06/08/2014

I can't believe how fast time goes by. I have one week left of training and I'm done! Which means Sister Surio will be transferred because she's been in La Mesa for almost 7 months... I'm gonna miss her so much. She's like my sister! But this also means I'll be a real missionary now, yay! I'm so excited to be done with training.

In other news, rainy season is upon us! And oh man does it live up to its name. I went on exchanges with an STL this week, Sister Loo, and we got caught in the rain. It flooded the streets so badly that it was like crossing a river. We had to come home early because the lightning almost hit us 3 times and the water was rushing down the streets above our ankles. We were soaked to the bone. Then we had to go out in it again the next day and my scriptures got soaked. But we can't let it keep us back so we have to press on! 

The jokes from the AP's continue on... and now PRESIDENT SPERRY is in on them too! We received a referral last week and we called the number... and it was the AP's totally pulling one over on us. And then we had a baptismal interview and President told us to come to the mission home at 5 AM. We told him we'd tell the candidates as soon as possible. So he calls immediately and we answer the phone to the sound of his cracking up. He said he couldn't believe we believed him and blamed Elder Jensen and Elder Kumar for telling him to do it. I have no trust in them anymore. ;) At least we proved our obedience.

So we received a donation from the US to buy white shirts for recent converts who are going to receive the priesthood. It was so exciting to give them to them and see them walk in on Sunday wearing white shirts and finally be interviewed to get the priesthood. It really helped motivate them to rise to the occasion. 

I'm afraid I don't have any spiritual experiences to share this week - honestly, it's been hard. School just started again for all the kids so everyone suddenly got really busy again (summer here is from March-May) and we literally had 6 appointments the whole week. We're a little disheartened but we look forward to what's in store for the very elect ones with baptismal dates. We were teaching a little old tatay the other day and he's so adorable. Quiet, slow, lonely, 87 years old and loves to wear lava lavas. When we asked him what he would like to be called, he said, "Daddy." Haha! We were in the middle of teaching a lesson when the garbage men come by collecting trash and they started picking fruit off his tree. All the sudden he turned into a lion and shouts "HOY!!!" He bolted out of his chair, grabs a slingshot and runs outside and shakes it in the air. Once they were gone he slowly walks back in and sits down as if nothing had happened. It was all we could do not to laugh. Especially since we saw the back of his shirt said "Simple Swagg"... 

Fun fact: Found out that the minions on Despicable Me and also the ewok things on Star Wars speak Tagalog! Yep. It's mixed with another language but that's why the Filipinos love minions so much. It makes so much more sense now. 

Thank you for the postcard this week, Sister Sanchez (Albuquerque, NM)! :) 

Attached is the picture of the entire Quezon City North Mission from mission conference. See if you can spot me. ;) 

Have a great week and enjoy summer! Congratulations to the 2014 graduates. :)

Where's Kenna?