Sister Norman Called to Serve: Should I stay or should I go?: Transfer Week

So...TRANSFER WEEK! Pero...Dito po kami parin..or for all you Englishy speakers: nothing changed. Sister Laiti and I are staying here in Moncada together for at least 6 more weeks! She will be my first comp that i've had for more than 1 transfer! I'm pretty stoked....It's fun having another foreigner (she's from Australia) as a companion...And there's none of that awkward getting to know you: "who's getting the bottom bunk?", "do you eat rice" rubbish.

So my zone is called Paniqui Zone..just recently i found out that Paniqui means Bat in Tagalog. And just this last week i found out why; so earlier this week our schedule was a bit messed up and ended up out in a particular area at a time we normally are not there, and for some reason i decided to look up. It was dusk so i was really curious why there were sooo many birds still out ....they were NOT birds...they were BATS! there had to have been at least 100 bats right above my head...i almost passed out...it was terrifying.. so as you can imagine i squealed like a little girl and since people were still out they were all laughing at the "american" that is scared of "ang mga Paniqui"...well earlier that day...in the exact same place, around the same people i had another "lets all laugh and point and the dumb american" moment. I broke a tree. It was an accident...i touched a dead, brown part of a coconut tree and the whole thing fell off! It was reallly loud too (because it's really huge) and alot of (the same) people were around! It was really embarrassing...they already think i'm huge so when i broke the tree...let's just say they had no mercy as to what they were saying..haha ;)

Oh another fun couple things....I got to hold a piglet this week....and i named all of the guy's pigs for him...my new BFF's name is Bella...and i had to explain that in french, italian, and spanish it means beautiful...he thinks i'm really weird now. Oh last uh..fun/interesting thing.. i had some pretty...uh interesting food this last week...i had a big ol scoop of what i thought was just some meat to have with my rice at this one member's house...PERO...it wasn't just any meat...it was meat mixed with blood...i think i almost died...like i couldn't even hold a polite face...worst part was that i was still expected to eat it...so i ate like 2 bites but i decided leaving some food on my plate would be more polite than throwing it back up on their floor. That's what the picture is of...me with the bloody meat MASARAP!

hmmm... well i guess i can move on meow...

In other news, my companion and i are trying to change...it's fun but kind of hard! We both chose things we want to improve on and mine were meekness, repenting everyday, applying "No judgement; just love", and having courage..(i have a bigger list pero i can't change everything all at once:) ). I love learning about changing ourselves because it always goes back to applying the Atonement of Jesus Christ in my life and i feel happier and I have more hope now too! Today i finished the Book of Mormon again...only this time was different because i wasn't finishing it to finish it...i was studying it and applying the gospel principles in my life, and looking for the pattern of love our Heavenly Father shows us as well as seeing how I can use both the Redeeming powers and enabling powers of the atonement in my life. This time as i read the last chapters of Moroni, the Spirit of God testified to me that the Book of Mormon is true and that Joseph Smith really was a prophet called by God and most importantly, that JESUS IS THE CHRIST. I couldn't imagine my life with out this Book. It is what generates my hopes and gives me happiness. I understand why i'm here and how to get to the kingdom of God after this life because of it.I understand the love of God for me. Alam ko na totoo Ang Aklat Ni Mormon at sobrang nagpapasalamat po ako dahil meron po ako ng Aklat ni Mormon sa Buhay ko. (I know it is true and I'm so thankful i have it in my life)

I miss all of you and hope you all have an amazing week! :)

Pictures: Me with the bloody mix of meat ...sorry i look real haggard! :)