Email #16: I wasn't promised the gift of translation

What ever happened with the car accident thing?

So on Tuesday Sister Lamson was cooking and smoke was going everywhere! And the fire alarm turned on and Sister Eddington and I had to stand on chairs and fan the alarm until it went off. It was terrible! We also visited Brother Jamie. He is so sick. He is in the hospital again. Getting more of his leg cut off this week. So sad.  I just feel so bad for him! Their family is so nice! It is such a big trial in his life. He wants to be sealed with his family but he cannot physically go to church!

So I have the worst luck in the world! On Tuesday night when we were sleeping, my railing on my bed broke and I fell off. Yep I fell off my bed! Landed right on my knee. I felt like it was broken or something. It hurt so bad.  I couldn’t walk and it was bleeding. But the next morning I woke up and it still hurt but didn’t look bad.  I can’t kneel for prayer though because it is bruised. It hurts! So Wednesday we went to this place, which I guess is the worst part of Noveleta. (Like place for drugs and unsafe for foreigners.) So Brother Wilmar had to come with us. And we went to contact a referral, but their neighbors were having a fight. Two girls were yelling at each other and one was throwing rocks! They were flying everywhere. Everyone just sat and watched. I almost got hit by a rock -- it was like inches away from me. So needless to say we rescheduled our appointment.

Thursday we had Zone Conference. It was super good! It was a lot about taking care of yourself and keeping things clean and not spending all of your support money right after you receive it. It was good. Then there were some spiritual things too! But now in our mission everyday from 4:30-6 it is “finding time.” So we are not to schedule appointments unless it is the only time. We have to, well, find people who want to listen. It is kinda hard actually. We walk alot during that time.

My stomach was acting up Friday and Saturday. I forgot how much of a pain it is.

Yesterday Webster visited his mom in a different city and didn’t go to church :( So we don’t know what will happen with him. Super sad,,,

This week I figured out that I need to be patient with myself and realize what I have. In my blessing I was promised the gift of tongues. I have definitely gotten it. I can speak pretty well. I am good at grammar. I do fine speaking in lessons. But I was so focused on not understanding that I ignored what I have. I wasn't promised the gift of translation. And I definitely don’t have that. I don’t understand a lot. It is super hard. But I need to just keep working. It is so hard though. I was so focused on what I didn’t have that I forgot what I do have. And I realized that I am turning into a missionary. I don't care if I transfer or Sister Sevia does but I do care that one of us stays because of Webster and Jamie.  They need one of us. Before, I wanted to stay so I could be the one to be here but now I just want one of us to stay because they need us.

Well momma sorry it isn’t a long email. Hope you have a good week! Love you!

We helped this man find shells for his dinner.
Now he's our investigator.  : )

Email #15: We had 12 less actives at church.

Oh hiking. I love that! I am so out of shape now. It is terrible. I am trying to run everyday while my roommates play basketball and volleyball. It helps me to relax. Transfers are July 16 and that will mark my 6 month out on a mission mark too. Aww I love Sister Bigelow. She is so nice! Always so welcoming. I love her too!

So Monday we had FHE at an investigator of the other sisters. We had to leave because we had an appointment. But they were so nice they fed us while everyone was watching the restoration. They are super. Everyone here ALWAYS feeds you. And they feel bad if they can’t. Our areas are more poor so they can’t often but in other areas they ALWAYS give you something.

Tuesday we had FHE again with the Santiago family. Other sister’s area again. It was one of the girl’s birthdays. Sister Lamson bought cake. It was fun. We played a game where if you lost you had to put powder on your face. Then afterwards there was a cake fight. That was super fun! Haha.

So Wednesday we went to Jamie’s to visit him and we found out that the night before he went to the hospital. He was in the ICU. He is home now but now he has a wheelchair. It is so sad.  We wrote him a note and Sister Beth said he cried when he read it. So sad. We went to a less active family named Fiel. Their son had a problem with his appendix last week and was in the hospital. So he is home now but his medicine makes his skin very dry. And it is so painful for him and there isn’t anything they can do for it. So we offered a priesthood blessing. We returned with priesthood and gave him a blessing. It was a great experience. The spirit was strong and the dad was there for the first time.

