive and welcoming sa mga bagong miembers at yung mga investigators namin. Sobang masaya ako dito talaga! Ayaw ko malipat! Ever haha...unless it was back to Villasis haha. Then I would be ok with it lol. Joke lang. I will go wherever the Lord needs me:) We have a baptism this coming Saturday and we are so excited as well as the two being baptized. Sister Bono and I have been blessed to be the missionaries that planted and harvested the two souls. They are so astig and are going to be strong members of the church for sure. The daughter and I are the same age and she wants to serve a mission daw!:) It is such a testimony builder being out here really:) A real blessing not just for those coming unto Christ...but to me as well. I thank my Lord and Savior everyday for the trust that he gives me everyday to fulfill my calling as his representative. He is my Savior and advocate...I am just an instrument in his hands. I know that all things are possible through him if we put our trust and faith in him. Mahal ko kayo lahat! Have a great week! Talk to you next week!

Sister Halley Ramsey

Philippines Urdaneta Mission

October 2013-April 2015

"If ye have desires to serve god ye are called to the work" 

Pictures:

Service project 

Me on a super awesome bridge in Manat:)

Transfers! 7/6/14

Well, I did not get transferred and neither did Sister Bono. Feeling ko na papatayin ko siya...sana! We are still companions and she only has 2 more transfers left before she is done with her mission so I am hoping and praying as well as she is that we will be together until the end of her mission:)

Anyways, so not much has happened this week. 2 of our IBD's came to church yesterday and this coming up Saturday is their baptismal interview. We are super excited for them because we have been here since the beginning with the two of them. We got to plant and are harvesting them:) They have come to church 7 times and are keeping all of their commitments. They would have been baptized before but they are super astig and they needed more time to make sure that it was exactly what they are suppose to do. They know now that it is and they are really excited to take the next step in the Gospel and be baptized:) We have seen their progression and desires to receive the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It is such a blessing being here on a mission and witnessing the miracles take place right in front of me really. It is the best thing, I can't explain it. For those serving missions you know that feeling:) It is just overpowering and beautiful:) I am so proud to be a mormon and to have the Gospel in my life:) I know that this is the true church and that the book of Mormon is true and that missionary work is the work of the Lord. I know that the Lord is hastening his work and the fullness of the Gospel is coming forth and we are all going to witness it:) What a blessing. I love each and every one of you and I hope you all have an uplifting and safe week:)

Love, 

Sister Halley Ramsey

PICTURES:

(Pasensya, kaunti lang)

1.Kabahay Sister Fronk, Sister Fifita, Sister Bono, and well AKO:)

2. Look-UP:) 

BaPtIsM! 6/30/14

Hoy, sobrang mabilis ang panahon! Nasaan ang oras talaga...parang feelings ko wala na haha. This transfer has gone by sooo fast! I think it is because my companion and I got along so well and we had such a great time together:) Hopefully she doesn't transfer and neither do I...she only has two more transfers left...I am hoping and praying that I will 'Kill' her:) She is hoping so too, so we will see what the Lord has in store for us this week:) sana, we will stay together:) 

As for my week...just in case anybody is wondering...haha joke. I know you all are:D joke ulit! Anyways...Saturday one of our investigators Sister Delma Pasaoa was baptized:D It was great! She is a wonderful example of a truly converted convert should be...no joke. She has such a strong testimony of the Gospel and how much it has helped her in her life and the time that she has truly put into making sure that baptism was what she needed to do. She was so prepared. Actually, yesterday...while proselyting...my companion and I passed by one of our areas and we see her and 2 other members visiting teaching! She was just baptized this last Saturday and she is already visiting teaching! Such a testimony builder for me. It was a great sight really:) I am so blessed to be here on a mission...I still can't believe that I am here. I feel that it still hasn't really hit me like I expected it to that I am on a mission, in the Philippines...learning Tagalog! ME! Learning TAGALOG! Hoy naku, ano nangyari? haha:) Alam ko po na ito yung plano ng diyos para sa akin, at mayroon ko ang pagpili na pili kung gusto ko sundin o hindi. Pero, dahil dito po ako sa Philippines, alam ko po na sundin ako yung plano ng diyos para sa akin. At alam ko po na may plano para sa inyo lahat din. at yung layunin natin ay sundin sa kanya:) Mahal ko kayo lahat! Have a great week and I will talk to you all next week:)

-Sister Halley Ramsey

Malapit Ang...Transfer Day! Ayaw Ko! 6/22/14

Hala this transfer has flown by! I cannot believe that next week is transfer week already! Oh boy:/ I don't want a new companion, I am praying that Sister Bono and I stay together for another transfer:) I absolutely love her:) She is so fun and outgoing. We have a great time together...I think that is why the transfer has flown by. 

Well, this week it has rained soooo much! But, luckily we have some super cute rainboots and big umbrellas so we can survive! It is flood season here so I am prepared...let the rain begin! 

So, Saturday one of our investigators, Delma Pasaoa had her baptisimal interview...she PASSED! She will be getting baptized this Saturday. She is 42 years old. She lives all by herself because her husband left her and took their kids and pretty much brainwashed their kids so they don't like her. It is a sad situation:( But, she is so strong and the spirit is really strong with her. I have never met someone so excited to be baptized before...it is so amazing and a real testimony builder. Not only do we help strengthen her, but she really strengthens us as well.

