8/21/2012

I am A-Okay!  When we were in the flood a couple of days ago, I would turn to S. Iosefa and ask how she was.  "Wet." was always her response, he he!  We have had a great time, I will get the pics to Pao for her to put on FB.  Enjoy talking to her!  

We were the only ones in our zone that did not get flooded out.  Next time I will tell more about it.  We really had an awesome time though.  I think we taught a total of 3 lessons the week of the flood, then 1 or 2 lessons per day last week--we taught the same amount of lessons on Sunday as we had the rest of the week!  Mostly doing rescuing and administering relief.  Quite awesome!  You are right Dad about it being a great way to turn people's hearts to God.  I just hope and pray it is permanent.  Unfortunately they are a bit too used to flooding here, even if this has been one of the highest in more than 50 years!  Good news is it was a calm flood--no typhoon, just lots of rain, so no houses were swept away, not serious damage except that done by rising water 

Spiritual Thought:  The Book (within the Book) of Mormon is really starting to become a favorite!   I really appreciate the summaries of Mormon and Moroni of the entire Book of Mormon, and the message they are trying to make to the world.  I really appreciate their great summary statements about the need to believe in Christ, repent, be baptized, etc.  So powerful!  Please read!  I will share just one verse, Mormon 9:29.  Here Moroni reminds us to be baptized and partake of the sacrament worthily.  There is such a great key here.  Michael, you were saying you had a zone leader council about how to increase baptisms and retention--this is one suggestion.  To retain people make sure they are truly ready for baptism, have a true testimony, and that they  have truly repented of their sins and as such are being baptized worthily.  A little while ago President DeLaMare sent us a reminder with a concern:  the presidency was concerned that we are focusing too much on people keeping the commandments, and maybe stopping previous sins, but that they are not truly repenting.  We tend to forget the Godly sorrow and the truly abandoning sins part of repentance and focus only on the stopping and keeping commandments part.  This reminder really hit me--the difference between true repentance and just stopping what you are doing. 

I love you all, and I am so glad to hear you are all doing so great!  Yes, the flood is pretty much gone in our area, but unfortunately there are still members staying in the church from the other area because there is still water, and now it is extremely dirty and gross.  Quite the awesome experience!

LOVE

Sister Biggs

8/10/2012

 We are very pleased with the progress this week, and are so grateful for your prayers and everything the Lord has done to answer them.  Things are opening up for the area to rocket off again!  Wahooo!  Please pray for both of us to truly enjoy the work, be excited to wake up in the morning, have energy, success in getting things moving and accomplished in the area, the members to step it up, our Bishop to be re-energized, and for S. Iosefa to be able to learn the area quickly, the language, and develop the confidence she needs.  Yeah, I know that's a lot of stuff, but we need it and I know it helps!  Thanks!   Marami, maraming salamat!
Spiritual:  4th Nephi & Mormon Chapter 1.  Here we see the dissolution of Zion and the return of the original state of things from the beginning when Lehi and his family arrived in the land (4 Ne v. 39).  Because of the wickedness and willful rebellion of the people, Mormon is forbidden to preach the Word of God unto them, even though he desires to (Mormon 1:16-17).  We learn from these passages the importance of studying history, especially spiritual history (not to mention the avoidance of pride, but that is a whole different topic).  A people who had such a great set-up gave it up and repeated the Same. Exact. Mistake. as their forefathers somehow thinking it was going to turnout better this time.  Yeah.  The results were disastrous, and even worse than that before.  For us:  this means we need to not only read, but apply the things we learn and avoid making the same mistakes as those we learn of in the scriptures.  Otherwise all we will end up doing is continue to repeat the sins of the past with disastrous results and no progression.  Remember, nothing but evil can be gained by willfully rejecting the laws and statues of God!

6/25/2012

This has been such a great week!  We had awesome attendance for our ward conference, and we were close if not spot on (or over) with all of our goals! It is so nice for Sister Roper and me to taste of the fruits of our labor together.  We had great lessons, great progression, and now we are working to make sure we maintain all of that.  The mercy of God has really been extended this week to us and those we teach.  Another awesome thing that happened--through which I experienced the most joy I have felt in a very long time--is some of the sisters in our ward who were unsure of serving missions have now announced they will be going and are making the plans!  The one that gave me the most joy was the sister who was my companion for our One Day Mission.  She is so great, and will have a great influence as a missionary.

