Abbey in the Philippines: Sister Abbey Hafen // Week Twenty-Nine // A week of "first timers"

So this was a week of "First Times."

-I tried Balut (google it) for the first time. (s.atienza videoed it)

-Sister Marie Visperas bore her testimony for the first time in Sacrament.

-This was the first week I've ever had 7 investigators at church.

-Brother Michael Visperas recieved his first church calling.

-This was also the first week I've seen 234 people in Sacrament Meeting since I've been in Alicia.

-I spent the first day of the year here in the Philippines.

and to end with the crappiest one, this is the first time I've had a really bad encounter with people because we are missionaries and I'm a foreigner. We were just at the photoprinting shop like an hour ago, and this guy came in. He started talking to me and said he was a member, so we started talking. I figured maybe he was a little off, maybe had a mental problem or was kind of drunk, but we just kept talking. It was harmless and I wasn't keeping the conversation going at all, just answering his questions and being very polite. Then he just wouldn't stop. I moved down the counter and he followed me. Then he starting asking really probing questions and I just mouthed to my companion who was a few computers down "help me" and she came over. He just started getting really obnoxious and so we just ignored him. He got his package of pictures and then started touching my arm and talking to me again. We just ignored him and then the workers were like trying to tell him to leave. He was just going off on random crap, and then he took his picture packet and like hit me on the shoulder with it. He walked out and came back in a few minutes later and left again. Everyone in the shop was so surprised and was just like comforting us. I told them that that's never happened before and they were so glad that doesn't happen alot. We just talked about the culture and how filipinos are so hospitable and to just forget about that guy. Everyone was so nice and we must have looked really "struck dumb" becuse they kept telling us to not be nervous and to relax. The guy was just ouside the shop for a while, so we waited for him to leave. Then these ladies took turns going out to see if he was still there, and they'd give us an update. "nandyan pa siya" - he's still there. and then finally "wala na sisters, wala na."- he's gone now.

Anyway. So besides that lame incident, this week rocked. We had so many new years eve lunches, snack times, and dinners just like christmas. New Years Eve we had district meeting which was really good, then we had dinner at President Abuans. I ate balut, we had traditional New Years Eve food, and then we had to be home at 6pm because it's not safe here new years eve haha. There were so many drunk people, videoke/kareoke, and fireworks. We played around and dressed up, I read a little, fell asleep at 9 and then we woke up at 11:30 and headed to the neighbors (Caleja's) and watched the fireworks from their roof terrace thing. We ate, and ate some more, and then headed home around one, got up at 6:30 the next day and i wanted to die. We studied outside because I knew we had no chance of staying awake if we were inside. The day was awesome, and we ate even more. I honestly gained so much weight, now I'm a self concious fool, but no worries. I have 11 more months to diet before I come home. HA! That's what all the filipinos say to me. They say all american's diet their last area on the mission, so "sister hafen, sa first area ka lang, don't diet!"

Some fun things from the week:

-I love my roommates. sister funaki is so funny and only refers to us as madam all day (because a lot of people say that to us instead of sister)

-I loved making goals for this year because this whole year I will be a missionary. so my goals were so different than ever before, but i'm so excited. I'm still creating my official goal sheet haha.

-every night before we close planning, I always ask sister atienza "kumusta ang araw ni sister atienza" (how was the day of sister atienza) and then we talk about the day. then at the end, I always say "mayroon pa ba?" (anything else?) and one night she said "...mayroon pa." (yeah there is something more to say) I waited for her to talk, and then she just looked up at me and said "I LOVE YOU!" it was the best thing of my life.

-I had LBM again (diarhea) and one morning I just pooed my pants. Haha I was dying of laughter

-the night of new years day, we were SO exhausted at the end of the day, that sister atienza started just saying the funniest things in english. i was dying.

-we went to go teach sister jennie, and we asked when a better time would be to come back because their house is their volcanizing shop, so like its blazing loud by the highway and their house is so tiny i don't know if i would fit haha. anyway we asked what day would be better, and she says "oh how about sunday, we'll just go to church together then, right?" my jaw dropped, we of coruse said YEAH! and as we walked away we were just laughing. Then Sister Atienza says (in english), "Wow! Sister Jennie is the mother of all willing!" WE WERE DYING laughing

That's all for now. i love all of you, I loved all the letters and love from the season, and I love this church. I love my Savior and am so happy I get to be his servant for the entire year of 2014.

Love,

S. Hapen