Monday: Monday night after proselyting, we made cinnamon french toast and no bake cookies. Our filipino comps were loving the no-bakes. It was so fun, we really bonded and had so much fun. I don't think anyone understands how much fun us 4 have. Our area is Alicia, and we are the Alicia 1B area. Alicia Sisters for LIFE. We are so close now and we literally just have a blast.
Tuesday: District Meeting day. These days are always so fun- this weeks meeting was about having a "Divine Companionship". Of course, Sister Bates + Suaybaguio, and me and Sister Acoba were the top 2 companionships. We answered all the questions right about each other including "what did your companion order last week after the District Meeting?" Holler! After District Me, we had Companionship study- I love companionship study. It is always sooo good. Seriously, top notch. Mmm, and here comes the greatest story of the week. We go out to town to pick up a frame for our Recent Convert, Clyde, so we can put our picture with him in it and give it to him. We go into town, and we are waiting in the shop, and I have to go to the bathroom. I tell my companion and she's like, now? And I say, yeah. NOW. Literally, I was about to have an accident right there in my skirt, in the middle of this shop. There's not bathrooms in public places and so we went to this catholic church that had a bathroom outside. I run in, and to make a long story short, just imagine this: tiny room. of course no toilet paper (here in the philippines they don't use toilet paper), ants and cockroaches all over the soaking wet floor, and a single bucket and a faucet. Let's just say that 10 minutes later, all that was running through my mind was I HATE THE PHILIPPINES. Hahaha, but don't worry. I still love this place.
The night ended fine, we taught a less active family, the Gumpal fam. I gave the spiritual thought/lesson in Joshua 1:9. Be strong and of a good courage. This family has had the hardest things happen. She has a really sensitive pregnancy and can't come to church and her brother needs a wheelchair because he is so sick and is constantly in and out of hospitals. The spirit was so strong and man, I just told her how much of an example she is to me and the night was so beautiful. Here we are, sitting cross legged on the cement floor of this lady's house, and they have absolutely nothing, but yet she is bearing testimony of what I said and what my companions said; we can be strong through God and His son. You want a couple words to describe the Philippines? HUMBLE and HAPPY.
But of course, your ups and downs are wild out here on the mission, and Wednesday we taught a lesson to another less active fam, the Jacob fam. Mid lesson, she is just crying, but of course I have no idea why because I can't understand what is going on. I literally felt soo dumb and felt so worthless. Then the lesson right after, this lady is having major marital problems and her husband has been gone for months. She just got baptized like 3 months ago and Satan is realllly working at her. <---Of course I didn't know this until after the lesson, so during the lesson, she's bawling and I have no idea why. I started to get down on myself again, and really just question what the HECK I am doing in the Philippines. But without fail, the Lord gives us what we need; The next lesson was a less active fam, and right when I get there, the little girls are swarming me. They want to sit by me, hold my hand etc. I felt their love and began to feel much better. I began the lesson and shared a scripture about how God is mindful of all of us. No matter where we are. I expressed that no matter where we are in the world, he is mindful. Even of me, here in the Philippines, a little teenager who can't speak the language. Even me, he cares and is mindful of me. Man, the spirit was so strong this less active family shared experience and read scripture with us. My companions all shared things prompted by the spirit and the lesson really was just beautiful. I just thanked Heavenly Father over and over for the rest of the day for allowing the spirit to still be there even though I really do speak worse tagalog than the that family's 3 month old baby.
Sister's Suay shared a story about one of her companions. She was american and was getting really frustrated with the language. She was talking to an Elder and just said "I feel so dumb. I just feel so stupid." and he turned to her and said, "that's part of being humble." Seriously, that is the truth. I have been humbled SO much. I thought I knew and understood what it meant when we say "The Lord will give you EVERY thing you need, he always provides, blah blah blah." But when I got here I felt like well HEY! If you called me to preach the language in the Philippines, I kind of need the... uh.. THE LANGUAGE maybe????? But as Sister Acoba and I talk about all the time, the only language we need to understand is the language of the spirit. and that is SO true. If I really needed to be fluent in the language right now, I would be. But apparently I don't need it yet, because I don't have it yet.