 

We are having a lot of fun and enjoying ourselves.  Nothing specifically funny to tell you about, just a lot of laughing.  We all have fun teasing each other, telling jokes, and just having fun--while working hard, of course.  Some of our favorite jokes are You Know You're a Missionary When.....  That is what happens when you and your companion, and everyone in the apartment, is at the one year mark or just about there! 

Spiritual:  I just gave a lesson in District Meeting, based on PMG Ch 6: Christlike Attributes.  I really liked the opportunity to have some things become more clear and simply laid out for me.  Basically, as missionaries we are representatives of Jesus Christ.  Therefore we should become like Him.  But not just us--all people!  It is our goal to become like Jesus Christ and Heavenly Father, is it not?  But we have weaknesses--Ether 12:27--we overcome them by humbling ourselves and coming to Christ.  Well, how do we do that?  Our purpose:  to invite others to come unto Christ through His restored Gospel!  As it says in PMG pg 115, the gospel is the enabling power through the Atonement by which we can change and become like God and Jesus Christ.  As we humble ourselves and become willing to change and live the Gospel, we become more and more like our Father in Heaven and Jesus Christ, until that perfect day in which we will "know Him, because we will be like Him."  This is what we should all be working for--to personally know Them, and help others to do the same!

Have a great, awesome week and enjoy your time on Trek and in Cali!  I sure miss you, and Keefer, good luck convincing them to go to a good roller coaster place!  Give all my love to Grandma and Grandpa Biggs!  Things are rockin' here!

5/28/2012

Spiritual

Thought while reading "Jesus The Christ" when Peter chops off the ear of the servant on the Mount of Olives in defense of Christ, Christ rebukes him.  He makes a comment about how if He prayed, God would send Him legions of angels.  What I want to point out here is the fact that He said prayed, indicating the need to ask.  We have recently had the problem with a lot of people either being ashamed to ask our Heavenly Father for things or thinking it is somehow disrespectful and bad.  Here is the prime example of the need.  Jesus Christ did not say "If I need He will send them", but He indicated that He needed to pray and ask first.  If He needs to pray and ask, how much more do we? Always remember his promise which is everywhere in the scriptures.....ask and ye shall receive, etc., and "and whatsoever ye ask the Father in my name, having faith, it will be given unto you".

Funnies

1) on Saturday people kept inviting us to things.  Really.  For example, during our morning jog a guy starting shouting at us "hey, hey you!".  We weren't really sure it was us, but on our next lap it was pretty clear when he was waiting for us at the end of the street (probably taking pictures of us jogging on his phone too) and started shouting again, asking us if we wanted to "join them".  Later we figured out that it was some sort of exercise group.  Go figure.  Another example:  as we were walking down the street Sister Roper said "hello po" to a group of men playing cards.  One looked up and asked if we wanted to join.  "No thanks...." Keep walking.  It was pretty smooth.

2) I have started pulling what we are calling "Sister Roper's", because, obviously, it is stuff and mistakes that she usually does.  Our favorite is when we were singing "There is Sunshine in My Soul Today" in Tagalog with one of our Less-Actives.  At the end of the first verse in the chorus, first verse mind you, instead of singing "si Jesus ay kasama" (Jesus is with [me]) I sang "si Jesus ay masama".......Jesus is evil.  Ah!  I looked at the songbook again and realized it was KAsama, not MAsama!  I kept singing hoping they had not heard, but then Sister Roper gave me that look....yeah. She burst out laughing, and of course, we all burst out laughing too, because, well, it is funny.  It was REALLY funny.  None of us could sing for about 20 or 30 sec. because we were laughing so hard. Every time we got to the chorus we would all start laughing again. It is a miracle we were able to get through all four verses of that hymn without dying on the floor because of laughter!  It is now the joke of the week...all one of us has to do is start humming that hymn or say what I said and we start cracking up.  