That has been my quick update on the work here. I love you all and I will talk to you next week! Mahal ko kayo lahat!:)

-Sister Halley Jean Ramsey

Hoy, Sobrang Mabilis Yung Oras! 6/15/14

Kumusta kaya ang lahat!? Namimiss ko kayo!:)

This week has been kind of slow in the work due to some activities. We had a "Mission Tour"...Elder Echo Hawk of the Quorum of the 70 came and spoke to us as well as his wife. It was so great. Except it was a little awkward at the same time because they spoke to us about marriage...um...we are missionaries and I still have 10 months here in the field. It is not time to be thinking about marriage haha. But, they did make a lot of good points and I learned a lot from the words that they spoke unto us on how to prepare for after the mission and such. And then...we had Stake Conference on Saturday and on Sunday...and both of the sessions they talked about MARRIAGE again! I was so confused haha. But, I know that this is were I am suppose to be and that the Lord has work for me to be done:) But, it was still a little weird to hear talks about marriage 4 times in 4 days haha. 

But, as for the work here in Dagupan 5B, I have to say that it is going so well:) I love everything about the people here. Especially the spirit that I feel when we teach them. I have never felt the spirit so strong in my life except for at the Temple before my mission. Other than that only here in the mission field. It has been so amazing. I love the work of the Lord and I am so blessed to be here in the field and to be spreading the word of the Lord to those who need to hear it...which is EVERYONE!:) I love my calling!

-Sister Halley Ramsey

P.S All these pictures are pictures from the Mission Tour. 

The picture of the 4 of us sisters are the 4 of us that are in the same house. Then there is Sister Bono, Elder Contreras, and I, And then rosales zone haha and my bestfriend sister Lee and I:) Enjoy!

Week 2 Here in Dagupan... 6/9/14

Well, this is going to be a short message because I am running late on time. But I just want to inform you all of our 3 IBD's here in our area. They are so progressive and their baptisimal date is for this coming 28th of June. Nagsimba sila lagi. Every Sunday nagsimba sila...and they dont even need our help or anything. They do it all on their own. It is great! Tapos, it has been raining like crazy here haha. IT IS GREAT! I love it...pero...the floods are going to be coming soon and I need to purchase boots or I am going to get eaten alive by lamok...mosquitoes. Haha. It has been a pretty slow week. We were pretty panted. But the lessons that we were able to have were super spiritual so that was definitely a plus to the few lessons we had haha. I love the work and the ward here in Dagupan and I especially love my companion Sister Stephanie Joy Bono Kauer haha! She is the best...we have so much fun together...but not too much fun;) We still get the work done:) hehe. I love you all and I hope you have a great and safe week. As will I here:) talk to you next week!! MAHAL KITA!

-Sister Ramsey

First Full Week in Dagupan!

It is still really funny to me that I am here in Dagupan...because last last transfer I really thought that I was transferring...and I had a strong feeling that I was going to be going to Dagupan...but, I didn't transfer...but this transfer I did...and I came to Dagupan. This has been my dream area since my second transfer here in the field. It is such a fruitful area talaga. The field is so white here and it is ready to harvest. We just area having a little tiny bit of trouble with fellowshipping. But other than that everything is great really!:) We have three IBD's and they all came to church kahapon and even one of them bore their testimony and it was so strong. I am so blessed talaga to be doing the work of the Lord...even if minsan we are panted. Or people reject us, Alam ko na this is exactly where we are suppose to be and there is a purpose behind all things. I love you all soo much and I hope that you are all staying safe. I pray for you everyday and I know that lord is answering my prayers. Talk to you all next week! Mahal Kita<3

-Sister Halley Ramsey

Transferred or Not Transferred? That is the Question! 5/25/14

TRANSFERRED! I am now in Dagupan 5th Ward with Sister Stephanie Bono. I LOVE IT!!:) She is so cute and funny. We get along great!:) The ward here is so supportive and active it is so refreshing. They are great...there are so many people here that remind me of home haha. There is a member here that reminds me of Steven sobra! LOL! And there is a lady here that reminds me of Jana, SOBRANG nice and sweet siya. It is great...I might not ever come home;) haha JOKE!

Yesterday...I was scarred for life...something that I will never be able to remove from my memory...

I saw a dog being roasted over a fire...The most revolting thing I have ever seen...I told my companion I am not eating meat anymore haha and I haven't had any meat since...but it has only been one day so we will see haha. Other than that the area and everything is great here! I only have one picture I will send:) I love you all so very much. Sorry the update is short but I will talk to you all next week:) Have a safe and spirit filled week!:)

