Abbey in the Philippines: Sister Abbey Hafen // Week One

June 22, 2013

kumusta pamilya!

These first few days have been wild. Seriously wild. The first day was so busy I didn't even have time to think. I loved loved your packet of letters from the hotel- best thing ever. I have seen so many people I know. Meg Gass (we are playing a musical number on sunday. There is a BYU piano performance major in my district, Sister Sirine. We are stoked they could fit us in,because Sister Gass is leaving for JapanMonday!

my list of peeps;

henrie walton

meg gass

adam esplin (yes mom we got a pic)

brittany mecahn (SHE IS LIKE 4 DOORS DOWN NOT A BIG DEAl)

joey sargent

jake lindsey (TELL MITZI!)

amanda harris (also 2 doors down fromme)

shawnee slivers

mason smith

there are more so i'll keepupdating you!

When I first got here, we went to the classroom and our teacher, brother trebas, was speaking straight up tagalog, with lovely pantamime signals. It was so crazy! As of now I can greet at the door, ask about their family, ask if i can come in the home, ask to say a prayer, offer a prayer, bear my testimony, and ask to commit to prayer. It is incredible. The spirit is so strong here and I am happy. Magdasal (prayer) is ayos (incredible, great). I have never prayed so much in my entire life.

We taught a lesson yesterday. YEAH. To an investigator. She served her mission in the Philippines years ago but is acting "proxy" as one of her real investigators. It was so scary but we did it. We did our best and got through it without busting into tears or relieving ourselves in our skirts. Seriously though. We'd been here maybe what, 50 hours, and they want us to teach an investigator?! I was tripppinnnn. But we just greeted her at the door, asked to come in, said hello, asked if we could pray, I prayed, and I asked if Joy (the invest.) would feel the spirit. Right when I said that I felt the spirit. We then just sat there and she started talking to us but we had no idea what she was saying. Hahahaa. We were just nodding our heads saying "oh-oh" which means Yes. She stared at us blankly and then repeated herself, pointing to her saying "18" andthen pointing to us. OH YOU WANT TO KNOW HOW HOLD WE ARE, OKAY. SORRY I DONT SPEAK TAGALOG, MY BAD. Hahah, so i just laughed and said, "oo, 19 po ako." (yes, I am 19). haha. then we just started bearing testimony. My casama (companion) Sister Nosler bore her testimony and then all I could remember how to say was "God lives and Jesus is the savior" I think. It was simple and I felt dumb, but its those simple truths that really will bring the spirit. We just sat there and she nodded her head, totally pitying us, but being SO nice, and then I asked if we could say another prayer. I couldn't think of the word prayer so I just made the hand signs for it. Haha. And then I said the closing prayer as well. We left and just about died. But I really do feel we did our best.

Today is PDAY and I am loving it so much. for real. Sweats, t-shirt, and nikes. HOLLA!

the language is super overwhelming, and just learning HOW to study is the hardest part. But whenever ANY one says something about how its relying on the spirit that matters, I get a confirmation that that is correct. I know that I was called as a missionary for God FIRST, and then I was called to preach it in Tagalog. I can do this. Having Sister Mecham 4 dorms down and then neighbor classrooms is the greatest thing ever, BTW (that means by the way, mom).

The church is true. I'm going to get the hang of this. It's so hard not being able to tell our investigator straight up how we feel, because we can't in Tagalog. But I pray for the spirit like 1,000 times a day, so that's got to help :) Haha. Seriously though, frustrating. But our teacher brother trebas is awesome. He interviewed us yesterady and just let us talk to him in english alone. it was awesome.

My district is sweet. 4 elders, 8 sisters. 6 sisters in my room, all from my district. Sister Pace & Sister Meinzer (omg sister meinzer is just like kira bott. so basically i have my best friend in my room every night. haha) sister Sirien and sister howlett. and me and my casama.

For now, that is all. I love leters and will write you all back! I love it!

-sister hafen

sorry for the spelling, i just type SO DANG FAST that it cant keep up andthe keyboard is sticky.

PS I LOVE MY NAMETAG SO MUCH.