Email #7: I was like “Ah sister, I don’t know how to live in rain!! Teach me.”

Mahal Ko Kayo!!!! Nagmimiss ako ninyo sobrang!!! Ito ay crazy ditto pero sobrang mesaya!!! 

(I love you all. I miss you alot. It is crazy here but very fun.)

So Mother’s Day. We will Skype on Monday so it will be your Mother’s Day. And no I do not have a skype so you will need to make one for me and tell me the information so I can log on. And it will just be in this little internet cafe -- same one I email in. I am so excited!!!!

So my city is called Novelta. And my ward is Noveleta ward and my area is Noveleta b. Molino is a different city.

So Monday we went bowling!!! So much fun and I won just saying :) By alot too!!! It was so much fun!! It was 2 zones combined so I was able to see most of the people from my batch.  It was alot of fun though!!!! After that we had FHE with Jenny and her anak (child) the ones getting baptized. It was so much fun. Her anak are great!!! I love that family. We are ALWAYS laughing. And they teach me Tagalog all the time. It was so so so  much fun!!!

So Tuesday we had another FHE but with the Montemayor family. Sister Stromburg (who is an RM) is here in the Philippines. She is also a teacher at the MTC.  She wasn't my teacher but she was my sub teacher a few times. It was great to see her. But oh my gosh -- so on the way to FHE we took a trike and IT HAD PORN IN IT!! All the walls were covered with pictures of women on it!! We asked if we could patay and liwanag  (kill the lights). So it wasn’t a problem but oh my gosh we couldn’t stop laughing.

Wednesday was a good day. We went to a place called Pulo. (That’s just the areas name).  It is super poor and super super close. I sent a picture before of me in a hallway that was so small.  It’s the same place. And we saw the Oribello family – (Less active) and we had our lesson under a house in hammocks on the beach. It was so small though.  All the Filipino could stand and me and Sister Sevia had to crouch. It was so cool!!!! And we taught her about prayer.  I testified of prayer so well. Sister Sevia was trying to find a scripture so I had to talk and I was able to!!! I am able to speak alot of Tagalog but I’m not good at understanding, which makes it very hard to speak because I don’t know what I need to say. But when I know what is going on I can speak haha.  It was transfer day so Sister Aua'ae left and we have a new sister. Sister Bodoto. She is super nice.  I like her.  She does her dishes haha. And, she helped me clean today!!!! Her and Sister Lamson are having a hard time but Sister Bodota hasn't even been in the field for a week -- so it will get better.

Friday it rained and it rained hard. We weren’t outside yet so that was good. But I was like “Ah sister, I don’t know how to live in rain!! Teach me.”  Haha. I was like -- how are we suppose to go out in that. It flooded so fast too!!! It only rained for like 2 hours but it was crazy! Once August hits it will be insane!!!

So Saturday Xhryrus and Russel had their baptism interviews. Xhyrus is getting baptized Saturday but Russel has to wait two weeks because he stopped drinking coffee and tea 2 weeks ago but it has to be 4 weeks.  So he is waiting.  But Xhyrus isn’t. And guess what?!?!?!?! They BOTH WANT TO SERVE MISSIONS!!!! I am so excited!!!!!! THEY ARE SERVING MISSIONS!!!! It was the best news EVER!!!! That night we went and visited Jamie (the one that has really bad diabetes. Like about to cut off his leg bad.) It is so hard. Brother Wilmar came and gave him a blessing. I hope he felt the power from it. The spirit was so strong. Beth, the wife, was crying (she is less active which by the way is now activated). I am so worried about him he was cringing in pain the whole time.

SO yesterday we said goodbye to Sister Stromburge. She came and worked with us and we visited her convert who is now less active. It was great!!! Bu oh my gosh -- I was so scared!!! At church they told me and Sister Sevia that we were speaking!!! I was like no!!! I can’t give a talk right off the top of my head in Tagalog!!! I was so scared!! Then they said that Sister Stromburge is instead. So it was good but seriously – the scariest moment of my life!!! Ahhhh!!!

So it is normal here to called people fat. It is really weird. They have no problem calling you fat. It kinda hurts because in America you don’t do that but here it’s normal. So weird!!! I learned a new word kakaiba ka.  I just said “You’re weird.” Yep weird right? This language is so strange. Every two weeks we get 4200 pesos which is bout 90 dollars. I spend about 22 of that on food. That is how little money is here. I took out 600 and lost it. Here that is a lot but when I did the math that (plus the 200 atm fee) is only about 16 dollars. It is crazy!!!! Everything here is so much less money.

