Tao Po!

First of all, congrats to the one and only Kellee Cunningham for her awesome mission call to Peru!  Those people speak my language (aunque creo que no estoy hispanohablante pero tagaloghablante este dia....jajaja)!  I am so grateful to be serving as a missionary now with friends also serving on each continent.  These are the days  and we must labor to hasten the work, His work, of salvation.

Speaking of the work of salvation,  things are good here in San Nicolas.  This week Nanay Tessie and Melessa Tagama were baptized.  They used to be in my area before our boundaries changed.  Sister Abuel and I were the first missionaries to teach them and now they are the newest members in San Nicolas 2 Ward.  Although the work here is the slowest it has been,  Sister Mafi and I are focusing on using the help of the members to find those who need the gospel.  

Here are some of the awesome things that have happened this week.

-I saw my BISHOP from NASHVILLE here in SAN NICOLAS.  Shout out to Kim Facer for bringing me a package and hug across the world for me!  It was amazing to see you and I am so thankful that we were able to see each other.  It is always sweet to see a little piece of home here in the Pilipinas.

-My bishop brought me an awesome package from home complete with clothes and American chocolate.  It was great, but I have one complaint for my beloved mother.  You send me a package from across the world and I am asking simply for saome maple syrup.  I thought I would get some Aunt Jemimas or some of that that some in the cute log-shaped container, but I instead receive Kroger brand.  Really?  You send store brand syrup to me?  

-Ben Raymond wrote me a letter.  It was amazing to hear from him about his work in Hungary.  Even though the work is slow in our area now, people are open in the Philippines.  People talk to us.  In Hungary,  Ben is lucky to have a conversation with someone on the street. 

-This is not amazing, but I have a bad cough.  Sometimes I can't breath.  It is a problem during lessons.  I hope that it goes away.  The members are really concerned and they are telling me that it is because I shower when I am tired.  I love the people here but they are a little crazy sometimes.  There is not medical relationship between showering when you are tired and having a cough.  And I am always tired because I am a missionary.  Am I just not supposed to shower anymore?

-We painted a fence in Paoay at an elementary school this morning with other missionaries from our zone.  It was fun and I am thankful for the experience I had to serve.  And painting is hard...I am glad that I was called as a missionary and not a painter.....joke lang.

I love this work!  It is so hard, though!  On Saturday we taught Omar and his family.  Sister Abuel and I taught him way long ago and had never returned.  I got brave this week with Sister Mafi and we stopped by.  He taught us that the Bible says women cannot wear earrings or makeup and that we cannot cut our hair.  We told him that the Law of Moses was a preparatory law and that now Jesus is the way.  I am thankful that I understand the true, restored, and complete gospel of Jesus Christ.  I never have to be confused with useless doctrines or meaningless rules.  Each part of the gospel has purpose and helps me.  I love the Lord.  He lives.