-Sister Halley Ramsey

Transfer Week...Oh no! 5/19/14

Oh boy, this week is transfer week already! Sobrang mabalis yung oras talaga! It feels like just yesterday was the beginning of this transfer. I do not...I repeat...DO NOT! Want to transfer. Kahit na magsisix months ako dito sa Villasis. Sobrang mahal ko dito. Yung mga member, investigator, missionary, lahat. It is the best area ever para sa akin. I have grown so much here I seriously would not mind staying here my entire mission haha. Pero, ayos lang kasi babalik ako dito pagkatapos yung mission ko:D hehe. Sobrang excited ako!!:) As for my companion and I...well...we are more than great! She is one of my bestfriends here in the mission. She has taught me so much and I just love her. We had our rough patches last transfer pero this transfer has been nothing but flowers and daisies haha. She is the greatest, I absolutely love and adore her. Someday we will be Sisters haha. Mom;) haha joke. Kind of....anyways, so yon. Transfers are on Friday and I am positive this time magpulled out kami. I know I said that last time too but this time I AM SERIOUS haha. But, we will see next Monday:) So that is an update on what is happening here. Not really that much. Oh except that we have this amazing family that we are super sad to be leaving because seriously they are the best! They are like our family away from our family...don't get jealous mom. But, nanay even calls us her anak. They are so sweet. She reminds me alot of you mom:) I love it here because I feel at home haha. Well, that is my quick weekly update parang haha. Talk to you all next week after transfers! Wish me luck in my new area;) hehe. Mahal ko kayo lahat!:)

-Sister Ramsey

Mother's Day! :) 5/11/14

HaPpY mOtHeRs DaY sa lahat!:) Especially my amazing mother whom I love  sooo very much and I was so happy to skype with today!:) It made me so happy to see your smiling face and hear your sweet voice:) I love you so much!:)

This week has been well...panted. We had 15 lessons this week because a lot of our appointments kind of fell through and walang tao sa bahay nila:( Sayang. Anyways, other than that it has been a great week too:) We extended an IBD to our recent convert Brother Reymonds kuya Jun and he excepted. He is so astig. Walang WOW problem...walang lahat. He is golden. He is progressing so well and he is so excited to baptized on June 14th:) Sad for sister A and I kasi hindi kami dito:( We are pretty sure that we are transferring:( Pero ayos lang. Well, I don't have any time left to email so this is my short weekly update haha. Have a great week and talk more next week!:) 

-Sister Ramsey

What A Week 5/4/14

Oh boy, what a week. We had exchanges this week on Wednesday with the sisters from Sta. Maria...it was the first time I went on exchanges with someone from the same batch as me and I lead the area. Talk about stressful haha. But, actually it went really well and I was really fun. Mom, I have eaten 6 balot so far;) My companion says that I am a certified Filipina:) Haha ibig sabihin na ayos lang kung magpakasal ako sa Filipino haha! JOKE LANG;) 

Tapos, Saturday we had a great lesson with our recent converts Brother Reymunds family. His nanay and yung isang kuya niya. Both of which are sobrang "astig" (which means awesome or cool). Brother Jun was going to come to Church ka hapon...like talaga. We went there to his house to get them and he had everything picked out all ready to go but he got a phone call right before he was going to go and had to take care of things:( We know that Satan is working really hard on him because he is super prepared for the Gospel in his life! Pero, we are going to continue to strengthen him and help him to overcome Satan!:) That is our goal! And our purpose, to bring him to Christ. After that we had a wonderful activity at the Church. A ward FHE. I prepared the lesson/game. We played Jeopardy. The point of the FHE was to focus on our RC so the categories for Jeopardy were, Restoration, Plan of Salvation, Gospel of Jesus Christ, BOM Characters, and Random. It was such a success and so much fun! It was great seeing the participation of all the recent converts:) It was such a spirit/testimony builder:) And yesterday we had two investigators attend church which was a great improvement for us:) It has just been a great week talaga! Ayaw ko magtransfer:( Sobrang gusto ko dito sa Villasis! Pero, kailangan ko magiging humble and except the will of the Lord and wherever he sends me:) I love you all and hope you have a safe week!:) You are ALL in my prayers, especially Elder Terry and his family. The Lord is with you and your family Elder. He is there to help you in your time of pain. You are so strong. Talk to you all next week! Can't wait to skype on Sunday...or Monday...idk which because no one emailed me...MOM:P Haha, sige ingat ka lagi!

-Sister Halley Ramsey

6 Month Mark!!!

Kumusta!:) Namimiss ko kayo!

Wow, 6 months done and over with already. Crazy to say only 360 days more:( It is too fast. We have a joke here in Villasis. Whenever we see a plane we say "Hey Sister, do you know how far away that plane is?" and the response usally is "No Sister, how far?" and we respond with "360 days!". It is a lot funnier in person than it is over email:( Well anyways, so this week has been pretty productive. We found 4 new investigators! And 2 of our progressing investigators attended church. Pero, only relief society dahil may gagawin nila:( Church is different here. Sacrament is the last thing. First relief society, than gospel principles, then sacrament. Iba. But, they came to church so that was great!:) I am sending pictures for dad so he will be happy. The first picture is me and my companion:) The second picture is my Ayaw ko Iglesia Ni Cristo picture haha. We have a lot of fun while proselyting haha. So, For my 6 month mark in the mission I decided that it was time for me to eat balot. And actually...amazingly...it wasn't that bad haha. It was actually pretty good. A member in the ward here told me that before I transfer in May (Because I know that Sister Alvarez and I are transfering in May) we are going to have a balot eating contest haha. I am pretty excited about that. And no...I haven't eaten dog. That one is still a HECK NO NOT GONNA HAPPEN haha. I love Villasis so much I really don't want to transfer in May. I have met so many great people and just love everyone here:( Sayung I wish I could serve a Villasis mission haha. So the 3rd picture is for all of your because I love you all haha:) And lastly yung mga member sa ward dito sa Villasis pagkatapos Half Day Mission last week. So, that is a little update on my life here. Everything is going great. The work of the Lord is the best. I love my companion. I just love it all. I am so blessed to be here. And Tagalog is coming along well too:) So yon, Can't get much better than that haha. I love you all and I will talk to you next week!:) Have a safe and wonderful week!