So go to you tube and search young women values Cavite stake and find Noveleta ward.  They made a video!! Watch it because it’s my ward :)

So my feet are so bad!! I am taking that medicine all the time now because it helps.  Right now they are almost normal haha.  So last night we went to a member’s home for dinner. I ate it.  It’s called something like chocolate something. So I am eating it and I ask what it is and the sister (don’t know her name) said -- I’ll tell you after you are done. I was thinking, “Oh so it is one of those.”  So I finish and asked again. She said it is BLOOD. It was pieces of pork in pork blood!!! It didn’t taste terrible but the texture of the liquid was grainy. It was weird. But not terrible haha. So there -- you can tell people that haha.

Well momma I love you so much!!!!! I’m praying for all of you!!!!

Love Sister Mayberry

Sister Berguson

Pulo

Noveleta Ward Young Women: Young Women Values - Choice and Accountability

Email #6: She is thirsting for the gospel.

So I forgot to grab my paper that had what I want to tell you on it.  But that’s okay! I’M SO SO SO SORRY!!!! I was going to take pictures of my apartment today and forgot. I did take them and deleted them the week I thought I sent them to you. I will next week I promise.  I hate this -- I can’t remember what to tell you!!! I’ll try.

So after we emailed on Monday we went to the SM (Which is just a mall like the ones we have at home.)  I bought a planner. They are kinda the thing here in my mission. It holds your planner and has spots for pens and your money and cards. It is great.  Everything I need is in it. But they only had one left at the store and it is purple and pink and grey. WAY too girly for me. But I had to have one so I had to get it. I will be buying a new one ASAP though haha.   At the mall there was cotton candy and my roommate from Tonga has never eaten it so I bought some and it was so good!!!

We have this investigator that SIster Jenny introduced us to. It is her neighbor. Her name is Christy (not sure if I told you about her last week) but we taught her 3 times I think this week. And she is great!!! She just wants to know about the church.  She is thirsting for the gospel.  I can see it in her. And when we go she has questions and

listens so carefully to the lessons. It is great to see!!! Her husband won’t listen to the lessons but she does.  That’s like all I can say because it is just great!!! And she just wants to know everything!!!!  She helps with my Tagalog.  When I say something wrong she will correct me. And I LOVE THAT!!!! I can see things progressing with her.

And Jenny’s step children. Xhryus and Russel are great!!! They had a date for April 26 but we still have more lessons to teach.  So now it is May 4. I am so excited for them. Xhyrus is more into it than Russel but they both are getting baptized. Russel did stop drinking tea though -- which is great!! They come to church every week and have that

desire.   They both keep the commitments. I love watching them because I can see the change in both of them.  We have a lot of lessons with them. They are our focus people right now. I am so excited for them!!!!

I had my first companion exchange this week. I went to Molino and the sister training leader came to Novelta. I was with Sister Sarena. She is great.  She’s Filipino. So nice and she pushed me in the lessons because she only spoke Tagalog.  It made me feel like I had to too. It was great!!! I learned so much from her about being missionaries. It was that night and we only spent like 3 hours together and already I had learned so much. It was so good for me. I learned so much and grew and went home and was like,  “Okay Sister Sevia.  We have to change some things or we need to add some things.” She said I helped her alot too. To remember to always be obedient and have a goal and accomplish it. That when we say we’re going to do something we do it.  And have a desire. She said she could see my desire to teach and can’t wait for the day I can do it in Tagalog because I will be so powerful.  It made me feel good.  I’m anxious for that day.  I am so sick of not being able to speak!!!!! But I know that will come but it could come faster if it would like to haha.  Wednesday was Sister Sevia’s birthday!!! So I only spent half of it with her. But that was okay because the sister training leader that came to work with her was her trainer so they are super close.   It was great for her. Her anak (child) during the day and her nanay (mother) at night.  She had alot of fun but everyone fed them cake!!! I was like -- of course because I’m not there you get cake.  Haha!

The zipper broke on my red skirt.  : (  We got out of a trike and Sister goes, “Sister,  your skirt,”  and the zipper was broken.  So we had to go home and change.  I am hoping I can find someone to fix it!!!

So there is a food here called ube. IT IS SO DELICIOUS. I guess it comes from a plant. But they use it for dessert and it is purple. It is indescribable. I have no clue how I could describe it to you but it’s delicious! There is a bakery we walk past that has ube filled bread!!! I buy it everyday!!! It is so good!!! You will love it!!!!  Are you ready for this?!?!?!?   I eat oatmeal!!! I LOVE IT!!!! I eat it every day -- like 2 times a day!!!! It is so good!!!!!  Sister Sevia makes fun of me because I eat it so much now! Haha.

