Learning Heaven -- July 13, 2014

July 13, 2014

Hello Everyone! 

This week has been one of those exhausting, life, changing weeks. We are just trying to get our cute girls getting baptized ready in time for the 26th, and trying to build up our pool with professionals who can build the church. I had a cool experience while I was on exchanges the other day!

I was with Sister Bayadog, who is this cute little Filipina from Cebu Mission. We went finding all morning. After knocking four or five really big houses with no success and much rejection, we decided to just try to let the spirit lead us. So, we picked a direction and started walking. At every intersection we just chose random directions. After a few minutes of this, we felt like we should go into a fabric/dress making shop. The owners were so cute--a cute mom, and a really pretty daughter in her late 20's. They speak perfect English, and Cebuano, and Waray, so there was no problem in communicating. Anyway, we started talking and I started talking about the gospel. At first she was like, "Sorry, Sister I'm Catholic and I don't want to get baptized in the Mormons." But by the end of our powerful conversations she said, "Sister Bingham. I have said no to every missionary that has invited me to listen to their message. And I don't know why, but I want to listen to you. Come back on Sunday." It was so cool! That doesn't sound that miraculous. But, it really was! They are the best! 

Also, I was reading in Alma about how the father of King Lamoni demanded that Aaron and his brethren teach him. In my prayers after my study, I asked Heavenly Father to send me to people who insist on hearing the gospel. Guess what happened later that day?! 

We were walking, and then we saw this cute couple in their mid-20s going into their house. We started talking and the brother said, "Sisters, get inside! I want you to tell me your message!" Then he sat us down and said, "Ok, go ahead, start teaching." They are the coolest!! And they are just super cute and in love. They are both teachers, and will really help the ward here. And they just happened to be getting married on the 26th of July. So, even if I can't see them get baptized, I will see them get married! So exciting! 

Then, the next day, we dropped by an active family, the Maningkays'. This is what they said," Sisters! This is our neighbor, Abi! She was taught last year by the missionaries but didn't want to continue. But now, she wants to get baptized. Can you teach her? She really wants to get baptized." 

It was like someone was playing a prank on me all week. haha But I'm so grateful for Catarman. And I'm so grateful for these people who are ready for the gospel. I know that because we are trying to focus on being as obedient as we can, people are coming to us for the gospel. I love being a missionary!

This morning I studied about the grace of Christ. This is something I have never really understood about until this morning. But I realized this: Justice would demand that we are perfect today. But because Christ literally paid justice for our lives, he gives us His grace to help us practice. He doesn't care about our disobedience. He just sees us for the Gods we can one day become. He gives us His grace so we can start, continue, and finish. He gives us the energy we need to just keep going, and sometimes to just wake up each morning. 

We have become really close to a particular active family that lives by us. They are the best! But they have a couple disobedience weaknesses. We noticed a few weeks ago that Brother often doesn't wear his garments and just wears shorts when he's in his house. But last night, we walked by, and he was wearing his Garment top!!! It made me soooooooooooo happy! And then as we were walking home under the beautifully bright full moon that this is how our Father in Heaven feels about us. He is so so happy when we do the right thing. He just wants us to be happy. He wants us to be obedient so that we can one day be comfortable in His presence and enjoy the laws of Heaven with Him. 

I love this scripture in 2 Cor 12:9- "... And my grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

10. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, Then am I strong."

I'm so grateful for my weaknesses. They are helping me learn how to live a Heavenly life. And I'm so grateful for my Savior. He has helped me be the best Sister Hillary Bingham that I can possibly be up to this point in my life. I konw that my life is not mine, for he paid in full for all my infirmities and weakness and laziness and sins. I love the languages that he has helped me speak. In Waray, the way you say atonement is "pagbayadsala," which literally means, "pay for sin." I'm eternally grateful for the transforming effect of the atonement. And that I have the opportunity to repent every day. 

I say these things In the name of my beloved Savior, Jesus Christ, Amen.

Love forever,

Sister Bingham

The first ones are my Isidro girls. I love them SO MUCH! 

 

 This is what Sister missionaries' fridges look like on Sunday... 

Thank Heavens for the Relief Society..

Awake and Arise From The Dust -- July 6, 2014

July 6, 2014

Hello Everyone!

