Questions and Answers

This week we did something a little different; we had Jayme answer some questions.  Unfortunately, she did not have much time because she was trying to upload some pictures of a beautiful butterfly for Katie.  Of course, Katie and Alan LOVED the pictures!!!  We have included them below.  

What time does church start?

We meet at 8:30 a.m. But people run on PST (pinoy standard time) so usually we start at 8:45 or 9 haha!

Do you understand much of what is being said now? 

Of course I understand more now than before! People like to try to speak English, so usually it's a perfect English/Visaya mix. So I actually get most of it. It's much easier for me to understand than to speak. But sometimes the lines of that song "will I ever learn this language" run through my mind...

How do you usually break the fast on Sundays? 

Fast...well, in November we broke the fast with Thanksgiving Dinner...and in December...I can't remember what we did...and in January...Dinner at the E family's house :D

Are you worried about transfers?  Do you have a preference as to where you would like to go? 

I actually am pretty sure I will stay here in Lacion next transfer. Sister Yap's been here 5 months at that point, and God has blessed me with a sense of direction, so I got the area down! Except boundaries, cuz nobody really knows those...which is bad. But I'm fine with staying here. I love it and I'm just starting to really get to know the people. They are amazing! And the work is kind of picking up again...we've had a lull the past couple of weeks...IF I did transfer, I would like to go somewhere in the Cebu East Mission where God needs/wants me. I'm good with anywhere :D

On average, how much do you walk a day? 

On average...we actually don't walk a ton. Our area is pretty urban, so usually we sakay (ride). So yeah....we're not walking as much as I walked on Trek, I think...so maybe like 3-5 miles? Not really sure...I don't keep track!

Do you use a hymnbook in Cebuano or English?  Can you understand the songs or do you just read the words? 

So while there IS a Cebuano hymnbook (mine went missing at the Christmas party...I think it is on Bohol) we actually sing hymns in English! English is the Church's official language over here...But yes, if I read the hymns in Cebuano, I can understand. But not always if someone is singing them...cuz I have to buffer...but I wish the language of the Church in the Visayas was Visaya...then my badge would be in Visaya and I wouldn't always have to try to explain the English to people! That would be nindot.

How much do you actually understand when you read your scriptures?

Actually I recognize most of the words when I read the scriptures. Only with the deep words I have to look up. But I read side-by-side with my English scriptures, so I always double check anyways. Most of the time I get by and I only have to write the translation for a word or two in the verse...

What interesting, fun or weird food did you eat this week? 

Hmmm...I got to eat my favorite food here: mongos. I don't really know how to describe it. It's like a sud-an (what you put on top of your rice)...a soup sort of thing. And it's got these leaves from this specific type of tree (I think it's maybe horseradish?) And I'm not really sure what all is in it, but it's very good. Also dried fish. It's SO lami! And puto...which is like some sort of rice cake, but it tastes like pancakes. And halo-halo, syempre. And....Pretty much it's all good. But did I ever mention the salty egg? Haha. They have these eggs - they're dyed bayolet color and the inside is like cured with salt or something? Anyways, apparently you're supposed to eat it with rice, tomatoes and vinegar, but Sister Yap didn't tell me that, so I just took a bite. Oh. My. Gosh. I thought I was gonna die. It was like eating a chuck of pure salt. Wow. So that's been the only thing that I haven't liked so far! But maybe if I ate it correctly...I'm scared to try it again, though...

The blood stuff tasted like black beans! It was not bad...kind of different after I knew what it was, though...

What was the best or favorite thing from this past week? 

My favorite thing this week was all of yesterday. Because I finally felt like I had a bit of a grip on the language! And our investigators weren't like "nosebleed" when I was talking and afterwards, Sister Yap told me she was proud of me! Usually she tells me that my Visaya is "kulang" or lacking, but we actually puli-puli (team taught) the whole time instead of her teaching and then translating or re-translating everything I say. It was a very, very good day.

What is one thing you are grateful for? 

Honestly, I'm grateful for all of my experiences here. This is seriously the best thing that's ever happened to me. Every day I learn so, SO much and I just am so grateful for everything that I get to learn. 

Anything else?

It's been stormy for about a week here. Like cold! At night I get cold! And the showers in the morning are SO cold cuz the water doesn't have the sun to warm it up! It's been raining every day for almost a week now! I love it :D it finally feels cooler! And so nice!

The picture of the scenery:   this is the view from the path to Sister C's house. It's one of my favorites, especially when it's stormy like this. This was taken yesterday (Tuesday, January 14)