Letter #3

Maayong Hapon ang akong pamilya ug mga higala,

Kamusta mo tikang pilippines!

This week was crazy busy with meetings and conferences and APs and punting, and rain rain rain, so unfortunately our work was a bit lisod (hard). Tuesday for district meeting/ lunch we watch the saturday session of conference. I loved conference so much! We were so pumped to go out and teach the work...unfortunately we got 'punted' a few too many times this week (showed up and the investigator wasn't there) but we ended up teaching the children or whoever else was around ... WEdnesday, Nanay Helen made us breakfast (which was marasa (delicious) but made me ill to the point that we couldn't go to our next apt, and then we had to take a bus to Naval b/c Zone conference was the next day. The APs picked us up in NAval and it was a crazy ride through the mountains. I got way car sick--which is kinda weird for me. But, Zone conference was so wonderful! It is always so fun to be with other missionaries and listen to President and Sister MAlit. It is so motivating and encouraging! THere are also 6 of us that were friends in the MTC that are in this zone so that was fun to be with them. So the first part of zone conference President malit was training and i was just taking notes like crazy and then we had a break, etc. Then, seriously it became like the blonquist show somehow...I was participating a bit, but then i got volunteered numerous times to do examples and activities and then my comp and i sang a duet, "because i have been given much" ., the new missionaries bore our testimonies, and then i was leading the music, and then they had my comp and i go up again and do some more examples, etc. IT was crazy i couldn't believe it. I am this brand new kid and all of a sudden i was always up front doing stuff. IT was good though, just funny. I really learned so much at zone conference and loved it. I forgot my notes at home, but some things that stuck out: focus on the good, have no fear, focus on 'finding' and talking to everyone, love the members.

On Friday my companion and I had big plans to teach 12 lessons--we got 6. There was a fiesta in the next town over so all the motors were full and no one would give us a ride, and all our investigators were gone...so interesting how that all works..or doesn't... but we just kept trudging along in the hot hot hot hot sun. Friday night we went to capucgayan (where our branch building is/ elders area) and played "finding faith in christ" we had aout 40 people there and new investigators my comp and i found! OH! We also have been asked to search for professionals and for future leaders of the church. There were a few times after we got 'punted' that we had the distinct impression to go a certain way, to a certain house and talk to them and guess what we found--professionals!

Saturday the elders in our district had a baptism (in the ocean) and so we went and supported that. IT was reallly incredible and i loved it! The weather was getting a little intense but we prayed it would remain calm until after the baptism, and that is exactly what happened. It then started pouring pouring rain. It didn't stop raining for about 3 hours.
My companion and I then went around to the less actives and sang song/ taught lessons. We then went to our investigators and had a great last lesson to raymond. His two fellowshipper/friends don't really have a desire to go on a mission so we ended up teaching them too. It was quite interesting.

WE taught a family/group last night. The lesson lasted about two hours....people were in and out and it was weird, but okay. I started speaking cebuano and they all straight up started laughing in my face. Bahahaha. IT was funny; I just laughed with them and then said okay, "sigi, sigi" (kinda like , bring it in..) "kinahanglan patience sa ako" (patience with me..) and laughed it off and started the first part of the lesson and did pretty good...(for me..). It was kinda fun actually. My language is so random, but we just keeeep plugggggin along. Actually, I am in fact wondering what you all are praying for with my language because: I was called to cebuano, my area is mostly WARAY, and we are teaching only TAGALOG people! Three languagessssssssss I can't speak or understand now! Bahaha, I seriously just laugh all the time at myself. Oh, and the members were better this week. Nanay Helen seems to really like me. She just makes me food all the time and is so nice. And some other members have really reached out to me this week. ITs been cute and helpful for sure. Mostly I just walk around with a big smile on my face, looking like a dumb blonde probably, but I am trying and they really seemed to appreciate me/that this week. So that is encouraging.

Our special sacrament meeting was interesting this week. I led the music, but no one sings the tune I do...bahah, kind of awkward. Also at the end of the sacrament this boy/man (17) yelled and then had a seizure. :( He fell on the floor and it was so sad. I guess he has been suffering from them for years and has brain damage from it. We finished the sacrament and then closed the meeting. Sister lemmon and I went and visited the family last night and he had just had another seizure. I feel so bad for them. The mom is a member, that kid is, and her other daughter, but no one else is...they have a really difficult life. But it was so good to be with them and share a message with them. I fell in love with their little boy, carlo. So cute!
The food here is usually just fine.
We always eat at this one pizza place in naval and I always get way sick. But I just keep trucking along.

CONGRATS TO MAGGIE LOUISE SIGLER FOR GETTING HER MISSION CALL TO TEXAS SPANISH SPEAKING! i Seriously guessed Stateside spanish speaking i am not even kidding! I can't believe her and bianca go into the mtc on the same time! LOVE MY GIRLS! SO SO SO Pumped for them!

Nat--thanks for your dear elder! It was such a great letter and i loved all the updates. I miss you so much!
Aaron--wow, thanks for your emails. hit the nail on the head. you are incredible. thank you so much.
Kerry--Awesome letter! Thanks for updating me on your family's life! man, i am so sad i am not going to be at the reunion with you all!
Marilee--thanks so much for the emails! your kids are so funny! What good questions they had!
Jarrett--............?! still haven't heard anything from you!
Katie--i miss you! thanks for your dear elders and email. thats so nice the kids can play outside tons. man, i love your house!
kiera--i bet benson is everywhereeeeee with him walking now. have so much fun in utah/ cali!

mom/dad--thanks for the emails! sounds like you are busy and all the conferences were good.

I never have time to go back and see what my emails really sound like, but i am doing really well. I am laughing tons with my trainer and learning a lot. I am not as tired as I was the first few days so that is good. I wake up every single day when it is still dark--4ish, and then go back to sleep either until 5:45 or 6:15, and then I sleep until 6:30. Wierd, eh? Every day! Its always nice to wake up and know you can sleep some more. haha.

WEll, thanks so much for all of your emails. I really love hearing from all of you. I am not going to be great at emailing you back though b/c i don't have much time here. BUT, i seriously read all of them and love it. I pray for you all every night and miss you. I really am loving being able to dedicate all my time to the lord and the people here. I love being a missionary and I strive each day to be better and figure out how i can be the Lord's missionary and not just do missionary things. The people here are wonderful and I am so blessed. I know I am supposed to be here and the lord has a specific plan for me, and for them. I get excited every day to walk outside our house and see where the Lord takes us. Every day is an adventure, seriously! How fun is my life!

(oh --sidenote! we went hiking to some caves today! so fun . right on the rocks of the ocean and i was so done with the rock climbing situation ..and the tide was coming in...that i made us all go straight up the mountains/ woods. hahaha, way hard, but way better, at least i though.)

WEll, Nasayud ko nga nahigugma ang dios ka nato ug mipadala siya kanato sa yuta makakat-on ug motubo. so learn alll you can. Amulek gave up so much to teach the gospel and alma was by his side during the difficulties. How important that is taht we have a friend during the heart aches and difficulties. Alma 10 and alma 15--read them and relate them to hometeaching and visiting teaching. (katie...that is my thought for you and your vt lesson...). We have taught a lot this week on vt/ht. IT is sooo important and it is not a very easy concept to understand here. I never realized how crucial it was until i got here. Wow. So important. The lord leads people into our lives for a reason and leads us to them for a reason. We are literally the very answer to prayers that they have been pleading for. Don't forget how powerful that is! They are having the faith that the lord will hear and answer their prayers....so have faith in being that answer. Love you alll so much,
Sister B. :)