Thursday was terrible! I got sick! I was dizzy. I have no idea what our lessons were. It was terrible. So we went home early and I slept. I lost my appetite and felt just terrible. I slept for like hours and was pretty fine the next day. That morning Sister Sevia and I were reading about temple work. Have you done grandpa’s work? If not I think you should! And for Smitty too!

Friday we went to the mission office because our phone was messing up. That took way long! Annoying haha. And that night we went to Maylene and Kim’s. The less active’s wife. She has to work on Sundays now which is super sad. She switched jobs. And the job is in Bacoor which isn’t super far but far enough that she doesn’t come home often. But she is reading everyday!!!! She is in Alma. We were super excited because we didn’t think she was!

Saturday we had an appointment with this man named Rolly. We OYM (open your mouth) while we were playing hopscotch ON THE BEACH!! (With some super cute kids!) We had a lesson and he said he would come to church. We had an appointment with a less active lady and then her brother (less active ) and kanahay (less active) came. It was great.

So Sunday…  ready for this! We had 12 less actives at church. The Fiel family and the family we met with on Saturday and Oribello who almost got reactivated but hasn’t gone to church in like 3 weeks. It was great!!!!!!!!!!!! So excited.  And we had 3 investigators there. ROLLY CAME!! After only one lesson. It was so great! And Cristlyn (referral from Sister Jenny) finally came! It was a great Sunday for church!

Oh so mom can you send me my skirt that has the pockets? I wore it when I got set apart? A ton of my clothes got ruined with bleach and I have no idea how,. It wasn’t me. So my black skirt is gone.  And a ton of my shirts. So that skirt and any shirts I have that you think I could wear here. That would be very much appreciated. And fast if you could. I know you just sent one. But I really need it. Thanks! And beef jerky is the best thing ever! Oh and my Twizzlers :) Well momma I love you!

This is a house in our area.  CRAZY!

Email #14: Holy Rain!!!

Sister Leavitt and I on splits

HAPPY FATHER’S DAY!!

This week was great!!!! I did get your pictures. I miss you all tons. I hope you told everyone hello for me and I miss them all. Tink loves me and misses me that’s why she is in on my bed all the time :) Man I miss that cat so much!!!!

So Monday we went to Rosario and went to the mall. We went to McDonalds!!!! I had my meal I always get! It was great!!! Pero I missed the rice haha and it hurt my stomach a little. American food just doesn't agree haha. And I had a soda.  It was like the size of a medium in America and I could barely drink it all. It was a lot haha weird because before my mission I could down it no problem but now it’s hard haha.

SO Tuesday we had companion exchanges. It was great. I went to Molino and the sister training leader I was with is my lola (grandma). She was Sister Sevia’s trainer. She goes home in July. She is fluent and I learned a lot of Tagalog form her. Their house is about a million times cooler than ours. They are very lucky because it is easier to do everything when it’s cooler. On Wednesday I had a little meltdown. I was being same old myself and freaking out about a task and then … well freaking out. I have always done that. With homework in high school, well everything. Then I just had to breathe and do it and figure out the Tagalog and how to teach it and I was fine. It was a good day. We went to her investigator named Princess. It was such a spiritual lesson!!! She cried and has such a desire to repent. She is scared actually because she hasn’t yet. It was so spiritual. A miracle. Sister Leavitt said that her and her companion have been praying for a break through with her. It was great!!!.

Rainy season has started! It rained on us all day!!!  So on the way home from exchanges Sister Sevia and I took the wrong bus. But the driver knew where we were going. SO he stops on this like deserted road and was like, “Noveleta here.” And we were like ahhh what??  It was so funny!  We learned we were actually super close to home but it was great. We were like, “What?  Your dropping us off here. There isn’t anything here!”

