December 1, 2013 Tapos na! Another transfer...

Sunset in Gua Gua

Walking with Sister Hausia to a baptism.

Dear Family,

Kumusta po kayo?  P-day ulit!  Sobrang mabilis talaga ang transfer na ito pero sobrang masaya din.  At yata hindi ko malilipat....sana!

This week was really good.  Nothing very much out of the ordinary to report here in the Philippines.  Haha the Philippines is now normal to me. Actually right now, something funny is that as I am typing, the song outside in the mall is God Bless America and that song "but should auld acquaintance be forgot, keep your eye on the grand old flag".  And I realize that they actually play American patriotic songs a lot here.  Hmmm.

Sister Hausia is progressing which makes me super happy as a trainer.  She will (hopefully) be ready to have a new comp by the time our next 6 weeks is up.  This week has been a little frustrating because most of our appointments haven't been home when we show up to their appointment.  But then we do street contacting and find new people.

At one of our lessons with a less active Erika DeLeon (she's 12), she gave the closing prayer and said "At sana, magiging katulad nina Sister Hausia at Sister Sirrine ako, at tulungan ako sa aking paghahanda sa aking mission." (And hopefully, I will become like Sister Hausia and Sister Sirrine and help me prepare for my mission)  It was one of those times when I just realized how much other people look to the missionaries and how big our responsibility is.  And we're just kids!  I realized that I need to do everything that I possibly can to be the best example for all the people, especially the kids here, because they watch what the missionaries do.

One sad thing was that we dropped our golden investigator Sheila.  She is totally ready, but her husband wont let her come to church.  And she's afraid of her husband (he drinks) so she won't let us talk to him and share with him.  So we finally had to tell her that although we feel like she is ready, maybe this isn't the right time because the missionaries need to respect the father and head of the household.  And of course, our purpose is to help people be baptized and she can't do that if she doesn't come to church.  So it was really sad last night, but hopefully the next missionaries who return to her will baptize her.  It's just sad because she is so ready.

But on the up side, we showed up at the home of one of the families that texted us and told us that they would text us when they had time again.  They were a little shy and said they would text us when we had time but we were persistent (I have learned to be REALLY persistent here) and kept asking when.  Then I asked (kind of awkwardly) if there was a problem.  The husband said no really quickly but the wife hesitated.  They said they would text us.  So we said good-bye and the wife walked us out to the main road and halfway there, she said that they did have a problem and she really wants her husband to change and she feels like our religion can do that.  And she totally opened up to us.  And then she said we could come back on Friday.  So we were able to teach them again.  For some reason, I really really feel like this family needs the gospel.  So we are going to be persistent with them.  Looking back, I feel like I followed the spirit when I asked if there was a problem.  I never ask that and it was a very awkward question but I've come to realize that sometimes the spirit isn't conventional and sometimes a little awkward to us.  But that is the question or the statement or the thing that that person needs and we just don't know it.  And of course, she totally opened up to us.

Last pics before Sister Alvero finished her mission. 

One other thing that was really spiritual this week:  Sister Alvero (the Filipino in our house) left to go home because she is done with her mission.  Her family is from Tacloban (where the super typhoon hit) and their house is gone, everything is gone so they are starting from scratch and hopefully moving to Manila.  But in Relief Society, just before she left, they said that if anyone had any donations for her family it would be nice (of course, she was totally embarrassed).  But sisters brought food and clothes and money.  And then one sister, a recent convert, came forward and gave her money.  We know for a fact that she gave all the money that she has.  All of it.  I think that it was only 20 pesos but I know that sometimes she goes days at a time without eating or just eats a handful of rice with a lot of water (basically soup).  But she gave everything that she has to Sister Alvero, even though Sister Alvero is probably better off than she is.  I was just struck by how humble and giving these people are.  It is truly amazing.  They are so willing to help everyone and yet they have nothing to give.  But they give it.  It made me think of the story in the Bible about the widow who gave her two pence and Christ said that she gave more than the rich men who gave a lot.  That is how I feel about the people here.  They give way more than I do.  Hopefully, by the end of my mission I will learn how to be more like the people here.

Well, the work is moving forward here!  I counted up all the baptisms that Gua Gua has had since I have been here:  10.  10 in just 4 months!  The church is growing!  I know that it is true and I love you all.  Hope you all had a great Thanksgiving (I forgot about it...the couple missionaries reminded us the day after. But my Thanksgiving was good) and I love you all!

Sister Sirrine