Best week ever!! The Palo family got baptized!! It was one of the best days of my mission. I'm so happy that I had the opportunity to help this family. Sister Palo's testimony was the best. She said that since they have been coming to church, her kids don't fight anymore, and they don't use bad words in their home anymore, and her husband has started doing family prayer with them when he is home. I have seen so many miracles happen to this family, and I just love them with my whole soul. 

This week was also really long. We were in Tacloban for 4 days for MLC and then me and my batch flew to Manila for one day to go get our visas and stuff processed and finger printed and stuff. We ate at Wendy’s and Krispy Kreme at the airport. It made me kinda sick. haha I think I'm going to have a little rough time adjusting back to the food in America.

It was so weird flying. I think they were just preparing us more to go home. I have been to Manila way more times than I ever expected I would be there on my mission. 

Our new mission president, President Maurer and his Wife are so cool! They are really really nice, and really funny. I miss President Andaya, but I know that the Maurers' are what the mission needs now. They will do a great job!

It was weird going to my last MLC. We were talking about things that won't change until I'm home. It was really interesting. 

Last night, we got a text from our relief society president that told us to meet them at a family's house that has recently gone inactive. We met them there. We sat down to teach, and the sister had a meltdown. She had also been drinking earlier that day. As she was holding her sick screaming baby,  telling us how naughty her kids were, and how she was sick of getting mad at them, and sick of not having money and fighting with her husband, I had a little conversation to myself with the spirit as I was watching what seemed like a drama show. I was so sad for this family who was baptized only last year. But, I realized yesterday the "why" of the gospel. It's so we can have spiritual homes. It's so we cannot fight with our family. And not have to drink to solve our problems. And not have to live in poverty. I know that sometimes, bad things just happen. But more often than not, those trials are self- inflicted because of our disobedience. Don't get me wrong, I love this family with my whole soul, and I'm not judging this woman. I understand why she is the way she is, and why she does the things she does, and Heavenly Father still loves her. But, I also understand that obedience to the commandments is necessary for our daily happiness and peace. 

This ward has taught me so much. And it makes me sad to see them not keeping the commandments-- Even just the simple ones. But, I know that everyone can change through the atonement. That's the "how" of the gospel.

I love you all, and I know that exact obedience sets us free to live lives of peace and happiness. The best thing about the gospel is that it really does work. Heavenly Father really is real. We really have important things to do in this earth life. 

I know that Jesus is the Christ. I know that he suffered for our infirmities and insecurities, and weaknesses. So that we could overcome them and become the people we were destined to be. So that we could awake and arise from the dust, and be his disciples, only having desires to work righteousness. 

I say these things, in the name of my savior who I love with my whole soul, even Jesus Christ, Amen

Love, Sister Bingham

 

Seasons -- June 29, 2014

June 29, 2014

Hello all,

This week has been incredibly busy! I reviewed all my journal entries from this week and they all start with a sentence similar to this, " This was the most exhausting day." or" I'm so emotionally drained." haha And then I find my entries getting smaller and smaller so we can go to bed 15 min early.  I really really love my mission! I love my companion, Sister Henshaw, she's really helping me getting over my "End of mission depression." haha I have just really been trying to get over the whole uncomfortable endings thing that we as humans all go through. BUT really good news!!! The Palo family passed their interview!!!! sooooooo BAPTISM NEXT WEEK!!! YAY!! I love these people with my whole soul, and I'm so excited that I get to see them get baptized. And there should be some more coming in the month of July, as well. I love my mission. 

A crazy miracle happened yesterday! A brother that hadn't been to church in over 2 years came back yesterday. And he would never let us teach him. The ward members just started visiting him, and now he's back. His daughter is getting baptized next month, so I think that motivated him to come back and start the repentance process. It's really amazing at what can happen when people show their love and concern. 

This last transfer, every sister companionship in my zone got changed. So, now there are 2 new missionaries that are in our zone! One of them was having a really hard time this week and told her district leader that she wanted to go home. So, we went there on Wednesday to see what we could do for her. It was so interesting. It was the weirdest feeling. I was listening to her telling us how much she misses home and how much she wants to go home because she can't speak Waray Waray (but she is Filipina... so... she knows Tagalog). It just took me back to my fist week in my mission. It was so cool to just see how much I have grown emotionally, spiritually, and confidently since that week that was soooo difficult for me. It was really cool. I felt like Heavenly Father was just showing me how much power He has. If he could change pathetic little me into what I am now, He can do anything. It just really made me appreciate the atonement. I read the conference talk by Elder Bednar this morning for my personal study. It was all about the enabling power of the atonement.

