February 1, 2010. Hilongos - Week 4

HI THERE.

~Eva
I'm so glad you figured out how to get my videos off the memory card. :) I hope you get to show it to everyone. And WOW. It's going to be a BOY!!! That's the first EVER. >:O Thanks for sending me the info on Geckos. The ones around here are yellow colored, but I still think they're cute. :D And I got your dearelder.com last week! The one that says "Welcome to the Philippines!" xD

~Emily
YAY a job!

~Mom
:) Hi mommy. I got your email this week, so I don't know if that means your email problem is fixed or not, but it was nice to read. I sent Dad that email earlier through your email, but I really want you to remember it too. We need to go to the temple together when I come home. :)

~Jessie
I have no idea what it was in the email you sent me. If it was a video, I'm pretty sure myldsmail snuffed it out.

~Dad
Mom told me how you asked for "Jessie Loveland" at the hospital. ;) I like to hear funny things that you do or hear about. And I saw something here in Hilongos that I know you'd like, so I'm going to get it as your souvenir.

~CYRENA
Last night I had a dream that we were together and we hugged because we love each other. :D I miss you dear, and thanks again for the lovely scrapbook. It really warms my heart.

~Tiffany
I sent you a letter before I left the MTC, but I wasn't sure if you had gotten it or not. I wish you well dear. I don't know if I was able to convey that feeling to you. You are too important to me for me not to make the things that bring me the most happiness available to you. <3

~Greta & Marissa
I got your letter last week! :) It was way funny. I hope your polygydate goes well. And of COURSE Marissa got called to be RS prez. Its because everyone's in love with her.


I got called "Mother" this week. So I suppose I wasn't completely wrong when I said that some people call us mom. It was undeniably the word "Mother". I'm pretty sure that was a Catholic nun reference. And speaking of Catholic-ism yesterday was the first time ever that I've been "blessed". o_O It's ingrained in Filipino culture to put your forehead to someone's hand if they are much much older than you. It's because Catholicism is so dominant here. So I've actually done it twice because it shows respect to the really old people. But we were walking down the street and this woman led her little children to us and the little boy reached out his hand for mine. I thought he was going to shake my hand but then he put it to his forehead! xD And we taught a couple yesterday for the first time and a bunch of children surrounded us saying "Bless the Amerikanas!" and putting their foreheads to our hands. Children have a tendency to follow us. It makes me feel somewhat like a duck.

They have these things called "Put-Puts" here. They're much more efficient than taxis. They're basically bicycles with little seats next to them so people can charge you money to take you across town. And they have Trikes, which is for longer distances because its a motorcycle with a big metal body around it for people to sit in. Pictures are really the best way to describe them, so look them up. ;) And that dessert I mentioned last week is actually called Hola-Hola. Look that one up too. Though I'll probably start taking more pictures starting tomorrow.

Umbrellas are used year round around here. When its rainy, yes. When it's hot, yes. The Philipinas are scared of "turning brown" (as Sister Holden phrased it) so they use umbrellas to keep the sun off. I'm just scared of turning red. And Avon is here. But it's Philippines Avon. So instead of lotion that gives you a sun-tan, all the lotions advertise that they turn your skin white. No matter where you are in the world, it seems like people want to change their skin color.

We have a lot of new investigators this week and a lot that we still need to contact. I'm really excited for the potential of these people.

I have become a better person from this. I feel more patient, more loving, more understanding, more enlightened, more grateful, and more hard-working than I've been in my life. I'm not even close to being done, but I can feel the impact that my mission is going to make on my life already.

I exhort you all! (Yes, exhort, that big word!) to find yourself a copy of the Book of Mormon and start reading it! I don't care if you've never heard of it or if you read it every day. READ IT. You will find inspiration for your life, you will find out who you truly are, and you will become more like the person that you want to be! I have never been more enlightened by any other literature on the earth. You don't have to write to me, but I would love to hear about your experiences when reading and learning to understand it. READ IT.

2nd Nephi 29: God never ceases His word

~the end~