Love,

Sister Ramsey

Long Week Here in Villasis...

So this week we had Zone Interviews on Saturday and they went super great! I love our mission president. His workshop that he gave was exactly what I needed to hear to help make me a better missionary. It was about being confident in the things we teach. I find myself at times being afraid to say something because I don't want to be wrong or something. But, I know that the lord is the one prompting me to open my mouth and speak so I need too. His workshop really opened not only my heart but my eyes to the work of the Lord. I am so sorry that this email is going to be super short:( but, I am doing great here in Villasis. I love my area and my companion and I will talk to you all next week! Mahal Kita!:) -Sister Ramsey

Transfer Week

Hoy, has this been a tough and stressful week. My companion and I were SO sure that we were going to be getting transfered...well guess what. nope . We are both together for another transfer which I am really happy about. Pero, at the same time I am super sad because this transfer I lost 3 really close friends that I have made here in the mission. My best friend here in the mission is going home after this transfer and she got transferred to Mangaldan...therefore I will not see her again until we meet in the Celestial Kingdom. So, I have been pretty down about that. And My absolute favorite STL Sister Merrill finished her mission and went home on Tuesday so wala siya ngayon. It has been really hard. Pero, my wingman Sister Lee transferred just to a different area within the zone so we still get to see each other every Monday and Tuesday:) So that is a plus. Pero, I can already tell that this transfer is going to be a difficult one so please please please keep me in your prayers. I know that I will be able to endure it though because I have the help of the Savior each and every day. I am so lucky to be here on a mission...I can't believe that on the 23 I will have 1 year left. Sobrang mabalis yung oras. I love each and every minute of mission life because I can see the changes that are happening all around me. In members, my companionships, investigators, and myself. I love this life. I wouldn't change it for anything! Have a wonderful week everybody! Mahal ko kayo! -Sister Ramsey

Transfer Week! 4/7/14

NAKU! This week is transfer week and may feeling ko na ang kasama ko and I are getting pulled out of our area. Actually...I know we are because a person came to check out our apartment to rent...and we saw the rent check and it was only for this month while the other apartment was paid for another 3 months. So, yeah. I am pretty sure we are leavin. I am hoping that I go to DAGUPAN! I am so excited...because actually I have a feeling that I am. But, we will find out on Wednesday where:) I will let you all know on Monday saan:) As for this week...it has been incredible! We had an amazing baptism on Saturday and he is just great! The next day he provided us with 4 referrals and he came and visited them all with us and bore testimony at the end of each lesson. He is so astig...I know that he is going to be an amazing future missionary. We keep telling him that if he has a desire to serve God, he will be called to the work. So sana in a year he will be heading out on his mission. I plan on keeping in contact with him to send encouragement and see how preparation is going. I am so sad to leave Villasis...I love it here. I hope that I will be able to come back here and serve again before I leave...but after I become fluent in Tagalog haha. Anywho...sorry for the short email this week...and every other week haha but I love you all and I hope you have a safe and happy week! MAHAL KO KAYO!:) -Sister Ramsey

Last Week of March 3/30/14

Wow this week has gone by sooo fast. It feels like just yesterday was P-Day. Crazy. Anywho, this week hasn't been all that eventful. I mean, we did find 7 new investigators! Yeah SEVEN! Pretty good...our goal was 10 but its ok we will get that this week:) We are so determined! We also have a baptism this Saturday for Brother Raymund Dela Pena. He is so magaling. I am pretty sure I said that in my last email pero sobrang totoo siya! He even has a desire to serve a mission! How astig is that? SOBRA! I know that he is an elect soul and he is so ready for baptism:) I started teaching him when I first got here with Sister Gonzales and I have seen the change of heart that he has obtained and grown since I have been here. It was an amazing change to see:) I know that he is going to be a faithful member to the church and that he is going to bless the lives of many with his conversion story. I also had the opportunity to go on exchanges with the STL's to one of my previous areas and I got to visit Sister Obando one of the recent converts that I have. I have missed her and her family so much because they haven't been to church in a month and I wasn't able to visit because it's not my area anymore. But, she came to church ka hapon and I know that she will continue to come to church now because she really knows the importance of church attendance. So, this email is going to have to be cut short because I am out of time, but I love you all and I will talk to you next week:) MAHAL KITA! -Sister Ramsey:)

