Abbey in the Philippines: Sister Abbey Hafen // Week Two // "and you, with the red flaming hair"

June 29, 2013

HI.

K, I love the MTC. It's so great. My first story. Brace yourselves.

So I played a duet with Meg Gass in Relief Society last Sunday. It was so beautiful. Everyone loved it of course! It was so good to play again, I love playing in church and doing it here at the MTC is like sacrament on steroids. Anyway, so I had to go check out the violin from the Main Building, and since it was the Sunday of the broadcast, security was everywhere because the first presidency and apostles were here for the misison presidents. So my kasama and myself get escorted to the closet with the violin. As we are waiting, Elder Holland walks from one room to the next. NBD right? OH JUST WAIT. After we quietly freaked out, he walks out and sees us. Comes over and says "Well hello! How good you both look! You, with the flaming red hair, and you with the curly locks!" We shook his hand and he asked about our missions. It was the greatest thing ever, I should have slid in some info about how I was an Esplin, but I was just in a little bit of shock at the moment. Then as we left Elder Anderson and Elder Bednar waved to us. Sweet. Holler for cool experiences.

The Broadcast was amazing. I am so glad you all saw me. I was freaking out when I realized I was on the screen. If you watch it again, I move my shoulder just to confirm that it really is me. and then I smile. Hahaha. I love that I saw Carrie. I saw her and Lon down there, but I figured it wouldn't work out to see them. I ended up walking as far down as I could and just waited for her to see me. I waited and then boom. She looked up, left the conversation she was in, and came to me! We hugged and took some pics, and then before you know it, Jake Lindsey and Mason Smith are down there with me. It was so great. We took pics and Lon instagrammed. Those better have racked up the likes up the wazoo. I NEED to stay insta-popular while I'm gone. Haha KIDDING.

The work is hard here. I love it though. I really am just obsessed with the MTC. I work hard every day and am learning the language; slowly but surely. We just finished our first investigator, and now she is our TEACHER. Hahaha, talk about embarrassing- "hey, I'm the girl that asked "can we come... (couldn’t think of phrase for "in your home" so I just pointed and started walking in) into your home, asked if I could pray, prayed, told you I know god loves us, and walked out. All with my face bright red and my tagalog mixed up. Sweet. Hi. How are ya, teach." Haha. She is so sweet though.

Saturday night was the breaking point. Our lesson wasn't too good and I was sooo exhausted. We met our mission presidents though, and that was such a blessing. My mission president said all the right things and really eased my concern and my insecurity. I was bawling his whole presentation, maybe because of the spirit, but probably more because I'm a girl and this work is hard. Haha. And lucky for me, the 20 of us that were in there were all sitting in a circle so the whole mission could hear, see, and watch me bawl. Now after every meeting, everyone asks "How long did it take you to cry this time?? Did you make it past the opening prayer?" haha. I cry, but whatevs. I cant help it. And if I'm being totally honest, it is almost ALWAYS the spirit. Saturday night... not so sure. Maybe, maybe not. HINDI MAHALA! (not important)

When I hit my week mark, I really felt as if I had been out here for a year. So now that is the joke. "Awh man, remember last transfer when we played volleyball at gym time and stuff? Yeah, those were the days. Its crazy we only have 4 months left." Haha, when in reality, we have been here under 2 weeks. TIME IS SO WEIRD. The days fly by but it feels so old hat to be here right now. I love every day though. I love it so much. When all the newbies came rolling in with their huge suitcases, cute new clothes, classy suits, spankin new ties, and the BRIGHT ORANGE DOT ON THEIR NAMETAG, I would say "Welcome to the MTC!" just as everyone said to me my first day. I then would follow that by saying "It is so fun." They'd look at me all skepticaly, and I would look them right in the eye and say, "I'm serious. You're gonna wake up Monday morning and think, "dang. this place is fun. I love it here." None of them probably believed me, but it's the truth. After the incredible meeting on Sunday, I was stoked to be a missionary. I woke upMonday and thought that exact thing in my head. Dang, this place is fun. I love it here. And seriously, I do love it. I say it every day. I love it. Do I love sounding like a 4 year old telling adults about the gospel? Uh, no. Do I love wearing a skirt every day? Not really. Do I love wearing freaking sandals as I shower? NO! But do I love feeling the spirit all the time, and testifying of the simple truths in a language I knew nothing about less than two weeks ago? YES. Yes times a million.