He said that a lot of times, we think of the atonement as just the aspect that helps us be ridden of all of our sins. But, we don't really pay attention to the part of the atonement that is specifically for helping us deal with our everyday lives. He said (terrible paraphrasing, sorry!) that we all just think that we can get over our trials by our "sheer grit and willpower and discipline." This, of course, is ridiculous. We can't do anything on our own. hahaha I think that's one of the biggest things I've learned on my mission. Is that truly, we are nothing. We are so dependent on our Father in Heaven.  And the enabling power of his Son. I was reading in Alma 17:6 the other day. Alma 17 is such a popular chapter for missionaries, but I got something really different out of it this time. It says, "Now these were their journeying: Having taken leave of their father, Mosiah, in the first year of the judges; having refused the kingdom which their father was desirous to confer upon them."

I just related this to my life. How often do I refuse the kingdom and blessings that my Father in Heaven wants to confer upon me by not being exactly obedient? I think we perceive judgment day to be different than it will be. I think we picture everyone being denied access into the Celestial kingdom because of our failures to become the people we were meant to become. But, I have come to believe that in reality, our Father in Heaven wants more than anything for us to be with Him. When we sin, we are the ones throwing his gifts in his face and storming away like the spiritual toddlers that we are.

I know that obedience truly makes us free. I know that when we obey, we receive blessings, and that our character changes. We can rid ourselves of the filth that we've accumulated in our lives and just be free. He can change our natures. He can change our hearts. He can change us into beings that are just grateful for what we have, and open to noticing the people in our realms of influence that we can reach out to and lift up. He can help us sign out of Facebook and Pinterest and arise and awake from the dust and just enjoy living a life full of joy that comes from serving our Heavenly King. 

I love this gospel, and I'm excited for the adventures that lie ahead! I'm excited because now I know how to deal with life and it’s seasons, and how to be a true disciple of my Savior. Of course, I'm nowhere near perfect, but now I know how to get there. 

I love all of you so much! I hope this letter finds all of you happily serving the Lord!

In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen

Love,

Sister Bingham 

Strongest Soldiers -- June 22, 2014

June 22, 2014

Maupay nga Kolop!

I hope all of you are having a holy, happy Sabbath! Exciting News..... I'm dying in Catarman. I didn't transfer! Which I'm so happy about, because I get to see so many miracles, and some of the fruits of the past three months work. This last cycle of my mission, I decided that I really want to just have strong, unshakable faith. Not that I don't have faith, but one of my last house mates made me realize that I should maybe just work on it a little. I have been trying to develop my faith this week, and some miracles happened!!

 -We had 12 investigators at church!! I think that's more than I've ever had my entire mission! I kept writing the number in my planner, and then would have to cross it out and write a different number because more and more investigators kept coming throughout the whole sacrament meeting. I love these people so so so so much! I am so happy that they are deciding to come unto Christ.

 - My favorite family (ok, ok, just kidding, everyone is my favorite), the Palo's, had a miracle happen in their family! Usually the dad, wouldn't let us teach him, and he kept running away from us, and wouldn't come to church. But last night, he came to our lesson!!!!!! And, he said that he knew the church was true, but he just didn't think he could do it (because of his vices). We had an awesome lesson about the atonement, and about how anyone, young or old, sinner or super sinner, could come unto Christ. And guess what happened. He committed to baptism next month!!! I'm so excited for this family!! I have a testimony that prayer and fasting can change people’s hearts and desires.

-We went back to a Less Active family that we hadn't been to in a while. The wife wouldn't listen to us, but the Dad, Brother Christopher did. Brother Christopher's whole family is LDS. So we just assumed that he was baptized and inactive. But, turns out, that he had never gotten baptized! He's the coolest! He has such a good heart. He committed to baptism the last week of July, and he has been reading the Book of Mormon for a few weeks now since the first time we visited him last transfer. I'm so excited for him! Hopefully, as we teach him, and he comes to church, his wife will want to come too.