So today we are going bowling!!!! As a zone! I feel like Lena --always doing something haha. I am so excited! And I am wearing JEANS!!! I haven’t worn jeans in about 3 months. I love them!!!! Haha. Wednesday is my 3 month mark!! It went so fast. I am convinced that I will be home in about 2 months because this past 3 months felt like 2 weeks --  If that! Time goes so fast here. And once I start understanding Tagalog It will go even faster.  It went so fast I feel like I haven’t done enough for being gone for 3 months already! Time is weird.

No I am gaining weight!!!    That whole, "I’ll come home super skinny" is a lie. Rice makes you gain weight!!! And I eat it all the time. I am trying to buy healthier food now. I was going to stop buying rice but then Michael Kornegay emailed me and he said everything got better when he turned into a Filipino. His language, his lessons, how happy he was. So he started doing everything like a Filipino and that includes rice. So I was like okay I can do that.  I LOVE RICE!!! It is delicious.  Oh and my feet -- ya they are worse.  So Sister Tye is trying to figure something out for me.  People just put a lot of salt in the food. I have pictures -- just wait.  It’s annoying. I took that medicine for 5 days and then it came back so she told me to take it for 2 weeks so I did that and it didn’t help. I am drinking lots of water hoping it helps and then we will see what she finds out from the doctor. She said that supportive hose will help but it is so hot here I do not want to wear hose and she doesn’t want me to either. So maybe I can wear them at night and not during the day.  This whole thing will just be experimenting.

Oh and the chick picture was at maricriz salud house. Brother Marlon

was in the background.

I love you all so much!!! I love you momma and dad!!!

Eating like a Filipino --  using my hands

OUCHIE!!!  No ankle bone.

Not sure how she walks so much
with these things !!

Email #5: So this week was a lot of OYM (open your mouth)

Cactus in the Philippines -- what????

Momma!!!! How are you? So this week has been up and down again. I feel as if it will be like that all my mission. So Monday I took your advice and I cleaned. The other sisters were gone and SIster Sevia was asleep. So I was tired of the mess and cleaned. I cleaned the bathroom and mopped the kitchen. Sister Sevia woke up while I was sweeping and decided to help me. Then last night I asked the sisters if we could clean today like we are suppose to and they said yes. So this morning we all cleaned!!! And it is clean!!!!!! It was great haha.  Hopefully it will stay clean.

On Monday we received a challenge from President Tye:   For each companionship to get 14 new investigators this week. A NI is someone who had a lesson with a commitment and accepted a return date. Our mission’s goal is to get 14 per companionship a week. And we average like 3.5 so it is not very good. So the zone that wins gets to go to the mission home for dinner.  Our zone wanted to win!!!!   So this week was a lot of OYM (open your mouth). And Sister Sevia and I got 14!!!!! (I’ll tell you about some as my email goes on.)

So Tuesday was zone meeting. It was fun.  We practiced OYM. It’s hard because I didn't understand what they were saying because I don’t understand Tagalog yet. But it was Taglish so it was okay. haha. I left feeling so discouraged though. Sister Sevia was chosen to go up in front of everyone and practice an OYM. She started and wanted me to go next but I had no clue what to say.  I just blanked out. It wasn't embarrassing or anything.  The girl before me did the same thing and it wasn't bad either. But after -- everyone was talking to ALL the foreigners because there are alot of us that are pretty new. But Elder Ritter (who is in my batch) came up to me and said, “Sister Mayberry you just have to try.”  It made me a little discouraged. With investigators it is easy to try. With members and missionaries it is hard. I don’t know why. So I’m like, “I do try and with Sister Sevia I do try.”  I know that I need to try more. I do. I’ll admit that but it is hard!!!  So after the meeting I was just irritated, and it was one of those days where all the comments from strangers bug me. But we had a lesson with an investigator named Sister Francisco. She is so nice. She has been taught for a long time. Her husband, who was a less active, passed away a few years ago. And I for some reason just kept talking in the lesson. She had questions about the Book Of Mormon. I said what I could in Tagalog and spoke some English. But I tried. THE SPIRIT WAS SO STRONG!!!! I could definitely feel a difference when I try hard. Then we went to Brother Jamie and the same thing happened. It was great!!! I still didn't understand what they were saying though. That is hard!!!

And so we got home and SIster Au'aue said that she bought us balut!! I was freaking out!!!!! Sister Sevia had a hard time eating it but she did. So then it was my turn. They blind folded me. It was so gross!! I looked at it before and I definitely shouldn't have. So I took a bit and I was chewing and trying to swallow it when Sister Sevia shoves more of it in my mouth. I was done. You know how am.  If I do it—I can eat it.  Someone forces me -- I cant;. So I spit it up and didn’t end up eating it.  I told Sister Au'aue that I will eat it before she gets

transferred next week. So I was close, but no I didn’t eat it yet. Everything here is weird haha. I don’t know what I eat --I just eat it. I bet whatever meat I eat is weird. But we HARDLY ever get fed so that’s hard.