3)  On Sunday Bishop locked me inside the church and I was abandoned there for at least 30 min.  It was great!  No, he didn't do it on purpose....this time he just didn't check the bathrooms before locking up.  I guess he was in a hurry too because the lights were clearly on in both bathrooms.  I enjoyed the quiet time listening to the rain while I waited for Sister Roper to realize I had been in the bathroom way too long.  When she finally did come with the investigator we had just taught (who is so awesome, such a smart girl) I heard her say, "Oh, it's locked!" and then I started waving, which made them jump in fright because apparently they had not seen me at the door because of reflections on the glass. They were all (RS pres, her husband, and her husband's younger sister who is our investigator) surprised that I hadn't been scared.  How could I be?  I knew at some point in time they would have to come out, and Heavenly Father wasn't about to abandon me in a church building! Bishop isn't going to hear the end of that one for a while! ;p

5/7/2012

A comment about the law of sacrifice, from pondering pg 519 in Jesus the Christ.  It is interesting to me that when we "sacrifice", we give in one thing of lesser value for something of even greater value--it sounds quite the opposite from it's description of "sacrifice", doesn't it?  I guess it is termed that way because it feels like a sacrifice when we do it.  However, this is a part of the pattern by which we become perfected and obtain eternal life, the greatest of all:  learning to give up the natural man to become like God, our Father!

4/25/12

Spiritual:  In Jesus the Christ Ch 27, Elder Talmage comments on the parables of the Lost Sheep, Lost Coin, and The Prodigal Son.  He says this of the three:  one was lost because they wandered, one was lost not necessarily because of what they did, but because it was not properly cared for and looked after, and the third willfully severed his ties.  This draws powerful parallels to our less actives, and how important it is to not only look for those who are lost, but to take preventative action by diligently caring for the flock and making sure there is no neglect.  This falls under establishing the Church, not just helping it grow.  The careful and structure growth of a vineyard is far more useful than that of a wild patch that just continues to grow, no matter how fast it is growing!  The one will continue to produce while the other will eventually turn into unfruitful wilderness

 

No, I was not transferred, and neither was Sister Roper!  Kami pa rin sa darating transfer (it is still us this coming transfer)!  I am so grateful.  We have in no way reached even a part of our potential together.  I am excited to achieve that this transfer, especially because I think I am going to keep my pattern--two with each companion!  It is now or never!

My behavior on Sunday will serve as a funny (because it was pretty darn funny).  Another funny is that on Friday I straightened my hair for fun just to see what it would look like.  Not bad actually.  It about reaches my shoulders when it is straight--it is genuinely much longer now.  I even have a real pony tail, even if it is short.  Back to the story.  So I was also curious to see what my straight hair would so in the humidity.  By the end of the day it was in really big soft curls, as if I had taken a big barreled curling iron to it.  It was pretty nice looking.  So the funny.....my shadow looked like Darth Vader, he he.  So I made Darth Vader noises.  That was fun.

About pictures....I will try really hard next week.  Promise.

I love you all so, so much!  Have a great week! 

4/4/2012

Family!

Spiritual: Helaman 12:1-2.  Here Mormon is lamenting, but I want to focus on the good part--the evidence that when we really do put our trust in the Lord and obey Him, He literally will provide EVERYTHING for our happiness and welfare.  The promise in the scriptures really is true, and our for the taking.  The Lord is waiting on us--when are we going to do something about it?

I am so excited about General Conference!  So special!  Our Bishop watched it this weekend on their computer at home.  And that the MTC choir sang.  Wow.  We are so jealous of the MTC choir--when we were there we wanted to sing for Gen Conf too! 

The only plans we have for Easter right now are making chicken curry and s'mores at Bishop's house.  Yes, we still have squatter's area.  It is pretty much unavoidable here, unfortunately.  But I have definitely gone a step up!  It is not ALL squatter's area!  It is cushy too because my area is the closest to the apartment (in all my other areas it was not) and it has the grocery stores and fast food.  I have eaten more McDonald's in the past 3 weeks than I have in the past 5 years!  About us both being blond, etc.:  we don't get too much more attention actually (from my standpoint anyway, from hers we are getting more--I guess she never got this much when she was with Filipino companions.  That is what happens when your companion is Barbie).  It just means people try to speak English to us more and try to cheat us more too....which is a bit frustrating.  Oh well.  Good thing we have been here long enough to know when we are being cheated, and it doesn't take too long to get them to speak Tagalog to us (the English usually is not very good, and the conversation is much easier in Tagalog).

