Sister's Conference

This Monday and Tuesday was the Sister's Conference at the Presidents home. All the young sisters from our mission (about 40) were in Bacolod and spent the night in the mission home and enjoyed training and socializing with one another.  On Monday night President Lopez talked about a Lamanite woman, Abish, who was a servant of Lamoni who was converted to the Lord, (Book of Mormon, Alma 19).  Abish had been converted and was faithful to her beliefs  although she was quiet and shy and did not talk freely about her beliefs.  She set a quiet example of happiness and peace and was a faithful servant to the King Lamoni and his wife the queen.  When the kingdom began to struggle Abish overcame her reserved nature and shared her strength and belief with the Queen.  Abish was able to convert the queen and strengthen her people and their kingdom.  After he retold the story of Abish he asked each sister to think of a personal character trait she shared with Abish.  I thought about how I never doubted the Lord of his love for my family and myself even through our darkest trails of poverty, divorce and death of loved ones.  That testimony of the Savior's resurrection and atonement sustained me even when it would have been easier to just quit working so hard to remain faithful and strong. 

Then President asked each companionship to share what character trait they felt their companion was an example of.  Dan said I was able to love and care for all those around me and make each person feel loved and encouraged (something like that).  I did not see that as an "Abish" character trait at first but thought it was nice that Dan would value and recognize that trait in me.

Tuesday, President Lopez talked about Esther in the Old Testament and how she had the courage to approach the king (her husband) about the fate of the Jewish people (her people).  In those days no one was allowed to enter into the King's presence without being summoned by the king himself, and if they did so they could be punished with death. The king had been manipulated to sign an order of Jewish extinction by one of his advisors.   Esther, being Jewish was approached by Mordecai (her adopted father) and urged to go into the king and plead for the saving of the Jews.  Esther was frightened to go into the king without the kings invitation and struggled with the decision to obey Mordecai and risk her life to plead for her people, the Jews.  I can just imagine how frightened Ester would have been, yet her life was at risk simply because she was Jewish even though that was unknown at the time.  At first she told Mordecai she could not go speak to the king as her life would be in jeopardy. 

Mordecai then stated, "For if thou altogether holdest thy peace at this time, then shall there ^enlargement and deliverance arise to the Jews from another place; but thou and thy father’s house shall be destroyed: and who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a ^time as this?" (Ester 4:14).

Esther gathered her courage and went into the king and plead for her people and her own life and the King learning of Esther's Jewish lineage stayed his execution order out of his great love for Ester. 

President Lopez likened this story unto each of us sisters and said that we do not know why we were each called to serve in the Philippines at "such as time as this" but we have been sent here by a prophet of God and is we are faithful and do our best in all we do we too, like Esther will be successful.  I thought of Sister Annie, who was in San Carlos. She told us she had been diligently praying for a way to help husband support their family.  Then we were sent here and shared the PEF program with her and the people of San Carlos.  Dan told them of my desire to attend college even though I was a wife and mother and older than most students in the U.S.  He also shared that if the people were unsure of what their future held for them that they should pray to find out in PEF was the answer for them.  Sister Annie went home and spoke to her husband about going to college and he encouraged her to also pray about her desired. (Annie's husband is the District President for the San Carlos District, and is a rice farmer who sells rice out of his store at the front of their home.

Annie said that night she prayed and in her sleep dreamt of herself in uniform attending school and then being able to teach in the schools in San Carlos.  She knew then she was to follow the path she had prayed about and is now on the road to becoming a teacher.  She shared with us her gratitude for our missionary service as if we had not come to the Philippines her family would never have been able to afford her college education or the education of her children.  She said she believes the Lord sent us here in answer to her prayers.  I believe this also!  As Esther, before we met Annie I wondered why we were here. The PEF leaders had indicated we were to go to Africa prior to our actual call and we were sure that was where we would go only to come to the Philippines.  I wondered if I would ever know why we were called here to serve yet thanks to Sister Annie I now "knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a ^time as this?" (Ester 4:14).

I am sure there are more Sister Annie's out there for us to help, but knowing we have helped this humble and faithful woman better her life is a great blessing and a testimony that the Lord does call us to where we are individually needed and where our work will better benefit those we serve.