So sometimes, here on the mission, I try looking pretty and
i do my hair (not ponytail or bun)....maybe even wear some makeup if i'm really
just going for it.....EVERYTIME i end up looking worse than if i just wouldn't
have. If my hair is down, by the end of the day there are leaves and dirt in
it....if i wear makeup, there decides to be a storm....I think for the rest of
my mission i am going to just ponytail it. But that's another thing...l've
decided i'm never going to feel clean...when it's hot (120+ degrees) and i'm
walking all day, my feet are dust and, siempre, i'm sweaty...When it's a bagyo
(stormy), it's muddy and i'm walking through puddles that have..who knows
what..in them...It's kind of like camping for 18 months.
This week was pretty great. I saw and talked to 4 white
ladies...it was so weird...they were from London so of course, everything they
said sounded really smart and elegant....and here i am trying to speak english
and it coming out really awkwardly and not exactly correct grammer. Ya...that
oym was interesting...but ended really well! They are here volunteering and
teaching people here how to be self reliant so we offered to help and to be
translators for our service project this week and they accepted.
We also had an awesome FHE. I love fhe's with investigating
families. this family, the parents sit in on the lessons (because they have to)
but don't listen or participate..but during the fhe they were laughing just as
much as the kids were.
We also have one family that i absolutely love; The Almodal
Family. They don't make excuses..they just do it. my area, Cabiao, is pretty
wealthy but the Almodal family is pretty poor. But somehow they figure out how
to get to church, they are preparing and commited to pay tithing once they are
members and they are willing to pay a fast offering to help those "who
have it worse". They are amazing. As members of the church of Jesus
Christ, especially those of us that were born into this church, we know that
persecution comes with it. We saw it happen to Jesus and His followers;
countless prophets of old; Joseph Smith and the pioneers; and to members right
now. But for someone who has never even heard of this church, and is just
starting to have faith and understanding in these things, i'd imagine that they
wouldn't be ready or expect persecution. Rhea (the mom), expressed all the
persecution she has been getting. She gets mocked and yelled at from friends,
family, neighbors, and people she hasn't even met. A couple nights ago she
shared what was happening with us. But she also shared her responses. When
people mock her, she turns them to prayer or invites them to read the Book of
Mormon, like she is, to find out for themselves. Her faith is unwavering. It's
amazing because she hasn't even been baptized yet. Her and her family each
already have strong personal testimonies. They stand for truth and
righteousness and they don't change their standards or faith to fit in with the
community or even their family. Their faith, testimonies,and courage is really
humbling and i know they will be blessed.(3ne 12:10)
I love you guys and hope all of you are doing good! MAHAL KO
KAYO!
ps...i will probably be frozen this next week..it's only 80+
and will get down to like 70+...........That is literally 40 degrees colder
than I have been used to! Yay for rainy season!
Oh...and #murica