Thanks for telling that funny story about Jac.  So cute! he he he.  I love cute little stories like that.  Is she still carrying the White Handbook around?

News!  So last week we found out we may have been exposed to TB (tuberculosis), so our entire apartment got to go to the health center and get a skin test.  All of us except Sister Shumway (myself, Sister Roper and Sister Shumway's companion, Sister Sarmiento) had positive skin tests.   Because of this we had the great privilege of having our chests x-rayed to make sure we did not have TB.  Blessedly, none of us do.  All clear on the chest x-ray!   Needless to say it has been a bit of a tough week especially because all of these events occurred over about 5 days.  Sigh.  All done now. 

Well, time is up!  I love you lots family!  Enjoy the upcoming week, and enjoy Easter! wahooo!

PS Michael, I am so excited for your baptism, and your awesome companionship!  They don't have all the hymns in Tagalog, either.  Maybe that will help Elder Gonzalez feel better 

3/28/2012

Spiritual:  Alma 62:45, Acts 2&9, Helaman 5:17-19.  Here we find but a few of many examples of ancient missionaries teaching with power and the Holy Spirit.  This is such a great key!  When they taught this way they had great success--even their enemies or mere strangers believed and changed their ways, truly converting unto the Lord.  When we teach with the Spirit and with power the possibilities are endless!  It is the conviction and the burning testimony people feel and respond to--not the eloquent speeches of the world.

We have a "new" preferable mailing address for letters only:

Sister Katherine Biggs

C/O Philippines Quezon City Mission

Proj. 4, Cubao, Quezon City Rizal St

Metro Manila, Philippines

I have seen some great miracles this week!  This really is the Lord's work.  From finding less-active families that weren't on our list, to a Catholic husband opening up and wanting us to teach him.  He is very interesting.  The first time we really got to talk to him we entered their home and started chatting, and he just kind of left...his wife looked at us apologetically and disappointingly because she really wants her husband to convert too.  We stayed and talked to her so we could teach her (less-active), and as we were talking he returned with RC Cola!  FYI that is not allowed for us in our mission, and his wife knew it so she made him take it back for something else.  He came back with merienda (snack and lemon-lime soda)!  We were all shocked, his wife included!  He was happy to have us there and started asking all sorts of questions.  We were all so happy.  Our next visit he gave us a ride to our next appointment (he is a tricycle driver) because it was far and it was raining, and tried really hard to not accept our payment.  We had to semi-run away from him so he would take it .  They came to church on Sunday for sacrament only, and promised to come next week for all 3 hours.  I am very excited to see what this next week holds in store for that family!

Things are great in my new ward.  As always, they are very friendly, but for some reason there is some great connection.  It should be a great ward to have a birthday in 

I love you all very much and glad to see you are doing great! (Thanks for the picture Dad)  Keefer keep up the great work in school!

3/14/2012

Sister Katherine Nicole Biggs
Philppines Quezon City Mission
P.O. Box 13873
Ortigas Center, Pasig City
1600 Metro Manila

Thank You all for requesting how to mail birthday packages to Katherine!  This is her address.  FYI I think sending something through USPS international 4 lb. envelope is the easiest.  She is doing great!

My Beloved Family!

I really truly love you so much, and am so grateful for all that you have done and continue to do (and will do in the future ).  Michael, again, I am so proud of you as a missionary.  Keep the fire burning baby!  Thanks to you and Dad for your scriptures.  Michael, I am proud of the content in your last letter about letting excuses go and taking responsibility, doing and being who we need to be despite anyone else.  Let's support each other in that, okay?  Let me know some of your ideas for that.