I realize that these miracles might not seem like miracles to some of you, but my heart is overflowing with gratitude to my Father in Heaven. I have gained something so precious to me on my mission. And that is my love for my Heavenly Father. I think that before my mission, I maybe only read my scriptures at church. Then I left them in my car the whole week. I think that I never really repented for my daily mistakes, or really cared about the salvation of myself or other people. And Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ were probably number 5 or 7 on my priorities list. Since I've re-focused my life, I've never been happier. I now know that my source of peace and strength isn't if I have a job, or my grades, or my bank account balance, or even my Boyfriend or my Family. But, it's my Heavenly Father. I testify that if He comes first in our lives, nothing can prevent peace and joy in our lives.

This morning I was studying in Alma chapter 13. In verse 10 it says, "...and it was on account of their exceeding faith and repentance, and their righteousness before God, they choosing to repent and work righteousness rather than perish. 11 Therefore they were called after the holy order, and were sanctified, and their garments were washed white through the blood of the Lamb. 12 Now they, after being sanctified by the Holy Ghost, having their garments made white, being pure and spotless before God, could not look upon sin save it were with abhorrence; and there were many, exceedingly great many, who were made pure and entered into the rest of the Lord their God."

I love these scriptures. I think I really love that faith is a choice. We can choose to grow our faith everyday by being obedient. I read the conference talk by L. Tom Perry this morning and he said something cool. He said that obedience isn't blindly following because we are weak. He said that obedience is choosing to trust the knowledge of our Heavenly Father and not rely on our knowledge.

I heard a quote from a cute little Filipino boy at church yesterday. He said, "God gives His strongest battles to His strongest soldiers." I think in our society today, the strongest battles we face are of those to choose to be obedient, or choosing to be disobedient. I know that no matter how complicated society and culture and laws or problems may get, the solution is always simple--Obedience to the commandments of God.

Let us strive to strip away the sins that doth easily beset us, And Love God. I promise that as we do this, we will see miracles in our lives, and in the lives of our family and friends that we could never bring to pass without our Father in Heaven.

In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen

Love,

Sister Bingham

Memoirs of an 11 year old -- June 15, 2014

June 15, 2014

Hello Everyone!

This week has flown by, like this whole transfer has. I feel like every day I'm saying, "What? It's Sunday already? P-day is tomorrow??"  But, I know that it's only going fast because we are really busy.

I just wanted to take this e-mail to express my gratitude for all the kindness all of you have shown me in my life. I've been trying hard to notice all the kind acts of service other people do for me so that I can be more grateful. I just want to record some of my observations.

The first, is Juliet. She's our recent convert that is 11. Because of her, we had 10 investigators at church yesterday. This is what happened the past 3 months I've been in Catarman:  We started teaching Juliet. She got baptized. Juiet has a sister who we started teaching, who has a best friend that she wanted to bring to the lessons. That best friend has two sisters and a dad that wants to hear the lessons, too. Juliet has an aunt, sister Jillyn Palo, who wanted to take the lessons, that has three children who all want to get baptized. Just like that. 10 baptismal dates. I just want to add that I had little to do with all of this. I'm so amazed at the progress that is happening just from the efforts of an 11 year old with a learning problem. It touches my heart. I'm amazed at how truly simple the gospel is. I'm blown away at how true just small and simple things bring to pass great things. I guess this kindness wasn't for me exactly, but I'm grateful for the blessing it has been to see all of this come to pass.

The second, is a drunk man that lives by us. We see him all the time. Yesterday, we couldn't find any change to pay the pedicab driver. It was Sunday night, so we couldn't buy anything to break our change. This man, straight away stood up and paid for us. I don't think this man has enough money to eat, but he helped us out. My heart was touched at his simple act of kindness.

The third, are the priesthood holders in our ward. We had a super great miracle activity! Me and my companion organized it. We showed the 20 min restoration video in Tagalog, and then we showed the hour long, "Joseph Smith: Prophet of the Restoration." It was the greatest activity, and we had a turn out of about 75 people. I know that doesn't seem remarkable by any means, but virtually all our less active members and all of our investigators came. Some of the priesthood holders pitched in and bought popcorn for everyone. It just made everything perfect.