After the lesson, we were walking home and crossing the bridge we usually do, and Sis Suay said "lets play a game. we will all spit over the bridge and whosever spit lands last has to do the dishes." so we spit and then we here a thud. Sister Suay's glasses fell off her head and landed like 5 feet down on this little ledge. BLAZE!! Haha, I could have EASILY climbed over, but i knew that i really shouldn't as a missionary. So we went to Nanai Mesa's and got some tools. finally, like 45 minutes later, we had a contraption that we used to pull up her glasses. It was sooo funny. Our dinner appointment canceled that night so we met up with the Alicia 3rd sisters Mamea and Maddock and ate dinner on the street. We got this rice soup and pork barbeque. SO GOOD. I'm not really sure how every meat I eat here is "pork" but yet tastes different every time. But. I don't ask questions, I just eat it and love it every time.
Thursday was our first day alone. We split our Alicia 1 area and now have Alicia 1A & 1B. Bleh. We were double transferred here, so neither Sister Acoba or me know the area (well of course i didn't haha). Or first day was so good though- we street contacted so many people and have a lot of return appointments. We found less actives and taught 5 lessons in that first night. We were SO thankful for Heavenly Father's guidance and for Him preparing all these people for us. Seriously, what a good first day on our own. We were soooo so so so grateful.
Friday we had a "one day mission" in Jones. Jones is a more dangerous area of our mission, and it just became a sisters area a few months ago. And they started having more success- hmm. Go sisters. Haha, just kidding. Anyway, so our entire zone headed to Jones for the day for the one day mission. Pretty much members go with missionaries and we split up to all the barangays (neighborhoods). To get there we squoze 15 missionaries in a 9 passenger van, had orientation, and headed out. We only taught 2 less active families, but the Jones sisters texted us yesterday and said the 1st family we taught CAME TO CHURCH. We were sooo grateful we were able to find them and teach them. Those two lessons we taught seriously were so spritual. In the 2nd one, I had no idea what this man was saying, but I was giving the lesson, so after the members and misionaries commented, I felt prompted to ask if he had any additional comments (that all came out in tagalog, and boy that was a suprise). He then began to cry and shared his worries and concerns. I had no idea what he was saying, but just felt the spirit so much. The daughter was crying, he was, and then I began to cry. I didn't know what he said and I was supposed to close the lesson. I just (somehow in tagalog) told him I was so grateful for his spirit and his example. I bore testimony and closed. We left and I gave the daughter a BOM and we left. (I found out later that his fam is catholic but he really wishes his wife and daughter would go with him to church.)
after that lesson, we had delicious rice patty dessert thingys, and kutsinte. this gelly thing that was delish. i love filipino food so much. We met, accounted our numbers, and left. We didn't have room in the van for the first part of the 45 min drive home, so two elders rode on top of the van. haha. It was only for like 10 minutes though. Jones was a success, and super fun! That night, we walked in our apartment, and it was pitch black, so i quietly followed sister suay as she walked to get the light. right as she reached for it, i scared the living crap out of her. She screamed and just droppped to the floor. Best moment ever. We then went and got dinner and shakes. I love my sisters.
Saturday we had weekly planning. Man. I hate but really actually love weekly planning. We got the area book under our belt (kind of not really) and began picking some names out. The philippines really is all about less actives. It's so crazy how many LA's we teach a week. We taught our 10 yr old inv. Joem and I taught some principles in the lesson! I really didn't use any english and it was awesome. My trainer was so proud of me and said "Wow, you used pure tagalog in that lesson, sister!" YES. I am improving. I will say, teaching children is so much better because I am way less nervous and I can teach much more simple. Saturday I finally got some bravery and just walked up to people on the street and started talking to them. We got a lot of street contacnts and I seriously recieved strength from above. All this bravery was so awesome. That night, we had dinner at a member of the district presidency's house. We go every saturday and danngggg. Its such good food. I finally was able to be myself and was telling stories and just made everyone laugh. It felt so good to be myself, and even if I wasn't speaking tagalog, they still understood. (and it helps that I have really great facial expressions haha).
Sunday sunday sunday. We were waiting for our investigators and none of them came.And none of the less actives we taught. I was so so surprised since we taught all of them just a day or two before and bleh!!! I just knew they had to be coming. During the next meetings (sacram is last), I was just praying for them. please please please come. Then boom. Visperaz family comes in. Boom. Tatay Apolonio comes in. Then sacrament starts.BOOM. There's Joem (investigator). and then we turn around, HEY SHERLY (other investigator), and then hello. 3rd investigator. Then sister policarpio (LA) walks in. CHECK. Everyone came. I WAS SO HAPPY! YAY. God is so mindful and really works in the hearts of people.
some funny things about the philippines that I must write about now, because everything is quickly becoming very normal to me.