I am so happy to hear that things are going great, and that the family is visiting!  YAY!  You can tell them that I really enjoy seeing their pictures in the Tolman Family Calendar.  It is pretty awesome!  Of course Chris is a great cousin!  Have fun all of you!  Please tell Ang many, many thanks from me for the Christmas card.  As usual, I have not had time to write anyone.  I really enjoyed the book Victor drew for me and the pictures by Diana, and of course her wonderful letter.  I am glad to hear they are doing well, and that Victor is taking those fighting classes!  Oh, and for Ang:  Sister Goud, one of my housemates, is from India.  It was really funny when she was flipping through the calendar and saw Ronak and Ang's wedding picture!  She said "Indian!" and got really excited.  There are missionaries in India--who knew?  They are only male though.  Sister Goud is the only Indian missionary in our mission. [ours is an international apartment: American, Filipino, New Zealander, Indian]

Connor is taller than you now Mom?!  Holy moley!  Congratulations to Cyrus for his first time passing the sacrament!

I am excited for your upcoming trip Mom and Dad!  Make sure to e-mail me before you leave so I don't miss any news!

BTW, are you all doing family scripture study?  Chris, are you doing your individual scripture study every day?  That is the best mission preparation, and life preparation.  Good to get in the habit now.

Spiritual
1) As I have said before, the law and obedience and just exactly what that means have interested me for quite some time.  In Romans 13:8-10 we find our answer--LOVE is the fulfilling of the law.  Wow, God really knew what He was doing when He said the first and second greatest commandments were to love Him and love everyone else!  As it says in Moroni 7:46-47 if ye have not charity ye are nothing, but it will be found well in the last day for he who hath charity.  If we do everything else but neglect these commandments......yeah....good luck!

 

 2) An addition:  in the New Testament we find lots of great, timeless instruction for proper behaviors of members.  I know the Book of Mormon is really important, but let us listen to the council of our leaders and use all of the standard works.  I do testify that the Book of Mormon contains the answers to our questions...but it is not the only one.  There are many other instances, even here on my mission, that my needs and questions have been met by the other standard works.  Focus on the Book of Mormon....but use the others as well!  They are also the Word of God!

I am transferring to a new area tomorrow.  President has already told me that I will have an American companion.  That will break me even at 2 American, 2 Filipino companions!  I am excited to see what this new transfer is going to be like!  Please pray for me.

ALL my LOVE,
Your daughter, sister, granddaughter, niece, cousin, and defender of the truth,
Sister Katherine Biggs.......a.k.a. Kat

2/20/2012

Hello my family!

YAYAYAYAYAYAY!!  Keefer is going to BYU!  Whoooo!  Are you going to live at home, or in the dorms?  

Jac, I love and miss you too, and be good too!   Continue to prepare for your mission! [mom, that is so cute she is still focused on the mission and that she needs ties, he he he.  Also really cute that she wanted to text us, and reminded us to be good.]  David, I hear you are such a great helper--I am so proud of you!  Keep up the good work!  Keep growing big both of you!

I am becoming more like a rock, more German, than I ever was before.  I think it is because the Filipinos tend to be very excitable.  My hair can be put in a short ponytail now!  It is getting long!  I played the piano in sacrament yesterday, and apparently some of the children at first thought Barbie was playing the piano.

To all prospective missionaries:  missions are no cake-walk.  That being said, they are very, very worth it.  There are many things you learn in such a short period of time that really prepare you for life--marriage, children, work, etc.  It also gives you a very different perspective on life, and on the principles of the Gospel.  Even though I grew up in the Church and know a lot of things, my perspective and attitude has been shifted to grow in understanding and see things in a new light--this has been done in such a way that could never have been done had I not served a mission.  There is so much I could say, but I will leave it to this:  there are many things I will change in my life when I return, and because of that I will be so much more ready to serve the Lord and lead an even more successful life.  A mission is a springboard for growth and learning, the likeness of which there is no comparison!