I love my mission. I love our prophet. I was reading a talk from this past general Conference about kindness that he gave. He said that we, as people, cannot say that we love God unless we love our fellow men. And, in turn, we cannot love our fellow men without the help from God. I love how my mission has really more than anything, has increased my capacity to love my fellow men. I love everyone. I love that drunk man who paid for our ride, I love all the people that came to the movie night, I love Juliet, and I love those people who even told us that they didn't want to continue the lessons. I had no idea I could love strangers this much.

I know my Savior, who is love personified, gave His sacred life for all of us who aren't really that sacred. I love that he gave everything to His Father. He accomplished His mission that was given Him. I know that with His help, we can all strive to do the same.

In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Love,

Sister Bingham

Sweet Cultivation -- June 8, 2014

Sweet Cultivation – June 8, 2014



June 8, 2014



Happy June everyone!



Last week was so so great! As a mission, we went to Tacloban and did a community service project at McArthur park! It was soooooooo fun! And I got reminded what sunburn feels like... a Filipina sister asked me if I had leprosy. It was a pretty unfortunate sunburn. But, luckily, someone transferred and left their big bottle of Aloe Vera in the fridge, so all is well. 


I learned a really important lesson during our CSP. I call it the doctirne of Cultivation. Our zone was given a section of the park to work on. It happened to be the section with all the bushes! yay! But the instructions for our section were: pick up trash, pull weeds, and cultivate plants. I had no idea what "cultivating plants," was supposed to mean. So, me and my companion started attacking a bush. We hedge clipped it, pulled out some crazy deep rooted weeds, and the works. Then President Andaya came over and said, "Wow, it looks good Sister. But, you forgot to cultivate!" Then he took his little baby garden rake and showed us how to "cultivate." 



So, we finished turning up the soil and all that and moved on to the next bush. In the whole two hours we were at the park, we only got 4 bushes down. But, as silly as it sounds, I can't express the satisfaction of how those bushes look now. I even lined the dirt on the bottom with rocks that were serving no other purposes. They looked sooooooooooo good! It's funny because it's not like they would be good enough to go in the gardening magazine of the most beautiful bushes or anything, but it was so much better than how we found it. 

I feel that this is what our merciful father in heaven feels about us. He puts so much work into our spiritual development, our charachteral development, and even though we aren't perfect, He is just happy that we are so much better than how we started.



On our way to Tacloban, we picked up some missionaries from Calbayog, my second area. I found out that Kylah Eyano got baptized!!  Me and Sister Schaap started teaching her about a year ago! She is 15 now, but it was the coolest feeling to know that someone I had prayed so much about and cried over, and loved with my whole soul finally got baptized! It made me happy the entire week!! I can't even express the joy that comes from missionary work. Even if we think we don't do much, the little that we do can turn into something amazing.

I know that the scripture says that we will have so much joy in the kingdom of our father with those that we helped bring the gospel to is true. I know that we are all missionaries, and just because I won't have a name tag in a few weeks, doesn't mean my responsibility to share the gospel decreases. I know that sharing this wonderful gospel is something that will change us. 



We went on member splits yesterday. I was with a sister named Ever Mae. She had come up to us at church and asked us if she could work with us. While we were on splits, she told me that she had been fasting since the day before so she could share the gospel powerfully. She did so well! She's preparing for a mission. And she wants to work with us every day. I love her! And I love her enthusiasm for sharing the gospel. When she has nothing to do, she asks to work with us or studies PMG (Preach My Gospel). She's the best! And as she's worked with us more and more, I can really see the difference in our lessons. She is so much more comfortable with sharing her testimony and teaching parts of the lessons. I know that we can all be like Ever Mae. At first, she wouldn't really speak during the lessons because she was so nervous, but now she doesn't want to stop sharing the gospel.



I know this church is true, and all members are missionaries. If we aren't good at sharing the gospel now, all we have to do is cultivate our desires to share the gospel until it becomes a natural part of us.

In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.



Love,

Sister Bingham



Weekly challenge: Make a list of 3 people you know who aren't members and pray to know which one needs the gospel. If we pray and ask, Heavenly Father will tell us how we can serve.  :) 

MLC -- (Mission Leader Council)

I'm totally making that up-- I don't know what MLC stands for!  Haha 

But it is all the Zone Leaders and Sister Training Leaders

 What an awesome sight to see!

Philippines Tacloban Missionaries

Community Service Project (CSP) and Devotional