Five Months Already! Where Has the Time Gone? 5/23/14

Well, yesterday marked my FIVE MONTHS mark on my mission. Holy cow the time goes by sobrang bilis. By this time next year I will be packing to come home...NOOOO!!! I don't want to come home haha. Well, not yet at least haha. There is still so much work to be done:) So this week we did a lot of things. We had Zone Conference on Thursday...but actually it was called Quad Zone Conference because 4 zones got together for the conference because there are so many zones it couldn't be all of them. It was Urdaneta, Urdaneta North, Rosales East, And Rosales. I am in Rosales...transfers are in 2.5 weeks and I am hoping/praying that I get transferred to Dagupan!:) I don't want to serve a Rosales mission like my companion haha. She has served in Carmen, then Villasis A, then Carmen again, and now Villasis B. She is halfway done with her mission and she is still in the same zone she was in when she got here haha. Kawawa siya. Anyways, so at conference we learned a lot regarding the Atonement and about our time here as missionaries. It really is a short time and every second really does count. That is why this week we really focused on finding new investigators because the Lord has been preparing people for us so we need to find them. We found 7 new investigators this week:) We are so excited to continue visiting them and help bring them unto Christ. We also put on a wonderful fireside on Saturday. It was a musical fireside. I really wish that I had pictures to send but my SD card is currently under repair so I have none. Siguro next week I can steal pics from the other sisters:) Anyways, it was a really fun and spiritual fireside. The topic was come unto Christ and we taught the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We invited different members to give 5-10 minute talks on each topic of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and then after each talk was a musical number given by others such as the YW, the YSA, Primary and so on. Then us 6 missionaries performed a musical number. Our song was Mountains to Climb, it was so great! And we had a great turn out:) Our ward is really turning around since day one. It is so nice:) So yeah, that has been my week:) I love you all and I hope you have a great week:) Talk to you next week sana! Love, Sister Halley Ramsey

Long Week Here in the Philippines 3/16/14

Well, this week we did not go out on Wednesday and Thursday because my companion was sick with the flu. So, I got to play nurse:) It was pretty fun, I think that I am going to do that as a career. I think haha. I was able to accomplish a lot in those two days haha. I cleaned...and cleaned...and well, cleaned some more haha. I also learned how to cook tamarin? I have to say, I am getting pretty magalin at making Filipino food;) haha joke! Pero totoo haha. Well, not much has really happened this week. Except we extended two IBD's and we had Half Day Mission kahapon. Both of which were really great! We have two super astig investigators. I mean all of our investigators are amazing but we have two in specific that are progressing outstandingly! Raymond Dela Pena and Brother Orlando. They are just super astig. I don't know how else to describe how awesome they are haha. Well, I am going to have to make this email short because I don't have much time left. I just want to leave saying that things with my companion and I and the other sisters are great:) We are getting along great and the spirit is always with us in lessons and it is just great. I LOVE IT HERE!:) I am so blessed to be on a mission serving the Lord...like talaga. Hindi joke lang. I would not change this for anything...not even marriage(mom) haha. I love you all and I look forward to hearing from you next week! Have a good week!:) Mahal Kita!:) -Sister Ramsey

GREAT NEWS!! :D

I'M GETTING MARRIED!!:D So, I have found somebody here in the Philippines and I have decided to end my mission early. Mom, don't be mad! I promise you will like him. He is so great. He is tall, nice, sweet, and temple worthy. So it works, diba? He served his mission here in Urdaneta, he actually just got home last December pero he decided to come back and visit the members here. I met him last month and things just clicked. HAAA! JOKE LANG!:) I doubt you believed me anyways. I just did that to freak my mom out because she said before I left not to find a Philipino and not come home haha. So yeah, anyways. My week has been pretty stressful. Actually, VERY stressful. My area was split last Sunday and I just got a new companion last last Friday so she wasn't familiar with the area yet...actually she still isn't haha but thats ok we are learning together. So anywho, because of the split we lost a lot of our progressing investigators. So this week we had to a lot of finding and preaching by the way. Thursday we didn't go out because a little incident happened between my companion and another sister in the other apartment and there was crying and depressions and what not. It was difficult. And then my companion and I had a little spat on Friday so we didn't go out until about 5. We were both just super stressed about the area and the other sisters and yeah. So we went out and had the most SPIRITUAL lesson that we have ever taught in the entire time we have been on our missions. We taught our progressing investigator Raymond Dela Pena. He is 23 and he is just so magalin! He is the kind of investigator that once he is converted he will be converted forever. Nothing will change his mind or anything. We began teaching the 10 commandments and got to number 4 (keep the Sabbath day holy) and one of his hidden concerns came out. He was really doubting Gods love for him because 2 years ago he was in a tricycle accident and badly injured his leg and now he can't walk very well. It was so spiritual testifying of Gods unconditional love for him, my companion and I cried. A LOT haha. So yeah that was my spiritual event for the week and now my time is up so I will talk to you all next week. I love you, have a wonderful week!!:) Mahal KITA! -Sister Ramsey:)

Slow Week/Transfer Week 3/2/14

Sige, so I don't have a lot of time to write but I just want to share my week really fast. We had transfers this week so therefor we really didn't teach much because my companion got transferred and she wanted to say goodbye to everybody. So she got transferred on Friday and I got a new companion. Her name is Sister Marivic Alvarez. She has been on her mission for almost 9 months now and she goes home next January! She is so great and so nice. I absolutely love her!:) We get along so well. Pero, I knew her when I first came to Villasis because she was in Villasis A with Sister Navarathna and then she got transferred to Carmen and now she is back in Villasis with me:) It is great. So yeah that is my short week! Love you all, have a great week! Bye!:) -Sister Ramsey

