Philippines for Eighteen : Aloha!! Joke lang ha

Studying with Sister Maagad

Hello family!!

Mom was asking about the pictures of me washing my feet so I will tell you the story because I forgot to tell you a couple weeks ago. I went on exchanges with Sister Taufa and I have worked in their area quite a bit because of exchanges. Anyway.... A few months ago when I went to this one neighborhood it was all flooded and all the houses were surrounded by water and so you had to walk on a bunch of bamboo to get from house to house... do you remember those pictures? When we went back a couple of weeks ago, we were contacting a referral from the office (which I later found out was given by me... haha pretty cool. The woman was like... hey! You were the one I talked to on the jeepnee! haha so it was cool to see some fruit coming from the referral I gave) and the water was gone but the place was covered in this really smelly deep mud.

I took a step towards her house and thought that the mud was hard but it ended up being completely soft and my foot sunk in!! Ughhhhhh so gross. I shiver when thinking about it again. Haha my shoe was completely stuck in the thick mud so I had to stick my hand in and fish it out. Haha the investigator took me to a nearby well and helped me wash it off. Haha pretty embarrassing but I couldn't stop laughing. I guess I'm still "clumsy clara!" (arrested development/Rod haha)

But ANYWAY! It's been another great week in the blessed land of Sta. Cruz. Brother Pamilacan has officially passed his baptismal interview and will be getting baptized this Saturday. Raymond still needs to get interviewed but as of now should be getting baptized at the same time. This will be two completed families in one day!! But I feel like we really didn't do much... we owe it to those missionaries who planted the seeds before.

Sister Koi, Sister Taufa,Sister Dula & Me

Sister Connie did get baptized last Saturday but it was such a sad event!!! Hardly anyone showed up. Our ward mission leader was an hour late and the person who was supposed to be baptizing didn't even come! Luckily Ding Barcenas was there and so we asked him in the moment of emergency to exercise his newly received priesthood powers and baptize her. I think that was a cool experience for him. But I was so worried about Sister Connie and if she had a good experience. We really tried to coordinate with the ward but it was one of the most stressful/sad baptisms I have had on my mission. In the middle of it, Sister Maagad whispered to me, "hey... you should sing to make it more special for Sister Connie"... haha so I did! It was crazy but I just sang a solo for her with no piano to accompany me. Nevertheless, I think that it brought the spirit. I just hope the ward will do more to reach out to her and fellowship her. We are going to try a lot harder this week to make the baptism special this Saturday. It is one of the most important days in these people's lives. There first step towards accepting the gospel - the gateway to Heaven.

France, Cloven, & Aldine

But we did have one miracle last week. The Gatdula family. A less-active brother randomly woke up Sunday morning and decided that he needed to go back to church and introduce his wife and three sons to the gospel. They came to church, we talked to them, and were in their house by Tuesday. THEY ARE SO PREPARED. I am serious. Sister Gatdula especially. All of her questions were perfect. Why are there so many churches? Why do we only have scripture from Jerusalem? Are they the only loved and chosen people? What about other countries? How can my family be closer and stay together? etc. The lesson was so powerful and her questions are slowly being answered. At the end of the lesson, her 15 year old son gave one of the most sincere prayers that I have ever heard. They came to church again last Sunday and I have confidence that they will continue progressing.

Anyway... the work is still progressing here in Sta. Cruz. Sister Maagad and I aren't perfect and we have lots of things to work on but I am amazed at the way he can take us, weak instruments, along with all the other missionaries in the world, and hasten His work. The work really is moving forward and I really do feel that I was foreordained in the pre-earth life to be here at this time. I don't want this to end:( I love all of you and pray for you all the time.