Holy Rain!!! So Thursday it started pouring just as we left the house. We used umbrellas but it didn’t matter because the wind was so hard that you just got soaked. So my gray skirt went form light gray to dark. It was great.  We were just laughing the whole time we were walking. Actually pretty fun hahaha. That day was A MIRACLE DAY!!! We went home that night just so happy. So after our first appointment we got punted. But we just kept trying. We went to Webster's and we found how much of a miracle he really is. Sister jenny said that before he would yell at them, call them stupid Mormons, yell bad words at them, say I will never be one of you, or wouldn't go anywhere with them because they were "stupid Mormons".  It was so bad. But after his brother got baptized his heart was softened. And now he won’t push his baptism back. He has such a desire!! Pero we had to push it back a week because we have too much to teach him. So now it is July 5. And their neighbor, who is 15 now, wants to be baptized!!! Which is great! Then their neighbor Emma. We haven’t taught her in like a month because she has been so busy with this big event planning but now it is over so we can again. (FYI she went to the church tour last week). We go to teach her less active neighbor and she sees us and says, “Sisters I miss you. I am so happy to see you.”  So we asked her to join the lesson and she did. We taught about Joseph Smith and the BOM. It was such a spiritual lesson and she asked questions. It was a breakthrough lesson! MIRACLE!!! Then we went to Brother Jamie and we taught in his room because there is aircon. It is hard for him to breathe if it is too hot. And we sang Families Can Be Together Forever. And the spirit was so strong!!! Sister Beth cried and Jamie almost did. And he was like rubbing his daughters back during it. It was so spiritual!!!!!!!!!!!! The spirit was there!!! After that we had no idea where to go. We had a plan but it didn’t feel like it was right. So there is this family, the Rocco family. The father is less active and bishop gave us the assignment to get him to come to church. So we try to go visit him but every time he is gone. He is gone at night. We would have to visit in the morning, which is hard because we have studies. So Sister Sevia said maybe we should go see if he is there. So we sat there for a second and I said, “Well let’s try.”  So they have a tindahan (little store). So I bought these super delicious chocolate things that aren’t in America. And I asked the daughter were her dad was. She said inside. I was like what?"!?!?!?!? HE’S HERE! SO we had a lesson about enduring to the end. And I think it hit him. Really you could tell. The spirit was strong! The daughters testified about how it would be to go to church as a family. He didn't come to church because of work but I know we got him thinking and he felt the spirit. But it truly was a miracle. We have been praying for like for about 3 months!! It was a MIRACLE DAY!!!

Saturday and Sunday was Stake Conference! It was great! Saturday was all about helping missionaries. Sunday was a mix. But Saturday after Women's session and before general session we went to this store to buy a snack and Sister Sevia and I bought a package of doowee donuts. They are just donuts but they are our favorite. We buy them all the time! I think it has turned into a sentimental thing now. But we ate all 10 that day! It was so funny and delicious and great! Hahahahha We sang I’ll Go Where You Want Me To Go and Sister Sevia kept making me laugh and I was trying not to so, you know me, I started to cry because of laughing. So this year our zone has had 23 baptisms. Our ward has had half -- 11! Our ward is awesome!! HAHA

So last night we had agreat lesson with Webster. It was about the BOM and iI know he felt the spirit. I know it. I could tell.  His demeanor changed and the spirit was there. We left just saying I love that family so much. We all felt something. It was such a good lesson. Miracle too. We couldn’t say anything. We just were silent because it was so good! This week was truly a great week. Miracle.

Well momma -- long email this week! I love you all so much!!!

The missionaries and the Relief Society

Email #13: I am doing great I really am.

I'm actually eating MANGO'S !!
What???