Baptism...for real this time! 2/24/14

OMG! We had a baptism this week on Friday! It was the best baptism that I have ever been too. Talaga! The Sister that was baptized (Sister Racquel Obando) has such a strong testimony of the restored Gospel and I know that she was prepared by the Lord to hear our message. I know that she was definitely ready to be baptized and that she felt the spirit there for sure:) It was such a great experience! After the baptism we had FHE at her house and it was so much fun. The other 4 sisters came with us so we had a lot of people for games which is always fun:) I love my area here in Villasis! The ward is finally starting to warm up to me and I can understand a lot of what they say so its not 'as' difficult talking to them haha...it has taken almost 3 months, but better late than never, diba? Haha. Anyways, on the not so plus side...my memory card for my camera broke...therefore, all pictures of the last 4 months...gone:( Which totally stinks, pero what can I do? Nothing haha, so I am just stealing pics from my comp:) She is great, I love her. It might have been hard at first but now we are doing good, and transfers are on Friday so we will find out on Wednesday what is happening there. I really hope I don't get transferred, which I don't think I will, I am pretty sure that I am going to lead the area. But, who knows, it is a possibility;) Anyways, today we went on a super long hike up a super big mountain and I got a little sun on my cheeks and my neck. I am so happy because now it will tan and I will start blending in a little better here;) haha joke lang, pero totoo;) That is why I am on kind of late and I missed emailing with you (MOM:() But we had a lot of fun! And Elder in our zone, actually our zone leader, is going home tomorrow so we had a little going away party for him as well. So, yeah that has been my week haha. I would send pics pero hindi pwede lol. I love you and I hope you have a great week! Talk to you next week! Ingat ka lagi:) -Sister Ramsey

Baptism! :) 2/16/14

Well, we didn't have a baptism this week, but...WE HAVE ONE ON FRIDAY!:) I am sooo excited because she is definitely one of our "Golden" investigators. She is so magaling in everything and she is so excited to be baptized. Last Friday the other sisters had a baptism and we attended and brought her with us and she asked "Can I get baptized now", I was so shocked but so excited haha. She can't wait for her baptism. Her daughter is getting baptized too, she is 8. Sister Gonzales and I have a lot planned for the baptism. I am singing a duet with a member in our ward, I think we are going to sing come though fount. It is going to be sooo good, he has such a good voice! And we are decorating...we are literally going all out:) Sobrang excited ako! Haha. Next week is transfers and we are pretty confident that I am staying here in Villasis and Sister Gonzales is going to be transferred. Either one though I will be ok with:) Although I do love this area, and the members are just now starting to get more active in helping us! So a part of me really hopes that I don't get transferred haha;) Yesterday we had stake conference! I got to see Kimberly and we took pictures together, I have missed her so much! She keeps me updated on stuff back home haha. I just love her:) We had a nice conversation during conference haha. It was so nice getting to see her. I also got to see my MTC companion Sister Shaw whom I have missed A TON! Thank goodness we are in the same stake because if we weren't able to see each other every once in a while it would be so hard. We really do boost each other. I can't believe that on the 28th I will be done with my training and on the 23rd I will be 4 months into my mission already...wow the time really does fly! I can't believe it. I am so blessed to be here though. I know that this is where I am suppose to be and that there are people here waiting to hear the message that I have to share with them. I absolutely love it here. I don't want to leave haha. I hope you all have a wonderful week!

 Love you<3 Mahal Kita!

 -Sister Ramsey 

1: Our investigators that are going to be getting baptized on the 21st:) Sister Raquel Obando and her daughter Zoe Jean 

2: Kimberly and me!!:) 

3: FHE at the Mencias families house:) Brother Willie is the one I will be singing with at the baptism.

This Week...2/9/14

Kumusta everybody! Well, for this week, it has been kind of slow. The best part was on Friday! The other two companionships in this area had baptisms. One of the companionships had a girl who is 21 get baptized and the other sisters had a man age 92 get baptized. Yes...I said 92! He told the Sisters that he didn't want to get baptized until he knew for sure that that was the right thing for him to do, and then when he finally realized that it was the right thing for him to do he said he would only do it if he could get baptized on Friday haha. He is such a sweetheart. He speaks pretty good English and he told me Friday after his baptism when we went to his house for FHE that when I get done with my mission and I need a house to be made that him and his son would build me a house in the states free of charge haha. He's so nice! We are going to his mango farm today during P-Day just to chill and enjoy some nice fresh mangoes;) (Be jealous mom;)) haha. I am pretty excited! And then on Saturday we had an activity at the church..we had a movie night. Pero, Sister Gonzales and I were the only one who had an investigator show up:/ It was all the missionaries and then our investigator and his two younger cousins...I felt so bad because they were like all alone kind of. But, the movie we watched was really good! We watched Joseph of Egypt and it was just really good. He is progressing so well in the Gospel, he came to church yesterday and he is keeping his commitments! We are planning on extending an IBD to him this week!:) I am excited! So yeah that has been my not so exciting but very spiritual week!:) Talk to you all next week I hope!:) and I will send pics next weet too!:) -Sister Ramsey