-women nurse wherever they want, without anything covering them. even mid sacrament, mid-pew, this lady kneels down and nurses.
-they sing the most random hymns. and they make up tunes and change the melody in the hymns. it's so funny.
-an 11 yr plays the piano for the meeting and someties doesn't know how to count stuff and just does whatever he wants. ahah
-this little kid filmed me during sacrament meeting. haha. i was laughing so hard when i looked over the pew and he was watching it. it was me just sitting there, looking foward. HAHA.
sunday night we headed to a bday celebration for brother eddisons mom. she is wheelchair bound, i'm not sure why, but he is like 17 and him and his dad and brother take care of her. MAD RESPECT for him. He's super cool and the celebration was sofun. THERE WAS CHOCOLATE CAKE. an answer to my prayers :) haha, no one has ovens here, so baked goods are rare! after the bday thing, we headed to what I thought was a dinner appt. (sometimes i really have no idea what is going on haha). but we get there and we are at a funeral. i will send a pic. it was crazy. just this litle room down these concrete stairs with a casket. us missionaries were like in charge of the program in this little room. Sis bates shared a beautiful thought, sis suay taught the plan of salvation, and i led us in some hymns. then us 4 sang some by ourselves and i harmonzied. it really sounded beautiful down in that little room, rain coming down outside, and everyone circled around. What a beautiful expericne that was.
So about the typhoon. I guess its like a signal 4 hitting right on my mission. like all the surrounding areas have evacuated or don't have electricty or water. we are prepared to evacuate and bought food for a week yesterday as instructed. We were released from our lockdown at 2 to leave the house (an hour ago). Our area should be safe but its just rained and blowed a TON. We get texts like every 30 min from presidents wife, DLs, ZL's, AP's, etc keeping us updated. We were lucky we were able to email, the normal email cafe was closed, but w found this one.
Thats all folks. I am so happy. i love this place. I still sometimes don't feel like i'm away from the USA. But I am. This church is so great. I seriously don't think anyone understands how happy I am. This work is so great and even though some days, mid lesson, I literally am about to burst into tears because I feel so worthless, I love this place. Heavenly Father is so aware and really does give us the things we need. Sometimes, the things we think we need, are what we are waiting for. But if we don't have it, we don't need it yet. I really thought I needed to be fluent in the language, but I don't. When i need that, I'll have it.
I love love love love love you guys and pray for everyone back home each night.
love sis haf.
The location of the funeral. I hope this picture explains the location good enough.
Brother Eddisons moms birthday! He is in the ward and is AWESOME. P.S. note the lakers shirt haha.
Me and Sister Suaybaguio.
We are so cute! Such a fun day. Us four are best friends. Sister Acoba, Sister Suaybaguio, and Sister Bates.
Pouring rain, buying groceries in preparaton for the typhoon.
Called to serve.... the street we live on.
These little girls that LOVED me on the streets. They yelled "Americana"from afar so I went up to them and they were obsessed. So cute.
Right after I scared Sister Suay haha.
Beautiful.
Sister Mamea, Sister Acoba, Sister Tulikhihifo (the best sister training leader in the universe), Sister Maddock, Sister Gardoce (the other wonderful STL), me, Elder Gevarra (elder tribes comp).
On top of the van...
Us with our Jones members helping us.
In Jones, after I played basketball. haha its so funny, they think im so good for a girl, just sinkin' threes all up in this place.
Beautiful!
Our members that were missionaries with us in Jones. That ice candy i'm eating is heaven.
From inside the tricee in Jones.
HAHA at the Jones one day mission, his outfit was killing me. I loved it.
By Sister Policarpois house. So pretty.
Dinner on the street! Yum!
HAHA nice glasses Sister Suay.
On the bridge.
The sisters!! Sister Bates, Sister Acoba, me, Sister T, Sister Gardoce, Sister Suay, Sister Mamea, Sister Maddock.
Hi frog. (Sister Bates)
Sister Suay and Sister Acoba. They made the french toast!
The church (again, waiting for a meeting to start)
Our house!
That is a tricee, we take them everywhere. This place is beautiful by the way.
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