Funny: Bill Engval "here's your sign" would have a great time here in the Philippines.  They say a lot of things that are very obvious (and a Filipino is the one who made the observation).  Also, an example of one of the funny things that has been said to me on the street, "Why are you beautiful?" he he he

Spiritual

1)  In Jesus the Christ Ch 24 Elder Talmage discusses an event that occurs right after the Mount of Transfiguration--an occurrence wherein the disciples were unable to cast out a devil out of a child.  He has some very interesting comments, but what I like most is the comment about the belief of the father of the possessed child:  the healing was depending upon him and his belief, not the outside action or power of another.  There are so many things tied up in this thought, the largest of which is that everything in this world depends on us, not on what happens to us.  We are "agents unto ourselves" as it states in D&C 58:28.  We are here to act, not to be acted upon, and in some ways our faith is a measure of that:  the way we think, believe, and act.  Do we think, believe, and act like our lives are dependent  upon the actions of other people, or do we think, believe, and act as if we were the ones at the helm being proactive and taking control?  Which of these leads to eternal progression and becoming like our Father in Heaven?

Btw, it is Sister Darasin's Birthday today!  I will tell her happy birthday for you!

All my love!

Kat

1/09/2012

Happy Birthday Daddy!  You are 7 squared now! [think about the cool symbolism in that--7 means complete/perfect, and a square.....]  he he    Thank you again for President Monson's message.
Spiritual
Alma 21:16-17.  God will lead you to the prepared, and then you will have success.  Trust in Him and He will lead you to the best choice!
Examples in Alma 18 and 22---if you teach powerfully and with the Spirit anyone can change and be truly converted unto the Lord!
1 Ne 1:2.  Despite many afflictions we need to choose to see the blessings of the Lord in our lives.  The afflictions are but a small moment for our eternal progression, and we can see from the example of Nephi that if we endure and remain faithful the Lord will bless us greatly.  Greatness is not free, but comes with a cost--a cost that is very much worth it.

You are worrying about my sleeping arrangements because you don't want me to sleep on the kitchen floor.  Don't worry, we were sleeping on pads.  In this apartment we have "beds"--we are still sleeping on pads, but they are placed in a bed frame.  It is nice to not have to "set up" for bed every night.  My day:  wake up at 6:30am, study 8-11am (personal, companion, and language study 1hr each), lunch 11-12pm, proselyte 12-9pm, daily planning 9-9:30pm, supposed to sleep at 10:30pm.  This is the general daily missionary schedule.  The going to sleep one is what gets messed up.  I usually end up going to bed at 11pm.  This is because we don't really have any dinner appointments, and do not take time for dinner because we have no time--too many people to visit.  We are planning and updating our area book until 10pm, then we have to eat and get ready for bed, and I usually also shower because it is so dirty here.  By the time all of that is done it is 11pm for me.  Oh well.  I had a pretty good exercise routine going too but that got shot down when I got sick.  I am still on the stretches/yoga only with push-ups and "leg raises" (the abdominal exercise where you lie on your back and raise your legs over your head) every once in a while.  I am trying to work my way back to my previous exercise routine (with some improvements).  We will see what happens.  Oh, btw Mom, the "tree" and "ice-skater" yoga positions are great for hams and butt muscles (especially for firming) and more specific than just running.  You go from the tree--standing on one leg with your hands above your head--to the "ice-skater"-- torso and the leg you are not standing on parallel to the ground.  They are pretty great, and my favorite yoga positions.  If you are confused I am sure grandma will know what I am talking about.  I am glad to know they are doing well.  What is grandpa doing with all of his time?  Is he finished yet with the shed?  Is he serving two days in the temple now?  I am glad he is loving retirement!


P-day has slightly improved--sending my clothes to the laundry is great, and so worth it.  But for now that is about it.  No extra time, really. 

Thanks for all your prayers my family!  Our area is beginning to progress like it should.  We are focusing even more on less actives, and I am excited for the Area Presidency Broadcast to the Philippines on Sat. (yes, I will be thinking of you on the day Dad, dudubach!) where they will explain further the objectives for the Philippines and the plan and what they expect the wards and stakes (and missionaries) to do.  Tracting has even been forbidden in some missions (not in ours thankfully).  Basically we are focused now on reactivation and helping people go through the temple.  Our mission theme for the year is "Finding Joy Through the Temple"--helping all the less actives and recent converts (and active members for that matter) go through the temple.  The new focus is very interesting, and very needed.  I am excited to see what will happen to the church here in the coming year!

I love you all so much!  Keep strong, I am so grateful for all you do.  Remember Alma 19:23!  I know your faith and prayers help me in ways we don't understand yet!