I have realized that although I have a language barrier as I learn to teach, I need to be myself in the language. This idea came to me when I found out filipinos LOVE JUSTIN BIEBER. My new door approach: "Hi, I'm sister hafen, this is my companion, and we are missionaries. I love Justin Bieber. Will you be baptized?

Here are some random thoughts/things from the week; I write down in my planner stuff I want to email about, so here goes:

-We had the greatest steak dinner the other night. HEAVEN.

-In class, our teacher asked, "What is a verb?" and I said "verb. it's what you do." and everyone was dying

-A teacher told the greatest love story every lived; Racheal and her future hubby working 7 years for her. Now that is dedication. (it's the closest thing to romance we have here at the MTC)

-the sacrament hymn on sunday was I Stand All Amazed, my favorite hymn. What a tender mercy that was.

-we learned that there are no street signs really in the Philippines, so the area book is going to be tons of fun to fill out. (JunJun, 19 years old, lives 7 markets down from the market with the bad meat, then turn left, go past 2 gates, look about a stones throw away, pass 4 trees, and you'll see her place about 20 paces down." Sweet!

-I scored 2 goals playing soccer. Mom, call BYU and tell them I'm interested in their women's team.

-I give my roommates massages all the time and they about die. I am the best, I know!

-I always hated the Provo temple, because of it's looks, and because it's Provo, but I take it all back now; I love that temple.

oh and heres the best thing of all. there I am, laughing really hard at lunch, leaning forward in my chair and BOOM. The chair falls out from under me, and I'm on floor. the whole lunch room went silent. I LOVE EMBARASSING MOMENTS. No. It was so horrible. But soooo funny. We were dying. hey mom, remember that one time you said, "abbey. I need you to take this advice from me. You.... you need to be more.. more reserved." HAHAHA. Sorry momma.

WAIT. This might be better. Two people have come up to me and asked if I am the Abbey Hafen who blogs and is hiliarious. I respond Yeah, I think so? they THEN begin to QUOTE MY BLOG. Referring to my series of unfortunate events, funny things i've said, etc. I love it. It seriously is the greatest thing. I have a pic of one of my stalkers. HOLLER!!!! I was dying when it happened the first time, and then seriously amazed when it happened again. oh and one of the girls MOMS had my blog BOOKMARKED ON HER IPHONE. BOOKMARKED!!!!! hhaa, and she said when they would be out to dinner waiting for their food, she would pull it out and say, "abbey blogged again!" and would read it to the fam. I seriously was dying. DYING!! Hahaha, blogs for life.

I love all of you. Seriously. Your letters make me SO HAPPY. I am writing you all back, if I haven't already. DearElder is sweet too, if you ever just want to send a quick dearelder about something funny that happened. They are super easy and we get them twice a day.

Please keep praying for me. I love everything about this work but it is so hard. I realized faith is an action, not just a little gift we get. We have to put forth a step or two, swim in the dark for a little, and then we will be rewarded.

Love you.

-sister haf

sis howlett getting her tongue stuck on bad ice cream. #mtcprobs

ME AND MIKE! i have only seen him this once, his 2nd day.

Me being funny in my Preach my gospel book.

Studying! Sister Hafen, Sister Nosler, Sister Pace, Sister Menacer

Me, my companion Sister Nosler, Sister Meinzer, Sister Pace (orange blue skirt outfit) Sister Maddock, Sister Carr (Sister Maddock is Debbie Hafen (neds debbie's) niece!!!! She is in my district.