February Already...holy cow! 2/2/14

So I decided that since I usually don't write a lot here that I would bring my journal with me so I can remember the week so I can make these emails a little longer haha. And surprisingly I have written in my journal every single day since entering the MTC...awesome right! Anyways, lets start with Tuesday:) So, Tuesday my companion and I visited a bunch of our less active members in our area (Puelay). And one of our "Golden Investigators" as well. His name is Julie. He is 16 years old and he lives with a less active family here in Puelay. He is so good! He reads the scriptures every day and when he finishes his assignment that we give him he continues to read something else in the BOM. I am excited for him. I really think he will be baptized:) Wednesday we visited our far area...Labit. I love the drive to Labit because we get to pass all the beautiful rice fields and I get to see the rice grow more and more every week. Just like the faith of our investigators:) Its a beautiful thing! We also had Zone training which went really good. The ZL's and the STL's taught the importance of 15 minute member visits. Anyways, back to our time in Labit. We taught Bro. Wilfredo but he was sick so he wasn't able to come with us and be our member present which is ok because he needed to get rest to feel better. That day we had FHE at our IBD's house. The Obando Family. I LOVE THEM! They are just so great and the funniest family I have met here. They are so sweet and kind and so welcoming. They are so ready to be baptized. They are getting baptized on the 22nd of this month. I am so excited!:) Thursday, not much happened. We taught some less actives in Baracca and then went to the Ancheta family and taught them the Plan of Salvation. Bro. Julie's dad joined into the lesson and so now we get to teach the both of them. We are really excited about that. He had some really good questions about the Plan of Salvation so we are excited to share our knowledge with him:) Friday we went to Labit again and Bro. Wilfredo was able to work with us. It was pretty much the same routine as Wednesday except no FHE haha. Saturday was a fun day! At 4 o'clock we had an activity at the Church (which we are going to do every Saturday at 4...have an activity at the Church) we played a bunch of outside games. It was fun! We played basketball, bad mitten, and some other games. Our investigator Julie and his cousin/member Angeline and Janloid came to the activity. I think they had a fun time...especially beating me at bad mitten haha. Sunday, we had church and then we taught a BUNCH of less actives. It was a pretty tiring day but very productive. None of our investigators came to church though:( So that was a bummer, but a lot of our less actives came to church which was a plus:) haha. So yeah, that was my short and sweet weekly overview:) Have a wonderful week and I will talk to you next week!:) Mahal Kita! -Sister Ramsey

Such a Good Week! 1/26/14

Kumusta everybody!:) Oh my goodness this week has been sobrang mabuti! We taught a total of 29 lessons this week which is the most that we have taught since I have been here. But, it has been like the best week I have had since being here. It literally flew by. Like I feel like yesterday was P-day haha. This week we found 7 new investigators and extended two IBD's. One of our new investigators came to Church on Sunday his name is Julie, he is 16 years old and he is living with an inactive member family. He was taught by the missionaries before pero he moved so he wasn't able to get baptized or finish the lessons. So I am really excited to teach him and his Grandma Sister Clarita Ancheta. She has been listening in on lessons that we have taught to the inactive members but she told us that she wasn't ready to have the lessons for herself and that she would let us know when she was ready. Well, she is ready now:) I am so excited for them!:) Then we have an IBD set for a family on February 22nd and I am SO EXCITED for them. They are so ready to be baptized and they are progressing so well:) Brother always has such great questions and concerns:) It's great! And our other IBD is set for March 8th and he came to church this Sunday as did the other family! I am so happy. This week has just been great. And our investigators are like all keeping their commitments and everything. It is great. I don't know what more to say other than it was a great week haha. 

All together we had 5 investigators come to church yesterday. Thats the most we have had since I have been here. I am so glad and lucky to be on a mission. This is the best decision I have ever made in my entire life! I can see the miracles that the Lord is performing through me and my companion every day we serve him. It is a blessing that is for sure. I know that this is the work of the Lord and that I have been called to share his true Gospel to the people here in the Philippines. I am so privileged to be a representative of Christ and to be an instrument in his hands. I love the work of the Lord. I can't express it enough. I hope you all have a wonderful week and I hope to hear from you next week. Mahal Kita at Ingat ka lagi! -Sister Ramsey Pictures!

1:Me and the chair with a face:) 

2: Me and a water buffalo (For Justin:)) 

3: Me and a nice mango tree (For Mommy:)) 

4: Sister G and I in a tryke...yeah you can't see much haha.

5: My iguana friend Enrique:) 

6: Our wonderful free filtered water stand:) 

7: The Talong festival...which is a festival for eggplant. 

8: And last but not least...the gay pageant. There are sooo many of these and the participants actually look like girls. And they are so pretty! It is so weird and crazy. Just thought I would share that with you haha:)

Transfer WEEK!!!