Wednesday was follow-up training. (There should be pictures up on the blog soon). It was fun to see everyone. And I got to hear that no one understands anything yet!!! Minus Elder Ritter.  But his companion speaks very little English so he is forced to understand. It made me feel better about where I am. It was good. And we got to eat cake which was so good!!!!!! After, we went to long beach. That was great!!! We got 8 NEW INVESTIGATORS that night!!!!! Some referrals and some OYM. It was crazy!!! Definitely an answer to prayer.  One is named Christian. His mom is a member and she actually was endowed 2 weeks

ago. I am so shocked he listened. She has been telling us for a month how she wants him to be taught. He has been pretty receptive and I think it will be great! And another (they are family somehow) is Jasper. He told us from the start he wants to just know the truth. And

he’s willing to listen. He was really receptive. I am so excited to start teaching him. But that is hard because their cousin, who is always in the lessons, makes me feel like crap about my Tagalog. Everytime I say something, she will laugh or something. It just makes me

discouraged so it is hard to give lessons there for me. But I have to get over it I know.

So Thursday was great!!!!  We did a zone service project in Cavite city.  It was so funny! We were waiting for our leaders at the Jollibee (like McDonalds) and this lady comes up and says hi. We say hi and talk for a bit. She asked me about America and then Sister Sevia said we are missionaries... and she was like, “No you’re not coming to my house.” It was so funny!!!!! Everyone knows who we are here! We picked up trash off of a beach. I’m pretty sure the whole beach was just trash. We would pick some up and more would be there. It was like a foot deep. We worked for like 3 hours and didn’t even make a dent. But it was fun

and all the little kids helped us out and it was great!!!!

Saturday -- Conference was great. Did Chad’s mission Prez speak on Saturday? I have no clue who he was haha. It was so nice because our Stake Center has air con!!!!! SO nice!!!! And our investigator Jamie (the diabetic) came!!! Only one session because he was getting sick but he did come!!!! So after, we had planned to go to a NI house (who we haven’t had a lesson with yet so she isn’t one yet) and have a lesson but she wasn’t home. Her neighborhood is by Sister Francisco. So we went and saw her. We were going to anyway but just super short. It was definitely inspired to have the other lesson cancel. We got done with the lesson and she said, "Is it okay with you if I am not wiling to be baptized? " My heart like dropped!!!! We talked to her about why and all this stuff and then I was like, “Sister -- We are not forcing anything on you. But we want to help you. We don’t just get baptized to get baptized but to be able to return to Heavenly Father. And I know that

through baptism you can live with your husband forever.” She was silent. She started to cry a little bit and it was still silent. So I asked her sister,  “What are you thinking?”  And she said, “okaylang” (the answer to everything here). So then it was silent again for a long time. And then Sister Sevia started to say something and  she we talked and cried and talked. She said how she misses her husband so much and stuff. We were able to testify of the truthfulness of the plan of salvation and how she can be with him forever. The spirit was so

strong. I think it was a break though lesson. And I’m so excited to see her again. It was such a good experience.

Yesterday was great too for conference. It was SO SO  SO funny!!!  A Filipino asked me if I get freckles in the sun. I said,  “Ya - my face kinda turns into one big freckle.”  He said that because after the service project my face had so many and it still does. And then some asked me if they go away and I said they fade. And then he said, “Hahahahah!  You’re a true American -- you have freckles.”  Haha it was great!!!

Well guess what?  One day,  IDK which,  we went to Jenny and Marlon (the recent converts) who by the way their sons are getting baptized soon!!!  He has another son.  They’re visiting him. He is 10 and he’s autistic and the cutest thing ever. We gave him a book of Mormon because he loves to read it so when he is at his mom’s he has one. And he wants to be baptized. He is so cute I love him!!!!  

There was a fire last night super close to our house. Not sure if  it was planned or not because it was a grass fire. But it was so big and we left our house and there was smoke everywhere!!! We were like -- we can walk fast and brave the smoke. But we made it about four steps into the smoke and walked back to where there was no smoke because it was bad. So we tried getting a trike to drive us but no luck. So we grabbed shirts and covered our faces so we could walk through the smoke. It was so bad!! We waited a little bit until we decided it was okay to leave and go to our appointment.

Well ya --  I love you all so much!!!!!!! I love getting emails every week!!!! Oh and by the way I have been getting impressions to talk to you about grandpa’s temple work. You guys should do it. I think it is time. Talk to dad about it.

MAHAL KO KAYO!!!!

Sister Mayberry

Balute - ugh!!  I knew
it would happen sometime.

Zone Service Project -
Picking up trash on the beach

The E. family

A fire near our apartment