Holy questions Momma! Haha. Yes I am still taking that medicine. My feet swell if I don’t take it. Sister Sevia’s back hurts her a lot. Sometimes we have to go home because it is so bad. None of the doctors have been able to tell her what it is. It is just that salt makes it worse but not go away. S’O she cant eat it anymore. It is hard for her -- she LOVES salt. And for me – I just had a bad cold. Sister B had it and gave it to us.  And yes, I have a journal.  I don’t write in it everyday, but when something that is awesome or funny or like I want to remember it, I write in it. But I have my 5 year journal that I am writing in also. Where is the new taco shop?

SO Monday we had FHE with the Montemayor family. They are awesome.  We have FHE with them alot. They have a car so the grandpa always drives us home in AIR CON! This time on the way home he bought us a ton of mangos! Like 1000 pesos of mangos and that is a lot!!! They are so good! I LOVE MONGOS! Yep I said it. I love them! I eat them all the time! And we found out about transfers. I did not transfer and neither did Sister Sevia. And sister Lamson got a new kasama. She is American from Arizona too! She’s my batch so we were in the MTC together. It is weird to have another American here. I don’t like it haha. Everyone compares us and that’s hard.

Tuesday we had district meeting where we always practice. With this practice you have 30 seconds for each principle and then your kasama does the next one. we did it in English because I don’t think that fast in Tagalog but I did say random things in Tagalog. It was cool to see that even when I am trying to speak in English, I still use Tagalog!

Wednesday we picked up Sister Eddington!  My tagalog that day was so good! I could seriously see myself improving and understanding more. Now I can understand people! Well not really because I just need more vocab but I am recognizing the grammar and stuff which is what was hard before. I was so exited!!  So do you remember Bobbit? Well we didn't teach him but we taught his mom again, She is awesome. After the lesson she just said she is so thankful because her church’s doctrine is so confusing and we helped her not to be confused anymore. She was so thankful. I love her. But she is so old that she can’t really come to church. She cannot walk really. Sad but we are gonna keep teaching her. It was awesome!!!

So Thursday I discovered I had 17 -- yes 17 -- new bug bites!!!! They hurt so bad! It was miserable!!!! We went to the hospital to get Sister Sevia an ultrasound for her back! (It was normal by the way)  While we were waiting, there was this talk show on. It is this little girl who is like 5 years old. It is ridiculous!!! She runs around doing whatever she wants. It was terrible! She is the youngest host in the whole world. I have no idea how she got her own show. It’s terrible!  So I am to the point where people are amazed that I have only been here for 3 months. But, they don’t realize that the Tagalog I use is basically all I know! I just don’t let them know haha. But it is great to hear people say but you are fluent in Tagalog. But really not.

Friday! Ok so do you remember Jamie? The one with diabetes. Kindest family ever!!! They fed us dinner on Tuesday. (It was someone’s birthday and they insisted we stayed for food and cake.  I felt so bad) Friday we go and they buy us so much stuff. But Friday they fed us again and it was great. Then after, Jamie just kept saying, “If it rains and you are close - come here.  Don’t worry this is your home too. If you need anything just come here. If it floods and you have to sleep here you can. How much is your trike fare, here let me pay it. Let me do this – let me do this.” And he won’t let us thank him for the food. Seriously so nice!!!  We were like - we are just being respectful.  He said ok but don’t thank me. Gosh I love that family so much - nicest people ever!!!

So Saturday we had a church tour for investigators. Members were supposed to bring friends or family but not many did. It was kinda sad. But we had 2 of our investigators show up and they brought someone. Emma came. She has been a hard one. When she showed up with her less active friend Imelda (who we are teaching too) she said are you amazed? And we were like, “No we are happy.” But Sister Soleta, a member, framed a bunch of pictures of Christ for us to give out. So that was cool! She also feeds us every other Sunday! She is great! But the tour was good and it helped out the other sister alot.

So you asked what to put in my next package. GATORADE!!! Like the powder.  It is so expensive here! We can only buy it every once in a while. Haha. Well momma I love you tons!!!!

I am doing great I really am. Don’t worry! I LOVE YOU!!!

There are chickens everywhere….
especially in our LESSONS!