Well, as you can see from the title of this email...this week was transfer week. It has been a long six weeks here in the mission field. My trainer has been through a lot with me. But, I guess president Monahan decided that I needed a new nanay because my trainer got transferred to Dagupan. So now my new trainer, my pagalawa nanay is sister Navarathna! She is great! I just love her. She is from Sri Lanka or however you spell it. I'm not sure. But, anyways, she is just so fun and outgoing and we get along so well and she's really not my new trainer and my old trainer didn't really get transferred we are still stuck together for another 6 weeks...yayyyy:/ haha. Anyways, not much has happened this week. It has been pretty slow. I was sick on Wednesday and Thursday...nothing big, so mom don't freak out;) haha I am ok now:) So yeah, it has just been a slow week. Nothing really exciting. Sister Alvarez got transferred which makes me sad because she was my little 26 year old buddy, we did a lot together haha. But, she is still in my zone she just got transferred to a different area within our zone. So, I still get to see her on Mondays and Tuesdays:) Friday we had exchanges with the STL's again and that was fun. I went with Sister Briones to her area and we taught her investigators there. She has this investigator who's last name is also Briones and we went and taught him. He is an interesting man because when we were teaching him we would ask him if he believes the BOM to be true and he said yes. Then, we asked if he believed that Joseph Smith was a prophet of God and he said yes, and we asked him why. And he said because he testifies of God. And so we asked if he believes that Jehovah's Witnesses are true and he said yes and we said what about Catholics and he said yes. And so we were at that appointment for 2 hrs talking to him. But, for a good hour of that time our member present talked to him. It was such a good lesson, we committed him to read the BOM and pray to know if it is true and if the things we taught him are true. He finally realized that there is only one true faith. So we will see how that goes haha. Well, thats it for this week, sorry it is so boring:( I will try to make next week more interesting haha! Have a great week everybody! Love you!:) -Sister Ramsey

Oh boy...long week!

Kumusta lahat! Oh man this week has been soooo long. Tuesday my companion and I had exchanges with the STL's and that was nice because honestly...things are getting a little hard in my companionship. Having a native for a companion is never easy I heard. But anyways, so I went with Sister Merrill to her area and that was really fun because a lot of the people we ran into spoke super good English because they have had jobs of some sort where they were required to speak English. We also had the opportunity to visit with a man who lived in California for 25 years but moved back to the Philippines because quote "There is no place like home". It was so nice talking to someone who spoke English because learning Tagalog is difficult and finding someone who understands English that well is a blessing haha because its not very common. So that was a great day. We also met a family who's mom is in Baguio because she is undergoing chemotherapy because she has breast cancer. So sad:( I had the opportunity to offer a prayer with them for them and for their mom and we shared a brief overview about the plan of salvation. They really needed to hear that. I am not sure how things are going with them because thats not my area but I will ask the sisters if they went back or not yet. Another cool event for the week was Friday. The six of us sisters performed a community service activity here in Villasis during the Talong Festival (Eggplant Festival). It was soooo cool! The schools make their students perform a dance at the festival and they were so amazing. I have pictures but I cant send them this week...I forgot my cord to my camera. Oops:) I will next week though! Anyways, our service activity consisted of us giving out free filtered water to people who needed it. We also gave out free Ang Ebanghelyo ni Jesu Cristo (Gospel of Jesus Christ) pamphlets. It was so cool. And it was really spiritual because we let the spirit guide us to who needed a pamphlet because we didn't have a bunch of pamphlets and there were a bunch of people. So, we had to pick and choose. And I really think that we allowed the spirit work through us and direct us to the people who were prepared by God to hear about the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It was a really good experience. As for today, we had zone studies this morning and we watched the best 2 years. Boy do I love that movie Thank you mom for making me watch it before. It really is a great movie. And it is so much more different watching it while being on a mission haha. Things are just different. I love it out here. I am so blessed to be a missionary for my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. I know that the work I do is true and that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is the one true church on the face of the Earth and that through the Prophet Joseph Smith it has been restored. I am so thankful for that 14 year old boy who knelt down in a grove of trees and offered his heart to his Heavenly Father. Because of him I am here. I love you all and these things I leave with you in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen. I love you all and I hope you have a wonderful week!:) Talk to you later! -Sister Halley Ramsey

Wow...time flies!

Well, today marks one month of being in the field already. Holy cow does time fly! I can't believe it! My training will be done it 6 weeks...and I could be training somebody. That's a scary thought haha. This week has been pretty slow because we had curfew on Tuesday and Wednesday due to New Years. But, Tuesday was great! My companion and I were able to go to a FHE with a family who's daughters Birthday it was. She turned 11. The entire time I was thinking of Justin and how I hope he was having a great Birthday. After the FHE we had to go home because we had curfew at 6, pero, the sisters next door stayed the night in our apartment and we had a sleepover haha. We stayed up till midnight and watched the fireworks from our apartment. They were soooo pretty! And SOO loud haha. I felt like we were under attack again. And we watched Mormon messages. It was great!:) Then lets see, Thursday we taught a new investigator and we invited him to church and surprisingly he came. We were in complete shock because that NEVER happens here. They say they will come because they are so nice but they never do. So, it was so great that he came! We found 5 NI this week so we are really excited about them:) Today was a great day, we went to the zoo and we hiked up a big mountain. I don't have pictures of the mountain but I definitely have pictures of the snake! It was so cool! And there was an awesome Iguana that I named Enrique. And there are Koy fish here and they are soooo pretty! It was just a fun day. I will try to attach some pictures of today:) Well, that has been my not so busy week:) Love you all, talk to you later! Have a wonderful week:) -Sister Halley Jean Ramsey Picture 1: THE GIANT SNAKE! And Sister Alvarez and Gonzales Picture 2: Sister Lee, Alvarez and I with our "Just Look Up" faces:) Cute huh? Picture 3: Our zone :)