With Love From The Philippines

Monday, December 18, 2017

Week 63 "Tender Mercy and Merry Christmas"

Hi everyone!

Life is good here in the Philippines. There has been a Bagyo (storm) in another part on the PH, so it's been really cold lately, and I'm wearing a sweater right now, so needless to say, I'm a happy camper. :)

Hm, this week was really all over the place.

We tried to be good Samaritans this week! We got a referral to this lady living on #7 Yellow Bell ST. in one of our areas, so we spent FOREVER yesterday trying to find her (lol. we asked everyone, but with Filipinos, even if they have absolutely NO IDEA where you're talking about, they will still give you directions- lol even if they're just making it up) so we wandered and wandered until we FINALLY made it to Yellowbell, and we saw the house 7, so we approached the door, and the two ladies inside invited us in. SO NICE! So we thought "sweet. this is off to a good start" so we talked and laughed and did some hardcore BRTing (building trust and relationship) and after like 10 minutes, explaining why we are here, we realized that this was NOT the referral at all.. so we asked the ladies if they knew so and so, and it turns out she lived on the other street. (sorry that was probably the longest run on sentence in the world.) But it was a tender mercy because we got new investigators, AND we did contact the referral who was the CUTEST LADY EVER.

We also had a ward Christmas part and a missionary Christmas party which were both fun as heck. MERRY CHRISTMAS

We had a killer ward Christmas party. It was Book of Mormon themed. So we all were assigned to different tribes, and there were tents and costumes and IT WAS SO FUN. This is the aftermath, once we got home- looks like we are Indians, but we are really Nephites. Lol

Our chief judge (lol)

Our BOM themed Ward Party

Christmas Conference (these are the missionaries in our district). If you look closely, you can see that my knee is super red. Its cause I got over excited and tripped on my way up to the couch lolol.

An anonymous Good Samaritan brought over christmas dinner <3

THIS IS OUR FAMILY! They will be baptized NEXT WEEK!

Mission Christmas Party

Lechon, it's cool to look at, but only guys like it lolo

Mission Christmas Party

Thursday, December 7, 2017

Week 61 "December 3, 2017"

Kailey did not send a group email this week, so I am going to post the email that she sent to me.

Hi mom!

I am staying as an STL and I will be "killing" my companion (meaning that she is going home this transfer) and then I will be doing pauwi things (going home things) after her!! WAHOO!! :'))) And then I'll probably be so sad to leave my mission. happy of COURSE but also sad hahahah. then I'll work for you and get married. ;) but you don't have to say that over the pulpit. ;)

hm, we are teaching a FAMILY!! THEY ARE SO CUTE AND SO READY TO BE BAPTIZED holy cow! The elders found them and now we are teaching them since the elders got transferred. they come to church every week and when we extended the baptismal date, the mom said "I'll ALL for it." (in tagalog lolo) and then the dad said "Hm.. I'm not sure yet because I don't feel like I know enough." we told him that it was alright to feel that way, but to continue to pray about it.

so the next day was Sunday (and this was before the elders transferred) and they came to church and in the EQ meeting, some of the longtime investigators were telling their story (one isn't baptized yet but he said that he has been an investigator for over a year not) and then another member spoke up saying that it took a few weeks only. and then after church, the elders taught the dad and the dad said to them "I don't want to be an investigator for a year. I will be baptized AS SOON AS POSSIBLE!" SO THEYRE ALL GETTING BAPTIZED and as soon as we taught WOW, he quit everything! :'))))) They will be baptized on Dec 23, so it will be a WHITE CHIRSTMAS! :')))

mom I hope you know how much I love you. I really missed you yesterday, but its okay cause I'll skype and then come home in 2 months hahaha. Christmas is on pday, so ill probably call you on Christmas eve sa inyo. :) I cant wait to speak tagalog with Ben and with Hailey. hahaha :) also tomorrow we are going to the temple and I'm so excited! I miss the Payson temple BUT GUESS WHAT hahaha we are sad in the zone cause a lot of us are going home within the months of Jan-May. and all of the missionaries going home then don't get a last temple trip because it will be closed!!!!

Wednesday, November 29, 2017

Week 60 - November 27, 2017

Kailey sent a picture this week to her group email and that was IT. So I am going to share the email that she sent me personally:

Hi mom! How are you?! I totally miss Thanksgiving. It sounds like you guys had lots of fun! We had a Thanksgiving here.... kind of. ;) one of the sisters in our ward served in CALI, soooo she loves Thanksgiving! hahaha she bought some chicken cause there's no turkey here! hahaha1

AND GUESS WHAT?! one of my fav sisters in this ward got her mission call to SALT LAKE TEMPLE SQUARE!ANNND shes leaving on March 20, so thats a tender mercy!! Im so excited!

hm what else. I'm a freakin regular at macdo. (McDonalds) everyone knows me and my order.. mcspicy with fries and coke zero lolol TERRIBLE (there's no diet coke here) ahhaha. buuut even though I eat at macdo all the time, everyone tells me that I've gotten super skinny. so maybe that's a good diet plan. ;) I have 3 months left and I CANT WAIT TO SEE YOUR FACE!

and then I'll work for you and get married. ;) lololol. Adam and I still email to this day. isn't that crazy?

We taped this pic we found in the liahona on our wall cause we relate so much

Saturday, November 25, 2017

Week 59 - November 19, 2017

It's been a loooong week. But its also been lots of fun. We had a baptism, but not of Nequel. She cancelled her baptism and we were really lost and sad about it. But we continued to go to her house, so that was fun. Ha ha we even washed her dogs as a service opportunity!! Killer! :') Reminds me of my dog.

Hm, what else? We also learned that a member in our ward doesn't have records of her membership, so she was the one we baptized.

Ha ha and you remember the member I told you about a few weeks ago? The one who was massaging the big man's back and ask if we could teach? The one who wants me to bring him home with him? Ha ha

Yeah, he's still going strong. I walked past him in church (and remember he's like 60) and he just says things like "Hi, sweetie." "How's my girl?" HAHAHAH I die every time. So awkward and funny.

Hm, what else did we do?? We've been really trying to find ways to serve others. To #LightTheWorld . It's this church campaign designed to bring a little light into the world, and it's GREAT! If you haven't heard of 25 Ways in 25 Days, get ready! We are doing it again this year and I CANT WAIT/. Go to Mormon.org and check out "Light The World" and you can watch the video (its only about 2 minutes) and its totally worth your time.

The world can be a happy place despite the darkness, lets all give a little light. :)

I LOVE YOU ALL

Baby Ko

Cute little kitties

Sister Goundar and I

That's a BIRD and it was so cute and small, the kids let me hold him

This is the view from one of our investigators windows, and it reminds me of The Pirates of the Caribbean ride at Disneyland.

We got to wash some dogs, and that was so fun!

Mahal Kita!

Sister Mosher

Tuesday, November 14, 2017

Week 58 - November 12, 2017

We had some fun this week with a Meet The Mormon movie night with all the people in that area. One of the members made this GIANT pot full of sopas (its like chicken noodle soup) and the kids had a blast. I dont think they knew what was going on because it was in english and loud of heck, but they enjoyed it. :')

We also just had the most spiritual sacrament meeting. We had a primary program and my smile was as wide as all outdoors. SO CUTE. It reminded me of my mom cause shes been the primary pianist for like 9 years and she LOVES primary programs! Its the first one ive seen while ive been here!

Hey we also have a baptism THIS SATURDAY! So do the Elders so itll be A BLAST!